History Main / HeroesActVillainsHinder

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': For the majority of the Fairy Dance arc, [[BigBad Sugou/Oberon]] is an OrcusOnHisThrone who does nothing to stop Kirito from advancing through ALO and coming to rescue Asuna. Only when Kirito has made his way to the top of the World Tree does he take action.

* Another CM Punk example came from the Second City Saints vs Prophecy feud when BJ Whitmer interrupted Punk and Wrestling/ColtCabana's attempted execution of Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels. Although given the "[[ALighterShadeOfBlac
heroes]]" had gone to such extremes in their vigilante justice and Daniels, while accomplice to Whitmer, wasn't actually guilty of the crime he was being punished for, this wasn't quite so bad.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'': Furiosa liberating Immortan Joe's harem girls sets off [[TheChase the events of the film]].

[[folder: Folklore ]]

* Fairy tales where the child had a goal at the beginning, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, Aladdin, etc.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

* ''Series/BreakingBad'' is defined by the attempts of protagonist Walter White to make meth and build a fortune for his family, while the antagonists all threaten that goal. During periods where Walter has (at least temporarily) neutralized all of his antagonists, the show will skip through weeks or months at a time in a single montage as Walter simply goes about his drug manufacturing unhindered.
** And when Walt himself becomes the BigBad, the story then becomes the struggle between Skyler and Hank's attempts to stop his meth empire expansion, and Walt's attempts to continue it and evade justice.

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Other ]]

* The protagonist of an "escape plot" gets their own ball rolling by trying to escape their personal prison.
* RagsToRiches which specifically invoke SelfMadeMan.
** ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness''
* War movies and VideoGames in which the heroes are on the offense. The {{mooks}}' goal is just to wait for you to come to them, and then kill you.
** ''Film/TheLongestDay'', ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}''

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[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Comic Books]]

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Folklore]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Professional Wrestling]]

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' gives us the Ebon Dragon, a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Yozi]] who often acts as one of the principal antagonists of the setting. As he represents the cosmic principles of betrayal, villainy, and spite, it's very, ''very'' hard for him to act proactively. In fact, most of his powers rely around crushing or spiting others instead of pursuing his own direct goals, and the main reason he created [[BigGood the Unconquered Sun]] was because that way, he could actually ''do something''.

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

[[AC:Other]]

* ''Series/ThePrisoner'' wants to escape The Village. The new Number Two wants to keep him there.

* Many Action Adventure and disaster films [[NoAntagonist don't really have a villain]], just obstacles to be overcome.
** ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'', ''Film/ThePerfectStorm'' (though you could argue the storm itself is an active villain).

* ''Series/BreakingBad'', notably, is all about how its main protagonist, Walter White, takes initial actions that wreak unexpected consequences. Though Walt is admittedly an AntiHero (who eventually becomes an outright VillainProtagonist), he does face actual antagonists throughout the show, all or most of whom would have left him alone had he not made the first move.

* This is pretty common in professional wrestling. A wrestler wants to form a team(Wrestling/SamoaJoe with Wrestling/JayLethal) or pursue a title?(Jay Briscoe and the Wrestling/{{ROH}} World Championship belt) Another will act to sabotage, especially if they are going for a title the {{heel}} has, wants to have, wants to keep around the waists of their friend or doesn't like anyone of said proposed team(thus Wrestling/LowKi and Homicide try to end Lethal's career and Wrestling/{{Rh|yno}}ino gives Briscoe his first injury to protect Wrestling/KevinSteen). The {{face}}s are throwing a party?(Wrestling/DaffneyUnger for Nikki Roxx's birthday) [[RevengeSVP Someone uninvited]](or [[MisplacedRetribution only thinks they were uninvited]] in the case of Wrestling/MercedesMartinez) is likely to ruin it. Someone is receiving an award?(Wrestling/KurtAngle into the Wrestling/{{TNA}} Hall Of Fame) They must be put in their place(thus the [[Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels Extraordinary]] [[Wrestling/FrankieKazarian Gentlemen]] [[Wrestling/BobbyRoode Organization]] forms to protest). Someone is giving out [[CheapPop props to the fans]]([[Wrestling/NickDinsmore Eugene]] has a t shirt gun)? Don't be surprised if that is interrupted either(because Armando Alejadro Estrada and his [[Wrestling/{{Umaga}} Samoan Bulldozer]] apparently hate fun). The {{reasonable authority figure}} is trying to enact something new in the name of entertainment, safety and or fairness(The Tennessee state commissioner banning the pile driver)? Expect them to be fought every step of the way(Paul Orndorff is piledriving anyone Wrestling/SmokyMountainWrestling puts him in the ring with, then Wrestling/AlSnow decides it will be a good way to end [[Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress the career]] of RickyMorton).

