History Main / BeleagueredAssistant

* Planchet, as portrayed by Roy Kinnear, in ''The Three Musketeers'' and its two sequels. Became a bit HarsherInHindsight when he died after being thrown from a horse during the filming of the third one.

* Zhu Li in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' works for Varrick as a lab assistant, cleaner, bodyguard and pretty much anything else he asks for, despite his often dismissive treatment of her. She eventually calls him out for his behavior in Book 4, and it takes several episodes before he swallows his pride and admits he was treating her poorly. [[spoiler: They get married shortly after.]]

'''Mallory:''' Sterling!\\

* Tikki, Chat Noir, and Sabrina all find themselves in this position to Chloe in ''Webcomic/ScarletLady''.

** In ''Blackadder the Third'', Mr. Blackadder is the put-upon assistant to [[TheDitz Prince]] [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfHanover George]], being forced to help the oblivioius prince survive from day to day while getting his own back in petty ways.

** There is also an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of this trope, somewhat: In ''VideoGame/TouhouChireidenSubterraneanAnimism'', [[{{Telepathy}} Satori]] is troubled by her underlings' hijinks. Well, when you have a [[NuclearMutant nuclear-powered]] [[CreepyCrows hell raven]] [[OmnicidalManiac obsessed with destroying the world]] as a ''pet''...

* A downplayed example in ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank''. While Doctor Nefarious is pretty competent in his [[MadScientist chosen]] [[CardCarryingVillain fields]], it's pretty clear it's his butler Lawrence who is the one keeping things running smoothly, from handling all the domestics, to giving his master regular PercussiveMaintenance, to even bringing him BackFromTheDead, when need be. For his part, Lawrence seems to [[ServileSnarker very much enjoy not enjoying his position]].

* Left-Hand Man Gary to [[CloudCuckoolander King]] [[TheCaligula Steve]] in ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater''. He has to keep tabs on King Steve while he drills for mana, orders assassins to KillTheMessenger, wages war on a whim in the name of pacifism, builds robot duplicates of himself that explode at random, and loses the kingdom in a poker game. ''To a length of string.'' Also, Gary is the "left-hand man" because the king's right-hand man is Rodney. Rodney is ''a coffee stain''.

* Kif Kroker in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' is the poster boy for this trope, as pictured above. Kif has it so bad that an exasperated sigh is pretty much his CatchPhrase. His boss, Zapp Brannigan, is apparently aware of his frustration, at one point telling Kif not to groan and another time punishing (then-soldier) Fry by making him ''Kif's'' assistant. Needless to say, Kif proceeded to unload years of frustration on his new inferior.

* ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Back in WWII, Kowalski did not like the military plan being used. At all. It was, from his point of view, just to drop as many soldiers as possible, with the vague hope that someone may break in. And don't let him get started on that "Captain America" guy used for recruiting posters.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Igor}}'' (2008) is about an [[TheIgor Igor]] who hopes to rise about his station as Beleaguered Assistant and become a MadScientist himself. Has his own beleaguered assistants in the form of dim-witted Brain and DeadpanSnarker Scamper.

* ''They Just Don't Care Anymore'': Jazz for the Autobots, Cyclonus for the Decepticons.

* Nail to [[InsistentTerminology Super Kami Guru]] in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''.
* Tails to Sonic in ''WebVideo/SonicTheOtherMovie''.

* Film/{{M3gan}}: Kurt to toy company executive David, who constantly demeans him and throws his things around. [[spoiler:It drives Kurt to steal company secrets and allows [=M3GAN=] to frame Kurt for David’s murder.]]

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': Major Domo from the [[ various x-books]], beleaguered by his psycho-megalomaniac boss Mojo and his junior, Minor Domo.

** There is also an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of this trope, somewhat: In ''VideoGame/TouhouChireidenSubterraneanAnimism'', [[{{Telepathy}} Satori]] is troubled by her underlings' hijinks. Well, when you have a [[ILoveNuclearPower nuclear-powered]] [[CreepyCrows hell raven]] [[OmnicidalManiac obsessed with destroying the world]] as a ''pet''...

* Kyon from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''. One of the few cases where the Beleaguered Assistant is the main character.
** Itsuki may count as well, despite his apparent eagerness and his asskissing (as Kyon sees it) on the inside he finds her actions to be quite exhausting.

* {{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} to the PointyHairedBoss, at least in early strips. Dilbert's learned to game the system to a degree by [[TheBarnum using his manager's own stupidity and arrogance against him]], so [[TheIntern Asok]] took over that role for a while until he became [[{{Dismotivation}} Wally's]] apprentice. Alice, who [[HonorBeforeReason stubbornly refuses to put her sanity before her work ethic]] is the one who fits this best currently.
* In ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', Woodstock is occasionally one of these to Snoopy.
* Henchmen in ''ComicStrip/{{Nodwick}}'' have this as their stock in life: They're stuck hauling implausibly large amounts of loot and being used as monster bait for various adventurers, but are contractually obliged to stick to their employers to the degree that they're not allowed to pass on to the afterlife as long as there's any chance of them being brought back to life.
** Nodwick himself skirts between this trope and HypercompetentSidekick because he does care for his employers -- at least somewhat.
* Major Domo from the [[ComicBook/XMen various x-books]], beleaguered by his psycho-megalomaniac boss Mojo and his junior, Minor Domo.
* ComicBook/PepperPotts for [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] at times. It's apparently bad enough that [[spoiler:Pepper's fiance hated Tony for "ruining" Pepper's life, and this hatred made him a worthy candidate for a Mandarin ring.]]
* The Dutch comic [[ComicBook/StormDonLawrence Storm]] has Visfil, who is violently blamed for absolutely everything bad that happens to his master.
* When Marla was assistant manager to Stuart in ''ComicStrip/{{Retail}}'', she was always doing all his work and getting none of the credit for it. The few times she was on vacation, Stuart tried to push the job onto Val, despite Val's protests. Now that Marla's the manager, she tries ''not'' to do this, unless her assistant manager of the moment annoys her too much.
* ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Back in WWII, Kowalski did not like the military plan being used. At all. It was, from his point of view, just to drop as many soldiers as possible, with the vague hope that someone may break in. And don't let him get started on that "Captain America" guy used for recruiting posters.

