History Main / ShadesOfConflict

* '''[[WhiteAndGreyMorality White vs. Grey:]]''' A lot of conflicts between the IdealHero and the AntiHero or AntiVillain tend to lean on this side. Also the most {{egregious}} OurElvesAreBetter, when lacking perfection isn't good enough for the smug little bastards. At this shade you have [[{{MegaManZero}} Zero versus Harpuia]], [[{{PokemonBlackAndWhite}} trying to stop N]], etc. See also ButNotTooEvil.

* '''[[EvilVersusEvil Black vs. Black]]:''' EnemyCivilWar, {{Warhammer 40000}}. If handled poorly, tends to lead to DarknessInducedAudienceApathy due to it being impossible to root for anyone in the story.

<<|MoralityTropes|>>

Also not to be confused with ''RedVsBlue'' (which technically falls under Grey vs. Grey, since the characters are all {{Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist}}s); or for that matter with GreenVersusPurple (which is generally Grey vs Gray or even White Vs White - the point is there's no good reason for the conflict). The names of the kinds of conflicts listed above probably comes from the convention that LightIsGood and DarkIsEvil. Contrast NoAntagonist. See also AlikeAndAntitheticalAdversaries.

* '''White and Grey vs. Black:''' the core good guys don't do bad things, but there's other groups in the world who hate the villains just as much and are willing to do nasty things to them that the heroes don't have to.

* '''[[WhiteAndGreyMorality White vs. Grey:]]''' A lot of conflicts between the IdealHero and the AntiHero or AntiVillain tend to lean on this side. Also the most {{egregious}} OurElvesAreBetter, when lacking perfection isn't good enough for the smug little bastards. See also ButNotTooEvil.

* '''White and Grey Vs. Grey and Black:''' When you want one side to be good guys yet still have moral ambiguity in both parts of the conflict. Naturally has a MoralityKitchenSink.
* '''White Vs. Grey (and sometimes White) and Black:''' The villains are mixed in with people who aren't puppy-killing evil. Often leads to the dilemma that one must hurt the non-villains. Other TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil works fall here.

** '''ALighterShadeOfGrey''' happens when both sides are morally ambiguous/neutral, but one side ends up being more sympathetic than the other.

** '''ALighterShadeOfGrey''' happens when, while both sides are morally ambiguous/neutral, one side ends up being more sympathetic than the other.

* '''White/Grey and Black vs. Black:''' Basically, where the heroes are forced to team up with one evil dictator to take down another.

* '''White/Grey and Black vs. Black:''' WorldWarII, basically, where the heroes are forced to team up with one evil dictator to take down another.

->''[[HumansAreBastards "Man has killed man from the beginning of time]], and each new frontier has brought new ways and new places to die. Why should the future be different?"''

{{Conflict}} is the driving force of nearly any story. It provides [[OrIsIt suspense]], [[StuffBlowingUp action]], [[TheQuest adventure]], [[SeinfeldianConversation conversation]], [[ContemplateOurNavels contemplation]], [[CharacterDevelopment development]] and [[SelfExplanatory football hooligans]].

* '''[[WhiteAndGreyMorality White vs. Grey:]]''' A lot of conflicts between TheCape and the AntiHero or AntiVillain tend to lean on this side. Also the most {{egregious}} OurElvesAreBetter, when lacking perfection isn't good enough for the smug little bastards. See also ButNotTooEvil.

Also not to be confused with ''RedVsBlue'' (which technically falls under Grey vs. Grey, since the characters are all {{Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist}}s); or for that matter with GreenVersusPurple (which is generally Grey vs Gray or even White Vs White - the point is there's no good reason for the conflict). The names of the kinds of conflicts listed above probably comes from the convention that LightIsGood and DarkIsEvil. See also AlikeAndAntitheticalAdversaries.

Also not to be confused with ''RedVsBlue'' (which technically falls under Grey vs. Grey, since the characters are all {{Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist}}s); or for that matter with GreenVersusPurple (which is generally Grey vs Gray or even White Vs White - the point is there's no good reason for the conflict). See also AlikeAndAntitheticalAdversaries.

