History Main / DeclarationOfProtection

* In Kieron Gillen's run on ''[[ComicBook/XMen Uncanny X-Men]]'', Colossus became obsessive about protecting his sister Illyana, to the point of losing his humanity(not to mention the love of Kitty Pryde) by taking on the Juggernaut's curse. Toward the end of ''Comicbook/AvengersVsXMen'', Illyana revealed that she was EvilAllAlong, and had manipulated her big brother into becoming the new Juggernaut in order to make him as much of a monster as she had become. Let's just say Colossus no longer feels any need to protect his "little snowflake"; he has in fact vowed to kill her if their paths cross again.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWomanTheHiketeia'' revolves around this. Wonder Woman gets bound by an ancient Greek rite (Hiketeia) to protect a young girl, on punishment of painful death by the Furies if she breaks the oath. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman hadn't realized the girl is a murderer (with a pretty damn solid justification) on the run from Franchise/{{Batman}} who's determined to bring her to justice. Batman won't back down and Wondy can't either, so they end up duking it out until [[spoiler:the girl commits suicide]].
* Regarding the page illustration; [[ComicBook/DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], after saving [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Susan Richards's]] life and helping her deliver her and Reed's daughter safely, claimed as his reward the right to name the child, and so named her Valeria, after a lost love of his childhood. He then declared Valeria to be under his protection. The two of them have had an oddly sweet familial relationship since, with Valeria even calling him "Uncle Doom".

* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight.'' [[IdiotHero Emiya Shirou.]] He does this ''twice.'' In Fate, he does this to Saber, despite Saber being '''[[spoiler: motherfucking Myth/KingArthur]]'''. (To be fair, he HAD no idea who she really was AND had watched her get totally curbstomped by Hercules.) Fortunately, he's [[LampshadeHanging called out on this]] and eventually it gets [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] in the Unlimited Blade Works route (the second example), where it turns out that Shirou has a massive case of SurvivorGuilt that causes him to totally disregard his own safety; the deconstruction is that he feels the other person's safety is more important than his own so there's no problem getting hurt. Heaven's Feel also plays with this trope by having Sakura be, from Shirou's point of view, [[IllGirl totally helpless...]] then you get closer to the end and she turns out to [[spoiler:have an absurdly powerful SuperpoweredEvilSide. Shirou promptly modifies his definition of "protect Sakura" to mean "get rid of Sakura's SuperpoweredEvilSide."]]

* ''Fanfic/PassingDays'' shows the many Servants making various promises of Vy's safety, [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe all all because she wanted to help them more than herself and no one else did before her.]] The first Grailed Servants in Achilles, Robin, and Saber Arturia all constantly come to Vy's aid in the single ''hint'' that she is in danger, actively vowing to end the other party if they come close to hurting her.

* In ''Fanfic/SafeAnchorage'', Asha promises Jeyne that she'll alawys be safe as long as Asha is there, after hearing of the depths of Jeyne's abuse.

* While Simon spends most of the television series protecting her, in the tie-up film ''Film/{{Serenity}},'' River [[NowLetMeCarryYou flips the script on him]] and promises to return the favour when he [[spoiler:gets shot by Reavers]].

** Chewbacca owes Han Solo a life debt, because Han saved his life once, as depicted in ''Film/{{Solo}}.

We'll pass it on to you

Related tropes are numerous. Effectively, it is a subtrope of the {{Protectorate}} and TheChampion. BodyguardCrush is when the protection comes before the emotions. TheDulcineaEffect is when this absolute dedication pops up all of 10 seconds after he first sees her. MamaBear and PapaWolf are when it's a parent protecting their child. This trope is part of the job description for LadyAndKnight. In ancient times, [[SacredHospitality becoming someone's guest]] automatically put you under their protection, leading to a lot of this. If the protector is smarter, more grounded in reality, or more competent than [[CloudCuckoolander the protectee]], or perceived to be, that person is the CloudCuckoolandersMinder. Compare IfYouEverDoAnythingToHurtHer.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Dembe to Red in ''Series/TheBlacklist''. It's actually his job description as his bodyguard and stems from Red saving him from a horrendous fate. But the list of people who owe Red favors and/or are ready to go through hell for him seemingly has no end.
* Booth is very much this to Brennan in ''Series/{{Bones}}'', even before they became an OfficialCouple. On the one hand, his "alpha male" need to protect her tends to rub Brennan the wrong way. On the other hand, as she once observed, "I find it interesting that I'm only afraid of snakes when Booth is around to be jumped upon."
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' runs on this trope. Most if not all the main characters are committed to protecting each other, as well as a good number of guest stars as well. In particular, Spike showed hints of this after [[spoiler:Buffy died]] in the Season 5 episode "The Gift".
* ''Series/{{Castle}}'' does this for Beckett in the episode "...Boom" when a serial killer blows up Beckett's apartment:
-->'''Montgomery:''' You need to go home and get some sleep.\\
'''Beckett:''' Sir, I don't have a home.\\
'''Castle:''' Yes, you do. It's a secure building with an extra bedroom, with people who care about you. With the Federal detail at the door, it's the safest place in the city.\\
'''Beckett:''' Thank you, Castle, but I couldn't.\\
'''Castle:''' You can and you will.
* In ''Series/ChinesePaladin'', Xiaoyao marries and swears to protect Ling'er. He takes this vow very seriously although ''initially'' she is far a more powerful combatant than him and all she needs is his emotional support. However, as the series progresses he TakesALevelInBadass and it becomes Just That Simple between them.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays The Parting of the Ways]]", temporarily-empowered Rose Tyler, as the Bad Wolf entity, declares this for the Doctor.
--->'''Bad Wolf:''' I want you safe. My Doctor. Protected from the false god.
** The Tenth Doctor pulls this off in his first adventure, "[[Recap/DoctorWho2005CSTheChristmasInvasion The Christmas Invasion]]":
--->'''The Doctor:''' By the ancient rights of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet, when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential, when you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this... [[PunctuatedForEmphasis It. Is. DEFENDED!]]
** [[TheNthDoctor The Eleventh Doctor]] is quite fond of these.
*** It is, in fact, one of the first things he does when he has his faculties around him. in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour The Eleventh Hour]]" he allows the Atraxi to read his mind, showing his previous selves in action, and asks "Is this planet protected?"
*** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E4ThePowerOfThree The Power of Three]]" he tells a levitating alien cube that earth and its people are precious to him and that he will defend them to the death, if need be.
*** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E6TheBellsOfSaintJohn The Bells of Saint John]]", after he recovers Clara Oswald's consciousness from a Spoonhead android, the Doctor sends a message over the [=WiFi=] network, '''"Under My Protection"'''.
*** He declares this again in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E12NightmareInSilver Nightmare in Silver]]" about the young children that the Cybermen have begun to convert.
** Rory Williams. He loves his girlfriend, later fiancée, later wife, and will do anything to protect her. A lot of the time they protect each other -- for example, Rory fails at sword-fighting a fish vampire, so Amy destroys it with a mirror. He then [[spoiler: goes to guard her comatose body for 2,000 years, becoming the legendary Last Centurion]]. He seems to develop something of a complex.
--->'''Rory:''' And she knows that wherever she is, I ''am'' coming for her. ''Always.''
* Another Joss Whedon show: nearly everything Paul Ballard does on ''{{Series/Dollhouse}}'' is to protect Echo...even before he actually meets her.
* River Tam in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' is a slight variation; she really did need and want her brother Simon's protection, but that was because she was so erratic that she needed a stabilizing influence. Despite her abilities and [[spoiler: combat training]], she's still scared and confused about herself and the world around her. Simon, despite possessing a BigBrotherInstinct to rival the Captain's own, had an unimposing appearance and soft-spoken nature unless he needed to protect someone (like a patient endangered by an incompetent surgeon).
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Faithfully serving Renly as a member of his Kingsguard is Brienne's quiet way of expressing her (unrequited) love for him.
** The Hound finally admits he's interested in protecting Arya for more than just her ransom in "The Children".
** Toward the end of Season 6, Tyrion swears to Daenerys, "I believe in you. It's embarrassing, really. I'd swear you my sword, but I don't actually own a sword." When Daenerys tells Tyrion she needs his counsel, not his protection, he answers, "It's yours. Now and always."
* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': As Bruce starts coming into his own and embarking on a life of vigilantism, he gives out a lot of these, mostly to the people of Gotham as a whole. "My parents sacrificed everything for this city. And if necessary, so will I."
* ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'' plays with this. Nico Saiba is the most badass Ride-Player around, but still needs to be looked after by Taiga Hanaya, who's ability is in a completely different league than her.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Series/JessicaJones2015'': As much as [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Jessica]] initially insists this is not the motivation for her actions, it's clear to both Trish and Kilgrave that she would do anything to protect Trish. Trish is alternately frustrated and touched by this.
** ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Throughout the show, while Matt rarely admits it, he is very protective of Karen Page's safety.
*** When putting Karen up at his apartment after she escapes Wilson Fisk's attempt to have her killed in jail, Matt reassures her “I will keep you safe, Karen," a promise he keeps when he rescues her from the assassin Fisk has sent to her apartment to attack her when she attempts to retrieve the Union Allied pension file.
*** Which gets called back in the Season 1 finale when Matt assures Karen, “I told you I would keep you safe, Karen. When he [Fisk] came after you over Union Allied. That hasn't changed.”
*** Throughout Season 2, we see that Matt continues to be very protective of Karen. His first engagement with Frank Castle sees him taking the guy on when he's shooting at Grotto and Karen with a sniper rifle. A few episodes later, when Karen admits to breaking into Frank's house, Matt and Foggy both get mad at her, but Matt admits [[AngerBornOfWorry he's mostly just scared that she could have gotten hurt]]. He tackles her to the ground and shields her from the bullets when Reyes is gunned down in front of them. In the Season 2 finale, when the Hand kidnaps her and a bunch of other people Matt has saved as bait, he's so worried about Karen that he can't focus on tracking the hostages that Elektra has to calm him down, and when he does rescue the hostages, he can't resist stopping to make sure Karen is okay before she goes.
* ''Series/ThePrincessWeiYoung'': Min De promises to protect Xin Er, who's pretending to be his cousin Wei Young, from Wei Young's WickedStepmother.
* Dean Winchester (from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'') has dedicated his life to protecting his brother Sam (despite the fact that Sam can protect himself, and often doesn't want Dean to risk everything to protect him).
* ''Series/TinMan'' A cross of "I owe her," "It gets complicated," and LivingMacguffin get involved with the gentlemen who decide to travel with DG. Raw is pretty straightforward. She's a good person, and she was responsible for rescuing him from a nasty death. Glitch comes with her because it's preferable to be confused and with someone than confused and alone. But it turns out that he was [[spoiler: her mother's [[TheGoodChancellor trusted and devoted]] adviser]]. Remembering who he was and learning who she is just makes him more determined to help. Cain's a mess. He agrees to escort DG and Glitch to Central (Emerald) City because he does owe them that much for freeing him, but the Mystic Man, [[spoiler: his former boss]], ''orders'' Cain to protect DG at any cost -- and Cain's too damn honorable to disobey a direct order, especially as [[spoiler: it turns out to also be the Mystic Man's LastRequest]]. By the time it's discovered that [[spoiler: DG is inadvertently responsible for the Witch's reign of terror]], they've become such TrueCompanions that they don't care.
* On ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', Stefan, who is the hero, devotes his immortal, undead life and makes constant sacrifices (including sacrificing himself or risking his life) in order to protect and save Elena, the heroine (or more like damsel in distress) from possible harm and dangers of the supernatural in the town of Mystic Falls.
* Steve Jinks, ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' has an interesting combo of three, He has a dead [[CoolBigSis big sister]] that he sees in ActionGirl Claudia, his partner, after she saves his life in the most hilarious way possible. This led him to decide to go undercover to protect her because he couldn't save his own sister, which in turn, gets him killed. [[spoiler: He gets better.]]
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': While Mulder was always protective of Scully, her abduction in Season 2 sent him into overdrive. After her return, he becomes obsessed with keeping her safe. He ditches her several times, much to her annoyance, and asks her to sit out on cases for fear of her life. This makes it obvious that the one way to hurt him is to hurt her, and so this protective streak becomes even more pronounced after she is kidnapped many times more. Eventually, this turns into "I Owe Her My Life" since Scully is no slouch in the protecting and rescuing department.
[[/folder]]

