History Main / AchillesInHisTent

* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has a few moments like this after his various {{Trauma Conga Line}}s. The most unfortunately timed one is in R2 episode 19, where [[spoiler:because he's in his chambers and not responding to calls after his most recent and crushing ordeal, Schneizel is able to almost completely demolish Lelouch's already-tenuous credibility as Zero and reveal his secret identity and mind control power]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'': Cornelia quits when the team fails to protect her best friend, Elyon Brown, from the bad guys, blaming Will because it was her decision to keep Elyon LockedOutOfTheLoop that led to her being deceived by Phobos. Without the full team, everybody else's powers are weakened (which strangely didn't happen the last time the girls had to send a partial team), and new monsters attack who Cornelia's powers would have been perfect for. She inevitably snaps out of her funk in time to save everybody. This turned out to be a turning point, giving Cornelia real CharacterDevelopment for the first time.

** Zig-zag: "Sounding Off" (Cartoon Network Block Party #33, DC run) has Blossom taking a vow of silence as a means to make Bubbles and Buttercup settle their arguments on their own instead of pestering her with them. This vow of silence continues even during a battle with a monster towards the final act, but after the monster knocks away Bubbles and Buttercup, Blossom tries to gain the upper hand but is captured and cannot call for help because now she has lost her voice. Bubbles and Buttercup team up to save her.

Sometimes, the quitter is a character who doesn't seem necessary or desirable. The episode is thus about giving this character some character development and showing both the audience and the characters why this person was on the team. Common with WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway characters, but has the danger of falling into a PlotTailoredToTheParty.

* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': The season five episode ''The Friendship Contraction''. After one bout too many of Sheldon's demanding behavior, Leonard finally decides that he's had enough of Sheldon's self-serving roommate agreement, so signs the form to suspend it. [[EntitledBastard Assuming that the rest of the group would leap at the chance to do Leonard's usual services for a mention in Sheldon's memoirs]], Sheldon seeks volunteers and finds that nobody wants to be his personal chauffeur. The episode highlights how much trouble Sheldon has functioning on his own. He even resorts to cutting the entire building's power just to try and bride Leonard into reinstating the "[[BlatantLies Mutual]] [[ItsAllAboutMe benefits]]" of the roommate agreement.

%% * Falco from ''VideoGame/StarFox'' did this in ''[[VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures Adventures]]'', and in one of the endings in ''[[VideoGame/StarFoxCommand Command]]''.

*** Initially, Tony Stark only minded about his own business, but he suddenly accepted Fury's requests and joined the Ultimates. He later revealed to Cap and Thor that he's Secretly Dying, that he has an inoperable cancer tumor in his head.

A member of a team (often TheLancer) gets into a fight with everybody else and quits, vowing to never, ever return to the people whom that member now hates ''so'' much. A threat then comes that is precisely suited to the missing member's talents. The other team members beg the quitter to come back, but with no success. The team head out without their ex-member and are about to all be killed horribly.

Sometimes, the quitter is a character who doesn't seem necessary or even desirable. The episode is thus about giving this character some character development and showing both the audience and the characters why this person was on the team. Common with WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway characters, but has the danger of falling into a PlotTailoredToTheParty.

Compare with JustFineWithoutYou and HoldingOutForAHero. See also ChangedMyMindKid. Heavily related to WeUsedToBeFriends. Not to be confused with ScrewThisImOuttaHere, which is when someone quits an activity out of fear or laziness rather than out of a feeling of having been wronged. For longer lasting conflicts, see RemovingTheCrucialTeammate.

** This happened as early as the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' - Amuro heard Bright and Mirai talking about how dependent they are on Amuro being Gundam's pilot and, tired of being treated like he was, takes the Gundam and runs off. He does come back an episode or two later and they toss him in the brig for it.

* Michael from ''AudioPlay/WereAlive'' spent part of season 2 sulking in his room after [[spoiler:Burt]] took over as leader of The Tower. He comes out of it by volunteering to find medical help for [[spoiler: Saul]] and by the time he gets back he's ready to take back command.

* Again in Marvel, [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]] was rejected by the Atlanteans and later he rejected them. It took the god Neptune giving Namor his trident to change Namor's mind.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueElite'' by Major Disaster who suffers a breakdown after his alcoholism gets a teammate killed. When the call comes for him to return, he refuses in an attempt to stay away from the things that drove him to drink in the first place. Vera Black decides to respect this rather than risk pushing him into a relapse. [[spoiler:He ''does'' answer the call during ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', where [[CListFodder he gets killed]].]]

** Megatron, following his HeelFaceTurn in ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye More Than Meets The Eye]]'', actually becomes a pacifist when he realizes just how much death he has caused throughout his life (it measures in the billions). He violates this vow once: when the Decepticon Justice Division (who are fanatically devoted to his savage former ideals) comes for him, he surrenders himself to save the rest of the crew but then fights back and destroys the DJD when they reject this offer. After this, he renounces violence once more, and this time it sticks; following a TimeSkip it seems he is back to fighting as he appears to have his iconic fusion cannon on his arm once more, but this turns out to be a folding medical kit, indicating that he finally achieved his youthful dream of becoming a medic. Note that although he doesn't fight himself, he still aids the Autobots by serving as a field commander, his strategic mind being his greatest asset.

