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3%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
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7->'''The Operative:''' The boy spent his entire fortune developing the contacts to infiltrate this place.\
8'''Dr. Mathias:''' Gave up a brilliant future in medicine as well. It's madness!\
9'''The Operative:''' Madness? Have you looked at this scan carefully, Doctor? At his face? It's love, in point of fact; something a good deal more dangerous.
10-->-- ''Film/Serenity2005''
11
12The Act of True Love proves beyond doubt that you are ready to put your loved one's interests before your own, that you are truly loyal and devoted to them. Usually this involves a sacrifice on your part, at the very least a considerable effort and/or a great risk. The action must be motivated, not by morals or principle or expectation of future reward, but by sheer personal affection.
13
14When your [[OneTrueLove beloved]] is in dire need of your help, or in great danger, and you do something, at great expense to yourself, for the sake of their safety, their welfare, or their happiness, thus proving beyond any doubt that you put their interest ahead of yours.
15
16The love that motivates this does not need to be romantic: any of TheFourLoves may be involved, from the friendship of a True Companion to the devotion of a brother, to a [[AllLovingHero messianic, all-embracing love]].
17
18Compare and contrast with ThickerThanWater, UndyingLoyalty, or {{True Companions}}hip, or a sense of obligation or duty, which can be devotions to roles or positions rather than to people. A mother can be emotionally distant from her children, a vassal can think their lord mad and evil, two squadmates can hate each other's guts, yet still fiercely and unconditionally stand by them. The Act of True Love, however, is always driven by sheer personal affection to the person.
19
20Contrast with GrandRomanticGesture: showboating, parading or boasting of how much you love the other person, being dramatic or spectacular, all that shows that you're very interested in (furthering) the ''relationship'', but it says absolutely nothing of your commitment to the ''person'', no matter how much effort and resources went into it. TheCasanova and the SerialRomeo make such displays as a matter of routine, but an Act of True Love is usually beyond them unless they've become a LadykillerInLove.
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22On the same topic, compare with TrueLovesKiss; kisses, while a great expression of affection, are, in and of themselves, rather unreliable indicators of love, as anyone who's had casual or hate sex can testify. Compare also with AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther, where characters who are ''not'' normally affectionate towards each other are seen to demonstrate their love in unequivocal ways, usually by enacting this trope, with FriendOrIdolDecision (which may cross over with this, depending on how important the "idol" is to the character), and with IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy. Also compare the HeroesFrontierStep for examples of outright heroism, even impersonal ones.
23
24An Act of True Love may well involve a HeroicSacrifice: this can often be a {{Death Trope|s}}, so beware any Unmarked Spoilers ahead. However, the sacrifice need not be heroic: sometimes LoveMakesYouEvil or [[LoveMakesYouCrazy Crazy]].
25----
26!!Examples:
27[[foldercontrol]]
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29[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
30* ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'': Legosi rushing to track down and save Haru from lion gangsters bent on feeding her to their boss. He has no idea how to pinpoint her location, is utterly outnumbered and outpowered once he does, and yet he doesn't hesitate to act even for a moment. Even Gouhin, who was wary of Legosi's intentions due to thinking he mistakes predatory urges for love, is impressed.
31* In ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'', Sakura's brother, Touya, sacrifices his magic powers and sixth sense to keep her magic-starved guardian Yue alive, because she's too young and too new to her power to be able to support him herself... but also Yue's human disguise is Yukito Tsukishiro, Touya's best friend, and the person he loves best. He explains that he's always been able to sense that Yukito wasn't human and so there's no sense in Yue hiding from him. Yue reminds Touya that he won't be able to talk to his mother's ghost anymore, but Touya is resolute, responding simply that it isn't fair that he can when his father and sister can't. The only thing that gives him pause is that losing his sixth sense means losing his ability to tell when Sakura is in danger, so the only thing he asks is that Yue protect Sakura, and protect himself, for Yukito's sake. When Yukito mourns how losing his power has left Touya constantly exhausted and startled by people because he's used to being able to sense their approach without having to look for or pay attention to them, Touya tells him it's worth it so long as Yukito is by his side, and compares it to [[BigEater Yukito]] giving him his lunch if he was starving to death.
32* In ''Literature/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard'', Seigi is willing to [[spoiler:spend the rest of his life in prison to destroy the diamond inheritance that is causing strife in Richard's life. Slightly averted when it comes out later that Seigi believes he deserves to go to jail before he hurts someone like his biological father would and was using Richard's situation as a way to go out helping someone.]]
33* In ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'' [[spoiler:David rescues Lucy before buying her and Falco time to escape Arasaka Tower by provoking Adam Smasher into a HopelessBossFight. David knows full well how outmatched he is against Smasher, but he does so to give Lucy the chance to live. He outright admits she is the only thing he has left in his life and, after seeing his mother and his mentor Maine die, he was not about to let the love of his life die on him too.]]
34* ''Manga/TheDemonGirlNextDoor'':
35** When Yuko turns her DreamWalker powers on herself to try and recall what happened to her 10 years earlier, when she was in the hospital [[spoiler:dying from the Light Clan's curse on her family]], she becomes [[YourWorstMemory trapped in a nightmare]] of her repressed memories and unable to wake up, [[spoiler:being attacked by syringes and IV drips in a labyrinthine hospital with no exit]]. Lilith is unable to pull Yuko out of it either, as being sealed has dramatically curtailed her powers. Momo is unwilling to leave Yuko in such a state, and [[PleaseIWillDoAnything she gets desperate]]: [[spoiler:she first outright offers [[SealedEvilInACan to slit her wrist and give Lilith her blood to break the seal]] if it'll give Lilith the ability to save Yuko (it wouldn't be enough), then goes through [[CrazyEnoughToWork with (temporarily) becoming Yuko's vassal to make them family]], as only another family member can enter a {{Dream Walker}}'s dreams, so Momo can go into Yuko's nightmare and pull her out.]]
36** Yuko herself tries to do it too, [[spoiler:after learning that Sakura's core is within her and that it is ''the only thing keeping her alive'' against a double dose of the Light Clan's curse, all she can think about at first is getting it out to restore Sakura to make Momo happy. Momo tells her to not even think about it—Yuko is now basically both of the most important people in her life and she won't sacrifice one for the other.]]
37** Yuko's ancient ancestor Lilith gets her turn at it as well. [[spoiler:When Yuko's soul is being held captive by a [[NatureSpirit mizuchi]] in its sealed space, Lilith is prepared to sacrifice herself to save her descendant, since she's family, her [[OnlyFriend only real friend]], and the only person [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe who respects her]]. Lilith asks Momo to destroy the [[SoulJar Evil God Statue]] containing her sealed space, along with the temporary vessel she's in, which will leave her as an unbound spirit unable to remain in the physical world -- but this would also release her from her seal and restore all her powers. That would give her a moment to go into the mizuchi's sealed space, pull Yuko's soul out, and take Yuko's place. The mizuchi doesn't exactly like the idea of being stuck with Lilith for eternity, though, so when it hears what she's planning, it instead curses her with immortality and commands her to clean up garbage along the Tama River every day forever [[BargainWithHeaven as its price]] for giving Yuko's soul back.]]
38* Vegeta performs one in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', when he decides to kill Majin Buu with a [[SphereOfDestruction massive explosion]]. He knows he too would die but goes through with the plan in order to protect Bulma and Trunks.
39* Such a feat is executed by Vegeta again in ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'', wherein Vegeta, after seeing Bulma get slapped by the DestroyerDeity Beerus and knocked to the ground, is so enraged he completely shoots past Goku in power and loudly exclaims "THAT'S MY BULMAAAAA!!!" before proceeding to completely turn the tide of the fight.
40* ''Manga/FairyTail'' toys with the idea rather darkly. Anyone who suffers from the Curse of Contradiction is forced to [[CompleteImmortality live forever]] and [[InstantDeathRadius steal the lives of others]] the more they value life. However, if two cursed individuals fall in love, both of their curses would be lifted and they would remain TogetherInDeath. [[spoiler:When Zeref and Mavis fell in love, however, Mavis secretly doubted that Zeref's feelings for her were genuine. The result: Mavis became OnlyMostlyDead while Zeref lived on, slowly devolving into the villain the world reviled him to be. Only when Mavis comes BackFromTheDead and fully accepts his enduring love for her despite his misdeeds do both of them die for real, and then possibly get revived without their memories so they can begin their love anew. [[AmbiguousSituation Emphasis on "possibly"]].]]
41* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'': Rei loves Mamiya, but he doesn't expect her to love him back; he never asks anything from her. He only wants her to be happy. So he spends his last few days of life tracking down and killing the man that raped her, just so that Mamiya doesn't need to be afraid of him again.
42* In ''Anime/KillLaKill'':
43** Mako does several of these for Ryuko, usually in the form of a CooldownHug.
44** [[spoiler:Senketsu sacrifices himself to protect Ryuko]].
45** Gamagoori [[spoiler:takes a sword stab for Mako]].
46** [[spoiler:The Elite Four would do ''anything'' for Satsuki.]] Satsuki [[spoiler:defies the most powerful woman in the world to avenge her father and sister, but, much more touchingly, runs to catch her beloved sister falling from space, [[NotSoStoic screaming her name with no restraint or shame]]]].
47* ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess2016'':
48** Each Link is born with the explicit purpose of saving Hyrule and protecting Zelda. So when Link [[spoiler:turns his sword against the kingdom he's born to protect after its soldiers threaten to kill [[PromotedToLoveInterest Midna]]]], it shows that he's willing to [[ScrewDestiny go against his own destiny]] if it means protecting ''her''. Link even tells Auru that [[spoiler:he'll accept any punishment they want to give him, whether that's a beating, banishment, or even execution, if siding with the Twilight Realm is such a great sin]].
49** At the end of the manga, [[spoiler:Midna is ready to return to the Twilight realm and sever the connection between the two realms to protect them both. Link refuses to see this as a goodbye and insists on going with Midna to the Twilight realm, again shirking his destiny as Hyrule's protector and chosen Hero just so he can be with her. However, Midna refuses to let him do this, giving him a LastKiss before shoving him to the ground and leaving before he can regain his footing]].
