History Main / RuleOfTwo

* In ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and ''BatmanArkhamCity'', the Joker keeps Harley as his right hand girl. Even if she's not very good at it.

* ''StarWars'' is the TropeNamer. The Sith have the RuleOfTwo, where there can only be a Sith master and an apprentice. No more no less. One to possess power and the other to desire it. The mentality is that each Sith Lord teaches one apprentice until they are strong enough to destroy their them and take their place. At which point they will seek out another student. In this manner, each master not only ''becomes'' strong, but must ''stay'' that way to stay alive, and each student must become stronger than their master. Each generation of Sith is stronger than the last, because any weak link in the chain is dead. A master cannot have more than one apprentice, because they may team up to kill their master despite being individually weaker than him, turn on each other and weaken the Sith Order. In short, ChronicBackstabbingDisorder as a way of life and a code of morality.

** Interestingly the ExpandedUniverse reveals that Palpatine, Dooku, Vader and other Sith Lords had their own minions trained in the dark side, the rule wasn't technically broken because they weren't "true" Sith Lords, but mere warriors or spies with some lightsaber training and ability in the force. However it seems once a minion begins to grow too strong or worse is discovered being trained in the Sith arts ''one of them has to die'', be it minion or master.

** Interestingly the ExpandedUniverse reveals that Palpatine, Dooku, Vader and other Sith Lords had their own minions trained in the dark side, the rule wasn't technically broken because they weren't "true" Sith Lords, but mere warriors or spies with some lightsaber training and ability in the force. However it seems once a minion begins to grow too strong or worse is discovered being trained in the Sith arts ''one of them has die'', be it minion or master.

** Interestingly the ExpandedUniverse reveals that Palpatine, Dooku, Vader and other Sith Lords had their own minions trained in the dark side, the rule wasn't technically broken because they weren't "true" Sith Lords, but mere warriors or spies with some lightsaber training and ability in the force. However it seems once a minion begins to grow too strong or worse is discovered being trained in the Sith arts, ''someone has to go'' be it them or their master.
** Darth Bane's philosophy, however, also resulted in the Sith's undoing, as Bane did not take into account [[EvilCannotComprehendGood the possibility that either the master or the apprentice could actually be redeemed]], as evidenced by Darth Vader's RedemptionEqualsDeath and Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus' apprentice renouncing the Dark Side of the Force and the Sith shortly after the former's demise.

** Interestingly the ExpandedUniverse reveals that Palpatine, Dooku, Vader and other Sith Lords had their own minions trained in the dark side, the rule wasn't technically broken because they weren't "true" Sith Lords, but mere warriors or spies with some lightsaber training and ability in the force. However it seems once these minions begin to grow too strong or worse is discovered being trained in the Sith arts, ''someone has to go'' be it master or minion.

