History Main / CosmicPlaything

** Commissar CiaphasCain has repeatedly stated in his private memoirs that if the Emperor is truly watching over him, He has a twisted sense of humor.

* ''[[Webcomic/EightBitTheater 8-Bit Theater]]'' has Black Mage. Some of the other {{Butt Monkey}}s have also noted their cursed lives of suck:
--->'''Onion Kid''': "[[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2009/01/29/episode-1088-misfire/ Guess I ran out of parents.]]"

* [[TheAmazingWorldOfGumball Gumball Watterson]] in the episode "The Curse" where he finds himself under a plague of bad luck for no explained reason.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', good god Naruto. When Naruto was [[spoiler: a minute old. Not a year, a MINUTE old, he was threatened by Obito TWICE. The result of the attack made Naruto an orphan, a social pariah to the adults with the added bonus of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama sealed inside of him. Probably due to the fact he never had any real training and said monster inside of him messing with his energy, he performed horribly in school causing no one respect to him. Just when he made friends, his best friend goes crazy and tries to kill him. Just when you think things couldn't get worse, we learn that there are 10 hyper powerful ninja after him. And if he tries to use the Fox's powers, he slowly weakens the seal and causes enough damage to himself that he loses years off his lifespan and a danger to everyone around him.]]

* ''Manga/Naruto'', good god Naruto. When Naruto was [[spoiler: a minute old. Not a year, a MINUTE old, he was threatened by Obito TWICE. The result of the attack made Naruto an orphan, a social pariah to the adults with the added bonus of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama sealed inside of him. Probably due to the fact he never had any real training and said monster inside of him messing with his energy, he performed horribly in school causing no one respect to him. Just when he made friends, his best friend goes crazy and tries to kill him. Just when you think things couldn't get worse, we learn that there are 10 hyper powerful
ninja after him. And if he tries to use the Fox's powers, he slowly weakens the seal and causes enough damage to himself that he loses years off his lifespan and a danger to everyone around him.]]

*** The truly bizarre thing here is that if you stripped away the {{Wangst}}, this is a remarkably standard (and recommended) form of prayer. Namely, (1) admission of helplessness and abandonment of control, (2) doing his part when he knows how (3) asking God for help.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', Temple Fugate, a deconstruction of the ClockKing: Trying to control the universe by being a ScheduleFanatic, the irony is that the Universe makes Fugate a CosmicPlaything: Following LaserGuidedKarma, as long as Fugate does things with discipline (as efficiently as possible) will guarantee that he can pull those {{GambitRoulette}}s. ''The Universe grants him NoDelaysForTheWicked, and so conspires with him to win''. However, if the ClockKing indulges in BondVillainStupidity or dares to make something unplanned, like the IndyPloy, ''the Universe conspires against him enforcing FinaglesLaw''.

* ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'': Londo Mollari claims that he is this on a couple occasions. In one episode in the fifth season, he comments that he would have thought that the universe would be like "Well, we've had our little fun with Londo Mollari" and moved on to torturing someone else by now. Of course, he tends to ignore the fact that many of the bad things that occur to him are the direct result of his own decisions, and a lot of things he complains about affect more people that just him.

* ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]: Londo Mollari claims that he is this on a couple occasions. In one episode in the fifth season, he comments that he would have thought that the universe would be like "Well, we've had our little fun with Londo Mollari" and moved on to torturing someone else by now. Of course, he tends to ignore the fact that many of the bad things that occur to him are the direct result of his own decisions, and a lot of things he complains about affect more people that just him.

* At WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries, Temple Fugate, a deconstruction of the ClockKing: Trying to control the universe by being a ScheduleFanatic, the irony is that the Universe makes Fugate a CosmicPlaything: Following LaserGuidedKarma, as long as Fugate does things with discipline (as efficiently as possible) will guarantee that he can pull those {{GambitRoulette}}s. ''The Universe grants him NoDelaysForTheWicked, and so conspires with him to win''. However, if the ClockKing indulges in BondVillainStupidity or dares to make something unplanned, like the IndyPloy, ''the Universe conspires against him enforcing FinaglesLaw''.

