History Main / StandingBetweenTheEnemies

** Ash tries this in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie''. It ''does'' stop the battle, though he probably should have waited until ''after'' the BeamOWar had ended before running in. [[spoiler: He is [[TakenForGranite petrified]]. Momentarily.]]

** In ''Discworld/MenAtArms'', Carrot had a truly epic example when he successfully shamed two armies of trolls and dwarves. They were ready to rip each other apart until he came and basically told them that their dear old mothers would not be proud.
** There is also a similar event in ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}'' when Vimes places himself between two armies by [[RefugeInAudacity arresting the whole of both sides]]. After that, Carrot organizes a football match for them instead.
** Brutha in ''Discworld/SmallGods'' arrives alone on the beach where the armies of half a continent are expecting to fight the Omnian Divine Legion, and explains that the reasons for the war have gone. Almost subverted when one of the enemy generals explains, not unkindly, that sometimes there's just going to be a war and there's nothing anyone can do about it, certainly not by invoking "reasons" or lack thereof. Luckily Brutha has [[PhysicalGod more persuasive allies]].
** In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', Vimes and the Watch stand guard on a barricade between large mobs of dwarfs and trolls intend on "reenacting" Koom Valley. Of course, [[GuileHero Vimes being Vimes]], they manage to arrange things so a minimum of actual fighting is required.

** He was also [[BattleInterruptingShout yelling said bat's sacred name]] (which everyone instantly genuflects to upon hearing it earlier in the film) at the top of his lungs for maximum effect.

* In ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'', Kiara and Kovu burst out to stop the fighting, just after it has narrowed down to a Simba vs. Zira duel to the death. Both are told to get out of the way, though [[EvilIsPetty Zira is less polite]].
* In the ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}'' sequel, the titular heroine does this when it looks like the natives and the colonists are about to get into a battle. It doesn't seem to work until John Rolfe orders his side to stand down, prompting the natives to do the same.

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* In ''Anime/SoundOfTheSky'', [[spoiler:Sorami stops a battle by playing AmazingFreakingGrace ]]

* In ''Anime/TheVisionOfEscaflowne'', as Van's HumongousMecha is getting [[CurbStompBattle Curb Stomped]] by the Phlebotium-enhanced leopard twins, Merle runs out and interposes her tiny little self in front of him. The twins back off from delivering the killing stroke because she's a catgirl like them.

* In the end of the first season of ''Anime/{{K}}'', [[spoiler: Shiro does this to the Red and Blue Kings, who are fighting - but he does it intentionally to get killed, because he's holding the body-snatching Colorless King in his mind.]] And to twist it even further, [[spoiler: it makes matters worse - taking on the burden of killing a King causes the Red King's SwordOfDamocles to fall, and to prevent the destruction that would cause, the Blue King has to kill ''him'', and take on the same burden, which becomes a threat in the second season.]]
* In the end of ''Anime/CodeGeassAkitoTheExiled'', [[spoiler: Jean does this between brothers Shin (the BigBad) and Akito (TheHero) - with Shin killing her instead of Akito. And she shoots Shin at the same time. And confesses her love before dying. He dies holding hands with her, and Akito survives.]]
* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. After the terrorist BigBad has been captured, the Italian government decides the Social Welfare Agency has outlived its usefulness and sends in the army to destroy them. Cyborg girl Claes however takes the guns off the SWA personal, walks out to the armoured personnel carriers facing the compound and calls on them not to fire. The soldiers are reluctant to shoot a little girl, so the SWA is able to surrender peacefully. The act is particularly significant as the cyborg girls were created to take advantage of the WouldntHurtAChild trope to kill their enemies.
* Kobayashi does this in both the anime and the manga of ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'', though they are under vastly different circumstances. In the anime's finale, she gets between Tohru and her father when they come to blows over whether the latter can stay on Earth. In the manga, she and Tohru arrive in between the Chaos and Harmony factions to reveal the fact that [[spoiler:Azad was manipulating them into killing each other.]]

* Subverted twice in ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing''. When Louise and Maria face each other in the bar, the sheriff comes in to try to stop them but trips and falls down. Later, the same women are having a CatFight and the sheriff tries to cut in between them; he gets punched as a result and the fight continues as if he was never there.

* Near the beginning of ''Literature/TheMalloreon'', the sequel-series to Creator/DavidEddings' ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', Belgarion pulls this, mostly to demonstrate how much he's grown up since the previous series. He stops a civil war in Mimbre by basically riding out between the two armies, unhorsing everyone who gets in his way, and then calling down a cataclysmic thunderstorm between them, while suggesting that anyone who wants to start fighting, can start by fighting HIM. Considering how eager [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Mimbrates]] are to go to war, nothing less would have done the trick, probably.

* In ''Literature/TheHobbit'', Gandalf stood between the Three Armies (Human, Elf, and Dwarf) to point out their common enemies the Goblins were approaching on Warg-Back.

