Friend in the Black Market: Difference between revisions

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These guys are the real deal, never dealing in substandard goods because that wouldn't be good business practice and they rely on their reputations. They don't ask any questions either. Their main vice is that they're going to ask for a fair bit more than what the item is worth. As shown by the page quote, their defense for this is that it's the circumstances and the effort to get the items that makes them charge the prices, but often it's also a bit of avarice too. (Which often makes them [[Mr. Vice Guy|Mr Vice Guys]].)

Personality wise, like Honest John, they can fit anywhere into the [[Character Alignment]] spectrum. (Although the fact they deal in quality products usually puts them at least chaotic neutral.) If the character is part of the main cast, then they'll usually be Chaotic or Neutral Good. In a war situation, they also tend to [[Screw the War ~~Were~~ Partying|screw it and party]], unless the action is centered on the military in which case they'll be [[The Scrounger|doing this work on the side]].

Personality wise, like Honest John, they can fit anywhere into the [[Character Alignment]] spectrum. (Although the fact they deal in quality products usually puts them at least chaotic neutral.) If the character is part of the main cast, then they'll usually be Chaotic or Neutral Good. In a war situation, they also tend to [[Screw the War, We're Partying|screw it and party]], unless the action is centered on the military in which case they'll be [[The Scrounger|doing this work on the side]].

Compare and Contrast [[Honest John's Dealership]] who also sells products at a premium... except theirs are of lesser quality. [[The Scrounger]] is likely to either be this trope or to have dealings with him.

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* Recurring character Bubba Rogowski of [[Dennis Lehane]]'s [[Kenzie and Gennaro Series]] is a former Marine who specializes in obtaining lots of illegal weapons and tech, and has put lives mines through his entire warehouse apartment to deter unwelcome guests. He's also something of a [[Psycho for Hire]] and a [[Man Child]] who can barely read, but he's been friends with Patrick since they were kids and will kill anyone who messes with him.

* Mundungus Fletcher in ''[[Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix]]'' starts out this way, as the guy brought in to help the Order get information on dark dealings (and to get the Weasley twins illegal goods), but his role in the story develops.

* Rhett Butler from ''[[Gone With the Wind]]'', who [[Screw the War ~~Were~~ Partying|lives quite well despite the late unpleasantness]]. (He is a privateer, after all.)

* Rhett Butler from ''[[Gone With the Wind]]'', who [[Screw the War, We're Partying|lives quite well despite the late unpleasantness]]. (He is a privateer, after all.)

* In Neuromancer and it's two sequels, there's "The Fynn", a blackmarket dealer that appears regularly to sell equipment and information to the protagonists. Due to the nature of the depicted cyberpunk society, it's debatable wether he can be considered a friend, though.

== Live Action TV ==

* Private Walker, the spiv in ''[[~~Dads~~ Army (TV)|Dads Army]]''.

* Private Walker, the spiv in ''[[Dad's Army (TV)|Dads Army]]''.

* Both Radar and Klinger from ''[[M*A*S*H (TV)|M*A*S*H]]'', who use their wits to get anything the hospital needs. (Klinger getting the job when Radar leaves)

** And when that didn't work, more than a couple times Father Mulcahy was the go-between between the camp and the ''actual'' black market.

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* In one episode of ''[[Space Above and Beyond]]'', Captain Vansen is forced to deal with this guy aboard the ''[[Cool Starship|Saratoga]]'', trading him a key to the Officers' Lavatory (presumably much nicer than what the enlisted guys normally get to use), [[Chain of Deals|in exchange for a bowl of strawberries that she needed to trade with someone ''else'' to get his spot in line to make a call home]].

* Sgt. Bilko in ''[[The Phil Silvers Show]]''

* Dorium in the ''[[~~Doctor Who (TV)|~~Doctor Who]]'' episode "A Good Man Goes to War". He starts out working for the villains, then learns that they've kidnapped {{spoiler|one of the Doctor's companions and her child}} and decides to run for it before the Doctor turns up, knowing how many people owe him favours. As it turns out, ''he's'' one of those people, and is drafted into the [[Gondor Calls for Aid]] scenario.

* Dorium in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "A Good Man Goes to War". He starts out working for the villains, then learns that they've kidnapped {{spoiler|one of the Doctor's companions and her child}} and decides to run for it before the Doctor turns up, knowing how many people owe him favours. As it turns out, ''he's'' one of those people, and is drafted into the [[Gondor Calls for Aid]] scenario.

* Barney from ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' "has a guy" for just about everything, from a "Suit Guy" and a "Whip Guy" to a "guy in the DA's office" who "scored us front row seats to a lethal injection!"

{{quote| '''Barney:''' And, if I don't have a guy for something, then I have a Guy Guy to get me a guy. And, oddly enough, his name is Guy.}}

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* This arises as a gameplay mechanic in an awful lot of video games (especially [[RPG|RPGs]]) where the shopkeepers expect the heroes to cough up the dough even when the world is about to end. After all, [[Adam Smith Hates Your Guts]]. It fits this trope more than Honest John as at least they sell you legitimate items.

** [[Diablo|Except that little snotrag Wirt.]]

* The ''[[Spyro the Dragon]]'' series has Moneybags, who will perform various services for you for, "* ahem* , a small fee." It's usually anything but small (not to mention sometimes the price is insane for what he does), but if you want to finish the game, let alone get [[Hundred Percent Completion]], you'll have to pay up.

* The ''[[Spyro the Dragon]]'' series has Moneybags, who will perform various services for you for, "* ahem* , a small fee." It's usually anything but small (not to mention sometimes the price is insane for what he does), but if you want to finish the game, let alone get [[Hundred-Percent Completion]], you'll have to pay up.

** You {{spoiler|[[Pay Evil Unto Evil|get your]] [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|money back]]}}.

* [[Ratchet and Clank|Ratchet]] can buy a lot of black market gear during the course of his adventures, from weapon mods to hypnosis gadgets to [[Infinity+1 Sword|giant overpowered weaponry.]]

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[[Category:Bargain Tropes]]

[[Category:Friend In The Black Market]]

[[Category:Trope]]