History Main / PlugNPlayFriends

When a new character permanently joins an [[TrueCompanions ensemble cast]], it takes an astonishingly short time for them to get to the same level of rapport with the other characters as they already had with each other (and with the character they're replacing). Expect one FishOutOfWater episode, and then they'll be flirting, sharing intimate secrets, and in on all the jokes. Can overlap conceptually with ReplacementGoldfish, when the new "fish" is immediately treated and acts as a beloved friend.

In an action series or a video game, they'll be willing to die for everyone else, and vice versa, with a passion nobody ever shows for the one-episode [[TheMillstone Millstone]] character. Of course, the outsider status could be resurrected [[CompressedVice for a one-episode conflict]] later, or they could turn out to be TheMole. (if so, and the character regrets their actions, they will be EasilyForgiven)

Compare to HonoraryTrueCompanion. Contrast ForgottenFallenFriend and SocialCircleFiller. See also RememberTheNewGuy.

* In ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Rock integrates rather quickly with the crew of the Lagoon, insofar he goes from being their hostage to being, at least superficially, "one of them" in the space of about a day, helped by the fact that he saves all of their asses by devising the most [[RefugeInAudacity balls-to-the-wall insane method of killing an attack helicopter ever]]. Rock himself {{lampshades}} this at one point and starts to wonder if he's developed StockholmSyndrome because of how calm he is over the degree of familiarity he gets with them so quickly. Revy is the exception: it takes her about six episodes to properly accept him once he has actually joined them.

* In pro-wrestling, Heels are generally friends with Heels, Faces with Faces. When a Face turns Heel, it is often quite strange, as they become friends with wrestlers who have attempted to do various despicable things to them in the past. On one memorable occasion, Stone Cold Steve Austin turned heel and teamed up with Triple H... who had previously ordered Stone Cold to be run down, in an attempt to end his career or kill him. Often the whole thing comes with copious amounts of LampshadeHanging, whether immediately (the "I don't like you and you don't like me, but let's team against our common enemies" speech) or down the road as a ContinuityNod (witness the interview with Triple H's team at ''Survivor Series'' 2007, where Kane and Jeff Hardy call in their receipts for the various heinous behaviors that HHH has subjected them to over the years when he was a {{heel}}).

* Common in tabletop {{RPG}}s when a PC gets killed and the player has to make a replacement character.

* Pick a role-playing game that doesn't involve the player creating the entire party from the start. Odds are, this trope will show up in it at least once.

** And, uh... this IS [[AllLovingHero Colette]] we're talking about. She would have taken advice from Sheena to heart if the woman was still actively trying to kill her!
*** Not to mention that, even as Sheena was trying to kill her, Colette was more then happy to try to make friends with her and held her in high regard (see: pre-battle conversations and post-battle Z-skits). The speed at which the ''rest'' of the party accepted here tended to be a bit more reasonable, though by the time they reached the Tower of Salvation (either very soon after Sheena joined or quite a time later depending on which route you took), even Raine was willing to trust her. (see: No real questions about her summoning skill and [[spoiler: everyone trusting her information about getting to Tethe'alla]])
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem''. This happens so much, it is a wonder that the hero's group doesn't pick up any spies. Reports are, the only spies in the series ([[spoiler:Nasir]] and [[spoiler:Orson]]) are the few characters that don't meet the heroes this way.

* Brookes in ''VideoGame/{{Breakout}}'' - going from pretty much nobody to an integral member of the crew within all of about 10 minutes. [[spoiler: Though the fact that he is pretty much ''TheChosenOne'' does somewhat account for this]]

** Terra meets the main cast in one episode, becomes best buds with them in a minute, then leaves in a fit of rage after (mistakenly) thinking they had betrayed her at the end of that same episode. Later, she comes back with a big smile on her face, offering her unending services to the team. They take her in, they throw her a big old welcome party (with the exception of [[DeadpanSnarker Raven]], who dryly tells Terra to help herself to the fridge and to make sure she cleans up after herself before she inevitably leaves), and then she attempts to murder them all. This is over-simplified; not only is the PlugNPlayFriends aspect ginormous here, Terra herself is actually very well developed as a character and the reasons for her actions are not hard to discern.

** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
* All the Maquis characters on the ship. By halfway through the first season (once they get rid of Seska), none of the Starfleet personnel seem to care they're working with terrorists, and none of the Maquis seem to remember that they believe Starfleet and the Federation sold them down the river. Granted, they've got more important things to worry about, but still, you'd think it rated an occasional mention.

* One episode after B.J. was introduced in ''[[Series/{{MASH}} M*A*S*H]]'', he was inexplicably Hawkeye's best bud and the incoming Colonel Potter, looking over their records, berated them for how much goofing off they did together. This after B.J. had been introduced as a straight arrow in the previous episode. One has to wonder if the episode was written before Wayne Rogers left and they just crossed out "Trapper" and wrote in "B.J." without changing anything else. According to a "behind the scenes" show on the Biography Channel, this is exactly what they did.

* All the Maquis characters in ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. By half way through the first season (once they get rid of Seska), none of the Starfleet personnel seem to care they're working with terrorists, and none of the Maquis seem to remember that they believe Starfleet and the Federation sold them down the river. Granted, they've got more important things to worry about, but still, you'd think it rated an occasional mention.
** It got [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when they finally established contact with Star Fleet, when it turned out that their superiors had been extremely concerned about it, while they had mostly just forgot about it.
** And it was referenced in the episode ''Worst Case Scenario'', which centered around a training program based on the idea of a Maquis rebellion. [[spoiler: Seska was involved in that one, too, [[MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning despite being dead.]]]]
** There was another episode when Tuvok had to deal with some discipline problems among low-ranking Maquis. When they complained to Chakotay that they prefer the Maquis way, he punches one of them in the face and tells them to go give the Starfleet way another try. By the end of the episode, they all trust Tuvok and he trusts them.
** For that matter, the crew accepts Neelix, Kes, and even Seven remarkably quickly, considering two of them were strangers from previously unknown alien races and the third was an enemy combatant. Neelix's first act was actually to use their help under false pretenses to rescue Kes.

* Averted in ''Series/DeadLikeMe'' with Daisy. It takes the rest of the reapers quite a while to get used to her.

* Will in ''Series/TheInbetweeners''. This may be due to BritishBrevity preventing any sort of drawn-out character arc.

* Robin in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' mainly due to Ted's [[LoveAtFirstSight instant interest in her]] in the series' pilot.

* Oliver in ''Series/{{Coupling}}''. Goes on a blind date with one of the main characters and it doesn't work out. In subsequent episodes he gets involved in the six-way phone call, and Jane later invites him to Sally's dinner party and Susan's antenatal class. By his fifth episode he's having regular drinks with Steve and Patrick, in [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Jeff's old seat]].

When a new character permanently joins an [[TrueCompanions ensemble cast]], it takes an astonishingly short time for them to get to the same level of rapport with the other characters as they already had with each other (and with the character they're replacing). Expect one FishOutOfWater episode, and then they'll be flirting, sharing intimate secrets, in on all the jokes. Can overlap conceptually with ReplacementGoldfish, when the new "fish" is immediately treated and acts as a beloved friend.

* Rachel in ''Series/{{Friends}}'', although she does have some prior connections.

* Even worse in LARP than in [=RPGs=], as the "new guy" is remarkable similar to the recently lost one. Possibly because ''it's the same player with a different costume'' (and not always). Worth noting that when players try to play it straight and to build a new relation from zero, it staggers the game a lot, and often kills it outright. In that case, for LARP games, this is an AcceptableBreakFromReality

* Averted twice in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** Aang welcomes Toph immediately, but [[AllLovingHero he likes everyone.]] Sokka welcomes her as a powerful ally from the start, but doesn't seem to relate to her as a friend for some time. Katara, on the other hand, oscillates between obvious efforts to get closer to Toph and fighting with her well into the following ''season''.
** When [[spoiler:Zuko]] joins the Gaang, he is also not welcomed immediately. He needs a separate episode with ''each'' of Aang, Sokka, and Katara to get their acceptance and forgiveness. Sadly, [[RunningGag no life-changing field trip with him]] [[LampshadeHanging for Toph]].

