History SkewedPriorities / FanWorks

** In sequel, it's PlayForLaughs when Clark wonders at how Harry seems far more concerned with his fashion sense than the HumanoidAbomination in the background. Harry just dismisses him as a BigBadWannabe, saying, "he'll keep."

* This is exploited by [[ManipulativeBastard Prince Jewelius]] in ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of "A Canterlot Wedding". After [[ForWantOfANail Twilight Sparkle has stopped the Changelings]] with [[ChekhovsGun the shrinking spell Jewelius showed her]], the latter's assistant Vivian leads the wedding guests and some royal guards to the wedding hall right as Princess Celestia tells Twilight as per canon that the latter has a real wedding to put together. At that point, Jewelius calls all the other heroes but Twilight out of their canon mistakes[[note]]failing to realize Queen Chrysalis was impersonating Princess Cadance, and neglecting to postpone the wedding while the threat of (at the time) unknown attackers was in the air[[/note]] and brings up [[RealityEnsues the collateral damages those mistakes caused everypony in Canterlot]]. This -- combined with the heroes' failure to defend themselves against Jewelius' aggressive accusations, and [[NotHelpingYourCase the failed escape attempt Celestia initiates right after Jewelius has promised to rectify their mistakes]] -- convinces everypony that the heroes are irresponsible fools who care more about the wedding than everypony's safety, allowing Jewelius to seize the throne and turn the public ([[CorruptTheCutie and later Twilight as well]]) against the heroes.
** After the disgraced heroes [[spoiler:''and'' the entire Changeling army]] have escaped from Jewelius' clutches, the public is afraid of [[spoiler:a new Changeling invasion]]. [[TheCaligula Jewelius]] refuses to do absolutely anything to prepare against [[spoiler:the Changelings (who, [[WomanScorned especially Queen Chrysalis]], have a score to settle with him)]] before he's finished with the heroes, even though the public -- as well as Twilight -- acknowledges [[spoiler:the Changelings]] are more of a threat than the heroes they're starting to forgive. Not only does Jewelius' immature behavior [[NiceJobFixingItVillain lead to Twilight and Canterlot's citizens realizing what he truly is]], but [[spoiler:he's left completely helpless once the heroes have defeated his army and cornered him in the climax, allowing the Changelings to swoop in and [[DevouredByTheHorde eat him]] as revenge]].

* In ''[[FanFic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed Equestria: A History Revealed]],'' The Equinus Republic demonstrates this by placing great priority not on the starving population, or the increase in aggressive monster raids, but in the action of [[spoiler: banishing all of its political critics to Tartarus, the Pit of Monsters]]. The LemonyNarrator shows off her own Skewed Priorities by justifying their actions by stating that they couldn't allow [[spoiler:the critics to stay, or they would lower national pride. And then what would become of all the money they poured into the Equestrian Games?]]

[[AC:''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'']]

* In ''Fanfic/BrilliantLightsWillCeaseToBurn'', Izuku is scared of not finishing his homework or running his errands while several dozen cops are pointing their guns at him.
-->"There's no time to waste. Izuku has homework. He has school tomorrow. He has so many errands to run. He doesn't have time to get arrested."
* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Lexi Luthor is more concerned with finishing her essay on ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' than her classwork or that a giant robot is rampaging in the cafeteria.

* ''FanFic/TheOneToMakeItStay'': Alya's zeal for 'major scoops' and [[ShipperOnDeck love of '[=LadyNoir=]']] leads her to film [[LaserGuidedAmnesia the Obliviated Chat Noir's]] LoveConfession, then [[ManipulativeEditing trim and cut the footage]] to make it look like Ladybug reciprocated rather than gently turning him down. She then posts the resulting video on her Ladyblog, and when Ladybug confronts her about it, dismisses her anger. So ''what'' if she just massively invaded their privacy and is openly lying about what happened while claiming to be the best source of Ladybug-related news around? ''Surely'' Ladybug's just ''overreacting'', right...?
** This catches up to her further after she accidentally skips out on babysitting duty, forcing Nora to miss an important match. Alya attempts to defend herself by blurting out that she was trying to help her friends with boy troubles; Nora isn't impressed. Neither is her mother, who points out that she's also been neglecting her studies and letting her grades drop.
--->'''Marlena:''' When you haven't been running off on dates with Nino or trying to set up your friends, you've been running off into danger, trying to capture footage for your blog. At first, I thought that maybe it was just difficulty adjusting to life in Paris, but speaking to your teachers at school and your friends' parents, I realized that couldn't be the case. No, the problem is that you've picked up so many things to do that it's compromised your ability to prioritize.

