History TakeAthirdOption / ComicBooks

* The 1952 ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' story "Joker's Millions" has ComicBook/TheJoker realizing too little too late that most of what rival mob boss "King" Barlowe willed him was basically CounterfeitCash. Joker is now torn between three choices: [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten lose his criminal cred]] for admitting being pranked by a dead man, pretend he wasn't and get jailed for tax evasion, or commit crimes to save his hide. This was later [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] as [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE7JokersMillions an episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''.

* The 1952 ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' story "Joker's Millions" has ComicBook/TheJoker inheriting rival mob boss "King" Barlowe's fortune, only to realize that most of it was basically CounterfeitCash. Joker is now torn between three choices: [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten lose his criminal cred]] for admitting being pranked by a dead man, pretend he wasn't and get jailed for tax evasion, or commit crimes to save his hide. This was later [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] as [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE7JokersMillions an episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''.

* The * the 1952 ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' story "Joker's Millions" has ComicBook/TheJoker inheriting rival mob boss "King" Barlowe's fortune, only to realize that most of it was basically CounterfeitCash. Joker is now torn between three choices: [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten lose his criminal cred]] for admitting being pranked by a dead man, pretend he wasn't and get jailed for tax evasion, or commit crimes to save his hide. This was later [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] as [[Recap/TheNewBatmanAdventuresE7JokersMillions an episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''.

* Slade "ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}" Wilson was supposed to choose between his professional honor as a hitman and his son's life; the enemy holding little Joey hostage wanted the information, really, but he hated Slade enough to be perfectly happy to kill the kid. Deathstroke tried to Take a Third Option and kill Jackal. Joey got his throat cut, the damage permanently destroying his vocal chords but not serious enough to outright kill him. And now you know [[TheVoiceless why Jericho can't talk]] in ComicBook/TeenTitans.
** Adeline Wilson shot her husband in the face and divorced him in reaction. And now you know why Deathstroke has only one eye. This kind of thing works better for heroes.

** ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'': When Superman falls under the influence of black Kryptonite, the leader of P.R.O.J.E.C.T. suggests sending him to the PhantomZone, an option that ComicBook/JimmyOlsen refuses for being too permanent. At the same time, he can't run free. Jimmy's third option? [[spoiler: Turning himself into Doomsday and fighting his corrupted friend to a standstill.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TheBatman The Batman Strikes]]'' Issue #41, Harley and Ivy hold someone as a hostage and threaten to kill him if Batman doesn't let them escape. He uses a gadget to quickly rescue the hostage.

* In ''ComicBook/LevelUp'', Dennis has the option of going to medical school to become a gastroenterologist like his late father wanted, or to go into a career involving video games, which he's really good at. He drops out of med school to pursue a video game testing career that makes good money, but finds that he's not really happy with it, because he enjoyed saving lives as a trainee gastroenterologist. In the end, he goes back to med school and decides that whatever he chooses to pursue in his field, it'll be ''his'' decision, not anyone else's.* ''ComicBook/PS238'':

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern''

* ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'': The climactic battle ends after [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] figures out an appropriate third option [[spoiler: between all the superhumans dying and their battle rampaging over the whole world]]. [[spoiler:Sadly, he doesn't survive the results.]] Come to that, Captain Marvel ''is'' a Third Option.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}'', the titular [[TheDevil devil]] is given ''two'' dilemmas in a row, as a ruse in which each choice will insult his hosts and give them an excuse to kill him. He's warned by one of their servants beforehand, and manages to come up with a solution to both of them.

