History Main / AdoptTheDog

* In ''ElfQuest'', Rayek allows Cutter to beat the crap out of him, after he had forced Cutter to spend several thousands of years without his family. It effectively ''finally'' solves a conflict that had existed since issue 2.

* The [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness World Security Council]] from the MarvelCinematicUniverse. After spending ''Film/TheAvengers'' and most of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' being obstructive, unfriendly and just plain ambiguous, they show their true colors when [[spoiler: Alexander Pierce is revealed to be with HYDRA.]] They immediately denounce him and attempt to help Fury and Romanov take him down. [[spoiler:Not that it helps them much, as Pierce was [[GenreSavvy ready for just such a thing.]]]]

* Played with in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick,'' with [[SociopathicHero Belkar.]] He has performed unquestionably good acts during the comic, such as preventing an assassination attempt, refusing to join the BigBad when it could have been beneficial to him, and even literally adopting a [[MoralityPet cat whose owner was killed.]] Every time this happens, the rest of the Order is pleasantly surprised. However, he always has a selfish reason for doing so: the would-be assassination target could have reduced his jail sentence, he just wanted to kill [[BigBad Xykon's]] recruiter, and he wanted to kill said recruiter ''with'' the cat. He did eventually form a bond with the cat, but it's hardly a MoralityPet for him. [[WordOfGod Reportedly,]] he's still ChaoticEvil.

But it's more complicated than that. What if it's not the villain who does it? What if it's the protagonist in a story of GrayAndGrayMorality? What if you weren't at all sure the character ''was'' going to do something good, because everything was lining up for a WorldHalfEmpty DownerEnding? ''That's'' AdoptTheDog: it's when, to quote [[Literature/HarryPotter a wise old man]], someone chooses to do what's right instead of what's easy; if KickTheDog is when the character decides to be bad, then AdoptTheDog is when he decides to be good. And for greatest effect, AdoptTheDog applies itself to a character who was sort of morally neutral. This isn't really a HeelFaceTurn; this is a character who decides to be a Face after, previously, being neither.

In addition to having an effect on the character (declaring themselves [[CharacterAlignment Good instead of Neutral]], occasionally followed by [[RedemptionEqualsDeath death]]), it also has a profound effect on the ''audience''. When you're dealing with morally ambiguous protagonists and (more often than not) spending a lot of time in the drowning end of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism Sliding Scale]] pool, you're never sure what the ending's gonna be like, who's gonna win, or whether you're going to be happy about it. Adopting The Dog is when the audience believes it might be possible to EarnYourHappyEnding - or, for that matter, that the character ''has'' earned it - and begins to actively be on that character's side. AdoptTheDog is not just about the character's choice, it's also how that choice completely changes the tone and message of the story.

** The instant the guard obliges, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome the convict tosses the detonator out the window so that exploding the other boat is no longer an option]]. This trope also applies to Gotham as a whole, because the people in the ''other'' boat are innocent civilians, and they know that the other boat is populated by criminals, including convicted murderers. And what do the civilians do? They don't press the button. They don't let fear overcome their humanity. In that moment, the people of Gotham, as a whole, [[AdoptTheDog Adopted the Dog]].
* ''Twice'' at the end of ''{{Casablanca}}'': first, Rick tells Ilsa to stay with her husband for her own good and the good of the world, and then Louis refuses to turn Rick in for shooting [[ThoseWackyNazis Major Strasser]] and agrees to join the resistance. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

** "Intervention". Pretty much ''the'' definitive moment in Spike's change from evil to good (which is different to his HeelFaceTurn, strangely enough). To elaborate: [[TokenEvilTeammate Spike]] is [[StalkerWithACrush in love with Buffy]] and has a [[OddFriendship soft spot]] for Buffy's [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling little sister, Dawn]]. Then the BigBad abducts Spike for information about the location of a [[MacGuffinGirl a magical living Key]]--who Spike knows is actually [[BarrierMaiden Dawn]]. Despite [[ColdBloodedTorture brutal torture]], Spike [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome refuses to give Dawn up]] and is [[BigDamnHeroes rescued]]. Later Spike's adoring [[SexBot Buffybot]] offers to reveal the Key's identity and so protect Spike from future harm, but [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Spike forbids the Buffybot to do so]]: if Buffy lost Dawn, it would destroy her, and Spike "couldn't live with her being in that much pain." After this point Spike still commits morally questionable to [[WhatTheHellHero downright horrible]] acts, but he never pulls a full FaceHeelTurn again. And this was ''before'' he [[spoiler:got a soul]].

