History Main / AllegianceAffirmation

One common variant involves someone getting thrown out of (or otherwise leaving) a group. They join another group, initially - but not necessarily - reluctantly, but gradually grow to enjoy being part of their new group. Then, their old group tries to welcome them back - only for them to reject their former group, affirming that they now belong with their new group.

Note that this trope does not apply to reveals about one's true allegiance in general - this only applies to an active decision by a character to establish where their loyalties lie. Passive reveals (e.g. a character coming across evidence revealing another character's true loyalties, a mole being caught out and forced to reveal themselves, instances of {{Foreshadowing}}, etc.), or one character revealing another character's loyalties (deliberately or otherwise), are ''not'' this trope. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[{{Literature/Divergent}} Allegiant]].

** Yugo is initially thought by basically everyone to be an Academia spy from the Synchro Dimension, mainly because [[IdenticalStranger he looks identical to the guy who kidnapped Ruri]], and he fights against Yuto (Ruri's boyfriend) quite viciously. However, halfway through the Maiami Championship arc he's seen fighting ''against'' Academia. The beginning of the Synchro arc reveals his true allegiance: he doesn't have one. Instead he saw his friend Rin getting kidnapped by a guy who looked identical to him, and then somehow ended up in Heartland which was invaded by Academia, and so he turned against them in spite - or because - he had no real clue what was going on. He chooses to side with the Lancers, who are against Academia.
** Sora was initially an extremely loyal Academia soldier who was sent on a mission to spy on the Standard Dimension and LDS. However, while he's there he grows close to Yuzu, Yuya and the others and teaches them Fusion Summoning. As a result, he is extremely conflicted when the Professor - the leader of the Academia - orders him to capture several people including Yuzu, and tries to bring back Serena in exchange for her. Yuya points out that this won't work - creating more doubts -- and eventually Sora pulls a last minute HeelFaceTurn, introducing himself to Crow as one of Yuya's friends and giving him information, and later fighting against Academia's {{Mook}}s along with Tsukikage even though he [[DeadlyEuphemism carded]] his brother in an earlier episode.

* The current page image for EvenEvilHasStandards: a Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/CaptainAmerica crossover has the Joker declare to the Red Skull, "I may be a criminal lunatic, but I'm an '''American''' criminal lunatic!"
* In the ''Villains United'' miniseries, the ComicBook/SecretSix are kidnapped by the Society of Supervillains and subjected to brutal torture. However, there's a twist: their captors keep going easy on Scandal, which causes her teammates to wonder if she's been selling them out for better treatment. After they finally manage to escape, Scandal grabs Fatality, one of their guards, bites her ear off, and then swallows it. As Fatality is an AxCrazy BloodKnight whose entire schtick is [[DisproportionateRetribution violently avenging slights against her]], and therefore Scandal has just made one hell of an enemy, the other Secret Six members quickly decide that she's probably not a traitor.

* {{ComicBook/XIII}}: As the NumberTwo of the conspiracy that assassinated the previous President is about to be arrested, he undoes his shirt to flaunt his shoulder tattoo showing his rank in the conspiracy and bites down on a CyanidePill.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'': Gicelig does this upon [[DefectorFromDecadence defecting to the Equestrian Pantheon]]. After leaving the [[JerkassGods Elternteil Deer Pantheon]] and making sure the Leymits are running, he publicly apologizes to Blue Suede and Princess Twilight for his peers' actions, then [[InsigniaRipOffRitual takes off his old armor, freezes it, and shatters it]] to symbolize his official defection to the Equestrian Pantheon.

* ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkinCorruption'': When initially introduced in Week 8's first song, "Tormentor", Soul Boyfriend is set up as the manifestation of TheCorruption that's taken control of Boyfriend's body. "Neuroses" throws that into question, as Soul reminds Boyfriend to stay focused when he falters and that the corruption "isn't my doing". "Discharge" firmly establishes Soul as a distinct entity with Boyfriend's best interests in mind; [[spoiler:performing a DynamicEntry and tossing him a guitar, Soul pulls Boyfriend out of his funk and the two play one final duet, ultimately breaking him free from the corruption's control]].