Most of us like to think that our decisions have some influence on our lives. We think we are in control but sometimes, there's the sneaking suspicion that an influence [[FinaglesLaw doesn't like us]] or maybe [[TheWoobie it does like us but in a abusive way]]. These character doesn't just suspect; they ''know.''

* Turin from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' (Children of Hurin). Morgoth cursed his entire family. Actually, Tolkien claimed it wasn't precisely a curse, since Morgoth was the source of all evil in the world anyhow.

Most of us like to think that our decisions have some influence on our lives. We think we are in control but sometimes, there's the sneaking suspicion that an influence [[FinaglesLaw doesn't like us]] or maybe [[TheWoobie it does likes but in a abusive way]]. These character doesn't just suspect; they ''know.''

** The title charactuler causes this trope for her entire circle of friends for Mikuru Asahina most of all. You know the universe hates you when getting groped by God is one of your lesser problems.
* The cast of ''[[JungleWaItsumoHaleNochiGuu Haré+ Guu]]'' were in a strange place metaphysically already, but then the god-like Guu shows an interest in them and it gets much weirder.

** Keiichi Morisato starts this way by[[UnluckyEverydude being born under an unlucky star]] (the Star of Misfortune). Even after getting a [[MagicalGirlfriend goddess for a girlfriend]], his luck is still remarkably poor; it's just that Belldandy is now around to smooth out the worst parts.

* Moroboshi Ataru of ''UruseiYatsura'' was born on the second unluckiest day in the Japanese calendar: The thirteen of April, the [[FourIsDeath fourth]] month of the year, as well as the day remembering the death of Bhudda. His name means "hit by a shooting star", which would take phenomenally bad luck.

** [[spoiler: Himawari]], turns everyone she touches orlooks at towards very bad luck; she's never directly affected, and she herself isn't supernatural. Being associated (or even seen) with her has caused: [[spoiler: a girl who liked her to commit suicide, a compulsive liar to get hit by a bus, her grandmother to die, her teacher to get stabbed, her neighbor's house to burn down, a kekkai to be broken during a ritual, a college student to discover (and eventually be killed by) a [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor monkey paw]], and Watanuki to fall out of a window and require ''two'' [[DealWithTheDevil trades]] to save his life and he still loses movement in his finger.]] No one can say why she's like this, and wish-granting sorceress Yuuko tells Watanuki that the only thing that can take away her curse is by trading [[spoiler:all the happiness she will ever feel]].

** The universe hates Lelouch so much that he has to [[spoiler:mind-control God]] just to get a BittersweetEnding... [[spoiler:which he doesn't even live long enough to experience.]] On a meta note, The writing staff of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has often proclaimed their love for the show's protagonist Lelouch...and then they smack him with DiabolusExMachina after DiabolusExMachina, causing everyone connected to him to suffer, including [[spoiler:Shirley (loses father, goes through severe emotional torment, dies), Euphemia (accidentally mind controlled, reputation destroyed, killed), and C.C. (loses powers and memories up to the age of 10)]]. They insist that they do this out of affection, wanting Lelouch to learn AnAesop about appreciating what you have in life; the Japanese fandom responded by coining the term "Lulu Quality" to refer to such treatment.

* ''RaveMaster'':It is genuinely one of the founding rules of the universe that the Raregroove bloodline be screwed over in each generation. It alsos pits them against the Symphonias and the Raregrooves are always destined to lose. Just read the series if you don't get it.
* ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' Hayate isn't quite sure ''why'' the universe hates him so much, but he knows it's true. His friends know it's true. His poor luck is so infamous that Wataru is able to successfully gamble by betting on the exact opposite of what Hayate would pick. A major contributing factor can be his tendency to say the wrong thing at the right moment to get him brutally assaulted. [[spoiler: This may actually come from Athena giving him a 'lesson' which 'his body never forgot (hint: it involved swords and it wasn't fun) after neglecting to tell her about his kiss with Izumi when he left the castle.]] Since then his compulsive habit to be stupidly honest overrides his sense of self preservation.

* Mitsuo in ''Manga/DailyLivesOfHighSchoolBoys'', who eventually had all other {{Butt Monkey}}s' mishaps misattributed to him; even one of those "other ButtMonkey" sincerely believed it was Mitsuo, not him, who did it.