50* There are ''many'' of these in ''Manga/OnePiece''. Many, many, many. Some of them are about as flashy as it gets, like when the Strawhats declare war on the entire world for the sake of one comrade, or when the Whitebeards go to rescue Ace in similar circumstances. But just as many are discreet and hidden, like Soldier-san's devotion to his protegee/[[spoiler:daughter]]. The daughter of Big Mom, Praline shows this by intending to follow her husband [[spoiler: Aladdin of the Sun]] Pirates when his crew stops being allied to Big Mom despite knowing that no one has ever done so and survived.
51* In ''Manga/OnePoundGospel'' Sister Angela at one point finds herself in a huge debt with the host Ryuusei Kurenai and risks being kicked out of the convent if the other nuns find out... But Kurenai also happens to be the boxing Asian-Pacific Champion so Kosaku, who was scheduled to challenge him, convinces him to bet the debt on their match, with it being annulled if Kosaku won and ''doubled but still shouldered completely by Kosaku'' if he lost. This with Kosaku fully knowing it would be better for him if Angela was expelled (something Kurenai cannot understand), and telling her only that her debt has been taken care of, not how. [[spoiler:Finding out about this from someone else is what prompts Angela to choose Kosaku over her faith and leave the convent]].
52* ''Manga/TheQuintessentialQuintuplets'': For a large part of the story, Fuutarou has trouble trying to tell the quintuplets apart unless they give themselves away. During the Scrambled Eggs arc, he meets the sisters' grandfather, who is able to tell them apart even when they assume the same appearance, and asks him how to do it himself. The old man tells him that the answer is "love". [[spoiler:By the epilogue, when the five quintuplets decide to play one last game to test him, he successfully identifies each of them]].
53** It's also shown during the Last Festival arc. [[spoiler:When Mudou, their biological father, suddenly appears again, he's unable to tell that the "Itsuki" he's been talking to is actually Miku in disguise, whereas their stepfather, Maruo, recognizes her immediately, proving that he does love them despite keeping his distance from them]].
54* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'':
55** In the [[Anime/SailorMoon first anime]], Mamoru [[spoiler:as Tuxedo Mask protects Usagi as Sailor Moon from Zoisite’s attack that was meant for her, and ends up severely wounded after already being injured from a previous battle. Sailor Moon rushes to his side and cries out a tear that forms the Legendary Silver Crystal.]]
56** Also in the Doom Tree filler arc, Usagi as Sailor Moon protects an amnesiac Mamoru from Ail and An so earnestly, that he comes to return the gesture even as a mere human, ultimately unlocking his sealed memories.
57** ''Manga/CodenameSailorV'' gives us Ace's plan to help Minako/Sailor Venus: [[spoiler:[[ReincarnationRomance loving her from their previous lives]], but]] knowing [[MarriedToTheJob she'll always choose duty over her own happiness]], he [[spoiler:joined the Dark Kingdom as Danburite, set up the situation where Minako would fall for him, and then made it so she would have to ''kill him'' so she wouldn't have to find out at a worse moment and suffer even worse]], [[BrokenAce screwing her up mentally]] but at least succeeding in getting her to ''live'' and, ultimately, get over it.
58* In ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'', Moe Morita proves willing to die in ignoble suffering for the sake of Maya. This act of grace on her part prompts a heartfelt apology from the villain, who in turns delivers a scathing BreakingSpeech to Maya for not being sincere in returning the favor.
59* ''Manga/SchoolMermaid'': Hidemi puts her feelings for the boy she likes on a chalkboard, largely because she thought she was going to turn into a mermaid. However this is considered an act of true love in the spell's rules, thus making her exempt from turning into a mermaid as Hidemi has already shown she does love the boy she wants and doesn't need the mermaid flesh. Sure enough, the boy she like visits her in the nurse ward and reveals he likes her too.
60* In ''Manga/SilverNina'', Tomoe is at her father's field picking up cabbages one morning when she sees a taxi stopping on the road. She sees Shutaro climbing out of the cab, running to her in pajamas, having abandoned his Tokyo life just hours before to finally confess to her. She immediately says yes, but happily reproaches the fact that they're both literally looking their worst, him in pajamas and her in farm garb.
61* ''Manga/TokyoBabylon'': In a platonic example, Hokuto does this towards and for both Subaru and Seishirou. Even while knowing Seishirou is dangerous, Hokuto knew from the start that Subaru would fall in love with him, so she pushed the two of them together. When Seishirou's true nature is revealed and he shatters Subaru's heart, Hokuto does this again when she takes Subaru's place so Seishirou will murder her instead of her brother. In ''Manga/X1999'' it is revealed that she also gave Seishirou both a last-second chance and a warning telling him that everyone deserves love and that if he ever tried to kill Subaru the same way he killed her, the death will be reversed and Seishirou would die by his own hand.
62* ''Literature/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': In return for helping save Leon from prison, Marie demands that Angie and Livia [[KneelBeforeZod bow to her in public]]. She doesn't expect Angie, at least, to do it due to being too prideful. Both of them do it anyway, even though this means being the targets of mockery (from other students, not from Marie, who actually freaks out when they do it). It's especially notable for Angie since not only is she disgracing her household by bowing in public, she's also bowing to the woman who stole her fiancé from her.
63* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'', love and sacrifice are a recurring motif and as such this trope shows up several times:
64** Thors' death in Thorfinn's backstory. He willingly gives up his life in a HeroicSacrifice to save his son and his crew, rather than take up the sword and kill again. This is only after he'd beaten up half the bandits who were trying to assassinate him, [[MartialPacifist without killing a single one]].
65** Minor character Father Willibald has made it his life's work to witness an example this trope. Willibald wants to witness true love because he is convinced that GodIsEvil and that there is no love in the heart of Man because of the Original Sin. As such, a human act of true love would disprove his belief and allow him to regain his faith. When Atli tells him of Thors' final moments, Willibald's response is to get drunk and morose over having potentially missed out.
66** At the end of the prologue, Askeladd's final moment leads him to sacrifice himself rather than betray either Canute or his homeland of Wales. What makes it more an example of the trope is that he tries to keep Thorfinn from getting involved to the last, and as he lies dying tries to make Thorfinn realize he's got more to live for than his empty vengeance.
67** At the end of the Baltic War arc, Gudrid stands up to Thorkell and chews him out for trying to make Thorfinn into a warrior again, offers to duel him in Thorfinn's stead rather than let Thorfinn hold a weapon, and then punctuates it by giving a public LoveConfession to Thorfinn that is heard by everyone within earshot. Thorkell is so impressed that he willingly backs off.
68* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Due to a decade of physical and mental torture, Yubel's [[TheMasochismTango sadomasochistic idea of love]] falls nothing short of [[LoveMakesYouCrazy mental illness]]. It's not until Judai, the object of their affection, performs a ''real'' act of love by [[spoiler: willingly [[FusionDance fusing]] with Yubel to unite the two of them forever]] that Yubel starts to regain some of their sanity.
69[[/folder]]
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71[[folder:Comic Books]]
72* Proxima Midnight from the ComicBook/BlackOrder ''genuinely'' loves her husband Corvus Glaive. When Captain America deflects two of Proxima's own black light spears into Corvus during ''ComicBook/{{Infinity}}'', she is horrified when he becomes heavily injured, and Hyperion vaporizes him completely. She abandons the fight immediately to retrieve and protect her husband's glaive (since he can [[SoulJar resurrect from it]]). Keep in mind, this is a character who impressed Thanos with her love of neverending slaughter, deciding that sitting down and holding onto her husband's weapon was more important than the fight she was STILL a part of at the time.
73* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'': Hephaestus captures Herc and Amadeus and puts them each in a cell with a button. [[HeroicSacrifice If one pushes his button, he will die but the other will go free.]] If neither of them pushes the button, they both die. What happens? They both attempt HeroicSacrifice: they push their buttons immediately at the same time. They both go free.
74* In ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'', When Mirror Sombra realizes that Celestia will be trapped if they go through with the current plan for dealing with her evil counterpart, he decides on another option -- absorbing the evil of Mirror Celestia and Mirror Luna, turning himself into a similar version to the regular Sombra. This destroys their chances of being together even more than their being from separate worlds.
75* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Xavin poses as her beloved Karolina Dean and hands herself over to a group of Majesdanians who blamed Karolina for the destruction of their homeworld, protecting both Karolina and the other Runaways from the Light Brigade's retribution.
76* ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} to [[Characters/GenerationX Monet]] in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2016''. After being fused with [[Characters/GenerationX Emplate]], she becomes a vampire & must feed on mutants, which is usually lethal. Creed, having a HealingFactor, offers to let her feed on him. This greatly weakens him by draining his strength and healing factor, which may still be weak from its complete drainage in ''{{ComicBook/Wolverines}}'' just eight months prior. It also seemed to drain his [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inversion]] since his predatory urges started to return one chapter after the feedings started. Regardless of his struggles, Creed's main concern is Monet. He uses his desire to help her as [[MoralityChain motivation]] to fight reverting to his evil self, despite the fact that his actions with her may be what's causing the reversion in the first place.
77* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
78** In ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'', [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]] turns himself into [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman Doomsday]] to stop a [[BrainwashedAndCrazy black Kryptonite infected]] Superman from destroying the world without sending him to the PhantomZone. The head of P.R.O.J.E.C.T warns him that Doomsday's DNA could very well [[DeathOfPersonality destroy his mind]], but Jimmy considers the risk to his life and sanity quite worth it to save his best friend.
79** In ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' #260, ComicBook/LoisLane is made to believe that Superman is getting married to a female hero from a parallel world (long story). Despite her own massive attraction to the hero, she wipes away her tears and tries to smile and wish them much happiness.
80** In ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}: Adventures of Superman'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} learns that [[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths she's fated to die as saving Superman's life]]. She resolves to say nothing to her cousin because he'd stop her from sacrificing herself.
