History Main / BetrayalByOffspring

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[[folder: Film - Animation]]

[[folder: Film - Live Action]]

* In ''Literature/TheBible'', King David's son, Absalom, turns against his father, seized Jerusalem, and drives David beyond the Jordan River. After ruling for years as a regent and as a self-declared king, Absalom is slain by his father's NumberTwo, Joab, in the Battle of Ephraim Wood. David, despite everything Absalom did to him, [[AntagonistInMourning weeps for his death afterward]].

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': The HorusHeresy was caused by half of the Emperor's genetically-modified sons falling to Chaos, with Horus and the Emperor duking it out on Horus' flagship. The Emperor held back for a time, but the one act that caused him to realize his son was irredeemable was seeing him mentally flay a non-enhanced soldier standing between the two (in other editions, the soldier was another SpaceMarine, or a Terminator-armored elite, or even an immortal human posing as a soldier and now revered as the patron saint of Guardsmen). While he struck Horus dead, the Emperor's wounds were too severe, and his quasi-corpse has been on the Golden Throne of Terra ever since.

* Flashbacks in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' reveal that [[spoiler:Zeke Yaeger, Eren's half-brother,]] sold out his own parents to the Marley as a kid, [[spoiler:which ultimately resulted in Grisha, his and Eren's father, coming to Paradis, while Zeke's mother was turned into the Titan who later ate Eren's mom]].

* In ''Literature/TheBible'', King David's son, Absalom, turned against his father, seized Jerusalem, and drove David beyond the Jordan River. He ruled for years as a regent and as a self-declared king before he was slain by his father's NumberTwo, Joab, in the Battle of Ephraim Wood. David, despite everything Absalom had done to him, [[AntagonistInMourning wept for his death afterward]].

* Actually as far as the USSR is concerned, this is propaganda; what really happened was, after a case where a child who told his teacher that his father and uncle were sexually abusing him was told to stop telling lies, and was subsequently murdered by his abusers, Stalin issued a decree that any child that made allegations of abuse was at least to be given the benefit of the doubt and the allegations fully investigated; this was given an unfavourable spin by anti-Soviet propagandists in the West.

* In ''Literature/TarasBulba'', the youngest son of a Cossack leader betrays both his family and his people to the enemy Poles after falling in love with a Polish noblewoman. This leads to his [[OffingTheOffspring death at his father's hands.]]

** It is also a part of a subplot where the Earl of Gloucester's scheming illegitimate son betrays his father to the Duke of Cornwall by falsely accusing him of treason.

* In ''Theatre/FiddlerOnTheRoof'', the devoutly Jewish protagonist Tevye considers his beloved daughter Chava's [[ConvertingForLove converting from her faith in order to marry a Christian man]] as an act of personal betrayal. Of course, {{it makes sense|InContext}} [[ValuesDissonance in the historical context]] of pre-revolutionary Russia, given the tension in that time and place between Jewish and Christian communities who often violently harassed Jews and eventually forced them out of their homes (which happens in the musical).

On the other hand, the child's act of betrayal does not always have to be unambiguous and outright. In fact, the child could be even trying to do something he or she thinks is the right thing. However, [[CategoryTraitor the parent considers it an act of betrayal]] because it conflicts with his or her religious beliefs, moral principles, political ideology, convictions, cultural values, or family traditions. This, in turn, often leads to a scene where the parent proclaims, "IHaveNoSon (or Daughter)!" In examples where this trope is PlayedForLaughs, it also can be over [[SeriousBusiness something that's ridiculously minor]] but [[ComicalOverreacting the parent reacts as if the child has stabbed him or her in the heart.]]

The inverse of ParentalBetrayal, Betrayal by Offspring is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin when a parent or parents is betrayed by one or more offspring.]] Similar to EtTuBrute except the act of betrayal is done by a son or daughter rather than a close friend thereby making even more painful. Can overlap with instances of AntagonisticOffspring but can also arise in cases where the child and parent had a good relationship before the act of betrayal.

->''How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child.''

