You Did the Right Thing: Difference between revisions

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When the hero lets the Big Bad go, or refuses to off a dangerous character (thanks to the Karmic Death scenario), he will sometimes be quite depressed that justice wasn't served. Invariably, his Lancer will tell him, "You Did the Right Thing". Invariably, this will never satisfy the hero.

A common subversion is to have the You Did the Right Thing speech, then have the hero say, "I was out of bullets," or other conveyance that he was unable, rather than unwilling, to kill.

Also see I Did What I Had to Do.

Compare with Not Quite the Right Thing in what either is or seems to be the right thing doesn't bring good results.

Contrast You Did Everything You Could

Examples of You Did the Right Thing include:

Anime and Manga

Said by Midori to Mai in My-HiME at the start of the HiME Carnival arc when Nao reminds her of what happened to Alyssa. After she leaves, Midori told Mai that she had no choice, since Alyssa was planning to nuke the school from orbit (it was the only way to be sure).
- And the fact that they didn't know what destroying a Child does at the time.
Near the end of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Misato tells Shinji he did the right thing after killing the 17th Angel. Seeing as the 17th was also the only person in the show who showed any kind of unconditional affection for Shinji, and Shinji was in truly desperate need of affection from anyone, this just serves to break Shinji even further and sends him over the Despair Event Horizon.

Film

Star Wars: When Anakin ends up beheading Count Dooku, he gets a bit bent up about it considering it wasn't the Jedi way. Palpatine, however, ensures him that he did the right thing, since Dooku was far too dangerous. Of course, this might be Not Quite the Right Thing, as this ends up being one step for Anakin in turning to the darkside.
Stated word-for-word by Kermit the Frog, playing as Captain Smollet, in Muppet Treasure Island after Jim Hawkins lets Long John Silver escape with the treasure. Moments later we learn that out of the Hispanola's jolly boats, Silver took the one that was...unsafe.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: When Riff-Raff looks like he's going freak out and kill everyone after shooting Frank and Rocky, Dr. Scott tries to placate him by reassuring him he'd done the right thing.

Literature

Used by Slim at the end of Of Mice and Men
- "You hadda, George. I swear you hadda."

Live-Action TV

Standard sitcom line delivered to a protagonist like the Naive Everygirl who chooses to be nice to or understand The Alpha Bitch, a favorite Broken Aesop.
Said by the detectives to many a suspect on Law and Order Special Victims Unit who decides to cooperate and help nail the worst bad guy.
On Babylon 5, Zack is acting as a double agent between the legitimate forces of government and the Knight Templar forces looking to overthrow them (which is which is debatable, though the author's sympathies are clear). Just about everyone tells him he's doing the right thing at one time or another. He finds this less than comforting.
- In an earlier episode, a doctor kills an escaped prisoner in self-defense. Franklin tells her "You Did the Right Thing" she replies "I did the necessary thing, this is not the same as the right thing."

Western Animation

Said by Iroh to Zuko on Avatar: The Last Airbender when he gives up on his latest crazy scheme to find Aang... an episode before the stress of doing something so against his Determinator nature drives him into a feverish frenzy.
- Later said by Aang to Katara following her Sword Over Head moment with her mother's killer.
  - Subverted. It left no reassurance for her. She even questions why she did it.

Katara: "Was it because I was too weak, or because I was strong enough not to?"