81** Given the option between saving themselves and saving their children Kal and Kara, Jor-El, his brother Zor-El and their respective wives Lara and Alura chose the latter. In ''ComicBook/LastDaughterOfKrypton'', Zor-el built a rocketship specifically to save his daughter "because there is no one [he loves] more".
82[[/folder]]
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84[[folder:Comic Strips]]
85* ''ComicStrip/FlashGordon'': At the start, Aura wants to kill Flash when he finally makes clear that he prefers Dale to her. Nonetheless, she finds that, for all the indignities and troubles she has suffered for his sake and her grief over his rejection, she still can't bring herself to kill her fugitive beloved.
86[[/folder]]
87
88[[folder:Fan Works]]
89* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': It was because of their immense trust in Italy that Germany and Japan even agreed to share him. It was because of their immense trust in Italy that neither tried to undermine the other while being in a relationship with Italy. [[spoiler:This leads to a [[{{Polyamory}} polyamorous]] among the three [[OneTrueThreesome with all being in love with each other]].]]
90* ''Blog/BetterBonesAU'': After Rowanstar's daughter and deputy Tigerheart dies, Rowanstar knows that if she could succeed him as leader she would be brought BackFromTheDead to get [[CatsHaveNineLives nine lives]] from [=StarClan=], but the leader position and lives are permanent and he's [[InItForLife not allowed to retire and remove them.]] So, taking Tigerheart's body with him, he dives into the Moonpool and drowns himself as many times as it takes to lose all of his lives so that Tigerheart will be revived.
91* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'':
92** The canonical act of true love in terms of Lily Potter's sacrifice - which has additional significance, as she [[spoiler: bargained with the Phoenix to protect him, in exchange for becoming the Phoenix's primary aspect.]]
93** In the sequel, ''Ghosts of the Past'', Harry gives enough of his blood to save Carol (with whom he has a CourtlyLove dynamic), who's dying of blood loss, nearly dying in the process. There's hinted to be real magical significance to this.
94* In the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer[=/=]ComicBook/PowerGirl'' crossover ''FanFic/OriginStory'', Alexandra Harris kills three government agents because they nearly killed her lover/partner Louise. She kills a fourth person, this one a high-ranking government official because not only does Alex find out that the attack was on orders from the official, but that he ordered a fourth government agent to attack as well. Having to do so gives her nightmares and drives her into depression, but she thinks the cost is worth it as long as Louise is safe.
95* In ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' fanfic ''FanFic/AlternateDestination'', Gaia tampers with the timeline to bring her dead Planeteer back despite knowing it's forbidden. Her choice's consequences kill her. Much later, she's said to have doted upon the Planeteers "with the love that only a mother can give".
96* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' fanfic ''FanFic/{{Shatterheart}}'', Kurogane decides not to return to homeworld Nihon, despite it being his greatest desire for most of the journey to continue traveling with [[spoiler: his fiancee Real!]]Syaoran.
97* In ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' fanfic ''FanFic/DirtySympathy'', Apollo tries to take the blame for his and Klavier's StrangersOnATrainPlotMurder in effort to protect Klavier. He also abandons his career to run away with Klavier to Germany when their plot unravels despite everything being started by Apollo refusing to abandon his career.
98* In the Miraculous Ladybug fanfic ''Fanfic/LePapillonRising'', Adrien [[spoiler: takes a hit for Marinette, saving her life, even though he knows she's his enemy, Ladybug]].
99* At Sirius' trial in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9469064/55/Innocent Innocent]]'', Remus reveals his status as a werewolf in front of the entire Wizenmagot to explain why Sirius is an Animagus. For the record, the Wizarding World considers werewolves [[FantasticRacism as savage monsters to hunt and destroy]], meaning that Remus puts his line on the line by outing himself as a Dark Creature, only because his best friend needs his help.
100* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11022041/26/Growing-Strong Growing Strong]]'', seeing his teammate Nara Riko dying for him awoke Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan and drove him to use [[StoryBreakerPower Izanagi]] to bring her back. He basically ''rewrote reality'' by sacrificing one eye because he couldn't bear the idea of a world without her.
101* In ''FanFic/{{Foxfire|RaharMoonfire}}'' when his and Jet's relationship intensifies, Li willingly tells Jet that he's a firebender. He felt it would be wrong to hide from Jet considering Jet's real trauma over firebenders before starting a true romantic relationship. Li did it fully knowing that Jet could reject him at best or rat him out to the Dai Li at worst.
102%%Administrivia/PartialContextExample* After hiding his relationship with Viktor for years in ''FanFic/RivalsSeries'', Yuuri publicly confesses his love to Viktor through his skating.
103* ''FanFic/ConversationsWithACryptid'':
104** CorruptCorporateExecutive Hisashi Midoriya was extremely protective of his investments, despite that he refused the idea of a prenup out of love for Inko. Hisashi had it written that Inko would get part of his income and she and their children will inherit everything if he passes.
105** All for One puts aside his deep and justified hatred of Toshinori Yagi to rescue Izuku from certain death without any strings attached.
106* In ''Fanfic/AbyssCronicaCaptive'', Kid proves that he truly loves Birdie by letting her go free, even thought it nearly destroys him emotionally.
107* In ''Fanfic/SupermanAndMan'', Creator/ChristopherReeve's body is swapped with Superman's. Yet he isn't happy about being able to move his body again because he has been forcibly separated from his wife and son. Hence, he feels relieved when he has to get back to his family, even knowing that he'll be crippled again.
108* In ''Fanfic/RoninKorra'', the titular character exposes her supernatural ability, risking banishment, to save Asami's holding from utter destruction.
109%%Administrivia/PartialContextExample* In ''Fanfic/AForceOfFour'', Superman's ghost talks to ComicBook/PowerGirl during an uphill battle to encourage her and [[PartingWordsRegret assuage her pain and feelings of guilt]] by telling her that he loves her and Lois.
110* In ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', Dev-Em openly tells if his girlfriend [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] can't be healed then he wants to die alongside her.
111-->'''Dev-Em:''' Not so fast, Great One. All I'm asking for is a fair exchange. If you heal Kara, you can have the rock with my compliments. If you don't... If you don't, I could say that we'd tear the place up and fight you, and we're pretty strong in our own right. But that wouldn't get us what we want, and we'd probably lose in the long run. So, if you don't want to deal, all I ask is that you let me die alongside her. 'Cause I really don't want to go on without Kara.
112%%Administrivia/PartialContextExample* ''Fanfic/TheDreamMustGoOn'': Bing Bong's sacrifice is brought up repeatedly in this fanfiction, and explicitly mentioned in the fifth chapter by the Emotions to Dottie, which needed Sadness and Joy to comfort the mind worker.
113* As per ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' canon, in ''Fanfic/ABoyAGirlAndADogTheLeithianScript'' the souls of dead Elves go to the Halls of Mandos whereas the souls of Men leave the physical world forever. Beren's soul refuses to depart, though, because he doesn't want to be apart from his wife. [[CouncilOfAngels The Valar]] remark he's violating the laws of physics because his wife told him to.
114-->'''Namo:''' I don't have jurisdiction over mortals. The only one who seems to have any control over this young Man is you. And to a lesser extent your cousin here. Somehow he's staying here, in defiance of the Laws of the universe, because you told him to. And I would guess that, if it's not outright tearing him apart, that's only because he possesses inordinate obduracy and resilience. -- Either that or he's so crazy that there's no way to tell. But the strain on him has got to be tremendous.
115* Subverted in ''Fanfic/ScarTissue''. Asuka believes she should leave Shinji alone so he doesn't get hurt while she struggles with her relapsed psychological issues. When he catches wind of it, Shinji states that's the dumbest thing he's ever heard because he ''will'' get hurt anyway if she leaves.
116* ''Fanfic/TotalDramaAllStarsRewrite'': When Geoff and Bridgette get married in the post-season special, Blaineley offers Geoff a bribe of one million dollars to call off the wedding. What does Geoff do instead? Throw the money out to the street for the fans.
117* ''Fanfic/DespairIsland'': Geoff rescues Bridgette from the story's DeadlyGame by finding the Life Idol, having her voted off, and using it on her in order to assure her survival at the expense of him now having no opportunity to live if he gets voted off.
118* In ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'', Superman explains he kept his cousin's existence secret for a year partially because he was afraid that she would get hurt; but he knew she had to live a life of her choosing, so he forced himself to accept the fact that he couldn't protect her forever.
119* ''Fanfic/FrozenWight'': When Fritz gets his heart frozen by Daniel, Anna and Elsa try everything they can think of that might possibly count as "an act of true love." Hot chocolate, hugs, and even a kiss don't work. Eventually, Elsa quietly tells Anna to get the guards to pretend to attack her so that Fritz can heroically leap to her defense. [[spoiler:While she's gone, Elsa offers to marry Fritz, knowing he's in love with her. He gives it some serious thought, but firmly says no, because it wouldn't be what ''she'' wants. That, it turns out, is enough to count as an act of true love, since he sacrificed what he wanted most for someone else, and his heart is thawed]]. Then Anna comes back with the guards and they [[BadBadActing do a terrible job of pretending to be rebels]].
120* ''Fanfic/MoralityChainAvatarTheLastAirbender'': Azula and Zuko's relationship has always been rock-solid, and unlike the show she always intended to give him the credit for defeating the Avatar so he could come home. However, after he does come home, seemingly having received everything he ever wanted, he decides he cannot conscience the Fire Nation's actions and leaves. Unlike Zuko, Azula has no moral qualms, but after genuine difficulty, she decides that if Zuko is a traitor then her only choice is to topple the Fire Lord and put Zuko on the throne.
121* In ''Fanfic/HarryAndTheShipgirls'', it is revealed that Arthur Pendragon was originally meant to die at Camlann. His sister Morgana offered herself to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts in exchange for his life. The next time Arthur sees her, it's clear that she's been through Hell, but she makes it clear that because she saved her brother, it was WorthIt.
