History Main / TheHandler

* Sidney was the title character's handler in John Woo's ''The Killer'', who acted as a [[BloodBrothers Blood Brother]] to him.

* [[spoiler:Subverted]] in ''Film/TheRecruit''. James Clayton fails his CIA training and is dismissed, but then Burke reveals that it's all a cover for the agency to keep the dirty work that he'll be doing for them off the books, and that Burke has been assigned as his handler. [[spoiler:In truth, Burke is a double agent who is using Clayton as an UnwittingPawn.]]

* [[spoiler:Subverted]] in ''Film/TheRecruit''. James Clayton fails his CIA training and is dismissed, but then Burke reveals that it's all a cover for the agency to keep the work that he'll be doing for them off the books, and that Burke has been assigned as his handler. [[spoiler:In truth, Burke is a double agent who is using Clayton as an UnwittingPawn.]]

* All of the girls of ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' get one, and relationship dynamics vary with each one: they can be either the sweetest guys (like Jose [[spoiler:until he TookALevelInJerkass]]) or the biggest jerkasses (like Jean [[spoiler:who's doing it to [[JerkassFacade toughen himself and keep him emotionally detached]]]] and Lauro [[spoiler:who DIES for that]]). The only one that doesn't have her own handler is Claes and that's because [[spoiler: it's hinted the Agency murdered him because he planned to tell the media about them.]]

* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': A LanguageBarrier keeps Sigrun from directly giving orders to Lalli and understanding his reports. Because of this, Lalli's non-combatant cousin Tuuri, who can speak with both Sigrun and Lalli, ends up being the one conveying Sigrun's orders to Lalli and translating his reports back, with a mix of TactfulTranslation and TranslationWithAnAgenda.

* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': A LanguageBarrier keeps Sigrun from directly giving orders to Lalli and understanding his reports. Because of this, Lalli's non-combatant cousin Tuuri, who can speak with both Sigrun and Lalli, ends up filling this role towards him.

* 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]].

* Literature/VorkosiganSaga: From ''A Civil Campaign'' on, it is strongly hinted that [[spoiler: Lady Alys Vorpatril]] is the handler for the [=ImpSec=] domestic spy [[spoiler: Byerly Vorrutyer]].

* Bob from the original {{Nikita}}.

* All of the girls of ''Manga/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's doing it to [[JerkassFacade toughen himself and keep him emotionally detached]]]] and Lauro [[spoiler:who DIES for that]]).

* ''SheSpies''. The title characters had two Agent Handlers in the course of the show.

* Peter to Neal in ''WhiteCollar''

* ''Now and Again'': Dr. Morris was Michael Wiseman's handler and keeper, tasked with both setting up Michael's missions and preventing him from interacting with the outside world (especially his [[BackFromTheDead widow]]).

* ''AlphaProtocol'' takes this UpToEleven; there are ''eight'' handlers used throughout the various missions. And yes, Mike and his primary (female) handler Mina have UnresolvedSexualTension.

* ''{{Wiseguy}}''. Frank [=McPike=], Vinnie Terranova's DeadpanSnarker boss in the Organised Crime Bureau.

* 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.

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

* 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.

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* 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.

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* Diana filled this role for Agent 47 in the ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}} series''. Before the events of ''Absolution'', she [[spoiler: went rogue]] and got replaced by Ben Travis, an ex-army [[TheNeidermeyer Neidermeyer.]]

* Bob from the original LaFemmeNikita.

* Tom Hagen was ''Film/TheGodfather's'' adopted son and personal assistant or ''[[TheConsigliere consigliere]]''.

* 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's doing it to [[JerkassFacade toughen himself and detach him from her]]]] and Lauro [[spoiler: who DIES for that]]).

* In ''{{Claymore}}'', the handlers of the eponymous characters (particularly Louvre) are a major feature of the plot.

* ''DarkerThanBlack'' has the abrasive JerkWithAHeartOfGold Huang relaying orders to Hei, the AntiHero of the series

* Boyd, then later [[spoiler:Paul]], is Echo's handler in ''{{Dollhouse}}''.

* ThePretender: Sydney was Jarod's handler at the Centre from the time Jarod was a child, who gave Jarod the simulations to do and recorded the results.