I Gave My Word: Difference between revisions

* This is practically [[Naruto]]'s [[Catch Phrase]] even more than [[Verbal Tic|dattebayo/believe it]]. He never backs down on his word. EVER.

** [[Animal Motifs|Which is based on how]] [[Cunning Like a Fox|foxes]] in Japanese mythology, despite being [[trickster]]s, tend to keep promises.

* An interesting example in ''[[Fist of the North Star|Hokuto No Ken]]'', where Kenshiro breaks a promise to spare a [[Mook]]'s life, asking the thug how many time ''he's'' kept a promise in his life, or spared someone who begged for their life, before leaving him to [[Your Head Asplode|die messily]].

* Ichigo in ''[[Bleach]]'' does this. {{spoiler|Inoue Orihime states that "when he says 'I'm going to win' those are the times that he definitely will!"}}

'''Chris:''' That's just the kind you've got to keep. }}

* Marriage is the promise of eternal love and as a man of honor, Leopold of ''[[Kate and Leopold]]'', cannot promise eternally what he has never felt momentarily.

 

== [[Literature]] ==

{{quote|''as my honor brother I ask you to [[The Power of Trust|trust]] me like you have never trusted me before. On my life I swear that I do not lie to you, Nathaniel.''}}

** In [[Graham McNeill]]'s ''Fulgrim'', Fulgrim gives Ferrus Manus his word as his sworn honour brother that he does not lie. Alas, that is exactly when Ferrus Manus is bound to fight him.

* In the [[Backstory]] of Simon Spurrier's [[Night Lords]] novel ''Lord of the Night'', Sahaal had watched {{spoiler|the Night Haunter}} be assassinated, because {{spoiler|the Night Haunter}} had foreseen it and extracted a promise from him to do so.

* In [[James Swallow]]'s ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' novel ''[[Blood Angels|Deus Encarmine]]'', Rafen had promised their father to look out for Arkio. {{spoiler|Making their [[Cain and Abel]] fight [[Conflicting Loyalty|particularly hard]] on Rafen -- and he apologizes to the dying Arkio for not having helped him.}} And Stele has Koris and other sergeant promise to keep a secret before he lies to them; they would think of this trope and not consider it was a lie.

* In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' series, the D'regs will follow this if they give their word. They will not feel bound to oaths or to swearing on something, though.

** That principle is actually laid out in the Bible: "Do not swear at all: either by heaven.. or by Jerusalem... Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'..." (Matthew 5:34-37, very shortened).

* In Rick Riordan's ''[[Percy Jackson & the Olympians|Percy Jackson and The Olympians]]'', gods are bound by their promises by the River Styx. {{spoiler|Hades}} keeps his to Nico even without that, though he insists on [[Exact Words]]. {{spoiler|And Luke's promise to Annabeth is crucial to his final [[Heroic Sacrifice]].}}

** This is not universal, as both Zeus and Poseidon break a vow made this way. The thing is, breaking this kind of a promise is really bad, and the fates will try and find a way to punish whoever broke it (though it's never shown exactly ''what'' happens).

{{quote|"You would not ask me to break faith with him?"}}

* ''Horton Hatches the Egg'', by [[Dr. Seuss]]: "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant; an elephant's faithful, one hundred percent." Horton sticks with his agreed-upon egg-sitting, no matter how much suffering it puts him through, and no matter how much the bird is abusing it.

** Also, see The Unbreakable Vow, a more literal version of this trope.

*** To be more specific, the Unbreakable Vow is a spell that forces a person into this trope. If the person who gives his word goes back on it, he/she dies. Period.

*** In other words, he has the option of a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] or this trope.

* In [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]'s ''[[John Carter of Mars|A Princess of Mars]]'', when Dejah Thoris is chained, John Carter tries to get the key. Tars Tarkas tells him he may have it for giving his word that neither he nor she would try to escape. John Carter tells him to keep it.

** Thuvia in ''[[John Carter of Mars|Thuvia, Maid of Mars]]'' and Tara in ''[[John Carter of Mars|The Chessmen of Mars]]'' are deeply distressed at falling in love with the hero while promised to another man.

