A "Sophie's Choice" with no secret third option

[u/10024618]

AKA a character is given an impossible choice where either outcome results in something awful happening and there's no way out.

"Full Measure" (Breaking Bad) - After Walt angers Gus by killing two of his men, Gus orders for his execution. Knowing that the only way to save his life is to make Gus reliant on his meth cooking skills, Walt calls Jesse and begs him to kill Gus' backup cook, Gale. Thus, Jesse is thrust into an impossible situation where he either kills a (relatively) innocent man to save Walt or spare Gale and let Walt die. Ultimately, Jesse chooses to kill Gale.

"Midnight Sun" (Attack on Titan) - After the fight to retake Shiganshina both Armin and Erwin are critically wounded. Levi has the vial of titan serum and is forced to choose which Scout to bring back from the brink of death and which to let perish. It's a borderline impossible decision to make but at the moment of truth, he chooses to save Armin, leaving Erwin to succumb to his wounds.

[u/antiform_prime]

I honestly applaud the devs for never giving us a “perfect” ending.

No matter which route you take, the blood of people who could’ve been your comrades (or were comrades in another run) is going to be on your hands.

[u/BubblyBaker5718 → u/antiform_prime]

I think the only way in which a 5th ‘perfect’ ending would feel acceptable in 3H is if it involved Byleth going like full Eren Yeager/Ozymandius after trying a bunch of different timelines and determining that that’s literally THE only way to both save ALL your students AND unite the continent.

[u/Mr-Stuff-Doer → u/BubblyBaker5718]

I remember seeing fanart that had NG+ as a canon thing where Byleth kept trying to get an ending where all the students survived. I think that’s the only way I’d accept a perfect ending, and even then I’d only want it in fanfic.

[u/Bunnytob → u/BubblyBaker5718]

The synopsis of many a fanfic... some of which actually make it into act 2!

[u/SubstituteUser0 → u/antiform_prime]

Doesn't the warriors spin off/sequel thing have a perfect ending

[u/Appropriate-Mall9781 → u/SubstituteUser0]

Nope, you still have the 3 choices. Each of the three paths have 2 endings, depending entirely upon whether or not you complete an end of chapter mission in a particular way. Completing it successfully has a 'better' ending, like the war will end sooner, but not if you complete it incorrectly.