History Main / ForGreatJustice

** Germany has "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" (Unity and Justice and Liberty).[[note]]Perhaps it's worth mentioning that this phrase most famously occurs in the third stanza of the Song of the Germans (Das Lied der Deutschen). You know, the song whose first stanza starts with "Deutschland, Deutschland über Alles." The third stanza (only) is the modern national anthem of Germany.[[/note]][[note]]It should be noted that the Song was from a time when there was [[AllTheLittleGermanies no German state]] and the songwriter just wanted to emphasize how important the existence of such a state was for him. The song was not meant to be aggressive against other countries, that's one reason why it was used as national anthem during the Weimar Republic, but Nazi Germany only used the first stanza.[[/note]] Modern Germany, as one might recall, had a very hard time in getting to where it is now. Its legal system is noted for trying to strike a balance between the extremes of France and Britain in substance (in format, it's all French) and is ''very'' concerned with ensuring that the rule of law is applied consistently and fairly.

** Superman is actually a subversion of this though. He's mainly concerned with ForHappiness, spending most of his time doing random acts of kindness like stopping floods, chasing off supervillains, and plucking kittens out of trees. He doesn't much care what supervillains do as long as they're not hurting anyone (or being [[ItsPersonal Lex Luthor]]). Writers have him bandy the term "justice" around a lot, but crimefighters like {{Franchise/Batman}} and TheFlash are a lot more focused on criminal justice than Superman is.

[[caption-width-right:350:The most iconic superhero stands for our liberty.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The original superhero stands for our liberty.]]

* ''WebComic/MagickChicks'': [[GeniusDitz Tiffany]] tries to invoke this with mixed results. She's Artemis Academy's self-appointed champion: the MMAA[[note]]"Mysterious Masked Academy Avenger"[[/note]], who fights against the school's social injustices, which basically means [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/now_is_for_running she pesters Faith.]] On the other hand, while she's had [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/feat_of_derring-do some success]], she's still [[FailedDramaticExit really, REALLY]], [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/i_am_okay! bad at it.]]

* This is the basis of the ethical theories grouped under [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deontology Deontology]].

* Many Creator/GoNagai works have or at the very least lampshade this.

* ''{{Franchise/Superman}}'': The line in the page pic is a modified form of [[Radio/TheAdventuresOfSuperman the radio intro]] which was used on [[Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman the first television series]]. It might have been the TropeMaker.

-->'''Kid #1''': To the cafeteria!
-->'''Rest of the class''': FOR JUSTICE!
* The much-criticized ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueCryForJustice'' has a lot of the characters saying that they "want justice!" despite the fact that they are really just out for revenge.
* While the ComicBook/XMen have a somewhat more original concept, and had some of the first [[AntiVillain antivillains]] in American comics, the promos for the cartoons would talk about using mutant powers "for the benefit of mankind."

-->''It.''
-->''Wasn't.''
-->''Right.''
-->No, it wasn't. But the world wasn't a fair place, was it? And I had more reason to know it than most people twice my age. The world wasn't nice, and it wasn't fair. People who didn't deserve it suffered and died every single day.
-->So what? ''So somebody ought to do something about it.''

* A very, very twisted version is KnightTemplar Vhailor from ''PlanescapeTorment''.

* '''[[MetalWolfChaos Believe in your own justice!]]'''

* One of the companions in VideoGame/Dragon Age: Awakenings is a friendly fade spirit that is literally defined by this concept. Justice is his identity, not his name.
** Deconstructed in [[VideoGame/DragonAge2 the sequel]], where his cohabiting the body of WillingChanneler [[KnightTemplar Anders]] has twisted him into a demon of vengeance. With protecting the innocent now taking a backseat to punishing the guilty, but with no diminishment in drive or conviction, the duo end up doing a ''lot'' of damage.

* One of the companions in Dragon Age: Awakenings is a friendly fade spirit that is literally defined by this concept. Justice is his identity, not his name.

* An optional sidequest in ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' has the protagonist [[HeroicMime Link]] [[StealthBasedMission discreetly following]] a girl, Mila, through the town of Windfall in the middle of the night. Once she reaches the open-air stall that she works at, she attempts to get into a safe and steal money from her boss (having recently suffered an inverted RagstoRiches). One of the reasons that the player can give for not letting her off the hook when he catches her is that Link is "an ally of justice!"

* An optional sidequest in ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker has the protagonist [[HeroicMime Link]] [[StealthMission discreetly following]] a girl, Mila, through the town of Windfall in the middle of the night. Once she reaches the open-air stall that she works at, she attempts to get into a safe and steal money from her boss (having recently suffered an inverted RagstoRiches). One of the reasons that the player can give for not letting her off the hook when he catches her is that Link is "an ally of justice!"