* In ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]],'' one of the title character's former generals was terrorizing a town, and he and Xena fought a duel which Xena won. She said that she'd forgo taking his life if he promised to leave the village alone. When he agrees, he and his men begin to clear out... except one, who sneakily goes for his knife to try and attack Xena from behind. ''The general throws a dagger into his chest from across the room,'' and says to a surprised Xena, "A deal's a deal." He then leaves as promised.

* Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold of ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]'' has only once ever gone back on a deal, and it's possible that [[The Atoner|he's been trying to make]] [[My Greatest Failure|up for it ever since]]. This is not to say that he won't [[Exact Words|twist the bargain]] [[Manipulative Bastard|to his own ends]], as he does when {{spoiler|he ''fakes'' the murder Regina wanted him to frame Mary for, claiming that Regina never explicitly ''told him'' to kill the would-be victim}}. And even if you [[Be Careful What You Wish For|get exactly what you want from him]], the price you'll have to pay may be far greater than you imagine...''especially'' if you try to cheat him out of his end.

 

== Mythology ==

 

== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

** [https://web.archive.org/web/20130609033304/http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter004/ib024.html And he means it, grumbling about how he's not free yet.]

* In ''[[Nip and Tuck]]'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20120510110925/http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/00464.html I swear by all my beaver ancestors].

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* Used in Disney's ''[[Peter Pan (Disney film)|Peter Pan]]''. Hook accuses Peter of being a coward because he always flies away instead of fighting him fair and square. Pan gives his word to fight Hook without flying, despite Wendy begging him to.

** Captain Hook himself uses this, albeit in a sneaky, loophole-abusive way. "I gave my word not to lay a finger or a hook on Peter Pan. And Captain Hook always keeps his promises"...as he's lowering a bomb into Peter's hideout.

* In the first [[Season Finale]] of [[Harley Quinn (TV series)|''Harley Quinn'']], the Joker promises to release Clayface, Dr. Psycho, and Killer Shark if Harley surrenders. Amazingly, he does indeed keep his word when she does.

* In one episode of ''[[Challenge of the GoBots]]'', after [[Mad Scientist|Doctor Braxis]] is double-crossed by the Renegades ''and'' the rulers of the 21st Level, he offers to help Turbo escape from the latter if he simply lets him go once they're in the clear. Once they make it and reach the other Guardians, Turbo is a little upset that he has to keep his word, but Leader-1 insists he does so. Braxis storms off, saying he's "glad there's ''someone'' around here who knows what a deal is!"

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

* Legally enforceable under Scottish law; an oral contract is as legally binding as written one.

** As it is the case in most law systems. Although for certain agreements additional forms are required and thus your word is not enough to uphold the contract.

*** The thing about oral contracts is that you don't have any evidence of agreements and promises. If it's one party's word against the other, barring any witnesses to support one side or the other, courts have no way to intervene.

* Samuel Goldwyn said, "An oral contract is as good as the paper it's written on," but this is not always the case. Oral contracts, when done correctly before witnesses, can be enforced. For example, in 1984 after Getty Oil was sold to Pennzoil in a handshake deal, Texaco made a higher offer, and the company was sold to Texaco. Pennzoil filed a lawsuit alleging tortuous interference with this oral contract, which the court upheld and awarded $11.1 billion in damages, later reduced to $9.1 billion, but increased again by interest and penalties.

** Contracts in consideration of marriage. This provision covers prenuptial agreements.

** Contracts which cannot be performed within one year. However, contracts of indefinite duration do not fall under the statute of frauds regardless of how long the performance actually takes.

** Contracts for the transfer of an interest in land. This applies not only to a contract to sell land but also to any other contract in which land or an interest in it is disposed, such as the grant of a mortgage or an easement.

** Contracts by the executor of a will to pay a debt of the estate with his own money.

** Contracts in which one party becomes a surety (acts as guarantor) for another party's debt or other obligation.

* Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole ("voice", "spoken word"). Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their word of honor to abide by certain restrictions.

 

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