* The entire main cast of OnePiece, a.k.a. the Strawhat Pirates. It almost seems like having a sad past is an actual requirement to join the crew. From [[spoiler:staying alone on an empty ship for 50 years, to watching your mother die in front of you (this happened to 3 of them!),]] every character has had his own share of trauma. Fortunately, life gets better after they join the crew.

* ''{{Deadpool}}'' don't really mind being a Cosmic Plaything so much when it's Death wanting to use him as a boytoy. He's not so happy however, when it's Thanos making him immortal so that he can't steal his girlfriend.

* When Jack Slater, the titular ''Film/LastActionHero'', finally confronts the actor who plays him (Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger) in the real world, he gives the actor a long, angry rant about how Schwarzeneggar ruined Slater's life by putting him through hell. It might have been entertaining to the audience, but having his son die, having his marriage ruined, and being subjected to gunfight after gunfight after gunfight was less than fun for the fictional character.

* ''Literature/JobAComedyOfJustice'' by Creator/RobertAHeinlein takes "Job" to a new level, you could rename the trope after this book.

** The only reason that the last statement is true is because of this: Due to the machinations of the Lady, and counter-machinations of Fate, Rincewind has been bounced through time and space so often, the most impressive fact of his life is that he has yet to run into himself. Finding the start, let alone end, of a life like that is damnably hard, even for Death. (Although Rincewind would be (dis) pleased to learn that Death has taken such a personal interest in him that his lifetimer is kept on Death's desk, much as a butterfly collector would keep an interesting specimen. The shape is akin to what you might expect if a drunken glassblower went about making a normal egg-timer, and had a continuous case of hiccups.)

* Turin from ''TheSilmarillion'' (Children of Hurin). Morgoth cursed his entire family. Actually, Tolkien claimed it wasn't precisely a curse, since Morgoth was the source of all evil in the world anyhow.

* Subversion: Dolorous Edd in ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' constantly complains that he is one, but compared to what's happened to the other characters in the story he's actually better off...

* From ''Series/DoctorWho'', Rory Williams definitely. It really seems like the universe just wants him to roll over and die. But it enjoys screwing with him too much to allow him to do that. First- his girlfriend/fiancée [[spoiler: and later wife]], runs off with another man. Later, [[spoiler: he has died at least once, debatably twice, had his stag party ruined by the man with whom his fiancée ran off, was erased from existence, turned to plastic, had his fiancée forget him, shot his fiancée against his will, then guarded said fiancée for almost 2000 years. [[TheyKilledKenny He then dies another three times]]. Then his wife gets kidnapped. And then their daughter is stolen, and becomes a psychopath.]] On the other hand, all this cosmic torture turned him into a Grade A {{Badass}} capable of [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds facing down and intimidating a battalion of cybermen without flinching]].

Compare BornUnlucky, WeirdnessMagnet and NoFourthWall. May be caused by a TrumanShowPlot. For a solely abusive version see TheChewToy. For a more subjective version, see DesignatedMonkey. If the character arguably deserves mistreatment by the universe, they might be the victim of CallItKarma, an IneffectualSympatheticVillain, or a JerkassWoobie.

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* Daniel from ''AmnesiaTheDarkDescent''. His entire life - from his abusive childhood with a chronically ill younger sister all the way up to his experiences during the game itself - resembles an extremely cruel and miserable practical joke, and this is without taking into account just what he did while in the service of Baron Alexander, or why. Or that he's afraid of the dark in a horror game with the word "Dark" in its title.

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** Frank Grimes

** Plankton. If, even for the big bad. It seems that even the most wretched attempts of wanting to steal the Krabby Patty formula, the karma will come back him a worse punishment.

--->'''The Doctor:''' You ''never'' take me where I want to go.
--->'''[[ItMakesSenseInContext The TARDIS:]]''' Because I take you where you ''need'' to go.

