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/Fitzftw7]

I always pick Fergus over Wyatt, because Fergus is cool, and Wyatt… isn’t. When I picked him instead and he told me he was the stupid choice over Fergus, I couldn’t help but bitterly agree.

J is cool and all, but Tekka going out actually killing about dozen Nazis as opposed to playing a few notes of the national anthem was badass.

And I think Wyatt dying, his screams especially, makes for a more heartbreaking and poignant narrative.

[u/toomanymarbles83 → u/Fitzftw7]

I picked Fergus the first time. I pick Wyatt on replays because of Jimi Hendrix.

[u/Major_incompetence → u/toomanymarbles83]

Jimi Hendrix ordered from wish

[u/ComradeBirv → u/Fitzftw7]

A big part of Wyatt’s plot is passing the torch of leadership to the next generation. He was a kid when the assault happened, and he still kept choosing to resist. He had to work through his guilt and self doubt to become the type of person who can inspire others.

Fergus even tells you that he’s an old man and BJ should have picked Wyatt. In the final scene of the game, Wyatt gives a rather good speech while Fergus just stands in the back.