Line #122 Main/CantRefuseTheCallAnymore


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10	There is no [[RefusalOfTheCall turning back]] from this point. This is TheHero's point of no return where he resigns himself to the difficult task ahead. Forward march to the Road of Trials!
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12	[[DarkestHour It may not be entirely pleasant]] — there's a reason SymbolicHeroRebirth, which throws death and rebirth symbolism into the mix, is a related concept. It is often the moment of greatest ''personal'' danger for the hero. TheHero can move forward by defeating the ThresholdGuardians, but also by being destroyed by them.
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14	The TropeMaker Is [[Literature/BookOfJonah Jonah]] of ''Literature/TheBible'', who, having been called by God, flees from Him unsuccessfully aboard a ship, and, the ship subsequently being caught in a terrible and dangerous storm, finally surrenders to God's will by throwing himself overboard; here, a "great fish", at God's command, swallows him and stores him within its belly for three days, during which Jonah accepts God's original call, and after which he is spewed out onto land by the beast, again at God's command. There is a reason Campbell calls this step "The Belly of the Whale".
15	----
16	!!Examples:
17	[[foldercontrol]]
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19	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
20	* The Eclipse and its aftermath serve as this in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. [[spoiler:His best friend turned betrayer and demon god, his comrades dead, and his lover gone insane]], Guts accepts that nothing will ever be the same again and takes on the quest to slay apostles, even remarking to himself that he is going into the void all alone. [[spoiler:It later turns out that setting out on a quest for revenge against Griffith was a mistake even worse than leaving Griffith behind, as it meant leaving Casca behind to deal with her trauma alone, as well as almost losing himself to his hatred for Griffith and the demons]].
21	* In ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' after the events on the "Marionette Train", when the TrueCompanions are sent down the path towards Aion.
22	* The battle in the Cathedral in ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'', in which Clare comes close to falling and becoming a Youma herself, but ultimately pulls back and from that point on is all but immune to turning.
23	* Invoked by Zero in episode 11 of ''Anime/CodeGeass'', "Guren Dances". when he has himself along with the Black Knights situated in front of Cornelia and her squad at Narita with no means of escape, forcing everyone to face the incoming battle. Not to say that Zero doesn't have a plan... he does, [[AllAccordingToPlan very much so]].
24	* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Edward and Alphonse Elric burning down their childhood home marks this for them, as they declared that there was no turning back on their quest to get their original bodies back.
25	* In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood'', this happens for both TheHero Jonathan and [[VillainProtagonist Villain]] {{Deuteragonist}} Dio Brando when the latter decides to "reject [his] humanity" and become a vampire. Jonathan decides to burn down his family's mansion in an attempt to destroy Dio, and this confrontation ends the more "grounded" arc of this part and leads into the more "bizarre" arc of Jonathan learning the ways of Hamon and Dio taking over a small town.
26	* After [[spoiler:Kamina's death]] in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', Simon falls in despair and is functionally useless until [[spoiler:he meets Nia and has to save the rest of his TrueCompanions]].
27	[[/folder]]
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29	[[folder:Comic Books]]
30	* ComicBook/SpiderMan: When Peter Parker first got his powers, his first response is to use them for personal gain, and had no intentions of becoming a hero. However, a criminal he allowed to escape due to his hubris would later murder his Uncle Ben. Upon realizing his TragicMistake and that WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility, Peter begins his bumpy journey as the superhero Spider-Man.
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32
33	[[folder:Fan Works]]
34	* ''Fanfic/OneStepBackwardsAndThreeForwards'' opens with [[TheBadGuyWins Hawkmoth winning]], with [[RealityWarper reality being rewritten]] by the Wishes he and his followers make on the united Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculi. Marinette finds herself as one of the only ones left who [[RippleEffectProofMemory recalls the way the world was before]], with her only other ally being Felix Agreste -- aka the original Adrien, who [[DecompositeCharacter had his memories and mind]] [[LiteralSplitPersonality split off from]] ''this'' world's Adrien as a result of Lila Wishing that Adrien was her [[TrophyWife trophy boyfriend]]. With life as they knew it dramatically altered, the pair begin a long battle to regain all the stolen Miraculi and set things right.
