History Main / TheDragAlong

* In ''VideoGame/BreathOfDeathVII'', [[TheHero Dem]] the [[DemBones skeleton knight]] is dragged into adventure by [[AdventurerArchaeologist Sara]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Lita]] and doesn't really care about their goals, and his opinions are often ignored. That's because he, due to being a skeleton, [[HeroicMime cannot speak]], and Sara, capable of MindReading, just ignores his opinions if they contradict hers.

Contrast the SourSupporter, who doesn't believe [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption it will work]] but will contribute anyway (although with sardonic comments), and TheLoad or TheMillstone, who may or may not be supportive but whose actions and/or very existence work against the heroes' purposes.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'', Arnold never wants to go, and always ends up wishing that [[CatchPhrase he'd stayed home that day]]. It's even shown in the opening: "''Please'' let this be a normal field trip!"

-->'''Wander:''' C'mon, Syl! [[CatchPhrase It never hurts to help.]]\\

* ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'': Kyon, the viewpoint character, is always getting dragged around as an accessory to the schemes of his [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend totally-not-girlfriend]], and is rarely ever happy about it. He later acknowledges that he actually likes the craziness. Well, he does but that doesn't mean that he likes being forced to dig countless holes for a treasure map that, of course, doesn't exist.
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Nara Shikamaru fits this trope like a glove early in the series, most prominently during the Chunin exams when chasing Sasuke. He'd much rather simply sit around and watch the clouds than fight or go on missions. Subsequent CharacterDevelopment means that he takes a much more responsible role.
* Chisame of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' frequently acted like this for a while after she found out about the magic world. Then it got subverted, as she successfully escapes the weirdness only to realize that her life was now incredibly boring. So she heads right back into the weird stuff.
* Shinji Ikari in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' episodes 1-4 and in End of Evangelion in which Misato drags Shinji to pilot the [=EVA01=].
* The three delinquents Juumonji, Toganu and Kuroki in ''Manga/Eyeshield21'' are initially blackmailed into joining the American football team.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates in regards to [[IdiotHero Luffy]]. Most of them were pestered, cajoled, and sometimes flat out blackmailed into joining the crew. And then, his decisions as 'captain' end up sending the crew on outrageous misadventures. Usopp, Chopper, and Nami are the ones who complain the most.

* Through much of the first part of ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', Kyo is quite unwilling to go along with most outings other family members come up with. He's usually either forced into coming, or is innocently coerced by Tohru (which is lampshaded at one point, when Tohru's friends note with interest that it's taking less and less time for Kyo to crumble when Tohru asks him to come along for something).
* [[BrokenBird Haruka Kotoura]] from ''Manga/KotouraSan'' is a literal case since she's often DraggedByTheCollar and ''thankfully'' always PlayedForLaughs. She's {{justifi|edTrope}}ably apprehensive about joining the ESP Society and Research Club, whose mission is to prove that PsychicPowers exist, because she knows that [[LivingLieDetector society is afraid]] of her [[PowerIncontinence inadvertent]] {{Telepathy}}; and she fears [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer being even more of an outcast]].

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'': [[TeamPet Iggy]] doesn't want to be with the heroes, yet he's dragged off to risk his life fighting DIO and the Stand users working for him, and he frequently annoys his teammates with his hostility. The only reason he sticks around is because Avdol defeated him in a fight, and he's bribed with [[TrademarkFavoriteFood coffee-flavored gum]] into joining their group. Though [[HiddenHeartOfGold underneath all the grumpiness, he does have a good heart.]]
* Kosame Isshiki in ''Anime/AppareRanman'' didn't want to go on an adventure across the world, but now that he's with Appare, he has no choice but to help out if he wants to go home.

* ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'':
** In ''Tintin and the Picaros'', Tintin agrees to go in the end, not to save the country but just to get his friends out of prison.
** Captain Haddock owns this trope. All he wants to do is enjoy his retirement -- but unfortunately he fell in with the wrong set of friends. He comes along despite his groans, and always ends up doing something badass.

* This is WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck's role in many adventures with Scrooge [=McDuck=]. Scrooge and the nephews might be excited at the prospect of a new adventure. Donald has to be coerced. Particularly evident in "The Twenty-four Carat Moon" (December, 1958) by Carl Barks. He doesn't want to go on a space-travel mission and proclaims "I want to keep my feet on good old Earth". [[GilliganCut Two panels later, he is in the space-traveling vehicle, chained to his seat with his feet in a box of dirt.]] This doesn't stop Donald from being both useful and sarcastic.

* ''Film/ANewHope'': This definitely describes how C-3PO acts, especially in the first half.
-->'''C-3PO:''' We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

* ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'' has Zeus, who got roped into [[TheHero John McClane's]] bomb-diffusing adventure after trying to protect [=McClane=] from a street gang without realizing what was happening. [[FireForgedFriends They become friends by the end.]]

