History Main / WithUsOrAgainstUs

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Queen Cersei Lannister tells her son Joffrey that "Everyone who isn't us is the enemy." This is all very well when House Lannister is the most powerful and wealthy family in the Seven Kingdoms, but after years of war drain their resources they make an alliance with House Tyrell. Cersei fails to understand the necessity for power-sharing, and her efforts to undermine the Tyrells instead of working with them cause disaster for everyone.

* In ''Film/MagnumForce'', the [[DirtyCop renegade cops]], whose idea of justice is premeditated murder of the accused, try to use this to make CowboyCop [[Film/DirtyHarry Harry Callahan]] join them: "Either you're for us, or you're against us."

* In the second part of the ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' DLC ''Burial At Sea'', Elizabeth is making her way through the newly war-torn Rapture when Ryan gets wind of her and contacts her wondering what she is doing in the city and offers to let her fight for him. She makes it clear she's on her own mission and doesn't want anything to do with Rapture or his war. But Ryan, paranoid as always of outsiders, takes that to mean she's a "parasite" and sics his splicers on her.

* In ''VideoGame/PlaystationAllStarsBattleRoyale'':
** This is the reason for [[VideoGame/InFamous Good!Cole Macgrath]] starting up a rivalry with [[VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Raiden.]]

* ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers2013:'' During ''Last Days'', Steve Rodgers declares as such to the Mighty Avengers. Either they're helping him hunt down the Illuminati, or they're the enemy. The team don't support either group, and decide to TakeAThirdOption.

** The Atlantic Federation does this with regards to [[TheKingdom Orb]]. Orb has a mass driver, which the Atlantic Federation needs, so they give them this trope as an ultimatum[[note]]This was done mainly by Muruta Azrael; the other leaders of the Atlantic Federation were very reluctant to go along with it[[/note]]. It happens all over again in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'', (albeit done by [[WesternTerrorists Blue Cosmos]] / [[AncientConspiracy Logos]] this time) when the Destroy Gundam is unleashed on the western Eurasian Federation for being too sympathetic to ZAFT. Durandal also pulls this at the end of the series, stating that anyone who doesn't agree to his Destiny Plan is a threat to world peace, in with the aforementioned terrorists and deserve to be eliminated via KillSat.

* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'': If all his other methods fail, [[{{Jerkass}} Prowl]] will try this option, even trying to use it on Ultra Magnus when the guy tries to call him on his BS before [[spoiler:Megatron's trial.]]
* ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers:'' During ''Last Days'', Steve Rodgers declares as such to the Mighty Avengers. Either they're helping him hunt down the Illuminati, or they're the enemy. The team don't support either group, and decide to TakeAThirdOption.

* Belgarath defines the battle at the core of the ''[[{{Belgariad}} Malloreon]]'' as "them and us" at one point (as opposed to "good and evil", which he considers a dangerous game to start playing).

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': The BigBad Loghain's game-long paranoia regarding Orlais ([[FantasyCounterpartCulture Fantasy Medieval France]]), and his conviction that they're using the [[WorldWreckingWave the Blight]] as a smokescreen to send in Grey Warden spies to infiltrate and retake Ferelden ([[FantasyCounterpartCulture Fantasy Medieval England]]) from within, becomes so intense by the end-game that he's ''convinced'' that you're either with him and thus the nation's continued freedom, or you're against Ferelden's independence and are an Orlesian spy/sympathizer.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', tensions between the mages and the templars in Kirkwall reach a peak when [[spoiler:Anders blows up the Chantry]] that Hawke is forced to either side with the mages and protect them from the Templars or side with the Templars and exterminate the mages.
** By Act III, Meredith is so paranoid that she believes that anyone who disagrees with her is a blood mage's slave. She refuses to acknowledge the possibility that her fellow Templars might disagree with her entirely of their own free will. You're either with her, or with the blood mages. [[spoiler:This gets even more pronounced when she whips out her lyrium idol sword, which was the cause of Bartrand's insanity and also what pushes her to the edge.]]
** [[spoiler: By the end of the game, Anders has deteriorated to the point that anybody who does not explicitly share his exact opinions on mage freedom fighting is just as bad as an enemy. It's difficult to say how much of this is from Anders himself and how much comes from [[EnemyWithin Vengeance]].]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'': Sera claims to [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch dislikes elven culture's]] "us against them" attitude toward humans, yet ironically holds this view between nobles and commoners, and "elfy elves" verses everyone else. It also comes to a head in her romance with a [[PlayerCharacter Elven Inquisitor]], as [[spoiler:she'll force you to choose between your elfy beliefs or the relationship]].

