History Main / ParentsInDistress

* ''Disney/LambertTheSheepishLion'' has [[LovableCoward Lambert]], who [[CowardlyLion snaps into action]] when [[ObliviousAdoption his sheep mother]] is attacked by a wolf.

* Penny's character in the ShowWithinAShow on ''Disney/{{Bolt}}''.

* In ''Disney/TheLionKing'', Scar decided it wasn't enough to kill Simba's father Mufasa, he also had to show Simba's mother Sarabi the back of his paw. '''Big mistake.'''

* In the WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles 2003 series, the turtles have several instances where their adoptive father, Splinter, has to be saved because he's captured or injured.

On the other hand, sometimes it's the ''parents'' that get themselves in a sticky situation. Then the children will [[BewareTheNiceOnes go to any lengths necessary]] to save their parents (or teacher, older sibling, etc.) from danger.

** has Jotaro Kujo on ''both'' ends of this trope:

*** Jotaro in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'' when the BigBad [[spoiler: Enrico Pucci]] uses his Stand to steal his memories and power, leaving him comatose; his daughter Jolyne's drive to save her father forms the backbone of the plot.
** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJojolion Jojolion]]'' develops into this later on, at first the amnesiac protagonist, Josuke, is just trying to find out who he really is, when Josuke discovers he is actually [[spoiler:a fusion of two individuals, Yoshikage Kira and Josefumi Kujo, he sets out to find a way to cure Kira’s mother (who by proxy is his own mother now and Josuke definitely sees it this way) by chasing a fruit which can grant miracles through equivalent exchange]].

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' character Cream the Rabbit's debut in the series has her fighting against Eggman's robots in order to rescue her mother.

* ParentalSubstitute variant in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Tony would've been bludgeoned by one of the Thanos's minions during the battle of New York had Peter not appeared out of nowhere and pulled a PunchCatch on it.

** ''Darke'' has Jenna and Septimus trying to save their mother Sarah when she gets trapped in the Palace in the Darke Domaine. She eventually is rescued by their older brother Simon tough.

** Book #48 is a WhamEpisode where the Animorphs realize that the Yeerks have begun to discover their identities, and have to finally [[WelcomeToTheMasquerade reveal the truth]] to their parents and evacuate them to the Hork-Bajir colony for their own safety. [[spoiler:Jake]]'s parents, however, are infested before they can save them. Meanwhile, Tobias has finally found his MissingMom and has to struggle with how to save her too.

* The Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers were willing to trade their powers in order to get their parents back in "Return Of An Old Friend". (Double in the case of [[TheChick the Pink Ranger]] Kimberly, who was in the middle of a VisitByDivorcedDad.

* Emma Swan on ''Series/OnceUponATime'' has had to bail her parents Snow White and Prince David out of trouble several times (including breaking the curse they were under all of Season 1). Her son, Henry, isn't a slouch in the heroism department, either, [[spoiler: eating a poisoned apple turnover and getting hit with the same sleeping spell that afflicted Grandma in order to save Emma, forcing Emma and the BigBad to work together to undo the spell.]]

* Seen in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' if the Warden comes from the City Elf background. Late in the game, the Warden and friends will return to the alienage where the Warden grew up, and rescue his/her father and other elves from slavers.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', this happens twice to Leandra Hawke. [[spoiler: The first time, she's fine. The second... [[StuffedInTheFridge not so much...]] ]]

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe'', Eliwood's main motivation is to find his father Elbert, who disappeared in strange circumstances. [[spoiler: He finds him... in the lair of the Black Fang, gravely injured and weakened. And then he dies in his arms.]] And before that, Lyn's adventures involved her racing against the clock to both to claim her inheritance as the Princess of Caelin ''and'' save her ill grandfather Hausen. [[spoiler: And she has to do the second part again one year later, when the Black Fang attacks their realm.]]

** Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon are so upset when Hawk's Eye attacks Ikuko (Sailor Moon's mother and Chibi Moon's grandmother) that they get their Super forms in Super S.

* Delia Ketchum is this in the third ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' movie, abducted by Entei after Molly Hale, an emotionally broken little girl whose father has just disappeared, wishes for a mother. [[BewareTheNiceOnes Her son Ash is not pleased by this turn of events.]]

* In the ''[=FireRed/LeafGreen=]'' arc of ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Green has to rescue her parents who were kidnapped by Deoxys [[spoiler:and by extension, Team Rocket]].