Often the OnlySaneMan, the CloudcuckoolandersMinder and TheReliableOne. OnlySaneEmployee is when this character has far more to deal with than just his incompetent boss, while BeleagueredBoss is in charge of a bunch of idiots/lunatics/mavericks. A good character to use when determining whether other characters are NiceToTheWaiter. See also ConservationOfCompetence and SuccessSymbiosis. Contrast ProfessionalButtKisser. If they are male and their employer is female they may be half of MistressAndServantBoy relationship.

Often the OnlySaneMan and TheReliableOne. OnlySaneEmployee is when this character has far more to deal with than just his incompetent boss, while BeleagueredBoss is in charge of a bunch of idiots/lunatics/mavericks. A good character to use when determining whether other characters are NiceToTheWaiter. See also ConservationOfCompetence and SuccessSymbiosis. Contrast ProfessionalButtKisser. If they are male and their employer is female they may be half of MistressAndServantBoy relationship.

* ''Film/SetItUp'': Both Harper and Charlie are this to their bosses Kirsten and Rick. They're forced to work around the clock catering to their every need and doing several demeaning tasks. The plot kicks off when the two meet and decide to get Kirsten and Rick to date so they can finally have some free time. The film even opens with a montage of other assistants who are in the same boat as them, answering to their every demand no matter how ridiculous.

* To a lesser extent, Semmi in ''Film/ComingToAmerica''. He likes Prince Akeem, but wishes he wasn't his servant.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': Obyron is the chief bodyguard of the Necron general Zahndrek, a strategic genius whose old age has unfortunately addled his circuits to the point where he believes he's back in the era of Necron dynasties fighting each other and hallucinating that enemy leaders are Necron nobles to be ransomed as prisoners of war. Obyron has no such delusions, and repeatedly has them killed before reporting to his boss that the prisoners have regrettably benn killed while attempting to escape.

* Slinkman in ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo''.

%%* Sir Hiss in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood''.

* Jaehee Kang in ''VisualNovel/MysticMessenger'' works as Jumin's assistant... and works, and works, as he fails to appreciate the fact that she needs a break once in a while. He also frequently forces her to babysit his cat when he's at work, much to her annoyance. During her route, some of the other RFA members recount an instance when she was so overworked that she passed out. In some routes, she also gets the player in touch with the representative of a group dedicated to protecting the rights of Beleaguered Assistants, who is a potential party guest. In the good ending of her route, she quits her job working for Jumin and starts a café with MC, which makes her much, much happier.

* Jaehee Kang in ''VisualNovel/MysticMessenger'' works as Jumin's assistant... and works, and works, as he fails to realize that she needs a break once in a while. He also frequently forces her to babysit his cat when he's at work, much to her chagrin. The other RFA members, during her route, mention a time before the protagonist joined when she was overworked to the point of passing out. In some routes, she also gets the player in touch with the representative of a group dedicated to protecting the rights of Beleaguered Assistants, who is a potential party guest.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer4000'': Obyron is the chief bodyguard of the Necron general Zahndrek, a strategic genius whose old age has unfortunately addled his circuits to the point where he believes he's back in the era of Necron dynasties fighting each other and hallucinating that enemy leaders are Necron nobles to be ransomed as prisoners of war. Obyron has no such delusions, and repeatedly has them killed before reporting to his boss that the prisoners have regrettably benn killed while attempting to escape.

* In ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'', Alec and Isabelle are this for Jace. While he ''is'' very talented at DemonSlaying, he is also extremely reckless and very frequently ends up as a DistressedDude. Early on it is noted that Alec has never killed a demon, despite being the oldest of their PowerTrio, mostly because his attention is focused on keeping Jace (and to a lesser extent Isabelle) from serious harm. This trope spreads, almost like a disease, when Clary enters the picture, giving her her own set (mostly Simon and Luke, although Isabelle and the others also take turns). Magnus eventually starts feeling like this for the entire group, since [[AWizardDidIt his magic]] is needed by just about everyone.

* {{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} to the PointyHairedBoss, at least in early strips. Dilbert's learned to game the system to a degree, so [[TheIntern Asok]] took over that role for a while until he became [[{{Dismotivation}} Wally's]] apprentice. Alice, who [[HonorBeforeReason stubbornly refuses to put her sanity before her work ethic]] is the one who fits this best currently.