Defector From Decadence: Difference between revisions

[[File:different.jpg|link=X Wing Series|thumb|350px|He was offered a [[Medal of Dishonor|medal]], praised highly, and invited to [[Screw the War, We're Partying|the orgy]]. He let his pilots indulge because it would be inhuman to deny them pleasure just before they're sent to die. But he's not happy.]]

 

 

A character who joins either the protagonists or antagonists not so much because he agrees with all their ideas as he can no longer tolerate the opinions or actions of his old group. This is usually because their methods are [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|too extreme]], [[Stupid Evil|ineffectual]] or [[Lawful Stupid Chaotic Stupid|illogical.]]

* [[The Elric Saga|Prince Elric of Melnibone]], titular [[Anti-Hero]] and one of the incarnation of the [[Chosen One|Eternal Champion]] in [[Michael Moorcock]]'s fantasy universe. In his case, his whole ''race'' was infamous for being callous, sadistic and decadent slaveholders (although we get to meet a few Melniboneans who are not malicious and underhanded, most notably Elric's fiancee and the pragmatic dragonriders). Elric, himself a powerful sorcerer, had grown so weary with his people's banal wickedness, that he left Imrryr The Dreaming City, but later returned with a fleet of humans warships to destroy it, razing the last remnant of a once proud and ancient civilization.

** [[Dorian Hawkmoon]], the Duke of Köln, another incarnation of the Eternal Champion, finds an unlikely ally in his fight for freedom in the [[Evil Brit|Granbretanic]] [[Aristocrats Are Evil|aristocrat]] d'Averc. d'Averc is fond of affecting the appearance of a decadent effete courtier and hypochondriac to the point of cliche. However, there is every indication that it's just for show, and that d'Averc is quite tough, strong and shrewd, not to mention a superb swordsman and duelist and a [[Deadpan Snarker]] (and secret romantic). Although cheerfully untroubled by moral considerations, d'Averc is not as utterly amoral (nor borderline insane) as most of his fellow Granbretans. In fact, he seems disgusted at the decadence and violence of the tyrannical Granbretan [[The Empire|DarkEmpire]], and defects to help Hawkmoon and Count Brass.

* Strawberry in ''[[Watership Down]]'' joins the protagonists, abandoning his own warren, when the death of his mate makes him realize that his [[Town with a Dark Secret|outwardly pleasant but mysterious warren]] is NOT worth [[Utopia Justifies the Means|the price that is paid for it.]] In an unusually three-dimensional version of the trope, Strawberry retains some of his old habits throughout the story, even when they get him into trouble.

* Captain Alberich of Karse presents an arguable subversion. Although he was deeply troubled by the [[Corrupt Church|corruption of his homeland's ruling theocracy]], the practice of letting bandits run free in the borderlands to provide cover for raids against the [[Heralds of Valdemar|demon-riders]] to the north, and the not-so-occasional burning of those with [[Psychic Powers|'witch-powers]]; he did not defect to Valdemar so much as get [[Call to Adventure|shanghaied by]] one of the [[Cool Horse|"White Demons"]] the place was known for.