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' does this a couple of times. For most of the series, it's Marco's main plotline: he [[LukeIAmYourFather discovers]] that his [[DeathFakedForYou supposedly-dead]] mom is actually the host body of [[BiggerBad Visser One]], and sticks with the group in the hope of one day saving her. In book #45, he also has to protect his father, whose scientific discovery threatens the Yeerks' plans. [[spoiler:He saves his mom in the same book]].

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has Jotaro Kujo on ''both'' ends of this trope:
** The plot of ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'' is kicked off when Jotaro's mother Holly Kujo suddenly falls sick and Jotaro starts searching for a way to help her. It turns out she's [[FightingSpirit developing her own Stand]], but [[PowerIncontinence it's rapidly draining her]], due to not having the will power to control it.
** Jotaro himself falls prey to this in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'' when the BigBad [[spoiler: Enrico Pucci]] uses his Stand to steal his memories and power, leaving him comatose; his daughter Jolyne's drive to save her father forms the backbone of the plot.

** Future Trunks saved his mother, Bulma, and his past self from an attack of Dr. Gero. Later he tried to save his father, Vegeta, from Android #18, but Android 17 pretended him from doing so. When Future Trunks stood up, he was immediately knocked out by 18 who did [[GrievousHarmWithABody Grievous Harm With Vegeta's Body]]. And when Vegeta was having trouble against Cell, Future Trunks did nothing and waited until his father lost his consciousness because he didn't want to hurt Vegeta's pride - [[WellDoneSonGuy Future Trunks]] was really, ''really'' frustrated about this.

** In the second season, [[DarkMAgicalGirl Corrector Ai]]'s main goal is to find the conscience of her comatose mother Azusa, which was "separated" from her body in an accident in the Net. [[spoiler: It turns out [[HeKnowsTooMuch it wasn NOT an accident]].]]

** ''[[JojosBizarreAdventureJojolion Jojolion]]'' develops into this later on, at first the amnesiac protagonist, Josuke, is just trying to find out who he really is, when Josuke discovers he is actually [[spoiler:a fusion of two individuals, Yoshikage Kira and Josefumi Kujo, he sets out to find a way to cure Kira’s mother (who by proxy is his own mother now and Josuke definitely sees it this way) by chasing a fruit which can grant miracles through equivalent exchange]].

* VideoGame/FinalFantasyX: In a ''very'' sad, twisted way. [[spoiler: Tidus has to MercyKill his estranged father, who has become [[EldritchAbomination Sin]].]]

** The plot of ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'' is kicked off when Jotaro's mother Holly Kujo suddenly falls sick and Jotaro starts searching for a way to help her. It turns out she's [[FightingSpirit developing her own stand]], but [[PowerIncontinence it's rapidly draining her]].

** Zuko also rescues [[ParentalSubstitute Iroh]] when the latter is captured by earthbenders.

** Book #48 is a WhamEpisode where the Animorphs realize that the Yeerks have begun to discover their identities, and have to finally [[WelcomeToTheMasquerade reveal the truth]] to their parents and evacuate them to the Hork-Bajir colony for their own safety. Jake's parents, however, are infested before they can save them. Meanwhile, Tobias has finally found his MissingMom and has to struggle with how to save her too.

* In the FRLG arc of ''Manga/PokemonSpecial'', Blue has to rescue her parents who were kidnapped by Deoxys [[spoiler:and by extension, Team Rocket]].
** In the XY arc, Y's mother, Grace, is taken by Team Flare, presumably for leverage against her daughter and, more importantly, her charge, X, who possesses the Mega Ring that they're after.

* ''Film/SpyKids'' features this in the first movie, when the spy parents are in danger and the titular kids, who have just learned that they're not as "boring" and "normal" as they believed, set out to rescue them.

** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Thracia 776]]'', one of Prince Leif's goals is rescuing his ParentalSubstitute Lady Evayle, [[spoiler: who has been TakenForGranite by the Loptyr Sect.]] Not succeeding will [[spoiler: cause her to be BrainwashedAndCrazy into becoming one of the Dead Lords.]]

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', [[spoiler: the [[KidFromTheFuture kids from the future]] decide to time travel to avert the deaths of their parents... which triggered the BadFuture from whence they came.]]

* In the fourth case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', a girl named Ema Skye hires Phoenix and serves as his assistant because her older sister Lana (who is basically [[PromotedToParent her mother]]) is on trial for murder and refusing to deny she did it. [[spoiler:As the trial goes on, it turns out that Lana's in even worse trouble than initially suspected. She's been blackmailed by her boss, Damon Gant, for the past few years, which resulted in her taking on a cold, distant and standoffish demeanor in an attempt to cope. And one of the blackmailing matters is how, if Lana doesn't do stuff like Gant says, ''Ema will be accused of murder instead''.]]

