History Main / SuddenPrincipledStand

* In ''[[TheLionKing Lion King 2]]'', Vitani refuses to attack the Pridelanders even when ordered by [[AbusiveParents Zira]], because she was convinced by Kiara's [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming]] speech. In response, Zira threatened that Vitani would die as well. In turn, ''the rest of Zira's followers'' refused to attack the Pridelanders.
** In fairness, most people would agree that threatening to kill your own daughter is a pretty clear MoralEventHorizon.

-->--'''Phoebus''' in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''

-> ''With all due respect, sir, I was not trained to murder the innocent.''

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* The Enclave from FalloutEquestria repeatedly fall prey to this, especially since their troops have been trained all their lives to believe they’re the ‘good guys’ and bastion of civilisation in a barbaric world. One trooper immediately deserts when his commander shoots a defenceless filly (accidentally, but he wasn’t sorry about it), and later a whole battleship outright refuses to continue firing on a civilian target, and is eventually shot down by their own side.

* In ''[[TheLionKing Lion King 2]]'' Vitani refuses to attack the Pridelanders even when ordered by [[AbusiveParents Zira]], because she was convinced by Kiara's [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming heartwarming]] speech. In response, Zira threatened that Vitani would die as well. In turn, ''the rest of Zira's followers'' refused to attack the Pridelanders.

* A form of this occurs in "TheWestWing." In the 6th season, a conservative Senator is trying to attach a rider banning gay marriage to a budget bill. Toby is looking to rally support, and goes to the Vice President, Bob Russell, for a statement of support. Russell, who is widely regarded as an idiot, mildly corrupt, and a bit of an opportunist, surprises Toby by refusing. Russell states that he has a gay nephew, but is against gay marriage because "it could set back progress fifty years." [[spoiler: [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready Bartlet eventually convinces the Senator to drop the amendment on the budget bill.]]]]

Compare NeutralNoLonger, ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight, RageBreakingPoint (where anger is handled this way).

* In 1962, a group of street musicians in [[WestGermany Munich]] had gathered quite a crowd and kept playing well after 22:30 into the night. Police arrived and instead of just saying "this is a residential area, would you please stop playing here or move to the park", they immediately arrested the musicians. At that point some people in the crowd protested that this was unfair and 17 years of unresolved social tension after World War 2 finally spilled over. The officers called for backup, which arrived in the form of a riot squad, and at that point the situation grew into a real riot. Completely inexperienced and untrained, police handled the situation as poorly as one would expect and the riots escalated and lasted for over a week, and also marked the beginning of the [[TheSixties German civil rights movement]] which was marked by police brutality and [[WesternTerrorists left wing terrorism]] that lasted for the next two decades. And all because someone stood up and said "Don't you think this is a bit excessive?".

The Enclave from FalloutEquestria repeatedly fall prey to this, especially since their troops have been trained all their lives to believe they’re the ‘good guys’ and bastion of civilisation in a barbaric world. One trooper immediately deserts when his commander shoots a defenceless filly (accidentally, but he wasn’t sorry about it), and later a whole battleship outright refuses to continue firing on a civilian target, and is eventually shot down by their own side.

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Things are not going well. Everyone around you gets more cynical and less caring for each day: ItGetsEasier. What started out with good, or at least neutral, intentions, ends up more self-serving or antagonistic. The descent has been so slow and so drawn out in time that is has just crept up on everyone.

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* The VorkosiganSaga by LoisMcMasterBujold has several examples:
** In ''[[VorkosiganSaga Falling Free]]'', Bannerji doesn't refuse to fire at and destroy the ship that the Quaddies escape on per se, but he demands a [[BotheringByTheBook proper work order]], signed by the Hazardous Waste Management Officer, and with an Environmental Impact Assessment attached. This gives the ship time to escape.
** In ''[[VorkosiganSaga Shards of Honor]]'', when Sergeant Bothari refuses to rape [[spoiler: Cordelia]] as per Admiral Vorrutyer's orders.

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* In ''KungFuPanda2'', Boss Wolf refuses to fire upon the heroes with his own men in the crossfire. Shen responds by killing him on the spot.

Things are not going well. Everyone around you gets more cynical and less caring for each day: ItGetsEasier. What started out with good, or at least neutral, intentions, ends up more self-serving or antagonistic. The descent has been so slow and so drawn out in time that is has just crept up on everyone.

* In ''Film/TheApartment'' there's Bud's climactic refusal to let Sheldrake use his apartment for a tryst with Fran after her [[spoiler: suicide attempt]].

** In ''[[VorkosiganSaga Falling Free]]'', Bannerji doesn't refuse to fire at and destroy the ship that the Quaddies escape on per se, but he demands a [[BotheringByTheBook proper work order]], signed by the Hazardous Waste Management Officer, and with an Environmental Impact Assessment attached. This gives the ship time to escape.
** In ''[[VorkosiganSaga Shards of Honor]]'', when Sergeant Bothari refuses to rape [[spoiler: Cordelia]] as per Admiral Vorrutyer's orders.
---> "She's Commodore Vorkosigan's prisoner. Sir."
* ''{{Deryni}} Checkmate'': The day after the Curia excommunicated Morgan and Duncan, its leaders, Archbishops Loris and Corrigan, tried to push through an Interdict on Morgan's duchy as well. The previously neutral Bishop Cardiel spoke against the measure, precipitating a schism within the Church. Cardiel argued that it was unjust to punish the people of Corwyn for the actions of its duke and left open the possibility that Morgan and Duncan were morally innocent. The conflict escalated as other bishops, including Arilan and Tolliver (Corwyn's bishop) joined in, accusing Loris of supporting a rebellion against the king and promoting genocide against the Deryni.
* The entire plot of ''[[Literature/TrailOfGlory 1812: The Arkansas War]]'' hinges on this trope, in that the [[UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates United States]] is forced to address slavery in the 1820s instead of the 1850s, and in a far more direct way. It's not too sudden, but then it involves an entire ''nation''.

* Gillecomgain from ''{{Gargoyles}}'' is a rare villainous example: He had no compunctions about killing Macbeth's father or marrying Macbeth's girlfriend (both on Prince Duncan's orders), but when Duncan ordered him to assassinate Macbeth himself as well, he refused for pragmatic rather than moral reasons: "Nay, milord. Macbeth is an heir to the crown, and much beloved by the people; besides, it might lead to some uncomfortable questions about his father's demise... and who demanded it."

* Lion-O from ''{{Thundercats2011}}'' takes one agains't a blood thirsty mob and his own father.

--> -- Phoebus in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''

* In ''TheApartment'' there's Bud's climactic refusal to let Sheldrake use his apartment for a tryst with Fran after her [[spoiler: suicide attempt]].
* Phoebus against Frollo in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''

* Phoebus against Frollo in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'':
-->With all due respect, sir, I was not trained to murder the innocent.

Compare NeutralNoLonger, ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight!

Compare ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight!

* A form of this occurs in "The West Wing." In the 6th season, a conservative Senator is trying to attach a rider banning gay marriage to a budget bill. Toby is looking to rally support, and goes to the Vice President, Bob Russell, for a statement of support. Russell, who is widely regarded as an idiot, mildly corrupt, and a bit of an opportunist, surprises Toby by refusing. Russell states that he has a gay nephew, but is against gay marriage because "it could set back progress fifty years."

!!Examples: