History Main / FriendInTheBlackMarket

** Throughout the series, the ThievesGuild acts as a friend in the black market ''for hire''. They tend to operate out of TotallyNotACriminalFront type establishments, usually bars or taverns, which serve as OpenSecret unofficial guild halls to create plausible deniability, since their guild halls ''actually'' being secrets would be bad for business. For a fee, they'll *ehem* acquire certain goods, perform shakedowns, run protection rackets, and have members who can clear your bounties with law enforcement. Naturally, if you choose to join, you'll carry out most of these activities.

** Throughout the series, the ThievesGuild acts as a friend in the black market ''for hire''. They tend to operate out of LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub type establishments, usually bars or taverns, which serve as OpenSecret unofficial guild halls to create plausible deniability, since their guild halls ''actually'' being secrets would be bad for business. For a fee, they'll *ehem* acquire certain goods, perform shakedowns, run protection rackets, and have members who can clear your bounties with law enforcement. Naturally, if you choose to join, you'll carry out most of these activities.

%%* Sid Carter in ''Film/CarryOnMatron''.

* In ''Machinima/FreemansMind'', Gordon occasionally muses that his friend Eddie can help him with some sort of illegal activity, whether it be pawning a large supply of weapons, procuring human skulls, or obtaining fake identification.

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' has Spyke in the first game, and Murch in [[VideoGame/Splatoon2 the second]]. Both are literal {{Street Urchin}}s who hang out in the back alleys of Inkopolis. They offer their various services at premium price (the in-universe reason for Spyke getting replaced is actually because he earned more than enough money to retire), amongst them being "obtaining" clothing the player asks them to get, selling it at three times the store price. Better not to ask how they got it.

* In ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', Terry Jones runs a Tudor job agency, where people can go to find jobs in the Tudor economy, which is supposedly booming. After discussing this for some time with a customer, he suddenly admits it's a stupid idea, then asks, "What do you want?" The customer answers "Dirty books, please," and Terry opens a sliding wall to let him into the black market porn bookstore.
** And in the Piranha Brothers sketch, shady character Luigi Facotti is interrupted in an interview by a phone call. He says to the caller, "We'll have the watch ready for you at midnight. The watch. The ''Chinese'' watch! Right. Bye-bye." Nothing shady about that whatsoever.
* In ''Series/{{Riget}}'', Dr. Krogshøj, the resident AlmightyJanitor, is this for the entire titular hospital, being able to get his colleagues the medicine or equipment they need on a short notice and without having to deal with the bureaucracy and red tape that comes with requesting it through the official channels. He doesn't take payment in money, however, very much preferring to [[YouOweMe have people owe him favors in exchange for his assistance instead]].

%%* CPO Pertwee in ''Radio/TheNavyLark''

* The indie-RPG ''Hellcats & Hockey Sticks'' features the "Fixer", a character class who is essentially this; capable of obtaining any illicit item and (one assumes) selling it or misusing it for profit and/or amusement.

* The ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'' series has Moneybags, who will perform various services for you for, "* ahem* , a small fee." It's usually anything but small (not to mention sometimes the price is insane for what he does), but if you want to finish the game, let alone get HundredPercentCompletion, you'll have to pay up. At least you [[spoiler:[[PayEvilUntoEvil get your]] money back]].
* [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank Ratchet]] can buy a lot of black market gear during the course of his adventures, from weapon mods to hypnosis gadgets to [[InfinityPlusOneSword giant overpowered weaponry.]] Ratchet's most frequent friend across the games is Slim Cognito, who starts in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' selling ship upgrades, then in several of the sequels sells discounted weapons from older games, weapon upgrades, and eventually in the relaunch sells you the RYNO. Originally he appears as a pair of eyes peeking out of the mail slot in a terminal, but in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2016'' he's instead a green-skinned reptilian alien.
* [[SoulBrotha Drebin]] in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' is named for ''Film/TheNakedGun'' character due to what he sells; 'naked guns' - the arms he sells are not ID-Locked, and so can be used by anybody, which comes in very handy for Snake. Also plays the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero]] at times, and serves as MrExposition in relation to the backstories of [[QuirkyMinibossSquad the Beauty and the Beast Corps.]]
* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', Irish and Seth are this for Nigel West Dickens. Of course, West Dickens is a SnakeOilSalesman.
* [[VillainousGlutton Krew]] is this in ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter'' to the [[LaResistance Underground]] but he'll sell them out if the price is high enough.

* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', none of the merchants in the area around The Strip will openly sell you the kind of HiddenWeapons you can smuggle past casino security. However, a shady guy hanging around Gomorrah calling himself "Mister Holdout" will sell them to you, and Mick at Mick and Ralph's can be convinced to sell you some from a secret back room if you pass a Speech challenge.
-->'''Crier:''' We've got stuff we're not even allowed to sell, people. Only at Mick & Ralph's.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' series, [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior Crazy Earl]] serves this role after he is DemotedToExtra in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', continuing this practice into ''VideoGame/BorderlandsThePreSequel''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' has Spyke in the first game, and Murch in [[VideoGame/Splatoon2 the second]]. Both are literal {{Street Urchin}}s who hang out in the back alleys of Inkopolis. They offer their various services at premium price (the in-universe reason for Spyke getting replaced is actually because he earned more than enough money to retire), amongst them being "obtaining" clothing the player asks them to get, selling it at three times the store price. Better not to ask how they got it.
* In ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'', you meet several: Trip, the disaffected, twitchy, TripleShifter pawn-shop manager; Mercurio, the sixtysomething ghoul in a [[OlderThanTheyLook thirtysomething body]] who can get "anything anyone wants at any time"; Fat Larry, a SoulBrotha who requires a few favors before he sells you his special stock; Slater, night shift convenience store worker, so bored in his SoulSuckingRetailJob that he sells guns on the side; and Tseng, very definitely ''not'' a Chinese army veteran, vendor of herbal remedies that sometimes have a superficial resemblance to automatic weapons.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', there are recurring war table operations through which the Inquisitor can acquire crafting materials for the organization such as cloth and leather. How they are acquired depends on which adviser is selected to complete the operation; Cullen wants to send soldiers to make direct purchases from the weavers/tanners, while Josephine wants to deal with reputable merchants, but Leliana always offers to contact the black market for the rarest goods. Occasionally, selecting Leliana will result in her agents finding nothing.

* Most merchants in ''VideoGame/Vampyr2018'': Milton Hawkes, Dorothy Crane and Rakesh Chadana are hospital staff that smuggle goods that can be sold to you and Edwina Cox is a gang leader that sells weapons so she is this trope by default. There are legitimate traders in the game, but they are fewer in number.

* In ''VideoGame/BattleTech'', the Pirates become this if you get a high rating with them. They run the black markets and like all factions give nice discounts on their stores at high approval ratings. Since the black market is an excellent source for late-game mechs and weaponry, this is generally a good idea.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'': Squadmate Vetra Nyx is one of these. In fact, it's how she wound up in the Andromeda Initiative to begin with, being brought on to "procure" items that couldn't be attained through entirely legal channels. Fortunately, Vetra's a good person, but she and Ryder have to go through plenty of "I know a guy" conversations to maintain ''some'' semblance of plausible deniability. She never sells Ryder anything, but she does have an amazing amount of friends across the Initiative and outside it.

* In ''Machinima/FreemansMind'', Gordon occasionally muses that his friend Eddie can help him with some sort of illegal activity, whether it be pawning a large supply of weapons, procuring human skulls, or obtaining fake identification.

* In ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', whatever it is the Other Warriors need, Rogue "knows a guy". It turns out the guy in question is [[spoiler: Thief]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce,'' Carl has a friend named Terry. Terry can get things... but you don't want to know where he got them.

* Zelik Lindemann in ''Manga/MotherKeeper'' is this for Graham and Silas and is actually running the entire black market.

* Varric's seat in the Merchants' Guild is treated as basically being this in ''[[Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge All This Sh*t is Twice as Weird]]''. When the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Inquisition]] needs a large supply of lyrium in a short amount of time, they have him reach out to his undercity contacts to get it. The actual bill of sale is presented in one chapter, only to have Varric - who is [[DirectLineToTheAuthor the story's editor]] -- remove it and state his objections to the author including it.
-->'''Editor’s note:''' Scholar, ''I'' don't read my mail from the Merchants' Guild -- why should anyone else have to look at it?

* In the ''Fanfic/InquisitorCarrowChronicles'', Severus Snape keeps a very small, private business dealing with illegal healing and fertility potions. Dumbledore consults him to learn of less morally inclined potioneers who might be linked to Augustus Crabbe.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

%%* Flash Harry in the ''Film/StTrinians'' series.
%%* Sid Carter in ''Film/CarryOnMatron''.
* Sgt. Bilko in ''Film/SgtBilko'' is the main character, but is willing to spread his loot around with his men on occasion.
%%* Joseph in ''Film/AuRevoirLesEnfants''
* ''Film/TheSerpentAndTheRainbow'': Louis Mozart, a provider of illicit zombie powder, although the “friend” part of that descriptor is initially averted, given how he first tries to sell the main characters some fake stuff, although he does come around in the end. A straighter example might be night club owner Lucien Celine, who is a more honest figure overall, but [[KnowledgeBroker pointed them to Mozart]] in the first place.
* ''Film/BlackWidow2021'': Rick Mason procures resources and transportation for Natasha while she's on the run post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]''. The quality of the resources is directly proportional to the time and money he's given to acquire them--a janky trailer with a crappy generator when she needs a hideout in a hurry, an old Soviet helicopter instead of the jet she asks for with maybe a day's notice, and [[spoiler:a top-of-the-line Avengers quinjet when she gives him space to work at the end of the film]].