* ''StarWars'' is the TropeNamer. The Sith have the RuleOfTwo, where there can only be a Sith master training a student. The master cannot teach another student, and the student cannot learn from another Sith master.
** In fact, there can be only two Sith Lords, the master and the apprentice, ''in total''. The origins of this rule are explained in ''Darth Bane: The Path of Destruction'', where the Sith have become so "corrupt" (from a perverse DarkSide point of view) that there are hordes of people with the title of "Dark Lord of the Sith", and their leader pretends to be just a first among equals; their official philosophy states that anyone claiming the title "Darth" or supreme leadership would only lead to strife an infighting. The VillainProtagonist Bane (who gradually becomes a peculiar variation of TheUbermensch) has been reading the ancient Sith texts and realises how against the traditional values such a policy is. Eventually, after [[spoiler: visiting that Rakatan temple from ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and viewing an ancient recording by his idol Darth Revan]], he comes to the conclusion that there should only ever be two Sith Lords at a time: one to hold power, and the other to covet it and take it by force when they're ready; and that the Sith should not work for the fall of the Jedi and to conquer the galaxy by armed conflict, but subtlety, which Palpatine eventually pulled off. [[spoiler: Having made up his mind on this, ''Darth'' Bane makes sure all the collectivist Sith Lords unintentionally commit collective suicide.]]
** The actual RuleOfTwo itself is that each Sith Lord teaches one apprentice, and when that apprentice is strong enough, he (or she) will kill the master and take their place, choosing another student. In this manner, each master not only ''becomes'' strong, but must ''stay'' that way to stay alive, and each student must become stronger than their master. Each generation of Sith is stronger than the last, because any weak link in the chain is dead. A master cannot have more than one apprentice, because they will team up to kill the master while each of them is individually weaker than him, and will then turn on each other and weaken the Sith Order. In short, ChronicBackstabbingDisorder as a way of life and a code of morality.
*** When you think about it, a philosophy based on Hate isn't really conducive to long-term teamwork anyway...
*** It's not about teamwork, it's about power, and Obi-Wan finished the Sith's 10,000 years winning streak when he killed Darth Maul, also Palpatine was quite happy that Dooku was killed because he would soon get a "far younger and more powahful" apprentice.
** The expanded universe makes it clear that pretty much every Sith lord and apprentice had extra force-sensitive people hanging around anyway, some of them on the hook with "okay so when I overthrow the master/my current apprentice has [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlived his usefulness]], then you'll be my ''official'' apprentice in our secret society."
*** Actually, although the ExpandedUniverse reveals that Palpatine, Dooku, Vader and other Sith Lords had their own minions trained in the dark side, the rule wasn't broken because they weren't true Sith Lords, but mere warriors or spies with some lightsaber training and little ability in the force.
**** And in the case of Darth Maul, the novel ''DarthPlagueis'' also implies that, even if Darth Maul was officially Sidious' apprentice, he still wouldn't have broken the RuleOfTwo anyway because his master, Darth Plagueis, decided to end it after making Palpatine his apprentice. Of course, for some reason, Sidious decided to reinstate the RuleOfTwo after [[TheStarscream offing Plagueis]].

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Sometimes the BigBad gets bored doing everything himself. He'll get a [[{{The Dragon}} second in command, a lieutenant, or an apprentice]] to keep things interesting. This is the RuleOfTwo. There are two big bosses, and both have to be taken down. If TheHero is about to take {{the Dragon}} down, expect the BigBad to try to turn him to TheDarkSide. If {{the Dragon}} is about to take the hero down, expect him to [[WeCanRuleTogether offer an alliance]] to overthrow the BigBad and take his place. Comare and contrast BigBadDuumvirate.

-->-- '''Master Yoda''', ''StarWars Episode I: The Phantom Menace''

Sometimes the BigBad gets bored doing everything himself. He'll get a [[{{The Dragon}} second in command, a lieutenant, or an apprentice]] to keep things interesting. This is the RuleOfTwo. There are two big bosses, and both have to be taken down. If TheHero is about to take {{the Dragon}} down, expect the BigBad to try to turn him to TheDarkSide. If {{the Dragon}} is about to take the hero down, expect him to [[WeCanRuleTogether offer an alliance]] to overthrow the BigBad and take his place.

* In ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and ''BatmanArkhamCity'', the Joker keeps Harley as his right hand girl. Even if she's not very good at it.

* This is a common theme in ''KimPossible''. Drakken and Shego, the Seniors, and even Gemini says that he was saving the "Alpha" title for someone special.

*** It's not about teamwork, it's about power, and Obi-Wan finished the Sith's 10,000 years winning streak when he killed Darth Maul, also Palpatine was quite happy that Dooku was killed because he would soon get a "far younger and more powahful" apprentince.

* In ''{{Naruto}}'' there's Kabuto and Orochimaru. And it should be noted that the Akatsuki only move in pairs.

* Prominent in ''FateStayNight''. Sure, you could just kill the Master and run away from the Servant (it's even repeatedly stated to be the best strategy), but nobody ever does. Most apparent with Kotomine/Gilgamesh and Kuzuki/Caster. Nobody in either pairing is really the boss. Gilgamesh will do what Kotomine says, if he feels like it. Caster would obey Kuzuki's orders, but Kuzuki is too passive to really bother most of the time. Also apparent in Kotomine's fight against True Assassin and Zouken Matou. [[spoiler:He's stronger than Assassin, but can't kill him due to him being a Servant, so he has to take out Zouken first and ''then'' Assassin would be vulnerable. But Zouken is essentially unkillable by normal means plus Assassin is keeping him busy.]]

