The Lancer: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

[[File:the-lancer star-wars 1263.jpg|link=Star Wars|frame|Now, don't get cocky...]]

 

{{quote|''"[[Genre Savvy|I see]] you are the surly, temperamental one who ''instigates'', [[Wolverine]]. You ''cannot'' be the leader, then."''|'''Azazel''', ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|The Uncanny X-Men]]''}}

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'': Jet Black, although he's ostensibly the leader of the Bebop crew, is The Lancer to Spike Spiegel's Hero.

* ''[[Mazinger Z]]'': Sayaka was The Lancer and [[Love Interest]] from [[The Hero]] Kouji Kabuto. Given that Kouji was an carefree, impulsive, [[Hot-Blooded]] [[Idiot Hero]], she was [[The Reliable One]] type, and both of them formed a [[Battle Couple]].

* In the ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' [[Anime]], Rei/Sailor Mars is The Lancer of the team. The English dub [[Character Exaggeration|exaggerated this]] into a running subplot of her trying to subvert Usagi's leadership. In the manga, however, the Lancer is Minako/Sailor Venus, the leader of the Senshi in the Silver Millenium and the most seasoned warrior of the group. In some ways, manga Minako is an example of [[The Hero]] unto herself, with Rei being ''her'' Lancer rather than Usagi's.

* ''[[Trigun]]'': Nicholas D. Wolfwood to Vash the Stampede. Wolfwood and Vash work incredibly well together and often appear to be two of a kind when goofing around or actively engaged in combat, but have deep philosophical differences. Wolfwood is dark: a killer and [[Knight in Sour Armor]] with a secret agdenda. Vash is a [[Technical Pacifist]] and [[The Messiah]]. They're keeping huge secrets from one another, and they know it. They're still the best friends either has ever had. Their color scheme contributes.

* ''[[Magical Project S]]'': Pixy Misa becomes this in near the end of the series.

* ''[[Gantz]]'': Kei Kurono was undoubtedly The Lancer to [[The Hero]] Masaru Katou, his old friend. {{spoiler|Until Katou died and Kurono became [[The Hero]] instead, whereupon Izumi becomes his Lancer. Who (plural) at some point got killed off by alien vampires, around the time Katou got revived (the incredibly awesome Osaka arc followed). That lasted till Kei got revived AGAIN, TWICE, so now three heroes are running around, with one of the Kei's and Katou leading a (probably) suicide commando against an alien invasion and another leading humans being held captive by said aliens into freedom.}}

 

== Comic Books ==

* [[Batman]] fills this role in most incarnations of the ''[[Justice League of America]]''. The darker interpretations fall into the [[The Rival|Rival]]/[[Anti-Hero|AntiHeroic]] version of this trope, with [[Superman]] as [[The Hero]].

** [[Nightwing]] is an example of how the Lancer's traits depend on who [[The Hero]] is: when he fills this role for Batman, his empathy, idealism, and approachability are played up as a contrast to Bruce.

 

 

* Chaos from the ''[[Tamers Forever Series]]''.

 

 

* Subotai from the 1982 ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' film. He teaches Conan how to be a thief, saves him from the Tree of Woe, and stands by his side during the Battle of the Mounds.

* In ''[[Inception]]'', Arthur is Mal's right-hand man throughout the film and takes the role of "Point-man" during the heist.

 

== Literature ==

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'' has a tribe originally made up of Lancers: The Shadowlords. In former times, their task was to act as the Beta of packs and [[I Did What I Had to Do|did what the Alpha]] [[Shoot the Dog|couldn't be seen to do]]. Unfortunately, more and more of them feel that the Silverfangs [[The Starscream|are no longer up to the task of leading...]]

 

== Toys ==

* Every Toa team in ''[[Bionicle]]'' has one of these, usually a Toa of [[An Ice Person|Ice]] to balance out the Toa of [[Playing with Fire|Fire]] leader. The most prominent example would be Kopaka, who has a [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]] dynamic with Tahu.

** And to continue the tradition, Stormer is this to Furno in [[Hero Factory]].

 

== Video Games ==

 

== Theatre ==

* ''Orestes'': Pylades acts in this capacity to his friend Orestes, in Euripides' play.

* ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'': Mercutio is Romeo's right-hand man and best friend. He even goes so far as {{spoiler|fighting and losing a duel in his name.}}

* ''[[Hamlet]]'': Horatio.

 

 

* Humorously enough, the author of ''[http://www.drunkduck.com/Cwens_Quest/ Cwen's Quest]'' was unaware of this particular trope when he named his character Riddly Lancer. Fits the bill too, well actually only up to the third sentence of the description that is... but Cwen is definitely the leader between the two characters.

* Haley "It's frustrating how Lawful you people are sometimes" Starshine in ''[[Order of the Stick]]''.

* Guenevere in ''[[Arthur, King of Time and Space]]''. Not Lancelot, who is Arthur's right-hand man but doesn't really act as a foil, whereas [http://arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0117.htm Guenevere's outspokenness contrasts neatly with the more easy-going Arthur].

 

 

* Wyn from the web fiction serial ''[[Dimension Heroes]]''.

 

== Western Animation ==

[[Category:The Lancer]]

[[Category:Five-Man Band]]