Gondor Calls for Aid: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

The heroes may have the plan, but they just don't have the manpower. So, against all hope, they have to call on [[Enemy Mine|the sorts of people who may not want to help or even like them]].

 

If the act of making the call is an adventure unto itself, that's [[Bring Help Back]]. Compare/contrast with the last resort version [[Enemy Mine]], the more metaphysical [[Combined Energy Attack]], and the mandatory version [[Hero Secret Service]]. For when the party that is called could beat the living shit out of either side, see [[Awakening the Sleeping Giant]]. For drama related to the physical act of calling for help, see [[Epic Hail]]. May lead to [[Battle Royale With Cheese]]. [[Big Damn Heroes]] and [[Gunship Rescue]] are smaller versions of this trope. [[Crowded Cast Shot]] is similar, but played for laughs and (usually) not as urgent.

 

* The Dark Masters arc of ''[[Digimon Adventure]]'', and the last episodes of ''[[Digimon Adventure 02]]'' and ''[[Digimon Savers]]'', although it's kind of an accident.

** ''[[Digimon]]'''s most insane use of this trope, however, is the climax of ''[[Digimon Next]]'', where literally ''every single character'' the kids and their Digimon have met who isn't dead (and even a few who are) show up to help against the [[Final Boss]], ranging from [[The Mentor]] to background characters to even the surviving villains. Unfortunately for them, said final boss verges on [[The Omnipotent]], so he simply obliterates them all in one shot and the entire dimension while he's at it, leaving only the main characters alive. {{spoiler|He's ultimately beaten simply be being convinced by the protagonists that he's wrong, and he restores everything and everyone he destroyed}}.

* The final ''[[Best Student Council]]'' arc, where nearly every minor character who showed up once and got named returned to help the titular student council.

* ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]'' always brought in the secondary trio, Kaito, and that season's orange princess in the end, even though throughout the series, they were either [[Good Is Dumb|useless]], unawakened, incapacitated or unwilling to do the job.

** In the anime version, there are some people who answer Goku's request, and we get to see some faces we haven't seen since Dragonball (Bora and Upa and the group from Penguin Village come to mind). We also get to see what's become of Lunch and Seventeen.

* While not exactly calling for direct aid, ''[[Eyeshield 21]]'' has {{spoiler|Every ace from every important team in Kantou show up to help the Devil Bats train for the Christmas Bowl finals.}}

* The final battle of ''[[Vandread]]'' brings back every character and civilization that ever displayed the ability to pilot a spaceship.

* In ''[[Durarara!!]]'', {{spoiler|Mikado calls on everyone online at the Dollars website to help rescue Anri from the Yellow Scarves}}

* In ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'' episode seven, a number of characters (such as Kittan and Dayakka, amongst a bunch of newly introduced folks like the twins) arrive to help the Gurren-Dan capture what will become the Dai-Gurren. They stay around afterwards, however, and permanently expand the Gurren-Dan.

* Towards the ending of ''[[Mai-Otome]]'', BOTH sides in the final battle call upon reinforcements in the form of Otome from other nations, all seen briefly way back in episode three. And once the final battle breaks out, the teachers and entire student body of Garderobe comes to help the heroes.

* In the final episodes of ''[[G Gundam]]'', all the Gundams of the world unite to help the Shuffle Alliance defend Earth. Naturally, they include nearly all the opponents the main cast has fought up to this point (and creating a [[Mythology Gag]] since several others are based upon past series Gundams; including an early appearance of [[Gundam Wing|Wing Gundam]]), all putting aside their differences to defend the world they love.

* Near the climax of the G/S/C [[Story Arc]] of ''[[Pokémon Special]]'', things were looking grim for the Pokédex Holders as they're fighting a losing battle against both Ho-oh and Lugia. Just then, they noticed something in the distance. Bill had finally fixed the Pokémon Transporter that the new Team Rocket had sabotaged, and with the director of Goldenrod Radio spreading the news, every single minor character introduced in the arc (and even some from the RGBY arc, meaning that it's likely every trainer in the Johto ''and'' Kanto regions) had sent their Pokémon to help the heroes, producing a huge-ass army that rushed the two Legendaries and quickly tamed them.

