What Is One Man's Life in Comparison?: Difference between revisions

 

== Film ==

{{quote| '''Megatron:''' Is the fate of our planet not even worth a single human life?<br />

'''Optimus:''' You'll never stop at one. }}

* In the ''[[Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]'' episode ''In The Pale Moonlight'' [[Retired Monster|Garak]] kills a bunch of people for [[Utopia Justifies the Means|the greater good]], and then, when [[The Captain|The Sisko]] objects, gives this little speech:

{{quote| ''That's why you came to me, isn't it, Captain? Because you knew I could do those things that you weren't capable of doing? Well, it worked. And you'll get what you want: a war between the Romulans and the Dominion. And if your conscience is bothering you, you should soothe it with the knowledge that you may have just saved the entire Alpha Quadrant. And all it cost was the life of one Romulan senator, one criminal, and the self-respect of one Starfleet officer. I don't know about you, but I'd call that a bargain.''}}

** And occasionally, and memorably, he'll absolutely ''refuse'' to make the sacrifice: one example is Pete Tyler, Rose's father, whose rescue from his would-be death upsets the timestream to the point that the entire planet is apparently on the brink of destruction, and the Doctor ''refuses'' to kill Pete again--even at the cost of his own life.

* In ''Babylon 5'' this is invoked to G'Kar by Ambassador Kosh (appearing as G'Kar's father, "Some must be sacrificed so that all may be saved." The encounter changes G'Kar from a revenge-driven Narn patriot into a self-sacrifical warrior.

[[Category:Morality Tropes]]

[[Category:What Is One Mans Life In Comparison]]