History Main / HerosMuse

* {{Deconstructed}} in ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders Reading Adventures''. [[spoiler:Owen is WrongGenreSavvy and looks to Princess Malveera this way for most of the game. Over the course of the game, Joni gradually realizes that there is something up with the Princess, but Owen refuses to see it until TheReveal. It turns out the Princess was just a disguise used by the BigBad to take advantage of the MacguffinDeliveryService.]]

* Rem in ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' inspired and guided the main character, Vash. She's the reason he never kills anyone, no matter how much they deserve it. She took Vash and Knives in as her own children when the crew found them, and acted as their surrogate mother. She is extremely kind and idealistic, and Vash treats her lessons and worldviews as sacred.

* Deconstructed by Creator/OsamuTezuka in ''Barbara'', released during the peak of his {{Gekiga}} period. The Hero's Muse is no idealized woman but an alcoholic, filthy, and rude prostitute (still a ShamelessFanserviceGirl), yet she's explicitely refered to as a muse since she embodies everything that inspires an artist. Plus, she [[Really700YearsOld actually IS]] a [[Myth/GreekMythology Greek muse]]. She also counts as a parody of the ManicPixieDreamGirl.
* In ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', the AntiVillain Cassios sees his master Shaina as his inspiring muse since she was the one who taught him how to fight. [[spoiler: Even more meaningfully, he commits a HeroicSacrifice to spare [[BrokenBird Shaina]] the pain of losing the man she loved, Seiya. As he's about to pass away [[DiedInYourArmsTonight in Seiya's arms]], Cassios explicitely calls Shaina his "inspiring muse".]]
* In the world of ''Manga/FoodWars'', the secret to becoming a world class chef is to ''find'' a muse to cook for, so that their cooking can be devoted to one goal and purpose.

** Mariana Pineda to Lorca and Xirgu as well

* In the world of ''Manga/ShokugekiNoSoma'', the secret to becoming a world class chef is to ''find'' a muse to cook for, so that their cooking can be devoted to one goal and purpose.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Disney/{{Mulan}} A girl worth fighting for.]]]]

* The soldiers in ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' discuss this trope in the song "A Girl Worth Fighting For".

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Disney/{{Mulan}} A girl worth fighting for]]]]

* In ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'', the main purpose of Victoria is to motivate Tristan to [[CrossingTheThreshold go into the fairy world]]. It is then subverted by having her not be important thereafter.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/heroesmuse.jpg]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* In {{Stardust}} the main purpose of Victoria is to motivate Tristan to [[CrossingTheThreshold go into the fairy world]]. It is then subverted by having her not be important thereafter.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'' has Delenn for John Sheridan in the back half of the fourth season, when they are separated on their separate quests (hers to help rebuild the fractured society of the Minbari, Sheridan to [[spoiler:overthrow the corrupt President Clark and restore a real democracy to the Earth Alliance]]). Unlike most other examples, they're ''already'' engaged to be married, but can't do so until the galaxy is no longer about to fall apart around their ears.

[[folder:Mythology]]

[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]

[[folder:Theatre]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arthur_and_guenivere.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/accolade_by_edmund_blair_leighton.jpg]]

* {{Deconstructed} in ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders Reading Adventures''. [[spoiler:Owen is WrongGenreSavvy and looks to Princess Malveera this way for most of the game. Over the course of the game, Joni gradually realizes that there is something up with the Princess, but Owen refuses to see it until TheReveal. It turns out the Princess was just a disguise used by the BigBad to take advantage of the MacguffinDeliveryService.]]

* In the 1977 film ''{{Film/Julia}}'', the title character essentially fulfills the trope. The twist is that the main character being inspired to action is also female and both of them are presumably hetrosexual.

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}: The Bretonnian knights, being Arthurian knights in France, follow the cult of the Lady, a mystical figure who gives visions and quests, leading to drinking from the Grail. Warhammer being [[CrapsackWorld the cheerful and happy place it is]], the Lady may or may not be an elaborate hoax pulled off by the [[FairFolk Wood Elves]] to protect their lands.