* The trailer for ''Vamp'' contained the following litany of the protagonist's experiences that evening:

* [=FitzChivalry Farseer=] of RobinHobb's ''Farseer'' and ''Tawny Man'' trilogies. Described as [[spoiler:Fool]]'s "[[BlessedWithSuck Catalyst]]," which means he exists largely to ScrewDestiny. As [[spoiler:Fool]] puts it, [[spoiler:the world is like a wheel caught in a circular rut, and will follow that rut, digging itself in deeper; only a White Prophet like the Fool can see this course of fate, and more importantly, where a wedge -- the Catalyst -- can be placed to pop that wheel out of that rut and onto a new path. Coincidentally, and to stretch the metaphor a little further, that means the wedge gets run over by the wheel. Hard. And repeatedly, if the first attempt didn't work, making it worse as the rut gets deeper.]] Fitz definitely has the worst time overall of anyone in the series, getting ''at best'' a BittersweetEnding at the end of ''Farseer'', though he just manages to scrape something better out of ''Tawny Man'', which TastesLikeDiabetes.

* Tomoko from ''ItsNotMyFaultImNotPopular'', the world obviously hates her.

Most of us like to think that our decisions have some influence on our lives. That we have control, at least to a point. But sometimes, there's the sneaking suspicion that maybe an influence [[FinaglesLaw doesn't]] [[ButtMonkey like us]] [[ChewToy very much]], or maybe [[TheWoobie likes us in a very abusive way]].

On some series, a particular character doesn't just suspect. They ''know.'' For some strange reason, they find their lives governed by events and rules that defy either coincidence or logical explanation. They might figure out some of the "rules," like the what and the where, but the how and the why is a complete mystery.

The nature of such a situation allows a certain flexibility to writers, as they don't have to think too hard about why this is happening, or even if the character's [[GenreBlindness belief in their situation is correct]], allowing them to [[{{Handwave}} focus on the immediate story]].

Often includes a SmiteMeOhMightySmiter. May overlap with PowersThatBe, but generally, there is no real confirmation or sign that a specific entity or group is working on the character. It may also overlap CantGetAwayWithNuthin, if the character interprets the situation as an active, immutable force on them personally, rather than "how the world works" for everyone. If there's more than one cosmic entity and the other one guides another character into antagonizing the first, it's a CosmicChessGame.

Compare BornUnlucky, WeirdnessMagnet and NoFourthWall. May be caused by a TrumanShowPlot. For a solely abusive version see TheChewToy. For a more subjective version, see DesignatedMonkey. If the character arguably deserves mistreatment by the universe, they might be the victim of CallItKarma, an IneffectualSympatheticVillain, or a JerkassWoobie. For when the PowersThatBe treat the characters as pieces in a game see CosmicChessGame. May lead to GodIsEvil.

* [[Anime/TenchiMuyoGXP Seina Yamada]]. His luck is worse than Tenchi's.
* Pretty much the plot of KokoroConnect. A cosmic entity possesses the body of their teacher and flat out tells them that it plans to experiment with them.
* While he does actually live in a painfully mundane world, it is the mental illness of the main character in ''WelcomeToTheNHK'' that he ''thinks'' he is the target of this type of cosmic conspiracy.
* Most of the characters (with the possible exception of Chairman Kiel and the rest of SEELE)--or, in fact, humanity itself in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. (Yes, this DOES include Gendo)
* Perhaps the most extreme example is the titular character of ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', who causes this trope for her entire circle of friends. [[AGodAmI Though the truth is stranger yet...]]
** Mikuru Asahina. You know the universe hates you when getting groped by God is actually one of your lesser problems.
* The cast of ''[[JungleWaItsumoHaleNochiGuu Haré+ Guu]]'' were in a strange place metaphysically already, but then the god-like Guu shows an interest in them, and it gets much, much weirder.
* Keiichi Morisato of ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'' starts this way, having [[UnluckyEverydude been born under an unlucky star]] (the Star of Misfortune). Even after getting a [[MagicalGirlfriend goddess for a girlfriend]], his luck is still remarkably poor; it's just that Belldandy is now around to smooth out the worst parts.
** This was even stretched into a plot point about a [[PlagueOfGoodFortune thermodynamic-like Conservation of Happiness]], where any unnatural attempt to shift luck is dangerous because it has to go to or leave somewhere else.