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{trope}}
-When the hero lets the [[Big Bad]] go, or refuses to [[Kill Him Already|off]] a dangerous character (thanks to the [[Karmic Death]] scenario), he will sometimes be quite depressed that justice wasn't served. Invariably, his [[The Lancer|Lancer]] will tell him, "[[You Did the Right Thing]]". Invariably, this will never satisfy the hero.
+When the hero lets the [[Big Bad]] go, or refuses to [[Kill Him Already|off]] a dangerous character (thanks to the [[Karmic Death]] scenario), he will sometimes be quite depressed that justice wasn't served. Invariably, his [[The Lancer|Lancer]] will tell him, "You Did the Right Thing". Invariably, this will never satisfy the hero.
-A common subversion is to have the [[You Did the Right Thing]] speech, then have the hero say, "I was out of bullets," or other conveyance that he was un''able'', rather than un''willing'', to kill.
+A common subversion is to have the '''You Did the Right Thing''' speech, then have the hero say, "I was out of bullets," or other conveyance that he was un''able'', rather than un''willing'', to kill.
 Also see [[I Did What I Had to Do]].
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 {{examples}}
+== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
+* Said by Midori to Mai in ''[[My-HiME]]'' at the start of the [[There Can Be Only One|HiME Carnival]] arc when Nao reminds her of what happened to Alyssa. After she leaves, Midori told Mai that she had no choice, since Alyssa was planning to nuke the school from orbit (it was the only way to be sure).
+** And the fact that they didn't know {{spoiler|what destroying a Child does}} at the time.
+* Near the end of ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', Misato tells Shinji he did the right thing after killing the 17th Angel. Seeing as {{spoiler|the 17th was also the only person in the show who showed any kind of unconditional affection for Shinji, and Shinji was in truly desperate need of affection from ''anyone''}}, this just serves to break Shinji even further and sends him over the [[Despair Event Horizon]].
+== [[Film]] ==
+* ''[[Star Wars]]'': When Anakin ends up beheading Count Dooku, he gets a bit bent up about it considering it wasn't the Jedi way. [[Evil Mentor|Palpatine]], however, ensures him that '''he did the right thing''', since Dooku was far too dangerous. Of course, this might be [[Not Quite the Right Thing]], as this ends up being one step for Anakin in [[Face Heel Turn|turning to the darkside]].
+* Stated word-for-word by Kermit the Frog, playing as Captain Smollet, in [[Muppet Treasure Island]] after Jim Hawkins lets Long John Silver escape with the treasure. Moments later we learn that out of the ''Hispanola'''s jolly boats, Silver took the one that was...unsafe.
+* ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'':  When Riff-Raff looks like he's going freak out and kill everyone after shooting Frank and Rocky, Dr. Scott tries to placate him by reassuring him he'd done the right thing.
+== [[Literature]] ==
+* Used by Slim at the end of ''[[Of Mice and Men]]''
+** "You hadda, {{spoiler|George}}. I swear you hadda."
+== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
 * Standard sitcom line delivered to a protagonist like the [[Naive Everygirl]] who chooses to be nice to or understand The [[Alpha Bitch]], a favorite [[Broken Aesop]].
 * Said by the detectives to many a suspect on ''[[Law and Order Special Victims Unit]]'' who decides to cooperate and help nail the worst bad guy.
+* On ''[[Babylon 5]]'', Zack is acting as a double agent between the legitimate forces of government and the [[Knight Templar]] forces looking to overthrow them (which is which is debatable, though the author's sympathies are clear). Just about everyone tells him he's doing the right thing at one time or another. He finds this less than comforting.
-* Said by Iroh to Zuko on ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender (Animation)|Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' when he gives up on his latest crazy scheme to find Aang... an episode before the stress of doing something so against his [[Determinator]] nature drives him into a feverish frenzy.
+** In an earlier episode, a doctor kills an escaped prisoner in self-defense. Franklin tells her "You Did the Right Thing" she replies "I did the necessary thing, this is not the same as the right thing."
+== [[Western Animation]] ==
+* Said by Iroh to Zuko on ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' when he gives up on his latest crazy scheme to find Aang... an episode before the stress of doing something so against his [[Determinator]] nature drives him into a feverish frenzy.
 ** Later said by {{spoiler|Aang to Katara following her [[Sword Over Head]] moment with her mother's killer}}.
 *** Subverted. It left no reassurance for her. [[Glurge|She even questions why she did it.]]
-{{quote| ''' {{spoiler|Katara:}}''' "Was it because I was too weak, or because I was strong enough not to?" }}
+{{quote|''' {{spoiler|Katara:}}''' "Was it because I was too weak, or because I was strong enough not to?" }}
-* When Anakin ends up beheading Count Dooku, he gets a bit bent up about it considering it wasn't the Jedi way. [[Evil Mentor|Palpatine]], however, ensures him that [[You Did the Right Thing|he did the right thing]], since Dooku was far too dangerous. Of course, this might be [[Not Quite the Right Thing]], as this ends up being one step for Anakin in [[Face Heel Turn|turning to the darkside]].
-* Said by Midori to Mai in ''[[Mai-HiME (Anime)|Mai-HiME]]'' at the start of the [[There Can Be Only One|HiME Carnival]] arc when Nao reminds her of what happened to Alyssa. After she leaves, Midori told Mai that she had no choice, since Alyssa was planning to nuke the school from orbit (it was the only way to be sure).
-** And the fact that they didn't know  {{spoiler|what destroying a Child does}} at the time.
-* On ''[[Babylon 5]]'', Zack is acting as a double agent between the legitimate forces of government and the [[Knight Templar]] forces looking to overthrow them (which is which is debatable, though the author's sympathies are clear). Just about everyone tells him he's doing the right thing at one time or another. He finds this less than comforting.
-** In an earlier episode, a doctor kills an escaped prisoner in self-defense. Franklin tells her "[[You Did the Right Thing]]" she replies "I did the necessary thing, this is not the same as the right thing."
-* Used by Slim at the end of ''[[Of Mice and Men]]''
-** "You hadda, George. I swear you hadda."
-* Stated word-for-word by Kermit the Frog, playing as Captain Smollet, in [[Muppet Treasure Island]] after Jim Hawkins lets Long John Silver escape with the treasure. Moments later we learn that out of the ''Hispanola'''s jolly boats, Silver took the one that was...unsafe.
-* Near the end of ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', Misato tells Shinji he did the right thing after killing the 17th Angel. Seeing as {{spoiler|the 17th was also the only person in the show who showed any kind of unconditional affection for Shinji, and Shinji was in truly desperate need of affection from ''anyone''}}, this just serves to break Shinji even further and sends him over the [[Despair Event Horizon]].
 {{reflist}}
 [[Category:Stock Phrases]]
-[[Category:You Did the Right Thing]]
+[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]