History Main / TheDutifulSon

* In the Creator/SteveMartin vehicle ''Film/{{Parenthood}}'', his prodigal brother that his father always preferred turns up and turns out to be as useless as ever, teaching his father the value of Martin's more dutiful ways.

-->''The stupid thing is, even now I still just want them to be proud of me and think I did good. [[DeconstructedTrope Is that really stupid?]]''

** This is the backstory for Mako and Bolin's father, San. San left his family in Ba Sing Se on bad terms after refusing to take over the family fruit stand from his father, instead choosing to make a new life for himself in Republic City. The responsibility of running the family business then fell to his brother Chow. Tragically, [[spoiler: San never got the chance to return home on better terms, as he and his wife were murdered by a firebender in Republic City when Mako and Bolin were little.]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Witz Su from ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'' is supposed to become one of these after his father and younger brother die and leave him to care for his very numerous family (mother, three sisters, one brother). However, Witz runs away from home and becomes a Gundam pilot, something his mom is very upset about, and doubly because she hates mobile suits. [[spoiler: He gets to go back home with his girlfriend Toniya, so it's hinted they've made amends.]]
* Creator/{{Funimation}}'s dub of ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'' makes Ao's explanation of why she doesn't tell her parents she doesn't want to [[spoiler:move with them]] to sound like she attempts to be this, despite the fact that it is heartbreaking to her.
-->'''Ao''', in the dub: Adults shouldn't have to jeopardize their career paths to satisfy the whims of a child.
* Sojiroh Nichikado of ''Manga/BoysOverFlowers'' serves this purpose in his family; his oldest brother left to become a doctor and is considered the black sheep of the family, while Sojiroh stayed behind to train to take charge of his family's tea ceremony enterprise. However, while he's not the protagonist, he's a far more important character than his never-seen brother and is a flagrant hedonist and womanizer.
* Kojiro Hyuga in ''Manga/CaptainTsubasa'' does plenty of part-time jobs to support his family, since his father died when he was very young. Part of his motivation is to secure a well-paid professional contract as a soccer player so his mother and siblings can eventually get a house of their own.
* Jeremy from ''Manga/ACruelGodReigns'' endures physical and sexual abuse from his step-father so that his mother can be happy in her new marriage. He even goes to the lengths of [[spoiler: begging Greg not to tell Sandra when he threatens to expose them when Jeremy won't do exactly as he asks, as he fears that Sandra will attempt suicide (again.)]] In fact, if he hadn't done that, [[spoiler: Sandra and Greg would not have gotten married in the first place.]] His role of being this trope is what causes Jeremy's TraumaCongaLine and DeusAngstMachina.
* [[NiceGuy Canada]] of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' is this during his time as England's colony, remaining loyal to him even when his [[IJustWantToBeFree brother America]] tries to get him to declare independence. He also takes up the role of comforting England through the emotional trauma and heartbreak he experiences after [[UsefulNotes/AmericanRevolution America's departure]]. He [[WhatTheHellHero chews America out]] for causing the latter.
* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'':
** Illumi, the perfect emotion-impaired first son of an assassin family, is quite baffled by his little brother running away from home and talking nonsense about making friends and not wanting to murder people for money anymore. However, he remains convinced that it's just a phase and Killua will calmly return to the family business eventually.
** Milluki, Killua's other older brother, fits the other part of this trope. He doesn't understand why his father and grandfather still favor Killua (the unofficial heir, despite being a rebellious middle child) over Illumi and him, and heavily resents his younger brother for this. He eagerly accepts the responsibility of disciplining Killua with chains and whips. Ironically, Milluki himself is a failure of an assassin (essentially a FatBastard otaku geek) according to the rest of the family ([[SmallNameBigEgo though he obviously thinks otherwise]]).
* Yukifumi "Yuki" Todou from ''Manga/SensualPhrase'' is supposed to continue with the family tradition, which is Noh acting. He becomes a rock musician instead and is even disinherited. [[spoiler: He returns to acting when Aucifer is disbanded.]]
* Muramasa Kaburagi, Kotetsu's older brother, from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'', who runs the family liquor store and occasionally takes care of Kaede while Kotetsu is out being a {{superhero}}.
* ''LightNovel/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': Part of Nicks’ CharacterArc in the eighth volume is his angst over this, since he’s been left scrambling to prepare to be the UnexpectedSuccessor to their noble house, while Leon has been a hero and making everyone compare Nicks unfavorably. Nicks' LoveInterest Dorothea comforts him over this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In Creator/AAPessimal's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' work ''Fanfic/TheBlackSheep'', a dutiful niece has to bail her confidence-trickster rogue of an uncle out of almost four thousand dollars' worth of trouble, knowing family needs dictate this. When he lands her with his unpaid gambling debts, her Assassin best friend intervenes but is asked not to kill him, if she can avoid this.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Uplifted}}'', Rael'Jarva, growing up he was the model of what the future Quarian ideal would have become had the fleet not intervened in World War II.
