History Main / MentorArchetype

* Becca Stone, in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', is summoned by the Tao to come to [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]] and teach Bladedancer how to become one with the Tao. Becca doesn't fight though: she's way over a hundred and was trained as a nurse back when she was a normal human.

** About half of the Strawhats' [[ParentalSubstitute Parental Substitutes]] qualify in some way, particularly Koshiro (Zoro's dojo master), Zeff (who taught Sanji how to cook), and Tom (who took Franky on as one of his shipbuilding apprentices).

* Kyu in ''VideoGame/HuniePop''... in regards to teaching the player to become TheCasanova.
* Peppy from ''VideoGame/StarFox'', as he is stated to be the oldest one on the team, was a member of the original Star Fox crew with Fox's father and also acts somewhat as a mediator between the more hot-headed Falco and the other teammates.
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'':
** While [[OldMaster Jolee Bindo]] seems to fit in terms of character, in terms of the role in the plot [[DefrostingIceQueen Bastilla]] actually serves this role. She is the one who shows the PlayerCharacter that they are a Jedi and serves as his/her mentor throughout the game, despite probably being younger. This is justified by both her raw power in the Force as well as the fact that she was [[PsychicLink bonded in the Force]] with the protagonist. [[QuicklyDemotedLeader Though she fails to stay in charge]], it is for a reason as [[spoiler: she was never meant to be in charge. Her purpose was not to act as a mentor but to utilize the protagonist's visions to find the mysterious Star Forge, as he turns out to be the amnesiac former Sith Lord Darth Revan. ]]
** Jolee Bindo does however serve as something of the Yoda role as a wise and seasoned former Jedi (and a hermit, to boot) who left the order because he found its refusal to acknowledge [[ThePowerOfLove love's influence in a Jedi's life]]. It's never made clear just how much of Jolee's GrumpyOldMan routine is really an act, but he is shown to be the wisest follower you meet. [[spoiler:He even figures out, on his own, that the protagonist is actually Darth Revan. He just doesn't think it's his right to say it.]]
* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'':
** This game puts your character, a Jedi exile severed from the Force and rediscovering his/her power, in the hands of Kreia, a mysterious Force-user who's apparently neither Jedi nor Sith. She's a considerable subversion of the trope, however: although she genuinely grows to love you, [[spoiler:she also lies to you constantly, manipulating you (and everybody else) to achieve her Machiavellian purposes. Eventually, she reveals herself as the BigBad, forcing you to take her down yourself]].
** The player character him/herself can actually be this as well. There are a handful of party members whom the Exile can train in the ways of the Force. It's most noticeable with Handmaiden, since [[spoiler: Atris herself will call Handmaiden out on jumping ship from Atris's mentorship to the Exile's, and in cut content where Handmaiden has to fight her fellow sisters, she remembers the lessons she learned from sparring with the Exile in order to win.]]

* Lavitz Slambert from ''VideoGame/LegendOfDragoon'' is an older and somewhat wiser character than [[TheHero Dart]], who uses his general life experience to try and guide the younger adventurers; it's also [[spoiler:his death]] that drives the heroes' quest for most of the game.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Muzu acted as a mentor to the late Princess Mipha of the [[FishPeople Zora]]. So did Seggin, who is stated to have taught her how to wield a spear.
* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'': The Elder Kettle acts as a father figure to Cuphead and Mugman, though it's not made clear if they're actually family.

* The Good Hunter in ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' is this to [[TheApprentice Sanakan, Hugh, Lily and Soren]], training them into StrongAndSkilled [[HunterOfMonsters hunters]]. A unique case where the mentor is an ExperiencedProtagonist with youthful features rather than some "wise, old sage who [[MentorOccupationalHazard dies]] in the middle of the story".

This character is better skilled, faster and more experienced than their student and they're passing those traits on to the student. They may have [[RetiredBadass grown too old for the task]] or [[HeroOfAnotherStory have their own]] job [[RelegatedMentor to do]]. Their role is to [[ChekhovsSkill introduce a new skill]] or [[TrainingFromHell sharpen the current skills]] of their student, often hoping to [[PassingTheTorch pass the torch]] because they know their career is coming to an end. This character [[MentorOccupationalHazard may die]], so that their student can [[InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn learn to stand on their own two feet]]. Very often this role is performed by an OldMaster, BarefootSage, SpiritAdvisor, WizardClassic, or HermitGuru. Expect them to have the same elderly, but powerful look associated with the GrandpaGod unless you're dealing with YoungerMentorOlderDisciple, which subverts that expectation.

