The Consigliere: Difference between revisions

A [[Number Two]] who is the Number One's voice of reason. Their advice is valuable to the boss because they're usually right, which puts them in a unique position to "[[Speak Truth to Power]]" when other staff might be scared to contradict the boss. This kind of job security is largely self-reinforcing - the boss won't fire him because he needs his uniquely [[Honest Advisor|honest advice]], but he only has the freedom to be honest because he knows the boss won't fire him. Often the [[The Smart Guy|smartest guy]] [[The Evil Genius|in the room]], or just a [[The Conscience|calming influence]] to a [[Hot Blooded]] boss. There's a high likelihood of his being [[Amoral Attorney|a retained lawyer.]]

 

 

Sometimes, he'd make a better ruler than the real one, but he doesn't want to be in charge for some reason. His boss [[Always Someone Better|may even recognise this]], which could be a source of jealousy or mistrust.

 

See also [[Commander Contrarian]].

 

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

* John Sutter in ''The Gold Coast'' and ''The Lake House'' ends up with a Mafia don as his friendly next door neighbor, who co-opts him into this trope. His son tries the same thing in the sequel.

* Before the Interregnum, some of the most important nobility [[Dragaera]] had Discreets, who are something like therapists crossed with advisers. Too bad Adron's Disaster killed all of them except Pel.

* Oxley is this to [[Anthropomorphic Personification|Father Thames]] in ''[[Rivers of London]]'', in the court of Mama Thames Tybur...[[Do Not Call Me Paul|Lady Ty]] likes to cast herself in this role, but is really [[The Starscream]].

* Thurfir Hawat and Lady Jessica in [[Dune]] are this to Duke Leto.

* Wilson in ''[[Dads Army]]'' ("[[Catch Phrase|Do you think that's]] ''[[Catch Phrase|wise]]'', [[Catch Phrase|sir?"]])

* Though he started out more as a [[Jerk With a Heart of Gold|jerk]], David Rossi in ''[[Criminal Minds]]'' has become the consigliere to Hotch, and to a lesser extent, {{spoiler|Morgan}}.

* Mrs Onedin in ''The Onedin Line'' is this for her [[Family Business|husband's firm]]. She is loyal, determined, and [[Good With Numbers]] . James Onedin married her for a ship she owned, and started to love her because she was so canny a businesswoman. Who says money is unromantic?

** She is obviously a [[Shout Out]] to the many shipping wives of the time who had an unofficial but very real power over the business.

* [[Merlin]] and [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Gwen]] tend to act as this for Arthur, especially {{spoiler|after he finally becomes King of Camelot.}} Although Arthur's acceptance of this tends to [[Zig Zagging Trope]] a fair bit.

* ''[[Boardwalk Empire]]'' gives young gangster Jimmy Darmody two consiglieres; his mother, Gillian (who is also a [[Lady Macbeth]]), and Leander Whitlock, a [[Cool Old Guy]] who also advised his father.

* ''[[The Borgias (TV)|The Borgias]]'': [[Niccolo Machiavelli]] to the Medici family. Yes, ''that'' [[The Prince|Machiavelli.]]

== [[Real Life]] ==