* Film/TheGodfather is all about this.
** Amerigo Bonasera, at the start of the movie, tells Vito Corleone that ''great justice'' is the reason for his visit. Justice, in Bonasera's view, meant killing the two young men who hurt his daughter. The Don agrees to grant a favor of justice (but not to kill) in return for Bonasera's "friendship" and the respectful address of "Godfather."
-->'''Bonasera''': Then I said to my wife, "For justice, we must go to Don Corleone."
-->(...)
-->'''Don Corleone''': I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. So you didn't need a friend like me. Now you come and say "Don Corleone, give me justice." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me "Godfather." You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married and you ask me to do murder – for money.
-->'''Bonasera''': I ask you for justice.
-->'''Don Corleone''': That is not justice. Your daughter is alive.
-->'''Bonasera''': Let them suffer then, as she suffers!

* ''FreedomForce'''s Minuteman lives by this creed.

** Marcus Garvey, who practically invented the Black Nationalism movement by himself, promulgated this motto for the UNIA: "ONE GOD - ONE AIM - ONE DESTINY." Music/BobMarley sang the phrase in "One Love/People Get Ready."

* "No Justice, No Peace" an old rally cry against unfair trials etc.

* Many national mottos (official or otherwise) follow a formula that combines shades of "For Great Justice" with RuleOfThree. While many of these mottos seem quite vague, they are often popular rallying cries amongst the people, as well as being the basis for the outlook that country usually has on how the society should be run (usually reflected in its laws).
** The highly unofficial United States motto "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" is probably the most famous example in the English-speaking world.[[note]]The official United States motto is "In God We Trust", adopted in TheFifties to show the atheist DirtyCommies that ''America'' still believes. An unofficial-official motto--dating back to the Revolution and used on the Great Seal and on virtually all US currency--is ''[[PretentiousLatinMotto E pluribus unum]]'', "Out of many, one"; this originally referred to [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism a single union out of many states]], but it has also gained connotations of [[UsefulNotes/MeltingPot the formation of a single American people out of immigrants from around the world]].[[/note]] Almost directly derived from the works of John Locke (having "pursuit of happiness" stand in for the rather crasser-sounding "property" of Locke's original), it reflects America's "rugged individualism", particularly its rigid stance on individual rights and more laissez-faire attitude towards economics.

** In some parts of UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire (notably, the colonies that became the Commonwealth Realms), the motto "Peace, Welfare, and Good Government" (with "Welfare" referring to the general "Greater Good" rather than to it's modern, narrower meaning) was popular amongst the political class of the day, typically being in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_title long titles]] or preambles of the various Acts of Parliament creating [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_government responsible governments]] in the colonies/dominions.

** Germany has "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" (Unity and Justice and Liberty).[[note]]Perhaps it's worth mentioning that this phrase most famously occurs in the third stanza of the Song of the Germans (Das Lied der Deutschen). You know, the song whose first stanza starts with "Deutschland, Deutschland über Alles." The third stanza (only) is the modern national anthem of Germany.[[/note]][[note]]It should be noted that the Song was from a time when there was [[AllTheLittleGermanies no german state]] and the songwriter just wanted to emphasize how important the existence of such a state was for him. The song was not meamt to be aggressive against other countries, that's one reason why it was used as national anthem during the Weimar Republic, but Nazi Germany only used the first stanza.[[/note]] Modern Germany, as one might recall, had a very hard time in getting to where it is now. Its legal system is noted for trying to strike a balance between the extremes of France and Britain in substance (in format, it's all French) and is ''very'' concerned with ensuring that the rule of law is applied consistently and fairly.
* Sadly, not every country with such a motto is also able to follow this motto. The official motto "Justice, Liberty, Prosperity" belongs to the Republic of South Sudan, which is torn in civil wars since sixty years! "Paix, Justice, Travail"is the motto of the Kongo, one of the poorest countries in the world, and a state that has also to deal with civil war. Of course, this is universally true for every nation, the land of "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" was built on slavery, and "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" excluded those pesky colonial nations.

** A close second in English-speaking countries and probably more famous over all is France's "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). French democracy places a great deal of emphasis on social equality and solidarity, which often together trump the idea of personal freedom; the French have never forgotten the indignities of the ''[[LetatCestMoi ancien régime]]''. This is how France justifies many policies which Americans (and, truth be told, Britons) would find repulsive, such as banning religious clothing and symbols in public places or the heavily-regulated and state-directed French economy.