* The ''[[Pretty Cure All Stars]]'' movies (and other Pretty Cure movies since ''[[Yes! Pretty Cure 5]]'') have this in terms of the Miracle Lights. It also doubles as [[Audience Participation]], since the movie goers are given their own Miracle Lights when they go into the show.

* ''[[Transformers Cybertron]]'' in the final battle against Galvatron, the Autobots are joined by the forces of Velocitron, Jungle Planet, Gigantion and the Decepticons under Lugnutz leadership.

 

== Comic Books ==

* In [[Batgirl]] #23 Stephanie pulls this by calling in various super-powered girls to help her defeat the Reapers, even trusting Supergirl's superhearing enough to trust that she'd hear the word "Shazam!" from wherever she happened to be at the moment...which happened to be the Hall of Justice.

* ''[[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]]'' #100, the [[Grand Finale]] of the series, has a bunch of former Titans coming together to help the current roster in their battle against the [[Legion of Doom]].

 

== Fan Works ==

* In the ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers|Galaxy Rangers]]'' [[Fanfic]] ''Chrysalis,'' the League fleet is in a hopeless battle in the Queen's asteroid field, having been forced into a trap. However, they some critical backup courtesy of the otherwise-xenophobic [[Big Creepy-Crawlies|Traash]] (which even Her Majesty won't engage because they're ''just that nasty'' if crossed) and the Circle of Thought (who were isolationists, content to let the galaxy tear itself apart, so long as they were left alone...until Niko showed them that the Queen was an exile from the Circle, and thus a mistake they made).

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Independence Day]]'' gives us a twofer. First, the Air Force recruits any civilian who knows how to fly a plane to fight the aliens, and then this trope plays out on a global scale as the US uses a telegraph to unite the Russians, the Chinese, the Israelis, the Arabs and many other nations into one coordinated counterattack.

* In ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', when George is on the verge of bankruptcy, Potter snidely tells George Bailey that if he were to ask the "riff-raff" he spent much of his adult life helping for aid when he needed it, they would turn on him. Fortunately for George, [[Rousseau Was Right]], and all those who George had helped over the course of the movie [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|are more than happy to help him]].

 

== Literature ==

** Also in the book Denethor is more quick-witted than is shown in the film, and had actually lit the beacons long before Gandalf arrived. "It is over-late to send for help when you are already besieged," indeed. He also sends a messenger to Rohan to request aid, since Rohan is more distant than the other nations.

* Another fantasy fiction example comes at the end of Jacqueline Carey's ''[[Kushiel's Legacy|Kushiel's Dart]]'', in which the heroine journeys to Alba (a [[Istanbul (Not Constantinople)|fantasy version of Great Britain]]) to convince the Albans to bring their army to the aid of Terre d'Ange (France) which has been invaded by Skaldia (Germany/Scandinavia).

* ''[[The Phantom Tollbooth]]'' has this at the very end.

** And let's not forget that nearly every single wizard aligned against the Death Eaters arrives to the battle towards the very end.

*** And the centaurs. And even the frigging house-elves. Still a pity Muggles were left out.

* The climax of ''Martin the Warrior'', the sixth ''[[Redwall]]'' book.

* At one point in [[Spider Robinson]]'s ''[[Callahan's Crosstime Saloon|Callahans Crosstime Saloon]]'' series, a telepathic call goes out to all the Regulars. They respond so immediately that at least one stove is left running, a suicide prevention is called short (they bring him along!), a bomb-tech leaves an active bomb-site (he brings the bomb along!), and even more extreme 'drop-everything' examples.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

** In "The Wedding of River Song" there's an especially touching one when {{spoiler|River explains they've constructed a distress beacon to broadcast "The Doctor is dying. Please, please help." and the Doctor comments "That would mean nothing to anyone." To which River replies }}

{{quote|'''River''' The sky is full of a million million voices, saying, "Yes of course. We'll help." You've touched so many lives, saved so many people. Did you think when you're time came you'd really have to do more than just ask?}}

* ''[[Babylon 5]]'': The cast spent a good amount of time gathering all of the younger races, and several of the older ones, for their battle with the Shadows {{spoiler|and Vorlons.}}

* Subverted in ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'': In the finale Robin and the gang are under siege at Nottingham Castle and they manage to sneak one of their people out in order to fetch [[Richard the Lion Heart|King Richard's]] army who are rumoured to have landed back in England. However, the Sheriff soon informs them that Richard is in fact held hostage in Austria and no help is coming.

