History Main / FugitiveArc

A subtrope of TheChase where the government endorses and performs the chasing -- though they might subcontract to a BountyHunter. There will inevitably be a ChaseScene and many EscapeTropes. The hero may be an ActionSurvivor. The heroes will probably have WantedPoster shenanigans. See NobleFugitive for when the character is fleeing [[DeadlyDecadentCourt aristocratic intrigue]]. Contrast LivingMacGuffin, who is hunted not for being a perceived criminal, but for what they are, or the KidnappedScientist / KidnappedDoctor for what they can do.

This trope comes into play when the government, and maybe even the public, has been convinced that the heroes are, in fact, dangerous criminals and need to be stopped. This may be the result of a FrameUp, the [[TyrantTakesTheHelm villain taking control of the government]], or the [[DayOfTheJackboot government itself turning evil]].

A subtrope of TheChase where the government endorses and performs the chasing -- though they might subcontract to a BountyHunter. There will inevitably be a ChaseScene and many EscapeTropes. The heroes will probably have WantedPoster shenanigans. See NobleFugitive for when the character is fleeing [[DeadlyDecadentCourt intrigue]].

The Fugitive Arc differs from stories about LaResistance, who is always being hunted by TheEmpire, [[TheInfiltration spies undercover]], and general CrimeFiction in its intensity and focus. While these types of stories can have a FugitiveArc, when they do, it means these [[Outlaw outlaws]] have attracted the attention of the authorities. Their general status outside the law turns into being chased specifically, often at the highest priority. The hunt goes from a background threat to the core driver of the plot.

A subtrope of TheChase where the government is doing the chasing -- though they might subcontract to a BountyHunter. There will inevitably be a ChaseScene and many EscapeTropes. The heroes will probably have WantedPoster shenanigans. See NobleFugitive for when the character is fleeing [[DeadlyDecadentCourt intrigue]].

This trope comes into play when the public has been convinced that the heroes are, in fact, dangerous criminals and need to be stopped. This may be the result of a FrameUp, a VillainWithGoodPublicity, or even the [[PresidentEvil villain taking control of the government]] and turning its resources on the heroes.

The heroes are now in a Fugitive Arc. For a few episodes, a season, a movie, a book, a few levels, or even the whole of the work, they will have to lay low until they can gain enough power to take down the villain or arrange [[ClearMyName some sort of spectacle to get the citizens back on their side]]. Alternatively, this can become ProtagonistJourneyToVillain if they decided they are fed up with how the others treated them and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil become the full-blown criminals they asked for]] instead.

And they're quite likely to get into some WantedPoster–related shenanigans while they are at it, or having a BountyHunter chasing them.

* In ''Fanfic/SuperwomenOfEva2BlueDefiance'', Ritsuko Akagi[=/=]ComicBook/BlueBeetle ends up on the run after Gendo Ikari discovers her SecretIdentity and retaliates by leaking it (and her connection to all of NERV's dirty laundry) to the world. [[spoiler:The story ends with a strong BittersweetEnding because Ritsuko was able to stop the conspiracies of NERV, SEELE and the Reach, but [[WanderingTheEarth has to remain on the run from the government]].]]

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': Negi and company are forced to go on the lam during the Magic world arc.

* In "Dead End Kids", the ComicBook/{{Runaways}} are on the run from SHIELD after tearing up one of its secret prisons during the Marvel Civil War. Since they don't trust any of the superheroes, they turn to the Kingpin, except that they manage to piss ''him'' off, too, resulting in him sending a whole squad of ninjas after their asses. In desperation, they activate a device that propels them back in time to 1907. By the time they find a way to return to the present, the ComicBook/SecretInvasion is well underway, so nobody's looking for them anymore.

** The final district in ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseMysteriesOfThePast'' has the player and the rest of the Flying Squad being declared public enemies by [[MayorPain Mayor Justin Lawson]] after they join LaResistance to bring him down, forcing the heroes to go into hiding while they formulate a plan to bring Lawson down.

** The final arc of ''[[VideoGame/CriminalCaseMysteriesOfThePast Mysteries of the Past]]'', where Concordia's newly inaugurated mayor taking a KnightTemplar approach to fighting crime, and the Flying Squad (the player character's team) must work together with an underground resistance group to bring him down.
** The [[AlternateTimeline Altered Present]] arc of ''[[VideoGame/CriminalCaseTravelInTime Travel in Time]]'' sees the T.I.M.E. team return to their home time period, only to learn that TimeTravel has been outlawed, and they are now forced to go on the run, a situation that lasts to the rest of the season.

* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyAdvancedWarfare'' has this for one level. In "Utopia", Mitchell, Ilona, and Gideon discover, via a recording, that [[spoiler:their boss, Johnathan Irons, allowed the KVA terrorist attacks to occur just to make money off of them. He has Mitchell and Ilona detained but lets Gideon go. With the help of the Sentinel Task Force, Mitchell and Ilona escape and are forced to fight their way through New Baghdad. You can even see wanted screens of the pair on various televisions.]]
* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', the first few chapters have Gordon being pursued by the Combine, and he is forced to travel to Black Mesa East for shelter.

* When a routine covert mission [[GoneHorriblyWrong Goes Horribly Wrong]] in ''Film/MissionImpossible'', agent Ethan Hunt is labeled a rogue agent. Hunt must band together other decommissioned agents to expose the true double agent, thereby clearing his name.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': The final volume of the Magic God Othinus arc has Touma ally with [[spoiler:Othinus, an international terrorist and former PhysicalGod]]. Their goal is to reach [[spoiler:the spring in Denmark where Othinus first gained her power, so that she can give up her power and then surrender]]. For the duration of the volume, the entire world is out to get them, including the former allies of both. Played with, in that many of Touma's allies deliberately let him through.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' has this happen to Naofumi's party due to a conspiracy by the [[spoiler:Three Heroes Church to kill Melty and usurp the throne]]. He almost convinces the other Heroes that he's innocent, only for Malty to create yet another lie, this time about Naofumi brainwashing his party.

* This occurred to ''Series/{{Monk}}'' during the "Mr. Monk is on the Run" two-parter.

->'''Fletcher''': John, don't run. \\
'''Anderton''': You don't have to chase me.\\
'''Fletcher''': You don't have to run.\\
'''Anderton''': Everybody runs, Fletch. Everybody runs.

The heroes are now in a Fugitive Arc. For a few episodes, a season, a movie, a book, a few levels, or even the whole of the work, they will have to lay low until they can gain enough power to take down the villain or arrange [[ClearMyName some sort of spectacle to get the citizens back on their side]]. Alternatively, this can become ProtagonistJourneyToVillain if they decided they are fed up with how the others treated them and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil become the full blown criminals they asked for]] instead.

* When NSA chief Thomas Reynolds is caught on tape murdering Congressman Hammersley in ''Film/EnemyOfTheState'', the tape gets passed surreptitiously to attorney Robert Dean. Dean becomes target of a massive manhunt by the NSA.

* This trope drives the first ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' film ''Film/FirstBlood'', when top soldier John Rambo runs afoul of local law enforcement, who discover the hard way that they are horribly outclassed.

* Parodied in ''Film/TheWrongGuy'': The protagonist thinks he's in this situation when he discovers his murdered boss' cadaver and [[BetterManhandleTheMurderWeapon does stupid things with the knife]], so he tries to RunForTheBorder. In reality, the police has ample proof of who is the real murderer [[ShaggyDogStory and don't care about him]], [[BadCopIncompetentCop the investigator in charge is draging his feet so he can tourist around town on the police's dime]], and the murderer constantly runs into the protagonist by sheer coincidence [[MistakenForBadass and thinks the protagonist is chasing him]] a la [[Film/TheFugitive Richard Kimble]].

* Happens to John Taylor in ''[[Literature/{{Nightside}} The Bride Wore Black Leather]]''. Although there isn't much actual law in the Nightside, he still has to flee mob vengeance and his friends Razor Eddie, Dead Boy and the Oblivion brothers.
* In ''[[Literature/{{Deryni}} Deryni Checkmate]]'', Duncan [[spoiler:rescues Morgan from the rebel Warin [=deGrey=] and his forces]], but during the battle a fire starts that burns down the shrine where Morgan was taken captive. Morgan and Duncan flee, and are soon excommunicated by the Church hierarchy. Kelson ignores the decree of anathema to consult Morgan on war preparations against a coming Torenthi invasion, and Duncan ignores his suspension and the likely excommunication to celebrate a Mass [[spoiler:(the funeral mass for his brother and Morgan's sister)]]. In ''High Deryni'', after learning of the schism in the Curia, Morgan and Duncan [[spoiler:slip into Dhassa to meet with Cardiel and his faction and get the ban lifted]].