* Recurring character Bubba Rogowski of Creator/DennisLehane's ''Literature/KenzieAndGennaroSeries'' is a [[FromCamouflageToCriminal former Marine who specializes in obtaining lots of illegal weapons and tech]], and has put [[LandmineGoesClick live mines]] through his entire warehouse apartment to deter unwelcome guests. He's also something of a PsychoForHire and a ManChild who can barely read, but he's been friends with Patrick since they were kids and thus will gladly kill anyone who messes with Patrick. His profession doesn't come without consequences, however, and in one book he's absent because he's in jail for [[JusticeByOtherLegalMeans getting caught with an unregistered handgun]].

* Rhett Butler from ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'' [[ScrewTheWarWerePartying lives quite well despite the late unpleasantness]]. (He is a privateer, after all.)

* In ''Series/AlteredCarbon'', we meet a friendly one who runs a front as a candy-peddling street vendor. He sells some wicket powerful guns.
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'':
** Both Radar and Klinger, who use their wits to get anything the hospital needs. (Klinger getting the job when Radar is discharged.)
** And if that doesn't work, Father Mulcahy serves as the go-between between the camp and the ''actual'' black market.
--->'''Father Mulcahy:''' You'd be surprised what a priest can get away with.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
** G'kar deals with... not really a friend, but a man he knows who deals in black market weaponry, which he needs for the [[LaResistance resistance on Narn]]. The dealer is selling him for far more than the weapons are worth. G'Kar should know, because he sold many of those very weapons to Earth during the Earth Minbari War fifteen years earlier. In this case, the quality of the merchandise is guaranteed with the understanding that what G'kar will do to the dealer if it isn't will be unpleasant.
** From the same series, the station's postmaster ends up filling this role as well. Despite Babylon 5 declaring independence from the Earth Alliance, and a blockade and trade embargo being enacted in retaliation, he still finds ways to get mail and packages delivered along more out of the way routes, charging accordingly. [[FridgeLogic Oddly enough]], Garibaldi didn't seem to consider that the post office should work any differently despite that.

* In ''Series/SneakyPete'', when Otto needs his safe opened as he forgot the code, Marius has a friend who would open the safe and tell Marius the code as well.
* In one episode of ''Series/SpaceAboveAndBeyond'', Captain Vansen is forced to deal with this guy aboard the ''[[CoolStarship Saratoga]]'', trading him a key to the Officers' Lavatory (presumably much nicer than what the enlisted guys normally get to use), [[ChainOfDeals in exchange for a bowl of strawberries that she needed to trade with someone ''else'' to get his spot in line to make a call home]].
%%* Sgt. Bilko in ''Series/ThePhilSilversShow''
* Dorium in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "A Good Man Goes to War". He starts out working for the villains, then learns that they've kidnapped [[spoiler: one of the Doctor's companions and her child]] and decides to run for it before the Doctor turns up, knowing how many people owe him favours. As it turns out, ''he's'' one of those people, and is drafted into the GondorCallsForAid scenario.
* Barney from ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' "has a guy" for just about everything, from a "Suit Guy" and a "Whip Guy" to a "guy in the DA's office" who "scored us front row seats to a lethal injection!"
-->'''Barney:''' And, if I don't have a guy for something, then I have a Guy Guy to get me a guy. And, oddly enough, his name is Guy.
* In ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' Kramer's unseen friend "Bob Sacamano" provides many obscure, black-market products - from counterfeit Russian "rat hats" to "The Wizard" Tip Calculator for the condo association (which may be hot!). He is said to have made a fortune for having invented the "paddle with ball" toy, being the first one to attach a rubber band. Before that, Kramer insists, people would hit the ball and it would just fly away.

* Peter from ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' worked as a middleman for these types of people before he joined Fringe Division. He still has plenty of contacts in that world.