* Expanding on the beginning of ''[[Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger]]'', the ''[[Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger/Recap/Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle|199 Heroes]]'' movie reveals that the [[Tensou Sentai Goseiger|Goseigers]] are at first overwhelmed in battle by the Zangyack Empire's military might, which prompts the arrival of all previous [[Super Sentai]] to help fight off the invasion.

* Once Morgana takes over Camelot at the end of season three of ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'', Merlin writes to Lancelot, asking for his assistence. Lancelot arrives just in time, with Percival in tow, to save the company from a band of immortal soldiers by causing a rockslide.

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

* [[Pro Wrestling]] loves this trope, and tends to use it interchangeably with [[Everyone Join the Party]]. The most famous recent example happened on ''Monday Night Raw'' in the summer of 2010, when [[John Cena]] was being victimized by the fifth-column terrorist group [[The Nexus]]. For a terrible moment it looked as if Cena was going to tuck tail between legs and walk out of the arena in defeat....but then turned around and announced: "You've sealed your fate 'cause guess what: I got me some help." Right on cue, every ''Raw'' Superstar who had been attacked by the Nexus in the past few months came out to join Cena in a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]]: [[Edge]], [[John Morrison]], R-Truth, The Great Khali, [[Chris Jericho]], and....wait for it....BretHart! What really made this moment splendid is that all these guys often had only negative associations with each other in the past if they had associations at all, and two of them (Edge and Jericho) had been [[Heel]]s up to this point. The "seven samurai" (as Morrison referred to them) then rushed the ring to chase off the Nexus villains, and Cena shouted: "At ''SummerSlam'', the Nexus IS HISTORY!!!"

 

 

== Video Games ==

* In going against {{spoiler|Bodhi's guild}} towards the end of ''[[Baldur's Gate]] II'', the player character can form an alliance with a paladin order, the thieves' guild, and the Companions of the Hall (Drizzt Do'Urden and friends) against them. Doing so naturally makes the battle much easier.

* In ''[[.hack|.hack//G.U.]] Redemption'', Haseo and Zelkova use their influence to get help from all the players of "The World" to assist them in stopping Cubia.

* ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'': When the villains summon the giant world-ending monster, just about everyone you've ever helped, {{spoiler|including all your ex-party members except the one that really died}}, shows up in tanks and airships and starts blasting away.

** Then, at the end of the game, {{spoiler|'''Everyone''' prays to give your party the strength to defeat Zeromus. Even Tellah and his daughter Anna show up.}}

* In ''[[Okami]]'', the {{spoiler|prayers from all the people of Nippon, inspired by Issun, are what revives Amaterasu and restores her full divine glory}}. Cue the [[Theme Music Power-Up]] and the final boss fight.

* Pick any RTS game. If it's any good, it will most-definitely feature a mission where [[Hold the Line|you have to defend yourself for a set amount of time]] [[The Cavalry|before reinforcements come.]] The first ''Dawn of War'' game seems to be the only exception...

* The story mode of ''[[Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe]]'' features this trope. Regardless of whether the player chooses to play as the MK or DC fighters, the chosen world's heroes end up having to work together with their villains to deal with the opposing faction's fighters, whom they initially see as invaders until [[Big Bad|Dark Khan]] finally makes his appearance for the final showdown.

* At the end of ''[[Warcraft]] III'', the night elves had to ally with the humans and the orcs to defend their World Tree Nordrassil. The first alliance stuck and continued into ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', the second didn't.

* [[Pokémon Black and White]]: {{spoiler|Bianca}} calls for the Unova Gym Leaders to come and fight versus Team Plasma {{spoiler|at N's Castle, after the Elite Four challenge.}}

* In ''[[Darksiders]]'', this is what happens when {{spoiler|War gets Uriel to break the seventh seal, summoning the other three Horsemen}}.

'''War:''' No. Not alone. }}

* To fight against {{spoiler|Nero, Blanck, and eventually Tartaros}} in ''[[Solatorobo]]'', Red {{spoiler|enlists the help of Opéra and the Kurvasz}}, who then put out a call for ''everybody'' to help. [[Fighting for Survival|And they do.]]

