History Main / ComeAlone

* ''Series/PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'' has a slightly GenreSavvy, if somewhat [[LawfulStupidChaoticStupid stupid good]], Usagi subvert the usual outcome of this trope. Receiving a "come alone" message from [[DarkMagicalGirl Dark Mercury]], she realizes her friends would follow her anyway, and so lies to them about the meeting's location. In another subversion, Dark Mercury actually does show up alone too, but that doesn't keep Usagi from nearly getting killed.

** Played straight in several episodes, but the villains in "Liberty" make it an EnforcedTrope. Knowing John Reese [[GenreSavvy will turn up anyway]], they chain a hostage to a bomb and a camera, then order his friend to get into a taxi to the real meeting place. If Reese tries to follow, they'll blow up the bomb.

* Played Straight in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV''. You are told to come alone to be paid by Dimitri, but GenreSavvy Little Jacob insists on coming. Naturally, it's a double-cross and the two of you have to blast through tons of Mooks.

* In ''GuildWars2'', as a couple of lower-caste charr bargain with you to join them alone in the woods to assist them with a job. Even your party is GenreSavvy enough to warn you that it's a horrible idea. [[spoiler: But in the end, the trope is subverted when they completely fulfill their end of the bargain with no shenanagins. One of them lampshades the trope in response to your character's surprise of their trustworthiness.]]

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* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''. Played straight in several episodes, but the villains in "Liberty" make it an EnforcedTrope. Knowing John Reese [[GenreSavvy will turn up anyway]], they chain a hostage to a bomb and a camera, then order his friend to get into a taxi to the real meeting place. If Reese tries to follow, they'll blow up the bomb.

->''They always want you to go alone when you're walking into a trap. Have you noticed that?''

Never do this.

A line used very, very often on messages summoning someone to a meeting between two people on opposing sides, and it's frequently a sign that one side is being LuredIntoATrap.

A variant is one guard on each side.

Almost certainly a DeadHorseTrope, but the occasional hoof-twitch suggests an UndeadHorseTrope.

* In a first-season episode of ''[[LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit Law & Order: SVU]]'', Olivia is being stalked by a killer. He calls and requests a meeting, telling her to come alone. Not being an idiot, she takes substantial backup and they catch the killer. Two seasons later, she's again being stalked, and again is told to come alone. Having apparently lost brain cells since season 1, she goes alone, and ends up having to [[SuicideByCop shoot the bastard]].

* In ''TheSpectacularSpiderMan,'' the Green Goblin gives this warning when baiting Spider-Man and Tombstone into a DeathCourse. All three of them are fully aware it's a trap. Subverted when [[spoiler:Goblin bluffed about having the "bait" in the first place]].

* Occurs frequently in ''TheRockfordFiles''. However, it is notable for having the hero cheat every time as well as the villains.

[[folder:Anime]]
* In ''CodeGeass'' Suzaku tells Lelouch to come alone to the Kururugi Temple. Both sides honor the agreement, but Suzaku is secretly followed by Schneizel's men and Lelouch is arrested. Lelouch screams bloody murder and Suzaku is left feeling miserable. Lelouch rightly stops trusting Suzaku after this point, but Suzaku curiously goes right back to antagonizing Lelouch.

* In an issue of ''{{Thorgal}}'' ("Aaricia"), Thorgal, as a young boy, is challenged by the chieftain's son to a solitary duel on a remote island. Both sides of the trope come in effect, with the evil chieftainling sneaking a pair of goons into the area, and Aaricia sneaking herself in secretly to aid Thorgal.

[[folder:Commercials]]
* [[{{Parody}} Spoofed]] in a commercial for Verizon Wireless, stressing the reliability of their network: a man shows up to a meeting with black-clad criminals, who angrily insist that he was to come to the meeting alone. We pan back to find the entire cell-phone network, which includes thousands of people and a couple of helicopters, standing directly behind him. The head bad guy seems more intrigued than angry and wants to know if they work down at the docks too.
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[[folder:Film]]

* Played straight in ''Film/TheBourneIdentity'', where the CIA at least have the sense to disguise their man's backup as innocent bystanders. Unfortunately they underestimated Jason Bourne.

* In ''AdvanceWars: Days of Ruin (Dark Conflict)'', there is a scene like this, in which the BigBad and the hero agree to meet alone. They're accompanied by TheLancer and TheDragon, and while the Lancer is revealed first, it's established that she came without the hero's knowledge. On the other hand, the Big Bad probably brought the Dragon along on purpose.

* In ''TheBigLebowski'', when The Dude is dropping off the ransom money, the Nihilists demand he comes alone. This prompts Walter to describe them as "fuckin' amateurs."
* Played straight in ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Identity]]'', where the CIA at least have the sense to disguise their man's backup as innocent bystanders. Unfortunately they underestimated Jason Bourne.