* ''Film/DestinationMoon''. When the radio operator gets appendicitis, Joe Sweeney finds himself volunteered as a replacement. He constantly voices his objections to this crazy trip to the Moon, [[spoiler:which [[CowardlyLion doesn't stop him offering to stay behind]] in a ColdEquation.]]
-->'''Joe:''' Oh no, not me! Turn this thing around! I'm not going to the moon, that's just to look at!

* The eponymous ''Kedrigern'' in the series of books by John Morresey. He's a powerful wizard who hates to travel and just wants to live quietly in his home on the mountain, but he keeps getting pulled into adventures.

* Mat from ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', he has a very low opinion of heroics and the risks that are involved but unfortunately for him YouCantFightFate.

%%* Ahmad in ''Literature/EatersOfTheDead''.
* At one point or another, each member of the core cast of ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'' was the drag-along. Eventually, they just get plain sick and tired of running from Loki, Ka Anor, Merlin, the Hetwan, etc., etc. ad nauseum.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': Ciaphas definitely fits this trope. ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000's'' least likely Commissar would rather spend his days somewhere far away from the fighting that pervades the galaxy (good luck on that one...). Yet time and time again he's dragged reluctantly into action against every single foe that the galaxy at large can throw at him (and then a few from a different reality altogether).
* ''Literature/GeronimoStilton'': Geronimo is continually dragged into adventures, usually literally, by the other characters, despite his assertions that he'd rather stay home and has a lot of work to do.

* Luigi in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games, part of the general move toward cowardliness he's been going on since ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', as part of his DivergentCharacterEvolution. This also serves as a HandWave explanation for his absence in major installments like ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'''s resident {{Tsundere}} Maribel hits this after forcing her way into your party in the first place! (To be fair, she's mainly complaining because what she thought would be a fun, relatively safe romp through the ruins led to you all getting [[TimeyWimeyBall transported back in time]] and suddenly having to fight monsters, which haven't been seen in your homeland for generations... and she grows out of it quickly.)
* Reid Hershel, from ''VideoGame/TalesOfEternia'', is this despite being the main protagonist of the game, being dragged along on a crazy journey to save two worlds from destruction by his childhood friend Farah, who JumpedAtTheCall. Throughout the journey, Reid constantly expresses his desire to just go home and let the world's military take care of things, but one thing leads to another and he [[YouCantGoHomeAgain ends up a fugitive of his world]].
* In ''VideoGame/BreathOfDeathVII'', [[TheHero Dem]] the [[DemBones skeleton knight]] is dragged into adventure by [[AdventurerArchaeologist Sara]] and [[GadgeteerGenius Lita]] and doesn't really care about their goals, and his opinions are often ignored. That's because he, due to being a skeleton, [[HeroicMime cannot speak]], and Sara, capable of MindReading, just ignores his opinions if they contradict hers.
%%* [=LapTrap=] from ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': Captain Adelbert Steiner views his first and greatest duty to safely return Princess Garnet to Alexandria Castle, with seeing Zidane punished for his kidnapping of Garnet as a strong second place. Garnet and Zidane are desperate to get to Lindblum instead. Eventually, Steiner learns to see his duty as supporting the princess' goals rather than keeping her locked up and becomes fully heroic.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': This happens to Moloch rather often as he would rather be as far from every Spark in Europa as possible, though he becomes increasingly good at dealing with it, though not without a lot of bitter resignation. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121112 Sometimes it even happens literally.]]

* Most of ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' (except Elan and Durkon) are prone to this behaviour; Haley and Belkar are the most repeat offenders but V is the most vocal one about it.
* Cadugan in ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'' would like nothing more than to stay home and tend to nature. Unfortunately his skills and in one case his {{h|alfHumanHybrid}}eritage means people (particularly Lucas) keep pestering him to come along with their adventures.

* Likewise for [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy and Scooby]], who self-identify themselves as being chicken, and, as a result, always end up in the middle of a ghost story gone wrong (often being the main ones to find the [[strike:Guy In A Mask]] MonsterOfTheWeek while exploring), and have to be coerced with [[FoodAsBribe promises of Scooby Snacks]]. This gets played with in later installments of the franchise where Shaggy and Scooby [[GenreSavvy know they're going to be dragged into doing it anyway]], so they exaggerate their cowardice because it means they get free food.
%%* Garfield in almost all of [[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials his specials]], especially ''Garfield in the Rough'' and the Christmas special.
* Snowbell the family cat in the ''Film/StuartLittle'' animated series, where he was constantly dragged by the Littles whenever they go on vacation or visit somewhere outside of New York, even though he clearly prefers to stay in the house.