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

[[folder:Television - Live Action]]
* On ''Series/{{Justified}}'' Bo Crowder, his son Boyd and his nephew Johnny are career criminals. After being shot, Boyd has a HeelFaithTurn where he becomes convinced that he is on a mission from God to stop his father's drug dealing business. Boyd tricks Johnny into helping him destroy a truck full of drug making supplies which puts Bo into series debt to TheCartel. Bo is furious and he gives Boyd a vicious beating, shoots Johnny and murders all of Boyd's followers. Boyd's betrayal forces Bo into desperate action to appease his cartel partners and ultimately [[spoiler: gets him killed.]]
* Entirely justified in the made-for-TV movie ''Film/SmallSacrifices'', a dramatization of the 1983 attempted triple homicide of Diane Downs's children. At first, the Oregon police sought a vengeful carjacker as the culprit behind three children with gunshot wounds. However, detectives soon pieced together that their mother attempted to eliminate them as obstacles to her seduction of a married man. Karen Downs, mute from the trauma, gave a chilling pantomime in court of a heartless Diane systematically shooting her three children on a lonely farm road, then wounding herself in a WoundedGazelleGambit. Guilty on all counts, three life sentences without parole.
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* ''Manga/OnePiece'': It's not an open betrayal, but 2 of Big Mom's daughters chose to rebel against her in the event of their sister (Pudding)'s wedding. Chiffon supports her husband Bege (one of Big Mom's subordinates)'s plan of assassinating her mom, while Praline follows her own husband Aladdin of the Sun Pirates on leaving the island while their leader, Jimbei, assists Bege and Straw Hat Pirates on the plan.

On the other hand, the child's act of betrayal does not always have to be unambiguous and outright. In fact, the child could be even trying to do something he or she thinks is the right thing. However, [[CategoryTraitor the parent considers this an act of betrayal]] because it conflicts with his or her religious beliefs, moral principles, political ideology, convictions, cultural values, or family traditions. This, in turn, often leads to a scene where the parent proclaims, "IHaveNoSon (or Daughter)!" In examples where this trope is PlayedForLaughs, it also can be over [[SeriousBusiness something that's ridiculously minor]] but [[ComicalOverreacting the parent reacts as if the child has stabbed him or her in the heart.]]

On the other hand, the child's act of betrayal does not always have to be unambiguous and outright. In fact, the child could be even trying to do something he or she thinks is the right thing. However, [[CategoryTraitor the parent considers this an act of betrayal]] because it conflicts with his or her religious beliefs, moral principles, political ideology, deeply held convictions, cultural values, or family traditions. This, in turn, often leads to a scene where the parent proclaims, "IHaveNoSon (or Daughter)!" In examples where this trope is PlayedForLaughs, it also can be over [[SeriousBusiness something that's ridiculously minor]] but [[ComicalOverreacting the parent reacts as if the child has stabbed him or her in the heart.]]

On the other hand, the child's act of betrayal does not always have to be unambiguous and outright. In fact, the child could be even trying to do something he or she thinks is the right thing. However, [[CategoryTraitor the parent considers this an act of betrayal]] because it conflicts with his or her religious beliefs, moral principles, political ideology, cultural values, or family traditions. This, in turn, often leads to a scene where the parent proclaims, "IHaveNoSon (or Daughter)!" In examples where this trope is PlayedForLaughs, it also can be over [[SeriousBusiness something that's ridiculously minor]] but [[ComicalOverreacting the parent reacts as if the child has stabbed him or her in the heart.]]

a supertrope of EvilPrince and can result in a SelfMadeOrphan if the act involves {{Patricide}} and/or {{Matricide}}. If this doesn't happen, OffingTheOffspring can be the reaction of the betrayed parent. In less bloody situations, the intrafamily power struggle and act of betrayal can be over business and/or financial matters. These usually have less violent outcomes but the emotional wreckage is still high.

a supertrope of EvilPrince and can result in a SelfMadeOrphan if the act involves {{Patricide}} and/or {{Matricide}}. If this doesn't happen, OffingTheOffspring can be the reaction of the betrayed parent. In more civilized situations, the intrafamily power struggle and act of betrayal can be over business and/or financial matters. These usually have less violent outcomes but the emotional wreckage is still high.

There are Instances of Betrayal by Offspring where the child [[TheStoolPigeon informs on or turns a parent over to the authorities]]. This can be another case of a child [[TheFettered following his or her moral conscience]] but it can be because [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder the child stands to personally gain from the action.]]

* In Creator/AkiraKurosawa's ''Film/{{Ran}}'', aging warlord Hidetora's power is undermined by his treacherous sons Taro and Jrio in a GenderFlipped adaptation of ''Theatre/KingLear'' [[RecycledInSpace set during the Warring States period in Japan.]]

* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'': Ego sees Peter's [[spoiler:shooting him after TheReveal that it was Ego who Peter's mother a brain tumor as this]], apparently thinking his BlueAndOrangeMorality applied to his son as well. Since WeCanRuleTogether is off the table, he resolves to use Peter as a living battery.

* In some versions of the Myth/KingArthur myth, Mordred is Arthur's [[BrotherSisterIncest son and nephew]] (just nephew in older versions), betraying his father to usurp his throne.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonMoon'': Lusamine declares herself betrayed and disowns her children when they refuse to go along with her plans and even take measures to stop her from putting them into action.

-->''How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child.''

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