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': At the end of Season 4, Jasmine has risen to power and has the majority of the LA's populace in her thrall. The gang are the only ones not under her thrall and thus need to avoid [[HiveMind everyone affected]] by Jasmine while still find the means to defeat her.

** Liz ends up a fugitive again in Season 8, when she [[FallenHero goes rogue]] [[spoiler:to enact a RoaringRampageOfRevenge after Reddington kills her mother, seemingly to cover his own tracks as a Russian DoubleAgent]]. And since unlike last time, she's actually guilty of her own actions, her friends are left emotionally torn on how to deal with the situation.

* ''Heroes'''s sequel series, ''Series/HeroesReborn2015'', has the Fugitive Arc as its entire premise as after Claire's revelation of the existence of powers, there was a huge backlash and anti-power sentiment which got even worse after a horrible bombing in Odessa. It was blamed on powers and Mohinder Suresh, forcing all the surviving specials who haven't been killed to go into hiding.

** First in the season three's mid-season 3-part finale, John and Carter go on the run with the head of [[CorruptCop HR]] trying to bring him into FBI custody with all of HR's forces on their backs hunting them down.

* The flashfowards of ''Series/{{Quantico}}'' has main character Alex Parrish going on the run after finding out she's been framed for the bombing of New York's central station.

* Music/BobMarley's "I Shot The Sheriff": the protagonist is on the run for being accused of murdering sheriff John Brown, which he admits the did, though he had nothing to do with the murder of his deputy.

--> ''You're running and you're running and you're running away, but you can't run away from yourself''

** If the PlayerCharacters are forced to kill a possessed townsperson, either a mob will form to kill them (see above) or an arrest party of high level characters will be sent out to apprehend them.

** A downplayed example 2/4s into the game with Cray. He is up for trial after leading an illegal excursion into Imperial territory as well as losing the Eastern Alliance's symbol, the King's Sword. His friends break him out and they seek refuge in Cray's hometown of Worent and later Wyndia, but the plotpoint of Cray being a wanted man is immediately dropped as the story progresses and more pressing matters come to light. It only got brought up again, very briefly, when some checkpoint guards recognize Cray, but then it's completely forgotten again.

** In the finale of the 2.56 patch of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', [[spoiler:The Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are accused of murdering Ul'dah sultana Nanamo ul Namo and they run off. The Scions save for Alphinaud, Urianger and Tataru all disappear holding everyone back and allowing the [=WoL=] to escape. The first part of the ''Heavensward'' storyarc involves trying to piece together what happened and fix things. Interestingly, ''no one'' believes you're a murderer and the other country leaders give you freedom to come into their countries.]]

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'': this ostensibly happens after the mission "Green Sabre" as Tenpenny warns CJ to not come back to Los Santos, but aside from no missions taking place inside the city until the end of the game, there are no actual consequences with entering the city.

* During a good part of ''Webcomic/SonicTheComicOnline!'' Sonic is seen as a criminal and a traitor by almost the entirety of Mobius due to being slandered by the media and then framed by a shapeshifting robot. [[spoiler:Revealed to all being planned by Grimer, as revenge for Robotnik's insanity. By issue 275 Sonic finally clears his name]]

** "Operation: E.N.D." sees Sector V apprehended by the KND and set to be [[LaserGuidedAmnesia decomissioned]], and Numbuh One, the only member to escape, has to figure out who set his team up.

* In the "Turtles in Space" storyline in ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', a teleporter accident sends the Turtles in the middle of an alien war between the Federation and the Triceratons. And they find themselves facing heat from ''both'' sides for protecting their new friend the Fugitoid, who is the only one who can help them return home.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' adventure ''Deathstroke''. After Deathstroke steals the isotopes, the {{PC}} superheroes can try to track them down. If they try to do so in their secret identities and fail their Deduction rolls, Federal agents will tell them to stop their investigation. If they continue, the Federal government will start pursuing and trying to capture them.

** Once the Creature's evil minions start possessing the bodies of townsfolk, a mob of people will form in an attempt to defeat whatever's causing the problem. Unfortunately the Creature's minions will infiltrate the mob and convince them that the {{PC}}s are behind it all. The mob will start hunting the {{PC}}s and will kill them if possible.
** If the {{PC}}s is forced to kill a possessed townsperson, either a mob will form to kill them (see above) or an arrest party of high level characters will be sent out to apprehend them.

* Raper Tay-K released the song "The Race" about going on the run from the police while he was also actually on the run from the police after a robbery that turned deadly. The song managed to chart 44 on the Billboard hot 100 before he was caught.