35	* [[Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero Naofumi Iwatani]] is put through the ringer on this in ''Fanfic/FamilyOfTheShield'', where after having his name smeared and slandered to hell by half of the Melromarc Royal Family and wholly prevented from any aid or attempts at getting stronger to face off against the Waves of Catastrophe; [[WeAreStrugglingTogether despite it being the job they had summoned him to do]], and that [[CorruptChurch The Three Heroes Church]] has started both a Coup and a Holy War to hunt him down with the aid of the other Three Heroes [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter who blindly believe all these lies and accusations]]. When Naofumi is confronted by Fitoria and states that he cannot hope to forgive the other Heroes for trying to kill or kidnap his family and that he'll try killing ''them'' in return: [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou Fitoria simply states that all four Heroes are needed to stop the Waves of Catastrophe]]; and that if the current set of Cardinal Heroes aren't up to the task, she will just kill all four of them in order to have another set of Heroes be summoned instead. This results in Naofumi falling into despair at everything around him.
36	-->'''Naofumi''': I'm so tired of all this! I just want to protect my family and fight these damned waves. Yet I have to deal with coup!? A religious war!? And now you're telling me if I can't find a way to beat all three other heroes at the same time, backed by a huge army, then you'll kill me!? When will enough be enough!? When can I rest!?
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38
39	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
40	* In ''WesternAnimation/LovingVincent'', Armand Roulin is portrayed as a restless young man who wasn't fond of the late Vincent van Gogh and has no interest in taking an undelivered letter to Theo van Gogh. His father Joseph, the postmaster, manages to guilt him into it.
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43	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
44	* ''Film/IronMan'': Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries, is initially unaware and uncaring of the potential danger his company's weapons development is until it literally blows up in his face in wake of a terrorist attack and kidnapping. After seeing the damage the terrorists have caused using the weapons he built for military use, Tony hardens his resolve to become Iron Man and personally dismantle any Stark-made weapons to prevent them from getting in the wrong hands.
45	* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters\|1984}}'': Our heroes lose their positions at Columbia University, but resolve to go into business for themselves.
46	* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', when James Edwards becomes Agent J his entire existence is erased from records and the memories of those who knew him.
47	* ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'': The ''Enterprise'' is destroyed, most of the crew captured, and the crew members who remain free are scattered widely over a planet's surface - some of them critically injured.
48	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
49	** Anakin's is when he travels to Coruscant and becomes determined to become a Jedi, which sets him off on his course.
50	** Luke's is when he boards the Death Star.
51	** Rey's comes when she accepts her family is never coming back, and seeks out Luke to begin her training.
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53
54	[[folder:Literature]]
55	* ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'': Marco was always the most reluctant of the Animorphs, which changed once he discovered his mother was the host body for Visser One. He didn't reveal it right away, so other characters noticed Marco was less reluctant but couldn't tell why.
56	* In ''Literature/{{Below}}'', Brenish and Raden fall off a cliff during a battle, leaving them in an uncharted part of the [[DungeonCrawling ruins]] with only a rough idea how to reunite with their party. Brenish is effectively on his own for the first time, having to put his knowledge to the test and even taking a lead role in combat because of Raden's injury.
57	* In ''The Book of Three'' of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'', this corresponds to Taran's imprisonment in Spiral Castle.
58	* In ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', Edmond Dantès is initially a benign, trusting, and naive young man with a happy future ahead of him. Then he's falsely imprisoned. He initially hopes that he'll receive justice and return to his friends. But after four years, he realizes that he'll never be released. This is the trope-point where there is no going back to his old life, only ahead... It initially drives him to despair and a suicide attempt. But the unexpected arrival of a fellow prisoner, the remarkable Abbe Faria, turns his thoughts in a new direction, toward escape and revenge. This also marks a change in Dantès's character.
59	* Cleanly marked in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'': when Harry is on the Hogwarts Express, he thinks, "He didn't know where he was going... but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind."
60	* Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'': When the Pevensies resolve to stay in Narnia and find Mr. Tumnus instead of returning home, which sets them on the road to save the world.
61	** ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'': Leaving the Lone Islands
62	** ''Literature/TheSilverChair'': Eustace and Jill being dropped off by the owls with their Guide, Puddleglum, literally at the start of the literal Road of Trials.
