History Main / BreakingOutTheBoss

When a character, most often TheDragon, TheRenfield or SycophanticServant, breaks the BigBad out of an imprisoning entity. This is most commonly done either in the form of freeing the Big Bad from a TailorMadePrison, or breaking out a SealedEvilInACan. Sometimes, this will be part of an EvilPlan thought out by the Big Bad.

* In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'', Greed is freed from several centuries of captivity by virtue of Barry the Chopper hitting a fortuitously placed "self-destruct" button. Greed then frees other captives, namely the chimeras who become his henchpeople, [[MadScientist Shou Tucker]], and [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Zolf]] [[PsychoForHire J. Kimblee]]. The latter would be an example of type 3 in respect to Greed.

* [[Film/{{Transformers|2007}} "I... am... MEGATRON!"]] You'd never guess it if you'd [[AllThereInTheManual just watched the movie]], but his minions had different ideas of what type this example was.

* Minor example in ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero''. Idol Rabiett, the corrupt noble and slave-owner, after getting defeated (and Raphtalia sparing his life), he decides to break out a monster ''T. rex''-like dragon to deal with his enemies. The monster promptly crushes him under its foot and then goes in a rampage.

* [[Film/{{Transformers}} "I... am... MEGATRON!"]] You'd never guess it if you'd [[AllThereInTheManual just watched the movie]], but his minions had different ideas of what type this example was.

* Dr. Wily [[CrazyPrepared planned for his capture]], and was broken out by 4 Robot Masters in ''VideoGame/MegaMan7''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFight 3'' begins with the Skull Cross Gang rising to power in the wake of the Mad Gear Gang's downfall, and blowing up a police station to distract the cops while they bust their leader out of prison.

* One episode of ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries The New Batman Adventures]]'' has two goons driving the Ventriloquist insane so his criminal mastermind alternate personality Scarface can emerge. When he does come back, he sets up a grand heist. When getaway is imminent, he tries to kill the goons for forcing him out early.
-->'''Scarface''': When the arms think they're smarter than the brains, it's time to amputate.

* In ''LightNovel/MagicalGirlRaisingProject Limited'', Tot Pop successfully frees Pythie Frederica from her prison, partially to recruit her to hunt down a target they are after, and partially out of fondness for her old master. Pythie starts giving out orders the moment she is free. Tot Pop and her followers follow them despite not having any obligation to listen to Pythie.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' as a variation of this. The episode, ''Deception,'' is about Obi Wan, disguised as a wanted bounty hunter, arrested and is sent to the Republic Jurdiciary Central Detention Center. Once there, he tries to befriends an inmate, Moralo Eval, as, and this is where the variation comes into play, he is hired by Count Dooku to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. Rumors spread and it must've gotten to the Senate, so they brought Obi Wan to the case to stop him. But in this episode, Moralo is the head boss of the episode as he, Obi Wan, and [[spoiler:Cane Bane]], breaks out. The episode after that, ''Friends and Enemies,'' continues to have Moralo as the leading role until Dooku takes role of the head boss in the next two episodes ''the Box'' and ''Crisis on Naboo.'' So really Moralo is the brains of the operation.

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' has an episode where a bunch of Centipede soldiers break Edison Po out of prison. While not ''the'' boss (that would be [[spoiler:John Garrett]]), Po is higher up in the Centipede organization than the soldiers (and is the most powerful member to have a name and face at the time). To illustrate how in charge he is, when one of the soldiers tells him "Time to go", his response is to sit there, continue eating his soup, and correct the soldier: "Time to go, ''sir''."
** The Clairvoyant himself is later rescued by [[spoiler: Grant Ward]], after he's taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D. in "Turn, Turn, Turn". In a unique twist, the audience isn't even aware that this character ''is a villain'', much less TheDragon, until he saves [[spoiler: Garrett]] and [[spoiler: murders Victoria Hand and her guards]]. For this reason, it's regarded as [[SignatureScene one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series.]]