* ''Fanfic/OneDayAtATimeFanfic'': A vigilante family variant. Jason Todd did not want to be Batman but conceded to taking on the mantle and putting his own personal desires on hold after two of the other viable successors (Tim Drake and Cassandra Cain) refused and the last (Damian) was rejected on the basis of being too young. He only planned to be Batman until Damian was old enough, but after Tim and Damian's deaths a mere two years later, those plans had to be nixed so he could also run the family company and, later on, raise his three younger siblings (Helena Wayne, Terry [=McGinnis=] and Matthew [=McGinnis=]).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* The UrExample is the elder son in the parable of the Prodigal Son as told by Jesus in Literature/TheBible.
* Jerin and several of his sisters in ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' are Dutiful to their sister Corelle's short-sighted rebelliousness. Jerin does get the spotlight, and Corelle's negligence has a definite impact on his life.
* Danny Saunders in ''Literature/TheChosen'' is like this. He does not follow this plot and feels no jealousy toward his brother. But he is a very dutiful son especially considering his rather "rigorous" upbringing.
* Creator/AgathaChristie used this in some BigScrewedUpFamily situations.
** In ''Literature/DeathComesAsTheEnd'', the eldest son Yahmose makes a plodding, responsible, henpecked contrast to his womanizing, hard-drinking brother Sobek and their spoiled little brother Ipy. [[spoiler: Yahmose snaps after repeated taunting by his father's new concubine, committing several murders, beginning with the concubine.]]
** In ''[[Literature/MissMarple A Pocketful of Rye]]'', Percival Fortescue makes a dull, respectable showing against his dashing younger brother Lance, the family BlackSheep who was kicked out of the family business years ago.
** Richard Abernathie, whose funeral begins ''[[Literature/HerculePoirot After the Funeral]],'' maintained the family business and raised six younger brothers and sisters after his PromotionToParent.
* In Creator/JKRowling's ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Regulus Black as recalled by his brother in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]''. Given that this is [[FantasticRacism the Black family]], this meant that he became a Death Eater while [[WhiteSheep the 'shameful' one]], Sirius, joined the Order of the Phoenix.
** Aberforth Dumbledore in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''. It's a twist on the described trope, though, as Aberforth is younger than Albus and viewed as the BlackSheep by outsiders, but not between the brothers themselves.
** Percy Weasley [[spoiler: in the first four books]]: prefect in his fifth year (''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone Philosopher's Stone]]''), Head Boy in his seventh year (''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban Prisoner of Azkaban]]''), followed by the career his mother Molly approved of in the Ministry of Magic (''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'') - but his no-nonsense attitude give him trouble with his family: Molly sang his praises throughout the first four books and seemed depressed when [[spoiler: he walked out on the family.]]; with Arthur, it's more a matter of absentmindedness than outright favoritism, and his siblings do love him but are peeved by his attitude, especially the very chaotic twins. [[spoiler: He even has a FaceHeelTurn, but returns home in ''Deathly Hallows'' just in time for the last battle]].
* Creator/LindseyDavis' Literature/MarcusDidiusFalco; his older brother was a LoveableRogue who got himself killed in battle by being too dashing to wear his helmet properly, after which Falco cleaned up the messes his brother left behind (see especially ''Poseidon's Gold'').
* Benjamin in ''Series/NeverWipeTearsWithoutGloves'' starts out as the dutiful son and a very promising Jehovah's Witness. This makes it all the more difficult for him to come out of the closet.
* Sostratos in ''Literature/OverTheWineDarkSea'' by Creator/HarryTurtledove. He is a respectable young man who gets along well with his father and younger sister. When he goes to sea as supercargo in the Ancient Hellenic merchant galley Aphrodite, he is always beside himself trying to keep the captain, his cousin Menedemos, from getting into trouble and hurting the family business.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a few examples of this:
** Both Cersei and Tyrion Lannister see themselves like this, with both undergoing much sexism and ableism respectively in order to get where they are and further the Lannisters in hopes of earning their father Tywin's favor. Tywin, however, favours their brother Jaime, who ironically doesn't want to be Tywin's heir. Also ironically, Cersei is an incredibly incompetent ruler, inheriting her father's ruthlessness and contempt for the smallfolk, but without his political skill. Tyrion has his political skill but is despised by his father, [[spoiler:and ends up murdering him.]]
** Stannis Baratheon considers himself this. This is especially in contrast to his brothers, who are far more charismatic but don't show themselves to be particularly good leaders. His older brother King Robert spent his 15 years as King drinking, eating, and whoring instead of ruling, while his younger brother Renly acts as a YesMan in Robert's Small Council, loves showing off, [[spoiler:and after Robert's death tries to usurp the crown on flimsy grounds, claiming he'd be a better King despite never doing anything worthwhile, even planning to have Stannis killed]]. Stannis, though unsocial, has the less glamorous tasks and feels constantly unappreciated, but goes along with them anyway as he considers it his duty. [[spoiler:Tragically, it's shown Stannis did love his brothers and wished for their appreciation, yet he is responsible for Renly's death due to Renly's intention to kill him.]]
