History Main / HonestAdvisor

-->'''Londo:''' Because, with you... I will always know where I stand.

* Londo Mollari in ''BabylonFive'' is [[ArrangedMarriage unhappily married]] to three wives: One (Lady Timov) who unabashedly criticises him at every turn, and two others (Muriel and Daggair) who act nice to him in person while plotting behind his back. When he's permitted to divorce two of the three, Timov is the one he keeps even though she's given him no reason to like him ([[spoiler:the fact that she saved his life with a blood transfusion after Muriel tried to murder him, [[EmbarrassingRescue even if she explicitly told everyone *not* to tell him this]], may have something to do with it]]).

* Londo Mollari in ''BabylonFive'' is [[ArrangedMarriage unhappily married]] to three wives: One (Lady Timov) who unabashedly criticises him at every turn, and two others (Muriel and Daggair) who act nice to him in person while plotting behind his back. When he's permitted to divorce two of the three, Timov is the one he keeps even though she's given him no reason to like him (the fact that she saved his life with a blood transfusion after Muriel tried to murder him, [[EmbarrassingRescue even if she explicitly told everyone *not* to tell him this]], may have something to do with it).

* Londo Mollari in ''BabylonFive'' is [[ArrangedMarriage unhappily married]] to three wives: One (Lady Timov) who unabashedly criticises him at every turn, and two others (Muriel and Daggair) who act nice to him in person while plotting behind his back. When he's permitted to divorce two of the three, Timov is the one he keeps even though she's given him no reason to like him (the fact that she saved his life with a blood transfusion after Muriel tried to murder him, [[EmbarrasingRescue even if she explicitly told everyone *not* to tell him this]], may have something to do with it).

Often the role of TheJester in a royal court, getting away with mouthing off to the king either by couching criticism in satire, or by being (or [[ObfuscatingStupidity appearing to be]]) [[TheFool mentally incompetent]] and thus not a threat.

-->-- '''Hiei''' to [[DeadpanSnarker Kurama]], ''YuYuHakusho''

* Genkai in ''YuYuHakusho'' is one, whose favorite pastime is to call her student a dumbass/moron/dimwit/etc. and outline just how stupidly he's dealing with the current situation. All in all, she isn't afraid to [[TricksterMentor trick]], [[DrillSergeantNasty insult]] or [[SinkOrSwimMentor nearly kill Yusuke]] if it means he'll finally stop fooling around and see things clearly.

* ''CodeGeass'': CC is this to Lelouch.

* ''{{Batman}}'': Alfred is like this to Bruce Wayne, and, as a result, he's one of the people Batman respects the most.

* {{Machiavelli}} advises princes to avoid flatterers, although their advisers shouldn't be seen as disrespecting them either.

* The prophet Nathan to David in [[TheBible The Old Testament]], making this OlderThanFeudalism.

* In ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', Davos Seaworth is this to Stannis Baratheon.

* DS Barbara Havers is this to her partner, DI Lynley, on ''TheInspectorLynleyMysteries''. Although it took her some time to earn the position, by the end of season two she can get away with saying things no one else could because she has earned his trust repeatedly over the course of their partnership, and though he might snap at her, she knows that's as far as it will go.

* Soren in ''FireEmblem Radiant Dawn'' (GC).

* Baron Wulfenbach in ''GirlGenius'' states early on that he prefers his men criticize him when possible, rather than see flaws but be too afraid to voice them.

* Jiminy Cricket is like this for {{Pinocchio}}.
* On ''TheSimpsons'', Mr. Burns hired Lisa (who hates him) as his assistant after listening to his yes men caused him to lose his fortune.
* The reason Foghorn Leghorn keeps taking Daffy under his wing in ''TheLooneyTunesShow''.

If he isn't a mentor, but a regular part of the group instead, then he's usually the DeadpanSnarker, the constant criticizer, and more or less the one that annoys everyone but still gets their complete respect. All in all, this is who you want when it comes to finding [[TheLancer a most trusted ally]], and it's probably better to find people like this than rather than your average minion.