* Moroboshi Ataru of ''UruseiYatsura'' is similarly marked, as he was born on the second unluckiest day in the Japanese calendar: The thirteen of April, the [[FourIsDeath fourth]] month of the year, as well as the day remembering the death of Bhudda. His name means "hit by a shooting star", which would take phenomenally bad luck.
* Used several ways in ''Manga/XxxHOLiC'': main character Watanuki is a WeirdnessMagnet, as his blood is apparently delicious to supernatural creatures and thus draws them to him, much to his displeasure. Doumeki is the opposite of this, as his exorcism/purification powers are so strong his mere presence is a deterrent to the types of creepies that plague Watanuki. Pity Watanuki claims so strenuously he HATES Doumeki...
** All of this is eventually [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. Turns out the supernatural creatures are attracted to him because he's subconsciously suicidal for remarkably spoilerific reasons, which attracts them like a lightbulb attracts moths.
** Even worse, and not so justified is [[spoiler: Himawari]], who turns everyone she touches, apart from her parents (or she couldn't have been born), or even looks at towards very bad luck; she's never directly affected, and she herself isn't supernatural. Being associated (or even seen) with her has caused: [[spoiler: a girl who liked her to commit suicide, a compulsive liar to get hit by a bus, her grandmother to die, her teacher to get stabbed, her neighbor's house to burn down, a kekkai to be broken during a ritual, a college student to discover (and eventually be killed by) a [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor monkey paw]], and Watanuki to fall out of a window and require ''two'' [[DealWithTheDevil trades]] to save his life and he still loses movement in his finger.]] No one can say why she's like this, and wish-granting sorceress Yuuko tells Watanuki that the only thing that can take away her curse is by trading [[spoiler:all the happiness she will ever feel]].
*** And if he tried to trade something to get rid of her bad luck [[spoiler:she would ''still'' be miserable because of the huge price involved.]]
** It's kind of the exact opposite of the way ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'s'' John Constantine uses karma to be in the right place at the right time, for instance when he needs to slip onto an air plane without being seen. JC ''intentionally'' uses karma to help himself, while [[spoiler: Himawari]] ''unconsciously'' exerts her effect on others (minus her own parents, her pet bird, which is [[spoiler:from another dimension]], and Doumeki, who wouldn't care anyway).

* Naruto from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''. Had the most powerful demon in the world [[SealedEvilInACan sealed in him]] as an infant, grew up a [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan neglected orphan]] not knowing why the entire village shunned him, finally made some friends only for his best friend to FaceHeelTurn and try to kill him. He has an organization of super powered psychos out to get him. He can't use too much of the demon's power without it killing him or driving him mad and until recently [[spoiler:his ultimate attack was useless as it nearly destroys his arm and he couldn't get the sage power up because of the fox demon. Oh yeah, and his home town was just blown up because they wouldn't tell the BigBad where he was.]] Yet somehow ends up a case of AngstWhatAngst.
** Although [[spoiler:he [[CallingTheOldManOut found the source of his problem in this regard and punched the Fourth Hokage really hard in the gut.]] Sort of.]] So it looks like he ''did'' care!
** Also Nagato. unlike Naruto, he did not take it well, becoming a FallenHero in the process.
** Gaara has been hated since he was born because, just like Naruto, his father sealed a demon inside him and his uncle tried to kill him out of hate.
** Sasuke's entire life has been manipulated by Madara, Itachi and Orochimaru, starting with the massacre of his entire family. All three play upon his hatred and his determination to get revenge, though only Orochimaru makes it clear why (he wants a strong Sasuke so he can pull off an effective GrandTheftMe). Itachi seems to have been a WellIntentionedExtremist who just wanted to make Sasuke strong to defend himself against Madara, who wants to use him for some unknown end. Sasuke is vaguely aware of this but since he's just underwent a '''hard''' FaceHeelTurn, he no longer cares and just wants Madara to give him power.
*** Also half the fandom hates him.
* In ''ToAruMajutsuNoIndex'', Touma's [[AntiMagic power to negate supernatural/magical effects]] also negates his ''luck''. Definitely BlessedWithSuck with that one.
* How much does the universe hate [[Anime/CodeGeass Lelouch?]] So much that he has to [[spoiler:mind-control God]] just to get a BittersweetEnding... [[spoiler:that he doesn't even live long enough to experience.]]
** The writing staff of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has often proclaimed their love for the show's protagonist Lelouch...and then they smack him with DiabolusExMachina after DiabolusExMachina, causing everyone connected to him to suffer, including [[spoiler:Shirley (loses father, goes through severe emotional torment, dies), Euphemia (accidentally mind controlled, reputation destroyed, killed), and C.C. (loses powers and memories up to the age of 10)]]. They insist that they do this out of affection, wanting Lelouch to learn AnAesop about appreciating what you have in life; the Japanese fandom responded by coining the term "Lulu Quality" to refer to such treatment.
** And considering what happens to him during the final stretch: [[spoiler:his sister is feared dead, his worst enemy Schneizel turns his comrades against him, ultimately leaving him with practically nothing... except for both Britannians and said comrades hot on his trail, leading him to eventually choosing to off himself [[GenghisGambit via the Zero Requiem for world peace]]]]. Even worse, a few of the people [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom responsible for what was just spoilered]] [[KarmaHoudini get the happiest ending]].