122* ''Fanfic/WhatItTakes'': The very moment Oliver learns about what's going on in Starling, particularly the fact that his ex-girlfriend [[OneTrueLove Laurel]] has been exposed as Black Canary and is now on the run, he drops everything to help her, in the process exposing himself as the (Green) Arrow to the public and destroying his own life as well, sending him on the lam with her.
123* ''Fanfic/WhatLeadsYouHere'': In Chapter 12: [[spoiler:Natsuno, in her grief, tries to drive Keitaro away and ignores his pleas to get away from the torrential rainstorm hitting the valley, only to slip down a cliff and into a ravine, badly injuring herself. Despite everything that's happened between them, Keitaro risks his life rescuing her from the bottom of the flooding ravine, all while his head is bleeding and concussed.]]
124* ''Fanfic/BlackbirdArrow'': After learning the truth about Laurel's disappearance, namely that she was traded to the League of Assassins for her sister Sara's freedom, Oliver risks his life to rescue her, including willingly entering a DuelToTheDeath with the vastly more trained and skilled Ra's al Ghul. [[spoiler:This nearly kills him, but seeing a struggling Laurel trying to interfere with the duel to help him and knowing she will die with him if he doesn't win [[ThePowerOfLove gives Oliver]] the HeroicSecondWind he needs to kill Ra's and ensure Laurel's freedom]].
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128* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', Genie is willing to face an eternity of servitude if it means Aladdin and Jasmine get to stay together. For his part, Aladdin is willing to forgo the right to marry the princess if it means freeing his friend. It being a Disney movie, they both get what they want when the Sultan remembers [[ForgotICouldChangeTheRules that he can change the law forbidding Jasmine from marrying a commoner any time he likes]].
129* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}},'' Dimitri chooses not to accept the reward money for returning Anastasia to her grandmother, knowing that he did so for the wrong reasons (the whole thing having been a con, with Dimitri unaware that the girl he was delivering was the ''real'' Anastasia all along). What makes this an Act Of True Love is that he chooses not to ''tell'' Anastasia that he's rejecting the reward money, wanting to give her the chance to make a clean break from him and fully embrace her role as Grand Duchess.
130* In ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake'', it's said that an act of true love is the only thing that can break Rothbart's spells. Initially, everyone thinks that Daniel publicly declaring his love for Odette at a ball will break the spell, but this goes awry because Rothbart sends his disguised daughter in Odette's place. When Rothbart blasts Odette with dark magic after she's no longer protected by her crystal, Daniel tries to jump in the way while Odette simultaneously tries to shield Daniel. They both appear to be killed by the spell, only for them to come back to life while Rothbart is defeated; their attempt to protect each other at the risk of their lives qualifies as an act of true love.
131* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'':
132** Belle asks the Beast to take her as prisoner in Maurice's place, even when he specifies that she'll never see her home again.
133** The Beast releases Belle from her promise to stay when he sees how much she wants to go help her father, even though it's painfully clear he doesn't expect her to come back (or think she would even want to), which means he'll be doomed to be a Beast forever. And this does not break the curse because even though he learned to love, Belle has not yet admitted ''her'' love for Beast in return.
134--->'''Beast:''' ... I let her go.\
135'''Cogsworth:''' ''[chuckles]'' Yes, yes. Splen- [[BigWhat YOU WHAT!?]] How could you ''do'' that?!\
136'''Beast:''' I had to.\
137'''Cogsworth:''' Yes, but ... ''why?''\
138'''Beast:''' Because ... I love her.
139* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'', the Other Wybie drags Coraline out of the mirror where she's been imprisoned and shoves her through the door leading to her world, even though he can't follow her without turning to dust and is at the mercy of Coraline's captor in his own world.
140* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}'', Mirabel finds out [[spoiler:that her uncle, Bruno, left the family suddenly and without warning because he had a vision that Mirabel would have something to do with the fate of the family's magic. Bruno, who had a reputation as a bearer of bad news, knew everyone would assume the worst-case scenario if he revealed his vision to them, and that Mirabel might be targeted or ostracized for something entirely not her fault. So he chose to hide himself in the walls of the house for a ''decade'', working to repair the cracks in the house to help his family and taking the status of BlackSheep onto himself to spare his niece. He attempts to repeat this at the end of the film, but by then there was no need to do so.]]
141* Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' is the TropeNamer. When a bolt of ice strikes Anna's heart, a wise Troll informs the victim that "Only an Act of True Love can thaw a frozen heart." Everyone listening assumes that it's TrueLovesKiss and acts accordingly. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, Hans, the prince to whom Anna is engaged, turns out to be a heartless {{sociopath}} who was just using her for a shot at Arendelle's throne, and leaves her to die. Anna, on the verge of turning to ice from the inside out, then gives up her chance to kiss Kristoff and presumably save her own life, in order to [[TakingTheBullet block Hans' sword]] and save Elsa's life. It's through laying down her life for her sister's that Anna's curse is broken, and she comes back to life.]]
142* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', Hercules dives into the river of death to retrieve Megara's soul, proving himself a "true hero" and regaining his godhood.
143* In ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'', [[spoiler: Bing Bong, Riley's ImaginaryFriend]], pulls a HeroicSacrifice [[spoiler: when his rocket cannot carry both him and Joy out of the memory dump. He]] does this so Joy can pull Riley out of her HeroicBSOD, despite it meaning CessationOfExistence for said character.
144* In ''WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook1967'', Bagheera, knowing that Mowgli has bonded with Baloo and having been personally unable to convince the "man-cub" to return to the village, asks Baloo to help him get Mowgli out of the jungle for his own safety. Baloo isn't happy about this, because it means going back on his earlier statement that Mowgli could stay in the jungle with him and because he's grown to love him "[[LikeASonToMe like he was my own cub]]." Bagheera retorts, "Then do what's best for Mowgli and not yourself!" This finally convinces Baloo to do it.
145* In ''Animation/{{The Little Mermaid|1968}}'' (1968 Soviet film), the Mermaid is given one last chance to save herself by her sisters, that is, killing the prince she loves and his newlywed by using the magical seashell to cause a storm and destroy the ship (it's a knife in the [[Literature/TheLittleMermaid original tale]]). She refuses, allowing him to live happily with his new wife and thus dissolving in sea foam when the Sun rises.
146* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'': Naveen ultimately decides to go through with his marriage to Charlotte on the condition she gives Tiana the money needed to finally buy the restaurant she's dreamt of having, even though he's come to love her very much. Tiana turns down his attempt, deciding her dream wouldn't be complete without him in it.
147* ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'': After Ralph gets caught by the virus Ralph while helping her escape and virus Ralph starts to crush him, Vanellope finally admits defeat and says she'll go with him if he just spares her best friend.
148* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'', Flynn has been mortally wounded, and Rapunzel agrees to willingly spend the rest of her life alone with Mother Gothel if she is allowed to heal Flynn first. Before she can save him, Flynn cuts Rapunzel's hair, destroying its enchantment and freeing her from Gothel's enslavement, even though it seems like his only hope of survival. Essentially, she tries to sacrifice her freedom for his life, and he sacrifices his life for her freedom.
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152* ''Film/{{Casper}}'': [[spoiler: Casper sacrifices his chance at being alive to reunite Kat with her father, preventing her from becoming a teenage orphan.]]
153* ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'': The story is about three sisters, Agnes, Karin and Maria, and their maid Anna. Agnes is dying, and eventually does, midway through the movie. Throughout the whole thing, Karin and Maria are ambivalent towards both each other and Agnes, while Anna is the most genuine in taking care of Agnes. Then, towards the end, Agnes comes back alive for a few moments and begs for Karin and Maria to comfort her as she goes to the other side. Karin and Maria are too disgusted and scared by her undead state and refuse. Anna, however, willingly climbs into Agnes's deathbed and cradles her, an action that shows that the maid's love for Agnes is truer than that of her blood relatives.
154* At the end of ''Film/FantasyIsland2020'', Brax decides to stay on the island forever [[spoiler: thus becoming Tattoo]] so that his brother can be brought back to life and leave the island.
155* The film ''Film/TheLoveOfSiam''. Ying decides to help Tong get together with Mew even though she loves Mew. She is willing to give up Mew, the person whom she has loved since she was a child because she knows Mew is in love with Tong. She wants him to be happy over herself.
156* ''Film/AKnightsTale'': Jocelyn has heard so many knights promise to win tournaments in her name that she's grown sick of the empty gesture. When William tries to make the same promise she instead challenges him to ''lose'' on purpose to prove that he values her above his need for victory. William initially refuses but the next time he's up to joust he stops his horse and lets his opponent hit him. After watching several rounds of this Jocelyn sends her handmaid to tell his crew that he's proven his love and can go back to winning.
157* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
158** In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', Steve stops fighting [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier]] during their final battle, once he's certain no innocent people are in danger. He is willing to risk that [[spoiler:his BrainwashedAndCrazy best friend]] will kill him, but he won't return the favor. As it turns out, [[spoiler:Bucky doesn't]].
159** In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', whether justified or not, [[spoiler:Loki and Gamora sacrifice everything, including "greater good" (the Infinity Stones) and ultimately, their own lives, for familial love for their siblings]].
160* At the conclusion of ''Film/NoTimeToDie'', having been poisoned with a virus that will be instantly fatal to his lover Madeline and [[spoiler:their daughter Mathilde]], Film/JamesBond willingly dies in a missile strike to ensure that they'll be safe.
161* In ''Film/PreludeToAKiss'', Rita, a beautiful young bride, is body swapped with an old man. Her husband, Peter, realizes "she" is not his wife on the inside, even when her parents don't suspect a thing. Peter then kisses Rita in her old man body, proving he truly loves her for who she is, and not her exterior, reversing the body swap.
162* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi:'' Vader fulfills his destiny and succeeds where both Yoda and Mace Windu failed in finally destroying the Emperor, free from hate and fear, as he was motivated by nothing but pure love for his son.
163* ''Film/Serenity2005'' starts with Simon breaking his sister out of the Alliance research facility where she was being experimented on. On viewing a recording of it, the Operative and the lead researcher discuss Simon's motives and the fact that he pretty much threw his life away to do it. The scientist thinks it's insane, but the Operative points out that he's motivated by love, which makes him even more dangerous.
