History Main / ConflictingLoyalty

* In ''Manga/WildRock'', Yuni and Selim are from [[FeudingFamilies feuding clans]] and both future chieftans, and choose to place duty before their [[StarCrossedLovers feelings]]. [[GenerationZerox Their sons]] later end up falling in love, but Emba chooses Yuuen over loyalty to his clan, which ultimately reunites them.

* Etna from ''{{Disgaea}}'' has great loyalty to King Krichevskoy, so great in fact that it remained with her even when she [[spoiler: lost her memory.]] But she also made a promise to him; to [[spoiler: protect Laharl and make sure he become a great Overlord,]] which may or may not be more then Etna can stand.

* Etna from ''{{Disgaea}}'' has great loyalty to King Krichevskoy, so great in fact that it remained with her even when she lost her memory. But she also made a promise to him; to protect Laharl and make sure become a great Overlord, which may or may not be more then Etna can stand.

* George Washington in the Whiskey Rebellion. As the hero of the American Revolution, he had a certain sympathy for people revolting against being taxed: as the President of the United States he had a duty to uphold the Constitution and the laws made under it, including the tax laws. He resolved the conflict by exercizing the office of President: as President, he led an army that captured the rebels; as President, he put them on trial for treason; and when they were convicted, as President he [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome pardoned every one of them.]]

* ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has a slight example of this in the third season. [[spoiler: Mai has to choose between her love of Zuko and her fear of Azula in "Boiling Rock," and chooses her love of Zuko. When Azula goes to kill her for this, Ty Lee makes a quick choice between her friendship-based love of Mai and ''her'' fear of Azula, and she ''also'' chooses the love. Either Azula isn't really that scary ([[MagnificentBastard which, let's be honest, isn't completely true]]), or both of her friends are much more loyal (to other people) than Azula previously thought.]]

* In {{Pokemon}}, Saturn realizes in the postgame that what he'd been working for was truly terrifying (he tries to tell you that he didn't know what his previous leader, Cyrus, was really after, but he was the first character to tell you the extent of the plan, so either he's lying or he's trying to convince himself that he didn't know). But he still believes in the ultimate ideal, which is a peaceful world. Having been left in charge of Team Galactic by default, he says he's going to try to work for basically what he's always worked for, having realized that "extremism is never the answer".

* Athrun has this big time in ''GundamSeedDestiny''. On the one hand, Durandal sweet-talked him into rejoining ZAFT to protect his former nation PLANTs from EA attack. He also has loyalty to the crew of the Minerva as fellow soldiers who have tried to save a world that hates them. On the other hand, his adopted nation Orb was effectively blackmailed into joining the EA, and his best friend and his ex-fiancees were forced to flee with the Archangel. This all comes to a head when Orb is ordered to send a fleet out to fight ZAFT, and Athrun's ship the Minerva is sent out to fight it, and the Archangel ends up intervening against both ZAFT and the EA to protect the Orb fleet. Cue ten episodes of Athrun wrestling with his loyalties until he finally jumps ship (again) and joins Orb.

* {{Merlin}} is often conflicted this. Should he protect Arthur or reveal himself as a wizard, where he would be executed?

* ''{{Naruto}}''. [[spoiler: Itachi, anyone? I mean, the guy killed his family to protect his village, despite the fact they were being accused of trying to destroy the village without any proof other than some not-so-long-dead leader of the clan could do it. Someone here really has screwed up loyalties.]]

Related to SadisticChoice. Compare RebelliousRebel, AntiMutiny. Sometimes invokes HonorBeforeReason. SuperTrope to EvenEvilHasLovedOnes and {{To Be Lawful Or Good}}.

* [[Naruto]]. [[spoiler: Itachi, anyone? I mean, the guy killed his family to protect his village, despite the fact they were being accused of trying to destroy the village without any proof other than some not-so-long-dead leader of the clan could do it. Someone here really has screwed up loyalties.]]

* Vice Admiral Garp of ''OnePiece'' has a pretty severe case of this throughout the Whitebeard arc. He's torn between his loyalty to the World Government and Navy as a Vice Admiral and as a friend/comrade of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, his feelings towards his grandsons Ace and Luffy who are both notorious pirates along with Ace facing execution, and his own promise to [[spoiler: Gol D. Roger to take care of his son Ace]]. It's so bad that he [[spoiler: [[ILetYouWin all but throws the fight]] against Luffy when he tries to stop him from saving Ace]]. Ultimately, [[spoiler: he fails to uphold any of these promises due to this conflict. Sengoku realized he threw the fight, Ace is killed by Akainu anyway, and Luffy suffers total mental collapse]].

** [[FridgeLogic Though one has to ask if there's any way anybody could arrest him against his will, is he had no qualms about revealing his true powers.]]

* [[Naruto]. [[spoiler: Itachi, anyone? I mean, the guy killed his family to protect his village, despite the fact they were being accused of trying to destroy the village without proof. Someone here really has screwed up loyalties.]]

* [[Naruto Itachi]], anyone? I mean, [[spoiler: the guy killed his family to protect his village, despite the fact they were being accused of trying to destroy the village without proof. Someone here really has screwed up loyalties.]]