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Anime and Manga
Shirahoshi: But if you're a pirate, Luffy... then aren't you a bad person?
Luffy: ...Hm? ...Mmmm... I dunno, that's up to you to decide.
Luffy: ...Hm? ...Mmmm... I dunno, that's up to you to decide.
"I don't care about living or dying or who's just and who's evil!! I don't even give a shit about the Corpse being a Saint or whatever!! I'm still negative! I want to get up to zero! If I can get the Corpse I can get my negative back to zero!"
— Johnny Joestar, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run
Comic Books
"I-have-seen-Good-and-I-have-seen-Evil. And-now-I-am-dead. I-have-been-Good-and-I-have-been-Evil. And-now-I-am-dead. Look-o-n... m-y... w-o-r-k-s..."
— Sargon the Sorcerer, The Books of Magic
Adrian Veidt: Jon? Right Wing? (laughs) If there's one thing in the cosmos that that man isn't capable of doing it's having a political bias. Believe me... you'd have to meet him to understand. I mean, which do you prefer, red ants or black ants?
Doug Roth: Uh...? Well, I don't have any particular preference...
Adrian Veidt: Exactly. Well, imagine how Jon feels.
Doug Roth: Uh...? Well, I don't have any particular preference...
Adrian Veidt: Exactly. Well, imagine how Jon feels.
— Watchmen
Film — Animated
"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase!
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passin' craze!
It means no worries for the rest of your days!
It's our problem-free philosophy!"
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passin' craze!
It means no worries for the rest of your days!
It's our problem-free philosophy!"
— The Lion King (1994), "Hakuna Matata"
Film — Live-Action
"People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care."
— Martin, High Noon
"Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun."
—Ash Williams, Army of Darkness
"You have to have men who are moral and at the same time who are able to utilize their primordial instincts to kill without feeling, without passion, without judgement. Without judgement! Because it's judgement that defeats us."
Literature
"Most Dark mages die violently, often at the hands of other Dark mages, and it's not a lifestyle to choose if you're hoping to live long enough to have grandchildren. Becoming a Light mage is safer, but it comes with its own consequences – the Council offers privilege and power, but in exchange you have to spend a lot of time saying the right things to the right people, often the kind of people that you don't like very much.
Faced with those options, it's not that surprising that most mages choose neither of the above. They don't join the Council, but they don't follow the Dark way either. They obey the Concord, at least enough to stay out of trouble, but for the most part, they don't bother the Council and the Council doesn't bother them. Sometimes they use their abilities to make their way in the world — enchanters charming people out of their money, chance mages scamming casinos — but just as often they don't, or at least not much. They just lead normal lives, staying off the radar of Light and Dark mages alike, going about their day-to-day business in peace."
Faced with those options, it's not that surprising that most mages choose neither of the above. They don't join the Council, but they don't follow the Dark way either. They obey the Concord, at least enough to stay out of trouble, but for the most part, they don't bother the Council and the Council doesn't bother them. Sometimes they use their abilities to make their way in the world — enchanters charming people out of their money, chance mages scamming casinos — but just as often they don't, or at least not much. They just lead normal lives, staying off the radar of Light and Dark mages alike, going about their day-to-day business in peace."
— Marked
Forgetting the fact that it would almost certainly kill you... you know I am Switzerland. Neutral. As long as the balance is maintained, I take no sides. How else could I provide an establishment where my patrons can let their hair down, come in and feel free to be... themselves.
—Papa Midnite, Constantine: The Novelization
"Perhaps what I am about to say will appear strange to you gentlemen, socialists, progressives, humanitarians as you are, but I never worry about my neighbor, I never try to protect society which does not protect me — indeed, I might add, which generally takes no heed of me except to do me harm — and, since I hold them low in my esteem and remain neutral towards them, I believe that society and my neighbor are in my debt."
"After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things. Terrible, yes... but great."
— Mr. Ollivander, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
"Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon. [...] They're deep, mind, centaurs. They know things. Just don't let on much."
— Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Lajoolie: The League makes sure no one can hurt anyone else.
Oar: No. The League kills certain people under certain conditions; that is all they do. They still permit a great deal of hurting to take place: I can attest to that.
Oar: No. The League kills certain people under certain conditions; that is all they do. They still permit a great deal of hurting to take place: I can attest to that.
Marlowe: I'm not sore at you. You're just that kind of guy. For a long time I couldn't figure you at all. You had nice ways and nice qualities, but there was something wrong. You had standards and you lived up to them, but they were personal. They had no relation to any kind of ethics or scruples. You were a nice guy because you had a nice nature. But you were just as happy with mugs or hoodlums as with honest men. Provided the hoodlums spoke fairly good English and had fairly acceptable table manners. You're a moral defeatist. I think maybe the war did it and again I think maybe-you were born that way.