* In [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11143457/1/Five-Times-Hakuryuu-Screamed-Judal-s-Name-and-One-Time-He-Was-Silent Five Times Hakuryuu Screamed Judal's Name and One Time He Was Silent]], the second time Hakuryuu screams Judal's name involves him chasing after Judal seeking revenge for a prank that's been pulled on him, and this exchange occurs:

'''Judal''': No! Don't cut off my [[BraidsOfAction braid!]]

* In ''Fanfic/LeaveForMendeleiev'', Adrien/Chat Noir is more interested in his supposedly 'Destined Romance' with Ladybug, tending to prioritize flirting with her over fighting the akuma. When she finds out that he ''caused'' an akuma by lying to him about their relationship, then lied to ''her'' and made her think '''she''' was responsible and [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out]], he's ''still'' more concerned about convincing her that [[YouCantFightFate they're meant to be]] than actually acknowledging her concerns (or apologizing).

** After the disgraced heroes [[spoiler:''and'' the entire Changeling army]] have escaped from Jewelius' clutches, the public is afraid of [[spoiler:a new Changeling invasion]]. [[TheCaligula Jewelius]] refuses to do absolutely anything to prepare against [[spoiler:the Changelings (who, [[WomanScorned especially Queen Chrysalis]], have a score to settle with him)]] before he's finished with the heroes, even though the public -- as well as Twilight -- acknowledges [[spoiler:the Changelings]] are more of a threat than the heroes they're starting to forgive. Not only Jewelius' immature behavior [[NiceJobFixingItVillain leads to Twilight and Canterlot's citizens realizing what he truly is]], but [[spoiler:he's left completely helpless once the heroes have defeated his army and cornered him in the climax, allowing the Changelings to swoop in and [[DevouredByTheHorde eat him]] as revenge]].

-->'''Hakuryuu''': "Judal! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to cut off your braid and ''hang you on it!''"\\
'''Judal''': "No! Don't cut off my [[BraidsOfAction braid!]]"

-->"There’s no time to waste. Izuku has homework. He has school tomorrow. He has so many errands to run. He doesn’t have time to get arrested."

-->'''Arsene''': "THIS is the great cause you will stand and fight for? A child’s toy? You would damn the whole school to a year’s worth of tyranny, but a single boy’s suffering drives you to heroism?"

--->'''Jaune:''' "Good to see mom's priorities haven't changed any."

--->'''Qrow:''' "I need them!"\\

'''Qrow:''' "They're essential. Uh... for cuddling?"\\

'''Coral:''' "I changed my mind. Both arms stay."

** Ms. Bustier goes for a double whammy. Not only does she believe that it's better to coddle the bullies in her classroom and force her better-behaved students to 'set a good example' by quietly enduring the abuse, but when she finally ''does'' decide to address the growing unrest in her class? She puts that over the safety of ''all of Paris'' by trying to pressure Marinette into deleting Ladybug's blog behind the superheroine's back. Never mind all the valuable resources it provides, it's caused some of her students to get angry with each other, and she can't have that--!

* In ''FanFic/MutatisMutandis'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2359030/Artemiss_Liege Artemis's Liege,]] teenagers Rogue, Anole, and Northstar are trapped on the edge of a battlefield during the Marvel ComicBook/CivilWar, facing an armed [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Punisher]]. Rather than help explain the misunderstanding, Jean-Paul begins texting on his cell phone, not for help, but for entertainment, as a gun is held to his face.

[[AC:''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'']]

* [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9223839/1/The-End-of-All-Things-Twilight-Princess The End of All Things]]: When Zach and Midna inadvertently get caught in the gullet of a giant Deku Baba, Midna is more focused on the string of insults Zach just launched at her than the prospect of being eaten alive.