* Played with in "The Dance of the Hours", one of Giovannino Guareschi's ''[[Literature/DonCamillo Don Camillo]] stories. Things between FriendlyEnemies Don Camillo and Peppone escalate quickly and both grab a bench to clobber the other with; one of Peppone's men, Smilzo, is the only one who keeps his head and tries in vain to stop Peppone until he's right between the two benches. The fight is broken up by something entirely unrelated, and Smilzo is left standing alone in the middle of the square. Then, since nobody's watching, he goes to [[INeedAFreakingDrink get himself a Coca-Cola]].

* The first ''Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo: Ring of Fire'' anthology contains a story entitled ''Between the Armies'' which is this trope grown to a europe-wide scale. It features Jules Mazarin, see Real Life, below.
* The climax of the Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar book ''Owlsight'' consists of two powerfully spiritual creatures (a [[SapientSteed Valdamaran Companion]], and a totemic tribal spirit) holding off their respective armies long enough for the protagonists to solve their grievance.

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* Buffy does this once with Angel and Riley in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', saying she'd put them (well, Riley, since Angel is a vampire) in the hospital if they kept arguing and wanting to get physical.
** Xander tries to intervene in a fight between fellow slayers Buffy and Faith, only for Faith to toss him across the room.

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* Romeo does this to Tybalt and Mercutio in ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', but things go awry when his interference results in Mercutio getting fatally wounded:
--> Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.

* From ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'': In the diverging path chapter of ''Fates'' Corrin plays this role, unsuccessfully, between Xander and Ryoma. Subverted when Corrin chooses a particular side in ''Birthright'' and ''Conquest'', and played straight in ''Revelation'' by continuing throughout the game to stand, metaphorically and physically, between Hoshido and Nohr.

* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', if your PlayerCharacter chooses to spare Freyyr and give him Bacca's Blade, the party will enter the Chieftain's Hall to find Chuundar standing with his Czerka allies on one side, Freyyr and some Wookiee loyalists on the other, and Zaalbar trying to keep his brother and father from killing one another. You can't prevent the inevitable brawl, though trying will net you some light side points, but you can tip the balance in favor of one of the factions.
* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' [[spoiler: Nero does this in between Dante and Vergil at the end of the game to try to end their constant fighting and sibling rivalry once and for all. It doesn't hurt that Nero learned the latter is his father not long before this.]]

* In ''{{Webcomic/Oglaf}}'', The two priests of Sithrak try to prevent a battle, reasoning that their god tortures everybody after death, so killing isn't okay. [[http://oglaf.com/outreach/ It doesn't end well.]]

* An episode from the AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'', the gang traveled to the American Civil War and saw [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XII_5mwUBVA#t08m18s Jules and Verne caught between Union and Confederate armies.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProblemSolverz'' episode "Breakfast Warz", the titular trio does this when Danny's mom and Professor Sugar Fish begin fighting. Horace then gives a speech about compromise, with "Pomp and Circumstance" playing in the background.

* From ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem 10]]'': Elincia tries to prevent the Begnion Army and the Laguz Alliance from fighting. It succeeds as far as averting the battle by convincing the generals of both sides to back off, but then Senator Valtome of Begnion gets so mad that she thwarted the battle that he sends his own personal troops for her head.
* From ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemFates Fire Emblem 14]]'': In the diverging path chapter of Fates Corrin plays this role, unsuccessfully, between Xander and Ryoma. Subverted when Corrin chooses a particular side in Birthright and Conquest, and confirmed in Revelation by continuing throughout the game to stand, metaphorically and physically, between Hoshido and Nohr.

* An episode from the AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'', the gang traveled to the American Civil War and saw [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XII_5mwUBVA#t08m18s Jules and Vern caught between Union and Confederate armies.]]

* ''Fanfic/TheVow'', an AlternateUniverseFic of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'': Lady Lianne does this in order to stop the fireworks factory duel between Lord Shen and Po, refusing to stand by and allow the [[DatingCatwoman villain she loves]] and the Dragon Warrior to kill each other. Ultimately [[InSpiteOfANail it makes no difference in the canon outcome]]; [[spoiler:Shen simply fires his cannon at Po while [[DivingSave tackling Lianne out of the way]]]].

** He was also [[BattleInterruptingShout yelling said bat's sacred name]] (which everyone instantly bows to upon hearing it earlier in the film) at the top of his lungs for maximum effect.

It could be considered a [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot missed opportunity]] if you would prefer to watch a badass battle, but also a CrowningMomentOfAwesome for the characters in the middle, who dared to stand up against two forces that are stronger than them.

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0409.html #409]]: Hinjo stands between Miko and Belkar just before she can kill him. Only two characters and not two armies, but the lines are awesome:

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0929.html #929]]: Elan attempts this by telling his ArchnemesisDad (who is trying to kill the leader of Elan's team because TheyWereHoldingYouBack) that "If you want Roy dead, you'll have to kill me first." Bone-chillingly [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when the dad stabs his sword ''through Elan and into Roy'', after confirming that Elan is [[RPGMechanicsVerse at full health and hence will survive the blow.]]

