Always Lawful Good: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}{{Needs Image}}
{{quote|''"How do we know which side that bird is on? Why shouldn't it be leading us into a trap?"
''"That's a nasty idea. Still - a robin, you know. They're good birds [[Genre Savvy|in all the stories I've ever read]]. I'm sure a robin wouldn't be on the wrong side."''|''[[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''}}
A [[Planet of Hats|whole race or culture]] of fair and benevolent beings. Obviously, inverted [[
This alignment is often justified by the race being somehow "close to Light".
This trope is certainly [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|very idealistic]] and is used mostly in shows with [[Black and White Morality]]. The more cynical shows love to [[Light Is Not Good|subvert it]].
In more recent media, both this trope and [[
'''Note that before adding examples to this list, just like [[
Often a whole race of [[The Beautiful Elite]], since [[Beauty Equals Goodness]]. Compare [[Noble Profession]]. May be employed with [[Alike and Antithetical Adversaries]]. This is a [[Planet of Hats]] where the "hat" is being good. For this trope applied to humanity, see [[Humans Are Good]].
{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* ''[[Wedding Peach]]'' have the angels fill this role. Even the worst of them is a [[Knight Templar]] who thinks the angels aren't doing enough to ''help'' the humans.▼
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* Angels if they are [[Our Angels Are Different|not too different]].▼
* "Angels in the house", perhaps better known as [[True Lady|True Ladies]].▼
* ''[[Martian Manhunter]]'' has the Green Martians, who are nothing but peaceful aliens. They have an [[Evil Counterpart]] race known as the White Martians. However, Post-Crisis subverts this by introducing a Green Martian whose utterly evil by the name of Malefic...who ironically happens to be the Manhunter's brother.
== [[Literature]] ==
* [[Our Elves Are Better|Elves]] if they are close to Tolkien's depiction (high elves). His idea behind them was to depict a people not corrupted by the Original Sin.
**
** Indeed, nowadays, this trope is subverted more than played straight for elves, due to people playing up their arrogance or pride. There is a reason there exists drow and dark elves in many settings these days that are purely the [[
* Archons in ''[[Age of Wonders]]''.▼
* The Hazers from [[Clifford Simak]]'s ''[[Way Station]]''.
* The Organians, and possibly the Metrons, on the original ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek the Original Series]]''.▼
** For that matter, most of Star Fleet itself is portrayed as something like this (with a few bad seeds), until the existence of Section 31 was revealed (AFTER Gene Roddenbury' s death of course).▼
* ''[[Redwall]]'': Mice, otters, hedgehogs, moles, hares, badgers, squirrels. Shrews are generally [[Chaotic Good]] (but always chaotic); voles are good but sometimes whiny.
* The eledhel (“elves of light”) in ''[[The Riftwar Cycle]]'' live in a perfect [[Hidden Elf Village]] Utopia with no internal strife. All named eledhel to date have been unfailingly wise, noble and heroic. Notable because in this world, they are the same race as the dark elves (moredhel), who are war-like and hostile, differing only in their mentality and lifestyle. Though it is possible for a moredhel to embrace the eledhel way of thinking and thus Return and ''become'' eledhel, the reverse does not happen. Ever. Making this a case of [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness]].▼
* The Houyhnhnms of [[Gulliver's Travels]]. They are incredibly [[Can't Argue with Elves|honourable]], [[Intellectual Animal|intelligent]] [[Superior Species|horses]] that live alongside feral, [[Humans Are
* ''[[Animorphs]]'': Deconstructed with Pemalites, a highly developed and joyful race that praised life and abhored violence, so much that when [[
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
▲* The Organians, and possibly the Metrons, on
▲** For that matter, most of Star Fleet itself is portrayed as something like this (with a few bad seeds), until the existence of Section 31 was revealed (
* In ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', the Nox definitely qualify, the Asgard usually do, and the Ancients occasionally do (when they're not [[Neglectful Precursors|Always]] [[Lawful Stupid|Lawful
* Vorlons in ''[[Babylon 5]]'' turn out to be another subversion as they are just as petty and terrorizing as their opposing species, the Shadows; while Kosh was literally [[Lawful Good]] (for certain values of Lawful; he had no qualms about encouraging [[The Chosen One]]--{{spoiler|all three parts of...him? Her? Them? Anyway, Sinclair, Delenn, and Sheridan}}
* The Eternals in [[Doctor Who]] were originally intended to be this, although not much is revealed about them in the show and the [[Expanded Universe]] depicts them as having their fair share of villains. Some other species, such as Star Whales and Thals, have also only been seen in a positive light so far.▼
== [[Oral Tradition]] ==
▲* Angels if they are [[Our Angels Are Different|not too different]].
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* In older versions of, what else, ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'', [[Color Coded for Your Convenience|Metallic]] [[Our Dragons Are Different|dragons]]
** Also, Paladins are a literal example. Or at least up until the fourth edition, where they were allowed to be any alignment so long as it matched their patron god.▼
== [[Video Games]] ==
▲* Archons in ''[[Age of Wonders]]''.
* ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' has [[Our Angels Are Different|the naaru]].
** The Tauren and Draenei—both of which seem to be overwhelmingly honorable on a cultural level—have often been accused of being this ([[Purity Sue|or]] [[Superior Species|worse]]). However, both races have at least a few bad seeds (and representation among [[Equal Opportunity Evil]] organizations).
