Basic Trope: A military authority figure gives their subordinates an opt-out for a dangerous mission, usually without more than a handful of soldiers accepting the offer.
- Straight: General Shepherd is ready to start the mission to break into Emperor Evulz's lair. He offers his task force the opportunity to step down. Most accept the mission.
- Exaggerated: All the soldiers accept simultaneously. Before General Shepherd offers.
- Downplayed: The offer is implied by General Shepherd during the mission briefing when he asks whether anyone would be unable to take part. The main heroes accept the mission, along with quite a few Mauve Shirts and Red Shirts, but some people are also injured, psychologically tormented or want to return to their families and so stand down.
- Justified:
- Evulz needs to be destroyed, and none of the volunteers wants the mission to be understaffed.
- General Shepherd would prefer to overlook protocol rather than place unprepared people on an extremely dangerous assignment.
- Inverted:
- General Shepherd tells a group of would-be deserters among the subordinates in no uncertain terms that the assignment is compulsory and punishment awaits them if they continue.
- A mission is trivial and not remotely dangerous, and few volunteers present themselves.
- Subverted: "Unfortunately, that was a token gesture. The king wants perfect attendance."
- Double Subverted: "Luckily for you, the king's not here."
- Parodied: Despite everybody volunteering as in Exaggerated, Shepherd recites his offer anyway.
- Zig-Zagged: ???
- Averted: ???
- Enforced: The author wants one or more minor characters to live so that they can appear in a sequel, since the heroes of this story will be dead or retired by then.
- Lampshaded: "I never doubted you would come through for me."
- Invoked: "If you've watched enough movies, you know what part comes next."
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: ???
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
- Played for Laughs: The main heroes act out a Line in the Sand moment in a sandbox during their childhood. Bob provides the offer. Alice hesitantly accepts after Bob suggests that cake might be in order. Carol declines on account of having tripped and grazed her knee earlier. David has already drawn his "weapon" and ran off to the objective. Ethan is moving just as quickly in the opposite direction.
- Played for Drama: The above is shown in a flashback before Shepherd waits for their decisions. The main heroes are shown in turn as they each come to a conclusion. They all accept fairly quickly, except for Ethan, who is clearly struggling...
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