History Main / TokenFlyer

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' has a tradition where Ash always catches one of the local flying bird Pokémon in each region he visits.
** Pidgeotto is this during the Kanto Portion of the ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'', being such a token that it doesn't even evolve until its Final Episode with Ash. For the Johto portion of the run, Ash uses his Shiny Noctowl. Charizard was also able to fly, but it was rarely used in this capacity outside of battle.

** Staraptor is caught for this exact purpose in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'' seeing as Pikachu is separated from Ash in the first episode and Ash has to find him.

** In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesSunAndMoon'', Ash catches Rowlet, who doubles up as both the Token Flyer as well as the PluckyComicRelief.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' does this for 7 of their 8 main seasons so far, giving Ash specifically one Flying Mon to scout out Team Rocket when they make off with Pokemon.

** Continuing the trend, ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' has Ash catch a Talonflame as his second Pokémon in the Kalo region.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': The original team consists of: Robin and Artemis, who are both non-powered {{Badass Normal}}s, Superboy [[AdaptationalWimp who can't fly in this continuity]], Kid Flash who has the power of SuperSpeed, Aqualad [[TokenAquaticRace who is an Atlantean]], Zatanna who is magic user, and finally Miss Martian who is the only one with the power flight. [[note]] Rocket also has the power to fly but [[EleventhHourRanger she doesn't join until the last two episodes of Season One]] and unlike Miss Martian whose power of flight is natural, Rocket's flight comes from the technology on her belt.[[/note]]

%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'': Bronx is an inversion; he's the only (gargoyle) member of the [[Characters/GargoylesTheManhattanClan Manhattan Clan]] who ''can't'' fly. None of the Gargoyles can fly. They only glide.

** In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesSunAndMoon'', Ash catches Rowlet, who doubles up as both the Token Flier as well as the PluckyComicRelief.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': [[ArcVillain Zaheer]] is the airbender of his team and ultimately gains the power of flight, making him this trope for them.

* ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'': The Sinister Six consists of Doctor Octopus, Rhino, Scorpion, Electro, Vulture and [[spoiler:Mister Negative]]. Both Electro and Vulture can fly, however, Electro's powers of flight are an innate part of his [[ShockAndAwe powerset]] while Vulture relies on a JetPack.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** Aang is the sole [[BlowYouAway airbender]] in the cast, and as such the only one of the main characters (not counting TeamPet Appa) who is able to fly, either by using his glider-staff or by levitating through airbending. Unusually for this trope, he's also the main protagonist.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': [[ArcVillain Zaheer]] is the airbender of his team and ultimately gains the power of flight, making him this trope for them.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': The original team consists of two {{Badass Normal}}s, one half-Krytptonian who lacks the power of flight, a speedster, an Atlantean and a Martian whose powers include flight.

*** The Protectobots have Blades who transforms into a rescue helicopter. The other four Protectobots transform into land-based vehicles.

** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'': Before Airazor and Silverbolt joined the team, Optimus Primal was the only Maximal who could fly. Ironically, his alt mode is a gorilla which is not a flying creature.

** ''Anime/TransformersArmada'': Jetfire is the only flight-capable Autobot in the series. [[Anime/TransformersEnergon The]] [[Anime/TransformersCybertron sequels]] add other flying Autobots such Wing Saber and Evac.

*** ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': None of the Autobots have a flight-based alt mode but Optimus's truck can transform into a JetPack for him to use.

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', [[BigBad Zaheer]] is the airbender of his team and ultimately gains the power of flight, making him this trope for them.
* This was initially the case for the Maximals in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars''. Only Optimus Primal could fly and only when in robot mode, while the Predacons had both Waspinator and Terrorsaur, who could fly in both modes. It wasn't until they had Airazor they got a second flier, although after the second season Cheetor gained his own flight mode and they gained a new flyer in the form of Silverbolt.

* ''Anime/DinoZaurs'': Dino Ptera is the only flier among the main Dino Knights. This also applies to Drago Dactyl, Ptera's counterpart among the Drago Clones.
* ''Anime/MarvelAnimeXMen'': Storm's WeatherManipulation powers make her the only flyer in a team composed of herself, Cyclops, Wolverine, Armor, Beast and Emma Frost.