*** Seems reasonable that the Draenei would be overly pure since most all of the ones that were more susceptible to corruption have already turned into demons. The ones that exist currently are the ones who fled from that.
▲* The eledhel (“elves of light”) in ''[[The Riftwar Cycle]]'' live in a perfect [[Hidden Elf Village]] Utopia with no internal strife. All named eledhel to date have been unfailingly wise, noble and heroic. Notable because in this world, they are the same race as the dark elves (moredhel), who are war-like and hostile, differing only in their mentality and lifestyle. Though it is possible for a moredhel to embrace the eledhel way of thinking and thus Return and ''become'' eledhel, the reverse does not happen. Ever. Making this a case of [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness]].
▲* In ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', the Nox definitely qualify, the Asgard usually do, and the Ancients occasionally do (when they're not [[Neglectful Precursors|Always]] [[Lawful Stupid|Lawful]] ''[[Lawful Stupid|Stupid]]'', at least), depending on which episode in which series you're watching. Well, the Nox might be more Chaotic Good. Or Lawful Neutral.
* The Dimension of Lame from ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' is filled with people like this. They consider littering and food fighting to be the most horrific crimes imaginable, not because [[All Crimes Are Equal]], but because [[Stupid Good|they can't imagine anything worse]]. ▼
* Mormons in ''[[South Park]]'', although this tends to make them incredibly annoying for everybody else.▼
▲* [[Color Coded for Your Convenience|Metallic]] [[Our Dragons Are Different|dragons]] in older versions of, what else, ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]''.
▲** Also, Paladins are a literal example. Or at least up until the fourth edition, where they were allowed to be any alignment so long as it matched their patron god.
** The Devas, Archons and related [[Shaped Like Itself|Lawful Good]] entities in [[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]. They even ''point out'' that [[Lawful Stupid]] is the [[Stupidest Thing I've Ever Heard]]. Entities such as them exist in a state of grace that is literally impossible for mortals to reach, meaning they forgive and tolerate mistakes made by Lawful Good characters - even to the point of such characters embracing Chaos in the form of being [[The Snark Knight]] or even a [[Knight in Sour Armor]] - as long as they are consistently '''trying''' to be Lawful Good.▼
{{quote| '''Roy's Deva''': ''[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0490.html People forget how crucial it is to keep trying, even if they screw it up now and then. They figure that if they can't manage it perfectly every waking second, then they should just pick some other alignment because it'll be easier. But it's the struggle that matters. It's easy for a being of pure Law and Good to live up to these ideals, but you're a mortal. What matters is that when you blow it, you get back up on the horse and try again.]''}}▼
*** Best part? This is a high quality [[Real Life]] Aesop - good people screw up. Doesn't mean we shouldn't stop trying to be as good as we can be.▼
▲* Vorlons in ''[[Babylon 5]]'' turn out to be another subversion as they are just as petty and terrorizing as their opposing species, the Shadows; while Kosh was literally [[Lawful Good]] (for certain values of Lawful; he had no qualms about encouraging [[The Chosen One]]--{{spoiler|all three parts of...him? Her? Them? Anyway, Sinclair, Delenn, and Sheridan}}--to bend the rules when necessary to maintain long-term order) the Vorlons as a whole turn out to be merely Always Lawful (Ulkesh being definitely [[Lawful Evil]]).
▲* The Eternals in [[Doctor Who]] were originally intended to be this, although not much is revealed about them in the show and the [[Expanded Universe]] depicts them as having their fair share of villains. Some other species, such as Star Whales and Thals, have also only been seen in a positive light so far.
* The Toads and Yoshis in [[Super Mario Bros.|Mario games]].
** Though the RPGs have introduced exceptions.
▲* ''[[Animorphs]]'': Deconstructed with Pemalites, a highly developed and joyful race that praised life and abhored violence, so much that when [[Always Chaotic Evil]] [[Omnicidal Maniac|OmnicidalManiacs]] the Howlers arrived, Pemalites failed to muster any defence and were exterminated.
== [[Web Comics]] ==
▲* The Houyhnhnms of [[Gulliver's Travels]]. They are incredibly [[Can't Argue with Elves|honourable]], [[Intellectual Animal|intelligent]] [[Superior Species|horses]] that live alongside feral, [[Humans Are Bastards|deformed humans]] (called "Yahoos") that appear to be [[Always Chaotic Evil]], {{spoiler|though this is later revealed to be a prejudice on the Houyhnhnms' part.}}
▲* The Dimension of Lame from ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' is filled with people like this. They consider littering and food fighting to be the most horrific crimes imaginable, not because [[All Crimes Are Equal]], but because [[Stupid Good|they can't imagine anything worse]].
▲* [[Wedding Peach]] have the angels fill this role. Even the worst of them is a [[Knight Templar]] who thinks the angels aren't doing enough to ''help'' the humans.
▲
▲{{quote|
▲
== [[Western Animation]] ==
▲* Mormons in ''[[South Park]]'', although this tends to make them incredibly annoying for everybody else.
== [[Real Life]] ==
▲* "Angels in the house", perhaps better known as [[True Lady|True Ladies]].
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Characters As Device]]
[[Category:Always Lawful Good]]
[[Category:Tropes of Hats]]
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