Terry Lennox: ...Of course. An act is all there is. There isn't anything else. In here (taps chest) there isn't anything...
Terry Lennox: ...Of course. An act is all there is. There isn't anything else. In here (taps chest) there isn't anything...
"I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side..."
— Treebeard, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
"Think not" is my eleventh commandment, and "sleep when you can" is my twelfth.
— Stubb, Moby-Dick
"We cannot do wrong; neither have we any disposition to do it, for we do not know what it is."
"Listen, Underground man. You walk out the end of this gully and what do you see? That old lake bed. You would've been twenty feet underwater here once, before it dried up. There's dry lakes all around here, they've been dead for thousands of years. Lake Mungo — you've heard of the one where all the tourists go to look at the fossils? That's twenty-odd miles west of here. But even this little lake that no-one's heard of — I can take you along this shoreline and show you campsites that my people were using forty thousand years ago. We've always been right here, my lot. We survived everything — the lakes drying up, the desert coming, even you white folk trying to wipe us out. And as long as we don't go and do something stupid in the meantime, like getting ourselves arrested and shot, then we'll still be here in another forty thousand too. And by then, not a damn soul is gonna remember any of this stuff you're talking about."
— Frieda, Underground, by Andrew McGahan
Live-Action TV
Darla: Why don't you just kill him if you want him dead.
The Valet: We don't want anything, Miss. In this place, the journey is all. Where it may lead is not our concern.
— Angel, "The Trial"
"I've known good criminals and bad cops. Bad priests, honorable thieves. You can be on one side of the law or the other. But if you make a deal with somebody, you keep your word."
— Mike, Better Call Saul
"Really bad people are punished by society’s law. Really good people are punished by Murphy's law."
— George Lass, Dead Like Me
Beatnik: You make the lie. You invent want. You're for them, not us.
Don Draper: Well, I hate to break it to you, but there is no "big lie," there is no "system." The universe is indifferent.
Other Beatnik: Man... why'd you have to say that?
Don Draper: Well, I hate to break it to you, but there is no "big lie," there is no "system." The universe is indifferent.
Other Beatnik: Man... why'd you have to say that?
— Mad Men
Jack O'Neill: Don't worry, she likes us.
Daniel Jackson: The Nox like everyone. It's their way.
Daniel Jackson: The Nox like everyone. It's their way.
"We aren't built to be cruel."
Music
"Well I don't wanna be President
Superman or Clark Kent
I don't wanna walk 'round in their shoes
'Cause I don't know who's side I'm on
I don't know my right from wrong
I don't know where I'm going to
I don't know about you"
Superman or Clark Kent
I don't wanna walk 'round in their shoes
'Cause I don't know who's side I'm on
I don't know my right from wrong
I don't know where I'm going to
I don't know about you"
— Fastball, "Fire Escape"
"Be responsible, respectable, stable but gullible, concerned and caring, help the helpless but always remain ultimately selfish."
— Depeche Mode "Get The Balance Right"
Tabletop Games
"A neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. She doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil - after all, she would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, she's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. [...] Some neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. Neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion."
— Dungeons & Dragons: Player's Handbook, 3.5th Edition
"Our whims and desires are irrelevant, compared to the turning wheel of the world. I am who I am. Trust no one but your friends and family. The wheel turns in spite of us. Systems come and go. All empires fade. Time is a healer. The seasons never change. The sun does not care what it rises over."
— Introduction to Neutral, Ultimate Campaign
"When his brothers and sisters and cousins quarreled, this Cainite always remained neutral. He had seen war's face, and he knew the folly of spilling blood for the sake of pride. No matter who offered him alliance, his response was always the same: "Not this night."
— Vampire: The Masquerade — Clanbook: Assamite (Revised)
"I have heard stories of other vampiric civilizations that existed during that time, such as those of the warring childer of Set and Osiris. That had little to do with us, though; in the same way our broods stay removed from the deadliest Kindred games, the Nosferatu of ancient Egypt refused to take sides. I am certain, of course, that doesn't mean we didn't occasionally sell secrets about one group to the others."
— Vampire: The Masquerade — Clanbook: Nosferatu (Revised)
"This "Ascension War" has been going on for centuries. Some people never get the hint, I guess. Trust me, the "old ways" are dead. Our job, should we choose to survive it, is to find new ways, better ways, to walk a path that we choose, to have one chosen for us. Still, plenty of people believe their little war is still winnable, and they'll try to convince you to join the "winning side" — in other words, them. Hey, maybe you will join one side or the other someday. Just be certain that it's your choice, not theirs. The most important war for you to win now is the one of survival."
