duty vs. self-preservation theme

Someone is forced to choose between following their duty, and saving their own skin.

16 total · 4 choice · 8 major · 4 minor

StoryLevelMotivation
ent1x23 choice Archer about whether to turn over the ambassador to the Mazarites or risk losing the Enterprise with all hands.
movie: The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) choice Joan was pressured to forswear her divine mission in order to save her life but she refused
voy5x26 choice Equinox crew abandoned the Prime Directive in order to return to the Alpha Quadrant
voy7x25/26 choice Janeway about bringing crew home or destroying the Borg's capacity to assimilate Alpha Quadrant aliens
movie: Battleship Potemkin (1925) major the men finally choose to mutiny and revolt rather than eat rotten meat and get summarily executed
movie: Goodfellas (1990) major there were various cases where people deliberated whether to betray their cronies in order to save their own skin - in the end Henry ratted on everyone to save his own skin
tng1x07 major should the drew relieve Picard of duty or not
tng4x14 major Data :: Data defied his duty to Picard to save the Enterprise from destruction
tos2x14 major R.M. Merik :: Merik violates the Prime Directive to save his skin
tos2x25 major Ron Tracy :: Tracy had when attacked