63	* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': When the Fellowship enters Moria, and when Frodo agrees to be the ringbearer for the Fellowship's journey at the council of Elrond.
64	* In Creator/TadWilliams's ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'', Simon's first journey [[BeneathTheEarth beneath the tunnels]] of the Hayholt on the heels of his mentor's HeroicSacrifice is the point where his journey becomes irrevocable. It also includes the literal metaphor of being "swallowed up" by the earth, followed by his emergence, alone, starving, and companionless.
65	* In ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'', the Ordeal that Richard goes through. Other characters note that he seems more mature after passing it.
66	* In ''Literature/OutOfTheDark'', [[spoiler:Dracula]] has given the hostile aliens every opportunity to leave and stop killing humans. Finally, when the aliens decide to just wipe out the entire human race, he's had enough, [[spoiler:turns a bunch of soldiers into vampires and assaults the alien fleet]].
67	* In ''[[Literature/{{Deryni}} The Quest for Saint Camber]]'', Kelson and Dhugal are swept away in a mudslide and washed into an underground cave system behind a waterfall. They follow the cavernous tunnels looking for an escape route and are forced to break into the tombs of the Servants of Saint Camber (who have been in hiding for two centuries due to the anti-Deryni persecutions) to escape. To avoid death sentences for despoiling the Servants' graves, Kelson must undergo a ritual trial called ''cruaidh-dheuchainn''; he's sent naked into an underground chapel that has chemical fumes used to induce visions, and he must stay there overnight and report whether or not Camber visits him. After this, he's ready to return to his capital and face the task of taking his throne back from his cousin Conall.
68	* In the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', it's the moment when Ayla Goodkind leaves the 'normal' world and rides into SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy. Given that 'Goodkind' means 'mutant-hating enemy' in this world, it's pretty much like someone named Hitler going to a university in Jerusalem.
69	* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Rand must enter a series of archways to learn the history of [[spoiler:his true native people, the Aiel]]. If he stops or turns back at any point during this journey, he will never return.
70	[[/folder]]
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72	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
73	* ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'': In the TV cut of movie pilot, there is a epilogue where Buck is clearly still coming to terms with losing everything he knew due to being a 500-year-old HumanPopsicle. Dr. Huer and Wilma offers Buck a position at the Earth Defense Directorate. Buck, feeling that he is hopelessly out of date, is reluctant to join and continues to mope around during the first part of the first episode of the TV series proper. Buck is curious about Earth's latest BigBad threat but he is politely denied any details, of course, since it's ClassifiedInformation. As this was coming from Dr. Huer and Wilma (RedPillBluePill and the fact that they even bothered to inform him at all), it was made to sound much more like a second CallToAdventure, however, since Buck was still DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife. At that point, Buck realizes that he must join if he's to have any real purpose.
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76	[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
77	* ''Literature/TheOdyssey'': The Belly of the Whale for Odysseus is pretty much the moment Agamemnon drafts him into the Trojan War; his life goes downhill from there for the next TWENTY YEARS (10 at war with Troy, 10 trying to get home but with a sizable chunk of time on Calypso's island). Looking at the events of the Odyssey, the moment of hubris in which infuriates Poseidon would probably count.
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80	[[folder:Video Games]]
81	* In ''VideoGame/BatenKaitos'', after the first big WhamEpisode, Xelha finds herself locked up alone in the Imperial Fortress. It's only with [[spoiler:the help of the Guardian Spirit]] that she escapes. And more literally, Baten Kaitos is a star in the Cetus constellation. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Yes, it is the belly of the whale.]]
82	* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' has a memorable case. After the reasonably light-hearted adventuring through Grasstown and the Sand Zone, Quote [[spoiler:has to kill Toroko, sees King die in front of him, and]] is cast into the Labyrinth by Misery.
83	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': Cecil is shipwrecked and washed up, all alone, near Mysidia, a city he had attacked and plundered before the start of the game. He has no choice now but to walk the road of atonement.
84	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
85	** Sora does this twice. Once in the sub-journey that is the [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI first game]], when he separates his heart from his body, and again and more fitting of the trope in his series-long character arc when his heart is shattered entirely and he has to put it back together and heal before he gets another chance to pass the official Hero's Test Yen Sid was giving.