** Craig in "Pandemic" and "Pandemic 2: The Startling". Somewhat of a parody since [[RefusalOfTheCall it was his own adventure he didn't want to go on]], and he fulfilled an ancient prophecy [[SelfFulfillingProphecy while actively trying to have nothing to do with it]].
** Cartman as well, at least on any adventure that doesn't benefit him personally. The episode "Fun With Veal" is a prime example, while his eagerness ''to join in'' during the Walmart episode is an immediate tip-off to Kyle that he's actively working ''against'' the rest of them in their mission to thwart the store.
%%* Simon Belmont in ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster''.
%%* Eddie Spencer, the fat guy from the ''WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters'' cartoon (not to be confused with ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''), was like this.
* Eric in ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'' also fell into this role, sort of. Only he had even less choice because he'd been thrust into this psychotic fantasy world and going along was the only way to get out.
* Dukey from ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyTest''. "Doggy no go".
%%* Gus Griswald from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.
* Chuckie "I knew this wasn't a good idea" Finster only willingly goes along with the other babies on ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' a handful of times.
* PJ from ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop''. Max constantly talks him into doing things he would prefer not to, usually because it's either profoundly unsafe (which doesn't bother [[FearlessFool Max]] at all) or likely to get him in huge trouble with [[AbusiveParents his dad]] (or both, such as sneaking onto his dad's in-progress ridiculously tall skate ramp). In the former case, PJ will often make agitated, snarky comments about their mortality. Although the reasons vary from episode to episode, he is consistently shown to be [[OnlySaneMan in the right frame of mind for refusing]]. This was {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in one episode with a GilliganCut:
--> '''PJ''': No, forget it, Max. ''No way.'' You cannot talk me into this one. (scene cuts) ''Every'' time. How does he do it? [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Every. Single. Time.]]
* Frizz and Nug of ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'' are a rare villain example, being GenreSavvy enough to know being enlisted into one of [[BigBad Zordrak's]] schemes to steal the Dreamstone, along with [[MadScientist Urpgor's]] deranged inventions and [[DrillSergeantNasty Sgt Blob's]] incompetent leadership will only lead to [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption painful and miserable failure]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', although Fluttershy probably doesn't want to go along for ''any'' of her friend's adventures, she ''really'' makes it clear she doesn't want to be there in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E7Dragonshy Dragonshy]]" as she is [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes terrified of dragons]]. Unfortunately (for her), her innate ability to communicate with animals makes her a mandatory and necessary teammate.
* In several episodes of ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'', Mr. Cat refuses to join the rest of the cast in whatever they're doing, so they normally have to drag him along with them (sometimes literally).
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' gives us Sean, who never wants to go to space[[note]] [[spoiler: Except in "Not a Sound" and "A Hammer and a Feather"]] [[/note]], but always gets forced to go.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Mils clearly doesn't want to go around raiding monster-infested ruins with his sister Mina, but she won't listen to his complaints.

%%* Ahmad in ''Literature/The13thWarrior''.

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/ANewHope'': This definitely describes how C-3PO acts, especially in the first half.
-->'''C-3PO:''' We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.
* Willie Scott in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'' is a drag along from the beginning, and not shy about blasting Indy for it. Many fans of the series rate her as the least interesting of the women, and also because she screeches a lot.

* In the ''Film/LethalWeapon'' movies, Murtaugh just wants to retire and collect his pension for his time with the police, but Riggs is willing to kill himself if it will help get the bad guys. You often find Murtaugh saying, "I'm too old for this shit," everytime Riggs eggs him into doing something crazy.
* ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'' has Zeus, who got roped into [[TheHero John McClane's]] bomb-diffusing adventure after trying to protect [=McClane=] from a street gang without realizing what was happening. [[FireForgedFriends They become friends by the end.]]
* The absolute ''last'' thing [[HollywoodHacking Matt Farrel]] wanted in ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' was to go along for a life-risking country-saving joyride with [[TheHero John McClane]], but his odds for survival were considerably worse if he didn't as the bad guys had him marked for death anyways and he was helpless without [=McClane's=] protection. Like Zeus above, he seriously [[LetsGetDangerous mans up]], [[FireForgedFriends becomes friends with McClane]], and even gets the girl.
* ''Film/DestinationMoon''. When the radio operator gets appendicitis, Joe Sweeney finds himself volunteered as a replacement. He constantly voices his objections to this crazy trip to the Moon, [[spoiler:which [[CowardlyLion doesn't stop him offering to stay behind]] in a ColdEquation.]]
-->'''Joe:''' Oh no, not me! Turn this thing around! I'm not going to the moon, that's just to look at!

* Takua in ''WesternAnimation/{{Bionicle}}: The Mask of Light''. He tries to get out of his duty as TheChosenOne by making it appear that the mask chose Jaller instead, however, Jaller drags him along anyway.

* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'': Kyon, the viewpoint character, is always getting dragged around as an accessory to the schemes of his [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend totally-not-girlfriend]], and is rarely ever happy about it. He later acknowledges that he actually likes the craziness. Well, he does but that doesn't mean that he likes being forced to dig countless holes for a treasure map that, of course, doesn't exist.