* An episode from the AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'', the gang traveled to the American Civil War and saw [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XII_5mwUBVA#t08m18s Jules and Vern caught between Union and Confederate armies]].

* Buffy does this once with Angel and Riley in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' , saying she'd put them (well, Riley, since Angel is a vampire) in the hospital if they kept arguing and wanting to get physical.

* Ash tries this in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie''. It ''does'' stop the battle, though he probably should have waited until ''after'' the BeamOWar had ended before running in. [[spoiler: He is petrified. Momentarily.]]

** He was also yelling said bat's sacred name (which everyone instantly bows to upon hearing it earlier in the film) at the top of his lungs for maximum effect.

* ''FanFic/TheVow'', an AlternateUniverseFic of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'': Lady Lianne does this in order to stop the fireworks factory duel between Lord Shen and Po, refusing to stand by and allow the [[DatingCatwoman villain she loves]] and the Dragon Warrior to kill each other. Ultimately [[InSpiteOfANail it makes no difference in the canon outcome]]; [[spoiler:Shen simply fires his cannon at Po while [[DivingSave tackling Lianne out of the way]]]].

* The Three Ships Alliance does this to the Earth and ZAFT armies in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Gundam SEED]]'', but it soon devolves into a MeleeATrois.
** They try to do the same thing in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]'', too, and mostly fail (until the final episodes).

* Performed by Rogue a number of times, for instance she stood between Magneto and a group of trigger-happy soldiers on two occasions with the same issue-number (in both cases she was not bullet-proof), first in ''[[ComicBook/XMen Uncanny X-Men]]'' #274 in the Savage Land with a S.H.I.E.L.D. and Russian squad and later in ''X-Men Legacy'' #274 in Washington, D.C., with a group of U. S. soldiers and police.

* The first ''[[Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo Ring of Fire]]'' anthology contains a story entitled ''Between the Armies'' which is this trope grown to a europe-wide scale. It features Jules Mazarin, see Real Life, below.

* ''StarWarsDownunder''. After killing the evil Darth Drongo who has been hoarding all the beer on the planet, Jedi Knight Merve Bushwacker emerges from his base brandishing a beer can, and calls on Drongo's mooks and the rebel forces to stop fighting.

* Romeo does this to Tybalt and Mercutio in ''RomeoAndJuliet'', but things go awry when his interference results in Mercutio getting fatally wounded:

* In ''TheProblemSolverz'' episode "Breakfast Warz", the titular trio does this when Danny's mom and Professor Sugar Fish begin fighting. Horace then gives a speech about compromise, with "Pomp and Circumstance" playing in the background.

* In ''Discworld/MenAtArms'', Carrot had a truly epic example when he successfully shamed two armies of trolls and dwarves. They were ready to rip each other apart until he came and basically told them that their dear old mothers would not be proud.

* Near the beginning of ''TheMalloreon'', the sequel-series to Creator/DavidEddings' ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', Belgarion pulls this, mostly to demonstrate how much he's grown up since the previous series. He stops a civil war in Mimbre by basically riding out between the two armies, unhorsing everyone who gets in his way, and then calling down a cataclysmic thunderstorm between them, while suggesting that anyone who wants to start fighting, can start by fighting HIM. Considering how eager [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Mimbrates]] are to go to war, nothing less would have done the trick, probably.

* Played with in "The Dance of the Hours", one of Giovannino Gaureschi's ''[[Literature/DonCamillo Don Camillo]] stories. Things between FriendlyEnemies Don Camillo and Peppone escalated quickly and both grabbed a bench to clobber the other with; one of Peppone's men, Smilzo, is the only one who keeps his head and tries in vain to stop Peppone until he's right between the two benches. The fight is broken up by something entirely unrelated, and Smilzo is left standing alone in the middle of the square. Then, since nobody's watching, he goes to [[INeedAFreakingDrink get himself a Coca-Cola]].

* ''FanFic/TheVow'', an AlternateUniverseFic of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'': Lady Lianne does this in order to stop the fireworks factory duel between Lord Shen and Po, refusing to stand by and allow the [[DatingCatwoman villain she loves]] and the Dragon Warrior to kill each other. Ultimately [[InSpiteOfTheNail it makes no difference in the canon outcome]]; [[spoiler:Shen simply fires his cannon at Po while [[DivingSave tackling Lianne out of the way]]]].

* ''FanFic/TheVow'', an AlternateUniverseFic of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'': Lady Lianne does this in order to stop the fireworks factory duel between Lord Shen and Po, refusing to stand by and allow the [[DatingCatwoman villain she loves]] and the Dragon Warrior to kill each other. Ultimately [[InSpiteOfNail it makes no difference in the canon outcome]]; [[spoiler:Shen simply fires his cannon at Po while [[DivingSave tackling Lianne out of the way]]]].

* ''GuildWars'' has this, at the end of the Gyala Hatchery mission.