* This is pretty common in professional wrestling. A wrestler wants to form a team(Wrestling/SamoaJoe with Wrestling/JayLethal) or pursue a title?(Jay Briscoe and the Wrestling/{{ROH}} World Championship belt) Another will act to sabotage, especially if they are going for a title the {{heel}} has, wants to have, wants to keep around the waists of their friend or doesn't like anyone of said proposed team(thus Wrestling/LowKi and Homicide try to end Lethal's career and Wrestling/{{Rh|yno}}ino gives Briscoe his first injury to protect Wrestling/KevinSteen). The {{face}}s are throwing a party?(Wrestling/DaffneyUnger for Nikki Roxx's birthday) [[RevengeSVP Someone uninvited]](or [[MisplacedRetribution only thinks they were uninvited]] in the case of Wrestling/MercedesMartinez) is likely to ruin it. Someone is receiving an award?(Wrestling/KurtAngle into the Wrestling/{{TNA}} Hall Of Fame) They must be put in their place(thus the [[Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels Extraordinary]] [[Wrestling/FrankieKazarian Gentlemen]] [[Wrestling/BobbyRoode Organization]] forms to protest). Someone is giving out [[CheapPop props to the fans]]([[Wrestling/NickDinsmore Eugene]] has a t shirt gun)? Don't be surprised if that is interrupted either(because Armando Alejadro Estrada and his [[Wrestling/{{Umaga}} Samoan Bulldozer]] apparently hate fun). The {{reasonable authority figure}} is trying to enact something new in the name of entertainment, safety and or fairness(The Tennessee state commissioner banning the pile driver)? Expect them to be fought every step of the way(Paul Orndorff is piledriving anyone Wrestling/SmokeyMountainWrestling puts him in the ring with, then Wrestling/AlSnow decides it will be a good way to end [[Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress the career]] of RickyMorton).

* In the ''Literature/FirestarSeries'', the protagonist is an industrialist who, since she was a teenage girl, has been throwing everything into a space program so that humanity can incinerate any threatening asteroids. (Or [[TheFinalFrontier get out of the way.]]) Her antagonists are surprisingly sympathetic Luddites, competing business interests, and people who have a grudge against her because of all the control issues she's gotten from decades believing the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders.

When the heart of a story is the hero's strong objective, the story usually isn't a Heroic Fantasy. It's comedy, romance, Slice Of Life, voyages, Rags To Riches... Villains and antagonists that exist are hindrances that challenge the hero to rethink themselves or overcome a personal weakness. If its an Action Adventure then the enemies are [[PlotIrrelevantVillain PlotIrrelevantVillains]] who coincidentally meet and antagonise the main character without having anything to do with the cause of the journey itself.

When the heart of a story is the hero's strong objective, the story usually isn't a Heroic Fantasy or Action Adventure. It's comedy, romance, Slice Of Life, voyages, Rags To Riches... Villains and antagonists that exist are hindrances that challenge the hero to rethink themselves or overcome a personal weakness.

* ''{{Exalted}}'' gives us the Ebon Dragon, a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Yozi]] who often acts as one of the principal antagonists of the setting. As he represents the cosmic principles of betrayal, villainy, and spite, it's very, ''very'' hard for him to act proactively. In fact, most of his powers rely around crushing or spiting others instead of pursuing his own direct goals, and the main reason he created [[BigGood the Unconquered Sun]] was because that way, he could actually ''do something''.

* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'': Furiosa liberating Immortan Joe's harem girls sets off the events of the film.

* This is pretty common in professional wrestling. A wrestler wants to form a team(Wrestling/SamoaJoe with Wrestling/JayLethal) or pursue a title?(Jay Briscoe and the Wrestling/{{ROH}} World Championship belt) Another will act to sabotage, especially if they are going for a title the {{heel}} has, wants to have or wants to keep around the wastes of their friends or doesn't like anyone of said proposed team(thus Wrestling/LowKi and Homicide try to end Lethal's career and Wrestling/{{Rh|yno}}ino gives Briscoe his first injury to protect Wrestling/KevinSteen). The {{face}}s are throwing a party?(Wrestling/DaffneyUnger for Nikki Roxx's birthday) [[RevengeSVP Someone uninvited]](or [[MisplacedRetribution only thinks they were uninvited]] in the case of Wrestling/MercedesMartinez) is likely to ruin it. Someone is receiving an award?(Wrestling/KurtAngle into the Wrestling/{{TNA}} Hall Of Fame) They must put them in their place.(thus the [[Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels Extraordinary]] [[Wrestling/FrankieKazarian Gentlemen]] [[Wrestling/BobbyRoode Organization]] forms to protest) Someone is is giving out [[CheapPop props to the fans]]([[Wrestling/NickDinsmore Eugene]] has a t shirt gun)? Don't be surprised if that is interrupted either(because Armando Alejadro Estrada and his [[Wrestling/{{Umaga}} Samoan Bulldozer]] apparently hate fun). The {{reasonable authority figure}} is trying to enact something new in the name of entertainment, safety and or fairness(Such as Tennessee state commissioner has just banned the pile driver)? Expect them to be fought every step of the way(Paul Orndorff is piledriving anyone Wrestling/SmokeyMountainWrestling puts him in the ring with, then Wrestling/AlSnow decides it will be a good way to end [[Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress the career]] of RickyMorton).

* This is pretty common in professional wrestling. A wrestler wants to form a team(Wrestling/SamoaJoe with Wrestling/JayLethal) or pursue a title?(Jay Briscoe and the Wrestling/{{ROH}} World Championship belt) Another will act to sabotage, especially if they are going for a title the {{heel}} has, wants to have or wants to keep around the wastes of their friends or doesn't like anyone of said proposed team(thus Wrestling/LowKi and Homicide try to end Lethal's career and Wrestling/{{Rh|yno}}ino gives Briscoe his first injury to protect Wrestling/KevinSteen). The {{face}}s are throwing a party?(Wrestling/DaffneyUnger for Nikki Roxx's birthday) [[RevengeSVP Someone uninvited]](or [[MisplacedRetribution only thinks they were uninvited]] in the case of Wrestling/MercedesMartinez) is likely to ruin it. Someone is receiving an award?(Wrestling/KurtAngle into the Wrestling/{{TNA}} Hall Of Fame) They must put them in their place.(thus the [[Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels Extraordinary]] [[Wrestling/FrankieKazarian Gentlemen]] [[Wrestling/BobbyRoode Organization]] forms to protest) Someone is is giving out [[CheapPop props to the fans]]([[Wrestling/NickDimsmore Eugene]] has a t shirt gun)? Don't be surprised if that is interrupted either(because Armando Alejadro Estrada and his [[Wrestling/{{Umaga} Samoan Bulldozer]] apparently hate fun). The {{reasonable authority figure}} is trying to enact something new in the name of entertainment, safety and or fairness(Such as Tennessee state commissioner has just banned the pile driver)? Expect them to be fought every step of the way(Paul Orndorff is piledriving anyone Wrestling/SmokeyMountainWrestling puts him in the ring with, then Wrestling/AlSnow decides it will be a good way to end [[Wrestling/TheRockNRollExpress the career]] of RickyMorton).

