History Main / TruceTrickery

* ''Literature/TheWayOfKings2010'' opens with King Gavilar of Alethkar being murdered by a Parshendi assassin during a feast to celebrate his kingdom signing a peace treaty with the Parshendi, sparking a brutal war of vengeance. The Parshendi did it out of desperation to prevent [[spoiler:Gavilar from unleashing [[GodOfEvil Odium]]]], but ''Literature/RhythmOfWar'' reveals that [[spoiler:one of Odium's agents orchestrated the whole thing to cause the war.]]

* ''Manga/FrierenBeyondJourneysEnd'': Demon general Aura sends three demons to negotiate a peace treaty with the northern city of Granat. These two demons quickly reveal (as Frieren, visiting the city, suspects strongly enough to attempt to murder them both on sight) that they're a TrojanHorse with the actual goal of bringing down the magical barrier protecting the city so that Aura can invade.

* ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'': "Truce or Consequences" (Hanna-Barbera Fun-In #10, Jan. 1972) has Dick and Muttley agreeing to a truce with Yankee Doodle Pigeon's side, but they use it in a ploy to lure him over and set him up as a traitor. Finding himself [=AWOL=] with the truce ending, Yankee Doodle consigns hinself to the ultimate journey, only thanks to some judicious syntax as his last words, it backfires on Dastardly.

* ''Manga/FrierenBeyondJourneysEnd'': Demon general Aura sends two demons to negotiate a peace treaty with the northern city of Granat. These two demons quickly reveal (as Frieren, visiting the city, suspects strongly enough to attempt to murder them both on sight) that they're a TrojanHorse with the actual goal of bringing down the magical barrier protecting the city so that Aura can invade.

* ''Manga/FrierenBeyondJourneysEnd'': Demon general Aura sends two demons to negotiate a peace treaty with the northern city of Vorig. These two demons quickly reveal (as Frieren, visiting the city, suspects strongly enough to attempt to murder them both on sight) that they're a TrojanHorse with the actual goal of bringing down the magical barrier protecting the city so that Aura can invade.

* ''Literature/TheWayOfKings2010'' opens with King Gavilar of Alethkar being murdered by Parshendi assassins during a feast to celebrate his kingdom signing a peace treaty with the Parshendi, sparking a brutal war of vengeance. The Parshendi saw it as a desperate act to prevent [[spoiler:Gavilar from unleashing [[GodOfEvil Odium]]]], but ''Literature/RhythmOfWar'' reveals that [[spoiler:one of Odium's agents orchestrated the whole thing to cause the war.]]

* ''Literature/TheWayOfKings2010'' opens with King Gavilar of Alethkar being murdered by Parshendi assassins during a feast to celebrate his kingdom signing a peace treaty with the Parshendi.

* ''Literature/SiobhanDunmoore'': {{Downplayed}} in ''A Dark and Dirty War''. Siobhan is selected to lead a flotilla into TheNeutralZone after SpacePirates hijack a passenger liner and hide out there. While this violates the letter of the treaty with the Shrehari Empire, neither she nor the Commonwealth actually ''wants'' to restart the war (which she helped end in book 6), and since she's on the outs with the Commonwealth military bureaucracy, it's expected they'll offer her up as a sacrifice if the Shrehari make an issue of it.

* ''Literature/SiobhanDunmoore'': {{Downplayed}} in ''A Dark and Dirty War''. Siobhan is selected to a flotilla into TheNeutralZone after SpacePirates hijack a passenger liner and hide out there. While this violates the letter of the treaty with the Shrehari Empire, neither she nor the Commonwealth actually ''wants'' to restart the war (which she helped end in book 6), and since she's on the outs with the Commonwealth military bureaucracy, it's expected they'll offer her up as a sacrifice if the Shrehari make an issue of it.

* ''Literature/SiobhanDunmoore'': {{Downplayed}} in ''A Dark and Dirty War''. Siobhan is selected to a flotilla into TheNeutralZone after SpacePirates hijack a passenger liner and hide out there. While this violates the letter of th4 treaty with the Shrehari Empire, neither she nor the Commonwealth actually ''wants'' to restart the war (which she helped end in book 6), and since she's on the outs with the Commonwealth military bureaucracy, it's expected they'll offer her up as a sacrifice if the Shrehari make an issue of it.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'': In the backstory of ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', following the Krogan Rebellions, Urdnot Wrex went around Tuchunka uniting the various clans across the planet in the hopes that he could change the Krogans' ways, but his father disagreed with Wrex's progressive beliefs and arranged for a meeting between him and his son. ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' would reveal that the meeting took place in an area that, by Krogan law, was meant to be a place where no violence was to occur, but Wrex's father broke that law when he tried to kill him, forcing Wrex to kill his own father. This event caused Wrex to give up on the Krogan, as it led him to believe that they were beyond hope of salvation.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'': In the backstory of ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', following the Krogan Rebellions, Urdnot Wrex went around Tuchunka uniting the various clans across the planet in the hopes that he could change the krogans' ways, but his father disagreed with Wrex's progressive beliefs and arranged for a meeting between him and his son. ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' would reveal that the meeting took place in an area that, by krogan law, was meant to be a place where no violence was to occur, but Wrex's father broke that law when he tried to kill him, forcing Wrex to kill his own father. This event caused Wrex to give up on the krogan, as it led him to believe that they were beyond hope of salvation.