* In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Tony would've been bludgeoned by one of the Thanos's minions during the battle of New York had Peter not appeared out of nowhere and pulled a PunchCatch on it.

* BumblingDad Kogoro Mouri from ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' has had to be bailed out of trouble more than once by his ActionGirl daughter and his KidDetective (sorta) protegé. i.e, in a {{filler}} case Conan once uses his super-powered shoes to kick a rock towards a DarkActionGirl who has Kogoro in a makeshift gallow, forcing her to release him.

* In ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', Casca, rendered [[spoiler: almost]] completely helpless after the events of the Eclipse, is protected from danger by her [[spoiler: miscarried and tainted child by controlling the demons that would normally go after her and using them against those who try to harm her. It also uses its powers to warn its father, protagonist Guts, that she is in danger.]] Much later in the series, a little boy [[spoiler:with a startling resemblance to Casca and Guts that may or may not be the Child reborn as a human]] whom Casca immediately likes, tries to free Guts of his cursed Berserker armor [[spoiler:and later gives him a psychic cooldown hug when he's in a berserk state.]]

** Lutecia's motivation to be with the villains is getting a cure for her comatose mother, Megane. [[spoiler: What she doesn't know is that ''said villains'' are the reason why she's in a coma to start with. Caro and Erio [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight convince Lutecia to lay down her weapons]], and some time later Megane recovers.]]

* Mowgli in Creator/RudyardKipling's original ''Literature/TheSecondJungleBook'' rescues his ''adoptive'' parents from the angry villagers, mostly for the sake of Messua - her husband's an ungrateful bastard.

* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians:'' The whole plot is kicked off because Hades kidnaps Percy's mother as leverage during an early-on battle in the first book. [[GoodIsNotSoft Percy]] [[FriendlessBackground is not]] [[MommasBoy happy.]] He wastes no time readying himself to ''storm the Underworld'' to get her back.

** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Fire Emblem: Thracia 776]]'', one of Prince Leif's goals is rescuing his ParentalSubstitute Lady Evayle, [[spoiler: who has been TurnedIntoGranite by the Loptyr Sect.]] Not succeeding will [[spoiler: cause her to be BrainwashedAndCrazy into becoming one of the Dead Lords.]]

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', [[spoiler: the [[KidFromTheFuture kids from the future]] decide to time travel to avert the deaths of their parents... which triggered the BadFuture they're from.]]

* ''VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh'': Jet is trying to rescue his father, Alan, from kidnappers who put the ''hostile'' in "hostile corporate takeover." He is also trying to rescue and protect the benevolent AI Ma3a from a viral invasion launched by the same creeps. [[spoiler: An email implies that Ma3a actually is what remains of Jet's mother, who was killed by a digitizer accident in this timeline, meaning he's spending the game rescuing ''both'' his parents.]]
* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIVThePerilsOfRosella'': Rosella is taken to Tamir and undergoes a grueling quest to retrieve a magic fruit capable of saving her father's life. Getting the fruit is the easy part, saving Genesta so that she can get a ride back to Daventry, not so much.

* At some point in ''Film/NoobLaQueteLegendaire'', an entity reliant on BodySurf gets set free. After a first host possessed from lack of choice, its second host is the father from a father-son pair that had mostly been the center of a ThirdLineSomeWaiting plot in the [[Film/NoobLeConseilDesTroisFactions previous movie]]. The event makes the son become part of a more important plotline of the story, that involves trying to detroy the entity.

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' has the titular hero constantly protecting his parents Jack and Maddie from the main villain: namely Vlad wooing his mother which is the lesser of his two evils--the other is him wanting to kill Danny's father.

** Happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingSpiez'' with ''uncanny'' frequency...geez [[DoomMagnet do Cal and Karen]] [[WeirdnessMagnet get into trouble]] ''a lot''.

* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' features quite a lot of {{Parental Substitute}}s in distress; for has anyone even '''counted''' the times when Captain Planet needed the Planeteers' help? Not to mention the instances where Gaia's life (or at least her immortality) was at stake.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpacePOP'' revolves around 5 teenage princesses who have to rescue their captve parents from an evil empress.

* Penny does this for her dumbass uncle ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' all the time...

* ''Film/DCExtendedUniverse''

-->'''Superman''': "[[PunctuatedPounding YOU THINK!!! YOU CAN THREATEN!!! MY MOTHER!?!?]]"