** In contrast to willful Arianne and FlatCharacter Trystane, Quentyn Martell dutifully sees to his father's plan to the best of his abilities. [[spoiler:Tragically due to being WrongGenreSavvy, this ends up getting him killed by a dragon.]]
* Granny Weatherwax in Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/WitchesAbroad''. She claims that after her sister Lily left, she had to stay and be the good one. She didn't seem particularly happy about this either. She probably would have been the good one anyway, but what she really wanted was the opportunity to ''choose'', which Lily took from her.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': George Cooper, Jr. is revealed to have been the one who took care of the Cooper family after George, Sr.'s untimely death. The family never told Sheldon (who was away at college) about any of this, and it contributed to the two not speaking to each other in over a decade.
* ''Series/BobHeartsAbishola'': Bob wanted to be a football commentator, but after his father died of a heart attack, he gave up that dream so he could take care of his grieving mother and twin siblings, as well as run the family business.
* ''Series/TheBorgias'': Cesare Borgia goes above and beyond. He starts off by helping Daddy Rodrigo become [[SinisterMinister pope]], saves his life within the first two episodes, and refuses to leave his side even when [[spoiler: the French are invading]]. All of this despite the fact that his father is forcing him to [[SexyPriest become a cardinal]] while giving his TooDumbToLive brother the military position Cesare has always wanted and would most likely excel at.
** Judging from what we've seen of Season 2 so far [[spoiler: he's over the whole dutiful son thing]].
* So Yi Jung, the Korean counterpart of Sojiroh Nichikado of the manga ''Manga/BoysOverFlowers'' in the ''Series/BoysBeforeFlowers'' K-Drama. Though the family is into traditional pottery instead of tea ceremony, and he's given a more sympathetic approach.
* ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'': Back when they were kids, Earl and his sister Pearl dreamed of being singers. However, for the sake of his sick mother, Earl set the dream aside and resented his sister for not doing the same.
* On ''Series/GeneralHospital'', the extremely rich and equally screwed up Quartermaine family had Ned Ashton who was constantly trying to appease his grandfather and cover his cousin's screw-ups. He eventually left town simply because he got tired of it.
* ''Series/GraceAndFrankie'': Bud is much more aware of his family's needs than his siblings are, spending the first season trying to make sure his parents are doing well after the divorce. In later seasons, he [[FollowInMyFootsteps inherits his father's law firm]], but eventually struggles to get past what he believes is expected of him and set his own path in life.
-->'''Bud:''' Because I'm a good son, and being a good son is participating in an unending parade of bullshit with a smile on your face.
* Arthur Spooner in ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' is an elderly ManChild on the outer edge of senility who drives daughter Carrie Heffernan to despair with continual unreasonable demands. Carrie, normally a woman who has no patience with idiots, leeches, or timewasters, feels she has no choice other than to take him in after he burns down his uninsured house. This causes frequent tensions with husband Doug, who tries to make his peace with the BasementDweller but is frequently exasperated by his father-in-law.
* Doug Hammond in ''Series/PoliticalAnimals''. While his drug-addicted gay brother and philandering father constantly draw the family into the tabloids and wreak havoc on his mother's political career, long-suffering Doug struggles to be the responsible one.
* David from ''Series/SixFeetUnder'' stayed to take care of his family's business while his brother Nathan went away not wanting to work with dead people.
* Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode [[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Family_%28episode%29 "Family,"]] remained on the family vineyard while Jean-Luc left to join Starfleet.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis'': John Sheppard's brother in "Outcast", who stayed behind to take care of the family business while Sheppard was out on military ventures across the world after having a fallout with his father. They eventually manage to reconcile after their father's death.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** Dean Winchester obeys his father John without question and berates Sam for questioning his orders. Dean is just as capable of being a [[BigBrotherInstinct dutiful brother]] and as shown by "What Is and What Should Never Be", tends to idolize Sam. But it was revealed by the shifter in "Skin" that Dean does resent Sam for getting to leave. Dean also manages to combine this with TroubledButCute.
** [[ArchangelMichael Michael]] continues to follow his absent father's orders millennia after God suddenly abandoned his sons and is determined to murder Lucifer not because of his plan to {{kill all humans}}, but because he thinks it's what God would have wanted. Dean's relationship with John and Sam mirrors the relationship between Michael, Lucifer, and God. As it is in heaven, so it shall be on earth and all that.
* Stefan from ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''. Part of the reason why Stefan was the favoured child with Giuseppe was that Stefan was a dutiful, responsible, obedient son.
* A variation happens in the SitCom ''Series/{{Wings}}''. Brian and Joe's mother ran out on the family when they were little, and their father... well, <wigflip, cuckoo>. So, anyway, Joe had to step up as a child and be TheDutifulSon; as he pointed out later when he [[CallingTheOldManOut ranted to his returned mom]]: "You left me to take care of two little kids, Brian and Dad!"

