History Main / HeroSecretService

* This concept is referenced in ''[[HarukanaruTokiNoNakaDe Harukanaru Toki no Naka de - Hachiyou Shou]]''. [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys The Hachiyou]] are "those who protect the {{Miko}}". On one occasion said Miko, Akane, is [[BrownNote put into a coma by the sound of a cursed kin]], with the apparent way of waking her up is to have one of her protectors exorcise said instrument, killing himself in the process. [[{{Onmyodo}} Yasuaki]], who calls himself "Miko's tool", sums it up by saying that, if there's no Miko, there's no point in the Hachiyou's existence[[note]]although, to be fair, he has [[ArtificialHuman some issues]][[/note]]. Thankfully, EverybodyLives, since the second story arc subverts the concept by making it clear that the Hachiyou are ''not'' [[MoreExpendableThanYou expendable]], being the key to recovering TheFourGods.

* ''CodeLyoko'': The Lyoko Warriors' only job is to protect Aelita so she can deactivate the towers XANA uses to attack. The biggest reason for this is that DeathIsNotPermanent for them while on Lyoko, but it ''is'' for her, at least until Season 3.

* ''TheContinentals'': Continental Operative Jeffrey Tiffen Smythe and his gender bending partner the adventress Lady Fiona Fiziwigg work for a division of British Milittary Intelligence known as The A.T.S.T.K.

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the White Lotus has taken on the job of watching over the new Avatar in an official capacity, though they don't seem to be very good at keeping her out of trouble. This premise is pretty much abandoned entirely after a few episodes, instead switching the White Lotus to generic guards for Air Temple Island.

* This is one of DavidEddings' recurring tropes. [[TheHero Garion]], for example, on [[Literature/TheBelgariad his quests]] to single-handedly save the world, is obligated by ancient prophecy to be perpetually surrounded by a FiveManBand (at least five, anyway), which is made up primarily of highly capable warriors. Similarly, [[Literature/TheElenium Sparhawk]] is surrounded by a loyal band of his brother knights, who accept that he has a massive job to do and are determined to protect him along the way.

* This is one of DavidEddings' recurring tropes. [[TheHero Garion]], for example, on [[TheBelgariad his quests]] to single-handedly save the world, is obligated by ancient prophecy to be perpetually surrounded by a FiveManBand (at least five, anyway), which is made up primarily of highly capable warriors. Similarly, [[TheElenium Sparhawk]] is surrounded by a loyal band of his brother knights, who accept that he has a massive job to do and are determined to protect him along the way.

* This trope describes {{Chuck}} Bartowski's "handlers"/partners to a T. Of course, it's a partial subversion in that they are also the ones who keep him in danger.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': The Order of the Phoenix and Snape sometimes fulfill this tole, on top of opposing Voldemort themselves. As the years pass, [[ChronicHeroSyndrome Harry]] is often not pleased.

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the White Lotus has taken on the job of watching over the new Avatar in an official capacity, though they don't seem to be very good at keeping her out of trouble.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', once a call from a contract holder is confirmed, most [=DocWagon=] franchises guarantee the arrival of an armed trauma team within ten minutes, or else the immediate medical care is free. They do charge customers for injury or death compensation for their employees, though.

* The SOS Brigade, the Organization and [[spoiler: Tsuruya's {{Yakuza}}]] work as one for Kyon in ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero''.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': The Order of the Phoenix [[spoiler:and Snape]] sometimes fulfill this tole, on top of opposing Voldemort themselves. As the years pass, [[ChronicHeroSyndrome Harry]] is often not pleased.
* The Fellowship of the Ring essentially served this purpose in ''The LordOfTheRings'', until it split up after the Ringbearer, Frodo, realised that the only thing they couldn't protect him from was [[TheCorruption themselves]]. They instead recruit a large invasion force [[SupportingLeader to distract the enemy from Frodo's presence.]]

** Indeed, when the chips are down, Honor's junior officers are known to willingly function as such, especially during [[spoiler: their escape from the PNS ''[[MeaningfulName Tepes]]'']].

