History Main / EleventhHourRanger

[[quoteright:320:PowerRangersSPD http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SPD_Nova_Ranger_3996.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:I've come to save the day!]]

* In ''SuperSmashBros Brawl'', SonicTheHedgehog joins the cast in the cut scene right before the fighting the Final Boss in story mode.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Suki joins the Gaang two episodes before the four-part GrandFinale. Zuko joined a few episodes prior.

* [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr.]] [[HotScientist Naomi]] [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Hunter]] in ''MetalGearSolid4: [[GrandFinale Guns of the Patriots]]''. She'd been in the first game as part of the MissionControl-with-an-agenda, but doesn't really join Team Snake until part-way through the heroes' final mission. [[spoiler:Turns out, more of an [[EleventhHourRanger Eleventh Hour]] [[SixthRangerTraitor Ranger Traitor]].]] [[supersecretspoiler:[[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Except not]]. We think...]]

* In the ''PowerRangers'' 10th anniversary episode "Forever Red", the Red Aquitar Ranger only shows up for the big fight at the end, already morphed (the actor declined to come back for the episode).
** Also, [[spoiler:Nova Ranger]] at the end of ''PowerRangersSPD'', who joins in the middle ''of the final battle''.

* In ''{{Wasteland}}'', you can recruit an android robot named [=VAX=] in TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. He has the best stats of any recruitable [=NPC=] in the game.

* In ''JadeEmpire'', the player character can force Death Hand to join the party right before the final dungeon.

* Sinedd in season 3 of GalactikFootball

* Himi in GoldenSunDarkDawn. They also lampshade this when the party expresses shock and anger at seeing an antagonist, while Himi just asks "Who?"

* [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr.]] [[HotScientist Naomi]] [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Hunter]] in ''MetalGearSolid4: [[GrandFinale Guns of the Patriots]]''. She'd been in the first game as part of the MissionControl-with-an-agenda, but doesn't really join Team Snake until part-way through the heroes' final mission. [[spoiler:Turns out, more of an [[EleventhHourRanger Eleventh Hour]] [[SixthRangerTraitor Ranger Traitor]].]] [[supersecretspoiler:[[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Except not]]. We think...]]

* [[spoiler:Former BigBad Teryn Loghain]] can join you [[spoiler:as a new Grey Warden]] in ''DragonAge Origins'' [[spoiler:if you spare him after defeating him in the Landsmeet]]. However, if you do this [[spoiler:Alistair will leave the party in disgust since he cannot forgive Loghain's betrayal]]. Fortunately, [[spoiler:Loghain]] is well suited to fill [[spoiler:Alistair's position as a meat shield tank]].

* ''RadiataStories'' has [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters over one-hundred-and-fifty recruitable characters]], but the most powerful and competent fighters cannot be recruited until late in the game: [[spoiler:[[DaChief Elwen]], [[CrystalDragonJesus Kain]], [[BadassGrandpa Curtis]], [[TheSyndicate Nyx]] and [[LadyOfWar Natalie]] for the humans and [[BloodKnight Galvados]], [[OurOrcsAreDifferent JJ]] and [[StandardizedLeader Gruel]] for nonhumans.]]

* In ''DigimonTamers'', [[spoiler:Ai and Makato, Impmons partners]], don't join until the final episode. [[spoiler:And they don't really even ''do'' anything...]]

* In ''RecordOfAgarestWar'' [[spoiler: EVERY single protagonist and their respective women from the previous four generations come back to you and will help you kick the asses of six gods.]]

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Suki joins the Gang two episodes before the four-part GrandFinale. Zuko joined a few episodes prior.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Suki joins the Gaang two episodes before the four-part GrandFinale. Zuko joined a few episodes prior.

* DragonQuestIX lets you create your very own customizable party members to take with you on your adventures. However, there are actually 5 characters you meet in the game who will join your party after completing their respective quests. These quests, however, are not only on a DLC schedule, but aren't available until after you've beaten the game.

* ''KingdomHearts 2'' has Riku being purified of his darkness, and becomes a playable member for the very last level ever (and even in the subsequent Final Boss Fights as your only partner).
* In ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', SonicTheHedgehog joins the cast in the cut scene right before the fighting the Final Boss in story mode.

* [[spoiler:Kurtis]] in ''{{Disgaea}}'' joins a few battles before the end, on the very last world.
** In ''{{Disgaea 3}}'', Master Big Star and Salvatore The Magnificent join you right before the last two storyline fights against [[spoiler:Super Hero Aurum]]. They leave when the story's over though, and have to be defeated in the postgame to get them to permanently join your party.

* In ''DawnOfWar 2'', [[spoiler:Captain Gabriel Angelos]] joins your marines for the final battle, at the end of the last level of the campaign.

* [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Kaworu Nagisa]]. That is all.

* [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Kaworu Nagisa]]. That is all.

* [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Kaworu Nagisa]]. That is all.
* ''FinalFantasy'' used this trope a lot in the SNES era:
** Fusoya in ''FinalFantasyIV''.
** Krile in ''FinalFantasyV''.
** Gogo and Umaro in ''FinalFantasyVI''.

* [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Kaworu Nagisa]]. That is all.

** Also, [[spoiler:Nova Ranger]] at the end of ''PowerRangersSPD'', who joins after the middle ''of the final battle''.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirBender'', Suki joins the Gaang two episodes before the four-part GrandFinale. Zuko joined a few episodes prior.

** Also, [[spoiler:Nova Ranger]] at the end of ''PowerRangersSPD''.

* DragonQuestIX lets you create your very own customizable party members to take with you on your adventures. However, there are actually 5 characters you meet in the game who will join your party after completing their respective quests. These quests, however, are not only on a DLC schedule, but aren't available until after you've beaten the game.