History Main / NumberTwo

* ''ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'': The [[NoSenseOfHumor humorless]], [[SuperOCD excessively by the book]] Ultra Magnus serves as Number Two for the lazy and [[ManChild completely irresponsible]] Rodimus. HilarityEnsues.

** In the ''Literature/XWingSeries'', although Wedge heads both squadrons he also has a second. Tycho seems to fill the role in Rogue Squadron, at least after those murder and treason charges were cleared up, and Face has the job in Wraith Squadron.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]]:

** In the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' Duology, General Bel Iblis strikes a deal with [[Literature/XWingSeries Booster Terrik]] -- Booster's Star Destroyer gets fixed up and flies for the New Republic in her time of need, and Booster gets to keep captaining her during this. When they fly into battle against hopeless odds and Booster wants to save his ship, Bel Iblis overrides him. Booster angrily reminds him that he's the captain of this ship. Bel Iblis calmly says yes. But ''he'' is the ship's admiral.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Battletech}}'', [[ProudWarriorRace the Clans]] have the position of ''[=saKhan=]''. Each Clan is lead by a Khan, [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority one of their most senior and respected Warriors elected by the Clan Council]]. Each Khan then selects a ''[=saKhan=]'' from amongst the Clan Council, who (provided they succeed at a [[TrialByCombat Trial of Position]] to prove their credentials) is then given the position. The ''[=saKhan=]'''s primary role is to ensure leadership in the event of the Khan dying in battle against an external enemy by immediately becoming Khan until the crisis has passed. In the event that the Khan is overthrown [[ChallengingTheChief by an internal challenger]], the ''[=saKhan=]'' will most commonly either ''be'' that challenger or the Khan's first stand-in for the challenge.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': The Gotei 13 is split into 13 divisions. Each division is a semi-autonomous unit that is controlled by TheCaptain and backed up by the Lieutenant. In the absence of a captain, the Lieutenant has to shoulder full responsibility for the division.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': Sheryl serving as SupportingLeader of her gang at Akira’s behest has the couple Erio and Alicia sharing the positions of her top lieutenants, also playing a ThoseTwoGuys role. Erio in particular serves as a MoralityPet for Sheryl, with more CharacterFocus. Erio is the strongest warrior among the StreetUrchin members aside from Akira, and in charge of security, while Alicia is in charge of finances. There being two reflects how, eventually, the boys in the gang tend towards the PrivateMilitaryContractors branch, while the girls work the relic shop.

* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'':

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jellystone}}: Mr. Jinks is Mayor Huckleberry Hound's undyingly loyal right-hand man.

** ''[[VisualNovel/LawsOfAttractionPixelberry Laws of Attraction]]'': Eli Byrne is the co-founder of McGraw Byrne alongside the firm's former CEO, Sadie McGraw, which makes him the de-facto deputy CEO.

If the creators did the research, the XO is much more likely to interact with the crew. On a ship, "Number One" is responsible for the crew: training, ordinary discipline (that is motivating the [=NCOs=] to motivate the others) setting watches for the officers etc. The captain's job is to decide what the ship should do, Number Two makes sure the ship and crew can do it. A CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough situation can result from this.

* Dominic Badguy is number two to Constantine the Frog in ''Film/MuppetsMostWanted'', and Constantine does not let him forget it.

->''"Finally, we come to my number two man. His name...Number Two."''

** Darui is this to the Fourth Raikage A. After A lost his dominant hand to Sasuke, he doesn't mind it that much, since he still has Darui as his best right hand...even though A is left-handed.

* In ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'', Laura functions as Gordon Brittas' Number Two...although in practice she's more like his HypercompetentSidekick. Amusingly enough, her second name is [[TheLancer Lancing]].

* On ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', Leslie Knope as deputy director is Number Two to Ron Swanson, director of the Parks and Rec department. ...At least officially. In reality, she's the only one getting anything done, since Ron has admitted on camera that he hates government, and plays the ObstructiveBureaucrat to the hilt.

** ''VisualNovel/WakeTheDead'': Dirk served thus for Ash, being the one who commanded Olympus while (s)he was away...until (s)he betrayed him.

** Alistair serves here by default in due to the rest of the order being wiped out at Ostagar, leaving him as the only other Grey Warden ([[spoiler: [[ThereIsAnother not imprisoned]]]]) in Ferelden, aside from the Warden. Unusual in that Alistair has been a Grey Warden longer and should really outrank the PC. He just prefers to leave leadership up to someone else.

* Officially, [[AngryBlackMan Barret]] is in command of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII AVALANCHE]] with Tifa as his Number Two and Cloud as some temporary hired muscle. By the time the party leaves Midgar Cloud is the acknowledged leader, with Tifa as his unofficial Number Two. As captain of [[GlobalAirship the Highwind]], Cid later takes on the role, taking over the leadership of the party when Cloud is incapacitated and Tifa stays behind to care for him.

* Penultimo in the ''VideoGame/{{Tropico}}'' series is this for El Presidente.

* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', Siegfried Kircheis effectively serve this role to Reinhard von Lohengramm. Most of Reinhard's subordinates recognise and accept this disposition, except for Paul von Oberstein, who believes that TheLeader should not have a Number Two as that may lead to the creation of an alternate power base.

** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': T'Pol is posted to the ship by Vulcan High Command to keep an eye on the humans in their first deep-space venture. She's not officially a member of Starfleet until the third season (which causes a minor argument between her and the ship's engineer over who takes the chair when Archer's not around -- it ends up being her). Archer resents her at first, but they eventually come to trust each other.

** Averted with ''Series/StarTrekProdigy''. There's only five main characters plus a TeamPet and a holographic Janeway on board the ship. Dal is the Captain, they have a science officer (Rok-Tahk), engineer (Jankom Pog) and a pilot (Zero) while the fifth character (Gwyn) was taken hostage by the crew to help them escape. Due to being the daughter of the villain of the show with shifting loyaties Gwyn was not trusted enough to be the equivalent of a second in command.

*** ''Series/StarTrekLowerDecks'' has Commander Jack Ransom, a rugged AcePilot who enjoys fighting bare handed, but he is ''not'' a main character, as the real main characters are the four titular "lower deckers".

* The ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' series has a wide and ever-changing variety of these due to having LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (who are often given [[AnyoneCanDie suprisingly little]] PlotArmor). In the first book, Captain Harrington's Number Two is Alistair [=McKeon=], who starts as an embittered CommanderContrarian [[note]] he fully expected to be promoted to Captain and take command of the ''Fearless'', except the far-younger Harrington was transferred in to fill the post instead[[/note]] before he finally steps up as TheLancer.