* This is the entire premise of ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo''. After losing the rest of their family -- Nemo's mother and all of Nemo's siblings -- Nemo's father, Marlin, vows to protect him at all costs. The plot follows Marlin's efforts to save Nemo when Nemo is kidnapped to be a pet in a dentist's aquarium.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* After Bartlett is shot down in ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'' protecting Edge she becomes ''very'' determined to protect [[ImpliedLoveInterest you.]] Badass? There's a myth about the Demons of Razgriz that applied to the Wardog squadron, and they may indeed be literal demons if one mid-game mission is anything to go by.
* Every protagonist in the ''[[VideoGame/ExaPico Ar tonelico]]'' series on their heroine Reyvateils. However, this involved them [[MentalWorld getting into their minds and solve their inner conflicts.]] It isn't so bad until some of the heroines [[{{Yandere}} secretly want to kill or rape their interests in their mind worlds.]] And those heroes are dealing with [[PersonOfMassDestruction ultra powerful]] [[SquishyWizard magician]] [[MusicalAssassin singers]] here.
* In the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series [[BoisterousBruiser Minsc]] has a "Witch" called Dynaheir. It's his duty to protect her, and if you do not resolve his SideQuest to save her, he'll leave your party. The sequel kicks off with you ([[CuttingOffTheBranches And Minsc]]) in captivity and him lamenting how he failed to save Dynaheir, [[SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome her having died off screen]]. Somewhere in the game, Minsc can choose a new "Witch" to protect out of two other potential party members.
* ''VideoGame/BioShock'': The Big Daddies are willing to die to protect the Little Sisters.
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction'', Lambda-11 states that her desire is to be with Ragna so she can protect him. Ragna the Bloodedge is a OneManArmy who began the series waging a pretty-successful war against the entire world government... but Lambda is going to protect him too.
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' provides another fairly straightforward (and heartwarming) example with Nero's half of the story with his LoveInterest Kyrie. [[spoiler:Though for a while it ''looks'' like he failed]].
* Nero does it again near the end of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'', swearing that he won't let [[spoiler:his father Vergil or his uncle Dante]] die. [[spoiler:And he succeeds.]]
* In ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten'', about 400 years before the start of the game, the vampire Valvatorez makes a promise to a young woman to abstain from drinking blood until he can make her experience fear. Since a war is raging and the woman is a front-line nurse, he also declares to protect her until he can make good on his first promise. He is careless, however, and she is killed three days later. He [[VegetarianVampire hasn't drunk blood]], nor [[IGaveMyWord broken another promise]] ever since.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': This is one possible outcome at the end. If a female Grey Warden has a romance with Alistair, he will refuse to allow her to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice herself]] to kill the Archdemon, taking the choice out of her hands and doing it himself unless she takes the precaution of leaving him behind at the gates before heading to the last battle.
** In the ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' DLC ''Mark of the Assassin'', the GuestStarPartyMember Tallis can try to encourage Hawke to consider converting to the Qun, saying that it would give Hawke purpose. Hawke, who (depending on when the DLC is completed) is or will become the formal Champion of their city, gives a response that is literally this trope.
--->'''Hawke:''' I have purpose. ''I protect Kirkwall.''
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'':
*** When the Iron Bull is recruited, he informs the perfectly badass Inquisitor that he will consider it his duty to serve as their front-line bodyguard. Whether this ultimately becomes romantic or not depends on whether they pursue him as their love interest, but [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration it's an actual gameplay mechanic]] -- if he's in the active party, he invariably runs in to attack anything which makes the Inquisitor its target.
*** Dorian will make one of these if the quest "In Hushed Whispers" is completed. [[spoiler:In the BadFuture,]] when the Herald of Andraste expresses their anxiousness over what will become of them, Dorian offers some gentle reassurance.
---->'''Dorian:''' I'm here. I'll protect you.
* ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'': One of Princess Serenade's level up quotes is "I will protect Prince Cresendo." The prince in question is KnightInShiningArmor and she's a PrincessClassic. It works because she has formitable magic power.
* Al, towards his childhood friend Erel in ''VideoGame/EvilZone''. Yes, he's a very powerful [[MagicalGirlWarrior Magical Boy Warrior]] ''and'' the BigBad they're facing is a GameBreaker SealedEvilInACan, but she's a pretty skilled CuteBruiser too.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Appears in Locke's backstory. His girlfriend Rachel got amnesia in an accident for which he was blamed, and while he was in self-imposed exile, the Empire rolled in and killed her. So when he meets the amnesiac Terra, he vows not to leave her side until her memory returns. When he encounters the condemned Imperial Celes later, he makes a similar declaration.
** Squall of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', who provides the page quote, vows to protect Rinoa, the girl who finally brought him out of his sarcastic, just-dont-care shell, and taught him what love was. The condition of "Even if you become the world's enemy..." is there because the worst scenario involves Rinoa turning into a full-blown Sorceress and ending up the target of the world's forces and possibly even their [=SeeD=] friends. Squall, Rinoa, and company succeed by preventing such a scenario from fully realizing. Squall is telling her that even if the worst happened and she became the ultimate evil, he'd still protect her from everyone.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has Lightning and Snow vowing to protect Serah. Why? Because Serah is Lightning's sister and Snow's fiancee. It doesn't matter that she's been branded a l'Cie and enemy of the world Cocoon -- once Lightning realizes that it's not a weird lie to get around her disapproval of Snow, she jumps on the Purge train to get her back. And even after Serah appears to die by crystallization, Snow refuses to leave her statue and takes up her last wish to protect Cocoon.
--->'''Lightning:''' It isn't a question of can or can't. Some things in life you just do.
** Zig-zagged in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' at first Cosmos's warriors (especially the Warrior of Light) make it their mission to protect her from Chaos and his henchmen. [[spoiler:In the end she willingly lets herself die in an effort to save ''them'' from the cycle of death and rebirth they've been caught in]].
** This carries into the CrisisCrossover ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'' when Snow decides that everyone in the group (of more than 50 warriors) is a part of his family. Also, anyone they care about are part of his family too. And that means he'll protect every single one of them, no matter what.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** Regarding the games in general, the people that play them [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this trope by not wanting any of their units to fall in battle, as until the remakes of the Archanea games for the DS their deaths were [[{{Permadeath}} always permanent]]. If a ''single'' unit dies, chances are that [[RageQuit a player will restart the entire battle]]. Heck, even if permadeath is disabled, some players may be tempted to restart the battle anyway!
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'' for the GBA: Dorcas's wife Natalie is an IllGirl. [[HealthcareMotivation He wants her to get better, and so he joins a bandit group.]] Once Lyn knocks sense into him (and Natalie does too, if the player makes them talk), Dorcas decides to keep fighting for her until he gathers enough gold to buy the medicine. It's just as simple as that, for him.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'':
*** If he marries Azura on the GoldenPath, then the [[PlayerCharacter Male Avatar]] swears to protect her forever. He doesn't care who or what threatens her; he'll always stay with her and keep her safe, [[spoiler:and unlike the other two paths, [[EarnYourHappyEnding he succeeds]]]].
*** Also in Fates' GoldenPath, if Azama and Effie reach a RelationshipUpgrade, his LoveConfession is basically ''made'' of this trope:
---->'''Azama:''' [[LampshadeHanging I want to...protect you.]]\\
'''Effie:''' What do you mean? [[WhiteMage You]] protect me all the time...[[AfterActionPatchUp by tending to my wounds.]]\\
'''Azama:''' I want to protect you BEFORE you get injured. [[GrowOldWithMe Because I want to live a long and happy life...with you by my side.]]\\
'''Effie:''' Are you saying what I think you're saying?\\