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'':
** Ivan is beholden to his parents for all that they've done to help him with his genetic condition, and feels honour-bound to repay them for it.
** Marko's father is slipping into old age, and so Marko gave up his free time to instead take over duties in the family store to ease the workload, to the point that he doesn't have time to involve himself in anything he'd consider 'fun'.

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Happy Loman from ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman.''
* Nessarose from ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''. When Elphaba becomes a rebel, an outcast, and an activist, Nessa takes over her father's position as governor of Munchkinland. However, Nessa eventually also becomes a wicked witch and goes {{Yandere}} for Boq.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Gamlen paints himself like this in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' because he stayed and took care of his and Leandra's elderly parents while Leandra spent years on the run because of her husband's status as an unregistered mage. Of course, this doesn't justify his later cheating her out of her inheritance, or his making deals that force her kids into indentured servitude for a year.
* Yoo Minho of ''VideoGame/EnigmaAnIllusionNamedFamily'' has done his best to be TheReliableOne and hold his family together following their father's death. Unfortunately, he regards most of his siblings as foolish and/or greedy and has been blocking them from receiving any inheritance money in order to keep them bound to their home, fostering resentment. He's also not very sympathetic to Minhyuk's SurvivorGuilt, unintentionally compounding it with his demands to prove worthy of their father's HeroicSacrifice.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** King Edgar, ruler of Figaro, is like this in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. After their father is murdered by TheEmpire, Edgar's twin brother Sabin is so angry and upset that he can't take it anymore and wants to strike out on his own. Edgar tries to remind him of their responsibilities to Figaro, and what would happen to the kingdom if they both left. Sabin doesn't want to leave the kingdom hanging, but his desire for freedom is so overwhelming that it's tearing him apart. Edgar eventually proposes a coin toss, where the winner will go out on his own with no regrets. It turns out that [[spoiler:Edgar rigged the coin toss so that Sabin would win either way, but this method allowed him to leave with a clear conscience.]]
** Marche's role as this in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' becomes a plot point late in the story combined with [[spoiler: SiblingRivalry and BecauseYouCanCope]]. Marche gets into a heated argument with his little brother Doned after [[spoiler: Doned tries repeatedly to stop him from changing the world back to normal]]. Doned makes it clear he has no intention of going back, as he's wheelchair-bound in the real world and has regained the use of his legs in the changed Ivalice. He then accuses Marche of being selfish for not considering this, claiming that Marche "has everything" while he has nothing. Finally, at his breaking point, Marche reveals [[spoiler: that he's jealous of Doned for getting all of their mother's attention, while he himself feels forced to quietly concede to Doned's needs and whims while sacrifice his own, eventually believing that their mother loves Doned more. This revelation finally convinces Doned that neither of their lives is perfect and that they need to go home and deal with reality]].
* Hanzo from ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}''; unfortunately, the family he's loyal to is a crime family, and his eventual confrontation with his less responsible brother, Genji, [[WeCanRebuildHim took a turn for the tragic.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'': Prince Wilbur takes over the Kingdom of Coburg after his stepfather's death and continues to follow his mother's orders to the letter, despite how evil they may be.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Zalanna of ''Webcomic/EarsForElves'' fits this trope very well, and wishes everyone else did too. [[http://www.earsforelves.com/archives/250 Sometimes]] she lectures [[RebelliousPrincess Tanna]] about it: "As daughters of the founding families, it is our duty- nay, our birthright to set an example for the common folk."
* ''Webcomic/FurryFightChronicles'' shows that Saniko, Muko's older sister, has to deal with a depressed father, an irresponsible younger sister, and an absent mother while working overtime. It takes a toll on her emotional health.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Given [[BigScrewedUpFamily the nature of families]] in the series, ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' has [[DeconstructedTrope a few heavily deconstructed examples]]:
** [[LoveMartyr Diane Nguyen]] returns without question to Boston upon the news of her father's death, [[NoRespectGuy in spite of the abuse thrown her way by practically everyone in her family]]. She organizes and plans the funeral to which no one shows up...or cares to even provide the body. This becomes especially frustrating for her since nobody tries to lend her a hand. To top it off, they insult her, her mother especially who clearly favors her incompetent brothers over her, the responsible sibling. It's implied she endures the abuse expecting [[WellDoneSonGuy to receive some sort of recognition of any kind]] despite knowing better.
-->''The stupid thing is, even now I still just want them to be proud of me and think I did good. [[DeconstructedTrope Is that really stupid?]]''
** [[HeroicSelfDeprecation [=BoJack=]]] was molded by his mother Beatrice to be a successful star to make up for wrapping her into a loveless marriage. Oscillating between feelings of love and hate for her, [=BoJack=] would go to great lengths to impress her even after gaining independence and entering show business, inviting her to the first ''JustforFun/HorsinAround'' taping regardless of his prism of experience. Even after that, [=BoJack=] has often searched for the kind of love missing in his life, which is the root of his crippling narcissism.
** [[spoiler:[[ChronicHeroSyndrome Princess Carolyn]] used to be one as well, and the experiences clearly affected her mindset. Having to cover for your mother while she drank her weight in alcohol and cooking for a rich family who constantly yelled and flaunted their riches can create a sort of savior complex. To say nothing of the possible greed and envy it can create, sending someone into a self-centered orbit.]]
** [[SadClown Captain Peanutbutter]] is an interesting case. He and his brother PB get along just fine (PB being comfortable in Hollywood and Captain ditto in the Labrador Peninsula closer to their parents) but his sense of reliability and calmness make him [[BigBrotherWorship a sort of grand figure of admiration for Mr. Peanutbutter]]. Such is the trust he has in him that the younger brother fails to consider that something might trouble Captain. AT ALL. [[spoiler:[[SecretlyDying A twisted spleen, for example]].]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'':
** An interesting case where the ''youngest'' sibling Tenzin considers himself this in preserving his father's legacy compared to his free-spirited sister Kya and {{Cloudcuckoolander}} brother Bumi. Kya, however, shoots back that she was the one to settle down and take care of their mother when their father died, so Tenzin's idea of himself as "the responsible one" of the three isn't true or fair.
** Lin Beifong is the dutiful elder daughter who follows in her mother's footsteps to become Chief of Police of Republic City. Her little half-sister Suyin meanwhile gets sent away to her grandparents after [[spoiler: participating in a robbery and nearly destroying her mother's reputation]], then spends the next decade or so traveling the world with pirates, the circus, etc. as a free spirit before settling down with her future husband to build her own city. Lin is a bit jealous and incredulous that Suyin did everything 'wrong', yet has a seemingly perfect life as an adult; whereas Lin was [[spoiler: left by the major love of her life for a younger woman]], and is left with the lingering feeling that she never really found what she was passionate about because she spent her whole life attempting in vain to impress her mother by trying to be Toph's carbon copy.
** This is the backstory for Mako and Bolin's father, San. San left his family in Ba Sing Se on bad terms after refusing to take over the family fruit stand from his father, instead choosing to make a new life for himself in Republic City. The responsibility of running the family business then fell to his brother Chow. Tragically, [[spoiler: San never got the chance to return home on better terms, as he and his wife were murdered by a firebender in Republic City when Mako and Bolin were little.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Downplayed with Applejack's brother Big Mac. Both Big Mac and Applejack dedicate most of their time to running the family farm Sweet Apple Acres and looking after their grandmother and younger sister. However, Applejack is one of TheChosenMany and frequently gets called away on epic adventures and dangerous quests. Big Mac is the one who keeps the farm running while she's away.
[[/folder]]

