Default to Good: Difference between revisions

Line 20:

'''If You Are The Good Guys''': Don't attempt to bribe him through false displays of affection. He'll see right through it and scorn you for the attempt. Bribing with cold hard cash or other valuable commodities might work, but make sure the bribe is of an appropriate size; these guys ''never'' come cheap. They will be offended if the offered price undervalues their worth. Generally, trying to guilt them into helping you out won't work either, although there are [[Star Wars|exceptions]]. Your best bet is to win them over with a genuinely unforced gesture of [[Power of Friendship|friendship]] or [[Power of Love|affection]], with no agenda behind it. Picking an attractive member of the appropriate gender to offer this gesture may be effective, but again, don't pander or it ''will'' backfire. You can also try reason: "Do you want to live in the kind of world the [[Big Bad]] is going to create? No? Then make yourself useful!" The odds are in your favor if you don't mess it up by being too obvious.

'''If You Are The Bad Guys''': Whatever you do, do not choose this character as a subject to [[Kick the Dog|randomly display how evil you are.]] If he wasn't inclined to help those ''other'' twits out at first, dropping him into a tank of flesh-devouring blood eels to prove your villain credentials won't help. He'll [[Mistreatment Induced Betrayal|happily forget]] whatever grudge he had against the Good Guys and [[Adopt the Dog|join up with them]] [[Revenge|in order to take you down]]. Displays of affection are out since you're Evil. But, since you ''are'' Evil, chances are you can outbid the Good Guys either in mercantile goods or in offers of worldly power. Good, in addition to being [[Good Is Dumb|dumb]], is also often cash-strapped. Remember that the odds are against you in this effort, however; if the loner refuses your carefully considered and politely delivered bribe, [[Killed Off for Real|kill him immediately]]. Do not [[No One Could Survive That|take half measures]]! These types are noticeably difficult to dispose of, and if you fail to kill him, well...remember what we told you about the tank of blood eels? Same deal, only more so.

'''If You Are The Bad Guys''': Whatever you do, do not choose this character as a subject to [[Kick the Dog|randomly display how evil you are.]] If he wasn't inclined to help those ''other'' twits out at first, dropping him into a tank of flesh-devouring blood eels to prove your villain credentials won't help. He'll [[Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal|happily forget]] whatever grudge he had against the Good Guys and [[Adopt the Dog|join up with them]] [[Revenge|in order to take you down]]. Displays of affection are out since you're Evil. But, since you ''are'' Evil, chances are you can outbid the Good Guys either in mercantile goods or in offers of worldly power. Good, in addition to being [[Good Is Dumb|dumb]], is also often cash-strapped. Remember that the odds are against you in this effort, however; if the loner refuses your carefully considered and politely delivered bribe, [[Killed Off for Real|kill him immediately]]. Do not [[No One Could Survive That|take half measures]]! These types are noticeably difficult to dispose of, and if you fail to kill him, well...remember what we told you about the tank of blood eels? Same deal, only more so.

Note that this is '''not''' the same as either a [[Heel Face Turn]] or a [[Face Heel Turn]]. Someone who Defaults To Good was neither a Heel nor a Face to begin with; they are affiliated with neither of the main sides until some critical point very late in the story. For most of the tale, they are only on their ''own'' side, although they may have an affiliation with a [[Hidden Elf Village|third]] [[Hufflepuff House|group]] that is not taking an active part in the main conflict.

Line 33:

== [[Film]] ==

* As noted in the starting quote, [[Star Wars|Han Solo]] is the most famous example of this trope. While he certainly wasn't the first to pull this move, people of a certain generation will never forget "YAHOOOOO! You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."

** From the ''[[Star Wars Expanded Universe]]'', Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, and the rest of the Smugglers' Alliance in ''[[The Thrawn Trilogy]]''. Took a [[Mistreatment Induced Betrayal]] to convince Karrde and Jade, and they had a hard time convincing the others.

** From the ''[[Star Wars Expanded Universe]]'', Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, and the rest of the Smugglers' Alliance in ''[[The Thrawn Trilogy]]''. Took a [[Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal]] to convince Karrde and Jade, and they had a hard time convincing the others.

* The real ur-example has to be Rick, the original Mr. "I stick my neck out for no one," from ''[[Casablanca]]''. He pulls it off so well he gets Captain Renault to turn right after him.

* Happens a couple of times in [[Michael Clayton]] to two different characters.

Line 59:

[[Category:Heel Face Index]]

[[Category:Default To Good]]

[[Category:Trope]]