This character is better skilled, faster and more experienced than their student and they're passing those traits on to the student. They may have [[RetiredBadass grown too old for the task]] or [[HeroOfAnotherStory have their own]] job [[RelegatedMentor to do]]. Their role is to [[ChekhovsSkill introduce a new skill]] or [[TrainingFromHell sharpen the current skills]] of their student, often hoping to [[PassingTheTorch pass the torch]] because they know their career is coming to an end. This character [[MentorOccupationalHazard may die]], so that their student can [[InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn learn to stand on their own two feet]]. Very often this role is performed by an OldMaster,BarefootSage, SpiritAdvisor, WizardClassic, or HermitGuru. Expect them to have the same elderly, but powerful look associated with the GrandpaGod unless you're dealing with YoungerMentorOlderDisciple, which subverts that expectation.

This character is better skilled, faster and more experienced than their student and they're passing those traits on to the student. They may have [[RetiredBadass grown too old for the task]] or [[HeroOfAnotherStory have their own]] job [[RelegatedMentor to do]]. Their role is to [[ChekhovsSkill introduce a new skill]] or [[TrainingFromHell sharpen the current skills]] of their student, often hoping to [[PassingTheTorch pass the torch]] because they know their career is coming to an end. This character [[MentorOccupationalHazard may die]], so that their student can [[InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn learn to stand on their own two feet]]. Expect them to have the same elderly, but powerful look associated with the GrandpaGod.

* In Fanfic/TheUnlikelyAlly, [[VisualNovel/SayaNoUta Ryoko Tanbo]] acts somewhat as a shoulder to lean on for the senior Magical Girl of the group, Mami (who is, ironically enough, the initial Mentor for the main group). Anyone who's watched the show knows that Mami needs this badly.

* In Fanfic/TheUnlikelyAlly, [[VisualNovel/SayaNoUta Ryoko Tanbo]] acts somewhat as a shoulder to lean on for the senior Magical Girl of the group, Mami. Anyone who's watched the show knows that Mami needs this badly.

-->--'''Lyla''' on '''Wonder Woman''', ''WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanApocalypse''

* Six months into his journey in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11803928/1/ Challenger]]'', Ash becomes a mentor for both his cousin Luna and Giovanni's son Silver. While Ash acts as a BigBrotherMentor for Luna to protect her from Team Rocket, it's implied Giovanni is having Ash mentor his son as payment for the Sandile he gave Ash at the start of his journey.
* In ''Fanfic/HeirToTheBruceQuest'' While staying on [[spoiler:New Avalon]] for medical treatment Rhiannon is mentored in rulership and court politics by none other than [[spoiler: [[GuileHero Hanse Davion]] ]]
* In ''Fanfic/HurricaneSuite'', Ibuse the salamander patriarch taught Naruto a great deal about chakra and helped him through dealing with his [[ShellShockedVeteran trauma.]] Naruto frequently asks him for advice whenever he has doubts or doesn’t know what to do.
* In ''Fanfic/LegacyDocSuess'', Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil, ends up becoming Spider-Man's fighting teacher.

[[folder: Card Games]]

* ''Fanfic/TakamachiNanohaOf2814'': Franchise/{{Superman}} is an older advisor for Nanoha. She smugly notes how her mentor can actively assist her "which other {{Magical Girl}}s only dream about".
* The ''Vocaloid'' fanfiction ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7002672/Vocal_Vision Vocal Vision]]'' has Luka as this for Miku. Also Gakupo for Luka and Haku.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Guardian}}'', Lady Ginnem -- the first summoner Lulu guarded in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' -- is portrayed this way for Lulu, taking an interest in her while Lulu is living in the temple orphanage and teaching her magic. (Sadly, her MentorOccupationalHazard is preinstalled by canon.)
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames''/''Series/{{Angel}}'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10718717/1/Demon-s-Games Demon's Games]]", Angel takes on this role to Katniss after he saves her from the Capitol's assassins, teaching her about the true demonic nature of the Capitol's power and preparing her to fight demons. As she learns more about this new world, [[spoiler:as well as becoming a Slayer herself]], Katniss compares him to her Watcher, and by the end of the fic she reflects that she considers Angel essentially a brother.

* In ''Fanfic/TheBridge'', the ''Film/MonsterVerse'' King Kong served as one for the growing [[BigGood Godzilla Junior]] when the young saurian wound up on Skull Island and kept following the ape around. At first, Kong just ignored him, but after seeing how docile Junior was around the islanders and that the youth who'd taken a shine to him could keep up with the giant ape, Kong was won over. Over time Junior would watch and imitate Kong's battles against skullcrawlers and other native kaiju, Kong's training by emulation making Junior a much stronger close-quarters fighter than Godzilla Senior.

* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku runs into Peter Parker, who offers to teach him to become [[Franchise/SpiderMan Spider-Man]], not long after gaining spider powers.
* ''Fanfic/CodePrime'': WordOfGod has confirmed that Optimus will be this toward Lelouch. [[LikeFatherLikeSon Megatron is one for Charles]] and later [[EvilMentor Suzaku]].

* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames''/''Series/{{Angel}}'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10718717/1/Demon-s-Games Demon's Games]]", Angel takes on this role to Katniss after he saves her from the Capitol's assassins, teaching her about the true demonic nature of the Capitol's power and preparing her to fight demons.

** Sunset Shimmer is this as well as TheLeader towards the human counterparts of the [[FanNickname Mane Six]] in the spin-off ''Equestria Girls'' films and specials, being the only "human" with a deep understanding of the magic that has leaked in their dimension from the main MLP universe.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': Mufasa to his son Simba, who he teaches to succeed him as king.
* In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'', Master Oogway fills this character trope, being the OldMaster to Shifu. He seems addle-minded [[spoiler:until he dies]], but the heroes realize at the end he knew ''exactly'' what he was doing. Afterwards, [[spoiler:Shifu takes Oogway's place and plays the role of the OldMaster to Po.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the future, Batman, the ultimate badass (and still an elder badass if forced by circumstances), became a mentor to a new younger Batman, [[MissionControl giving advice by radio]].
* Grandpa Max, in ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'', was a [[TheMenInBlack Man in Black]] when he was younger, and retired to have some peace and quiet, spend time with his grandkids... Once the ImportedAlienPhlebotinum the show revolves around latches onto his grandson's wrist, Max's experience is invaluable (especially since the sender intended it to go to Max in the first place).

* In the ''Literature/TheHungerGames''/''Series/{{Angel}}'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10718717/1/Demon-s-Games Demon's Games]]", Angel takes on this role to Katniss after he saves her from the Capitol's assassins, teaching her about the true demonic nature of the Capitol's power and preparing her to fight demons.

** Likewise, ComicBook/CharlesXavier is this to the X-Men as a whole. Particularly Cyclops, who along with the other adult members of the X-Men, goes on to be a mentor in his own right to many young mutants attending the school.

Named after Mentor, Telemachus' elderly advisor in ''Literature/TheOdyssey'', [[GodWasMyCoPilot who was actually Athena]] [[DisguisedInDrag in disguise]]. For more information concerning "The Mentor" and other narrative archetypes, see [[http://www.everything2.org/index.pl?node_id=947547 Vladimir Propp's theory of narrative.]]

* [[OldSoldier Veteran Irish street cop]] Jim Malone teaches the younger Treasury agent Eliot Ness how to deal with Capone's forces in Chicago beyond conventional legal methods in ''Film/TheUntouchables''.

Named after Mentor, Telemachus' elderly advisor in ''Literature/TheOdyssey'', [[GodWasMyCoPilot who was actually Athena]] [[DisguisedInDrag in disguise]]. For more information concerning "The Mentor" and other narrative archetypes, see [[http://www.everything2.org/index.pl?node_id=947547 Vladmir Propp's theory of narrative.]]

** On the villain side, [[TheHeavy Tomura Shigaraki]] is mentored by All Might's arch-enemy, All For One. All For One knows full-well that he fulfills this trope, having taken in and raised Shigaraki from a young age [[spoiler:after killing his grandmother]] and uses the twisted bond between them to encourage Shigaraki to be a better villain. [[spoiler:Even after his arrest, he chides All Might for not embodying the trope as well as he has, because while All Might won and continues to be there for Midoriya, Shigaraki's loss of a beloved mentor is going to motivate him to grow stronger and more independent.]]

** Piccolo plays this somewhat in the first arc in ''Z'' where he decides to train Gohan, not only to get him ready for the Saiyans who were coming, but also because he sensed his death is near and wants someone to pass on his knowledge to. He's brought BackFromTheDead.

** Hayate was mentored by Genya Nakajima when she served under him in the 108th Battalion during the four year TimeSkip between the airport fire and the formation of Riot Force 6. Because of this, she continues to treat him as a superior officer despite outranking him in the present.
** Nanoha herself takes this role of the mentor towards the Forward Team, with Vita as her assistant trainer. Depending on your point of view, Nanoha may or maybe not TheProtagonist in ''[=StrikerS=]'', but she still takes action along side her students in battle.

* Clef of ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' gives the girls magic power and instructs them on its use, but leaves them to complete their journey on their own except when he is speaking to them remotely through Mokona. The anime has him TakenForGranite in the first episode and eventually become unable to communicate. [[spoiler:He gets better in the second half.]]

* Tepec, in Literature/ElConquistador. He saves Quetza of being sacrificed in the Temple, and he is a wise and intellectual teacher, a sage whom achieved his position in the Elders Council by his own sapience, not by his age or connections. He is a tutor of the Golden Age, as he misses the Toltec wisdom over the Aztec warmongering.
* Aunt Tekla in ''Literature/ShamanOfTheUndead'' with {{Deadpan Snark|er}}iness added. Shamans are incredibly rare and she was the previous one, so she teaches Ida about her powers and trains her to use it properly. She also manages to skirt the MentorOccupationalHazard by [[spoiler:dying two years before the story started and aiding Ida as a ghost]].

* ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'': Akira Hattori isn't a mangaka, but as an editor he serves as an important mentor to Muto Ashirogi, teaching them various important things about the manga industry and advising them how to create a good manga. Generelly, all editors should be this, but Hattori is the only one shown to effectively mentor his mangaka he's supervising. Miura attempts that, but his results are lackluster in the end.

** [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Sorin Markov]] was one to [[UltimateBlacksmith Nahiri]]. In the days when being a planeswalker meant becoming a PhysicalGod, this was pretty common. Nahiri even says he was like a father to her. [[spoiler: They're relationship ended pretty badly, which was ''also'' common for Oldwalkers]].

* In ''Fanfic/TheBridge'', the ''Film/MonsterVerse'' King Kong served as one for the growing [[BigGood Godzilla Junior]] when the young saurian wound up on Skull Island and kept following the ape around. At first Kong just ignored him, but after seeing how docile Junior was around the islanders and that the youth who'd taken a shine to him could keep up with the giant ape, Kong was won over. Over time Junior would watch and imitate Kong's battles against skullcrawlers and other native kaiju, Kong's training by emulation making Junior a much stronger close quarters fighter than Godzilla Senior.

** Another well known example is [[OldMaster Jedi Grandmaster]] [[EccentricMentor Yoda]]. After Obi-Wan's [[ObiWanMoment death]], Yoda took over Luke's training, and states that he has been training Jedi for over ''800 years''.
** Obi-Wan himself was trained by Qui Gon Jinn, who was noted to not get along with the Jedi Council and disagreed with several of their views. Jinn was the one who originally wanted to train a young Anakin, but after his death Obi-Wan took the responsibility.

* Rufus in ''Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'' guides Bill and Ted while they navigate through history.
* In ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' trilogy, Morpheus in most respects fills the role of the mentor but [[spoiler:is the only one of the three regulars to survive to the end]]. He tries to sacrifice himself for Neo as early as the first film, but gets rescued.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Tony Stark demonstrates some elements of this in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' when he recruits Peter Parker (AKA Spider-Man) and helps him upgrade his suit. However, by the end of the movie Tony has realized that he dragged Peter into a fight that had nothing to do with him, and resolves to keep him from getting involved further. In ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', Tony has continued this stance, giving Peter as much advice as he can, while also trying to keep him from getting in over his head.

%%* In ''Literature/DragonQueen'', the old man tries to be this, but is hilariously ineffective.

%%* A few people played this role for Caspian in ''{{Literature/Astral Dawn}}''. The most notable mentors he had were Magali, Peleus and Ixchel.

* Literature/CreationManAndTheMessiah by Norwegian poet Creator/HenrikWergeland has an exaggerated version: A nameless sage that teaches all of humanity in the essential wisdom of religion, God, trade, politics and social relations.