164* In ''Film/Thir13enGhosts'', the only way to shut down the [[ArtifactOfDoom Ocularis Infernum]] is by means of an act of self-sacrifice, which is something that Arthur Kriticos is willing to do [[PapaWolf to save his children]]. [[spoiler:Only this is not quite true, as the sacrifice will instead '''trigger''' the device... and Arthur's EvilUncle Cyrus knows quite well [[BatmanGambit that Arthur will perform the sacrifice to save his kids, which is the reason he's using them as bait in the first place]].]]
165* In ''Film/Titanic1997'', Jack does everything he can to save his beloved's life, culminating with his letting her float on one of the few available planks, [[spoiler:while he freezes to death with most of his body in the water.]]
166* At the conclusion of ''Film/XMen1'' Wolverine finds Rogue, who is near-death after being used to power Magneto's DoomsdayDevice. He takes off his glove and touches her bare skin, gambling on the chance that she'll absorb his HealingFactor -- though aware that if she ''does'' there's a great chance he'll die of the injuries he's just sustained in his battle with Sabretooth.
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170* ''Literature/CaptivePrince'':
171** Laurent gives himself up to the enemy in exchange for Damen's life, knowing it means his [[spoiler: uncle]] winning over him and his eventual death.
172** Damen does the same not long after; when he knew Laurent was going to be publicly executed, he surrendered himself to the enemy in hopes of seeing Laurent again and trying to save him.
173* In ''Literature/{{Dragoncharm}}'', Gossamer uses the relationship she has with Fortune to cut through the Basilisk's mind-control of Fortune and retrieve the Seed of Charm from his jaws before the Basilisk can make him crush it. The act of taking it from him is like a kiss.
174* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''
175** True Love is incredibly dangerous to the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent White Court vampires]] in the series (at least those who feed on lust -- [[TabletopGame/TheDresdenFiles the RPG]] speculates that ones who feed on e.g. despair or fear could be vulnerable to True expressions of hope, faith, and so on). In particular, an Act of True Love reciprocated between a White Court member who hasn't come into their powers and another normal human will permanently "cure" their vampiric status, allowing them to lead an ordinary life.
176** In the book ''Literature/BloodRites'', Justine, the "favorite prey"/girlfriend of the relatively FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Thomas Raith [[spoiler:learns that he's been mortally wounded, and will likely drain whoever he sees next to death. Knowing that he'll die if he doesn't feed, she willingly lets herself be fed upon to save him. It's revealed later that while she was badly affected by the experience, she survived due to Thomas pulling himself away from her partway through even though doing so should have killed him]].
177** In the book ''White Night'' a being whose sole purpose is to corrupt an individual chooses to take a hit for the person it is meant to corrupt. To be exact [[spoiler:Lash, the shadow of the Fallen Angel Lasciel, after years of living within Harry Dresden's mind, being nicknamed by him, and having the revelation that if his mind is malleable enough to be turned evil, then as something living in that same medium, she too can change slowly shatter her faith in her purpose, chooses to take a psychic bullet and give Harry a chance to retaliate]]. This act of self-sacrificial love is equated to [[spoiler:the creation of the Universe, and like the Love for that, this created something new. A child born from the remnants of Lash mixed in with some bits of Harry was conceived and resided inside Harry's head]].
178** The holy blade ''Amoracchius'' is also called the Sword of Love. It is empowered by a Nail from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Sword is at its strongest when the wielder is acting out of love; whether a love for comrades, a love for one's enemies that could allow them a chance to redeem themselves, a love of family and so on. One time a half-human half-monster, while working with Harry Dresden, wields this sacred blade without issue when she fights to save her child from an even greater evil. When she once tried touching another Sword of the Cross it left her arm numb for a month. At this moment though, ''Amoracchius'' permits her to not only hold it but helps her cut the arm off a monstrous PhysicalGod.
179** The same woman above who wields ''Amoracchius'' also [[spoiler:dies in an act of Love. When the woman kills the man who betrayed her, taking his blood into her body, she begins to change fully into her monstrous side, but she is able to retain her humanity long enough to have Harry place her on the altar where her child was to be killed in a ritual to kill all relatives older than the sacrificed. Now as the youngest of her species, she permits Harry to kill her to destroy this collection of ancient evil monsters and protect her child, who would remain untouched by the curse]].
180* ''Literature/EarthsChildren'': Ayla says that one of the ways Goov demonstrated his love for Ovra was risking his own life to kill a snow leopard that was getting too near the cave and scaring Ovra. Ayla explains to Deegie that although Goov didn't make it explicit that he did it for Ovra - including giving the leopard's pelt to Iza to make boots for Ayla - Ovra knew that he had done it to demonstrate his love for her (as Ayla tells Deegie, the Clan tend to be more subtle about their affections, with she herself not realising the significance of Goov's actions until Ovra herself explained it to her).
181* In "Literature/TheGiftOfTheMagi," Jim and Della each have one thing they value highly. Short of money on Christmas, [[GiftOfTheMagiPlot they both sacrifice their treasures]] to buy something to go with the ''other's'' treasure, resulting in an achingly BittersweetEnding.
182* An act of true love is the only thing that can remove the eponymous object (an evil mask that gradually takes over its wearer) in the ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' novel ''The Haunted Mask''.
183* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', there are several of these, many of which are truly beautiful. The setting is very rewarding of those: in the right circumstances, a HeroicSacrifice can make your {{protectorate}} invincible to your enemies!
184* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'':
185** Peeta repeatedly (and at one point literally) throws himself on the sword for Katniss. He convinces their mentor to focus only on saving her at the cost of Peeta's own life, runs back to her after the tracker jacker attack to warn her off (which leads to him fighting with Cato and taking a sword to the leg) and at the end of the Games begs her to kill him so that she can win. In the second book, he volunteers to be in the Games so that he can ensure she will win them and once again makes a pact with Haymitch to focus on her survival above his own.
186** Katniss, on her end, volunteers to be in the Games to save her baby sister. In the second book, she too makes a pact with Haymitch to save Peeta at the cost of her own life. In the third book, she [[spoiler:kisses Peeta when he's at the beginning of a hijack-attack, knowing that if it doesn't work he will do his best to kill her. It works, and it's implied that her beginning to show her love for him is a huge part of what makes him recover from the hijacking.]]
187* The entirety of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' (book or film) is one of these for [[BattleButler Samwise]] [[UndyingLoyalty Gamgee.]] He follows [[TheNotLoveInterest Frodo]] into {{Mordor}}, being his keeper for the whole trip. Probably the highlight is the moment when Sam says, "I can't carry your burden, but I ''can carry you!''" In the film, this scene is accompanied by music reminiscent of the Grey Havens -- the closest manifestation of divine love in Middle-Earth.
188* In ''Mars Needs Moms'', a boy named Milo follows his mother to Mars after she is kidnapped by Martians and accidentally breaks his helmet. His mother puts her own on his head, knowing that this means she'll suffocate in the Martian air. Fortunately, she gets saved by other means. A similar incident occurs in [[WesternAnimation/MarsNeedsMoms the film of the same name.]]
189* Throughout ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', Westley's True Love for Buttercup motivates nearly every effort and sacrifice he makes; but where we have an Act Of True Love is when [[spoiler:he practically comes back from the grave]] and struggles against extreme pain and weakness for the sake of rescuing her from the grisly fate that would await her, were he to allow himself to succumb.
190* ''Literature/RangersApprentice'': A group of Skandians capture [[TheHero Will]] and carry him off into slavery. When [[ParentalSubstitute Halt's]] superiors forbid him to leave on a rescue mission (due to the precarious situation at the moment), he commits treason by publically insulting King Duncan, [[BatmanGambit correctly suspecting he would be exiled]], thus negating the lack of permission. Halt does indeed end up exiled in disgrace (for what could have been forever if [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Duncan]] hadn't used LoopholeAbuse) and stripped of his position as a Ranger (of which he is immensely proud). He considers the sacrifice WorthIt, even before he ends up reinstated.
191* In ''Literature/TheScumVillainsSelfSavingSystemRenZhaFanpaiZijiuXitong'', Shen Yuan and a berserk Luo Binghe [[spoiler:have some very physically painful sex to [[IntimateHealing keep Luo Binghe's mind from being consumed]] by [[EvilWeapon Xin Mo]]]], finally convincing Luo Binghe that Shen Yuan truly does want him in his life.
192* Despite the grimness of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', there are moments of this.
193** Toward the end of the first book, Eddard Stark [[spoiler: confesses to a crime he didn't commit, vouches for a king he doesn't believe in, and resigns himself to a life of shame and exile at the Wall]] for the sake of his daughter Sansa. It doesn't end well.
194** Maester Cressen was willing to [[spoiler: poison himself in a TakingYouWithMe gambit to kill Melisandre]] because he feared she would lead Stannis, his [[LikeASonToMe former ward]] and liege lord, into a hopeless war. Unfortunately, [[spoiler: his sacrifice is nullified by her survival]].
195** Jaime, on his way back to King's Landing, turns around and races to Harrenhal to rescue Brienne, to whom he'd grown close in their travels, from being killed in a bear pit. He's only risking his own safety, seeing that he could have continued on his journey to be with his sister again.
196** It says a lot of how much [[spoiler: Eddard Stark]] meant to his bannermen that they would gladly march through a devastating blizzard and then fight a battle to honor his memory and save his daughter, even though they could have stayed home and waited for spring.
197* Creator/HansChristianAndersen liked these:
198** In "The Snow Queen", a girl named Gerda sets off after her friend Kai after he is corrupted by an evil mirror and taken by the mysterious Snow Queen. She winds up traveling a good bit of the world and getting into a lot of trouble, but she eventually rescues him.
199** In ''Literature/TheLittleMermaid'', the title character is offered a LastSecondChance to save herself by killing the prince she loves (who has just married someone else and sealed her fate). She refuses and jumps into the sea to dissolve -- an act which earns ''her'' the right to enter Heaven, despite starting out as a mermaid with no soul and no afterlife.
