Stories of Good vs Good (NOT Good vs Evil, Gray vs Gray, etc.)

[Blue3]

Does anyone have either examples, or ideas, of stories that feature Good versus Good?

Usually, we get Good versus Evil.

More lately, we've gotten Gray Good versus Gray Evil, or Gray versus Gray, and sometimes even Evil versus Evil.

But how about conflicts of Good versus Good?
Where each side is pure and good in both
- their goals (not a goal like "dominate the world," "have revenge on rival family", etc.)
- their methods (no torturing, enslaving, murdering innocents, morally questionably actions for some greater good, etc.)



One possible idea I can think of, for an example:
-There is a plague sweeping the land. Many are sick and dying. The only cure is this certain type of Plant, found only on a certain island. Two countries/kingdoms/manors/families are struck by the plague, and there's not enough of the cure to save everyone. So they both go to control the source of the cure, and battle with each other when they both try to do the same thing. They each understand the other side is only trying to save their people too, they want peace, they have empathy and understanding, but they know their duty is to save as many of their own people first so they're at war (though it's a very disciplined, restrained war, where they try to avoid killing, focus on trying to control access to the only cure for this plague).

[Antonio the Sixth]

The story I've been trying to write for about a year and a half is trying to do something along those lines. It's closer to "Good vs. Gray" in that there are protagonists and antagonists, and the protagonists are generally more sympathetic, but the idea is that both sides are made of fundamentally altruistic people who are doing what they believe is necessary to save the world with as little collateral harm as possible. The narrative doesn't take sides on which of the two is right.

I can't really elaborate because it's a very personal story.

[Mr. Smith]

Pixar's got a few of these actually.

Inside Out has two stories within that could be this:

The external world of Riley had her face moving to San Francisco from Minnesota, which her parents forced on her for job reasons, and the whole thing got her depressed badly. Technically, they are the antagonists here,...but it was the job and they are loving parents the whole way just caught up.

The internal world is Joy trying to control Sadness, which she can't understand is necessary because she's, well, sad...But she's not really evil at all, and not really grey since she's more than willing to amend things as quickly as she can.

While I think the main goal was to have NO antagonist or sides, I have a hard time not seeing something of the kind.

Finding Nemo is pretty much a dentist rescuing a struggling little clownfish, whereas to the rest of the characters, it's a kidnapping and hostage situation. I s'pose Darla violates the criteria, but then again, she had no idea she killed all those fish by shaking the bags.

Cars is mostly this as well, sure the Michael Keaton voiced car with "a stache" is a jerk, but he's a one note rival only there to highlight the character development. The rest of it is a rather generic "city boy learns to slow down and enjoy the country" story, with a grizzled old mentor. If Doc Hudson is on one side and McQueen is another, then the main conflict is just a misunderstanding.

Even if you disagree with these being purely good vs good, it's hard to deny that at worst, you'll find White Good vs Pure Grey, which is itself a rather rarely used side of the conflict spectrum.

[7,052,770]

The story of the 2016 Democratic primary (with the exception of a few fringe supporters) would be a good example

[Mr. Smith]

The story of the 2016 Democratic primary (with the exception of a few fringe supporters) would be a good example

No, Third-Way centre-leftism is grey morality at best.

[Beet]

Actively good, or just morally acceptable and sympathetic?

Maybe Rocky (1976), depending on how much Apollo Creed was portrayed as a d-bag in the first one. The problem with a lot of potential Good vs. Good stories is, is the antagonist really the other good, or is it some intangible force? Like in your example, the real antagonist is arguably the plague, not the other Good.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Alien v Predator.

[Enduro]

Interesting concept, and one I do plan on exploring in my writing.

As for examples, the Civil War comic book series was this until Iron Man and Cap started taking extreme measures to win the war.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Princess Mononoke.

[Mr. Smith]

Princess Mononoke.

That's purely gray vs gray given how extreme both sides were with how far they'd go. Even then, Lady Eboshi could arguably considered a smidgen worse [but that might be the environmental bias in me speaking].

[Blue3]

Any more?