— Mage: The Ascension — The Orphan's Survival Guide
Video Games
Mike Thorton: I don't know what you want, Albatross. G22's agenda... it doesn't seem like you have one.
Albatross: No, we have aspirations, as does any government. But we believe that agendas are accomplished by careful study and observation. If the status quo is disrupted, it makes predicting triggers and events more... difficult.
Albatross: No, we have aspirations, as does any government. But we believe that agendas are accomplished by careful study and observation. If the status quo is disrupted, it makes predicting triggers and events more... difficult.
"Opinions are like testicles. You kick them hard enough, doesn't matter how many you got."
— Varric, Dragon Age II
"Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views."
— Squall Leonhart, Final Fantasy VIII
"I don't want to carry anyone's burden."
— Squall Leonhart, Final Fantasy VIII
"Good? Evil? I couldn't care less what those who hire me stand for. My job is to wield this sword. Just keep one thing in mind—I don't work cheap."
"My conception of the Conflux was relatively straightforward. Conflux Heroes and the associated Elemental troops were defenders of the natural world. When there is a threat to its continued existence, they make their presence known, assert themselves, and attempt to eliminate the threat. They have no allegiance to anyone or anything, other than the preservation of the world."
— Greg Fulton, lead designer of Heroes of Might and Magic III
"We've outsourced operations to them before, but don't assume that makes us partners: it's a mercenary thing, a contractual thing. Phoenicians don't take sides — only Swiss bank transfers."
— Kirsten Geary, The Secret World
"So long as the Turf War battles rage on, so too will Sheldon dedicate his life to crafting ink-based weaponry. This horseshoe crab cares not for the fate of Inkopolis…so long as he can continue to invent new ways to splat."
— Splatoon's Squid Research Lab
on Sheldon
on Sheldon"As far as this mysterious being is concerned, the shallow affairs of Inkopolis are insignificant next to the vast depth of the seven seas. No matter what fate may await the world, the sea watches silently, biding its time."
— Splatoon's Squid Research Lab on Mr. Grizz
on Mr. Grizz"After the countless battles he's presided over, always watching, always judging—is the future reflected in his eyes one of order...or chaos? Whatever the case may be, the final showdown is about to kick off! It's Splatocalypse time!"
— Splatoon's Squid Research Lab on Judd
on Judd"What I am is Kindred. How others choose to categorize themselves concerns me only where local customs are concerned. Individualism is a path fraught with obstacles and sometimes, angry mobs, but for all its hardships, it is the only one worth taking."
"I've met others like you, and they have always ultimately come to the same conclusion, and that is there is no person or group on this planet they can pledge loyalty to. If this is the path you must take, I can take you to where the trail begins..."
— Caine, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
"Horde? Alliance? What has either done for me? No, I fight for myself."
—Valeera Sanguinar, World of Warcraft
Visual Novels
"It is simple. I fight for myself. Boring ways of the world, justice, ideal... such vague reasons are meaningless. I fight to fulfill my own desires. There is no other reason. [...] If you want to save others so much, go ahead. But only if it is truly your own desire."
— Archer to Shirou, Fate/stay night
Webcomics
Pompey: I don't get it... one second, you're willing to let us kill him for an insult, the next, you're helping him get back in the fight. Sort of inconsistent for Lawful Good, aren't you?
Julia Greenhilt: Uh, hello, Roy's LG, not me. I'm True Neutral. I go both ways.
Pompey: That is so hot.
Julia Greenhilt: Uh, hello, Roy's LG, not me. I'm True Neutral. I go both ways.
Pompey: That is so hot.
"I am neither good nor evil. I am just a sword. Wield me as you will, master."
— Chaz, Sluggy Freelance
Web Original
Arin: Maybe I'll stick with Tails, he seems a good enough guy. Maybe I'll destroy the Presidential pod and stick with Tails.
Danny: (singing) Fighting for the forces of good, because it's easier~! And more convenient for me~!
Arin: Hey man, that's true ambivalence towards good and evil. Have I said ambivalence enough today? 'cause that's what Shadow's all about.
[...]
Danny: Just because I'm fighting for the forces of good, doesn't mean I've given up on my lifelong dream of murdering the President.
Arin: Decisions, decisions? Why not both!
Danny: Why can't I have my cake and also kill the President?
Danny: (singing) Fighting for the forces of good, because it's easier~! And more convenient for me~!
Arin: Hey man, that's true ambivalence towards good and evil. Have I said ambivalence enough today? 'cause that's what Shadow's all about.
[...]
Danny: Just because I'm fighting for the forces of good, doesn't mean I've given up on my lifelong dream of murdering the President.
Arin: Decisions, decisions? Why not both!
Danny: Why can't I have my cake and also kill the President?