* [[TheHero Wil Ohmsford]] is this to [[TheChosenOne Amberle]] [[RebelliousPrincess Elessedil]] in ''[[TheSwordOfShannara The Elfstones Of Shannara]]''; [[MauveShirt Crispin]] and his Elven Hunters are this to both of them. In ''TheWishsongOfShannara'', [[ActionSurvivor Jair's]] party does the same for him, guarding him on his trek to Heaven's Well.

* The assorted magical associations often play this role for the titular God Slayers in ''{{LightNovel/Campione}}'', making certain that when the time comes, the Campione they are allied with only has to worry about dealing with the heretic god. Godou's harem (or at least Erica, Lilliana and Ena) play it the straightest, accompanying him in battle and dealing with any summoned monsters or Divine Beasts that might be around so that Godou can concentrate on the main threat, while the wider organisations work to evacuate civilians and clean up the [[DestructiveSavior inevitable mess]].

* ''Series/BabylonFive'' has several of these, depending on which character the storyline is following and where the action takes place. On B5, [[RedShirt Station Security]] can often be counted on to provide protection for the main characters, while the Anla'Shok (AKA The Rangers) eventually take on this mission towards Delenn and Sheridan, and Londo will on occasion make use of the Centauri Republic's soldiers, such as the time he had them [[spoiler: [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu gun down a pair of Shadows.]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/ShiningForceIII'' Scenario 3, the Force's goal is to protect Gracia, so he can asend into an innovator and defeat Bulzome.

** Guardianship is actually a job with a significant number of openings. Three members of the party have served as Guardians for previous summoners (Auron, for Yuna's father Braska, Lulu and Wakka for a summoner who gave up at the Calmlands and became a priest instead and [[spoiler:Lulu alone for a summoner who failed and died]]), and as you encounter other summoners you meet their Guardians (including one who was inspired by Auron).
** Played with, as the entire journey will be completely useless unless he or she has at least one guardian. [[spoiler:The entire thing is a system of control institutionalized by the corrupt church. The purpose of the Guardians is to provide a SacrificialLamb that the summoner will have to use to defeat Sin. The more love or emotional bonds the two have, the more powerful the Aeon the summoner will have to fight Sin. This is, of course, doubly cruel because it means the Summoner has to sacrifice someone they ''deeply care about'' without prior knowledge that this would happen.]]
** [[spoiler: It's very much designed that way: think about it.]] Even if you get a set of Guardians starting on simply as a kind of PunchClockHero doing a day's work for some Summoner... by, the end of the Pilgrimage, you're virtually guaranteed to have good friends who care about each other turn up in Zanarkand thanks to all they go through on the journey.

* ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}'', the human resistance. No matter how many squadmates you get horribly killed, some will always show up. They 'followed you' or one empty room turns out to have some prisoners. The agonizing screams of the dead heard just minutes ago don't matter.
** Then again, there's no reason to think they're not dying like flies in your absence, too. They might expect following Gordon to ''improve'' their [miserable] life expectancies. Which actually can work out for the Episode 1 evacuees.

* Much of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''[='s=] secondary cast, most notably the [[spoiler:failed]] invasion force and [[spoiler:The Order of the White Lotus]].
** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the White Lotus has taken on the job of watching over the new Avatar in an official capacity. Though they don't seem to be very good at keeping her out of trouble.
* Played for laughs in ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'' with Pascal, Rapunzel's pet chameleon, who often acts as her protector and defender ... which gets tricky seeing how he's a very small creature. Although, he does manage to stare down Flynn and Maximus [[spoiler: and was the one ultimately responsible for Gothel falling out of the tower in the end.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' there were the Guardians, an organization of high-tech Ninja who filled this role for the Utrons. [[spoiler: Splinter's deceased master Himato Yoshi was one of them, and regarded as one of the best and one of the most loyal. He was trusted with their greatest secrets, which is why he was targeted by the Shredder. It turned out to be pointless for the villain, as Yoshi was willing to die before he talked, and was DefiantToTheEnd, insulting the honorless villain with his last words.]]