This trope has become somewhat anachronistic since the 1990s, with the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles arguably being one of the last pure examples of it. Most heroes nowadays tend to have more complex motivations than simple, unblemished goodness or altruism, and some aren't [[BlackAndGreyMorality necessarily more morally desirable than the villains they fight.]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* The much criticized ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueCryForJustice'' has a lot of the characters saying that they "want justice!" despite the fact that they are really just out for revenge.

--> '''Bonasera''': ''Then I said to my wife, "For justice, we must go to Don Corleone."

--> '''Don Corleone''': I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. So you didn't need a friend like me. Now you come and say "Don Corleone, give me justice." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me "Godfather." You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married and you ask me to do murder - for money.
--> '''Bonasera''': I ask you for justice.
--> '''Don Corleone''': That is not justice. Your daughter is alive.
--> '''Bonasera''': Let them suffer then, as she suffers!

--> ''It.''
--> ''Wasn't.''
--> ''Right.''
--> No, it wasn't. But the world wasn't a fair place, was it? And I had more reason to know it than most people twice my age. The world wasn't nice, and it wasn't fair. People who didn't deserve it suffered and died every single day.
--> So what? ''So somebody ought to do something about it.''

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

-->'''Angelus:''' [[IncomingHam Wherever there's injustice in the world]], wherever scum like you is out walking-- ''(notices wheelchair)'' --well, [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain rolling]] the streets, look over your shoulder. I'll be there.

--->'''Spike''': What’s this? Sitting around watching the telly while there’s evil still afoot. That’s not very industrious of you. I say we go out there (Rubs his hands together) and kick a little demon ass! What, can’t go without your Buffy, is that it? Too chicken? Let’s find her! She is the Chosen One after all. – Come on! Vampires! Grrr! Nasty! Let’s annihilate them. For justice - and for - the safety of puppies – and Christmas, right? Let’s ''fight'' that evil! - Let’s ''kill'' something!

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* As do the Tau Empire in TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}, with their ubiquitous catchphrase, "For the Greater Good!" This has the effect of making newcomers to the series believe and latch onto the idea that the Tau are the [[BlackandGreyMorality "Good Guys"]], prompting others to mock them with the phrase "Good for the Good God!"

[[folder: Video Games ]]

** ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'' gives us Detective Fulbright. His MO is basically this trope, with his own CatchPhrase of "In justice we trust!". [[spoiler: Subverted when it is discovered that the Fulbright who the characters meet is actually a murderous, emotionless sociopath (and final villain of the game) impersonating the now-deceased real Fulbright, but the original presumably used the phrase honestly.]]

--> FIGHT, MEGA MAN! FOR EVERLASTING PEACE!

* "''VideoGame/SpaceAce'', defender of truth, justice and the planet Earth! ...[[AlwaysSaveTheGirl and his girlfriend, Kimberly]]."

** Vesperia's successor, ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'' also features a much more minor, less serious version of this. In the [[AMinorKidroduction childhood arc]], [[TheHero Asbe]]l will go into battle shouting "I fight for justice!" for no readily apparent reason. This is probably to highlight that he's still too young and immature to know what he's fighting for at all, and is just saying this because it sounds cool.

** Subverted when it turns out that [[spoiler: [[EvilAllAlong he was just helping Pit and company so that he could take over the Aurum.]] [[EvilIsNotAToy After he hijacks them, it comes back to bite him about four minutes later.]]]]

** Germany has "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" (Unity and Justice and Liberty).[[note]]Perhaps it's worth mentioning that this phrase most famously occurs in the third stanza of the Song of the Germans (Das Lied der Deutschen). You know, the song whose first stanza starts with "Deutschland, Deutschland über Alles." The third stanza (only) is the modern national anthem of Germany.[[/note]][[note]]It should be noted that the Song was from a time when there was [[AllTheLittleGermanies no german state]] and the songwriter just wanted to emphasize how important the existence of such a state was for him. The song was not meamt to be aggressive against other countries, that's one reason why it was used as national anthem during the Weimar Republic, but Nazi Germany only used the first stanza. [[/note]] Modern Germany, as one might recall, had a very hard time in getting to where it is now. Its legal system is noted for trying to strike a balance between the extremes of France and Britain in substance (in format, it's all French) and is ''very'' concerned with ensuring that the rule of law is applied consistently and fairly.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Anime/SpacePatrolLuluco'' where everyone's suits shout out "Fight for Justice!" whenever they attack. UpToEleven with DaChief, [[MeaningfulName Over Justice]].