'''Azama:''' Yes. At first, [[ChronicHeroSyndrome I was annoyed with your selflessness.]] [[MartyrWithoutACause It seemed impractical.]] But as I've come to admit to myself, it has a certain charm. [[PluckyGirl I also admire your fearlessness in the face of unbelievable danger.]]\\
'''Effie:''' Azama...\\
'''Azama:''' Please, let me finish. [[LoveConfession I've never said this before--to anyone! I... I love you.]]
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'':
*** The Eirika-Innes supports start out with this when Innes declares he's going to guard Eirika to pay her back for rescuing him before. Their next support opens with him complaining that she keeps on going ahead of him to attack enemies... because he's an archer, and archers are pretty much obligated to stay in the back because they can't attack adjacent units, and she, as a swordswoman, obviously can, and he's not happy about the visual.
*** Amelia and Franz's A-Support ends up in a mutual one, with Amelia vowing to be his shield to protect him, while Franz's promises to be her sword to fight for her, assuring her that [[YouAreNotAlone she won't be alone anymore]].
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': After Byleth's father, Jeralt, dies, Jeralt's second in command, Alois, swears that he'll protect Byleth.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gungrave}}''. The protagonist's major goals are to get revenge on the main villain and to protect the daughter of his former love interest ''from'' the main villain. By using a lot of [[MoreDakka dakka]].
* All main routes of ''VideoGame/{{Hakuouki}}'' lead inevitably to this trope thanks to Chizuru spending a good four years in the constant company of the captains of UsefulNotes/TheShinsengumi, all of whom, aside from Sanan, develop protective feelings toward her and go out of their way to keep her with them and protect her, even though she's TheLoad and the Shinsengumi's situation becomes increasingly dire as events unfold. In Okita Souji's route, [[spoiler:her EvilTwin Kaoru]] purposefully exploits the trope with malice aforethought [[BreakTheCutie to make poor Chizuru suffer]] by repeatedly creating situations that inspire Souji to protect her at his own expense.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ib}}'': Ib saves Garry's life by returning his [[SoulJar rose]] to him early in the game, and he vows to keep her safe in the gallery. While he is somewhat of a CowardlyLion, he jumps to action when it counts -- for example, when Ib falls unconscious, he carries her to safety and guards her until she wakes up. [[spoiler:Depending on your ending, he may end up giving away his rose again in exchange for Ib's... leading to his demise]].
* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'':
** Kyo Kusanagi. He is already willing to protect his GirlNextDoor girlfriend Yuki to start with, but [[spoiler: once he's told that she is a ''BarrierMaiden'' and that she was to be used in a HumanSacrifice]], his desire to protect her goes UpToEleven. [[spoiler: Later, the spirit of his rival's ancestor asks him to protect her, among several other things.]]
** [[spoiler: One of Kyo Kusanagi's main motivations in the Tales of Ash saga is to make Ash Crimson '''pay''' for attacking Chizuru Kagura, his friend and fellow member of the Sacred Treasures Team, and stealing her MagicMirror. It's really not helped by how Kyo couldn't do anything to stop him.]]
** It's kind of a plot point in the KOF: KYO continuity. [[spoiler: Ever since he was a kid, Kyo deeply wanted to protect his loved ones (in fact, he promises his mother Shizuka that he will do so when he's just eight years old), and that turned out to be one of the reasons why he was so powerful... but after gradually forgetting it in the middle of his turbulent life, he got BroughtDownToNormal and then susceptible to being BrainwashedAndCrazy by Orochi. Remembering how he began to fight as well as this purpose is what lets Kyo recover his lost powers and shake off Orochi's influence: this is sealed after his WarriorTherapist dad Saisyu undoes a staged HostageSituation that he built to help Kyo and releases Yuki from an UnwillingSuspension. As Kyo rushes to [[FallingIntohisArms catch]] [[BridalCarry her]], his inner thoughts pretty much spell this trope.]]
** Also invoked by Adelheid "Adel" Berstein. He has sworn to himself to be the protector of his younger sister Rose, who also is his only living relative after their dad Rugal's death, and even when he seems to be an AloofOlderBrother, he will NOT stop when it comes to shielding her from any harm. The main reason why [[spoiler: he became Heidern's source of information]] in ''XIII'' was his worry about how oddly Rose was acting around him -- [[spoiler: and with good reason, since she was BrainWashed by Those of the Past. When she's released from their mind control and collapses, Adel immediately rushes towards her to catch her in his arms.]]
* An odd twist on this for both ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' if you're playing female. In the first, Carth knows damn well you could skewer him on a lightsaber and not muss your hair. Still does not stop him from admitting that trying to protect you is his reason to live [[spoiler: after Saul Karath dies painfully]]. In the second game, Atton's overt about it. Bao-Dur is more subtle but still frighteningly loyal to his "general." In both Carth's case and Bao-Dur's, the "protection" they offer is more or less trying to act as the MoralityPet for a female PlayerCharacter in order to help prevent her from falling to the Dark Side.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Mipha makes this promise to the protagonist, Link, which becomes a bit tricky when she dies in the line of duty. She manages to keep the promise, however, by granting him her [[HealingHands magical healing ability]] after her soul is freed from captivity.
*** In the Champion's Ballad, there is a non-verbal one where Mipha asks Sidon to protect their home from harm if anything were to happen to her. Sidon wordlessly nods in agreement and strikes his familiar "I believe in you" pose.
%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': This is not the case in most versions, but here it's why Link is TheChosenOne to begin with.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'': Commander Shepard is the galaxy's ultimate badass; however, a certain dialogue path with [[ActionGirl Ash]] will have her invoke this trope. While [[DeadpanSnarker Ash]] does so very tongue in cheek, she lives up to that promise.
* ''VideoGame/{{NieR}}'': Nier's overriding desire to protect his daughter, Yonah, initially seems perfectly simple... and HE probably never realizes it was anything but. The player, on the other hand, will soon realize -- by the second playthrough if not sooner -- that he's been doing a LOT of really questionable stuff in order to protect and save her.
* In ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone 2: Brave New World'', [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Chun-Li]] declares that she's going to protect [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Ling Xiaoyu]] after she accidentally barges in on a confrontation between Chun-Li against [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Vega/M. Bison]], [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV Juri Han]], [[VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom Saya and her henchmen]], and [[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Sheath]]. While Xiaoyu can fight, being targeted by a lot of bad guys is probably a bad idea.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'', and quite literally, in the case of Leon and Ada. Crossed with Take a Bullet scenario.
* In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'', you can have a Sim vow to protect another Sim.
* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
** ''VideoGame/Persona3'':
*** [[spoiler: It's a gender reversal, and it's after everything is over ([[UpdatedRerelease until FES]]), but Aigis sort of qualifies with her wanting to protect the main character...who can certainly fend for himself.]]
*** [[BigManOnCampus Akihiko Sanada]] across all of P3's releases, with his resolution ([[spoiler:which brings about his Persona Polydeuces' transformation into Caesar]]) being his resolve to protect all of SEES, but he plays it straightest if he becomes a female protagonist's LoveInterest in the [[UpdatedRerelease Playstation Portable version]] of the game. He also has ties to the "failed to protect" category, as his younger sister Miki died in a house fire when he was a child, and [[spoiler:later on, his childhood friend and GuestStarPartyMember Shinjiro is murdered]].
** In ''VideoGame/Persona4'' Chie does this as a LoveConfession of sorts, which prompts you to ask her to be your girlfriend or say "I'm counting on you" to remain JustFriends.
--->'''Chie:''' Um, well... I also want to protect you... I might be a little flaky... And maybe you don't even need protecting... But... I... I want to protect you...
* ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008'' has the prince play out this trope. He doesn't really care about the lost kingdom, or the BigBad, or any of that -- he's only fighting because Elika DOES care, and she's gonna put herself in harm's way with or without him. In the end, she gives up her life to stick the Seal back on the [[SealedEvilInACan Can of Evil]], and he immediately snaps and tears the lid back off to resurrect her again. She is not happy about that.
