History Main / TheDrifter

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out from other bearers of the mantle due to his nomadic lifestyle, a holdover from being raised in a traveling carnival. His adventures have taken him everywhere from famous big cities to lesser known small towns, and is one of few superheroes in the Marvel universe to actively defend civilians living in some of the more undervalued corners of civilization.

Like a gust of wind, The Drifter quietly blows into [[AdventureTowns a troubled town]]. He's [[TheStoic low-key]], and usually TheQuietOne that's not looking for trouble. He'll rarely raise the interest or curiosity of the [[{{Muggles}} townspeople]] or the BigBad that's been slowly draining the town of all life and money. Usually, he just wants an odd job to make ends meet before leaving again, the implication being that he's [[SternChase running from someone]] or WalkingTheEarth [[InHarmsWay for the fun of it]] or [[FightingForAHomeland for finding a good home for him/her/itself.]] Occasionally TheSheriff and his deputies, or a QuirkyMinibossSquad of the BigBad (sometimes one and the same) will visit the DeterminedHomesteader employing the Drifter or him directly, to try and lay down the law and [[BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord extort some money.]]

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among bearers of the mantle for his preference towards nomadic life, a holdover from having been raised in a traveling carnival. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, and is one of few superheroes in the Marvel universe to regularly defend people who don't dwell in big cities.

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among bearers of the mantle for his preference towards nomadic life, a holdover from being raised in a traveling circus. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, and is one of few superheroes in the Marvel universe to regularly defend people who don't dwell in big cities.

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among other bearers of the mantle due to his preference for nomadic life, a holdover from having been raised in a traveling circus. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, and is one of few superheroes in the Marvel universe to regularly defend people who don't dwell in big cities.

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among other bearers of the mantle due to his preference to live as a nomad, having been raised in a traveling circus while growing up. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, and is one of the few superheroes in the Marvel universe to regularly protect non-city dwellers.

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among other bearers of the mantle due to his preference to live as a nomad, having been raised in a traveling circus while growing up. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, and is one of the few superheroes in the Marvel universe to regularly protect the non-city dwellers.

* The Johnny Blaze version of ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' stands out among other bearers of the mantle due to his preference to live as a nomad, having been raised in a traveling circus while growing up. Most of his adventures take place in the countryside and other less traveled corners of American civilization, one of the few superheroes in the Marvel universe who regularly looks out for the non-city dwellers.

If he has a LoyalAnimalCompanion, [[EverythingsBetterWithLlamas llamas]] are the obvious choices, especially in WanderingCulture settings.

* Perhaps in name only, but in Toys/{{BIONICLE}}, all six Piraka seem to have nicknames, and [[AnIcePerson Thok's]] is "the drifter." Lesovikk is also this in practice, following the loss of his toa team, [[TheAtoner which he blames himself for.]]

** Unlike other similar characters in other works, he does have some sort of home ([[PocketDimension the Dream]]). Besides that, he has yet to go through a LeaveYourQuestTest, and it is left ambiguous as to whether he would ultimately [[ButNowIMustGo leave Eostia]] once everything's over (it's not specified as to ''where'' he wants to retire).

* ''Series/KungFu'' was another series influenced by ''The Fugitive''. Its hero, Kwai Chang Caine, is a Chinese martial artist who's on the run from the authorities in TheWildWest. He's a kind-hearted man who's always willing to help out total strangers, usually while reciting {{Koan}}s and/or reluctantly kicking ass.

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* Bruce Banner in ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''. While he's had a fixed abode a few times in the comics, most of the time he's WalkingTheEarth either looking for a cure, running from people looking to destroy/control the Hulk, or both. One of the most common Hulk stories is the basic Drifter story - Bruce arrives in town, finds trouble, ends up HulkingOut to deal with it and then is forced to move on because either the authorities are hot on his heels, and/or the [[HeroWithBadPublicity townsfolk he just saved see him as a bigger threat than the one he just saved them from]].

* Insomuch as ''Literature/StarWarsKenobi'' is a SpaceWestern, Ben Kenobi plays the role of the Drifter--first appearing in a BigDamnHeroes moment, then trying to stay quietly out of the way but unable to avoid solving the problems that appear in front of him, making friends and enemies in the process. His attempts to remain apart from the inhabitants of the Pika Oasis only increase their curiosity in him. He doesn't [[ButNowIMustGo drift on]] when the story is over, though--his mission requires him to settle in as TheHermit instead.