TheHero and the {{villain|s}} are at odds. They have been battling nonstop with no sign of stopping. Eventually the two sides decide to declare a ceasefire or truce to get their bearings. They agree not to do harm to each other for while the truce is in effect, possibly even establishing a time in which to continue their battle.

Much like a [[ISurrenderSuckers fake surrender]], a fake ceasefire in RealLife is considered "perfidy", a serious offense under UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar. It's also often a good way to grab the VillainBall by CryingWolf: if you can't keep you word not to attack during a truce, your opponent will have less reason to trust you in the future and therefore may not accept a genuine truce when you actually ''want'' one.

* One of ComicBook/DoctorDoom's most notable traits is his sense of honour, where if he gives his word he'll honour it. In "Doom Service", Spider-Man gets on Doom's bad side and subjected to a CurbStompBattle, managing to get his life spared by swearing to help recover an heirloom Doom was tracking. While engaged in combat with the doomsday cult that had taken the gem, Spidey is surprised when Doom arrives. While Spidey is initially concerned Doom is going back on his word, Doom clarifies that the promised time limit has passed. Fortunately, Doom's presence so [[TheDreaded unnerves the cult]] that they flee, allowing Spider-Man to recover the gem and fulfill his agreement with Doom.
* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'': When the Xorda return to attack Mobius, Eggman offers up a temporary truce with the Kingdom of Knothole. He claims to have a machine capable of fighting back against the Xorda's doomsday weapon, but it requires Sonic's superspeed to work. King Acorn agrees (after first forcing Eggman into ceding Territory to them) and Sonic is sent out. Unfortunately it turns out while Eggman had been telling the truth about the machine stopping the Xorda weapon, it was also meant to kill Sonic once it's task was done.

* ''VideoGame/CrusaderKingsII'': Once a war ends, the game imposes a ten-year truce between the two rulers [[AntiFrustrationFeatures in order to keep the winner from immediately declaring war again on an already defeated foe]] if they still have a valid ''casus belli''. Breaking the truce imposes a hefty [[RelationshipValues opinion malus]] on the offender, though [[LoopholeAbuse there are a few loopholes]]: the malus is only applied to rulers of the same religion group as the defender (meaning trucebreaking against infidels has little meaningful consequence), and it doesn't prevent participants from [[ProxyWar warring with each other's allies]]. Also, it only applies to '''the specific rulers involved''', not '''their realms''': the truce expires early if one of the participants should happen to die in the meantime, and it's meaningless if a participant is unlanded either as a result of the war or by other events afterward, or is absorbed under another ruler (because wars must be declared against the highest-ranked ruler of the target realm).

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': The main plot of the game is kicked off by these. After decades of war, the Kingdom of Lucis is approached by the [[TheEmpire Niflheim Empire]] with talks of a peace treaty. [[MortonsFork Not really having any other options due to Niflheim's growing technological threat]], King Regis reluctantly agrees to the truce. On the night that the treaty was to be signed however, Niflheim launches an assault on the Crown City of Insomnia and the treaty signing turns violent, resulting in the death of King Regis and Niflheim's takeover of the entire kingdom. It's then up to Regis' son Prince Noctis, who was sent away with his friends the day before for a pre-wedding road trip, to take his place as the Chosen King of Light and take both Lucis and the entire world back from Niflheim's grip.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'': In the backstory of ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', following the Krogan Rebellions, Urdnot Wrex went around Tuchunka uniting the various clans across the planet in the hopes that he could change the krogans' ways, but his father disagreed with Wrex's progressive beliefs, and arranged for a meeting between him and his son. ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' would reveal that the meeting took place in an area that, by krogan law, was meant to be a place where no violence was to occur, but Wrex's father broke that law when he tried to kill him, forcing Wrex to kill his own father. This event caused Wrex giving up on the krogan, as it lead him to believe that they were beyond hope of salvation.

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': {{Invoked}} by the Ghost Writer in "[[Recap/DannyPhantomS2E11TheFrightBeforeChristmas The Fright Before Christmas]]". Upon remembering that the ghosts have a truce during the holidays and that they have found out he broke said truce, he writes that the ghosts violate their truce in order to attack Danny and eachother. Danny manages to get them back to their senses by stumping the Ghost Writer using an orange, allowing them to apprehend the Ghost Writer.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In "[[Recap/TheFairlyOddParentsS5E27OperationFUN Operation F.U.N.]]", Remy Buxaplenty visits Timmy's school to offer him, Chester, and AJ a place at the "FUN Academy", under the pretense that the truce he and Timmy agreed upon during "The Big Bash" is still in effect. However, this turned out to all be a trick on Remy's end, as the FUN Academy is actually a military bootcamp and it was all a scheme to get Cosmo and Wanda.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E12TheChaperoneEmployeeOfTheMonth "Employee of the Month"]], [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward fiercely compete for the titular award, repeatedly trying to sabotage each other's attempts to get to the Krusty Krab before it opens. After these tricks escalate to them dragging a shipwreck and an anchor tied to their backs, the pair decide to call a truce. However, each of them know that the other is lying, and they both quickly rush to the Krusty Krab as soon as they stop shaking hands.

** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'': Attempted by the heroes in this case. In "[[Recap/BeastWarsS1E24BeforeTheStorm Before The Storm]]", Megatron calls a ceasefire with the Maximals halting all acts of aggression between the two side, something Optimus Primal is suspicious of but can't refuse due to Maximal codes. Optimus sends an obvious scouting mission into Predacon territory with the intent of distracting Megatron enough he doesn't notice Rattrap also sneaking in. Unfortunately after graciously getting his automatic defenses to stand down from plastering the Maximals, Megatron proves too canny when he asks the heroes to leave and "take their rat with them."
** ''WesternAnimation/TransformersCyberverse'': Discussed and invoked when Megatron and Optimus Prime agree to meet and discuss the threat of an AllSpark-empowered [[DangerousDeserter Starscream]]. Neither faction expects much, and some Autobots and Decepticons note that this isn't even the first time Optimus and Megatron have met to try to talk things out. The more cynical among them even note the only point of a truce is "to give ourselves time to rearm". Tragically, the meeting actually goes astonishingly well, with both Optimus and Megatron on the verge of an agreement, but [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom Slipstream]] arrives to try to warn them about Starscream's plans. Soundwave, thinking her a traitor alongside all the other Seekers who joined Starscream, attacks her and she's stabbed in the back by Bludgeon. Windblade in turn attacks Bludgeon to avenge Slipstream's senseless murder, but all the other Autobots and Decepticons see is an Autobot assaulting a Decepticon while peace talks are on-going, and so a battle erupts. Windblade is later shown to be painfully aware that her rashness left ''everyone'' worse off.

* During UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar, the North and South Vietnamese governments negotiated a 36-hour ceasefire in late January 1968 to celebrate the Tet Nguyên Dán, the Lunar New Year and one of Vietnam's most important holidays. U.S. General William Westmoreland, believing the truce to be a ruse preceding an attack on Khe Sanh, ordered soldiers under his command to ignore the ceasefire. The rest of the American and South Vietnamese command, however, [[CassandraTruth did not share his beliefs]], and roughly half of the South Vietnamese army were allowed to go on leave. Westmoreland was right about the attack, but wrong about the targets--on the night of January 30-31, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong launched surprise attacks on major South Vietnamese cities like Da Nang, Hue, and Saigon.

* ''Literature/CaptivePrince'': The armies of Vere are notorious for staging surprise attacks during parlay. It's {{deconstructed|Trope}}: while Veretians treat it as simple {{Combat Pragmatis|t}}m, their ProudWarriorRace neighbours despise underhanded tactics and now assume that any Veretian truce is being offered in bad faith.

* ''Franchise/Transformers'':

* ''Franchise/TheTransformers'':

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': Enforced by the Ghost Writer in "The Fright Before Christmas". Upon remembering that the ghosts have a truce during the holidays and that they have found out he broke said truce, he writes that the ghosts violate their truce in order to attack Danny and eachother. Danny manages to get them back to their senses by stumping the Ghost Writer using an orange, allowing them to apprehend the Ghost Writer.
* ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'': In "Kong for a Day", the Kongs and Kremlings have an annual ceasefire. However, King K. Rool opts to take advantage of this to ruin Donkey Kong's reputation and even banished so that stealing the crystal coconut will be easier.

** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'': Attempted by the heroes in this case. In "Before The Storm", Megatron calls a ceasefire with the Maximals halting all acts of aggression between the two side, something Optimus Primal is suspicious of but can't refuse due to Maximal codes. Optimus sends an obvious scouting mission into Predacon territory with the intent of distracting Megatron enough he doesn't notice Rattrap also sneaking in. Unfortunately after graciously getting his automatic defenses to stand down from plastering the Maximals, Megatron proves too canny when he asks the heroes to leave and "take their rat with them."

* ''Literature/TheWayOfKings2010'' opens with King Gavilar of Alethkar being murdered during a feast to celebrate his kingdom signing a peace treaty with the Parshendi.

->''"'They were on the verge of declaring war when we lifted from Harbor Three, Leary,' Lieutenant Feininger said. "Speaker Leary was blaggarding Legislator Jarre up one side and down the other in front of the whole Senate. We signed the armistice on the basis of ''status quo ante'', and here the Alliance was shifting a squadron to Radiance where they bloody well ''hadn't'' been at the beginning of the last war.'"''
-->-- ''Literature/{{RCN}}: The Far Side of the Stars''

!!Grabbed by Tropers/StarSword

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!!Indices: BetrayalTropes, CrimeAndPunishmentTropes, MilitaryAndWarfareTropes, Administrivia/NoRecentExamplesPlease, ScrewTheRulesTheyreNotReal, {{Villains}}