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', when Shinra seems to know where you're headed after the Gold Saucer, Cloud has a scene where he forcefully refuses to consider that anyone on his party could be a traitor, saying that he doesn't want to suspect any of his friends. Keep in mind that you just met Cait Sith ''five minutes ago'', and he's only known Aeris and Rex XIII for a week at most. It's possible to literally have met Yuffie thirty seconds before this cutscene happens. And while Cloud has bonded rapidly with Aeris, Yuffie and Cait Sith's initial introduction to the party don't involve any sort of bonding -- they basically elbow their way in even though it's clear nobody likes them. [[spoiler:Cloud's insistence that they're all his close friends becomes extra-hilarious when you consider the fact that Cait Sith is, in fact, the traitor in question, while Yuffie is a thief out to take them for all they're worth.]]

Compare to HonoraryTrueCompanion. Contrast ForgottenFallenFriend. See also RememberTheNewGuy.

->'''The Gamemaster''': Guys, please! I want you to roleplay this. Remember you've never met this guy before, the last guys you met tried to kill you, and you're standing in the ruins of an evil, cursed castle. Just act appropriately.\\
'''Magellan''': Hello, I'm Magellan, a traveling mage. I notice your group has no wizard.\\
'''Rogar''': You seem trustworthy. Would you care to join us in our noble quest?\\
'''Magellan''': Yes. Yes I would.

Compare to HonoraryTrueCompanion. Contrast ForgottenFallenFriend. See also RememberTheNewGuy

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Rock integrates rather quickly with the crew of the Lagoon, insofar he goes from being their hostage to being, at least superficially, 'one of them' in the space of about a day, helped by the fact that he saves all of their asses by devising the most [[RefugeInAudacity balls-to-the-wall insane method of killing an attack helicopter ever]]. Rock himself {{lampshades}} this at one point and starts to wonder if he's developed StockholmSyndrome because of how calm he is over the degree of familiarity he gets with them so quickly. Revy is the exception: it takes her about six episodes to properly accept him once he has actually joined them.

* This is a frequent occurrence with new members of the Strawhat Pirates in ''Manga/OnePiece'', although Luffy ''is'' [[MagneticHero the kind of guy]] who'd be quick to be friendly with anyone he meets unless they do something to get on his bad side. The only noticeable exception is Robin in how she never refers to any of her fellow crew mates by name until the end of the Enies Lobby Arc.
** It is implied that Luffy can somehow sense the true intentions of people he meets even if they act the other way (like Blackbeard on Jaya).

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/StargateSG1'''s introduction of Teal'c, in which he betrays his ''god'' in a HeelFaceTurn, makes it seem odd that O'Neill trusts him so quickly, to the point of sternly insisting on his inclusion into SG-1. Jonas Quinn [[AvertedTrope averted]] it, however.

* Robin in ''Series/{{How I Met Your Mother}}'' mainly due to Ted's [[LoveAtFirstSight instant interest in her]] in the series' pilot.
* Common in ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', each time one of the rangers is replaced.
** Each time the rangers meet someone who's not obviously a MonsterOfTheWeek.

** And it was referenced in the episode ''Worst Case Scenario,'' which centered around a training program based on the idea of a Maquis rebellion. [[spoiler: Seska was involved in that one, too, [[MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning despite being dead.]]]]
*** There was another episode when Tuvok had to deal with some discipline problems among low-ranking Maquis. When they complained to Chakotay that they prefer the Maquis way, he punches one of them in the face and tells them to go give the Starfleet way another try. By the end of the episode, they all trust Tuvok and he trusts them.