* In ''ComicBook/SupermanExile'', Superman talks with the alien Cleric about whether he had another option when he executed three Kryptonian super-criminals from a pocket universe (''ComicBook/TheSupergirlSaga''). With everyone else in that pocket universe dead and the three Kryptonians already rendered powerless with gold kryptonite (only effective on Kryptonians from that universe), Superman notes that he could have just left them to die on that now-dead Earth rather than kill them himself, or even take them back to his own world to stand trial. However, Superman concedes that neither option was practical, as he couldn't imagine how any court could convict the three given the unprecedented nature of their crimes, and if he had just left them on that Earth Superman couldn't be sure they wouldn't be able to find some way to restore their powers and come after him again.
* In ComicBook/TheSandman volume ''The Doll's House'', Dream's [[{{Hermaphrodite}} sister-brother]], Desire launches a XanatosGambit to hurt him by tearing apart his realm: [[spoiler: during Dream's imprisonment, Desire discovered that the comatose Unity Kinkaid was a "vortex" (a mortal whose existence causes the Dreaming to break down, destroying the world unless he or she is killed,) but was currently harmless because she was unconscious. Desire secretly raped and impregnated the sleeping Unity, which, unbeknownst to Dream, caused the power of the Vortex to be passed on to Desire and Unity's granddaughter, Rose Walker. If Dream did not kill Rose, the vortex would tear apart the Dreaming, but if he had killed her then shedding the blood of a family member (even if he didn't know she was family,) would have unleashed the Furies to ravage the Dreaming anyway]]. They end up taking a third option [[spoiler: where the elderly and dying Unity is able to track down her granddaughter in the Dreaming and take the power of the vortex into herself again, and willingly lets Dream kill her and stop the vortex]]. Unusually for this trope, none of the characters were actually aware that they were foiling a plan; Dream only worked out Desire's machinations some time after the problem had been solved, and at the time all the various pawns thought that the existence of the vortex was simply a random occurrence that happened every eon or so.

* ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'': When Superman falls under the influence of black Kryptonite, the leader of P.R.O.J.E.C.T. suggests sending him to the PhantomZone, an option that ComicBook/JimmyOlsen refuses for being too permanent. At the same time, he can't run free. Jimmy's third option? [[spoiler: Turning himself into [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman Doomsday]] and fighting his corrupted friend to a standstill. [[Awesome/AllStarSuperman He won.]]]]

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' Hal Jordan, in a story arc concerning the [[DatingCatwoman Star Sapphire]], which had, throughout the arc, [[BodySnatcher taken over]] both Carol Ferris, his perennial love interest, and Jill "Cowgirl" Pearlman, his current love interest. The Zamarons, who sent the Star in the first place, held them captive and had Hal choose which one to be his mate. In response, Hal kissed one of the Zamaron captors, causing the Star to bond with her, go berserk, and forcing the other Zamarons to take her home to remove the stone.
** The panel where Hal kisses the Zamaron queen immediately found its way to the Internet with the caption "[[MemeticMutation Hal Jordan Will Fuck Anything]]", and we're ''still'' having fun with that.

* Subverted in the conclusion of ''Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge'' when Libra forces Weather Wizard to either pledge allegiance to the Secret Society of Supervillains or watch Libra kill his son. In the end [[spoiler:the kid still dies because Inertia gets fed up with the situation and blows him up.]] Even Libra is dumbfounded after this.
* ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'': The climactic battle ends after [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] figures out an appropriate third option [[spoiler: between all the superhumans dying and their battle rampaging over the whole world]]. [[spoiler: [[TearJerker Sadly, he doesn't survive the results]].]] Come to that, Captain Marvel ''is'' a Third Option.

* In ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'', the North Wind faced a dilemma when he discovered that one of his grandchildren Ghost was a zephyr. Long ago he swore an oath to slay any zephyr he encountered. The North Wind knew that if he killed Ghost, he would forever alienate himself from his son (who already hated him) and his grandchildren. Faced with the impossible choice between breaking his oath and destroying his own family, the North Wind takes another option: [[spoiler:he sacrifices himself to defeat Mr. Dark, both to save his son and his grandchildren and to free himself from his oath.]]

* Ratchet in the 80s ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Transformers]]'' comic makes a direct reference:

* In IDW's ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW Transformers]]'', the defeat of Nemesis Prime leads to an entity called the Darkness to start possessing Optimus Prime. Galvatron gives Optimus a choice: throw himself into a sun before the Darkness takes away his free will, or give it to Galvatron. Optimus's choice? Give Galvatron the Darkness and throw ''him'' into a sun.

--->'''Sludge''': Who '''cares''' what's the '''right''' way or the '''wrong''' way- '''Dinobots''' just blast a hole and make our '''own''' way.

* In an ''ComicBook/XForce'' issue, [[spoiler: as Rahne Sinclair lay dying of apparent complications from pregnancy with a [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor half-Asgardian]] child, her lover Hrimhari begs a boon of his many-times-great-aunt the Death Goddess Hela and was told that if he surrendered his soul to her she would [[SadisticChoice save the life of either his love or their child]] (never mind the question of how [[FridgeLogic a first-trimester fetus is going to survive the death of it's mother]]). He agonized over it for a moment, then pointed at the next bed over to indicate the unconscious form of [[HealingHands Josh "Elixir" Foley]].]]

* Ratchet in the 80s ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Transformers]]'' comic makes a direct reference:
-->"Trusting Megatron doesn't seem a particularly wise course of action. And using this opportunity to escape is no alternative either--he still holds my comrades! I must think like a warrior, as Optimus Prime instructed me. I must think of a '''third''' option!"
* In ''ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}'', the titular [[TheDevil devil]] is given ''two'' dilemmas in a row, as a ruse in which each choice will insult his hosts and give them an excuse to kill him. He's warned by one of their servants beforehand, and manages to come up with a solution to both of them.
** Also at the end, God presents Elaine Belloc and Lilith two possible outcomes--that he would either destroy the Creation, which is crumbling in his absence, or restore it to as it was. Lucifer interferes and offers a third option: [[spoiler:to do nothing--the most difficult thing for an omnipotent being. God accepts, and leaves Elaine to replace him as the power that binds the universe together.]]

* Subverted in the conclusion of ''Final Crisis:Rogue's Revenge'' when Libra forces Weather Wizard to either pledge allegiance to the Secret Society of Supervillains or watch Libra kill his son. In the end [[spoiler:the kid still dies because Inertia gets fed up with the situation and blows him up.]] Even Libra is dumbfounded after this.
* [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] figures out an appropriate third option [[spoiler: between all the superhumans dying and their battle rampaging over the whole world]] in ''ComicBook/KingdomCome''. [[spoiler: [[TearJerker Sadly, he doesn't survive the results]].]] Come to that, Captain Marvel ''is'' a Third Option.

* ''The Rebels'', a futuristic spin-off of ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'', offers [[http://www.elfquest.com/gallery/OnlineComics/RB/RB12/DisplayRB12.html?page=23 this one]].
** As well as [[http://www.elfquest.com/gallery/OnlineComics/OQ/OQ18/DisplayOQ18.html?page=7 this]] in ''Quest's End''.

'''Joker''': You ''got'' him!! You expert, rooting-tooting, eagle-eyed, goth marskman sonofa*** ! Ya banked that bat-thingie off the pipe!!! Oh, ''god''!! I love it!! You managed to find a way to win… [[PyrrhicVictory and everybody still loses]]!! Except ''me'', my dark little pumpkin pies.
* In IDW's ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW Transformers]]'', the defeat of Nemesis Prime leads to an entity called the Darkness to start possessing Optimus Prime. Galvatron gives Optimus a choice: throw himself into a sun before the Darkness takes away his free will, or give it to Galvatron. Optimus's choice? Give Galvatron the Darkness and throw ''him'' into a sun.

* In a recent ''ComicBook/XForce'' issue, [[spoiler: as Rahne Sinclair lay dying of apparent complications from pregnancy with a [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor half-Asgardian]] child, her lover Hrimhari begs a boon of his many-times-great-aunt the Death Goddess Hela and was told that if he surrendered his soul to her she would [[SadisticChoice save the life of either his love or their child]] (never mind the question of how [[FridgeLogic a first-trimester fetus is going to survive the death of it's mother]]). He agonized over it for a moment, then pointed at the next bed over to indicate the unconscious form of [[HealingHands Josh "Elixir" Foley]].]]