TruthInTelevision, as anyone who has gone to a FlameWar on a political or religious (or anti-religious) MessageBoard can attest. TheOtherWiki [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_either_with_us%2C_or_against_us can attest, too]]. The phrase "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem" is frequently used as a more polite-sounding version that nonetheless amounts to the same thing.

** Considering what happened to him (TheOtherWiki has a lot of information on that), this view becomes [[ItMakesSenseInContext understandable in hindsight.]]

--> '''Balgruuf (paraphrased)''': To not fight with him is to side against him!

--> [[spoiler:'''Delphine''']]: It's your choice Dragonborn: us or him.

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'':
** Ulfric Stormcloak is like this. In the words of Jarl Balgruuf:

** Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun is desperate to try remain neutral in the conflict. When first asked what side he supports, he replies "[[TakeAThirdOption Whiterun's]]". He eventually is [[NeutralNoLonger forced to choose]], however and lends his support to the Empire.
** After a certain point in the main quest [[spoiler: the Blades discover that the Dragonborn has been working with Paarthurnax, who is a dragon and the former right hand of [[BigBad Alduin]], and they refuse to cooperate with him any further unless he kills Paarthurnax for his past crimes against mankind. The player doesn't have to do this to finish the main quest, but the Blades cannot be convinced to let their grudge go.]]

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''
** Sera [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch dislikes elven culture]] because she dislikes their "us against them" attitude regarding humans and other non-elves, yet she herself holds similar views regarding "big, important people" and the poor, common folk. Basically, you're either one of the poor common folk, or you're one of the "big, important people." If you're one of the "big people," you'd better implicitly support the common folk or you're an enemy who deserves an arrow or [[PokeThePoodle pie]] to the face.
** Sera also presents this ultimatum if she's in a romance with a Dalish Inquisitior: [[spoiler: After the Temple of Mythal, you have to agree with her that (your) Elvhen religion is a lie, elven culture is stupid and elven history should be forgotten, or she'll break up with you. You cannot retain your religion/culture and remain with her; you either have to be "with her" that it's all stupid, or you're "against her" and get dumped]].

* ''ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'': If all his other methods fail, [[{{Jerkass}} Prowl]] will try this option, even trying to use it on Ultra Magnus when the guy tries to call him on his BS before [[spoiler:Megatron's trial.]]

* In the LeftBehind books, during the Tribulation, it eventually comes down to joining God or joining the Global Community, as both sides end up squashing any sign of neutrality on the issue.

** Essentially how the New World works. As it is demonstrated with the Worst Generation post-timeskip, the only way to survive is to overthrow them (ie. Law and Kid's alliances who are planning to topple Kaido and Shanks respectively) or swallow your pride and serve under them (ie. Bege and Drake).

* In the ''ShamanKing'' anime, this is the reason [[KnightTemplar the X-Laws]] hunt down Yoh and his friends. Like Marco said, they become "too powerful to let [them] be."

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in Literature/TheBible. It's not so much as "us or them" as Jesus saying that ''neutrality'' on Him simply does not exist. You pick one side or the other, and it is impossible not to choose a side. Anyone who does good deeds is "for Him" even if they're an atheist because GodIsGood. Anyone who does evil deeds (i.e sin) is "against Him" because sin is basically "an offense against God" even if that person is an atheist. This is distinct from salvation, which only comes through accepting Jesus', including His Divinity, sacrifice and resurrection, in faith.
** Luke 11:23 ' "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."
** Luke 9:50 "Jesus said to him, "Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you." [[note]] The context for this verse is a man who was casting out demons in Jesus's name, but was not among the disciples. So the disciples told him to stop. Thus Jesus said the above quote. [[/note]]

* A major part of ''Literature/{{Victoria}}''