History Main / RightMakesMight

Other times this trope is taken more literally as it might be the righteousness of the hero that allows them to use resources not available to the bad guys in the form of OnlyTheChosenMayWield,OnlyTheWorthyMayPass, OnlyTheChosenMayRide or they are chosen by the EmpathicWeapon or a LivingWeapon. The hero's virtuous heart may also make them a candidate by a TheChooserOfTheOne, especially in instances where the story has TheChosenMany.

* In ''Videogame/EarthBound'', [[spoiler:one of your party members has a Prayer ability that sometimes has random, minor effects on a battle, but it's also the only thing that's strong enough to defeat the final boss]].

* Discussed several times in ''Manga/MedakaBox'', in the sense of deconstructing it. "I will lose because I was weak, not because I was wrong" is used by both heroes and villains at various points in the series, and [[BornWinner Born Loser]] Kumagawa has variations of "I am not wrong" as one of his {{Catch Phrase}}s.

** Doctor Abraham Erskine chose the sickly but kind and gentle boy Steve Rogers to be the prototype candidate for the Super Soldier Project because he ''adamantly'' believes that it takes a kind-heart to create the Ultimate Warrior, not strength or obedience. He is of course laughed off by the cynics in charge of the US Military, who believe violent and obedient bullies are what it takes to win wars, not kindness. But when Steve Rogers finally becomes Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger, he proved them all wrong with flying colors.
** In ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', Phil Caulson alludes to this trope. He confidently tells Loki that he has no chance of winning, because evil has "no conviction". Tony echoes this when he points out that Loki is going to have to keep fighting even if his ploy to conquer the world succeeds. Something Loki doesn't seem to have considered.
** In the DarkestHour of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Stark is knocked unconscious by Thanos and Thor a breath away from having his heart carved out by the Mad Titan. Captain Steve Rogers, gentle and kind of heart, is deemed worthy by Mjölnir to wiled it in defiance of the tyrant, becoming the Ultimate Warrior that Dr Henry Erskine always believed he could be. The Good Doctor would be proud of Captain Rogers.

-->'''Carrot''': My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure!
-->'''Angua''': Really? Well, there's eleven of ''them''.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'''s Might Guy actually believes in this, but its impact on the show is questionable, as his apprentice, Rock Lee, is forbidden from using his most powerful techniques except for when it's to protect a friend or loved one. Also questionable in the fact that [[TheWorfEffect Rock Lee loses a lot.]] In Naruto, there's one sure-fire way to win which even works for Lee. Promise someone important that you will win. Naturally, you can't break your promise, so you'll just have to win instead. Guy, however, plays it straight, never having lost one fight on-screen. Even his supposed failure to defeat [[PhysicalGod Madara]] counts as a victory as he stalled Madara long enough for Naruto to arrive, thus successfully protecting the people he cared about.

** Plus, on the Discworld, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve belief is a very powerful force]].

* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', [[ThePaladin Paladins]] have their powers directly tied to their CharacterAlignment. That is, if a LawfulGood Paladin strays from the path of righteousness and becomes neutral or evil, she loses a good number of her abilities until she manages to atone for her sins and go back to her original LawfulGood alignment.

* Literature/TheBible -- [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] -- Gideon has an army of 22,000 that God says is too many because then Israel might think they won with their own strength rather than God's support, averting a possible MightMakesRight. There are only 10,000 left, and then God gives them ultimate Hebrew test of righteousness -- ritual physical cleanliness. If they lap water from a stream like dogs instead of cupping it with their hands, they go home. There are only Film/ThreeHundred men left and they triumph.

** {{Enforced|Trope}} by Creator/GeorgeLucas's policy. In a Star Wars game, only the "Light Side" path is considered canonical. This prevented Obsidian from doing a KillEmAll ending and forced them to prop up the Light Side path they were working so hard on deconstructing.

* Myth/KingArthur spent the majority of his reign trying to dispel the idea that MightMakesRight and implement a legal system where Right Makes Might. Unfortunately, [[BastardBastard Mordred]] used this against Guinevere and Lancelot. Myth/KingArthur was forced to [[SadisticChoice choose between]] the woman he loved and the system he had spent his life working on for the good of his people. If Arthur had abandoned his legal program, Lancelot could have taken Trial By Combat to avoid the charges but in doing so removed any support by both commoners and nobles for his plan, while the Right Makes Might would remove any advantage Lancelot or Guinevere had, but would prove his system was equal and truthful. In the end, he [[TearJerker stuck with his ideal]], and his new laws sentenced Guinevere to burn at the stake, which caused Lancelot to rebel, which signaled [[ItWasHisSled the end of Camelot]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DoubleDragon'' cartoon, the power of the Dragon was literally drawn on the strength of their belief that good was stronger than evil. They even had the phrase [[ByThePowerOfGreyskull "For Right" "For Might"]] and they received armor that was tempered in the fire of Hope.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' has an ability, called "Valor" or "{{Hot Blood|ed}}", that [[GameBreaker doubles the damage of the next attack]]. Its use is balanced by its price: most most pilots can use it two or three times a stage at high levels. ''Every'' ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' ''seishin'' spell is something like this, from Courage and Love (essentially LastDiscMagic) to Trust (healing) to Hard Work and Luck (doubled rewards for killing). Which can produce interesting in-jokes -- [[Anime/GunBuster Noriko's]] first two ''seishin'' were, true to the spirit of Coach Oota, '''Hard Work and Guts!'''

* Generally averted in history, as the type of nation that [[MightMakesRight will wage wars of aggression, has to also be the type of nation that]] ''[[MightMakesRight can]]''.
** At the same time, often plays out straight; the sort of system of government that will universally be regarded as "wrong" is typically not very effective at marshalling its resources and people over the long term.
** And will always be invoked because history is WrittenByTheWinners. It's only until years later when the emotional investment is gone that people look at the conflict objectively and realize that it's really MightMakesRight.

This trope can be more or less {{justified|Trope}} by the story showing just ''why'' the Right philosophy is better (even for winning in combat) in the end. One possibility is that the good guys rely on character-building virtues like dedication and teamwork while the villains bluster and bully their way through life, leaving the latter unready to face a real test. If nothing else, the ''belief'' that Right Makes Might could [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve make it happen]] by encouraging the heroes or demoralizing the villains. It could also be that the hero's resolve and dedication to an idea that they hold to be greater than their self interest, [[ExplosiveOverclocking allows them]] [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique to go past]] [[HeroicRROD limits]] [[CastFromHitPoints the villains]] [[CastFromLifeSpan wouldn't dare,]] even to making the [[HeroicSacrifice ultimate sacrifice.]] After all, the villains tend to value their lives above all and see defeat as failure whereas the heroes see stopping the villain as victory itself and surviving in one piece as a luxury.