** Zig-zag: "Sounding Off" (Cartoon Network Block Party #33, DC run) has Blossom taking a vow of silence as a means to make Bubbles and Buttercup settle their arguments on their own instead of pestering her with them. This vow of silence continues even during a battle with a monster towards the final act, but after the monster knocks away Bubbles and Buttercup, Blossom tries to gain an upper hand but is captured and cannot call for help because now she has lost her voice. Bubbles and Buttercup team up to save her.

*** Initially, Thor refused to join the Ultimates. When Hulk started his rampage, he said that he would only help if Bush increased the foreign aid budget, which they take as a refusal and start the fight without him. But suddenly, there's a clap of thunder and Thor shows up, stomping Hulk under his hammer. Because Bush had just increased the foreign aid budget.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', Kara Zor-El of all people does this. In the course of a few weeks, she has fought several inter-dimensional wars and been nearly killed by the Anti-Monitor, her own evil clone and Darkseid. This, on top of fourteen years fighting crooks and super-villains week after week, has led to a burn-out and a strong desire to retire. So, when the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes turns up to ask her help again, she turns them down. She reluctantly joins them, though, when they explain Darkseid has the son of two of her worst enemies.

* ''Film/{{Troy}}''. Said in an actual tent no less.

* Parodied somewhat in ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'', where Gary is accused of this despite the fact that his abilities would have been obviously useless--[[spoiler: though, of course, they eventually do need an actor for the final mission]].

** ''Film/TheWolverine'': Logan has quit the X-Men for at least a year, and isolates himself within the Yukon wilderness because he is unable to cope with his guilt for being forced to kill Jean Grey.

** In ''Film/ANewHope'', Han Solo leaves after saving Leia, saying that his job is done. At the end of the film he [[BigDamnHeroes comes back to save the day]] in the final battle.

* Named for the famous incident in Creator/{{Homer}}'s ''[[Literature/TheIliad Iliad]]'', which fits the formula almost perfectly, with an added touch. Agamemnon tries to coax Achilles back by meeting the demands he originally made before the new threat, but Achilles [[OffTheTable now refuses them]]. Also, in stark contrast to modern TV examples, Achilles does not learn AnAesop about teamwork or friendship. He re-enters battle out of pure blood rage, after his best friend and cousin (or likely, lover) Patroclus kicks the bucket, and winds up forming an OddFriendship with the enemy king instead of with Agamemnon.

* ''Literature/DonQuixote'': Being present in a lot of ChivalricRomance books (Amadis of Gaul, Beltenebros and Orlando did it), this trope is parodied by Don Quixote: When he is at the Sierra Morena forest, he invokes this trope by sending Sancho with a letter to Dulcinea (his imaginary love interest) explaining to her that he will be in the forest until she forgives him… Even when don Quixote has not made anything against her. This madness will force [[ThoseTwoGuys the Curate and the Barber]] to ask Dorotea to pretend to be a princess and ask Don Quixote a favour to get him out of the forest.

* The entire premise of ''Literature/AtlasShrugged'' is that the people really important to civilization decide that it's no longer their job to let their skills benefit society if they themselves cannot also enjoy the fruits of their labor. Given the [[UsefulNotes/{{Objectivism}} well known views]] of it's author Creator/AynRand it's portrayed as the right thing to do, as the "productive" members of society are no longer allowing others to take advantage of them.

* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has a few moments like this after his various {{Trauma Conga Line}}s. The most unfortunately timed one is in R2 episode 19, where [[spoiler:because he's in his chambers and not responding to calls after his most recent and crushing one, Schneizel is able to almost completely demolish Lelouch's already-tenuous credibility as Zero and reveal his secret identity and mind control power]].

* The ComicBook/FantasticFour was notorious for this happening, particularly with the Thing.

* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', team leader Jake pulls this towards the end of the series. Though it's more justified than most examples, seeing as how he was grieving over his failure to keep his parents from getting infested.

** [[Recap/DoctorWho50thPrequelTheNightOfTheDoctor "The Night of the Doctor"]] reveals that the Eighth Doctor was this to the Time War, only getting involved in the last minutes before his regeneration, and only when he passed the DespairEventHorizon about said war and realized it had to end ASAP.

* In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', Janeway does this in the episode "Night". The ship has entered a void, no stars, no planets, no gases, absolutely nothing. They slowly go [[SpaceMadness stir crazy]] and She falls into despair and remains in her quarters, blaming herself for stranding them in the Delta Quadrant. [[NumberTwo Chakotay]] tries to get her out of it citing the crew needs their captain, but she ignores him. An alien attack, however, brings her back to protect her crew.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Earlier in season 5, after their falling out with Steven over his surrender to Homeworld, it's implied Connie and Lion temporarily left the Crystal Gems during their few weeks of estrangement from Steven as Connie didn't show up to train with Pearl or go do gem things with them during that time. Connie and Lion later return to the team after they reconcile with Steven in "Kevin Party".

** ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': Kitty did not like the way that Jessica drafted her to the team, and initially refused to take part in it. But, as their first mission went badly, she accepted to join them.

** Initially, Thor refused to join the Ultimates. When Hulk started his rampage, he said that he would help if Bush increased the budget for foreign aid. They took it as a refusal and started the fight without him. But suddenly, there is a clap of thunder and Thor shows up stomping Hulk under his hammer. Bush had just increased the budget for foreign aid.
** Initially, Tony Stark only minded about his own business, but he suddenly accepted Fury's requests and joined the Ultimates. He later revealed to Cap and Thor that he's Secretly Dying, that he has an inoperable cancer tumor in his head.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', Kara Zor-El of all people does this. In the course of a few weeks, she has fought several inter-dimensional wars and been nearly killed by the Anti-Monitor, her own evil clone and Darkseid. This, on top of fourteen years fighting crooks and super-villains week after week, has led to a burn-out and a strong desire to retiring. So, when the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes turns up to ask her help again, she turns them down. She reluctantly joins them, though, when they explain Darkseid has the son of two of her worst enemies.

* In ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'' the episode "No Talent Guido" covers this. Speedy and Polly get contracts for a singing career, leaving Guido feeling left out. The MonsterOfTheWeek attacks Little Tokyo while Speedy and Polly are recording a song. Guido refuses to fight, saying that maybe he had better things to do, too. Francine sends the rescue team to fight the monster. They do well until [[ThePsychoRangers the Rude Noise engage them.]] Guido finally snaps out of it, when he sees the rescue team get blown away. Just as Speedy gets his ass kicked and Polly is reduced to DamselInDistress Guido makes his grand entrance, dispatches the ninja crows in a cooly executed FoeTossingCharge and finishes off the monster. This also served to give Guido some actual CharacterDevelopment, showing him grow from simply a HandsomeLech to a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.

* ''Literature/TheSongOfAchilles'', a retelling of the events of the Iliad, gives a slightly different perspective when the situation repeats. Achilles is a bit more sympathetic, with the constant reminder of the prophecy making clear that Achilles is giving up his life for the war and Agamemnon being a prideful fool that causes a lot of trouble to the war campaign, a lot of which ends with Achilles and Patroclus having to clean up after him (for example, a deadly plague cast on the soldiers by Apollo when he refused to comply to proper terms of prisioner release). That said, this is still presented as an ultimately selfish idea that is costing the lives of people in their conjoined army for Achilles' pride, even as that starts losing him the trust of his advisor Phoenix and his lover Patroclus, and even the adoration of his men.

Compare with JustFineWithoutYou and HoldingOutForAHero. See also ChangedMyMindKid. Heavily related to WeUsedToBeFriends. Not to be confused with ScrewThisImOuttaHere, which is when someone quits an activity out of fear or laziness rather than out of a feeling of having been wronged.

* Referenced in one ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' comic in which Gabe asks his Guildmaster permission to try a different MMO. [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/29 The Guildmaster's]] response is to purposefully do something that requires Gabe's character.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/ThePowerpuffGirls https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bubbles_returns.png]]]]

** Yoda is doing this between ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' and ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. He was so disheartened by his loss to [[BigBad Palpatine]] and [[MyGreatestFailure letting the galaxy fall under the control of a Sith empire]] that he exiled himself to the planet Dagobah in shame. When Luke shows up, Yoda is reluctant to train Luke, because he is afraid of Luke turning out like his father. He is discouraged to such an extent that he doesn’t even want to bother with it. While Yoda never returns to the action himself, he does eventually agree to train Luke after [[MoralityPet Obi-Wan]] encourages him, making his return {{downplayed|Trope}} but still important. Obi-Wan himself, despite going into exile during this time as well, avoids the trope because he spent his exile preparing Luke to one day become a Jedi, meaning that unlike Yoda he never really gave up on saving the galaxy.
** Luke himself follows in Yoda’s footsteps between ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' and ''Film/TheLastJedi''. Replace Anakin with Kylo Ren, Palpatine with Snoke, the old Jedi Order with Luke’s new Jedi Order, and the Empire with the First Order, and you have the whole story. Then Rey begs Luke to train her, and Luke refuses until his old friend Artoo changes his mind. Just as Luke begged Yoda to train him and Yoda refused until his old friend Obi-Wan changed his mind. And Rey runs off with incomplete training just like Luke did. But events play out differently from here. Yoda’s force ghost appears to Luke to guide him. Yoda’s ability to completely relate to Luke’s mistakes inspires Luke to rejoin the fight. Though he drains himself and dies after a single battle, he did what Yoda did not and actually returned to the battlefield to save the heroes one last time.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Earlier in season 5, after their falling out with Steven over his surrender to Homeworld, it’s implied Connie and Lion temporarily left the Crystal Gems during their few weeks of estrangement from Steven as Connie didn’t show up to train with Pearl or go do gem things with them during that time. Connie and Lion later return to the team after they reconcile with Steven in “Kevin Party”.