** [[ArchangelMichael Michael]] is this UpToEleven, as he continues to follow his absent father's orders millennia after God suddenly abandoned his sons and is determined to murder Lucifer not because of his plan to {{kill all humans}}, but because he thinks it's what God would have wanted. Dean's relationship with John and Sam mirrors the relationship between Michael, Lucifer, and God. As it is in heaven, so it shall be on earth and all that.

* In the 1997 TV movie ''Film/WhenSecretsKill'', Linda Emery returns to her hometown after her fourteen-year disappearance. Her mother's really glad to see her, but her brother Bill doesn't allow her to stay because he had to become a TragicDropout to take care of their parents.

* Picard's brother Robert in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Family_%28episode%29 Family]]".

-->-- "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5leFJkScsR8 Always Gold]]" by Music/RadicalFace

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2666 Jesus, according to Satan]] -- [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3020 with some reason.]]

* Witz Su from ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'' is supposed to become one of these after his father and younger brother die and leave him to care for his very numerous family (mother, three sisters, one brother). However, Witz runs away from home and becomes a Gundam pilot, something his mom is very upset for, and doubly because she hates mobile suits. [[spoiler: He gets to go back home with his girlfriend Toniya, so it's hinted they've made amends.]]

* ''Fanfic/OneDayAtATimeFanfic'': A vigilante family variant. Jason Todd did not want to be Batman, but conceded to taking on the mantle and putting his own personal desires on hold after two of the other viable successors (Tim Drake and Cassandra Cain) refused and the last (Damian) was rejected on the basis of being too young. He only planned to be Batman until Damian was old enough, but after Tim and Damian's deaths a mere two years later, those plans had to be nixed so he could also run the family company and, later on, raise his three younger siblings (Helena Wayne, Terry [=McGinnis=] and Matthew [=McGinnis=]).

** In contrast to willful Arianne and FlatCharacter Trystane, Quentyn Martell dutifully sees to his father's plan to the best of his abilities. [[spoiler:Tragically due to being WrongGenreSavvy this ends up getting him killed by a dragon.]]

* Arthur Spooner in ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' is an elderly ManChild on the outer edge of senility who drives daughter Carrie Heffernan to despair with continual unreasonable demands. Carrie, normally a woman who has no patience with idiots, leeches or timewasters, feels she has no choice other than to take him in after he burns down his uninsured house. This causes frequent tensions with husband Doug, who tries to make his peace with the BasementDweller but is frequently exasperated by his father-in-law.