* Thomas ''thinks'' he has one of these in the second series of ''Series/DowntonAbbey'' (to get around post-UsefulNotes/WorldWarI rationing). As it turns out, the flour is half plaster dust and the rest of the goods are worse than useless, as well.
* On ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', Diane wanted an engagement ring that cost over five thousand dollars. Norm told Sam he had a FriendInTheBlackMarket who could get essentially the same ring for only $1200. Frasier cautioned against this, saying that Diane wouldn't want her engagement ring to be bought from someone who started conversations with "Psst, buddy." (After a phone call to his guy, Norm called Sam over with "Psst, Sammy.") Of course, everything goes wrong.
* In ''Series/OrphanBlack'', StepfordSuburbia {{housewife}} Alison recommends the services of a Ramon for Sarah when she needed a gun. Ramon turns out to be a friendly and slightly campy employee at the local big box store, who supplies Alison with pills and firearms.
* In Series VIII of ''Series/RedDwarf'', when the Dwarfers are in the brig, Lister is friends with a [[InTheFutureWeStillHaveRoombas Skutter]] who can get him stuff from all over the ship to help him.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory,'' Howard mentions that he has a friend who deals in black market nerd memorabilia.
* ''Series/TheArmyGame'': No matter what the boys of Hut 29 need for their latest ZanyScheme, it seems that Cpl. "Flogger" Hoskins always knows somebody who can supply it at a knockdown price.

In ''Series/{{Riget}}'', Dr. Krogshøj, the resident AlmightyJanitor, is this for the entire titular hospital, being able to get his colleagues the medicine or equipment they need on a short notice and without having to deal with the bureaucracy and red tape that comes with requesting it through the official channels. He doesn't take payment in money, however, very much preferring to [[YouOweMe have people owe him favors in exchange for his assistance instead]].

* [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank Ratchet]] can buy a lot of black market gear during the course of his adventures, from weapon mods to hypnosis gadgets to [[InfinityPlusOneSword giant overpowered weaponry.]] Ratchet's most frequent friend across the games is Slim Cognito, who starts in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' selling ship upgrades, then in several of the sequels sells discounted weapons from older games, weapon upgrades, and eventually in the relaunch sells you the RYNO. Originally he appears as a pair of eyes peeking out of the mail slot in a terminal, but in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2016'' he's instead a green-skinned reptilian alien instead.

This character is obviously part of ''the'' BlackMarket. Compare and contrast HonestJohnsDealership, who also sells products at a premium... except theirs are of lesser quality. TheScrounger is likely to either be this trope or to have dealings with him. Also compare and contrast FriendOnTheForce, when you have a helping hand on the less dubious side of the law.

This character is obviously part of ''the'' BlackMarket. Compare and contrast HonestJohnsDealership, who also sells products at a premium... except theirs are of lesser quality. TheScrounger is likely to either be this trope or to have dealings with him.

[[caption-width-right:350:Always happy to a favour for his friends. For a price, naturally.]]

* Varric's seat in the Merchants' Guild is treated as basically being this in ''[[Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge All This Sh*t is Twice as Weird]]''. When the Inquisition needs a large supply of lyrium in a short amount of time, they have him reach out to his undercity contacts to get it. The actual bill of sale is presented in one chapter, only to have Varric - who is [[DirectLineToTheAuthor the story's editor]] -- remove it and state his objections to the author including it.

** Aberforth Dumbledore uses his role as a bar owner to feed his brother information Voldemort and company.
* Rhett Butler from ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'', who [[ScrewTheWarWerePartying lives quite well despite the late unpleasantness]]. (He is a privateer, after all.)

* In one episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' Howard mentions that he has a friend who deals in black market nerd memorabilia.

* This arises as a gameplay mechanic in an awful lot of video games (especially {{RPG}}s) where the shopkeepers expect the heroes to cough up the dough even when the world is about to end. After all, AdamSmithHatesYourGuts. It fits this trope more than Honest John as at least they sell you legitimate items. [[VideoGame/{{Diablo}} Except that little snotrag Wirt.]]

[[/folder]]
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You're in a sticky situation; you need to get something and there doesn't seem to be a legal way of getting it. (It could be [[BannedInChina banned]], rationed, [[NoExportForYou from overseas]] or possibly just [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition made in extremely limited quantities]]). If you're lucky, you'll have a [[TropeNamers Friend in the]] BlackMarket.

* ''Film/TheSepentAndTheRainbow'': Louis Mozart, a provider of illicit zombie powder, although the “friend” part of that descriptor is initially averted, given how he first tries to sell the main characters some fake stuff, although he does come around in the end. A straighter example might be night club owner Lucien Celine, who is a more honest figure overall, but [[KnowledgeBroker pointed them to Mozart]] in the first place.

** Abeforth Dumbledore uses his role as a bar owner to feed his brother information Voldemort and company.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* When Judy Hopps first encounters Nick Wilde and Finnick in ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'', they pose as a father and son duo, and Judy buys them a jumbo pop; later on, Judy sees Nick and Finnick take the jumbo pop, melt it down into smaller pawpsicles which they sell to lemmings, and recycle the pawpsicle sticks which they sell to mice construction workers as "red wood". In addition, Nick is well acquainted with a number of animals in Zootopia, including Flash the sloth, Mr. Big, Duke Weaselton, and Emmitt Otterton whom Judy is trying to locate.