to tell the truth vs. to offer a comforting lie theme

A character must choose between telling a comforting white lie on the one hand, and being brutally honest on the other.

29 total · 4 choice · 12 major · 13 minor

StoryLevelMotivation
ldr2019e1x07 choice The alien spider-like creature kept Thom trapped in a virtual world ostensibly because it felt that he couldn't handle the grim reality of his situation.
pkded1x02 choice Should Brian tell Irma that Earth is gone or lie to make her happy?
tng7x10 choice Data came clean with Juliana about her being an android.
voy5x05 choice Neelix was faced with deciding on how to break the bad news to Naomi.
ahp1x02 major Kim's family members, in addition to the family lawyer, kept secret from Kim that he'd killed his own father and then suppressed the memory of having done so.
as1985e1x24 major Rather than confronting his grandma with the reality that grandpa had croaked, Edwin went to great lengths to impersonate his grandpa, thus ensuring that his grandma could live out what would be her few remaining days in contentment.
ds95x02 major Worf wanted to tell Muniz the truth that he was going to die. Miles, on the other hand, wanted to keep Muniz's spirits up.
movie: Dark Victory (1939) major Dr. Steele chose to withhold from his patient and love interest, Judith, that her brain cancer was terminal. He reasoned that it would be better for Judith to live out what little time she had left in blissful ignorance, unaware of her impending fate. Ann, Judith's best friend, squarely disagreed with Dr. Steele, and thought Judith had a right to know the truth.
movie: Red Dwarf: The Promised Land (2020) major Lister grappled with whether or not he should break it to the trio of cat clerics that he was not their god. If he did, he risked "breaking their hearts and crushing their souls", but he felt some responsibility to be honest with them.
nightgallery2x01a major Herbie struggled with whether to reveal that Earth was going to end or keep mum about it.