History Main / TheHandler

* Mr. Morden in ''Series/BabylonFive'', to Ambassador [{TragicHero Londo Molario]] and [[AristocratsAreEvil Lord Refa.]]

* Mr. Morden in ''Series/BabylonFive''

* Nicky Parsons of the [[TheBourneSeries Bourne]] [[TheFilmOfTheBook movies]] fits this trope ''word for word.''

A character type in {{spy fiction}}, particularly in those which lean in the GovernmentConspiracy direction and/or those with [[HiredGuns assassins]] as their protagonists. The heroes [[MysteriousEmployer don't have access to their bosses]], but instead have orders relayed to them through the "Handler" whose jobs include looking out for the hero's physical and emotional well-being and/or killing the hero should they act out of line. In cases with the hero and Handler being of different genders, it is somewhat common for the Handler to have UnresolvedSexualTension with the hero as they are the "human face" of the secret organization to which the hero belongs.

* ''DarkerThanBlack'' has the abrasive JerkWithAHeartOfGold Huang relaying orders to Hei, the AntiHero of the series
** Who in turn has another higher ranked Handler... who just so happens to be a Contractor. The Syndicate's cell structure is somewhat odd at times.
* All of the girls of ''GunslingerGirl'' get one, and relationship dynamics vary with each one: they can be either the sweetest guys (like Giuseppe [[spoiler:until he TookALevelInJerkass]]) or the biggest jerkasses (like Jean [[spoiler:who doing it to [[JerkassFacade toughen himself and detaches him from her]]]] and Lauro [[spoiler: who DIES for that]]).
* Weiss in ''WeissKreuz'' go through several of these: Manx, Birman, Botan, and Rex. Their [[HighTurnoverRate mortality rate]] isn't much better than that of anyone else who comes into contact with [[DoomMagnet Weiss]].

* In ''{{Chuck}}'', Sarah and Casey serve as Handlers for the title character

* Carla in ''BurnNotice''

* Mr. Morden in ''BabylonFive''

* Any shadowy government types who serve as quest-givers in a [[GrandTheftAuto GTA]] game, notably Mike Toreno in ''San Andreas'', and "United Liberty Paper" in ''[[GrandTheftAuto Grand Theft Auto 4]]''.

* [[TheVoice Admiral Steven Hackett]] in ''MassEffect'' serves as the face and voice of the [[TheAlliance Alliance]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Navy]] for the audience and is Shepard's primary contact in the Alliance command. In ''MassEffect2'', [[FemmeFatale Miranda]] arguably takes on this role, though [[WarriorTherapist Shepard]] spends rather more time tending to her emotional well-being than she does to Shepard's. There is also way more sexual tension in the second case than in the first.

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* Tom Hagen was ''Film/TheGodfather's'' adopted son and personal assistant or ''consigliori''.

* Tom Hagen was ''TheGodfather's'' adopted son and personal assistant or ''consigliori''.

<<|EspionageTropes|>>

* Watari is considered L's handler from {{Death Note}} - the name "Watari" was chosen because it ''means'' handler.

* '''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In theory, the Watcher plays this role for the Slayer. Whether Buffy or Faith chose to follow the Watchers Council's orders is another matter.

* '''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In theory, the Watcher plays this role for the Slayer. Whether Buffy or Faith chose to follow the Watcher's Council's orders is another matter.

* All of the girls of ''GunslingerGirl'' get one, and relationship dynamics vary with each one: they can be either the sweetest guys (like Giuseppe) or the biggest jerkasses (like Jean and Lauro [[spoiler: who DIES for that]]).

* In ''MaidenRose'', Klaus has one in Taki's country, who supplies him with [[BottledHeroicResolve drugs]] among other things. When he tells Klaus he's getting out soon and Klaus should too before he dies there [[DoubleAgent Klaus]] mocks him for getting too attached to him.

A character type in spy fiction, particularly in those which lean in the GovernmentConspiracy direction and/or those with [[HitmanWithAHeart assassins]] as their protagonists. The hero doesn't have access to their bosses, but instead have orders relayed to them through the "Handler" whose jobs include looking out for the hero's physical and emotional well-being and/or killing the hero should they act out of line. In cases with the hero and Handler being of different genders, it is somewhat common for the Handler to have UnresolvedSexualTension with the hero as they are the "human face" of the secret organization to which the hero belongs.

The [[ManBehindTheMan handler's handler]] is TheSpymaster.

* Michael Vaughn served as the Case Officer for [[{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]].

* In ''ScarecrowAndMrsKing'', Scarecrow is in some ways more like a handler then a partner. At the least if a veteran agent ever worked with a housewife turned spy (actually not impossible in RealLife though it would probably be less Hallmark-like) he would probably be a handler even if he told her he was a partner. In this case both the handler and the handled are heroic characters.

