History Main / MacGuffinDeliveryService

* This happens so often in the ''LupinIII'' movies that it becomes a shock when Lupin ''doesn't'' have to fork over the treasure-of-the-film.

TheHero has collected a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ragtag band of fellow survivors]] and enemies of the EvilOverlord, and even ventured deep into the very underbelly of the earth, fighting his way past killer trapped doors and all manner of random encounter beasts to get hold of an [[MacGuffin artifact of legendary power]] before the BigBad gets to it, and thereby safeguard it from his EvilPlan.... but when the team comes struggling up out of the dungeon to return to the surface, half dead and gasping for a save point, [[MobileMenace there's the]] BigBad, confronting them with overwhelming power fresh from an HP/MP restore! He seizes the artifact, and leaves them OnlyMostlyDead, as his EvilPlan moves forward.

Sometimes you just have to wonder why the good guys never say to each other, "Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't ''we'' hide out near the entrance of the dungeon, get a good night's sleep, and wait for ''him'' to go in and fetch the MacGuffin for ''us'', this time?!" Ah, the magic of GenreBlindness. (This ''could'' make sense in the event that the BigBad only [[CosmicKeystone needs to get his hands on the MacGuffin for an instant]] in order to triumph; but of course, that's never the case in a story involving a MacGuffinDeliveryService, since the plot would end rather abruptly if it were.)

This is one of the rare cases in good vs. evil where [[YouCantThwartStageOne evil invariably triumphs]], and its popularity is due to the fact that the audience wouldn't get to see the EvilPlan play out in full if the good guys win this scene. We want the good guys to win in the GrandFinale, where the BigBad is as big and bad as possible while still being beatable. Otherwise it could get downright anticlimactic, if the guy who burned down your DoomedHometown has to give up and go into hiding because he can't TakeOverTheWorld without the one MacGuffin you managed to hang onto, preventing him from [[GottaCatchThemAll completing the set]] needed for his EvilPlan. Nobody likes a hero who hunts down and murders a villain that already threw in the towel.

Of course, that means that even if the hero does get a hold of it, [[HostageForMcGuffin expect it]] [[InescapableAmbush to leave his hands]] before they can use it, getting us back to the start of the trope. Often a XanatosGambit: if the hero doesn't ''try'' to get the Maguffin before the villain than there's nothing stopping the villain from getting it first. Likewise, the whole scenario can be a BatmanGambit by a BigBadFriend or treacherous leader to manipulate the heroes into ''willingly'' giving them the MacGuffin. You can expect these villains to enjoy some EvilGloating, asking "DidYouActuallyBelieve all that tripe about 'ThePowerOfFriendship'?" Or most frustratingly of all, the villain [[VillainTeleportation may just teleport behind the hero and yoink it away.]] If something is promised in exchange for the MacGuffin and the villian goes back on his word, it's a case of TheCakeIsALie.

Polar opposite of KeepAway. Compare YouCantThwartStageOne. Subtrope of NiceJobBreakingItHero. A TreacherousAdvisor will often 'hold onto' the heroes {{plot coupon}}s for him.

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] MacGuffinEscortMission, where the good guys give the heroes a mission to deliver the item somewhere. This is an '''inversion''' of that trope.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' Ganondorf pulls one, when [[spoiler:he storms into the Temple of Time just as Link has gotten all of the Spiritual Stones, played the Song of Time on the Ocarina of Time, and grabbed the Master Sword. Turns out that Ganondorf had been following Link the whole time so the kid could do all the dirty work and the 'pure of heart' junk for him.]]

* ''Film/PercyJackonandtheOlympiansTheLightningThief'' invokes this. [[spoiler: Percy was used to carry the master bolt to Hades by Luke. After that, he delivers it to Zeus. Of course, some of the gods thought Percy was the original thief from the start, for no adequately explained reason.]]

* One of the side quests in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' is based around this trope. (It's even ''called'' "Nothing You Can Possess," in reference to the ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' quote.) A wealthy collector hires you to retrieve a particular carving from a [[TempleOfDoom ruin]]. Upon exiting the ruin, you're immediately accosted by a rival treasure hunter and his hired goons, demanding that you turn over the carving.
** Something similar happens in the Mages' Guild quest where you must retrieve a replacement amulet since the original was stolen. As soon as you grab it, you are confronted by the [[{{Gonk}} butt-ugly]] Nord whom [[ScoobyDoo you knew did it all along]].

** ''The [=MegaTraveller=] Journal #3'', adventure "Rapid Repo". The {{PC}}s are ordered to obtain the vital components of a prototype deep radar system on the Vargr-occupied planet Depot. The head of the Vargr counter-intelligence knows about the deep radar but not exactly where it is. When he learns that the {{PC}}s are coming he decides to let them find the deep radar and then take it from them.

** ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' ''Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society'' #23 Amber Zone "The Birthday Plot". Inkula, a Grand Master of the Irklan religious sect, plans to let the {{PC}}s find the evidence of his crimes for him, kill them and take the evidence.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}''. ''The [=MegaTraveller=] Journal #3'', adventure "Rapid Repo". The {{PC}}s are ordered to obtain the vital components of a prototype deep radar system on the Vargr-occupied planet Depot. The head of the Vargr counter-intelligence knows about the deep radar but not exactly where it is. When he learns that the {{PC}}s are coming he decides to let them find the deep radar and then take it from them.

'''Examples:'''

* ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}''. ''The [=MegaTraveller=] Journal #3, adventure "Rapid Repo". The {{PC}}s are ordered to obtain the vital components of a prototype deep radar system on the Vargr-occupied planet Depot. The head of the Vargr counter-intelligence knows about the deep radar but not exactly where it is. When he learns that the {{PC}}s are coming he decides to let them find the deep radar and then take it from them.

* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure "The Apocalypse Stone": The first half or so consists of the PC's going on a false mission on behalf of the BigBad to get him the magical ''Stone'' he covets but is under a MagicallyBindingContract not to remove. Unfortunately for everyone (well, except maybe members of the Doomguard), it's not just a MacGuffin; the ''Stone'' was actually [[CosmicKeystone holding the world together]], and removing it from its place has some nasty effects.

** And ''[[GoldenSunDarkDawn Dark Dawn]]'' takes it to a ridiculous extent. Right from square one, the villains let slip that they're manipulating you. At one point, the BigBad even ''gives'' you a MacGuffin that you need to fulfill your (read: his) ambitions. Quite literally everything you do in the game with the sole exception of winning the final boss fight is exactly what the villains need you to do. And in fact ''even that'' is what [[spoiler:Alex]] wants you to do.

** And ''[[GoldenSunDarkDawn Dark Dawn]] takes it to a ridiculous extent. Right from square one, the villains let slip that they're manipulating you. At one point, the BigBad even ''gives'' you a MacGuffin that you need to fulfill your (read: his) ambitions. Quite literally everything you do in the game with the sole exception of winning the final boss fight is exactly what the villains need you to do.

-->'''Uka Uka''': You seem to have overlooked one small detail, you little orange delivery boy! Now that you have gathered all the Crystals, all ''we'' have to do... is '''TAKE THEM FROM YOU!'''

-->'''Uka Uka''': Yes, it is true! The bandicoot has brought all of the crystals, and all of the gems. Ultimate power is mine! The world as we know it is about to end.

--> In any race for hidden treasure, it is always the protagonists who sweat and bleed and die to overcome the many challenges inherent in finding it - only for the antagonists to seize it from them at the last minute!

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In the ''KateModern'' episode "Seven Dials: 5pm - 23rd November 2007", Charlie emerges from a building carrying the software, with Terrence in pursuit, only to meet the Watcher, who beats up both of them and drives off with the software.

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0821.html #821]], Tarquin offers this advice to Nale.
** Then inverted [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0824.html soon after]]. Then played semi-straight [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0825.html in the next one]].

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In the ''KateModern'' episode "Seven Dials: 5pm - 23rd November 2007", Charlie emerges from a building carrying the software, with Terrence in pursuit, only to meet the Watcher, who beats up both of them and drives off with the software.
[[/folder]]

** And in ''TwilightPrincess'', Zant does the same thing [[spoiler:by taking the Fused Shadow pieces that Link and Midna have just spent the last forever collecting.]]

* In ''TombRaider II: The Cradle of Life'', Lara goes through all the trouble of locating the elusive Pandora's Box and finding it, for the BigBad to show up at just the right moment to seize it.

* In the original ''TombRaider'', Lara inadvertently helps Natla reclaim her original Scion piece, and also the other two.

* In the ''Legacy'' story arc in the ComicBook/{{Batman}} comics, Ra's al Ghul used Comicbook/{{Catwoman}} this way to get to an ancient wheel that was a recipe for plagues.

** And then in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', [[TheDragon Dimentio]] did not care about Count Bleck's plan. He wanted the [[ArtifactOfDoom Chaos Heart]] all for himself, but he needed the power of the [[HeartBeatDown Pure Hearts]] to counter him, so he let you do all that work for him.

* Both ''NationalTreasure'' movies involve the BigBad luring Nicolas Cage into some treasure hunt filled with riddles, letting him do the hard work in solving them and leading the villain to the treasure. Cage is [[JumpedAtTheCall all too willing]].

* In ''DarkParables: The Red Riding Hood Sisters'', the Wolf Queen needs Moon Essence, which is sealed inside the shrine of the moon goddess. Only the Elder Sister, who leads the Red Riding Hood Sisters, can access this; however, in light of current circumstances, the detective is permitted to do so instead. So the Wolf Queen just waits while the detective does all the work, then takes the element.