Heroic Vow: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Most protagonists are depicted as imperfect; though heroic, they aren't [[Lawful Good|flawless paragons of perfection,]] and will have some minor shortcomings to help the audience identify with them better. SuperBob can selflessly save the world on a daily basis, but mild-mannered Bob Trope will regularly leave the refrigerator door open.

 

Compare and contrast with [[Empty Promise]], [[I Gave My Word]], [[Pinky Swear]], and [[Exact Words]]. When someone has broken this vow so thoroughly they become ostracised they're [[The Oathbreaker]]. If the oath is strong enough to prevent even mind control from forcing them to break it, it's an [[Intrinsic Vow]].

 

{{examples}}

* Many heroes [[Thou Shalt Not Kill|refrain from killing]], but [[Rurouni Kenshin]] is very, ''very'' serious about the topic—to the point of preventing ''other'' people from killing if at all possible.

* Also in the [[Thou Shalt Not Kill]] camp, Vash from ''[[Trigun]]''.

{{quote|"I swear--by my life and my love of it--that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."}}

 

* ''[[Star Trek]]'''s [[Alien Non-Interference Clause|Prime Directive]]: every Starship captain swears a solemn oath that he will risk his ship and crew, rather than interfere with a planet's normal development.

** It may seem to be violated so often it is hardly a vow at all, but many of the cases are actually a case of [[Loophole Abuse]], especially [[Star Trek: The Original Series|early on]]: the Prime Directive forbids interfering with a planet's ''normal'' or ''healthy'' development, depending on the quote in question. A captain may argue that failing to develop at all is not normal or healthy development, especially if it is not by the free choice of the members of the culture in question, and Starfleet itself originally ''mandated'' discreet interference in the most severe case of ceasing to develop, namely ceasing to exist.

* This is why [[Freakazoid!]] couldn't go after the Lobe.

{{quote|"Much as it pains me, I have to honor the Lobe's request, the same as everyone else's... 'Cause it's in the codebook, okay? 'Cause superheroes always keep their word no matter what, okay?"}}

{{quote|'''Rarity:''' ...I've waited all my life...

'''Fluttershy:'''...for this moment...

* [https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Hippocratic_Oath The Hippocratic Oath], taken by physicians, who swear to "do no harm" in their profession. Whether this oath has any legal clout is debatable.

* After the September 11 terrorist attacks, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131205214423/http://www.dailyastorian.com/free/teacher-who-vowed-not-to-shave-until-bin-laden-was/article_a8860868-74d2-11e0-afbf-001cc4c03286.html teacher Gary Weddle vowed not to shave his beard] until [[Osama Bin Laden]] was captured or killed. He kept it for ten years...

 

{{reflist}}