History Main / BodyguardingABadass

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', during the Gokage Summit Arc, all five Kages (who are the best shinobi in their village) pick a couple of guards to go with them. This is slightly justified, as these guards know techniques the Kage wouldn't know, since they have a very limited arsenal of techniques.

* The [[HeraldsOfValdemar Monarch's Own Herald]] is the King or Queen's bodyguard during state functions. Justified because 1) crowned heads leave the fighting to others, and 2) it gives them the advantage if any would-be assassins assume it will be an easy job.

* Even a {{badass}} finds it useful to have someone else watching their back or keeping an eye out for threats.

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* In ''{{Drowtales}}'', YourMileageMayVary with [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=378 Vaelia and Ariel]]. [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=286 Vaelia can hold her own]], [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=719 but so can Ariel]].
** Vaelia did prove herself indispensable foiling a murder attempt that would have succeeded otherwise. Then they ''both'' needed external help.

** On the other hand, due to the way the AI levels, this can actually be averted if done correctly. Thanes' levels are not set until you encounter them for the first time, and some of them do not exist until after they are assigned to you. There have been stories of completing quests 30 levels after they were meant to be completed, and getting a Thane who, among other things, killed entire cities by themselves after their master stole a single sweetroll, or slain Ancient Dragons in single combat.

** On the other hand, due to the way the AI levels, this can actually be averted if done correctly. Thanes' levels are not set until you encounter them for the first time, and some of them do not exist until after they are assigned to you. There have been stories of completing quests 30 levels after they were meant to be completed, and getting a Thane who, among other things, killed entire cities by themselves, and slayed Ancient Dragons in single combat. The fact that these thanes are also partially immortal due to the game mechanics means that this trope can easily be reversed if done correctly.

* The Royal Guards in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are just normal ponies guarding two PhysicalGods meaning anything that can hurt the two can easily wipe out the whole group.

If you're important then it's best to stay safe; all sorts of people might begrudge you for your [[PointyHairedBoss decisions]], [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer because of who you are]], because they [[KlingonPromotion want your job]] or [[RebelliousSpirit simply because you're important]]. This goes double in fiction, where there wouldn't be a plot if someone wasn't after your head. Thus anyone who's anyone needs a bodyguard to watch their back. The problem is, anyone who's anyone in fiction is also able to [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking back it up]].

This trope concerns bodyguards who are a lot weaker than their charges. Naturally while there's often no explanation it can be [[JustifiedTrope justified]];

Compare and contrast; HypercompetentSidekick (a reversal), TheDragon (who is usually more powerful than the BigBad) and BashBrothers (for when both bodyguard and client are equal in power). This can quite easily happen with a HeroSecretService if TheHero being guarded is powerful. Often the result of AuthorityEqualsAsskicking.

!!Examples;

* In White Wolf's ''StreetFighter'' RPG you could get bodyguards as a perk - it was explained that they were capable of getting people out of the way without hurting them, so a fighter didn't end up getting sued.

* It is not uncommon for boxers, actors specializing in martial arts, MMA fighters, etc. to have bodyguards. Mainly it's the standard "protect the celebrity from crazy fans" sort of thing, but there's a few caveats. A bodyguard trained in crowd control might be better at handling an overzealous fan than a MMA fighter who might end up hurting someone really badly. Similarly, a lot of martial arts actors don't necessarily have combat applicable skill in an art - there are many arts whose sole purpose is to ''look nice'' and not necessarily be practical in combat, and while they may give the impression they can fight they are really not all that different from, say, dancers.

* The Royal Guards in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are just normal ponies guarding two PhysicalGods meaning anything that can hurt the two can easily while out the whole group.

* It is not uncommon for boxers, actors specializing in martial arts, MMA fighters, etc. to have bodyguards. Mainly it's the standard "protect the celebrity from crazy fans" sort of thing, but there's a few caveats. A bodyguard trained in crowd control might be better at handling an overzealous fan than a MMA fighter who might end up hurting someone really badly. Similarly, a lot of martial arts actors don't necessarily have combat applicable skill in an art - there are many arts whose sole purpose is to ''look nice'' and not necessarily be practical in combat, and while they may give the impression they can fight they are really not all that different from, say, dancers.

* It is not uncommon for boxers, actors specializing in martial arts, MMA fighters, etc. to have bodyguards. Mainly it's the standard "protect the celebrity from crazy fans" sort of thing, but there's a few caveats. A bodyguard trained in crowd control might be better at handling an overzealous fan than a MMA fighter who might end up hurting someone really badly.

* U.S. President Andrew Jackson was attacked by a man wielding two flintlock pistols. When both bullets turned out to be duds it was not his retinue, but the President himself, who jumped the attacker. Some contemporary accounts describe the President, who had been a somewhat violent military man in his youth, ''needing to be pulled off of his attacker''. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson_assassination_attempts#Attack_and_assassination_attempt This Wikipedia article tries to play the event straight]] while confirming the general facts.

* The Royal Guards in MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsmagic are just normal ponies guarding two PhysicalGods meaning anything that can hurt the two can easily while out the whole group.

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'' there's the The Maidens Of The Spear, an AmazonBrigade who act as a bodyguard for Rand Al'Thor. As he is TheChosenOne and arguably the most power channeler (magician) in the world, they can be rather redundant.

* In ''{{Hero}}'', two assassins assault the imperial palace, cutting through a small army to do so. When they reach the emperor, the weaker of the two stays behind to hold off the whole army alone, while the other goes in to duel the emperor in single combat. "The Imperial Guard are not worthy of mention," indeed.

* In ''XenobladeChronicles'' when the character Melia is introduced she has a contingent of Mook bodyguards to help her track down a monster she's hunting, they all die in the fight but she manages to beat it off and injure it with one big mana attack.