If you were Butch, would you go back for Marcellus?

I guess butch had a code, an “honor among thieves” type thing. You can see he thought about it as he was preparing to leave, but decided he couldn’t let Marcellus go out like that.

But I always wondered if butch would remain free from Marcellus’ wrath. Wallace isn’t aware of Vincent Vega’s fate yet.

Marcellus was an enemy of Butch but it was not personal, it was business. there was a financial dispute between them and it was resorting to deadly violence but i think they still had mutual respect for each other as men. if Marcellus was simply to be killed then Butch probably would have allowed it and left since his life was on the line too but since Marcellus was facing a gay gang rape he just had to take the risk and save him. Marcellus wanted to kill Butch since he had to keep his street cred in rep after taking that big boxing loss but he was planning to do it humanely enough and Butch knew that. he couldnt in his right conscience allow his adversary go out like that, there wasnt any hate between them it was just business

Personally, no, I would have left. Putting myself in Butch's shoes, I don't care whether the grudge between Marcellus and myself was business or personal—he had put a hit out on me, and just moments earlier was trying to murder me himself. As far as I'm concerned, I don't owe him shit.

Throw in the possibility of a failed rescue attempt leading to my own rape/murder—or even a successful attempt leading to Marcellus deciding to kill me anyways (who knows how rationally a murderous gangster is going react immediately after being brutally raped?)—and yeah, I'm outta there. Nice knowing ya, Marcellus.

Nope, if I was Butch and had that chance to escape after knocking out the gimp, I would have done. Far more risk in going back to help Marcellus out when you are virtually in the clear. Not only do you not know if Marcellus will abandon the hit on you, he might even want to have you killed so word of him being raped doesn't get around. Plus, although it went smoothly for Butch in taking care of the pawnshop owner and his cop friend, that part of it may not have gone to plan.

I'm glad Butch did go back, not just because it gave us the scenes that followed, but it made him a more moral character.

I would have bailed.
Ok Butch is strong, but a katana vs 2 men, who were both carrying firearms 10 minutes before? Not great odds to make it.
That alone makes me doubtful.
Had he found a loaded gun, maybe.

I don't think anyone could truthfully answer that question unless the events ACTUALLY happened to them.

Some would want payback. Some would run and call it sweet luck.

Pulp Fiction Theory Finally Explains Why Butch Saved Marsellus

https://screenrant.com/why-butch-saved-marsellus-wallace-pulp-fiction-theory/

Butch ended up saving Marsellus in Pulp Fiction even though Marsellus wanted to kill him, and a theory explains why Butch made that decision.

I would have gone back for him. Leaving another man or anyone for that matter, to be raped and murdered is not something I would want on my conscience, as well as living with for that matter. It’s one thing to kill another man or woman in self defense, but to leave that same individual to the wolves (in this case, morally depraved sadistic wolves) is something else entirely. Of course circumstances play a role, if Marcellus had hurt my family or someone I knew personally in a way that even bordered unforgivable, I would most likely be indifferent to his suffering. But because it was my own double crossing that led to Marcellus trying to kill me, that changes things, and from his point of view it’s business and that’s all it is. I’m not going to leave someone to die because I fucked them over and they attempted to kill me over it.
Not trying to sound like a tough guy or anything, it’s just principle.
Also, as an infantryman the leave no man behind philosophy is ingrained in my makeup.