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Right Makes Might: Difference between revisions
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Very prevalent in [[Shounen]] anime series, but really, this has been used to deliver morals throughout history. It was even assumed in unenlightened times in Western civilization to ''work in real life'', on the logic that God would help the proper victor; the practice of letting this scenario play out was known as "trial by combat". Nowadays in media, emotional choices trump logical ones (see [[Straw Vulcan]]).
If the defeated party acknowledges the wrong of his/her/their ways, this may also include [[Defeat Means Friendship]]. If the meaning of the battle is supposed to be particularly obvious, the characters will actually engage in a [[World of Cardboard Speech]] or [[Reason You Suck Speech]] before or [[Talking Is a Free Action|during]] the battle, explaining their particular beliefs, the lessons they've learned and why they have faith that they will carry them through this battle successfully.
Though usually done with a hero and somebody darker, it can also be done in a [[A Lighter Shade of Grey]] or [[A Lighter Shade of Black]] scenario, to show that, while their ideas and worldviews might still be rather flawed, the winning side at least has a better understanding of how the world should be or at least got more points right than the enemy. <ref> While a [[A Lighter Shade of Black]] villain might not exactly believe in the powers of truth, justice and honor, he might still be a firm believer in [[Pragmatic Villainy]] and consider [[Stupid Evil]] behaviour of his opponent [[Even Evil Has Standards|pathetic and disgusting.]]</ref>
Not to be confused with [[Might Makes Right]].
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* Used all the way to [[Dead Horse Trope|death]] in ''[[Digimon Adventure]]'' and ''[[Digimon Adventure 02]]''. The Chosen Children "wielded" various virtues (yes, as in Wielder of Courage, Wielder of Friendship, Wielder of Purity, etc.). Their [[Mons]] got bigger when the kids developed positive character traits. This is fairly blatant [[Right Makes Might]].
** One episode of the ''fifth'' season is named "Justice Equals Power," which is the trope name slightly rephrased. Though ironically in that case it was one of the ''villains'' who believed this, Duftmon of the [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Royal Knights]]. Suffice to say, his belief didn't stop the heroes from smashing him via an [[Eleventh-Hour Superpower]].
* A key element of [[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]: Spiral Power is based on the ability of organic life to adapt to and ultimately overcome adversity. Though any strong emotion can produce it, more Spiral Power can be derived from [[The Power of Love|Love]], [[The Power of Friendship|Friendship]], and [[Papa Wolf|Protective]] [[Mama Bear|Instinct]] than mere [[Unstoppable Rage]].
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* In the ''[[Astro City]]'' series "Tarnished Angel" we follow Steeljack, a Supervillain who wants to simply retire, but has a hard time because '''A:''' he is a well known supervillain, '''B:''' is completely covered in shiny metal skin which kills his chances of getting a normal job and '''C:''' the deck is stacked against him. One of the things that has always dogged him is that he could never make it as hero because he always came up short for some reason, but at the end of the story when he is facing off against the Big Bad who happens to be in a top of the line Power Armor suit in EPIC COMBAT, he thinks something like:
{{quote|Now it's about who's tough and it ain't about who's right or wrong...but maybe being right is what made me tough enough.}}
* Whenever [[Captain America (comics)]] throws [[Anvilicious|His Mighty Shield]], you can see this written on it in six-inch letters. His [[Nigh Invulnerable]] [[Unobtainium]] shield is literally reinforced with American Righteous Might - not [[Clap Your Hands If You Believe|Self-Righteous Might]]. [[Eagle Land|America is the Greatest Country in the World]] - but only when it ''[[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|maintains its idealism]].''
{{quote|'''[[What If]]? #44''': ''[[Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped|Without its ideals -- its commitment to the freedom of all men]], America is [[This Loser Is You|a piece of trash]]!''}}
* ''De Rode Ridder'' (The Red Knight) is canonically unbeatable in a straight fight for justice, as is stated in-universe by an [[Evil Sorcerer]] doing a mystical examination on his sword. The only way the villains can ever get at him is by treachery or hostages.
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** The violent reaction of the robot buddy epitomizes the [[Technical Pacifist|Overpowered Space Hippies Philosophy]] of the Culture: they will remain tolerant and friendly and will even go as far as to hide their godlike power as long as you do not threaten them with a weapon. When you start threatening them, they start blowing up suns.
* In Tamora Pierce's [[Tortall Universe]], this is a common belief. The most notable example would be in the end of the second book of the Alanna series, "In The Hand of The Goddess". Alanna has evidence that the King's uncle is out for the throne; since she's a newly made knight, nobody really believes her. She's challenged to a duel, saying the winner will show who's the right one. While she wins by a mix of luck and genuine talent, its also because she is favoured by the Goddess.
** In a short-story, this also seems to be the belief of an [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture|African-like tribe]]; when settling a dispute about a broken marriage vow, they feel the gods will let whoever was right win. In this case, the young girl who faught the older man won because she ''really'' had been practicing hard.
* Ironically, in M.K. Wren's ''The Phoenix Legacy'', there's a scene where one of the '''villains''' invokes this. It's not made entirely clear whether he genuinely believes it and has a backwards notion of what's right, or, as a politician type, is just talking the talk.
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* [[King Arthur]] spent the majority of his reign trying to dispel the idea that [[Might Makes Right]] and implement a legal system where [[Right Makes Might]]. Unfortunately, [[Bastard Bastard|Mordred]] used this against Guinevere and Lancelot. [[King Arthur]] was forced to [[Sadistic Choice|choose between]] the woman he loved and the system he had spent his life working on for the good of his people. If Arthur had abandoned his legal program, Lancelot could have taken Trial By Combat to avoid the charges but in doing so removed any support by both commoners and nobles for his plan, while the [[Right Makes Might]] would remove any advantage Lancelot or Guinevere had, but would prove his system was equal and truthful. In the end, he [[Tear Jerker|stuck with his ideal]], and his new laws sentenced Guinevere to burn at the stake, which caused Lancelot to rebel, which signalled [[It Was His Sled|the end of Camelot]].
* This is a constant theme in Egyptian Mythology, resulting in nearly universally happy endings. The good guys (champions of order, justice, goodness, the gods, and Egypt) always triumph over the bad guys (fighting for rebellion, chaos, injustice, and anarchy) every time. Even when gods do things [[Values Dissonance|modern readers may object to]], it's always depicted as unambiguously the right and just action, not because [[Might Makes Right]], but because the gods (such as Re and Amun) are always good and always want what's best for the world. They always ensure the triumph of good, just mortals over bad, chaotic ones. Goodness, cosmic order, social order, justice, and monarchy are inextricably linked together as the concept/goddess of Ma'et, and it/she needs to be firing on all cylinders to prevent the sea of chaos from dissolving the whole universe. Thus, even violently putting down a rebellion against the Egyptian empire is supposed to be important for ensuring the stability of the cosmos. (Your enlightened conquerers obviously know what's best for you...)
== Video Games ==
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[[Category:Sublime Rhyme]]
[[Category:Right Makes Might]]
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