200* From ''Literature/{{Twig}}'': Sy would unhesitatingly do this for [[FoundFamily the Lambs]], and does attempt (and in some cases succeed) it multiple times -- from HeroicSacrifice to scapegoating himself, this guy would give his all.
201* Blake discovers and is completely baffled in ''Literature/LostTime'' when he's saved by this [[spoiler:from a psychic vampire's attempt to feed on him, as he had no clue there was anyone he loved that much, thanks to his amnesia. He later discovers he had a wife he no longer remembers whose love for him protected him in this moment despite the century in-between the last time he would have seen her.]]
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205* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD''. It's a mathematical certainty that Fitz will put Simmons safety above his own, from letting himself drown to save her to jumping into an alien portal to try and find her. This gets sadly subverted in the last part of Season 4 when [[spoiler:due to being stuck in a LotusEaterMachine, Fitz has been turned into a [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate HYDRA doctor]] who is in love with someone else]]. Simmons and Daisy are repeatedly blindsided by Fitz ''not'' treating Simmons as the most important thing in his life, and the entire team nearly gets killed because of it.
206* ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' features a downplayed example in the first part of the two-part episode "The Fugitive". Jake and Amy want to move in together but each stubbornly refuses to give up their apartment. When assigned to round up escaped fugitives from a crashed prison bus, they decide to run a bet over who can round up the most, with the loser having to move into the winner's apartment. It eventually comes down to the last prisoner, but when both Jake and Amy catch the man at the same time Jake realises that he'd rather that Amy was happy instead of keeping his own space and so surrenders the bet to her.
207* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Spike ''thinks'' he's doing this when he offers to slay Drusilla, the vampire who sired him, to prove to Buffy he loves her. Buffy is not impressed. Several episodes later, Spike is willing to be tortured to death to protect Buffy's little sister. It's this act that finally gets her attention.
208* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
209** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E13TheBigBang "The Big Bang"]]: [[spoiler:Auton!]][[TheEveryman Rory]]'s absolutely epic and yet secret [[spoiler:two thousand years of]] warding of his beloved while she was... stuck. At this point, Rory's body [[spoiler:would be perfectly fine if he kept away from heat sources]], but his mind was perfectly human. 2000 years spent guarding a single object. The Doctor himself warned Rory that he ''would'' go mad from the isolation, yet Rory stayed anyway.
210** {{Discussed|Trope}} in [[Recap/DoctorWho2014CSLastChristmas "Last Christmas"]]. Danny claims that he died to save Clara, not the world [[spoiler:but this is ultimately revealed as just a part of the dream.]]
211** After the death of [[spoiler: Clara Oswald]], a companion with whom the Doctor fell in love (though some aspects of fandom prefer to consider it simple friendship; the series itself offers some wiggle room due to its policy of using TheILoveYouStigma), he spends 4 1/2 ''billion'' years in a bespoke torture chamber, simply to gain leverage with his people, the Time Lords, in hopes of [[spoiler: changing history to save her life]]; it is later made clear that the Doctor did not have to spend so long being tortured, but says outright that he suffered it to save her. When [[spoiler:Clara, after her extraction from time]], finds out about this, she is thunderstruck. Ultimately, the Doctor allows his memories of her to be sacrificed in order to allow her to continue living, for a while at least. In terms of time frame alone, this is an uber-example of the trope.
212** Following the tragedy of the above, the Doctor performs a lower-key (and shorter-term) act by finally allowing [[spoiler: River Song to meet her final destiny]] in [[Recap/DoctorWho2015CSTheHusbandsOfRiverSong "The Husbands of River Song"]] after refusing to accept her death as inevitable. His allowing events to finally move towards her end is a direct response to what happened with [[spoiler:Clara]] and can be considered a form of self-sacrifice.
213* ''Series/{{Friends}}'': Chandler is in love with Joey's girlfriend Kathy but doesn't want to pursue it because of his close friendship with Joey, but he suffers terribly. When it's her birthday, he buys her an old edition of ''Literature/TheVelveteenRabbit'' because it was her favourite book when she was a kid. When his friends tell him that this will be incredibly meaningful, screaming 'I love you', especially compared to Joey's present (he's got nothing; has an idea for a pen with a clock and later charges Chandler with a task of buying a present for her instead of him). Chandler ends up giving the book to Joey to give it to her because he wants her to have it. She figures it out, though, because Joey fails to see what's behind 'an old and expensive book'.
214* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
215** During the Battle for the Dawn, [[LadyAndKnight Jorah puts himself between Daenerys]] and endless hoards of ravaging [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Ice Zombies]], enduring dozens of mortal wounds to protect her, and not succumbing to his injuries until he's certain that she's safe -- after which he collapses and [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dies in her arms]].
216** The final season reveals that Eddard Stark painted himself as a hypocrite and gave all his enemies ammunition against his honorable reputation by claiming John Snow was his bastard. Ned knew that him having committed adultery would be too juicy a target for anyone to investigate the child's true origin [[spoiler: as his sister's son with the Mad King's eldest son after their secret marriage, making him the true heir to the Iron Throne and thus an obstacle to the ambitions that shaped the whole series.]] Ned did this to honor his sister's dying wish to keep him safe.
217* ''Series/GoodOmens2019'':
218** Crowley is [[OurDemonsAreDifferent a demon]], and so for him entering a holy place like church can be lethal ([[HolyGround consecrated ground]] burns his feet, [[HolyWater holy water]] can easily [[KilledOffForReal destroy his very essence]]). And yet, he does it, in order to save [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Aziraphale]] and his books.
219** He has got a pattern of [[RescueRomance rescuing his angel]] and putting himself in danger in the process, and Crowley clearly does it for [[OneTrueLove love]], [[spoiler:romantic love as it was finally confirmed at the end of season 2]].
220* ''Series/{{Haven}}'' has a sinister twist. In season 3, it's revealed that Audrey must sacrifice herself to end the Troubles for 27 years, or live and kill the man she loves to end them forever. In season 4, when [[LoveMakesYouDumb Nathan]] goes against her wishes and disrupts her HeroicSacrifice, killing the man she loves becomes the ''only'' method of ending the Troubles at all. Later in season 4, we learn that ''this'' particular method is because [[spoiler: Audrey's original personality created the Troubles, along with the man she loved at the time. This act was intensely selfish, and so as punishment, Mara must remain in the background while her overlays assist the Troubled for eternity, and the ultimate selfless sacrifice must be made to end them forever.]] This trope becomes a plot point when Nathan tries to convince Audrey it's the right thing to do, telling her that killing him to end the Troubles ''is'' the "most loving thing [they] could do." [[DramaticIrony Luckily]], the apocalypse starts, inverting the meaning of this sacrifice, so Nathan lives.
221* ''Series/HolbyCity'': In the final episode, Fletch writes Jac’s ADRT out for her and then enacts it despite not wanting to stop fighting for her. Since he was the only one who knew about it, he could have hidden it from everyone else and let them resuscitate her but he stopped them because he knew Jac was tired of fighting. Fletch’s love for Jac is a constant in the show and [[UndyingLoyalty even after she is dead]], he sits by her bed and moves her to the morgue after her organs have been donated.
222* In the ''Series/{{Monk}}'' pilot, "[[Recap/MonkS1E1MrMonkAndTheCandidate Mr. Monk and the Candidate]]", Sharona manages to force official Sheldon Burger into promising her that he will give her anything she asks when she turns up on his doorstep to ask for it. She uses it by the end of the episode, not on anything for herself, but rather to ensure that [[DefectiveDetective Monk]] gets a chance to prove himself after having messed up in letting [[VillainOfTheWeek Sykes]] past him.
223* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'''s friends are willing to go to extreme lengths to help and protect him, and, much to his surprise, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold so is he]].
224* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'':
225** "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E1AmokTime Amok Time]]":
226*** Kirk decides to defy orders regarding an important diplomatic function to save [[HeterosexualLifePartners Spock]], fully expecting that Starfleet will terminate his captaincy in response. He gets reprieved, of course, thanks to T'Pau. However, he didn't know that would happen when he made the decision.
227*** In return, Spock humiliates himself in front of [[GrandeDame T'Pau]], the woman Kirk refers to as "all of Vulcan wrapped up in one package", by begging her to keep Kirk out of the kal-i-fee. T'Pau throws it back in his face with a few insults about his humanness, and it still isn't enough to stop him. As much as he fears breaking the taboo against emotions in front of his people, he fears more that Kirk will die if he doesn't attempt to save him.
228** "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E12TheEmpath The Empath]]": Each of the PowerTrio attempts to sacrifice himself to protect his friends. Kirk intends to give himself up to the Vians to keep Spock and [=McCoy=] from having to go through the ColdBloodedTorture they would inflict on them; Spock fully means to do the same once Kirk is sedated, making him the highest-ranking officer on the mission. Then [=McCoy=] sedates Spock and sacrifices himself to protect [[VitriolicBestBuds him]] and [[HeterosexualLifePartners Kirk]]. He lives, thanks to outside interference, but he did not know that that would happen.
229* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
230** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E16ChangeOfHeart Change of Heart]]" Worf is willing to throw away his Starfleet career, and potentially cost the Federation the war against the Dominion, because he cannot bear leaving his wife Jadzia to die during a mission to extract a Federation spy. Even though Sisko has to sternly reprimand him and tell him he's likely never to be promoted again, he even admits that he would have done the same thing if his late wife Jennifer had been in the same position.
231--->'''Worf:''' I had to go back and it did not matter what Starfleet thought or what the consequences were. She was my wife and I could not leave her.
232** Rom spends much of "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E20FerengiLoveSongs Ferengi Love Songs]]" trying to get Leeta to sign a waiver that would leave her completely reliant on him financially (something commonplace for Ferengi but utterly unthinkable to any other sapient species), out of fear she's only marrying him for his money (which happened to him with his ''first'' wife). Finally, having nearly driven her away with his insistence, he makes what is, to the hypercapitalist Ferengi, the ultimate sacrifice - he gives his entire life savings to charity. Leeta understands how much that means and comes back to him, while her willingness to be with him now that he has nothing shows Rom she really does love him.
233* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Dean and Sam Winchester are willing to sacrifice themselves to save or protect the other. They are willing to go to the extremes to protect each other, even if that means that [[YouAreWorthHell they go to Hell]], sell their soul, [[DrivenToSuicide commit suicide to bring one back from the dead]] or risk [[SymbioticPossession letting one be possessed by a supernatural being so that they can stay alive.]] It's pretty much a RunningGag of the entire series.
234* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': In "Aqua Vita", Christie Copperfield begins to [[RapidAging age rapidly in appearance]] after she runs out of Aqua Vita, which she can no longer afford due to the exorbitant price of $5,000 per bottle. Although she is only 40, she appears to be in her 70s. Her boyfriend Marc assures her that he loves her no matter what but Christie is concerned that this may change when people start to give them strange looks because of their apparent age gap. In order to set Christie's mind at rest, Marc drinks some Aqua Vita and soon appears to be the same age as her.
235* ''Series/{{Vicious}}'' has a minor but significant example in Stewart secretly working at a clothes shop to earn enough extra money to pay for a new suit for his old life partner Freddie (the old one literally fell apart). He keeps it secret in order to preserve Freddie's pride, as he's the provider and breadwinner... and has fallen on hard times. But here is when it gets a bit grander; when Freddie finds him in the shop advising another man on clothes, he assumes he Stewart was cheating on him... and Stewart takes it in stride, preferring to take the abuse that would come from being caught "''almost'' cheating" than to embarrass Freddie with the truth. Given that this show isn't called ''Series/{{Vicious}}'' for nothing, when Freddie ''does'' surreptitiously discover the truth, he keeps it quiet, [[UngratefulBastard characteristically]] using the situation to heap as much abuse, bile, and vitriol at Stewart as his viciously sharp tongue lets him, gleefully enjoying every minute.
236* ''Series/{{Voyagers}}'': In "[[Recap/VoyagersS1E11MerryChristmasBogg Merry Christmas, Bogg]]", Jeff's great-grandfather ([[TimeTravel as a young man]]) suggests to Bogg that he should leave Jeff with him and his wife. Although Bogg is fond of Jeff and it hurts to consider walking out of his life for good, he attempts to do so in the belief that Jeff would be better off with a mother and father and a stable home.
237* ''Series/WinterBegonia'': Shang Xirui ruining his voice to stand on the roof and sing all night in order to wake Cheng Fengtai from his coma, effectively choosing Cheng Fengtai as more important to him than opera.
238[[/folder]]
239
240[[folder:Music]]
241* The English folk song [[http://youtu.be/GgBIk7Ibmt0 "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier"]] (sung here by Mark O'Connor and Music/JamesTaylor) has an unnamed woman sell everything she has in order to buy a sword for her lover, the eponymous Johnny.
242* Similarly, the singer of the Irish folk song [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%BAil_A_R%C3%BAn "Siúil a Rún"]] decides to sell her spinning wheel so her boyfriend can have a proper sword.
243[[/folder]]
244
245[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]
246* [[Literature/TheBible John 15:13]]. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
247[[/folder]]
248
249[[folder:Theatre]]
250* ''Theatre/SwanLake:'' LateArrivalSpoiler: Prince Siegfried needs to choose a bride at the ball. He encounters a group of swans who are really enchanted maidens. They have been placed under a sorcerer's spell where they can only appear in human form at night by the side of the enchanted lake. He falls in love with the main swan, Odette. The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears to love Odette forever. At the ball, Siegfried is not interested in any of the princesses that his mother wants him to marry because he has fallen in love with Odette. Suddenly the black swan, Odile, arrives. She is the sorcerer's daughter in disguise and, thinking that she is Odette, Siegfried announces to the court that he plans to marry Odile. After the sorcerer reveals the truth, Siegfried rushes back to the lake. Siegfried apologizes to Odette but the sorcerer demands that Siegfried marry Odile, condemning Odette to spend her life as a swan. Siegfried's Act of Love is to jump into the lake with Odette. They drown and this act of sacrifice breaks the sorcerer's spell over the other swans and the sorcerer dies. Siegfried and Odette are united in heaven. [[GoodEnding The ending changes]] [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the production]], though.
251[[/folder]]
252
253[[folder:Video Games]]
254* Squall in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' starts off as a withdrawn loner, but gradually opens himself thanks to Rinoa. [[spoiler:When she falls into a coma at the end of Disc 2, Squall takes it upon himself to carry her over an ocean-spanning bridge to reach a civilization that ''may'' know how to save her. Although it turned out to be a BatmanGambit by Ultimecia to free Adel, Squall refuses to leave Rinoa to drift in space when Ultimecia is done using her, and ejects himself out of an escape pod to reach her, knowing fully well that both have no chance of survival]].
255* A paternal example in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4''; [[spoiler: When Atreus falls ill, Kratos is told that the only cure lies in Helheim, where all magic in the Norse realms is useless. And yes, this is '''that''' Kratos, the man who destroyed Greece in his rampage of revenge against the gods, and is now trying to bury that shameful past forever. Yet knowing that his Blades of Chaos are the only things that can possibly help now, he returns home and retrieves them, once again wielding the weapons that made him such a monster in the first place, despite the prospect [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness visibly terrifying him]]. All for the sake of his son.]]
256** Pretty much the synopsis of the game can be considered this as well, as the quest is to [[BuryMeNotOnTheLonePrairie scatter the ashes of Kratos' second wife from the tallest mountain in the Nine Realms]]. Even when this turns out to be a much harder quest than first thought, on account for the need to travel to other realms to proceed, Kratos does it anyway out of love and respect for her.
257* The plot of ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' kicked off when the [[FriendToAllLivingThings terraforming AI Gaia]] destroyed herself to prevent the rogue AI Hades from destroying the biosphere.
258* ''VideoGame/IWasATeenageExocolonist'': Among Sol's peers, Dys in particular has wishes that are at odds with staying in the colony in the long term. Depending of how his plans pan out, Sol may end up actively helping Dys do something that will make him happy, but also guarantees that they will never see him again [[spoiler:in human form]] afterwards. That help carries extra weight if Sol is close friends with him or his romantic partner, as they are choosing his happiness over keeping him in their life.
259* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'': [[{{Deuteragonist}} Riku]] does several of these for [[{{Protagonist}} Sora]] over the course of the series, although what ''[[TheFourLoves kind]]'' of love it is is [[HoYay/KingdomHearts up for interpretation]].
260** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'': Riku is willing to take on the form of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness in order to defeat Roxas and force him to return to Sora, even though he could have been [[ShapeshifterModeLock stuck like that forever]].[[note]]Roxas also severely injures Riku's wrist during their fight.[[/note]] Ansem the Wise acknowledges this in ''II''.
261--->'''Ansem the Wise''': I asked him to find a young man named Roxas from Organization XIII, and bring him to me. When I told him it would help Sora awaken from his slumber, Riku left without a word. He fought Roxas. And I can only surmise Riku lost that fight. Riku must have realized then: to fight in the realm of darkness, he would have to immerse himself in that same darkness. And when he did... you saw what became of him. When Riku brought Roxas back to me, he was introducing himself... as Ansem. If that was what it took to awaken his friend, he was ready to live in darkness.
262** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': Riku pushes Sora out of the way of one of Xemnas' attacks during the final battle, receiving a laser hit to his back that causes him trouble walking for the rest of the game.
263** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'':
264*** At the beginning of their Mark of Mastery Exam, Riku, without realizing it, sees Ansem, Seeker of Darkness on the Destiny Islands as they enter the Realm of Sleep. Sensing that something was wrong, he ''subconsiously'' dives into Sora's dreams to protect him from Nightmares as his Dream Eater, instead of traveling alongside him to the Sleeping Worlds as intended.
265*** After returning to the Mysterious Tower with a comatose Sora, Yen Sid reveals someone must take one last dive into Sora's heart to wake him up. Mickey volunteers to do it, saying it's too dangerous for Riku. Yen Sid then states that Riku actually has the better chance of rescuing Sora, as he'd already been in his dreams as his Dream Eater. Following a moment of thought, Riku thanks Mickey for his offer, but tells him he needs to be the one to wake Sora up-- because he's the only one who can. Riku dives into Sora's heart and defeats the Armored Ventus Nightmare trapping him in darkness. Once he answers three cryptic questions from the residents of Sora's heart [[spoiler: (Roxas, Ventus, and Xion)]], Sora awakens in the real world. Yen Sid later awards Riku the title of Keyblade Master ''specifically'' because he went above and beyond the call of duty for his best friend.[[note]]There's also a slightly different meaning to some of what Riku says during his speech before he dives back into Sora's heart in Japanese; instead of "I'm doing it for me, too." he says, [[https://twitter.com/koisuru_mijinko/status/1187955188008546304 "I have to be the one."]] A more word-for-word translation is "It won’t work. / [[ThePowerofLove He won’t wake unless I go."]] Meanwhile, "He needs me." is [[https://twitter.com/koisuru_mijinko/status/1187956613463719941 "I WANT to go."]] It's more or less [[https://twitter.com/koisuru_mijinko/status/1187953532353146880 a direct parallel]] to what [[https://twitter.com/steamwhistler2/status/1187898294267191296 Prince Phillip says about Aurora]] in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthbySleep''.[[/note]]
266** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'': As a game with sacrifice as a core theme-- alongside, to a lesser extent, TrueLove-- it's fitting Riku commits what is probably his ultimate act of love thus far. [[spoiler: After all of the other Guardians have been defeated by a Demon Tide in the Keyblade Graveyard, Sora breaks down completely. In order to motivate him to keep going and save their friends from certain doom, Riku faces against the Demon Tide in a LastStand, defending Sora from the darkness for a few more moments [[SelfDestructiveCharge (as it visibly erodes his body)]] before both of them are swallowed up by it as well. Sora's conversation with the Nameless Star in the Final World more or less confirms that while Kairi is the reason Sora retains his body, Riku's HeroicSacrifice against the Demon Tide is the reason his heart survived and [[InspirationalMartyr kept him from losing all hope]] (a point that is made clearer in the [[LostinTranslation original Japanese dialogue]]).]]
267** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIIIReMind'': During the fight against [[spoiler: the Replica Xehanorts, it's implied that part of the reason why Riku pushes Mickey out of the way of an attack is because he subconciously senses Future Sora's presence in his own heart. Future Sora then jumps from Riku into Mickey's heart and stays protected from the nearly fatal blow.]]
268* In the backstory of the Ascended brothers Nasus and Renekton from ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends,'' Nasus was dying from a wasting illness and the only way to save his life was for him to undergo the Ritual of Ascension. Unfortunately by the time the ritual could be performed, Nasus was too sick even to walk into the beam that would empower him with new life, so his warrior brother Renekton picked him up, despite his protests, and carried him into the beam, knowing that the power which was intended for his brother alone would annihilate him. However, possibly because of the nobility of his sacrifice, instead of destroying him the ritual instead caused ''both'' brothers to Ascend into mighty guardians of Shurima, [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Nasus as a jackal and Renekton as a crocodile]].
269* ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'': Hope gives up [[spoiler:a reborn life with his parents and a chance to relive his childhood as normal]] - what had been his greatest wish the entire series - to rescue Lightning [[spoiler:from being trapped in the Chaos and to be reborn with her as an adult]].
270* Probably platonic example: A background conversation on the Citadel in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' slowly reveals that a human woman has sold her car, which she loved, in order to buy a suit of armor for a Salarian friend who's about to head off to fight in the Reaper War.
271* ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'' features two:
272** Kyrie [[spoiler:asks Naja to kill him so he can't destroy the world specifically so Morte will be safe. (He didn't want to destroy the world in the first place, but who are we kidding?)]]
273** Morte then [[spoiler:struggles to find the entrance to, and then get to the top of, the Temple of Light]] because she [[LoveEpiphany finally realized her feelings]] toward him were more than [[InLoveWithYourCarnage a mere desire to see him end the world]]. The rest of the Front helps because they consider Kyrie a [[TrueCompanions personal friend]] and unequivocally the nicest guy they've ever met.
274* In ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'' Bentley learns that [[spoiler:his girlfriend Penelope is a heartless [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who was just using him to make billions of dollars in weapon dealings]], and holds nothing but murderous hatred towards his best friends and sworn brothers Sly and Murray. He tucks into his shell [[spoiler:in heartbreak]], but is brought out of his funk by a drawing Murray left behind of the three and Carmelita. Motivated by his love for his brothers, Bentley [[spoiler:confronts Penelope using a mecha suit he hastly crafted to stop her from crushing Sly, before dumping her on the spot, choosing to forego wealth and power in an otherwise loveless and immoral "partnership" in favor of the safely of his family]].
275[[/folder]]
276
277[[folder:Visual Novels]]
278* In ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', MC offers to resign as Melody’s manager for the sake of saving Melody’s prize guitar from destruction. [[spoiler:If the player is on Melody's romantic path, it is taken as such a selfless act that it can even evince remorse from Bethany.]]
279[[/folder]]
280
281[[folder:Web Original]]
282* ''Literature/LovesLostAndFound'': On Valentine's Day, Hardestadt Delac fights off yetis in a mountainous terrain all so he can find a flower that'll cure a common cold his fiancée, Erin Hasegawa, is suffering from.
283[[/folder]]
284
285[[folder:Western Animation]]
286* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': The degree to which Silco truly loved [[DaddysLittleVillain his adoptive daughter Jinx]] was always up in the air, especially compared to his [[TheUnfettered ruthless pursuit]] of his dream of an independent Zaun. [[spoiler: Eventually, Jayce agrees to make peace with the {{Undercity}} and recognize it as the nation of Zaun, so long as Silco halts production of [[PsychoSerum Shimmer]] which Silco easily accepts. His other demand is Silco hand over Jinx for her [[MadBomber crimes]]. Jinx kidnaps him thinking he'd betray her and when given the chance to speak, he pleads with Jinx that he could never have taken the deal. Any doubt that this is motivated by a desire to save his own skin is wiped away when even after being riddled with bullets semi-accidentally by the mentally unstable Jinx, he spends his dying breath reassuring his daughter that he'd never have given her up and that she's still perfect to him.]]
287* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'':
288** In "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS1E3BeastOfTheTemple Beast of the Temple]]", Wheeler and Linka are leaning in for a kiss when the dragon rampaging around Thailand appears. While they're running away, Linka catches her foot in a root system. She and Wheeler both try to free it but can't do so in a hurry. Despite Linka [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown begging him to run]] (thus giving him an out), Wheeler shields her and [[UnderequippedCharge tries to ward the dragon off with the fire from his ring]]. When this proves unsuccessful, he [[DrawAggro proceeds to lure the beast away from Linka]], risking his life to save her.
289** In "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS2E17And18SummitToSaveEarth Summit To Save Earth, Part 1]]", [[TeamMom Gaia]] takes her focus off [[BigBad Zarm]] to save [[LikeASonToMe the Planeteers]] from a toxic tornado he conjured and make sure they're all right. Given that Zarm is the only Eco-villain who's anywhere near her power level, this is a very risky choice which unfortunately leads to her defeat.
290--->'''Zarm''': Who will you save, Gaia? Yourself? Or the Planeteers? [[SadisticChoice Choose!]]\
291'''Gaia''': [[BigNo No!]] Leave them alone!
292* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': [[Characters/HarleyQuinn2019TheCharacter Harley's]] rather hostile to love after breaking up with Joker, finally realizing how abusive it was. It takes watching Mr. Freeze sacrificing his own life to save his wife Nora to decide that an actually loving relationship would be nice. [[spoiler: Harley is ready to jump to her own death so her best friend Poison Ivy can escape from their pit prison and have a happy married life with Kite Man. All this culminates in Harley and Ivy realizing they are in love and kiss in the heat of the moment.]]
293* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'': [[Characters/HeyArnoldHelgaGPataki Helga G. Pataki]] demonstrates how truly devoted she is to [[Characters/HeyArnoldArnoldShortman Arnold Shortman]] in ''[[Recap/HeyArnoldS1E20ArnoldsChristmas Arnold's Christmas]]'' and ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheMovie''.
294** In the former, she gives up a pair of designer snow boots she had received from her parents - who [[TheUnfavourite typically ignore her]] - just to give Arnold a Christmas miracle [[WhatYouAreInTheDark without ever telling him she helped him out]].
295** In the latter, she gives up the chance to become rich in order to help Arnold save their neighborhood.
296* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': [[spoiler:In the final episode, [[Characters/SamuraiJackAshi Ashi]] uses her new powers to help [[Characters/SamuraiJackJack Jack]] go back in time to destroy Aku in the past he came from. However, since Aku is her father, his death thousands of years before her birth meant she can't exist. Before fading from existence, it seems she knew full well this would happen but did it anyway. All for Jack, the man she loves]].
297* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In [[Characters/StevenUniverseGarnet Garnet's]] backstory, [[FusionDance her components]], [[HotBlooded Ruby]] and [[{{Seers}} Sapphire]], met when the former was [[BodyguardCrush guarding the latter]]. When the rebels Rose Quartz and Pearl showed up, Sapphire was nearly killed (temporarily as she'd only have her physical form disrupted) and [[FaceDeathWithDignity accepted her fate with dignity]]--but Ruby immediately saved her, accidentally forming Garnet in the process and changing the future Sapphire had seen. Sapphire's superior tried to kill Ruby for it--Ruby being [[HeroicSacrifice perfectly willing to take it]]--only for Sapphire to grab Ruby and escape with her to Earth. The Act of True Love was mutual on both their parts; Ruby was willing to die for Sapphire's sake while Sapphire was willing to give up everything to ensure that Ruby would live. It's even lampshaded when a confused Garnet asks Rose why the two of them were willing to go to such lengths for each other.
298-->'''Garnet:''' How was Ruby able to alter fate? Why was Sapphire willing to give up everything? ''What am I?''\
299'''Rose:''' No more questions. Don't ''ever'' question this. You already ''are'' the answer.\
300''(back in the present)''\
301'''Steven:''' So what was it? The answer?\
302'''Garnet:''' Love.
303* PlayedForLaughs in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''. After Lo forces Reef into starting a vegetarian diet with her, he tries to stick with it for a while, but ends up giving in to temptation and even secretly enters himself in a sausage-eating contest. (He really, ''really'' loves meat.) By the end of the episode, both of them are there. She had just managed to find out the truth, and Reef is about to win the entire thing. However, when he looks at Lo's unhappy face, Reef decides to forfeit the match (and lose the lifetime supply of meat he would have gotten) for her sake. The audience members watching them "aww" in reaction and Lo immediately forgives him.
304--> '''Reef:''' Sorry I lied to you, babe.\
305 '''Lo:''' But [you] chose me in the end, which is so romantic.
306* In the fifth episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'', Shredder creates a retromutagen gun that can turn Splinter back to a human. Later on Shredder is about to use it on the Turtles, which will turn them back into ordinary turtles. Splinter emerges from the subway, and immediately throws his staff, destroying the gun. Splinter did this knowing that the retromutagen gun was the only chance he would ever have to be human again. Didn't matter to him. [[PapaWolf Splinter's sons were in danger; that's all there was to it]].
307-->'''Leonardo''': Master, that device was your only hope of being human again!
308-->'''Splinter''': I had to destroy it to save you.
309[[/folder]]
310
311[[folder:Real Life]]
312* [[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/style/modern-love-you-may-want-to-marry-my-husband.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0 A woman learns that she does not have long to live: she composes a dating profile for the husband she leaves behind.]]
313* Euthanizing a pet to spare them the pain of a disease or lifelong injury. To say it's unpleasant is an understatement, but it's a selfless act of pure love.
314* Caring for an ailing relative, often your own parents or grandparents, ''especially'' if they begin to suffer from senility in their old age and often won't even recognize you, much less act as the people you knew.
315[[/folder]]

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