* In ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'' has a gender-flipped version of who to protect. [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Toppi]] grows an attachment to Kyrie because of his positive ideals and swears to protect him. It's complicated in that since that Kyrie is a PersonOfMassDestruction and has the power to destroy the world and Toppi really doesn't want that.
* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'': [[GentleGiant Thunder]] [[MagicalNativeAmerican Hawk]], especially ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV''. He has three driving purposes in his life: recovering his people's sacred lands, punishing Bison for killing his father and former chieftain Arroyo Hawk, and protecting his childhood friend and fellow tribeperson Julia. [[spoiler: Then we see how '''horribly''' screwed up she and several other girls were thanks to Bison's Doll Project, in which he made them his BrainwashedAndCrazy BodyguardBabes. By ''IV'', the poor girl has become [[EmptyShell an empty and emotionless shadow of the girl she used to be]].]]
* ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'':
** A twist on this can occur due to player choice. TheHero has somehow wound up leading LaResistance against TheEmpire, and his adopted sister has, naturally, wound up getting dragged along for the ride. When she finally admits that she'd prefer to live quietly together, you have the option of agreeing with her, running away from your army and responsibilities along with her, thus demonstrating an alternate solution to the problem. The result is somewhere between a NonStandardGameOver and a... well, [[BittersweetEnding Not All That Bad Ending]]. You actually DO get away, and live quietly together in a cabin in the woods somewhere far from all the war and strife... but of course, LaResistance fell apart, TheEmpire triumphed, and all your other friends probably died.
** Further observed later in the story of the game. She ends up protecting Riou from himself by faking her own death. Her reasoning being that when she dove forward to start deflecting arrows fired by Gorudo's archers, Riou leapt up beside her without a second thought for his own safety. Shu agrees to go along with her duplicity because they both realize that without Riou, the entire war effort would fall apart. In removing herself from the picture, Nanami ensures that Riou won't do something like that again.
* Arado Balanga from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Original Generation 2'' is a pretty good Mecha-Pilot, objectively speaking -- but as a graduate of '[[TykeBomb The School]]', he's at the bottom of the heap -- especially compared to his partner, Seolla, who's one of the best, period. But he's sworn to protect her, and protect her he does - whenever she ends up in a pinch, he goes CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, whether that means fighting off an otherwise-supreme opponent, or taking a bullet for her. Sometimes both.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Gaiden''. Ricardo takes a bullet for Tytti, saving her life... but leaving her AllergicToLove due to losing him.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'':
** "Protect your friends" is basically the theme of the game -- it gets subverted and played straight and spun and re-used in every conceivable way. In fact the characters use the word "protect" ''well over a hundred times'' in the course of the game. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENWn4tQYfD4 This has not gone unnoticed.]]
** Main characters Asbel and Sophie ''argue'' over who gets to protect whom, until Asbel challenges Sophie to a footrace to settle the matter...and loses. Sophie saves the group from certain death more than once throughout the game and is canonically one of the most powerful fighters in the party. ([[spoiler: Halfway through the main arc, when Asbel is given an opportunity to defeat her in single combat]]).
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'': At any point when both Fiora and Shulk are in the party, you can count on this popping up in their battle quotes. Melia too, and the other members of the team at various points, will also make similar statements. Of course, give the fact that one of them wields nigh-godly power, the other is [[spoiler:a combat cyborg]], and the entire team is a BadassCrew, no one character really ''needs'' to protect another, per se. Doesn't stop them from declaring it regardless.
-->'''Shulk:''' (On using Light Heal on Fiora) Fiora, I will protect you!\\
'''Fiora:''' (On leveling up) I will use this power to protect Shulk!\\
'''Melia:''' (Also on leveling up) I will use this power to protect my friends!
* The plot of ''VideoGame/EmeraldDragon'' is partially kicked off by one of these. When Tamryn decides to return to the land of humans at the game's start, the dragon Atrushan rips off one of his horns to give to her, telling her to use it as a flute and sound it if she's in danger. Him hearing the sound of it years later causes him to come to human world to find Tamryn, starting the plot.
* Deconstructed in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'' where Rean wonders if he should act on the promise of him protecting his adopted little sister Elise, who is held hostage by the Noble Alliance, to side with them in order to end the CivilWar faster even if it betrays his beliefs. Alfin has to snap him out of it, telling Rean to hold on to his beliefs.
* During her narration on the prologue for ''[[VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadSeasonFour The Walking Dead: The Final Season]]'', Clementine vows to protect AJ with her life, the same way Lee did for her.
[[/folder]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'': Hauyuki Arita made a vow to support and protect his leader Kuroyukihime in the Brain Burst game. This despite Black Lotus, one of the top seven players in the game, being leagues above Silver Crow. It's actually part of Haru's character development that he's trying to make himself worthy of being her knight. The fact that he's actually able to make good on this declaration a couple of times is an awesome moment for him.
%%Administrivia/WeblinksAreNotExamples* ''Anime/AngelBeats'' uses this with Hinata and Yuri/Yurippe and also [[spoiler: they're both immortal]].
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': While initially this isn't the case, Mikasa's relationship with Eren becomes this when [[spoiler: it is revealed that Eren is a titan shifter]]. Years ago Mikasa's parents were murdered in front of her, Eren killed the criminals and then took her into his family; after the disappearance of Eren's dad and the death of his mother, he is the only family she has left.
* A very interesting case happens in ''LightNovel/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts''. Resident {{Yandere}} Shouko is absolutely obsessed with BrilliantButLazy student Yuuji, and at first it seems like she's just a crazy UnluckyChildhoodFriend. But then in Episode 11 of Season 2, it goes into their backstory, and her reasons are explained as this: Shouko was and still is a LonelyRichKid, with Yuuji as her OnlyFriend. At some point, Yuuji pulled a BigDamnHeroes moment to save Shouko from three boys who tried to bully her after she tried to stop them from writing some vicious lies on his PE clothing; he tried to come up with an excuse not to help but in the end, saves her anyway. Although he tries to pass it off as nothing, Shouko is really touched by that action, and she vows to his mother to marry him someday. His mom happily agrees to support her efforts as well... which then sort of helps explain why [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale she tasers him, ties him up, pokes his eyes out when he's looking at other women, and drags him to the movies in chains.]]
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'':
** When Matsuri was informed at a young age his best friend Suzu would be regularly attacked by evil spirit, he decided on the spot to follow his family tradition as a ninja exorcist to protect her.
** After Soga falls in love with Suzu, he tries to tell her he wants to keep her safe as well. However, he ends up messing up and telling Suzu he would protect ''Matsuri'', causing some [[ImaginaryLoveTriangle complications]]. Much later, Soga intentionally does swear to protect Matsuri, finally acknowledging him as a friend and not just a rival.
** Suzu eventually learns to fight herself, dramatically declaring when she's in a position to save Matsuri as well. Matsuri [[EmbarrassingRescue isn't really pleased]] with the role-reversal.
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts alls into both the first and second categories listed above. [[spoiler:He did everything he could to save Casca during the Eclipse, up to and including ''chiseling off his own left wrist'', and she was still [[ForcedToWatch raped in front of him by Femto]]]]. She survived, but her mind was completely gone. Her fate is most of what fuels his post-Eclipse UnstoppableRage during battle and continuous RoaringRampageOfRevenge. Later, when Guts puts said roaring rampage on hold, his top priority is to protect Casca above all else -- [[SuperPoweredEvilSide even from himself]].
* Sebastian from ''Anime/BlackButler'' often reiterates his solemn pledge to protect Ciel, reminding the young lord that he will be with him to the end. Of course, this is because [[spoiler:Sebastian himself will be ''delivering'' that end, when he eventually devours Ciel's soul [[DealWithTheDevil in payment for his service]]]].