* Eiji Hino is only said to be a drifter before ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'' starts since he stays in the same general area for most of the series, but he goes back to that lifestyle in the end - only now he has a group of friends to stay in touch with.

* Laconic cowboy Dave Blasingame--the protagonist of ''Series/TheWesterner''--wanders the WildWest with his faithful dog Brown in his unending quest to become rich enough to buy his own ranch.

* Wirt and Greg play this role in ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall'', drifting through various settings and--sometimes inadvertently--solving everyone's problems.

* Even though Lily from ''VisialNovel/DaughterForDessert'' settles into a job at the diner, [[spoiler:she eventually leaves to travel the world again]].

* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': Applies to Blaze, who lives as a street stray (the result of several failed adoption efforts), cajoles food from stores and restaurants, and has several girlfriends in various parts of UsefeulNotes/LosAngeles. He refuses Bolt’s offer to adopt him into Penny’s family. Seen in both “The Seven” and “The Cameo.”

* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': Applies to Blaze, who lives as a street stray (the result of several failed adoption efforts), cajoles food from stores and restaurants, and has several girlfriends in various parts of Los Angeles. He refuses Bolt’s offer to adopt him into Penny’s family. Seen in both “The Seven” and “The Cameo.”
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Jericho}}'', the titular main character and narrator, [[FirstPersonSmartass Jeri]][[SociopathicHero cho]], is a form of this. Save for the fact that he is, of course, not quiet or stoic at all. He is openly [[DeadpanSnarker sarcastic]], a [[FirstPersonSmartass smartass]], occasionally a bit of a CloudCuckoolander, and his reasons are rather shady. He wanders around the world and, [[UnreliableNarrator according to him]], is just doing [[GoodSamaritan what's right]]. However, when he gave [[{{Woobie}} Cards]] a speech about doing what's right to help yourself deal with a [[TheAtoner great guilt]], his InnerMonologue questioned how much what he said was true, to which Jericho refuses to say to the reader, but a good deal of it appeared to be a [[BlatantLies lie]] in hindsight. It's doubly strange when considering that Jericho seems to be a [[TheSociopath sociopath]].
** The only real clue of his motives come from a strange letter he gets in the first chapter from his unseen [[OurAngelsAreDifferent guardian angel]], wherein Jericho is told to travel to a [[TownWithADarkSecret certain town]] and, in [[FigureItOutYourself very uncertain terms]], kill some people. That's it.

* Bronco Layne from ''Series/{{Bronco}}'', a SpinOff from ''Series/{{Cheyenne}}''. A former confederate soldier wanders the old west, and meets such famous characters as Jesse James, William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and Theodore Roosevelt.

* Ran from ''Anime/KazemakaseTsukikageRan''. ("Kazemakaze" translates into something like "Carried by the wind", a colorful way of describing a carefree wanderer.)

* one of the films Creator/ClintEastwood directed is called ''Film/HighPlainsDrifter'', which plays with the conventions of this trope a bit, mainly in that The Stranger (as he is credited) is hinted at being [[spoiler: the ghost of a man murdered by the townsfolk (indirectly) years prior and thus brings on a little vengeance by turning the town's folk against each other, manipulating and scaring them into giving him absolute power and pretty much ruining the town's economy (by blowing up the hotel, tearing down the barn and not paying for any of the many goods and services he takes advantage of, such as buying everyone in town a drink from the bar at the bartender's expense. In fact, he's barely in the town for ten minutes before he kills three men, drags a woman to the barn, and rapes her. ]]

* Sans from ''VideoGame/Undertale'' is initially played off as a comic relief character, but his actual role in the story fits well in-line with this trope, especially once the gloves come off.

* The eponymous Wander of ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' is all but stated to be this. He's a nomadic alien who roams the galaxy with his noble steed Sylvia, helping anyone in need, but moves right on once he's done his job. He's implied to be homeless in the second season, claiming he lives "wherever the stars take him," and it's revealed he helps others because he knows what it's like to be helpless himself. It's also implied he's homeless and doesn't have a family of his own, hinting he's the LastOfHisKind.

* Another ''MLP'' fic example is ''FanFic/TheRockFarmersDaughters''. Set in an [[AlternateUniverseFic alternate universe]] where neither Pinkie Pie nor Cheese Sandwich are party ponies, the story has Cheese as a variant of this, except with a good dose of [[{{Adorkable}} Adorkability]], and he's more shy than stoic.