* ''Manga/SailorMoon'': If Sailor Moon is the only one who can break spells, destroy monsters, defeat the enemy, and prevent TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, what are the [[WeAreTeamCannonFodder Inner Senshi]] there for? To protect Sailor Moon!

* The entire [[SwordofTruth D'Haran Army]] consider themselves this for the current Lord Rahl, although the Mord-sith (and especially Cara) might be a better example.

* In ''ShiningForceIII'' Scenario 3, the Force's goal is to protect Gracia, so he can asend into an innovator and defeat Bulzome.
* ''FinalFantasyX'': The Guardians who travel with and protect the summoner Yuna on her journey to defeat Sin.

* Inverted in ''TheSuffering'', an XBOX game. The ending literally depends on being the Secret Service for ''other'' characters. Don't let that JerkAss [[VideoGameCrueltyPunishment prison guard die!]]

* ''CodeLyoko'': The Lyoko Warriors' only job is to protect Aelita so she can deactivate the towers XANA uses to attack. The biggest reason for this is that DeathIsNotPermanent for them while on Lyoko, but it ''is'' for her, at least until Season 4.
** Starting with Season 4, Aelita no longer has to worry about ceasing to exist if she dies on Lyoko, and can fight on her own, after developing her Energy Field powers. Still, the others would never consider letting her go it alone.

** It's designed that way: think about it. Even if you get a set of Guardians starting on simply as a kind of PunchClockHero doing a day's work for some Summoner... by, the end of the Pilgrimage, you're virtually guaranteed to have friends who care about each other turn up to Zanarkand what with all they go through on the journey.

* ''SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'' has this dynamic within its team. Takeru/[=ShinkenRed=] is so greatly important that the other four are basically his bodyguards. They don't even refer to themselves as Shinkengers, instead saying they're "the same" as their leader. Not all of the team is thrilled with this development, but all of them have to do it. The Shinkengers are also assisted by kuroko, an army of "stagehands" who help announce the Shinkengers' arrival on the battlefield, do crowd control, and other tasks.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* The Jagers in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''.
* ''TheContinentals'': Continental Operative Jeffrey Tiffen Smythe and his gender bending partner the adventress Lady Fiona Fiziwigg work for a division of British Milittary Intelligence known as The A.T.S.T.K.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The 'Greenshirts' in ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero''.
[[/folder]]

* The 'Greenshirts' in ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe''.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' anime episodes 292-293, 296-297, 300-301. Only Ichigo has never seen Aizen's shikai and is therefore immune to its MindControl effect. Realizing this, several Soul Reaper captains, a lieutenant and several Vizards appoint themselves Ichigo's bodyguards. Their duty is to attack Aizen and keep him busy so he can't show Ichigo his shikai and render him easy to defeat, thus giving Ichigo a chance to defeat him. Later on Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi and Ichigo's father Isshin join in.

* ''HarryPotter'': The Order of the Phoenix [[spoiler:and Snape]] sometimes fulfill this tole, on top of opposing Voldemort themselves. As the years pass, [[ChronicHeroSyndrome Harry]] is often not pleased.

* This is the entire plot of ''DragonQuestIV''. "TheHero" is the title given to the HalfHumanHybrid ChosenOne (born from an angel and a human) prophesied to save the world against the king of demons. The first four chapters of the game introduce you to the hero's party members before you meet the Hero [[PurelyAestheticGender Him/Herself]]. Many of them are actively looking for the Hero in order to protect him/her.

* In ''TheDresdenFiles'', Harry Dresden has a troop of faeries, led by Toot-Toot, who occasionally drop him some information. In ''Summer Knight'', they evolve into tiny little badasses, fighting on the side of "the Pizza Lord" in the war between the Winter and Summer Courts. In ''Small Favor,'' Harry learns his faeries have been watching his back in ways of which he was unaware.

Sometimes run by LaResistance. If the hero is royalty, this may be PraetorianGuard. Always [[MoreExpendableThanYou More Expendable Than The Hero]].