* [[ThePunisher Frank Castle]] has one at the beginning of the MAX comic "Kitchen Irish". He's in a diner in [[TheCityNarrows Hell's Kitchen]] when a bomb goes off across the street, and the big glass window of the diner turns into a deadly hail. He finds a man with [[{{squick}} a hole in his chest through which his heart is visible]], and all the man can gasp is "Help...me." So he does. Instead of getting out of there before the police arrive, he works on the man's heart until an EMT gets there, and then they ''both'' work for half an hour until the man is stabilized... after which the EMT discovers that the man who helped him save an otherwise-doomed life is a mass-murdering vigilante. The following moments where the EMT treats Frank's injuries have an oddly comfortable silence to them; both understand that the EMT will go on saving lives, and Frank will brutally kill whoever started a war in New York. A prime Adopt The Dog example.

* In ''Film/AmericanBeauty'', in which the main character has spent most of the movie [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders lusting after a sultry cheerleader his daughter's age]]. When he finally gets a chance to seduce her, though, she reveals that her sexualized act is just that, an act, and he can't go through with it - instead, he just wraps her in a blanket and tries to actually ''help'' her.

** followed by [[spoiler: [[RedemptionEqualsDeath his sudden demise.]])]]

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', "Intervention". Pretty much ''the'' definitive moment in Spike's change from evil to good (which is different to his HeelFaceTurn, strangely enough). To elaborate: [[TokenEvilTeammate Spike]] is [[StalkerWithACrush in love with Buffy]] and has a [[OddFriendship soft spot]] for Buffy's [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling little sister, Dawn]]. Then the BigBad abducts Spike for information about the location of a [[MacGuffinGirl a magical living Key]]--who Spike knows is actually [[BarrierMaiden Dawn]]. Despite [[ColdBloodedTorture brutal torture]], Spike [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome refuses to give Dawn up]] and is [[BigDamnHeroes rescued]]. Later Spike's adoring [[SexBot Buffybot]] offers to reveal the Key's identity and so protect Spike from future harm, but [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Spike forbids the Buffybot to do so]]: if Buffy lost Dawn, it would destroy her, and Spike "couldn't live with her being in that much pain." After this point Spike still commits morally questionable to [[WhatTheHellHero downright horrible]] acts, but he never pulls a full FaceHeelTurn again. And this was ''before'' he [[spoiler:got a soul]].

* [[ThePunisher Frank Castle]] has one at the beginning of the MAX comic "Kitchen Irish". He's in a diner in [[TheCityNarrows Hell's Kitchen]] when a bomb goes off across the street, and the big glass window of the diner turns into a deadly hail. He finds a man with [[{{squick}} a hole in his chest through which his heart is visible]], and all the man can gasp is "Help...me." So he does. Instead of getting out of there before the police arrive, he works on the man's heart until an EMT gets there, and then they ''both'' work for half an hour until the man is stabilized. Especially as the EMT discovers that the man who helped him save an otherwise-doomed life is a mass-murdering vigilante. The following moments where the EMT treats Frank's injuries have an oddly comfortable silence to them; both understand that the EMT will go on saving lives, and Frank will brutally kill whoever started a war in New York. A prime Adopt The Dog example.

* In ''AmericanBeauty'', in which the main character has spent most of the movie [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders lusting after a sultry cheerleader his daughter's age]]. When he finally gets a chance to seduce her, though, she reveals that her sexualized act is just that, an act, and he can't go through with it - instead, he just wraps her in a blanket and tries to actually ''help'' her.

* [[Franchise/StarWars Luke Skywalker]] rises above [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim the need to kill his father]].

* When Ludacris, who has done various bad things, including breaking his own 'no black on black crime' rule, releases the Asians from the minibus he's stolen at the end of ''Film/{{Crash}}'', instead of selling them.

* ''TheSearchers''. Ethan Allen says that, when he finds his niece, he's going to do her a favor and put a bullet in her brain for having lived with the Comanches for so long. When he finally does catch up with her, he takes her up in his arms and says, "Let's go home."

* [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Prince Zuko]] in Season 3 actually fits here better than in HeelFaceTurn, because he was always more morally conflicted than most Firebenders and by the end of Season 2, there really was no telling which way he would have gone. His side-switch also coincides with a significant slant back towards the "Idealistic" end of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism sliding scale.]]