* One episode after B.J. was introduced in ''[[Series/{{MASH}} M*A*S*H]]'', he was inexplicably Hawkeye's best bud and the incoming Colonel Potter, looking over their records, berated them for how much goofing off they did together. This after B.J. had been introduced as a straight arrow in the previous episode. One has to wonder if the episode was written before Wayne Rogers left and they just crossed out "Trapper" and wrote in "B.J." without changing anything else.
** According to a "behind the scenes" show on the Biography Channel, this is exactly what they did.
* This happens in season 3 of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' after the character of Caitlin Todd is killed off, her replacement is Mossad Officer Ziva David, who joins the team only a couple of episodes after her half-brother (the terrorist Ari Haswari) murdered Caitlin. However, this could be seen as an aversion, since they show the other members of the team being fairly open to her, but commenting on how it is odd for their boss, Agent Gibbs, to do the same. This is explained as Ziva having saved Gibbs' life when Ari came to kill him in his basement (by shooting her half-brother), forming a bond of trust that otherwise would not have occurred nearly as fast.

* H.G. Wells in the last episodes of season two on ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}''. She joins the team suddenly in one episode, treated as family the next, before she betrays them in the season finale.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]

* The Trolls and Kids to each other in ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'', considering they've known each other for all of a day on positive terms, although the Trolls harassed them previously. Averted however with some of the Trolls who outright refuse or seem disinterested in getting to know the Kids [[spoiler: somewhat justifiably given that they unleashed a PhysicalGod on the Trolls who started killing them]].

* Terra from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' meets the main cast in one episode, becomes best buds with them in a minute, then leaves in a fit of rage after (mistakenly) thinking they had betrayed her at the end of that same episode. Later, she comes back with a big smile on her face, offering her unending services to the team. They take her in, they throw her a big old welcome party (with the exception of [[DeadpanSnarker Raven]], who dryly tells Terra to help herself to the fridge and to make sure she cleans up after herself before she inevitably leaves), and then she attempts to murder them all. This is over-simplified; not only is the PlugNPlayFriends aspect ginormous here, Terra herself is actually very well developed as a character and the reasons for her actions are not hard to discern.

** Aang welcomes Toph immediately, but [[AllLovingHero he likes everyone.]] Sokka welcomes her as a powerful ally from the start, but doesn't seem to relate to her as a friend for some time. Katara, on the other hand, oscillates between obvious efforts to get closer to Toph and fighting with her well into the following SEASON.
** When [[spoiler:Zuko]] joins the Gaang, he is also not welcomed immediately. He needs a separate episode with EACH of Aang, Sokka, and Katara to get their acceptance and forgiveness. Sadly, [[RunningGag no life-changing field trip with him]] [[LampshadeHanging for Toph]].

[[folder:Other]]
* Common in tabletop {{RPG}}s when a PC gets killed and the player has to make a replacement character.
** Done hilariously in the film ''Film/TheGamers''.
** In LARP is even worse, as the "new guy" is remarkable similar to the recently lost one. Possibly because ''it's the same player with a different costume'' (and not always). Worth noting that when players try to play it straight and to build a new relation from zero, it staggers the game a lot, and often kills it outright.
*** In that case, for LARP games, this is an AcceptableBreakFromReality
[[/folder]]

** Aang welcomes Toph immediately, but he likes everyone. Sokka welcomes her as a powerful ally from the start, but doesn't seem to relate to her as a friend for some time. Katara, on the other hand, oscillates between obvious efforts to get closer to Toph and fighting with her well into the following SEASON.

Contrast ForgottenFallenFriend. See also RememberTheNewGuy

* Common in ''PowerRangers'', each time one of the rangers is replaced.

* Brookes in ''VideoGame/{{Breakout}}'' - going from pretty much nobody to an integral member of the crew within all of about 10 minutes. [[spoiler: Though the fact that he is pretty much ''TheChosenOne'' does somewhat account for this]]

* This is a frequent occurrence with new members of the Strawhat Pirates in ''OnePiece'', although Luffy ''is'' [[MagneticHero the kind of guy]] who'd be quick to be friendly with anyone he meets unless they do something to get on his bad side. The only noticeable exception is Robin in how she never refers to any of her fellow crew mates by name until the end of the Enies Lobby Arc.