* This was initially the case for the Maximals in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars''. Only Optimus Primal could fly and only when in robot mode, while the Predacons had both Waspinator and Terrorsaur. It wasn't until they had Airazor they got a second flier.

** Completely inverted in both ''Film/GodzillaVsMothraTheBattleForEarth'' and ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Godzilla is the only non-flyer of the main monsters.

** Completely inverted in both ''Film/GodzillavsMothraTheBattleForEarth'' and ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Godzilla is the only non-flyer of the main monsters.

In a show with a FunnyAnimal cast, the token flyer character will probably be a bird, bat, or flying insect, while a cast of prehistoric animals might use a pterosaur instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/KidCosmic'': Kid was the only member of the team that could use flight since it was the power his gem gave him .[[spoiler: Though we find out later, that it's really telekinesis.]]

** ''Anime/TransformersArmada'': Jetfire is the only flight-capable Autobot in the series.

*** ''Film/TransformersRiseOfTheBeasts'': Every Transformers faction has exactly one member who can fly; For the Autobots is Stratosphere, who turns into an airplane, the Maximals have Airazor the falcon, while the Terrorcons have Nightbird, who flies using a JetPack.

** Pidgeotto is this during the Kanto Portion of the ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries", being such a token that it doesn't even evolve until its Final Episode with Ash. For the Johto portion of the run, Ash uses his Shiny Noctowl. Charizard was also able to fly, but it was rarely used in this capacity outside of battle.
** Swellow comes in for ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesRubyAndSapphire", being the first Pokemon Ash catches in the new region and filling the role quite well. Unlike Pidgeotto and Noctowl, however, Swellow was also a powerful battler in its own right.
** Staraptor is caught for this exact purpose in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl" seeing as Pikachu is separated from Ash in the first episode and Ash has to find him.
** Once Again, Ash's first capture of the region in "Anime/PokemonTheSeriesBlackAndWhite" is Unfezant, which fills this description like the others.
** In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesSunAndMoon", Ash catches Rowlet, who doubles up as both the Token Flier as well as the PluckyComicRelief.

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' [[BigBad Zaheer]] is the airbender of his team and ultimately gains the power of flight, making him this trope for them.

** As [[WingedHumanoid Silver Crow]], Haru is the only member of Nega Nebulus with true sustained flight; duel avatars are [[PersonalityPowers shaped by the user's subconscious fears and desires]], and Haru envying the freedom of the birds outside his window led him to be the first to manifest such a power. This is one of the factors contributing to his status as a WeirdnessMagnet, both leading him to break away from the team more often, and leading other characters to seek him out (either because they need the assistance of a flier, or [[PowerParasite want to steal his rare power for themselves]]).

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':

* As a distinct cousin to ArmlessBiped, legless [[AnimateInanimateObject objects]] in ObjectShows would be given the ability to fly whether it corresponds to their object or not. This is either because the animators thought it helped make their workload easier or just a weird trend the OSC was into.

** ''Comicbook/{{Runaways}}: Karolina Dean can fly as part of her Majesdanian powers. This was averted during the brief time Xavin was part of the group, since they could fly too.

** ''Franchise/SpiderMan'': The original incarnation of the Sinister Six consisted of Dr. Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture, Mysterio and Sandman. Electro was the only one who could fly under his own power. Vulture needed his electromagnetic harness to fly.
** ''Franchise/XMen'':

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': Due to being stuck in hawk morph, Tobias is the best of the team at flying, even if they can all turn into birds. Once he regains the ability to morph, he can finally join the team in missions again, but his default body remains a hawk.

* ''WesternAnimation/AnimalMechanicals'': The main characters are robot animals that each have a different talent (the sasquatch has stretchy legs, the Komodo dragon is the techie, etc). The unicorn's talent is that [[WingedUnicorn she can fly]].

** Matau of the Toa Metru (also a Toa of Air) could use his areo slicers as wings. In ''Legends of Metru Nui'', he's overjoyed to find out that he can -- [[WatchOutForThatTree SMACK!]] -- [[WeWillUseWikiWordsInTheFuture wind... fly...]] as a [[RetiredBadass Turaga]], Matau can no longer do so, as his powers are considerably weaker and he has long since ditched his aero slicers for his [[ChainsawGood Kau Kau]] [[BladeOnAStick Staff]].