History Main / HitchHikerHeroes

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/ChickenLittle'', where the titular chicken, upon believing the sky was falling[[note]]actually an acorn hitting her in the head[[/note]], went to go warn the king, with every friend she encounters along the way coming along: Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Lucy, and Turkey Lurkey. Unfortunately, she ends up getting them all eaten when they're tricked by Foxy Loxy.

* Pretty much every variation on ''RobinHood''.

So what's a callow youth to do? Why, go on the Epic Quest anyway, and just recruit whomsoever you meet along the way, of course.

# Typically, each member or sub-group will come from cultures or societies which have, up until now, had little or nothing to do with one another. Bonus points if they are ignorant of, or indifferent to, the rise of the EvilOverlord prior to meeting The Hero.

** Toward the end of Fishman Island saga, [[spoiler:Luffy asks Jimbei to join his crew. While Jimbei declined at the time, he promised to join the next time he meets the Straw Hats, and at the Whole Cake Island arc he did]].

* In ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'', originally each member joined Arslan for their own reasons. Darun was only following his uncle's orders. Narsus found Arslan interesting. Elam would follow Narsus wherever he went. Farangis hated Lustianian religious fanaticism. Gieve joined because he was chasing after Farangis and because he hated oppression of any kind. But eventually Arslan's kind and charismatic personality won them over and they would [[UndyingLoyalty go great lengths for him]].

* ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'' is a silly version. Robin saves Atchoo from some guards, then they run into Blinkin, Will Scarlet O'Hara and [[LetsYouAndHimFight Little John]], then later [[YiddishAsASecondLanguage Rabbi Tuckman]].

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' has Ryder's party form like this. Initial squadmates Liam and Cora are there from the start. Then Vetra just sort of attaches herself when Ryder gets the ''Tempest''. Peebee and Drack are met on the first planet Ryder goes to, and decide to join them (Peebee because Ryder's investigating the same alien technology she is, and Drack because he's looking for a good fight). Finally, Jaal joins up on behalf of the local resistance to see if the Initiative is on the level.

** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the Warden and Alistair pick people up this way while journeying through Ferelden to stop the Blight. This potentially includes one who first tries to kill you for money [[spoiler: or, as you later learn, in an attempt at suicide.]] Some are forced on to you (Morrigan), some feel they owe you a debt (Wynne, Oghren), and some have nothing better to do (Shale, Sten).

* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': You begin as [[TheHero Crono]]; he meets [[RebelliousPrincess Marle]], who promptly disappears. Here the quest starts; you and [[WrenchWench Lucca]] save her, but the three become outlaws upon their return (Crono and Lucca for "kidnapping the princess", Marle for defying her father). Then the three find out about [[EldritchAbomination Lavos]]. From this point, they recruit several unconnected people from different time periods (who know nothing of Lavos), as they try to find Lavos' source, and destroy it to save the future. You collect a FailureKnight [[ForcedTransformation transformation victim]], a TinCanRobot [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots with a big heart]] and a NubileSavage. ([[spoiler:Optionally, they can also get AntiVillain Magus.]])
* Once you [[IntroOnlyPointOfView get control of]] TheHero Kyrie in ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'', he meets his LoveInterest, Morte. As she hopes to use his status as a PersonOfMassDestruction to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and he's just fallen in LoveAtFirstSight, the two agree to become a team and journey across the world--she to convince him to want to use his powers (as he's ''not'' keen on the idea of world destruction), and him because...hey, the pretty girl asked. They soon meet Taupy, a bounty hunter who is first paid to keep tabs on them for Felis Rex, but eventually decides to join the group because Kyrie is a NiceGuy and that's a very strange thing (especially if he's capable of ending the world as Morte thinks he is). Morte suggests they seek out her old friend Agan to use his ship (since hers [[DrivesLikeCrazy got wrecked somehow]]), but it turns into a RecruitmentByRescue when they discover he's been captured and is undergoing some ColdBloodedTorture due to the FantasticRacism that humans and beastmen have against each other. He's reluctant to get involved in any of Morte's craziness, but eventually decides [[TeamMom it's better to keep on eye on them]]--and because Kyrie's nice to the point of insanity. Later, Rhi'a--the [[CuteMonsterGirl dragonkin]] who's been hanging around with Felis Rex--decides to join because she, too, is curious about Kyrie (especially since she's aware of his destiny and didn't expect the Destruct to have emotions at all, much less to be kind and polite), and because [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight she thinks it's the thing to do, even if dragons are supposed to be strictly observers of the fate of the world, not participants in it]]. This seems to make a full roster, but TheSixthRanger [[spoiler:Naja, the guy you controlled briefly in the beginning,]] decides to join the team just after the mid-point of the game, [[MagneticHero once again because Kyrie is so strangely nice to everyone]] [[spoiler:and he can't believe he asked him to kill him in order to prevent himself from losing control of his powers and ending the world. Furthermore, he has a hard time accepting that someone could be resurrected after he stabbed them in the chest, but if anyone deserves a second chance, it's Kyrie]]. It's not a DebutQueue because there's plenty of ''other'' plot going on between character collections.

** This may become a subversion after the current story arc. Essex was hired in a "You help me now I help you later" deal. Thus he might leave after the battle he was hired for. Trel is holding information vital to the titular quest over Cwen's head and might stay behind when Cwen, Wendy and Riddly leave.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' - They began with three, and ended with at least six. It manages to escape most questions about it being 'unlikely' with the heavy implication of destiny; Aang had visions of Toph before he met her, and [[spoiler:Zuko]] was always meant to [[spoiler:reconcile the two parts of his ancestry]].

* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', most Pokemon trainers start off on their journey alone. Although some stay alone, Ash has a strong tendency to pick up companions on the way, typically forming a team of three: him, a girl trainer, and a guy trainer (usually Brock). This is also Ash's MO for getting his Pokemon, though he rarely has to out-Pokemon his potential recruits.

# Usually (but not always), each member or sub-group shall [[FiveManBand possess a singular talent or skill]], unique unto them, which will [[PlotTailoredToTheParty inevitably prove vital at some key moment]] down the road, likely during the final climactic battle.

* The first arc or so of ''Manga/DragonBall'' starts out like this with a colorful cast of characters joining [[TheHero Goku]] and [[HotScientist Bulma]] on their quest to collect the [[MacGuffinTitle titular]] [[MacGuffin Dragon Balls]]. However, as the series progresses, they gravitate more towards DefeatEqualsFriendship most of the time.

* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': You begin as [[TheHero Crono]]; he meets [[RebelliousPrincess Marle]], who promptly disappears. Here the quest starts; you and [[WrenchWench Lucca]] save her, but the three become outlaws upon their return (Crono and Lucca for "kidnapping the princess", Marle for defying her father). Then the three find out about [[EldritchAbomination Lavos]]. From this point, they recruit several unconnected people from different time periods (who know nothing of Lavos), as they try to find Lavos' source, and destroy it to save the future. You collect a FailureKnight BalefulPolymorph, a TinCanRobot [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots with a big heart]] and a NubileSavage. ([[spoiler:Optionally, they can also get AntiVillain Magus.]])

** Toward the end of Fishman Island saga, [[spoiler:Luffy asks Jimbei to join his crew. While Jimbei declined at the time, he promised to join the next time he meets the Straw Hats and he did]].

* The first arc or so of Manga/DragonBall starts out like this with a colorful cast of characters joining [[TheHero Goku]] and [[HotScientist Bulma]] on their quest to collect the [[MacGuffinTitle titular]] [[MacGuffin Dragon Balls]]. However, as the series progresses, they gravitate more towards DefeatEqualsFriendship most of the time.

* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': You begin as [[TheHero Crono]]; he meets [[RebelliousPrincess Marle]], who promptly disappears. Here the quest starts; you and [[WrenchWench Lucca]] save her, but the three become outlaws upon their return (Crono and Lucca for 'kidnapping the princess', Marle for defying her father). Then the three find out about [[EldritchAbomination Lavos]]. From this point, they recruit several unconnected people from different time periods (who know nothing of Lavos), as they try to find Lavos' source, and destroy it to save the future. You collect a FailureKnight BalefulPolymorph, a TinCanRobot [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots with a big heart]] and a NubileSavage. ([[spoiler:Optionally, they can also get AntiVillain Magus.]])

** Oftentimes, certain would-be Hitchhiker Heroes will initially decline to join in the Quest, whether out of disinterest, [[WeAREStrugglingTogether fear or mistrust]]. In these cases, TheHero will usually have to earn their respect by besting them with their own special skill.

** Toward the end of Fishman Island saga, [[spoiler:Luffy asks Jimbei to join his crew. While Jimbei has declined for now, he's promised to join the next time he meets the Straw Hats]].

** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the Warden and Alistair pick people up this way while journeying through Ferelden to sop the Blight. This potentially includes one who first tries to kill you for money [[spoiler: or, as you later learn, in an attempt at suicide.]] Some are forced on to you (Morrigan), some feel they owe you a debt (Wynne, Oghren), and some have nothing better to do (Shale, Sten).
** During the ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]'' expansion, you start out with Mhairi [[spoiler: {who doesn't survive the Joining)]] and bump into Oghren and Anders almost immediately. Other potential companions show up as you complete the main plot quests.

* The main cast of ''Manga/InuYasha'' assembles in this manner. It starts out with just Kagome, then she meets Inuyasha. Then they encounter Shippo, Miroku, and Sango after they embark on their quest to collect the jewel shards.
* ''Hokuto No Ken'' (or ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' as it is known in the US) starts off and often falls back into this. The only times Kenshiro ever asks for anybody to tag along are when the person in question is actually competent enough to defend themselves, but that doesn't stop people from following him anyway.
** [[spoiler:Not to mention every single character in the story that knows how to fight AND is a hero, except for Mamiya and Bat all end up dying against some evil villain when Ken isn't around.]]

* In "Literature/TheFoolOfTheWorldAndTheFlyingShip", it's understood, if unspoken, that Fate or some Higher Power is directing the encounters, given that the Fool is told he must give a ride to anyone who asks him; and of course each person he encounters does ask him. He picks up, in short order and completely unconnected: a man who runs extremely fast; a man who can hear things miles away; a man who can see things miles away; a man who can keep eating and never be full; a man of extraordinary strength who generally seems to be a weakling; and a man with a bundle of sticks which he can turn into soldiers. Various versions add to or subtract from the lineup, but the PlotTailoredToTheParty at the end always requires each of their strengths, in some combination.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicAdventuresOfMumfie'''s movie Mumfie's Quest was set up this way.

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'', to an extent. The Doctor is on an endless thrill-seeking journey in time and space, and tends to pick up particularly adventurous people they happen to meet during a crisis. When the current companion leaves - usually after a particularly big adventure, at least in the revival - the process starts all over again.