* Early in ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020'', ComicBook/HarleyQuinn drives a tanker right into the Ace Chemical Factory [[note]]the location of the accident that turned Joker into who he is[[/note]], advertising to everyone in Gotham that she and ComicBook/TheJoker have broken up. This turns out to be a ''terrible'' decision, as Harley quickly discovers that a ''lot'' of people want her dead and have only been leaving her alone up until now because they were afraid of pissing off the Joker, and now figure that she's fair game.
* In [[{{Creator/DisneyChannel}} Disney Channel's]] ''Cloud 9'', Kayla gets thrown out of the Swift Team thanks to Sebastian Swift's machinations, and joins the [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Hot Doggers]]. Later, she shows up wearing a Swift Team jacket - only to reveal that she was merely wearing it to return the equipment she was told to give back earlier. She then confirms that she's officially joined and belongs with the Hot Doggers, having dumped the Swift Team for what they did to her.
* ''Film/{{Excalibur}}'': Early in the film, the noble knight Sir Leondegrance wins a jousting tournament and is given the chance to pull the sword Excalibur from the stone, but fails. When a young squire named Arthur succeeds in drawing the sword and word spreads, the knights begin arguing over whether to proclaim him king. Leondegrance IMMEDIATELY proclaims his allegiance to Arthur (and eventually his daughter Guinevere marries him).
* ''Film/{{Rags}}'': Throughout the film, Lloyd has proven to feel sympathy for Charlie, but he's also stuck following his dad and brother- the ones antagonizing Charlie. When they both turn on him and kick him out of Android, he finally turns on them in response, announcing to an entire crowd of people that Arthur had been lying to Charlie for years. He ends the film as a backup dancer for Charlie, cementing their new relationship.

* ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'': Data pulls a FakeDefector on the Borg Queen. During the scene where he's supposedly turned on Starfleet, the Queen makes Picard watch as Data fires torpedos at The Phoenix. She doesn't notice in the background as he gets closer and closer to the coolant tanks, until the torpedos miss the Phoenix entirely. She turns, realizing a moment too late what's happened, as Data smugly declares his allegiance to Starfleet by declaring that [[IronicEcho "Resistance is Futile."]]

* One of ''Literature/AesopsFables'' is "The Dilemma of the Bat." Enmity between the birds of the sky and the beasts of the ground was growing, and war seemed imminent. Some birds approached the bat to side with them, but the bat dreaded becoming involved in battle. The bat declined, declaring (on the grounds of having no feathers), "I am a beast." Later, some beasts approached the bat to side with them, but the bat declined, declaring (on the grounds of having wings), "I am a bird." An eleventh hour truce was reached between the two sides, averting warfare. Now, both the birds and the beasts shunned the bat as an outsider, not to be trusted. "Better to choose sides and risk enemies, than to remain aloof and have no friends," he lamented.

* This, combined with a helping of BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork, is how [[ThePatriarch Tywin Lannister]] justified carrying out ThePurge of [[RoyalBlood House Targaryen]] in the backstory of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Tywin and his considerable forces had stayed neutral all throughout a CivilWar, until he saw that RebelLeader Robert Baratheon not only won a key battle but also killed Prince Rhaegar. Tywin knew he had to act swiftly both to endear himself to the new regime and also to save his son Jaime, who was an implicit hostage in the King's PraetorianGuard. So Tywin rushed his army to the capital (which was also the last major Targaryen stronghold), convinced them that the Lannisters had come to join them, then promptly sacked the city and killed every member of House Targaryen they could get their hands on, most notably Rhaegar's young children, who would have otherwise been potential rivals for the throne that diehard Targaryen loyalists (or ambitious lords looking to use them in a PuppetKing fashion) might have rallied behind.
-->We had come late to Robert's cause. It was necessary to demonstrate our loyalty. When I laid those bodies before the throne, no man could doubt that we had forsaken House Targaryen forever. And Robert's relief was palpable. [[BoisterousBruiser As stupid as he was]], even ''he'' knew Rhaegar's children had to die if his throne was ever to be secure. Yet he saw himself as a hero, and heroes do not kill children.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Severus Snape]] pulls one of these during Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows, finally confirming where it is that his loyalties ultimately lie.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': Zack Allen is asked by the Nightwatch to betray Captain Sheridan and the command staff. They confront him [[spoiler: and with his help arrest the Nightwatch for mutiny]].
* ''Series/CobraKai'': In the Season 3 finale "December 19": [[spoiler:Robby Keene]] shows their loyalty to Cobra Kai by [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon attacking Johnny, his own father, after the latter nearly kills John Kreese]]]]; and then telling them[[spoiler:, as well as Samantha (his ex-girlfriend), Miguel and Daniel (who he used to see as a father)]] to GetOut of the Cobra Kai Dojo [[spoiler:[[FaceHeelTurn while he returns to Kreese's side to train for the next All-Valley]]]].
* The ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "For a Few Paintballs More" has Greendale Community College engage City College in a paintball war where Greendale would be forced to close if they lost. Pierce is captured early on and agrees to supply City College with information if they don't eliminate him. When he outlives his usefulness, City College Dean Spreck orders one of his men to eliminate Pierce, only for Pierce to apparently suffer a heart attack. Just after the last Greendale student is eliminated, the two remaining City College students start to celebrate. Just then, a third City College student runs up to celebrate with them, only to shoot them both and reveal that he's Pierce. As the official winner of the paintball war, Pierce says to give the prize money to Greendale.
* In ''Series/OnePiece2023'', up till episode 6, Zoro technically did not join Luffy and did not consider himself a part of Luffy's crew. But after he wakes up from his fight with Mihawk, he makes it official by telling Luffy he is his captain and that he is his first mate.