* Bioware games tend to have one good female character as a romantic option for the PlayerCharacter, and they tend to get upset with you if you do something ForTheEvulz. Obviously, these ''are'' Bioware games, so this trope can just as easily be PlayedStraight, {{averted}}, {{subverted}} (you CorruptTheCutie), {{inverted|Trope}} (the player character could be the inspirer), etc.
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' had Bastila Shan.
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' had Leliana.
** ''Franchise/MassEffect'' had Ashley Williams.

* [[spoiler:Beatrice]] turns out to be this for Battler in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', [[spoiler:rather like the lady from ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' who she was named after]].

* Any time a woman is on the British throne, expect her to be invoked as this. All the way from Boadicea to UsefulNotes/QueenVictoria (this was especially prevalent in Queen Vicky's time), and even the current Queen.

Compare to TheMentor, TheLostLenore, ManicPixieDreamGirl, and MenActWomenAre. Called "Meeting With The Goddess" in Joseph Campbell's ''[[HerosJourney The Hero With A Thousand Faces]]''.

* In the first book of the ''TheFaerieQueene'', The Redcrosse Knight is guided and inspired by his love, Una, who is the personification of the "true church".

* In ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', the AntiVillain sees his master Shaina as his inspiring muse since she was the one who taught him how to fight. [[spoiler: Even more meaningfully, he commits a HeroicSacrifice to spare [[BrokenBird Shaina]] the pain of losing the man she loved, Seiya. As he's about to pass away [[DiedInYourArmsTonight in Seiya's arms]], Cassios explicitely calls Shaina his "inspiring muse".]]

* In Chaosium's ''Pendragon'', knights are expected to form this kind of relationship (called Courtly Love) with an appropriate lady.

[[folder:Film]]

* [[spoiler:Beatrice]] turns out to be this for Battler in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', [[spoiler:rather like the lady from the ''DivineComedy'' who she was named after]].

* Dante of the ''DivineComedy'' is sent on his quest for redemption through the afterlife by Beatrice, who enlists the help of the poet Virgil to guide him through Hell and Purgatory, and guides Dante through Heaven herself.

* In ''{{Deryni}} Checkmate'', (then) Countess Richenda of Marley is this to Alaric Morgan from the first time he sees her. He dreams of her for months afterward, and is finally introduced to her by Kelson during preparations for the Torenthi campaign in ''High Deryni''. She lampshades this trope just after they share a [[PsychicLink Mind Link]]: "Then I have given you that much more to fight for." After their marriage, she also inspires him to fill the gaps in his arcane education, passing on much of her own Eastern-influenced training to him.

Compare to TheObiWan, TheLostLenore, ManicPixieDreamGirl, and MenActWomenAre. Called "Meeting With The Goddess" in Joseph Campbell's ''[[HerosJourney The Hero With A Thousand Faces]]''.

* Bioware games tend to have one good female character as a romantic option for the PlayerCharacter, and they tend to get upset with you if you do something ForTheEvulz. Obviously, these ''are'' Bioware games, so this trope can just as easily be PlayedStraight, {{averted}}, {{subverted}} (you CorruptTheCutie), {{inverted}} (the player character could be the inspirer), etc.

* Pit in ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' is completely devoted to Palutena and stands beside her despite [[JerkassGods her constant trolling]].

* [[spoiler:Beatrice]] turns out to be this for Battler in ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', [[spoiler:rather like the lady from the ''DivineComedy'' who she was named after]].

* Rem in ''{{Trigun}}'' inspired and guided the main character, Vash. She's the reason he never kills anyone, no matter how much they deserve it. She took Vash and Knives in as her own children when the crew found them, and acted as their surrogate mother. She is extremely kind and idealistic, and Vash treats her lessons and worldviews as sacred.
* Miu in ''HistorysStrongestDiscipleKenichi''. She's the granddaughter of the WorldsStrongestMan, and she's ''[[CantCatchUp always]]'' been a better martial artist than Kenichi, who makes it his goal to be strong enough to protect her.