 

== Web Animation ==

 

* Oasis and Dr. Schlock play this role during the "Dangerous Days" arc of ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' (though with shades of [[Enemy Mine]]). The same can be said of just about any time Bun-Bun agrees to help anyone.

* Just before the final battle against the God Machine in T. Campbell's ''[[Fans]]'' Book 5, Will informs team leader Rikk that some volunteers have arrived.

{{quote|'''Rikk:''' How many, Will? If it's two or three, send 'em home. I won't sacrifice--

'''Katherine:''' [http://www.faans.com/books1-6/index.php?p{{=}}1568 Richard? Liege and Lord?...][http://www.faans.com/books1-6/index.php?p{{=}}1569 Your army awaits.] }}

 

== Web Original ==

* [[Ynglinga Saga]], once in each run-through.

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY1fqnGw8rU This] [[Chairman Nuke]] video.

 

== Western Animation ==

* The penultimate episode of ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'', "Titans Together", had every young hero the team had encountered over the past five seasons coming together to help battle the Brotherhood of Evil.

* In the last story arc of the first season of Filmation's ''[[Flash Gordon (animation)|Flash Gordon]]'', Flash, Barin, Thun, and Vultan put out a call to the various allies they've made for a final united battle against Ming. It's pretty awesome.

* This was also somehow used in the [[Mr. Bogus]] episode "[[Mr. Bogus/Recap/S2/E04 Bookstore Bogus|Bookstore Bogus]]", where Bogus calls on the help of Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, and Humpty Dumpty to help him save Rapunzel from the clutches of his sworn enemies, Ratty and Mole.

 

== Real Life ==

** The international volunteers to help the fascists as well. Nothing says this trope has to be ''nice'', or that only one side can do it. Besides, frankly [[Gray and Grey Morality|that war was such a mess that it's up for grabs]] whether either side was "nice."

** Similarly during the Winter War thousands of Danes, Swedes and Estonians came to Finland's aid, along with other volunteers, most notable are the [[wikipedia:Hungarian Volunteers in the Winter War|Hungarians, who had to skirt around WW2 to get to Finland.]]

* During Israel's war of independence, volunteers from all over the world (many of them [[WW 2]] veterans) clamored to aid the Israeli side. Two of the American volunteers were later fined and one jailed.

* Foreign volunteers for the Boer side in South Africa's Anglo-Boer War.

* Occurred repeatedly during the Crusades, which were triggered by Constantinople's requests to [[The Pope]] for aid against the Turks. But as Crusade succeeded Crusade, relations between the Westerners and their Byzantine hosts broke down until 1204, when the Venetians bankrolling the operation convinced the Crusaders to turn against Constantinople and sack it bare. Though five more Crusades were to come, any sort of understanding between East and West was gone; when in their final hour the Byzantines swallowed their pride and asked for help again, only a few hundred Europeans bothered to answer.

** [[Fridge Logic|The only element of Nazi Germany's armed forces that recruited non-Germans]] [[Fridge Horror|was the Waffen-SS.]]

** On a different note, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan it was considered a noble thing to join the Mujahideen resistance. This was encouraged by the USA and many Muslim nations. Among many, Saudi Arabian [[Osama Bin Laden]] joined the resistance. He later went beyond this when he founded al-Qaeda to go beyond assisting the resistance to creating a Wahhabi Caliphate across the region.

* During the Soviet-Afghan War, people from all over the Muslim world went to Afghanistan to fight against the invaders.

** The same thing happened again during the US-Iraq War. However that happened after the invasion.

* The Balkans. The three major factions are Croat, Bosnian and Serb. Croats were traditionally German aligned and Catholic; Serbs Russian aligned and Orthodox, Bosnians were Turkish aligned and Muslim. So each side had volunteers and arms given, from Muhajadeen to volunteer adventurers, idologues, Neo-Nazis, let alone French, Russian and American arms to various factions. Then NATO invaded...

* Israel does this a lot. Originally, Balfour only promised Palestine to the Jews because he thought he could use the legendary Jewish money against the Kaiser. Then South Africa went from being Nazi sympathizers to being ardent Zionists after [[World War II]]. More recently, premillennial dispensationalists, people who believe that [[Apocalypse Maiden|when all the Jews]] ''[[Final Solution|and only the Jews]]'' [[Apocalypse Maiden|are in Israel, Jesus will come back]].

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