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Kanae Katagiri vowed to protect the more powerful [[HeroicNeutral Ryuuken]] no matter what the cost, and that no matter what happened she would never, ever leave his side. [[spoiler:She is later murdered by TheEmperor; Souken implies Ryuuken's made a similar declaration to ensure his and Kanae's badass son, Uryuu, does not share his mother's fate.]]
** In the wild, Harribel lived as close as she could to a life of non-violence and starvation to defy the SocialDarwinist laws of Hueco Mundo. Since then, she has been motivated to fight by a desire to keep her few friends from dying... and these friends are her AmazonBrigade.
** In the "Princess and Dragon" chapters, Orihime reveals that Tatsuki had always [[BullyHunter protected her from the bullies]] that had prevented her from keeping her unusually-coloured hair at the length her beloved older brother preferred. When Tatsuki is defeated and almost killed by a Hollow, Orihime steps in to protect Tatsuki, motivated by the gratitude and desire to repay the debt. Her resolve awakens her BarrierWarrior powers, which were already there but needed a bit more of a push to fully come to the surface.
--->'''Orihime:''' Thank you, for protecting me until now. So please...\\
'''Tatsuki:''' Orihime...?\\
'''Orihime:''' Don't cry! Because this time, I will protect Tatsuki-chan.
** Rukia was the one who unlocked Ichigo's powers by giving him hers, giving him the chance to protect others from supernatural threats. By doing so, she broke a cardinal law of Soul Society and was taken away to be executed; Ichigo's motivation to go into Soul Society with his friends to retrieve and save her comes from both Orihime coming up with the idea and his own desire to repay Rukia for what he did for him.
** Toushirou and Momo were raised together and she was the only child in the neighbourhood not afraid of Toushirou's power. When they both became Shinigami, he swore to protect her, vowing to Gin he'd kill him if Gin made her bleed even a little. [[spoiler:His hatred for Aizen stems from Aizen's betrayal breaking and almost killing Momo. During the Fake Karakura Town, Momo regains her badass status until Aizen manipulates Toushirou into accidentally stabbing her, and then stabs him. They both eventually recover and are implied to still be very close at the end of the series.]]
** When Espada attack Karakura Town, Ichigo is devastated by his inability to prevent Orihime from getting seriously injured. Rukia then makes Ichigo go meet up with Orihime, to apologise for his failure and promise to not fail next time. The following arc has Orihime forced to go with the Espadas and Ichigo going to rescue her with Rukia, Chad, Renji, and Ishida, focusing on getting Orihime back no matter what -- even when such a desire triggers situations like Ichigo bringing himself BackFromTheDead upon hearing her cry out for him and brutalising both foes (Ulquiorra, alias the one who killed him ''and'' mentally tortured Orihime) '''and''' friends (Ishida, who committed the well-intentioned but huge mistake of trying to calm him down from such a rage):
---> '''Ichigo:''' Inoue, I will get stronger, and next time... I'll definitely protect you...\\
'''Ichigo''' (as he returns from death): She's calling me... I can hear her... Stand up. Stand up. I will protect her.
* ''Manga/BlueExorcist'' has the relationship between twins [[TheHero Rin]] and [[TheAce Yukio]] when they were younger. Yukio was bullied and Rin went to beat the bullies up just because they were picking on Yukio.
* ''Anime/BrigadoonMarinAndMelan'': Things start off simple for Melan. His job is to protect the Creis, who happens to become his friend [[spoiler: and eventually his LoveInterest. Then it turns out that she's not the Creis after all, and protecting her means taking time out from his REAL mission.]]
* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': Kazuki gave this speech to an opponent (who also gave the same speech) when asked why he was protecting Tokiko. He said that it was because of Tokiko that he was still alive, so he would protect her and fight in her place. Kazuki's situation is actually a combination of types 1 and 7 since Tokiko is a very capable ActionGirl.
* ''Manga/CaseClosed'':
** [[spoiler: Inspector Ninzaburo Shiratori decided to become a policeman instead of a lawyer thanks to a chance encounter with a pint-sized ManicPixieDreamGirl who was a big fan of the police forces.]] When he talks to the girl [[spoiler: [[FirstGirlAfterAll after realising]] that the ActionGirl Sato was ''not'' her]], he soon promises to protect her with his own life no matter what. [[spoiler: When she, the teacher Sumiko Kobayashi, is targeted by a killer [[HeKnowsTooMuch who wants to silence her]], Shiratori, Sato, Conan, Ai, and the Detective Kids protect her and catch the culprit, and Shiratori gives her a proper LoveConfession.]]
** [[spoiler: the AntiVillain Akemi Miyano is implied to have asked her boyfriend Shuichi Akai to promise that he would protect her teenage sister Shiho -- few hours before her own death.]] The twist is that he's fulfilling the trope, and even made an explicit declaration of protection to [[spoiler: Shiho]] in which he referred to her as a princess and called himself her knight... but [[spoiler: both of them are living under [[SecretIdentity secret identities]]: he names himself Subaru Okiya, and she not only [[FountainofYouth has been shrunk to a little girl's body]] but calls herself Ai Haibara.]]
* ''Manga/CeresCelestialLegend'': [[spoiler:Shiso and Ceres have an InterSpeciesRomance-type marriage, with him as a human and her as a MagicalGirl of sorts. After they're attacked and he cannot help her fight off their attackers, Shiso decides that he doesn't want to be TheLoad and asks Ceres to give him a part of her powers, so he can fulfill this trope. Said powers drive him literally ''crazy'' for Ceres, with dire consequences.]]
%%%%%%%% Such as?
%%%* ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' could be interpreted as having at least two of these.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
** Suzaku and Euphemia. Initially a straight and uncomplicated 'knight and princess' relationship, [[spoiler: Euphemia's death at the hands of [[MyHeroZero Zero]] pushes Suzaku off of his white horse, driving him into much more questionable actions, such as selling out his oldest friend to his worst enemy or releasing a powerful nuke in battle... and, in the end, he winds up supporting one of the bloodiest tyrannies in history. Led by, you know, his oldest friend.]]
** Lelouch has this strange habit of personally jumping into mobile suit combat whenever Kallen (who is one of the best soldiers in his army) is in trouble, even if it means putting himself in danger. He claims it's just because she's too valuable a resource to lose but the essence is this trope.
** A teenaged [[GeniusBruiser Xing-ke]] vows to protect [[AChildShallLeadThem Empress Tianzi]] after she saves him from execution. Years later, he keeps his promise. Spectacularly.
** Lelouch's desire to give his younger sister, Nunnally, a 'world of peace' leads him further and further down the path of darkness. When she finally finds out what he's been doing in the name of helping her, she's understandably horrified [[spoiler:and becomes easy prey for Schneizel's manipulations]].
* ''Manga/ACruelGodReigns'': Ian is determined to protect, love, and save Jeremy, but it gets complicated considering Jeremy used VehicularSabotage to make what happened to his father [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident look like an accident]], even if Jeremy did have valid reasons...
* ''Manga/DanceInTheVampireBund'':
** While Akira and Mina generally fit in this category, it's complicated by the fact that they're [[BattleCouple a match for each other]]. Though to be frank if Mina had to watch her own back all the time she'd have absolutely no time left to ''[[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask rule]]'', and Akira has "protecting her" [[BodyguardCrush in his job description]].
** Another interesting point is that if we reverse the roles, then Mina herself clearly fits the ''last'' category. Akira is her anchor in [[TheWoobie the merciless world around her]], and their childhood promise is the main thing that holds [[AntiHero her]] still on the [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope Slippery Slope]].
* ''Manga/DeathNote'':
** After [[spoiler: his little sister Sayu gets kidnapped by the mafia]] [[VillainProtagonist Light]] deliberately sets things up so that he can't kill her without incriminating himself, because he knows he's likely to take the easy way out.
** Rem forces Light, under direct threat of death, to adopt this mindset towards Misa in regards to his plans during the events that lead up to the Yotsuba arc.
* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': Zenitsu in his never-ending quest in trying to get himself a lover, self-declares himself to be Nezuko's protector as soon as he finds out she is a harmless demon and sister of his newfound good friend Tanjiro, as he thinks she should be protected at all costs; this is mostly used as a comic motivator for Zenitsu to get up and do his job as a demon slayer and to train harder, in a fight against the Lower Rank One however this is applied seriously, with Zenitsu actually speaking to Nezuko in his trance mode that he will protect her, shielding her from the Lower Rank's attacks as she was fighting alone till then.