* This is pretty common in professional wrestling. A wrestler wants to form a team or pursue a title? Another will act to sabotage, especially if they are going for a title the heel has, wants to have or wants to keep around the wastes of their friends or doesn't like anyone of said proposed team. The {{face}}s are throwing a party? Someone uninvited is likely to ruin it. Someone is receiving an award? They must put them in their place. Someone is is giving out props to the fans? Don't be surprised if that is interrupted either. The {{reasonable authority figure}} is trying to enact something new in the name of entertainment and or fairness? Expect them to be fought every step of the way.

* In the ''Firestar'' series, the protagonist is an industrialist who, since she was a teenage girl, has been throwing everything into a space program so that humanity can incinerate any threatening asteroids. (Or [[TheFinalFrontier get out of the way.]]) Her antagonists are surprisingly sympathetic Luddites, competing business interests, and people who have a grudge against her because of all the control issues she's gotten from decades believing the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders.

* ''Literature/TheOdyssey'': Odysseus wants to get home. Every monster and god on the Great Sea is hindering him.
* ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'': Dorothy wants to get home. The Wicked Witch stalking her for her shoes is hindering her.
* ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'': Alice [[RuleOfThree wants to get home]]. The sheer craziness of the world she's in is hindering her.
* Most [[RomanticComedy Romantic]] and Tragic Comedies are boy and girl wants each other and their jobs, jealous rivals and social statuses are keeping them apart.

* The protagonist of an "escape plot" gets their own ball rolling by trying to escape their personal prison.
* RagsToRiches which specifically invoke SelfMadeMan.
** ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness''
* Many Action Adventure and disaster films [[NoAntagonist don't really have a villain]], just obstacles to be overcome.
** ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'', ''Film/ThePerfectStorm'' (though you could argue the storm itself is an active villain).
* War movies and VideoGames in which the heroes are on the offense. The {{mooks}}' goal is just to wait for you to come to them, and then kill you.
** ''Film/TheLongestDay'', ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}''

* There was a ComicBook/{{Superman}} storyarc called ''Panic in the Sky'' which was written specifically to avert VillainsActHeroesReact. Superman and a team of heroes purposefully go after a villain instead of waiting around for the bad guy to act first.
* ''{{Exalted}}'' gives us the Ebon Dragon, a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Yozi]] who often acts as one of the principal antagonists of the setting. As he represents the cosmic principles of betrayal, villainy, and spite, it's very, ''very'' hard for him to act proactively. In fact, most of his powers rely around crushing or spiting others instead of pursuing his own direct goals, and the main reason he created [[BigGood the Unconquered Sun]] was because that way, he could actually ''do something''.

* ''Series/ThePrisoner'' wants to escape The Village. The new Number Two wants to keep him there.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'', notably, is all about how its main protagonist, Walter White, takes initial actions that wreak unexpected consequences. Though Walt is admittedly an AntiHero (who eventually becomes an outright VillainProtagonist), he does face actual antagonists throughout the show, all or most of whom would have left him alone had he not made the first move.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Lelouch wants to destroy Britannia and liberate the Japanese, and Britannia fights against him.

* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'': Furiosa liberating Immortan Joe's harem girls sets off the events of the film.

* A source of [[RageAgainstTheHeavens unending frustration]] for ''Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil'''s [[PragmaticVillain Black Knight]]. [[spoiler:Also the reason he wants to "edit" the way [[MeaningfulName Names]] work, especially since [[GodAndSatanAreBothJerks Angels and Demons]] [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity can only be Order or Chaos respectively]], leaving no room for grayer tones.]]

* ''Series/BreakingBad'', notably, is all about how its main protagonist, Walter White, takes initial actions that wreak unexpected consequences. Though Walt is admittedly an AntiHero, he does face actual antagonists throughout the show, all or most of whom would have left him alone had he not made the first move.

* ''CodeGeass'': Lelouch wants to destroy Britannia and liberate the Japanese, and Britannia fights against him.

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