Turncoat: Difference between revisions

* ''[[Harry Potter]]'': {{spoiler|Peter Pettigrew}}, who sold out two of his best friends, {{spoiler|Lily and James Potter}}, to [[Big Bad|Voldemort]], and then framed a third friend, {{spoiler|Sirius Black}}, for the whole thing. He considered turning back (just a little bit!) after {{spoiler|Harry Potter}} [[I Owe You My Life|saved his life]], but {{spoiler|the mere thought of betraying Voldemort caused his magical prosthetic arm to strangle him}}.

* Esmer in ''The Last [[Chronicles of Thomas Covenant]]'' is chronically unable to choose a side, to the annoyance of everyone involved. He has the rare distinction of being able to switch sides several times a day and the personal power to pull it off.

* In [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]'s ''[[John Carter of Mars|Chessmen of Mars]]'', the ancient I-Gos is perpetually praising his days. So thorough is his admiration that he changes his loyalties on realizing who is [[The Hero]].

{{quote|''Then I did not fully realize the cowardice of my jeddak, or the bravery of you and the girl. [[Good Old Ways|I am an old man from another age and I love courage]]. At first I resented the girl's attack upon me, but later I came to see the bravery of it and it won my admiration, as have all her acts. She feared not O-tar, she feared not me, she feared not all the warriors of Manator. And you! Blood of a million sires! how you fight! I am sorry that I exposed you at The Fields of Jetan. I am sorry that I dragged the girl Tara back to O-Tar. I would make amends. I would be your friend. Here is my sword at your feet.''}}

* In ''[[Discworld]]'', Nobby Nobbs is famous in times of war for exactly this. He hovers around the edge of the battlefield, swiping boots off the fallen soldiers and will just move in with whoever he thinks is winning. The generals used his uniform as an indicator to tell who was winning.

* In Mercedes Lackey's ''The Black Griffon'', two of Urtho's generals seem to be carrying the [[Idiot Ball]] for most of the book; they're constantly losing troops of all species by attempting flashy, dangerous tactics which would lead to glorious victories, if only they actually worked; it later comes to light that these losses are intentional, as they have been working for the enemy for some time.

** In ''[[Rogues in the House]]'', Conan's [[Backstory]] includes being betrayed by a woman. After he's out of prison, he tracks her down and (since she is a woman) abducts her to drop her in a cesspit.

** In ''[[The Hour of the Dragon]]'', Publio turns on Conan because Conan's presence might reveal that his wealth springs from dealing with Conan when he was a corsair.

 

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