** At the end of "Our Answer to Everything", Ruth and Layton manage to stop a riot by the pro-Willford factions, but their victory is undermined hours later, when the Wilford supporters all light red lamps and put them in their windows; the red light can be seen running almost the entire length of the train.
** In "The Eternal Engineer", when Boki, one of Wilford's staunches supporters, learns that Wilford organized the murders of his fellow breachmen, he approaches Layton and gives him a token that Wilford gave him many years ago, and advises him to shove it up Wilford's ass if he ever gets the opportunity.

-->'''Sam:''' One last thing: The first and last decision making authority on this show will rest with Isaac Jaffee [[BenevolentBoss until Isaac Jaffee says otherwise.]] And if you disrespect him in my presence again, I will re-dedicate the rest of my life to ruining the rest of yours. And if you think I'm just mouthing at ya, you should ask around about me. I have absolutely no conscience about these things.

--->'''Amanda:''' Ever since I got here, I've been fighting this. I've been denying the truth, denying what I am. I ... am Q.

* Episode: In ''The Baby Project'', it's possible for the protagonist's male love interest to side against his best friend and her {{jerkass}} ex-boyfriend at a party. He'll officially reject their friendship, admit to being a victim of {{blackmail}}, and spill the ex's big secret to the protagonist and everyone else at the party.

* ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Guilty Gear Xrd - REVELATOR -]]'': During one of the chapters of the story mode, Ariels (the St. Maximus) was asked by Ky Kiske, when the time for need comes, if she would be in humanity's side. Ariels replies wondering if such a question must be honored with an answer.
* In the ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' universe, adult Quarians mark their citizenship by affixing the name of the ship upon which they serve to their name (for instance, Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema serves aboard the ''Neema'', and Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay serves aboard the ''Tonbay''.) In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', if Commander Shepard helps Tali beat the treason charges against her without implicating her deceased father, she changes her name to Tali'Zorah vas ''Normandy'', affirming her allegiance to Shepard and their ship.

* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', Agent Washington, after all his efforts to bring the Director and Project Freelancer to justice, is arrested in Season 7 for detonating an EMP in Freelancer Command and spends most of the season in jail, seething over it and getting increasingly bitter. Then, at the end of the season, he arrives just as the Meta corners Simmons, Donut, and Lopez and [[spoiler:[[FaceHeelTurn shoots Donut and Lopez dead.]]]]
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': While imprisoned by [[BigBad Salem]], Oscar decides to try and beat her at [[DivideAndConquer her own game]] by sowing division among her followers. The consequences of his actions results in characters having to declare who their allegiances are to. [[spoiler:Once [[AxCrazy Tyrian]] confirms that Salem intends to destroy the world, Hazel decides to get Emerald and Oscar away from her; he dies securing the freedom of Oscar, Emerald, Jaune, Yang and Ren, placing Emerald in their hands. When Penny malfunctions, Emerald helps to subdue her, and then complains that she's going to be super-pissed if they all give up the fight just as she's switched sides. The heroes accept her affirmation, officialising her defection.]]

** After the events of "Maximal No More", where [[spoiler:Dinobot ended up giving the Golden Disk to Megatron]], he [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realized the error of his ways]] and swore allegiance to the Maximals for the rest of his life.
* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'' succeeds in thwarting Cobra Commander's EvilPlan and wrecking his satellite base. The Cobra officers flee from their defeat, leaving hapless mooks behind. One of these is a woman, who gets rescued by joes from a CollapsingLair. As the joes fly away from the scene, Command inquires if there are any prisoners taken. The woman [[InsigniaRipOffRitual tears off her Cobra insignia, and flings it into the sea]]. "Negative, Command, just one survivor," reports the joe.