[[AC:''WesterAnimation/TotalDrama'']]

* ''FanFic/AnAlternateKeitaroUrashima'': [[BitchInSheepsClothing Granny Hina]]'s top priority no matter what is to come up with all manner of ways to excuse the often-inexcusable behavior of the girls at her dorm. It's to the extent that when Motoko gets herself arrested for trying to challenge Keitaro to a duel, Hina is more concerned with defending her than the fact that Motoko ''threatened her grandson with a deadly weapon in public''.
* In ''Fanfic/CodePonyEvolution'', Twilight Sparkle thinks it's more important not to be late than to avoid death. [[spoiler:Even though if any of the ponies die on Earth, X.A.N.A wins]]
* In ''[[FanFic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed Equestria: A History Revealed]],'' The Equinus Republic demonstrates this by placing great priority not on the starving population, or the increase in aggressive monster raids, but in the action of [[spoiler: banishing all of its political critics to Tartarus, the Pit of Monsters]]. The LemonyNarrator shows off her own Skewed Priorities by justifying their actions by stating that they couldn't allow [[spoiler: the critics to stay, or they would lower national pride. And then what would become of all the money they poured into the Equestrian Games?]]
** Loose Change then points out that if [[spoiler: the money on the games was wasted]], it might as well been used for some stupid, like feeding the starving population.
** It seems like this trope seems to fit the Equinus Republic in general, as they spent weeks debating the simple creation of a road before throwing out the case all together, while approving [[spoiler: the abolishment of penalties for homicidal evisceration in less than an hour]].
* In the ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' fanfic ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'', the Computer Society President finds strange that Haruhi's biggest priority on Kyon's first "encounter" with Yamane (which ended with [[spoiler:an attempt to kill Tsuruya followed by Kyon dangling Yamane outside a window in the third floor]]) is Kyon's record, and preventing it getting back to Kyon's mother.
* In ComicBook/XMen fanfic ''FanFic/MutatisMutandis'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2359030/Artemiss_Liege Artemis's Liege,]] teenagers Rogue, Anole, and Northstar are trapped on the edge of a battlefield during the Marvel ComicBook/CivilWar, facing an armed [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Punisher]]. Rather than help explain the misunderstanding, Jean-Paul begins texting on his cell phone, not for help, but for entertainment, as a gun is held to his face.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5001646/1/Nothing-but-Trouble Nothing but Trouble]]'', Manga/{{Naruto}} correctly predicts that his fiance Anko would be more freaked out that he's been married before than the fact that he's really the [[EldritchAbomination Kyuubi]] and Naruto's been dead for years. Though her reasoning does make an odd bit of sense: she barely knew Naruto but she's fully aware that she's rather crazy and is worried that Naruto/Kyuubi will divorce her if he wasn't willing to work things out with his previous wives (Naruto/Kyuubi quickly reassures her that he did work things out with them; he just outlived them).
* ''FanFic/RosarioVampireBrightestDarkness'':
** In Act III chapter 13, when it's discovered that the ghoul inside Tsukune had infected Kokoa with its essence, which caused her to rape Tsukune against her will, Felucia is more concerned over where having Kokoa rape Tsukune fits in with the ghoul's EvilPlan than anything else. Ahakon even asks her why that's the only detail she can focus on; in Felucia's defense, however, she ''does'' admit that it was a stupid question.
** In Act V chapter 23, with Yokai Academy's festival ruined and several students dead as a result of Tsukune's bloodlust-fuelled rampage, Rin's primary concern is that the fireworks show has been cancelled. Somewhat justified, as Ran explains to the others that she and Rin [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror have seen far worse while explained to Babylon]].

* In the ''Manga/{{Magi}}'' fanfic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11143457/1/Five-Times-Hakuryuu-Screamed-Judal-s-Name-and-One-Time-He-Was-Silent Five Times Hakuryuu Screamed Judal's Name and One Time He Was Silent,]] the second time Hakuryuu screams Judal's name involves him chasing after Judal seeking revenge for a prank that's been pulled on him, and this exchange occurs:
--> '''Hakuryuu''': Judal! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to cut off your braid and ''hang you on it!''
--> '''Judal''': No! Don't cut off my [[BraidsOfAction braid!]]
* In the ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' fanfic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9223839/1/The-End-of-All-Things-Twilight-Princess The End of All Things]], when Zach and Midna inadvertently get caught in the gullet of a giant Deku Baba, Midna is more focused on the string of insults Zach just launched at her than the prospect of being eaten alive.
* When the dragons break free and go on a rampage in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10362319/13/Bolts-from-the-Blue When the First Task Went Wrong]]'', several Slytherin students are more interested in blaming Harry than running for their lives. [[RealityEnsues They die when one of the mortally injured dragons falls out of the sky on top of them]].
* ''FanFic/ThisBites'':
** Nami's misery as they leave Alabasta, not because [[spoiler:Vivi is forced to come with them after being assigned a bounty]], but because they didn't get the solid-gold crocodile statues from Rain Dinners.
** When Yasopp finds out that Usopp has become a Straw Hat Pirate [[spoiler:from Cross's SBS broadcast]], he and Shanks instantly get into a brawl. Yasopp is pissed because Shanks's protégé dragged his son away from his quiet, safe life, Shanks is pissed because Yasopp's SpitTake caused him to waste good booze.
* Played with in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12023037/10/Hitting-the-tomes Hitting the Tomes]]'' when the Gryffindor quidditch team, several of Harry's housemates, and [=McGonnagall=] all think Harry has his priorities all wrong when he quits the team because it's his [=OWL=] year and he needs to study. Though the real reason is he needs time to study for his [=GSCEs=].
* ''Fanfic/RequiemForALoud'' features an extremely rare PlayedForDrama example; [[spoiler:Lincoln is diagnosed with brain tumors and will die within the next two weeks, but the [[BreakTheCutie reactions]] that his friends and family have to this are what he considers to be the most devastating]].