* '''[[GreyAndGrayMorality Grey vs. Grey]]:''' More cynical works tend to fall here. Revenge stories, such as CycleOfRevenge and FeudingFamilies often present such a conflict. Don't have to go Grey to get a well-developed character or anything, but it does make it easier. See also UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist for a frequently grey conflict that doesn't have to be realistic. (Handled poorly, risks becoming ALighterShadeOfGray.)

* '''Grey vs. Grey and Black''': A subgroup of GreyAndGrayMorality. Basically, both sides are handled with great moral ambiguity, but the enemy side is made clear by there being also some Black (eg: CompleteMonster) individuals in place along with the AntiVillain, WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds, WellIntentionedExtremist, KnightTemplar, etc. Only recently put up and worth serious contemplation, especially in regards to the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism.

->''"Man has killed man from the beginning of time, and each new frontier has brought new ways and new places to die. Why should the future be different?"''

* '''Grey vs. Grey and Black''': A subgroup of GreyAndGrayMorality. Basically, both sides are handled with great moral ambiguity, but the enemy side is made clear by there being also some Black (eg: CompleteMonster) individuals in place along with the AntiVillain, WoobieDestroyerOrWorld, WellIntentionedExtremist, KnightTemplar, etc. Only recently put-up at all.

* '''Grey vs. Grey and Black''': A subgroup of GreyAndGrayMorality. Basically, both sides are handled with great moral ambiguity, but the enemy side is made clear by there being also some Black (eg: CompleteMonster) individuals in place along with the AntiVillains, WoobieDestroyerOrWorlds, WellIntentionedExtremists, etc. Only recently put-up at all.

* ''Grey vs. Grey and Black'': A subgroup of GreyAndGrayMorality. Basically, both sides are handled with great moral ambiguity, but the enemy side is made clear by there being also some Black (eg: CompleteMonster) individuals in place along with the AntiVillains, WoobieDestroyerOrWorlds, WellIntentionedExtremists, etc. Only recently put-up at all.

->"Man has killed man from the beginning of time, and each new frontier has brought new ways and new places to die. Why should the future be different?"
-->'''Colonel Corazon Santiago''', ''SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''

* '''[[GreyAndGrayMorality Grey vs. Grey]]:''' More realistic (or cynical) works tend to fall here. Revenge stories, such as CycleOfRevenge and FeudingFamilies often present such a conflict. Don't have to go Grey to get a well-developed character or anything, but it does make it easier. See also UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist for a frequently grey conflict that doesn't have to be realistic. (Handled poorly, risks becoming ALighterShadeOfGray.)

* '''[[GoodVersusGood White vs. White]]:''' RousseauWasRight, LighterAndSofter

* '''Black vs. Black:''' EvilVersusEvil, EnemyCivilWar, {{Warhammer 40000}}. If handled poorly, tends to lead to DarknessInducedAudienceApathy due to it being impossible to root for anyone in the story.

* '''[[GoodVsGood White vs. White]]:''' RousseauWasRight, LighterAndSofter

* '''White vs. White:''' RousseauWasRight, LighterAndSofter

*'''White vs. Grey:''' A lot of conflicts between TheCape and the AntiHero or AntiVillain tend to lean on this side. Also the most {{egregious}} OurElvesAreBetter, when lacking perfection isn't good enough for the smug little bastards. See also ButNotTooEvil.

*'''White and Grey vs. Black''':, the core good guys don't do bad things, but there's other groups in the world who hate the villains just as much and are willing to do nasty things to them that the heroes don't have to.

* '''White and Grey Vs. Grey and Black''': When you want one side to be good guys yet still have moral ambiguity in both parts of the conflict. Naturally has a MoralityKitchenSink.
* '''White Vs. Grey (and sometimes White) and Black''': The villains are mixed in with people who aren't puppy-killing evil. Often leads to the dilemma that one must hurt the non-villains. Other TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil works fall here.

*'''[[BlackAndGrayMorality Grey vs. Black:]]''': The protagonists aren't the nicest guys in the world, and may even be out and out assholes, but we root for them because the people they fight are [[CompleteMonster even worse]]. Often present in DarkerAndEdgier works.