Often the role of TheJester in a royal court, getting away with mouthing off to the king by couching criticism in satire.

* Applejack from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' ''would'' be this if she had any interest in politics. However, she played one in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11HearthsWarmingEve Christmas episode]]. But the leader she served was such an arrogant [[TheCaligula nutjob]] that she had long since degenerated into a DeadpanSnarker.

* Applejack from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' ''would'' be this if she had any intrest in politics. However, she played one in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11HearthsWarmingEve Christmas episode]]. But the leader she served was such an arrogant [[TheCaligula nutjob]] that she had long sense degenerated into a DeadpanSnarker.

* [[HarryPotter Professor Snape]] is an... [[YourMileageMayVary odd]] [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation version]] of this. He's a dick towards Harry, but his most scathing criticisms and harshest punishments tend to be whenever Harry's acting like his arrogant bully of a father. Unfortunately, their relationship is so bad that Harry just resents Snape even more.

* Applejack from MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic ''would'' be this if she had any intrest in politics. However, she played one in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11HearthsWarmingEve Christmas episode]]. But the leader she served was such an arrogant [[TheCaligula nutjob]] that she had long sense degenerated into a DeadpanSnarker.

* Applejack from MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic ''would'' be this if she had any intrest in politics. However, show played one in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11HearthsWarmingEve Christmas episode]]. But the leader she served was such an arrogant [[TheCaligula nutjob]] that she had long sense degenerated into a DeadpanSnarker.

** Piñata?
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<<|{{Mentors}}|>>
<<|ExampleAsAThesis|>>

You've got to pick yourself an advisor, but, you have a problem. Everyone around you is a YesMan: spineless, coddling, and/or too concerned with gaining your favor our attaining their own aims to give the truth. But, luckily, there's at least one person who isn't afraid to tell it like it is.

This kind of advisor isn't actually cruel, just blunt and outspoken. They'll never let their charge take the easy way out, and never sugar coat the truth, and never afraid to criticize. As a result, their wisdom is either completely appreciated by their students, or violently rejected if said student is the egotistical type.

** Piñata?

* Genkai in ''YuYuHakusho'' is one, whose favorite pastime is to call her student a dumbass/moron/dimwit/etc. and outline just how stupidly he's dealing with the current situation. All in all, she isn't afraid [[TricksterMentor trick]], [[DrillSergeantNasty insult]] or [[SinkOrSwimMentor nearly kill Yusuke]] if it means he'll finally stop fooling around and see things clearly.

* Italo Balbo, TheDragon of BenitoMussolini, who didn't trusted the Germans and advised Mussolini to continue with the alliance with France and maybe build up an alliance with UK as well. Mussolini refused and Balbo answered with ''"You will all wind up shining the shoes of the Germans".'' Guess what Mussolini's last job was.

* [[TheXFactor Simon]] [[AmericanIdol Cowell]].

* {{Machiavelli}} advises princes to avoid flatterers, although their advisers shouldn't be seen as disrespecting them either.
* ''{{Batman}}'': Alfred is like this to Bruce Wayne, and, as a result, he's one of the people Batman respects the most.

* Baron Wulfenbach in ''GirlGenius'' states early on that he prefers his men criticize him when possible, rather than see flaws but be too afraid to voice them.
** Also, Agatha and Gil seem to prefer to have advisors who know how it is and aren't afraid to tell them off as well, Agatha with Von Zinzer, while Gil nearly always works with close friends rather than minions.

* William Cecil does this for Queen Elizabeth I in Phillipa Gregory's ''The Virgin's Lover''. Not sure how close to the truth the book is though.
* Jiminy Cricket is like this for {{Pinocchio}}.

* On ''TheSimpsons'', Mr. Burns hired Lisa (who hates him) as his assistant after listening to his yes men caused him to lose his fortune.

* Soren in ''FireEmblem Radiant Dawn (GC).