* [[VideoGame/Persona5 Akira]] is accused of this in ''Fanfic/TheEvilQueen'' by his Persona Arsene. Akira doesn't want to risk his life in the Metaverse to change Makoto's heart, but was about to get in a fight with Ryuji to keep him from breaking another student's gaming handheld.
-->'''Arsene''': THIS is the great cause you will stand and fight for? A child’s toy? You would damn the whole school to a year’s worth of tyranny, but a single boy’s suffering drives you to heroism?

** Tony's reaction to Jon saving him from [[spoiler: Ivan Vanko]] is to point out that the armor Jon is wearing isn't one which he (Tony) made.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' AU ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/12848001/chapters/29338929 To Hench or Not to Hench]]'', where Chat Noir has been fighting alone for years, Marinette is so set on having that internship at ''Gabriel'' she ends up accepting to work as Hawk Moth's henchwoman in exchange. At least she used the situation to turn it into a ''paid'' internship (plus lavish pay as a henchwoman)...

* In ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'', Princess Celestia only seems to care about tea. When Twilight Sparkle saves the world from the destruction in the opening two-parter, Celestia punishes her for missing a tea party while she was saving the world. When the malicious RealityWarper Discord begins wreaking havoc, Celestia only cares that Discord stole her teacups. In Celestia's mind, a fire destroying a major city is less important than Princess Luna holding a tea party without inviting her.

** Bulma is outraged that Krillin destroyed the remote she created not because it means Cell can absorb 18 but because it took her twenty hours to make. Later when Vegeta agrees to let Cell absorb 18 Bulma is delighted that she won her bet on who would screw things up.
* Blog/RWBYRecaps: In "The End of the Beginning", Ruby is completely unconcerned about Yang (her sister), losing an arm and is more worried about whether Roman Torchwick (her enemy) had died from being SwallowedWhole.
* ''Fanfic/WinterThornsOfHighgarden'': Willas Tyrell's decision to abduct and marry Lyarra Snow is a humongous scandal amongst the Westerosi nobility, and it's implied House Tyrell's reputation took a serious hit because of it. Mace Tyrell is deeply upset by the fact his eldest son refused to invite him to his wedding. Okay, it showcases his political ineptness, but this is rather sweet.
* Some of the lower ranked shinobi in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4848163/1/Kyubed-Shinobi-s-Revenge-on-Naruto Kyubed: Shinobi's Revenge on Naruto]]'' give Naruto (and later his team) a lot of flak for the fact that despite his perfect stealth, he's much less impressive in a straight fight. Only the higher-ups realize that being able to fight is less useful than getting the job done without getting caught. So while his classmates will talk smack, the entirety of Team 7 is recruited into [=ANBU=] after their first Chuunin Exam.
* {{Deconstructed}} In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' fanfic ''Fanfic/MonsterChronicles'' were despite the fact that a supernatural serial killer has [[spoiler: forced Duncan to work for him]] and the danger he and the other contestants are in, Duncan is more concerned with his bad boy rep and avoiding being seen as good than using his knowledge to expose Cedric to the others. Even Cedric mocked Duncan for how foolish his behavior, and called him a coward for it. [[spoiler: Duncan eventually realized he was right and decided stopping Cedric was more important then being seen as a bad boy, even performing a HeelFaceTurn.]]

* In ''Fanfic/LeaveForMendeleiev'', Adrien/Chat Noir is more interested in his supposedly 'Destined Romance' with Ladybug, tending to prioritize flirting with her over fighting the akuma. When she finds out that he ''caused'' an akuma by lying to him about their relationship, then lied to ''her'' and made her think '''she''' was responsible and [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out]], he's ''still'' more concerned about convincing her that [[YouCantFightFate they're meant to be]] than actually acknowledging her concerns (or apologizing).