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': [[TagAlongKid Takeru]] [[ThePromise promised]] to Sora that he'd protect [[IllGirl Hikari]]. [[TimeSkip Fast forward]] to ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'' and Takeru still takes that promise seriously even if Hikari by now can take care of herself (provided an EldritchLocation isn't [[MindRape messing with her head]]). To wit, he is seen putting himself protectively in front of Hikari (episode 3), seemed angry at himself for accidentally leaving her stranded in the Digital World (episode 7), and doggedly searched for her when she was taken by the Dark Ocean (episode 13).
* In ''LightNovel/DragonCrisis'', Ryuuji does this for Ai. She is able to read his thoughts due to magical earrings she was wearing at the time. Although she learns that he's scared, he still tries to protect her, long enough for the BigDamnHeroes to show up to help him.
* ''Manga/Eyeshield21'': Non-romantic, but the main linemen of a team sometimes says that to his teammates. That is what their position is about.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Gray, after [[spoiler:being locked in an InvoluntaryBattleToTheDeath]] with Juvia and [[spoiler:attempting a HeroicSuicide to avoid having to harm her, only to see that she did the same thing, laments the outcome]], saying that he didn't just want to see her come to harm as a friend, but wanted to protect her. While Gray's somewhat stronger than Juvia, Juvia is still a capable mage in her own right, and this is played as a possible hint that Gray is starting to return Juvia's feelings.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': FriendlySniper Riza Hawkeye spends all her time BodyguardingABadass. It is her sworn duty to protect the Flame Alchemist, ColonelBadass Roy Mustang; she even tells the young Winry Rockbell that this is the reason she's in the military despite her own dislike of it.
* While Sousuke of ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' develops a something of BodyguardCrush on Kaname within a week and a half of being assigned as her bodyguard, but it starts off small and subtle enough that he barely even notices it under all the stoicism and professionalism. But by the halfway mark, he starts recognizing that Kaname has been so critical to his [[DefrostingIceQueen emotional awakening]] and realization that LivingIsMoreThanSurviving that he literally can't imagine having a future that doesn't have her in it, and thus protecting Kaname grows from a mere BodyguardCrush into his [[WorthLivingFor primary reason to for living]].
* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'': [[ByronicHero Maho]]'s ultimate goal in living up to the standards for the Nishizumi heiress is [[spoiler:so that her younger sister Miho can live and do tankery as she wishes, without having to take up the responsibility in her stead. It takes six years, from near the end of the prequel manga to the last episode of the first series, but Miho ultimately finds a way of Tankery that she can do, and Maho is very pleased with this]].
-->'''Maho''' As long as I'm the heir to the Nishizumi school... [[spoiler:Miho will be free]].
* ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'':
** Hayate (the [[BattleButler butler]]) to his mistress, Nagi. She saves him from his miserable life by paying off his debt to the {{Yakuza}} and giving him a home in her mansion and a job as her butler, with a promise to pay her back over years of work. But it never was about the money -- the amount means nothing to her absurd wealth. She simply likes him from the start, while his gratitude quickly compounds with a deep affection and interest in her well-being.
** There's also the residual guilt from initially wanting to ''kidnap and ransom her''. He was in a desperate enough situation -- thanks entirely to his AbusiveParents -- that this isn't a MoralEventHorizon, but he still felt terrible about it after he came to his senses.
* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': "I will definitely protect Gon" practically becomes Killua's SurvivalMantra during part of the Chimera Ant arc.
* ''Manga/IkkiTousen'': Shuuyu has this problem. He's a skilled fighter, even amongst his fellow 'reincarnated ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' warriors', but he doesn't have quite the same level of world-shaking power as his BodyguardCrush, Sonsaku. The fact that Sonsaku is ObliviousToLove and a fight-loving BloodKnight does little to improve his situation -- her first reaction to him declaring his intent to protect her even at the cost of his own life, is to ask if he's eaten something strange...
* Ikumi from ''Anime/InfiniteRyvius'' lost his sister years ago, and was severely traumatized by it... [[spoiler: which makes sense, seeing as she committed suicide because of their illicit BrotherSisterIncest relationship]]. So he's sworn never to fail to protect a woman, particularly one he cares about. When his new girlfriend, Kozue, is attacked and scarred while he was out fighting, it becomes his StartOfDarkness as he decided that UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans -- he'll do [[KnightTemplar whatever it takes]] to protect her from now on. It... doesn't end well. Either way, that means he fits this trope TWICE OVER. Poor guy.
* In the third ''Anime/{{Inuyasha}}'' movie, in response to Sesshomaru's desire for power, his father asks him "Do you have someone to protect?". At the climax, these words come back over rapid-fire cuts of Jaken and Rin, but just as it seems he's finally learned the lesson, Sesshomaru [[SubvertedTrope defiantly declares]] IWorkAlone.
* ''LightNovel/ItsukaTenmaNoKuroUsagi'':
** Kurogane Taito starts out as a rather extreme case of this. He's a borderline BadassNormal thanks to a childhood as a Karate prodigy, but otherwise an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent. She is Saitohimea, an incalculably ancient [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire sorceress]] with a literally [[PhysicalGod godlike powerlevel]], handily clocking in at a 6 on the SuperWeight scale. And yet, he desperately wants to protect her. The balance gradually gets evened out, though, starting with her giving him the KissOfTheVampire, supplying him with [[HealingFactor pseudo-immortality]], and later granting him access to a DangerousForbiddenTechnique which kills the user -- handy when you can [[GoodThingYouCanHeal auto-revive]]. Shortly after, [[spoiler: she trades most of her magical power away in a DealWithTheDevil to resurrect him after he manages to get himself perma-killed]] -- though of course that just makes him even MORE determined to protect her. Add in some good old TrainingFromHell, and we start to reach the point where he can conceivably be considered her protector...
** Might also count as an inverted case of 'it got complicated'... Saitohimea has been on the edge of a SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum due to [[WhoWantsToLiveForever immortal loneliness]] before, and her relationship with Taito is all that's keeping her (relatively) sane at the moment. Hence, MAINTAINING their relationship is of no small interest to a number of organizations with a vested interest in the continued existence of the universe.
* ''Manga/KaijuGirlCaramelise'': After Arata gets kissed by [[{{Kaiju}} Harugon]] at Okutama lake, he gets invited on the talk show "Gabfest" in order to satisfy the public's curiosity about him. He ends up getting railroaded into saying "I'll protect you, Harugon" at one point by the show's producers, who want to play up the "Kaiju Prince" angle that the public has latched onto. But while he was unwillingly goaded into saying this on the show, he ''does'' want to make people realize that Harugon is a NonMaliciousMonster, so the underlying sentiment is really there. Plus, [[SecretIdentity Harugon is secretly his girlfriend Kuroe]], so he's unknowingly, indirectly declaring his intent to protect ''her''.
* ''Manga/{{Kekkaishi}}'': Yoshimuri has sworn to protect Tokine, but while he has a great deal of raw power in the art of Kekkaishi, Tokine is vastly superior in terms of skill and refinement -- so he can barely keep up with her, and usually ends up needing her help in a fight. (In truth, they're pretty evenly matched, but she's too proud to admit it and constantly belittles his lack of skill -- which he takes to heart, causing him to often convince himself that he was no help at all, even though his raw power was as important in defeating the MonsterOfTheWeek as her technique.)
* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'': Kenichi has sworn to just about everyone in earshot that he'll become strong enough to protect his LoveInterest, Miu. Naturally, since she's the granddaughter of the man who owns the dojo that Kenichi attends, she's a ''far'' better fighter than him.
* ''Anime/KirakiraPrecureALaMode'': Akira swears to protect Yukari from Elisio, even after being on the receiving end of a barrage of spikes from Elisio. When he mockingly asks her what reason she has for sacrificing her own body for Yukari, Akira gives her one and only reason.
-->'''Akira:''' "Because I care... [[ThePowerOfLove Because I love her. Beyond that...what reason...what reason? *breaks free of Elisio's spikes*]] '''None!'''"
* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'': Nanoha does this for Vivio. Vivio is a clone of the local CrystalDragonJesus (who was considered to be the strongest fighter of all time) and was convinced that she should die (since her only purpose was to power a massive battleship), so it also had shades of "I'll save you from yourself". It was also the moment where Nanoha decided that she was going to adopt Vivio. And since this is [[WarriorTherapist Nanoha]], she does this while they're being forced to fight each other.
-->'''Vivio''': Mama, ''save me''! \\
'''Nanoha''': I will. Whenever, no matter what happens!
* ''Manga/{{Magico}}'': Shion has decided to [[spoiler:save Emma from the curse of Echidna]] and faces ''really'' dangerous tasks with his extremely powerful magic that he obtain just to do so because...[[spoiler: she gave him some bread]].
* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': A very {{Tsundere}} example is Hitoyoshi. Despite loudly complaining about Medaka dragging him into trouble since they were about 2 years old, he admits to himself that he's [[ChildhoodFriendRomance entirely dedicated to protecting her]]... despite the fact that she's TheParagon, possessing the ability to [[BornWinner excel at literally anything she does]], along with [[SupernaturalMartialArts near-superhuman physical abilities]] and an outright [[CharmPerson unnatural charisma that tends to overwhelm anyone who stands against her]]. She is fully aware of this but nonetheless DEPENDS on him -- because he's the only one who still tries to protect her, while everyone else sees her as TheAce thus more than able to protect herself. But because BadassNormal Hitoyoshi is always by her side and willing to take the lumps that come with it, she can focus entirely on [[AllLovingHero helping others]] -- which is the [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction only thing that gives her a sense of accomplishment]].
* ''Anime/MichikoAndHatchin'': Though it doesn't start out this way, protecting Hatchin becomes one of [[ActionGirl Michiko's]] main motives. Later this trope is touchingly inverted when Hatchin proves to be [[LittleMissBadass pretty badass herself]] and says, almost line-for-line, that she will protect Michiko.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'': [[spoiler: Shinn Asuka and Stellar Louissier]], since he shows kindness and empathy for her plea [[spoiler: but can't stop her from dying.]]
* ''Manga/MurderPrincess'' is a straightforward example. It takes Fallis a while to realize that she wants to protect the sweet, gentle (and very, very helpless) Princess Alita, but actually doing so never gets any more complicated than cutting down anything that threatens her or her kingdom.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Rock Lee promises to protect Sakura during the second exam of the Chuunin Exams, risking his life to protect her even though they aren't even teammates and nearly dies protecting her, even pushing his body to attack when it was deemed impossible for him to move.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'':
** Konoka and Setsuna's dynamic falls most closely under this but covers several variants. While Setsuna is heavily motivated by a backstory incident where she [[MyGreatestFailure failed to protect Konoka from drowning]], she also spends a lot of time trying to protect her by hiding the [[TheMasquerade truth about magic]] from her, thus making it a case of ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies. Later on, she nearly dies while trying to rescue Konoka. Ultimately her absolute dedication to protecting Konoka comes back to the old childhood 'close shave' where they were both lucky to survive. (Whether Setsuna's dedication edges into the territory of SchoolgirlLesbians is left as an exercise for the class.)
** Asuna is Negi's ministra magi and thus responsible for protecting the SquishyWizard while he casts his spells. In response, Negi pushes himself to become stronger so she doesn't have to protect him and put herself in danger. While competing in Mahora Fest's Tournament [[spoiler: she loudly declared to Negi that she was plenty powerful enough to protect him. Then she became profoundly embarrassed because she was fighting at that moment and the entire crowd interpreted her declaration as a love confession.]]
* ''Anime/{{Noein}}'': [[FutureBadass Karasu]] is basically built around protecting Haruka, typically telling his opponent something along the lines of, "I will protect her with my life." [[spoiler: This is because, in his opinion, he failed to protect her future self, though it is implied she willingly did a HeroicSacrifice.]]
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Before the events of the story, Fish-Man Island was constantly preyed on, raided, and enslaved by pirates all over the world. All of that stopped the moment [[WorldsStrongestMan Whitebeard]] came calling and declared the island as his territory without actually exploiting it. Luffy later takes up the role, declaring the country under his protection to spare them the wrath of Big Mom.
** Ace swore to protect his younger brother Luffy, both out of love for him and [[spoiler:as a promise to their other "brother" Sabo, who he thought was dead]]. Indeed, Ace spent most of his childhood as Luffy's protector, [[spoiler:and ultimately gave his life to protect him during the Paramount War (which in itself was a tragedy, as Luffy spent most of the war ''trying to save Ace from execution'')]]. Years later, [[spoiler:Sabo, the third brother, reveals that he is alive to Luffy. Later on, as he battles Admiral Fujitora, he told his opponent that if Luffy were to ask for his aid, no matter where he was in the world, he would drop everything and be at his side in an instant. There is a quick flash to his reaction to Ace's death, and the look of pain on his face makes his reasons clear: he lost Ace, and he'll never know whether or not his brother could have been saved if he had acted. He ''won't'' take that risk and lose Luffy as well]].
* ''LightNovel/OkamiSan'': HopelessSuitor [[ShrinkingViolet Ryoshi]] [[NiceGuy Morino]] says almost the exact same words to LoveInterest [[{{Tsundere}} Ryoko]] [[BrokenBird Ōkami]], which consequently leads to the latter developing feelings for the former.
* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'': Gilbert Nightray repeatedly swears to protect his master, Oz Vessalius -- not simply out of obligation, but because he adores Oz. There's no shortage of one-sided HoYay implications here.
* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', admittedly, it takes only a little while for Lady Berlitz to become an ActionGirl, but nevertheless, Dia and Pearl swear to protect her with their lives after they learn the truth about the whole situation surrounding her [[spoiler: though Dia ''did'' have a good idea of what was really going on the whole time]] and when her real bodyguards [[spoiler: get banished into the Distortion World]].
* ''Manga/PopcornAvatar'': Kurando's primary motivation is to protect his twin sister from the Asura and maintain a world where she can live safely.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': When [[spoiler:Homura Akemi]] was caught in a witch barrier, MagicalGirlWarrior Madoka Kaname saved her. She then vowed to help her and protect her in return. [[spoiler:She failed, however, and Madoka died. Then Homura made her contract with Kyubey, and specifically hoped to protect Madoka and avert her death. She failed each time, but kept on trying...]]
* In ''Manga/TheRedRangerBecomesAnAdventurerInAnotherWorld'', Tougo promises to protect Idola and her dream of making everyone happy when they're cornered by the dragon hoarding all the mana-metal. [[BlackComedy He almost kills her immediately afterward]] with his TransformationSequence, which she lampshades.
-->'''Tougo:''' Idola! I told you didn't I? I've fallen for your dream. One day you'll definitely achieve it, and bring a smile to everyone's faces! It's an amazing dream! That's why, protecting you and your dreams is my duty!
* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' probably fits best under this, and is a very genderqueer example, what with Utena Tenjou deliberately taking on the persona of a Fairytale Prince. She fights solely to protect the Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya... but at the end, it turns out [[spoiler:Anthy was in on the whole thing, and was in fact following Akio's will, from being involved in his manipulations behind the scenes to doing everything he told her to . . . EVERYTHING.]] It's really, REALLY not helped by Utena [[spoiler: realising that she had been taking the persona of a prince ''less'' to help Anthy and ''much more'' to feed her own ego, not taking Anthy's thoughts and beliefs in consideration.]] After this, [[spoiler: Utena is severely disillusioned, becoming a KnightInSourArmor, but comes to forgive Anthy after realizing just how much [[FateWorseThanDeath torment she's been in]] for hundreds and thousands of years, and resolves to ''truly'' save her from more suffering and give her a second chance in life.]]
* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'': Specifically, the 'backstory'. Back when he was still an assassin, Kenshin fell in love with a woman named Tomoe -- who was actually a spy planted by the Shogunate to find his weakness and eliminate him. The details are awfully complicated, but after TheReveal, she ends up dead along with her employers, and Kenshin swears [[TechnicalPacifist never to kill again]]...
* ''Manga/SakiAchigaHen'': Yuu's younger sister Kuro often protected her from bullies while the two were young, who picked on her for wearing warm clothing in summer [[IllGirl due to being chilled easily]]. During the quarter-finals, however, when Kuro comes up to Yuu in tears over losing so many points, Yuu comforts her and declares her intention to win the points back, mentally expressing her determination to stand up for her sister.
-->'''Yuu:''' Kuro-chan has always been the one to save me... But today, it's [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseSiblingTerminology Onee]]-[[ThirdPersonPerson chan]]'s turn to fight!
* ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'': The SwordAndSorcerer team Shannon and Raquel are solely motivated by their oath to protect the eponymous princess, Pacifica. Shannon is the one that most closely matches the trope, being a guy and all -- since they were raised as siblings, his affection for her is more big-brotherly than romantic, but they are NotBloodSiblings, so it gets... ambiguous at times. As for complications, well, according to a supposedly-infallible [[TheProphecy Divine Prophecy]], Pacifica is 'the poison that will kill the world' -- specifically, she will destroy the world [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday when she turns 16]]. As a result, virtually everyone wants to kill her, either out of fear, religious fervor, or greed for the huge bounty the kingdom has placed on her head. And Shannon is stuck trying to protect her from all that, preferably [[TechnicalPacifist without killing anyone]] because he knows that Pacifica would blame herself for any lives lost...
* ''Manga/{{Sekirei}}'': Minato often ends up doing this for the Sekirei he eventually becomes their Ashikbabi for. This helps win over many of them, such as Musubi, his first Sekirei, Kusano, and later Tsukiumi.
* ''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'': Yuu and Mika declare this about each other with all the HoYay implications attached.
* ''Anime/IlSolePenetraLeIllusioni'': Luna promises to protect Akari shortly after they met, and Akari says she'll do her best too. [[spoiler:Eventually Cerebrum uses Luna's love for Akari to turn her into a Daemonia, but she gets better and then teams up with Seira, whom she was initially jealous of, to keep her promise and save Akari from Cerebrum.]]
* In ''Anime/SK8TheInfinity'', the protagonists Langa and Reki do a stereotype boyfriend-girlfriend comedy routine to lampoon [[VitriolicBestBuds a rival-turned-friend]]'s romantic chances, with Reki yelling "That person is scary!" and Langa emphatically expressing, "I will protect you." However, it becomes apparent that for Langa, this isn't a joke, as a part of what drives him in skateboarding competitions is protecting those he loves, [[ShipTease especially]] Reki. Then in episode 11, [[spoiler:after Reki still pulls through his match despite the main villain, ADAM, graphically injuring him, ADAM goes to harm or possibly even kill him -- but Langa protects Reki by putting his body in front of his.]]
* ''Manga/SnowWhiteWithTheRedHair'' has the knight Mitsuhide who became the prince Zen's first retainer when the prince was still a child. While Zen is an accomplished swordsman in his own right by the time of the series he's not quite up to Mitsuhide's level. Mitsuhide's initial reaction to being assigned to the prince was some trepidation as he had hoped to serve under Zen's older brother it was mostly out of surprise and he has never considered turning down the position. He is [[Main/UndyingLoyalty completely loyal]] to the prince to the point that it sometimes concerns Zen.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'': While rather understated (as in it's clear to the reader, but he hardly shouts about it) it's plainly one of Soul's motivations for protecting Maka. He insists it's because it's his job as a Weapon. It fits whether or not you view them as a canon couple. Jackie shows a similar angle towards Kim with the aforementioned connotations. Though the basic sentiment extends to most Weapon/meister team and works both ways.
* In ''LightNovel/SundayWithoutGod'' Julie promises to protect [[EmotionlessGirl Scar]] after she has an identity crisis concerning her role as an emotionless gravekeeper and [[WhatIsThisFeeling newfound human emotions]]. Ai and Alice think that sounds like a proposal and cheer him on, and he hastily adds he'll protect them too.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': Asuna arrives just in time to save Kirito (THE badass of SAO) from near death at the hands of Laughing Coffin assassin [[spoiler:Kuradeel]]. After sharing their first kiss, Kirito offers his life to Asuna and she declares that she will do anything to protect him, no matter what. As a level 96 "floor-clearing badass", she has the skills to back this declaration up. In the final battle with [[spoiler:Heathcliff]], she attempts to make good on this promise by absorbing the would-be final blow to Kirito, sacrificing herself to save him. Unfortunately, the sacrifice is short-lived as [[spoiler:Heathcliff]] runs Kirito though on his next strike. [[spoiler:Kirito is able to kill Heathcliff before he finishes dying, which wins the game and saves both himself and Asuna]].
* ''LightNovel/TheTestamentOfSisterNewDevil'': Basara actually kicks out Mio and Maria, his newly adopted stepsisters, after finding out they're actually a demon lord in training and a succubus. They try to brainwash him into leaving his house, but it doesn't work. After he learns more about their past, however, he changes his mind and instead tries to protect them from the rival demon faction trying to kill her.
* ''Anime/ThisUglyYetBeautifulWorld'' sees Takemoto swear to protect Hikari no matter what, [[TheDulcineaEffect within minutes of first meeting her]], though in his defense she's the spitting image of the [[MagicalGirlfriend ideal girl]] he was fantasizing about earlier that day, and their meeting was [[MeetCute quite]] [[NakedFirstImpression interesting]] in itself, too. However, even SHE isn't aware that she's actually a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds... and he is someone who was [[TheChosenOne born to stop her]]. Hence, this could just as easily go under the 'It Got Complicated' header.
* In ''LightNovel/UnlimitedFafnir'', Yuu does this to Iris. In a slight variation of the trope, he says if it comes down to it, he'll kill her himself to prevent her from [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie turning into a dragon]]. Fortunately he doesn't need to do it after they manage to find a way to defeat the dragon attacking the school in episode 3.
* ''Manga/{{X 1999}}'':
** [[GenkiGirl Yuzuriha]] [[BadassAdorable Nekoi]] verbally invokes the trope in the manga as she and [[SugarAndIceGirl Arashi]] [[{{Miko}} Kishuu]] speaks about the guys they like. The dude Yuzu wants to protect? Shiryuu Kusanagi, a man who not only [[MayDecemberRomance is more than twice her age]], but is a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces ''and'' quite the badass among the Dragons of the Earth.
** Similarly, LadyOfWar Arashi's suitor is Sorata Arisugawa, a ReligiousBruiser and fellow Dragon of Heaven. Upon seeing her up close for the first time, Sorata decided to protect her. [[spoiler: This is because he's prophesied to die to protect a woman, he knows it clearly, and he thought he'd at least die for a pretty girl and chooses Arashi at first due to her AloofDarkHairedGirl traits.]] And from then on Sorata gets Arashi to [[DefrostingIceQueen gradually defrost]], and they fight together... [[spoiler: and get together. But things go FromBadToWorse.]]
[[/folder]]

!Examples:

* ''Fanfic/CheshireMiraculousLadybug'': Marinette promises, first to Plagg and later to her other kwamis, that she would protect them. Knowing that she ''means'' it, [[spoiler:this leads to the kwamis to be worried for her]].

* The ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' graphic novel ''ComicBook/TheHiketeia'' revolves around this. Wonder Woman gets bound by an ancient Greek rite (Hiketeia) to protect a young girl, on punishment of painful death by the Furies if she breaks the oath. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman hadn't realized the girl is a murderer (with a pretty damn solid justification) on the run from Franchise/{{Batman}} who's determined to bring her to justice. Batman won't back down and Wondy can't either, so they end up duking it out until [[spoiler:the girl commits suicide]].

-->'''Vivio'''' Mama, ''save me''! \\
'''Nanoha'''' I will. Whenever, no matter what happens!

%%Administrivia/WeblinksAreNotExamples* ''Anime/AngelBeats'' uses this with Hinata and Yuri/Yurippe [[http://www.mangareader.net/angel-beats-heavens-door/2/6 here]] and also [[spoiler: they're both immortal]].