— The Game Grumps play Shadow the Hedgehog
"Superheroes are on the side of "good". Supervillains are on the side of "right" — er, I mean "evil". Captain Oblivious is a superneutral. He just gets in the way for no good reason."
— Mark Gottlieb, Return Of The Attack Of The Bombos
"I'm actually pretty neutral about a lot of things. I'm like Switzerland with a penis."
"In early day, or late at night,
It's not my problem, I'll be alright,
No price you name is worth the fight,
But if I'm bored, then yeah, I might."
It's not my problem, I'll be alright,
No price you name is worth the fight,
But if I'm bored, then yeah, I might."
— Unofficial Gray Lantern Corps motto
Western Animation
Kipper: Whose side are we on Trent?
Trent: We are on our side. All these other creatures are so repulsive.
Trent: We are on our side. All these other creatures are so repulsive.
— All Hail King Julien: Exiled, "The Day After Yesterday"
Glab: What are your thoughts on this momentous occasion, Your Neutralness?
Neutral President: (determinedly) I have no strong feelings one way or the other!
Neutral President: (determinedly) I have no strong feelings one way or the other!
— Futurama
"What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?"
— Zapp Brannigan, Futurama
Neutral Advisor: Your Neutralness, it's a beige alert!
Neutral President: If I don't make it, tell my wife "hello."
Neutral President: If I don't make it, tell my wife "hello."
— Futurama
"With enemies you know where they stand but with neutrals, who knows?"
— Zapp Brannigan, Futurama
Neutral Advisor: Should we trust [Zapp Brannigan], Your Neutralness?
Neutral President: All I know is, my gut says "maybe."
Neutral President: All I know is, my gut says "maybe."
— Futurama
Emir: I demand reparation! My son was cruelly and unfairly taken from me!
Anubis: On the contrary, death is the ultimate fairness. Rich and poor, young and old, all are equal in death. You would not like to see the jackal god play favorites.
Anubis: On the contrary, death is the ultimate fairness. Rich and poor, young and old, all are equal in death. You would not like to see the jackal god play favorites.
—Gargoyles, "Grief"
Mabel: Grunkle Stan, is this legal?
Stan: When there's no cops around, anything's legal!
Stan: When there's no cops around, anything's legal!
—Gravity Falls, "The Time Traveller's Pig"
Toffee: Give it up, old man. You'll never get him on your side.
Glossaryck: But I don't have a side.
Toffee: (Sizes Glossaryck up for a beat, narrows eyes) ...You don't, do you?
Glossaryck: But I don't have a side.
Toffee: (Sizes Glossaryck up for a beat, narrows eyes) ...You don't, do you?
— Star vs. the Forces of Evil, "The Hard Way"
"Jedi and Sith wield the Ashla and Bogan... the light and the dark. I am the one in the middle."
— The Bendu, Star Wars Rebels
Real Life
"It may be that Falstaff, rather than Henry V, is a much more accurate picture of the common soldiers, who finds little in the rhetoric of officers who urge him into danger. The average solider probably sympathizes more than we might suspect with Falstaff's stratagems to save his own hide. Falstaff embodies the carnal yearnings we all have for food, drink, companionship, a few sexual adventures, and safety...Falstaff's selfish pursuit of pleasure hurts few. Henry's selfish lust for power leaves corpses strewn across muddy battlefields."
— Chris Hedges, War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
"Couldn't we just get together and agree on the few basic Commandments that are laws? Like 'I won't slaughter you, and don't take my shit.'"
— Bill Maher
"You must see with eyes unclouded by hate. See the good in that which is evil, and the evil in that which is good. Pledge yourself to neither side, but vow instead to preserve the balance that exists between the two."
"Eisenhower resolved to do nothing — and I must say, those years look positively golden in retrospect. A State Department friend of mine once gave a briefing to Johnson. The subject was a Latin-American country where it looked as if one of our military juntas was about to be replaced by a liberal non-Communist regime. Johnson was distraught. "What, what," he cried, "can we do?" To which one of his advisors — whose name must be suppressed, though his wisdom ought to be carved over the White House door — replied, "Mr. President, why not do nothing?" That was the Eisenhower genius."
Adevarul: Are you disappointed by the political class?
Ana Ularu: Which political class?! It's all just a barrage, a carnival. If I talk about politics I prefer to talk to Winston Churchill.
Ana Ularu: Which political class?! It's all just a barrage, a carnival. If I talk about politics I prefer to talk to Winston Churchill.
— Adevarul, INTERVIEW Ana Ularu, actress: "I loved Stefan Iordache very much" (Translated from Romanian)
(Translated from Romanian)"A happy and eternal being has no trouble himself and brings no trouble upon any other being; hence he is exempt from movements of anger and partiality, for every such movement implies weakness."