* Mr. Kim in the anime ''R.O.D the TV'', to the Paper Sisters when they do contract work for Dokusensha. He's described exactly as a handler several times.

* [[TheVoice Admiral Steven Hackett]] in MassEffect serves as the face and voice of the [[TheAlliance Alliance]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Navy]] for the audience and is Shepard's primary contact in the Alliance command. In MassEffect2, [[FemmeFatale Miranda]] arguably takes on this role, though [[WarriorTherapist Shepard]] spends rather more time tending to her emotional well-being than she does to Shepard's. There is also way more sexual tension in the second case than in the first.

* [[TheVoice Admiral Steven Hackett]] in MassEffect serves as the face and voice of the [[TheAlliance Alliance]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Navy]] for the audience and is Shepard's primary contact in the Alliance command. In MassEffect2, [[FemmeFatale Miranda]] arguably takes on this role, though [[WarriorTherapist Shepard]] spends rather more time tending to her emotional well-being than she does to Shepard's.

* ''AlphaProtocol'' takes this UpToEleven; there are ''eight'' handlers used throughout the various missions.

* In ''{{Chuck}}'', Sarah and Casey serve as Handlers for the title character
* ''Series/TheInvisibleMan'' TV series had Claire the "Keeper"

* In RealLife these people are known as Agent Handlers or Case Officers
* ''SheSpies''. The title characters had two Agent Handlers in the course of the show.
* Sidney was the title character's handler in John Woo's ''The Killer'', who acted as a [[BloodBrothers Blood Brother]] to him.
* Michael (or Bob in the movie) filled the same role for ''LaFemmeNikita'', and in the case of the former, there was definite UST.

* Bosley of CharliesAngels.

* Carla in ''BurnNotice''
** Victor is specifically called this
* Diana filled this role for 47 in ''{{Hitman}} Blood Money''.
* Michael Vaughn served as the Case Officer for [[{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]].
* In the {{Quiller}} novels by Adam Hall each [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Bureau]] "shadow executive" has a director-in-the-field who organises safehouses, communication, transport, identity papers, liaison with government officials -- in short, anything the agent needs for the mission; especially since Bureau agents are never told what the mission is about, the idea being that the agent should not get distracted by any larger political implications. Agents have a right to refuse to work with a particular director, given that trust between the two is so important. Quiller's preferred director is Ferris, even though he's slightly creepy (he's rumored to strangle mice).
* Boyd is Echo's handler in ''{{Dollhouse}}''.
* Any shadowy government types who serve as quest-givers in a [[GrandTheftAuto GTA]] game, notably Mike Toreno in ''San Andreas'', and "United Liberty Paper" in ''GrandTheftAuto4''.
* ''{{Wiseguy}}''. Frank [=McPike=], Vinnie Terranova's DeadpanSnarker boss in the Organised Crime Bureau.

* Due to its small size, a common methodology of Special Circumstances from TheCulture novels is to employ or manipulate non-SC or even non-Culture agents to do the dirty work, with SC operatives acting as handlers. Examples include Diziet Sma in ''Use Of Weapons'' and Flere-Imsaho in ''The Player Of Games''.
* In ScarecrowAndMrsKing Scarecrow is in some ways more like a handler then a partner. At the least if a veteran agent ever worked with a housewife turned spy(actually not impossible in RealLife though it would probably be less Hallmark-like)he would probably be a handler even if he told her he was a partner. In this case both the handler and the handled are heroic characters.
* Andrew Osnard (played by Pierce Brosnan in the film) of John Le Carré's ''The Tailor of Panama'' is a classic example, recruiting title character Harold Pendel (Geoffrey Rush) as a spy and [[spoiler:applying so much pressure to him that he makes up information that when acted on majorly destabilises the region]]
* Ned, from Le Carré's ''The Russia House'' and ''The Secret Pilgrim.''
** Actually practically all of Le Carre's spy novels include some sort of handler.
* In ''TheDresdenFiles'', Ebenezer [=McCoy=] was assigned as a troubled teenage Harry's handler (unbeknownst to Harry) in case he ever [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide went nuts]] and needed to be eliminated.
* In {{Claymore}}, the handlers of the titular characters (particularly Louvre) are a major feature of the plot.

* Mr. Kim in the anime ''R.O.D the TV'', to the Paper Sisters when they do contract work for Dokusensha. He's described exactly as a handler several times.
* AlphaProtocol takes this UpToEleven; there are ''eight'' handlers used throughout the various missions.
* Frank's only real connection to the world in ''{{Red}}'' is his handler, Sally. The equivalent character in the movie isn't an example, as for various reasons her role was both changed and expanded.
* Peter to Neal in WhiteCollar
* Mr Morden in BabylonFive