86	** Sora has a couple of these moments in the first game. The first was when [[DoomedHometown his homeworld was destroyed]] and he more or less washed up on Traverse Town. The second happens when he loses the Keyblade as well as Donald and Goofy to [[RivalTurnedEvil Riku]], [[BroughtDownToNormal forcing him to rely on his own strength and tenacity]] for the first time since starting his journey rather than using the Keyblade as a handicap.
87	* In ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series, this is often done both as part of the beginning of the game, and when the first act is done and the second act starts in an event called the "mid-game plot twist."
88	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', this comes when he rescues Zelda from Agahnim and becomes a fugitive. Later, it comes again when Agahnim has re-captured Zelda and Link goes to confront him, only to be sent to the Dark World at the end of their encounter.
89	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', when the Great Deku Tree dies and Link must leave the forest, and later when Link is sealed in the Sacred Realm for a seven-year coma, only to awaken to a CrapsackWorld in which the first thing he sees is a [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies ReDead]].
90	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', after the Happy Mask Salesman has taught him the Song of Healing and given him his quest.
91	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', when the pirates first drop Link off at the Forsaken Fortress. And because he's still an overconfident kid by then, he's tossed into the ocean and rescued, leaving him with no option other than to wise up. The mid-game twist occurs when Link first encounters Ganondorf with the Master Sword, only to find that it has lost its power.
92	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', when Link finds himself turned into a wolf and locked in the twilit Hyrule Castle. The mid-game twist occurs when Zant blindsides Link and takes the Fused Shadows they worked hard to get.
93	** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', when Link finally makes the jump from the safety of The Sky to the desolate Surface below.
94	** Played with interestingly in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', [[spoiler:where this part of the story actually happens before the game proper. As told by one of the flashbacks, Link [[OnlyMostlyDead nearly died]] defending Zelda from the corrupted Guardians, but right after he collapsed, the Master Sword's spirit, Fi, told Zelda to take him to the Shrine of Resurrection where he would be healed over the course of a century. However, the healing process caused him to lose his memory, thus necessitating him to restore it.]]
95	* ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}} 4: The Captain's Return'': When Kayto Shields asks Ava to join him in his quest to hunt down [[spoiler:Crow Harbor]], Ava initially says no. She believes the threat is real, but she's become the acting prime minister of Cera in the six years since the last game. She can't just abandon her responsibilities to go gallivanting around the galaxy [[spoiler:in search of a time-traveling warlord]], and if she leaves now, the PACT sympathizer [[TheQuisling Miirage Foster]] will surely win the coming election. Then Veniczar Fontana springs a trap for Kayto, and Ava gets swept aboard Kayto's ship in the confusion. With the damage already done, Ava quickly settles back into her role as the XO.
96	* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'', when the heroes first become Ouroboros, they, being two squads of three on opposite sides of the ForeverWar, at first elect to shrug off everything about the powers they just gained, call a truce on each other, and return to their respective colonies. Their problem: said colonies now see them as hostile and attack them on sight, leaving them no choice but to team up and begin their journey as Ouroboros.
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99	[[folder:Webcomics]]
100	* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', this moment comes in chapter 7, when Antimony sees Robot S13 on the bridge and rushes out to help, knowing that she'll get in trouble for it. She then gets pushed off the bridge and spends the night trapped in the gorge.
101	* In ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', the secret plot of Headon and Yu Hansung requires [[WideEyedIdealist Twenty-Fifth Bam]] to disappear from the face of the earth and the eyes of King Jahad. Apparently, it was most effective when he was killed by the person he was looking up to and searching for just when everybody thought it would be just fine. Not only is this a staged death, it is the final sledgehammer stroke that destroys Bam's innocence and replaces it with emotional emptiness.
102	[[/folder]]
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104	[[folder:Western Animation]]
105	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': In "The Southern Air Temple", after Zuko's attack on the Southern Water Tribe forced Aang to accept his identity as the Avatar, Aang realizes "I really am the last Airbender," and he becomes aware of the danger of the Avatar State.
106	** 70 years later in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Aang's successor Korra manages to escape some ThresholdGuardians (the Order of the White Lotus) and conciliate others (Lin Bei Fong and Tenzin) and finds herself firmly set in [[CityOfAdventure Republic City]].
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Context Main / CantRefuseTheCallAnymore