| 1 | Sometimes the character is so [[{{Pride}} proud]] of the necessary toughness to make the sacrifice that he makes a StupidSacrifice just to show that he is really that tough-minded and hard-boiled, as opposed to [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids childish]] and [[GoodIsOldFashioned antiquated]] objections. Other characters may, quite reasonably, conclude that getting around the problem would have been possible -- even simple and straightforward -- but the character just wanted to show how tough he was, or perhaps was simply too lazy to find the better solution. |
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| 3 | In contrast, it can often be an example when a hero will steadfastly refuse to Do What He Had To Do, no matter how clear-cut the case. When saving many people will cause a small number of people to die, [[TheSpock many people would favor the utilitarian approach that saves as much life as possible]], even if [[DirtyBusiness it means "dirtying their hands"]] because they would see refusal to take direct responsibility over the deaths as short-sighted or morally cowardly. |
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| 5 | Whether or not a character can get away with this depends a great deal on where their world is on the SlidingScaleOfCynicismVersusIdealism. Shooting the ZombieInfectee is almost always considered justified. A hero who [[ThouShaltNotKill refuses to kill]] a villain who is known to kill innocent people for pleasure, has stated no intent to stop killing, and is completely and utterly irredeemable, and instead throws them back into a CardboardPrison time and time again (even if they have no problem [[WhatMeasureIsAMook killing their underlings or just leaving them to die]]), simply enables further murder and bloodshed, and is [[LawfulStupid lawful stupidity]] verging on a moral flaw once you [[FridgeLogic think about it for a while]]. When the author acknowledges this, expect a PsychoSupporter to ShootTheDog, [[BrokenAesop which only seems to prove that the hero's high-minded ideals just do not work]]''. In some cases, as with the VideoGame/AdvanceWars example below, this is especially jarring, because TheHero has indirectly caused deaths before, and knows that deaths will result from his inaction, but refuses to take responsibility for the final step of doing the dirty work himself. If the author steadfastly refuses to budge from the "idealism" side of the scale, however, anyone who tries this will [[{{Anvilicious}} see his plan dramatically backfire]]. |
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| 7 | When the roles are reversed, the line is usually YouDidTheRightThing. Contrast MustMakeAmends and MyGodWhatHaveIDone. May result in DeathByPragmatism and CradlingYourKill. If your ruthless plan succeeds and actually ''does'' bring about the greater good you're aiming for, that's TheExtremistWasRight. |
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FollowingContext Analysis / IDidWhatIHadToDo
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