** Lin Beifong is the dutiful elder daughter who follows in her mother's footsteps to become Chief of Police of Republic City. Her little half-sister Suyin meanwhile gets sent away to her grandparents after participating in a robbery and nearly destroying her mother's reputation, then spends the next decade or so traveling the world with pirates, the circus, etc. as a free spirit before settling down with her future husband to build her own city. Lin is a bit jealous and incredulous that Suyin did everything 'wrong' and never served time for her crime, yet has a seemingly perfect life as an adult; whereas Lin was left by the major love of her life for a younger woman, and is left with the lingering feeling that she never really found what she was passionate about because she spent her whole life attempting in vain to impress her mother by trying to be Toph's carbon copy.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': Lin Beifong is the dutiful elder daughter who follows in her mother's footsteps to become Chief of Police of Republic City. Her little half-sister Suyin meanwhile gets sent away to her grandparents after participating in a robbery and nearly destroying her mother's reputation, then spends the next decade or so traveling the world with pirates, the circus, etc. as a free spirit before settling down with her future husband to build her own city. Lin is a bit jealous and incredulous that Suyin did everything 'wrong' and never served time for her crime, yet has a seemingly perfect life as an adult; whereas Lin was left by the major love of her life for a younger woman, and is left with the lingering feeling that she never really found what she was passionate about because she spent her whole life attempting in vain to impress her mother by trying to be Toph's carbon copy.

Sometimes the Dutiful Son [[FantasyForbiddingFather criticizes his sibling for being a dreamer]]. In a Western, expect the Dutiful Son to be a DeterminedHomesteader while his younger brother wants to be TheGunslinger.

** Both Cersei and Tyrion Lannister see themselves like this, with both undergoing much sexism and ableism respectively in order to get where they are and further the Lannisters in hopes of earning their father Tywin's favor. Tywin, however, favours their brother Jaime, who ironically doesn't want to be Tywin's heir. Ironically Cersei is an incredibly incompetent ruler, inheriting her father's ruthlessness and contempt for the smallfolk, but without his political skill. Tyrion has his political skill but is despised by his father, [[spoiler:and ends up murdering him.]]
** Stannis Baratheon considers himself this. This is especially in contrast to his brothers, who are far more charismatic but don't show themselves to be particularly good leaders. His older brother King Robert spent his 15 years as King drinking, eating and whoring instead of ruling, while his younger brother Renly acts as a YesMan in Robert's Small Council, loves showing off, [[spoiler:and after Robert's death tries to usurp the crown on flimsy grounds, claiming he'd be a better King despite never doing anything worthwhile, even planning to have Stannis killed]]. Stannis, though unsocial, has the less glamorous tasks and feels constantly unappreciated, but goes along with them anyway as he considers it his duty. [[spoiler:Tragically, it's shown Stannis did love his brothers and wished for their appreciation, yet he is responsible for Renly's death due to Renly's intention to kill him.]]

** Judging from what we've seen of season 2 so far [[spoiler: he's over the whole dutiful son thing]].

* In the 1997 TV movie ''When Secrets Kill'', Linda Emery returns to her hometown after her fourteen-year disappearance. Her mother's really glad to see her, but her brother Bill doesn't allow her to stay because he had to become a TragicDropout to take care of their parents.

* [[NiceGuy Canada]] of ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' is this during his time as England's colony, remaining loyal to him even when his [[IJustWantToBeFree brother America]] tries to get him to declare independence. He also takes up the role of comforting England through the emotional trauma and heartbreak he experiences after [[UsefulNotes/AmericanRevolution America's departure]]. He [[WhatTheHellHero chews America out]] for causing the latter.

* ''Fanfic/OneDayAtATime'': A vigilante family variant. Jason Todd did not want to be Batman, but conceded to taking on the mantle and putting his own personal desires on hold after two of the other viable successors (Tim Drake and Cassandra Cain) refused and the last (Damian) was rejected on the basis of being too young. He only planned to be Batman until Damian was old enough, but after Tim and Damian's deaths a mere two years later, those plans had to be nixed so he could also run the family company and, later on, raise his three younger siblings (Helena Wayne, Terry [=McGinnis=] and Matthew [=McGinnis=]).

* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', there’s two major examples in Tanjiro Kamado, the protagonist, and Sanemi Shinazugawa both are the eldest siblings of a large family, where the father passed away, leaving a mother alone to care for her many children, the eldest sibling took upon himself to become the man of the house, vowing to take care of their mother and all their siblings; Tanjiro and Sanemi are also identical in the same tragedy aspect, both lost their entire families to demons, save one remaining sibling that they desperately want to protect.

* Granny Weatherwax in Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad''. She claims that after her sister Lily left, she had to stay and be the good one. She didn't seem particularly happy about this either. She probably would have been the good one anyway, but what she really wanted was the opportunity to ''choose'', which Lily took from her.