Reluctant Warrior: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''"Miyagi always look for way not to fight. Miyagi hate fighting."''|''[[The Next Karate Kid]]''}}

A lot of [[Technical Pacifist|heroes fight for peace]], [[The Power of Love|love]], [[True Companions|friendship]], justice and all that sort of stuff. Occasionally they believe in violence as a last resort, following the path of the [[Martial Pacifist]] and falling back on their prodigious martial training only as the very last resort while avoiding unnecessary deaths. The '''Reluctant Warrior''' isn't quite so blessed, he lacks the [[Improbable Aiming Skills]] that could make his [[Could Have Been Messy|dealing with them bloodlessly possible]]. What's more, he will find himself constantly facing enemies who mean to hurt or kill him and his friends, and who won't pick up a [[Villain Ball]] and [[Self-Disposing Villain|dispose of themselves]].

Because of these conflicting impulses, straight heroes who are Reluctant Warriors will spend a lot of time agonizing over their choices and circumstances, but somehow manage to keep the [[Angst]] under control (well, until the villain tries a [[Hannibal Lecture]] about their [[Not So Different|similarities]]). An [[Anti-Hero]] or [[Anti-Villain]] who is a Reluctant Warrior (it ''can'' happen) likely has some underlying good goal and means well -- forwell—for [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|loose]] [[Noble Demon|definitions]] of [[Utopia Justifies the Means|"well"]] -- and—and nonetheless laments but will not hesitate to use force.

* ''[[Gundam Seed]]'': Kira Yamato starts out as a [[Reluctant Warrior]], who tries to spare his enemies, but ends of killing a ''lot'' of them. He's eventually able to upgrade to [[Technical Pacifist]], much to the improvement of his mental health. Athrun may qualify in ''[[Gundam Seed Destiny]]''.

* ''[[Blood Plus+]]'': Poor, poor Saya Otonashi...

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'': Shinji Ikari. At first, he pilots so that [[Bandage Babe|Rei]] wouldn't have to. Then, he pilots because he want [["Well Done, Son" Guy|recognition]] from his estranged father. After [[Wham! Episode|Bardiel]], [[Morton's Fork|he quits because he's afraid of hurting innocents but shortly afterwards, he pilots again because if he doesn't, people will get hurt anyway]]. Therefore, he has no choice but to sit in that fucking cockpit he hates like no tomorrow.<br /><br />''Rebuild 2.0'' makes it somewhat better: he comes back because Zeruel made the [[Berserk Button|big mistake]] of eating [[Big Brother Instinct|Rei]]. [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]] ensues.

* [[DC Comics]]' [[Western]] character Bat Lash. He's a fairly cheerful [[Reluctant Warrior]], though, who doesn't anguish much about beating up villains, instead maintaining a steady stream of [[You Fight Like a Cow|banter]] about how he did ''try'' to avoid a confrontation, and, really, all he wants is to be about his business, but they've forced the issue. And he means it.

* Faramir in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. The Hobbits as well.

* ''[[Babylon 5]]'': Sheridan's mantra is "We will not start the fight, but we will finish it!" He lives up to it, as in almost all battles he commands, he allows the enemy to make a first shot.<br /><br />In a novel Sheridan's predecessor Sinclair said during his introductory speech to the recruits of the newly found organisation of Rangers, that those who'd joined to have revenge on [[Scary Dogmatic Aliens|Shadows]] are not welcomed there, as the ultimate goal of the organisation is to save lives, ''all'' lives, including those of Shadows, if it's possible.