--->'''Jaune:''' Good to see mom's priorities haven't changed any.

--->'''Qrow:''' I need them!\\

'''Qrow:''' They're essential. Uh... for cuddling?\\

'''Coral:''' I changed my mind. Both arms stay.

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheepRWBY'': Salem sends Tyrian to take Jaune back home where he'll be safe--but that was a secondary objective. The primary objective was to ask if Jaune was still a virgin and [[IWantGrandkids if he had impregnated anyone yet]].
-->'''Jaune:''' Good to see mom's priorities haven't changed any.

* ''Fanfic/WhiteSheep'': Salem sends Tyrian to take Jaune back home where he'll be safe--but that was a secondary objective. The primary objective was to ask if Jaune was still a virgin and [[IWantGrandkids if he had impregnated anyone yet]].

* In ''Fanfic/LeaveForMendeleiev'', Adrien/Chat Noir is more interested in his supposedly 'Destined Romance' with Ladybug, tending to prioritize flirting with her over fighting the akuma. When she finds out that he ''caused'' an akuma by lying to him about their relationship, then lied to ''her'' and made her think '''she''' was responsible and [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out]], he's ''still'' more concerned about convincing her that [[YouCantFightFate they're meant to be]] than actually acknowledging her concerns (or apologizing).

** After the disgraced heroes [[spoiler:''and'' the entire Changeling army]] have escaped from Jewelius' clutches, the public is afraid of [[spoiler:a new Changeling invasion]]. [[TheCaligula Jewelius]] refuses to do absolutely anything to prepare against [[spoiler:the Changelings (who, [[WomanScorned especially Queen Chrysalis]], have a score to settle with him)]] before he's finished with the heroes, even though the public -- as well as Twilight -- acknowledges [[spoiler:the Changelings]] are more of a threat than the heroes they're starting to forgive. Not only Jewelius' immature behavior [[NiceJobFixingItVillain leads to Twilight and Canterlot's citizens realizing what he truly is]], but [[spoiler:he's left completely helpless once the heroes have defeated his army and cornered him in the climax, allowing the Changelings to swoop in and [[DevouredByTheHorde eat him]] as revenge]].

** After the disgraced heroes [[spoiler:''and'' the entire Changeling army]] have escaped from Jewelius' clutches, the public is afraid of [[spoiler:a new Changeling invasion]]. [[TheCaligula Jewelius]] refuses to do absolutely anything to prepare against [[spoiler:the Changelings (who, [[WomanScorned especially their Queen]], have a score to settle with him)]] before he's finished with the heroes, even though the public -- as well as Twilight -- acknowledges [[spoiler:the Changelings]] are more of a threat than the heroes they're starting to forgive. Not only Jewelius' willful unwillingness helps Twilight and Canterlot's citizens to realize what he truly is, but he's left completely helpless once the heroes have defeated his army and cornered him, allowing Chrysalis to swoop in and take her revenge.

[[spoiler.]].

After the entire Changeling army and the fugitive heroes have escaped, Jewelius stubbornly refuses to do anything to prepare against the Changelings — who, especially their Queen, have a score to settle with him — before he's finished with the heroes. Not only this helps Twilight and Canterlot's citizens to realize what he truly is, but he's left completely helpless once the heroes have defeated his army and cornered him, allowing Chrysalis to swoop in and take her revenge.

* This is exploited by [[ManipulativeBastard Prince Jewelius]] in ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of "A Canterlot Wedding". After [[ForWantOfANail Twilight Sparkle has stopped the Changelings]] with [[ChekhovsGun the shrinking spell Jewelius showed her]], the latter's assistant Vivian leads the wedding guests and some royal guards to the wedding hall right as Princess Celestia tells Twilight as per canon that the latter has a real wedding to put together. At that point, Jewelius aggressively calls all the other heroes but Twilight out of their canon mistakes[[note]]failing to realize Queen Chrysalis was impersonating Princess Cadance, and neglecting to postpone the wedding while the threat of (at the time) unknown attackers was in the air[[/note]] and brings up [[RealityEnsues the collateral damages they caused everypony in Canterlot]]. This results in him tricking everypony to think the heroes are irresponsible fools, allowing him to defame them and seize the throne.

* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Lexi Luthor is more concerned with finishing her essay on ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' than her classwork or that a giant robot is rampaging in the cafeteria.

-->"There’s no time to waste. Izuku has homework. He has school tomorrow. He has so many errands to run. He doesn’t have time to get arrested."