->''[[LampshadeHanging They always want you to go alone when you're walking into a trap. Have you noticed that?]]''
-->-- '''[[Series/DoctorWho The Doctor]]''', ''The Androids of Tara''

** In the same novel, [[ActionGirl Brienne of Tarth]] turns up at Jaime Lannister's came, telling him [[TheDreaded the Hound]] has Sansa Stark and he needs to come alone to free her or the Hound will kill her. [[spoiler:Jaime doesn't suspect anything as Brienne is one of the most honorable people he knows, but it appears he's being LuredIntoATrap, as Brienne has been ordered by Lady Stoneheart to kill Jaime.]]

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. In "A Dance With Dragons" Quentyn Martell sets up a high-risk meeting with the Tattered Prince, agreeing that each will bring two men as security. On arrival it's revealed the Tattered Prince has used LoopholeAbuse by bringing a third guard, female sellsword Pretty Meris. Although no violence occurs, if it did happen the Prince points out that the odds are now slightly in his favour.

* On ''BurnNotice'', Mike's ex-fiance's son is kidnapped. He sends Sam with her to meet with the kidnappers, since he knows the kidnapper won't blow the deal over just one bodyguard.
* In ''TheTenthKingdom'', [[BigBad the Evil Queen]] meets with [[UnfortunateNames Relish]] [[TheStarscream the Troll King]], telling him to "come alone and unarmed" or she would slit his children's throats. Of course he doesn't, instead coming an hour early and hiding his men among the trees of the apple orchard. Not to be outdone, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome the solitary Queen was there two hours early and poisoned all the apples]].
* ''PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'' has a slightly GenreSavvy, if somewhat [[LawfulStupidChaoticStupid stupid good]], Usagi subvert the usual outcome of this trope. Receiving a "come alone" message from [[DarkMagicalGirl Dark Mercury]], she realizes her friends would follow her anyway, and so lies to them about the meeting's location. In another subversion, Dark Mercury actually does show up alone too, but that doesn't keep Usagi from nearly getting killed.

* Lampshaded and discussed in ''NowhereMan''. Thomas Veil is an {{Unperson}} who is being called by a MysteriousInformant with information about why his life was taken away. He schedules a time and place for them to meet. A suspicious Tom tells him he forgot to say come alone. The informant didn't say it because he knows in Tom situation he has no friends or anyone he can trust so he felt no need to mention it.

* Played straight and then subverted in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}''. Jacuzzi comes alone. Then the rest of his gang comes alone. But they bust in together. [[spoiler:And then Claire comes alone with them. ]]

* Subverted in Dorothy L. Sayer's GaudyNight; heroine gets such a message and remembers hero's remark that characters in books that fall for that are idiots, so she takes precautions.

** Well, what do you expect? "Verizon Wireless: Sign up now for free CementShoes" isn't a very market-friendly slogan.

* This happens in ''HeroesOfMightAndMagic IV'', in the final mission of the Light Campaign, where you storm the villain's capital, you only find a note saying: "Come to the nearby cave, alone, and we will duel to the death." [[ButThouMust You are forced to accept the ridiculous demand]] only to find out the villain has hired a host of thieves to his aid. The battle is, nonetheless, easy.
* Lampshaded in ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'' after the crime boss Visquis invites the [[PlayerCharacter Jedi Exile]] to meet him at a BadGuyBar and insists that she come alone:

* Played Straight in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto 4''. You are told to come alone to be paid by Dimitri, but GenreSavvy Little Jacob insists on coming. Naturally, it's a double-cross and the two of you have to blast through tons of Mooks.

* Happens in the final episode of ''KamenRiderDecade'', as Tsukasa is summoned by Apollo Geist. Of course, neither side ends up fighting alone, and what results is a free-for-all between various monsters and riders.

A line used very, very often on messages summoning someone to a meeting between two people on opposing sides.

* ''Farewell My Lovely''. A man on the phone tells the PrivateEye protagonist to come alone and unarmed. He takes a gun out of the drawer, and the PrivateEyeMonologue informs us that when someone tells you that, it's time to bring a gun that works.

* In J.R.R. Tolkien's ''{{Silmarillion}}'', when Morgoth offers to discuss the return of the Silmarils with the sons of Fëanor, [[spoiler:''both '' sides come with more strength than agreed upon.]]

* In J.R.R. Tolkien's ''{{Silmarillion}}'', when Morgoth offers to discuss the return of the Silmarils with the sons of Feanor, [[spoiler:''both '' sides come with more strength than agreed upon.]]