** Captain Elyia Asier serving this role as Cassidy. She frequently drops advice and life lessons, knowing that Cassidy wants to be the captain of her own crew, someday. At the end of the first book, she reveals to Cassidy [[spoiler:posthumously that she knew she was going to be killed, and was readying Cassidy to take up the position.]]

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Ebenezar [=McCoy=] was this to Harry when he was still learning how to use magic. While his previous guardian, Justin [=DuMorne=], taught him how to use magic through direct methods (such as throwing baseballs at him to teach him how to make a physical barrier), Ebenezar taught him that the power of magic comes from passion and emotions, and how important it is to follow the Laws of Magic. [[spoiler:It comes to a shock to Harry when he learns that his teacher, who taught him the importance of the Laws of Magic, was the Blackstaff, or the one person on the planet who can legally break them if he feels he needs to.]]

* In the ''Literature/MalazanBookOftheFallen'', K'rul chose [[LemonyNarrator Kruppe]], of all people, to confide in, visiting him in his dreams, giving well meaning advice and even [[spoiler: fighting off the Jaghut Tyrant for a while]].

** Likewise, Jon's younger sister Arya Stark has a range of mentors. Syrio Forel in Season 1 is a good mentor to Arya. He is a master sword fighter and instructor hired by her father Eddard Stark to train her. Her father was also a good mentor. Later, she has the morally ambiguous Jaqen H'ghar to guide her. Her moral compass notably alters under his tutelage; she is young and still pure hearted under her father and Syrio, but smarter and more sneaky when she interacts with Jaqen. When she becomes The Hound's hostage and they form a quasi-friendship, she gets progressively darker and more violent, verging on StrawNihilist by mid-Season 4, and her body-count noticeably increases as well.
** Maester Luwin, who educated the Stark children -- Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon -- is presented as Bran's primary mentor in the earlier seasons of the show. Bran is later guided by Jojen Reed in his greenseeing abilities and then mentored by the [[spoiler:Three-Eyed Raven.]]

** Matthews is Da Man among lower deck characters. He can offer his insight even to officers who respect him and listen to him because Matthews is experienced, reasonable, respectful and concerned for the good of the ship.

* Since the fall of Generation Next, Alex Shelley has sought to guide many promising wrestlers to greater heights, in New Japan, Wrestling/RingOfHonor and others, while not repeating his mistakes, most notable case being being in 2016 with KUSHIDA, ACH, Wrestling/JayWhite and Wrestling/LioRush when [[TheChessMaster he manipulated]] a three on three TagTeam Tournament to give the four of them a technical numerical advantage in hopes it would offset the inevitable cheating The Cabinet, The Kingdom and Wrestling/BulletClub would engage in while himself and Sabin went after Wrestling/TheYoungBucks and [[Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels The]] [[Wrestling/FrankieKazarian Addiction]] (though Kingdom and the club prevailed).

** The Turaga themselves, when they were Toa in their younger days, and Vakama in paticular, were mentored by Toa Lhiikan [[spoiler: until he's killed by Makuta]].

** This game puts your character, a Jedi exile severed from the Force and rediscovering his/her power, in the hands of Kreia, a mysterious Force-user who's apparently neither Jedi nor Sith. She's a considerable subversion of the trope however: although she genuinely grows to love you, [[spoiler:she also lies to you constantly, manipulating you (and everybody else) to achieve her Machiavellian purposes. Eventually, she reveals herself as the BigBad, forcing you to take her down yourself]].

** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', despite having been deceased for several years prior the start of the game, Malcolm Hawke is frequently referred to as being this to a Mage!Hawke and Bethany. Despite [[RetiredBadass giving up his magic]] when he married Leandra, when he discovered that his child(ren) had inherited his gifts, he immediately set about teaching them to hone their abilities and how to blend in, so they could keep their magic a secret from the Templars, [[ComesGreatResponsibility in addition to teaching them how to use their magic responsibly]].

* ''Literature/CanYouSpareAQuarter'': Pony is a medicine man who is teaching Jason in various nature skills such as respect for nature and how to track someone in the snow.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the future, Batman, the ultimate badass (and still an elder badass if forced by circumstances), became a mentor a new younger Batman, [[MissionControl giving advice by radio]].

** Uncle Iroh is a mentor to Prince Zuko and not only helps to protect him, but also helps him in his destiny to side with Aang to stop the Fire Nation's conquests. Interestingly, he is also the Obi-Wan to Zuko's Anakin Skywalker.