** Initially a Homeworld Gem, [[MakingASplash Lapis Lazuli]] [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor flip-flops on her exact alignment]] due to her [[DarkAndTroubledPast tumultuous past of being a prisoner of both Homeworld and of the Crystal Gems]]; while close friends with Crystal Gems Steven and Peridot, she cares deeply for the Homeworld she remembers and is absolutely terrified of being imprisoned again, culminating in her fleeing Earth in the belief the Diamonds are planning an attack. When the Diamonds actually ''do'' attack during ''[[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E23Reunited Reunited]]'', Lapis returns and [[BigDamnHeroes attacks Blue Diamond]], stating that if she's going to be treated like a rebel no matter what she does, she may as well embrace it, [[HeelFaceTurn officially proclaiming herself to be a Crystal Gem.]]

** [[ExtraOredinary Peridot]] goes through a similar process. After serving as the show's first recurring threat, she's eventually captured by the Crystal Gems, but [[AllLovingHero Steven]] senses that she's afraid of something and sets her free. His kindness toward her gradually makes her soften her anti-Earth views, and she agrees to help the Gems stop the Cluster, a superweapon implanted by the [[BigBad Great Diamond Authority]] to [[EarthShatteringKaboom shatter the Earth]]. Unfortunately, the Gems discover that Peridot is trying to contact Yellow Diamond, her superior--and one of the Homeworld leaders they've been rebelling against for centuries--and suspect the worse. When Peridot ''does'' contact Yellow, though, she [[WhatYouAreInTheDark refuses to give the Crystal Gems up]] and tries to persuade the Diamond to give up on the plan to destroy Earth. When Yellow stubbornly refuses, Peridot [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech furiously declares her new allegiance]]:

'''Peridot:''' APPARENTLY MORE THAN YOU, '''YOU''' '''''[[FantasticSlurs CLOD!]]'''''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{ThunderCats|2011}}'': Done by Pumyra in the series finale when she reveals [[spoiler: she's performed a FaceHeelTurn and joined Mumm-Ra]].
--> '''Pumyra:''' You are my king... But ''HE'' is my Master.

* There's the mostly British idiom "Nail ones's colours to the mast," defined as "[[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nail_one%27s_colours_to_the_mast To clearly show one's support for a side or opinion in a dispute, often indicating an intention to defend that side to the end."]] This comes from [[WoodenShipsAndIronMen the Age of Sail]], where a warship wishing to indicate that they had surrendered would "strike their colors", i.e. lower their national flag. Nailing one's colors to the mast would mean that the officers in question would not surrender ''under any circumstances''.

* In the second season of ''Series/SportsNight'', the network has brought in a "ratings specialist" to improve the show, and the main cast assume [[TyrantTakesTheHelm he's there to wrest control away]] from [[BenevolentBoss beloved executive producer Isaac Jaffee]], until he speaks up to the suits at a conference:
-->'''Sam:''' One last thing: The first and last decision making authority on this show will rest with Isaac Jaffee [[TeamDad until Isaac Jaffee says otherwise.]] And if you disrespect him in my presence again, I will re-dedicate the rest of my life to ruining the rest of yours. And if you think I'm just mouthing at ya, you should ask around about me. I have absolutely no conscience about these things.

* Early in ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020'', ComicBook/HarleyQuinn drives a tanker right into the Ace Chemical Factory [[note]]the location of the accident that turned Joker into who he is[[/note]], advertising to everyone in Gotham that she and ComicBook/TheJoker have broken up. This turns out to be a ''[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome terrible]]'' [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome decision]], as Harley quickly discovers that a ''lot'' of people want her dead and have only been leaving her alone up until now because they were afraid of pissing off the Joker, and now figure that she's fair game.

* There's the mostly British idiom "Nail ones's colours to the mast," defined as "[[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nail_one%27s_colours_to_the_mast To clearly show one's support for a side or opinion in a dispute, often indicating an intention to defend that side to the end."]]

* ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' has the climactic scene near Glacier Pass, where the wicked smilodon Soto has Manny the woolly mammoth cornered. Soto orders his right-hand cat Diego to flank their target, but Diego instead interposes himself in Manny's defense. Soto is stunned that Diego has sided with a RagtagBunchOfMisfits, but remains undeterred, being driven by a lust for vengeance. The confrontation results in Diego's HeroicSacrifice.