* In ''{{Series/Heroes}}'' the Company's rule is "one of them, one of us".
* [[MadScientist Thunderstorm]] and [[KillerRobot Shadow]] in [[Recap/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeriesS3TVM2Thunderstorm the one TV movie they appear in]] easily fit this in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries''.

* This is a recurring motif in ''{{Touhou}}''.

** For that matter, the yin-yang features heavily in ''{{Touhou}}''; it's even one of Reimu's attack mode.

* In ''{{Series/Heroes}}'' the Company's rule is "one of them, one of us"

<<|{{Villains}}|>>

* Bleach has this with [[Aizen and Gin,]] though there's also [[Tosen.]] Not that he's really a threat.

* In ''Heroes'' the Company's rule is "one of them, one of us"

->''"Always two, there are. No more. No less. A Master and an apprentice."''

* StarWars is the TropeNamer. The Sith have the RuleOfTwo, where there can only be a Sith master training a student. The master cannot teach another student, and the student cannot learn from another Sith master.

** For that matter, the yin-yang features heavily in Touhou; it's even one of Reimu's attack mode.
* Xykon and Redcloak of OrderOfTheStick form a good example
* Prominent in FateStayNight. Sure, you could just kill the Master and run away from the Servant (it's even repeatedly stated to be the best strategy), but nobody ever does. Most apparent with Kotomine/Gilgamesh and Kuzuki/Caster. Nobody in either pairing is really the boss. Gilgamesh will do what Kotomine says, if he feels like it. Caster would obey Kuzuki's orders, but Kuzuki is too passive to really bother most of the time. Also apparent in Kotomine's fight against True Assassin and Zouken Matou. [[spoiler:He's stronger than Assassin, but can't kill him due to him being a Servant, so he has to take out Zouken first and ''then'' Assassin would be vulnerable. But Zouken is essentially unkillable by normal means plus Assassin is keeping him busy.]]

* BatmanArkhamAsylum and BatmanArkhamCity The Joker keeps Harley as his right hand girl. Even if she's not very good at it.

** Actually, there can be only two Sith Lords, the master and the apprentice, ''in total''. The origins of this rule are explained in ''Darth Bane: The Path of Destruction'', where the Sith have become so "corrupt" (from a perverse DarkSide point of view) that there are hordes of people with the title of "Dark Lord of the Sith", and their leader pretends to be just a first among equals; their official philosophy states that anyone claiming the title "Darth" or supreme leadership would only lead to strife an infighting. The VillainProtagonist Bane (who gradually becomes a peculiar variation of TheUbermensch) has been reading the ancient Sith texts and realises how against the traditional values such a policy is. Eventually, after [[spoiler: visiting that Rakatan temple from ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and viewing an ancient recording by his idol Darth Revan]], he comes to the conclusion that there should only ever be two Sith Lords at a time: one to hold power, and the other to covet it and take it by force when they're ready; and that the Sith should not work for the fall of the Jedi and to conquer the galaxy by armed conflict, but subtlety, which Palpatine eventually pulled off. [[spoiler: Having made up his mind on this, ''Darth'' Bane makes sure all the collectivist Sith Lords unintentionally commit collective suicide.]]

** Actually, there can be only two Sith Lords, the master and the apprentice, ''in total''. The origins of this rule are explained in ''Dath Bane: The Path of Destruction'', where the Sith have become so "corrupt" (from a perverse DarkSide point of view) that there are hordes of people with the title of "Dark Lord of the Sith", and their leader pretends to be just a first among equals; their official philosophy states that anyone claiming the title "Darth" or supreme leadership would only lead to strife an infighting. The VillainProtagonist Bane (who gradually becomes a peculiar variation of TheUbermensch) has been reading the ancient Sith texts and realises how against the traditional values such a policy is. Eventually, after [[spoiler: visiting that Rakatan temple from ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and viewing an ancient recording by his idol Darth Revan]], he comes to the conclusion that there should only ever be two Sith Lords at a time: one to hold power, and the other to covet it and take it by force when they're ready; and that the Sith should not work for the fall of the Jedi and to conquer the galaxy by armed conflict, but subtlety, which Palpatine eventually pulled off. [[spoiler: Having made up his mind on this, ''Darth'' Bane makes sure all the collectivist Sith Lords unintentionally commit collective suicide.]]