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': After a moment of consideration, Renly Baratheon grants Brienne of Tarth's wish to join his Kingsguard. It would've been easier for him to adhere to everyone else's expectations by rejecting her request (he was presumably pondering the consequences of having a female protector during the brief pause), but he chooses to do the right thing by giving the position to a warrior who earned it, regardless of her gender. The reaction to Brienne's appointment is fairly negative; his bannermen audibly gasp, his wife gives him a dirty look, and his lover berates him for it later that evening, but Renly sticks firmly to his decision.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': After a moment of consideration, Renly Baratheon grants Brienne of Tarth's wish to join his Kingsguard. It would've been easier for him to adhere to everyone else's expectations by rejecting her request (he was presumably pondering the consequences of having a female protector during the brief pause), but he chooses to do the right thing by giving the position to a warrior who earned it, regardless of her gender. The reaction to Brienne's appointment is fairly negative; his bannermen audibly gasp, his wife gives him a dirty look, and his lover berates him about it later that evening, but Renly sticks firmly to his decision.

* Lancer in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. He's LawfulNeutral serving NeutralEvil Kotomine. He despises his orders, but feels honor bound to follow his wishes anyway. However, he will neither work with Gilgamesh even though he knows he can't beat him, nor will he kill Tohsaka after protecting her so much. Therefore, in the latter, he pulls off multiple CMOA (check FSN's page for details) before making a HeroicSacrifice gets to GoOutWithASmile.

* The Martyr in ''HunterTheReckoning'' has this as her backstory. Initially a SpoiledBrat who did nothing but party and spend her father's fortune, Kassandra Cheyung experiences an epiphany when the cops raid the party she's attending. Her small friend is knocked down by the ensuing rush for the exits, and Kassandra wasn't strong enough to move her to safety, so she shielded her with her body and was subsequently trampled. The experience [[HeelFaceTurn had a dramatic effect on her]], and from then on she gave her time and energy to helping others, making her perfectly suited for the Martyr path when she and the others become Empowered.

* Famously in ''Manga/DragonBall Z'', when [[spoiler: Piccolo]] takes the brunt of a blast intended for [[spoiler: Gohan]]. His dying words (in the manga and in Kai) include bemoaning having done something so noble, after years of being a BigBad.

* Brad Evans of ''VideoGame/WildARMS2'' is a convict (named [[NamesToRunAwayFrom "Prisoner 666"]]) on the run from the government at the start of the game. He comes across a lost puppy in the rainy forest. Bonus points for actually adopting a dog.

* After spending the last few minutes of ''Film/KarateWarriors'' trying to convince the kid he'd protected (and whose father he killed) to move to a foster home [[ShooTheDog out of concern for both of their lives]], [[ShinichiChiba Chico]] decides to adopt him anyway at the last minute.

* [[StarWars Luke Skywalker]] rises above [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim the need to kill his father]].

### In ''A New Hope'', his last-minute change from mercenary rogue to hero when he swoops in to save the day at the end.
### In ''The Empire Strikes Back'' Han tries to leave Hoth so he can repay Jabba, but first risked his neck to save Luke who was freezing to death, and the Imperials show up in the system.
### And then in ''Return of the Jedi'', he did it again when he accepted command of the assault team.

* [[ThePunisher Frank Castle]] has one at the beginning of the MAX comic "Kitchen Irish". He's in a diner when a bomb goes off across the street, and the big glass window of the diner turns into a deadly hail. He finds a man with [[{{squick}} a hole in his chest through which his heart is visible]], and all the man can gasp is "Help...me." So he does. Instead of getting out of there before the police arrive, he works on the man's heart until an EMT gets there, and then they ''both'' work for half an hour until the man is stabilized. Granted, the rest of the comic is Castle brutally killing the people responsible for the bombing and their enemies, but the moment remains an Adopt The Dog example.
--> Frank: "It's not every day you meet your polar opposite."

* The ending of the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' pilot episode has Mal choose to adopt the dog when he takes on River and Simon rather than cut them loose on the border worlds. Later on, in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', he does it again when he chooses to take River on board once more after learning of how dangerous she was when he killing-programming was activated.

** The instant the guard obliges, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome the convict tosses the detonator out the window so that exploding the other boat is no longer an option]]. This trope also applies to Gotham as a whole, because the people in the ''other'' boat are innocent civilians, and they know that the other boat is populated by criminals, including convinced murderers. And what do the civilians do? They don't press the button. In that moment, the people of Gotham, as a whole, [[AdoptTheDog Adopted the Dog]].

-->"You don't wanna die, but you don't know how to take a life. Give it to me. These men will kill you and take it anyway. Give it to me. You can tell them I took it by force. Give it to me, and [[FalseReassurance I'll do what you should've done 10 minutes ago]]". The instant the guard obliges, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome the convict tosses the detonator out the window so that exploding the other boat is no longer an option.]]