* ''ComicBook/PS238'':
** During the election of class president, when faced with the choice between StrawConservative Patriot Act and StrawLiberal American Eagle, the entire class chose to vote for Tyler as a write-in candidate.
** Emerald Gauntlet II (Kevin) and 84 (Julie) [[http://ps238.nodwick.com/?p=1301/ explicitly invoke this trope]] in the "When Worlds Go Splat!" arc.
--> "We want a hambu- I mean, we want another choice!"

* In ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'', the North Wind faced a dilemma when he discovered that one of his grandchildren Ghost was a zephyr. Long ago he swore an oath to slay any zephyr he encountered. The North Wind knew that if he killed Ghost, he would forever alienate himself from his son (who already hated him) and his grandchildren. Faced with the impossible choice between breaking his oath and destroying his own family, the North Wind takes another option: [[spoiler:he sacrifices himself to defeat Mr. Dark, both to save his son and his grandchildren and to free himself from his oath.]]

* In ''Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', after their evil future self told them that they'll be the ''God of Lies'' no matter what they do, Loki was sent to the metaphorical realm to choose their destiny: A) [[StatusQuoIsGod Become like their evil past self]] B) [[IDieFree Die like their predecessor]] and [[HeroicSuicide save the world from themself]]. Well, Loki being Loki they opted for [[spoiler:[[LoopholeAbuse reinterpreting]] ''God of Lies'' as ''[[MeaningfulRename God of Stories]]'' and remaking themself by burning away everything unnecessary. Which meant they only kept their love for their brother and their {{only friend}}ship.]] This. Broke. The. Timeline!

--->'''Sludge''': Who '''cares''' what's the '''right''' way or the '''wrong''' way- '''Dinobots''' just blast a hole and make our '''own''' way.
* In ''ComicBook/LevelUp'', Dennis has the option of going to medical school to become a gastroenterologist like his late father wanted, or to go into a career involving video games, which he's really good at. He drops out of med school to pursue a video game testing career that makes good money, but finds that he's not really happy with it, because he enjoyed saving lives as a trainee gastroenterologist. In the end, he goes back to med school and decides that whatever he chooses to pursue in his field, it'll be ''his'' decision, not anyone else's.

* Slade "ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}" Wilson was supposed to choose between his professional honor as a hitman and his son's life; the enemy holding little Joey hostage wanted the information, really, but he hated Slade enough to be perfectly happy to kill the kid. Deathstroke tried to Take a Third Option and kill Jackal. Joey got his throat cut. And now you know [[TheVoiceless why Jericho can't talk]] in ComicBook/TeenTitans.

--> [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments "We want a hambu- I mean, we want another choice!"]]

--->'''Sludge''': Who '''cares''' what's the '''right''' way or the '''wrong''' way- '''Dinobots''' just blast a hole and make our '''own''' way.

--> [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "We want a hambu- I mean, we want another choice!"]]

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TheBatman The Batman Strikes]]'' Issue #41, Harley and Ivy hold someone as a hostage and threaten to kill him if Batman doesn't let them escape. He uses a gadget to quickly rescue the hostage.

* In ''Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', after their evil future self told them that they'll be the ''God of Lies'' no matter what they do, Loki was sent to the metaphorical realm to choose their destiny: A) [[StatusQuoIsGod Become like their evil past self]] B) [[IDieFree Die like their predecessor]] and [[HeroicSuicide save the world from themself]]. Well, Loki being Loki they opted for [[spoiler:[[LoopholeAbuse reinterpreting]] ''God of Lies'' as ''[[MeaningfulRename God of Stories]]'' and remaking themself by burning away everything unnecessary. Which meant they only kept their love for their brother and their {{only friend}}ship.]] This. Broke. The. Timeline!

* ''ComicBook/PS238'': Emerald Gauntlet II (Kevin) and 84 (Julie) [[http://ps238.nodwick.com/?p=1301/ explicitly invoke this trope]] in the "When Worlds Go Splat!" arc.