** In [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime adaptation]], Greed is freed from several centuries of captivity by virtue of Barry the Chopper hitting a fortuitously placed "self-destruct" button. Greed then frees other captives, namely the chimeras who become his henchpeople, [[MadScientist Shou Tucker]], and [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Zolf]] [[PsychoForHire J. Kimblee]]. The latter would be an example of type 3 in respect to Greed.

* ''Air Force One is Down'' (ostensibly by Creator/AlistairMaclean but actually not) starts with the supervillain from the previous UNACO novel in jail, where he keeps his mind active by various mental exercises for his inevitable rescue. When this does happen and he's being driven away in a convoy of vehicles he lists several things he wants to be done ASAP, ending with him being provided with a woman InThatOrder. TheNumber Two replies that if he wants to change that order, the last car in the convoy is carrying a woman for him.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/GothamCitySirens https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_harley_quinn_0009.png]]]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', Dr. Drakken is left in prison for the first half of season 4, and he's constantly waiting for rescue from his henchmen. On two occasions, other villains show up to liberate his sidekick Shego, but they completely ignore him. In one case, the jailbreaker is Drakken's own cousin, Motor Ed, who takes the time to wave goodbye. When he does get busted out, it's by an alien suffering from mistaken identity.

When a character, most often TheDragon, TheRenfield, or SycophanticServant breaks the BigBad out of an imprisoning entity. This is most commonly done either in the form of freeing the Big Bad from a TailorMadePrison, or breaking out a SealedEvilInACan. Sometimes, this will be part of an EvilPlan thought out by the Big Bad.

!!!'''Examples for which revealing the nature would constitute a spoiler (spoilers unmarked!):'''

* Lilith [[spoiler:and Ruby]] of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' plot to break [[{{Satan}} Lucifer]] out into the world and start The Apocalpyse. They succeed with the help of [[UnwittingPawn Dean and Sam.]]

* In ''Literature/SeptimusHeap: Flyte'', [[spoiler:Simon Heap]] is breaking out [=DomDaniel=] to take over the Wizard Tower and give him the [=ExtraOrdinary=] Apprenticeship.

* The villains of the first ''[[VideoGame/WildArms1 Wild ARMs]]'' game spend most of the first act attempting to unleash the sealed Mother, who will ostensibly lead them in their conquest of the planet. [[spoiler:It's a bad enough Type 3 that the Dragon simply allows the heroes to kill Mother before resuming said conquest himself.]]
* Both subverted and played straight in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. During the ''Legacy DLC'', Hawke is forced to release [[spoiler:Corypheus, one of the ''first'' Darkspawn]] from an Ancient Grey Warden Prison with the intent of slaying him, in order to prevent a group of Rogue Wardens or Ghoulfied Carta who are vying to break him out ''first''. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Corypheus manages to [[BodySurf possess]] a nearby Grey Warden just before Hawke strikes the killing blow and escapes.]]

When a character, most often TheDragon, TheRenfield, or SycophanticServant breaks the BigBad out of an imprisoning entity. This is most commonly done either in the form of freeing the Big Bad from a TailorMadePrison, or breaking out a SealedEvilInACan. Sometimes, this will be part of an EvilPlan thought out by the sealed Big Bad.

This has no relation to individual video game bosses being set free to fight you, although this does overlap (usually with final bosses).

When a character, most often TheDragon, TheRenfield, or SycophanticServant breaks the BigBad out of an imprisoning entity. Most commonly done either in the form of freeing the BigBad from a TailorMadePrison or breaking out the SealedEvilInACan. Sometimes, this will be part of an EvilPlan thought out by the sealed entity.

For cases where the BigBad in question was brought BackFromTheDead, see ResurrectTheVillain. Compare PetGetsTheKeys.

No relation to individual video game bosses being set free to fight you, although this does overlap (usually with final bosses).

When a character, most often TheDragon, TheRenfield, or SycophanticServant breaks out the BigBad. Most commonly done either in the form of freeing the BigBad from a TailorMadePrison or breaking out the SealedEvilInACan. Sometimes, this will be part of an EvilPlan thought out by the sealed entity.