** He also technically doesn't even have the option to off himself, since Lelouch Geassed him to "Live!"
* In ''[[Manga/RanmaOneHalf Ranma ½]]'' where the main character [[RanmaOneHalf Ranma Saotome]] ends in such [[HilarityEnsues hilarious situations]] that he could only be part of a cosmic joke. Well, also [[JokeCharacter Ryoga Hibiki]].. and [[UnstoppableRage Akane Tendo]]... and.. oh who am I kiding, everyone in the cast are cosmic playthings. This is '''greatly''' exaggerated in [[FanFic fanfiction]].

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': Despite dismissing the possibility that Kira is a god early on, L repeatedly ponders the possibility that he is this.
** The plot of ''Manga/DeathNote'' was kicked off because Ryuk got bored.
* In RaveMaster it is genuinely one of the founding rules of the universe that the Raregroove bloodline be screwed over in each generation.
** Oh, it goes deeper than that. The universe exists to screw over the Raregrooves AND pit them against the Symphonias, and the Raregrooves are always destined to lose. Just read the series if you don't get it.
* [[Manga/HayateTheCombatButler Hayate]] isn't quite sure ''why'' the universe hates him so much, but he knows it's true. His friends know it's true. His poor luck is so infamous that Wataru is able to successfully gamble by betting on the exact opposite of what Hayate would pick. [[spoiler:Part of it's the demon pendant he got from Nagi's grandfather.]] Though after [[spoiler: it gets purified by Isumi]] in, like volume 3 (out of 23 or so now) it can no longer be cited as a reason. It certainly caused a near-fatal spike in his bad luck but everything before (i.e. just being born to his parents) and after (the remaining plot of the series) is all just Hayate's horrific luck and may eventually be explained. A major contributing factor can actually be his tendency to say the wrong thing at the right moment to get him brutally assaulted. [[spoiler: This may actually come from Athena giving him a 'lesson' which 'his body never forgot (hint: it involved swords and it wasn't fun) after neglecting to tell her about his kiss with Izumi when he left the castle.]] Since then his compulsive habit to be stupidly honest overrides his sense of self preservation.

* Edward Elric of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist.'' Big Time. The poor kid had a really crappy childhood, losing both his left leg and his little brother's body in an attempt to bring his mother back to life. To bring Alphonse back, he had to sacrifice '''his right arm''', and he was only able to reclaim his soul.
** Arguably, the Edward of the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime version]] had it worse. [[spoiler: This Edward is not only killed but Al dies to revive him. Then when Ed sacrifices his life to bring Al back, he succeeds but Al is 10 years old again and missing the memories of the past 4 years. To top it off both brothers end up separated with Ed TrappedInAnotherWorld for 2 years. When they are finally reunited for good, they are still trapped in our world and will never see Winry or their friends in Amestris again. (The DistantFinale ''Kids'' OVA hints Winry somehow joined them but still...)]]

** Perhaps the Doctor himself, arguably being led around the universe by the [[TimeMachine Tardis]] against his will.

--->'''[[ItMakesSenseInContext The Tardis:]]''' Because I take you where you ''need'' to go.
*** Often PlayedForLaughs at the start of an episode, where the Doctor hops out of the Tardis and says something along the lines of "VIVA LAS VEGAS!" to the inside of a submarine.