History Main / LivingMacguffin

* 2021 animated movie ''WesternAnimation/WhereIsAnneFrank'' has [[Literature/TheDiaryOfAYoungGirl Kitty]] take on a human form and search for Anne all over modern day Amsterdam.

* In the European and Latin American variants of tale type ATU 707, "The Three Golden Children", of the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index, the titular golden children are convinced to quest for a magical talking bird, unaware it is a trap.

** ''Literature/TsarevitchIvanTheFireBirdAndTheGrayWolf'': in the Russian tale, which belongs to the tale type, Ivan Tsarevich quests for the firebird, a magic flying horse and beautiful princess Helena.

** Princess Zelda is a very strong example of this trope. In fact, WordOfGod says that Zelda is the title character because of how crucial she is in [[TheHero Link]]'s adventures.

** Nico Robin is this; she is the only person still alive who can decipher Poneglyphs, through some of which the location of ancient super weapons can be discovered and some others have the truth about the Void Century engraved into them. The Enies Lobby arc was all about saving her from the Government, which wanted to find said weapons for its own ends and eliminate anyone who could spell its downfall should the truth be mafe public. [[spoiler:This pops later in the Wano arc, where Big Mom wants to replace her daughter Pudding (who is a half member of the Three-eyed tribe, which can read them, but has not awakened this power) with Robin. And then again in that same arc, we have [=CP0=] trying to kidnap her for the WG]].

** Nico Robin is this; she is the only person still alive who can decipher Poneglyphs, through which the location of ancient super weapons can be discovered. The Enies Lobby arc was all about saving her from the Government, which wanted to find said weapons for its own ends. [[spoiler:This pops later in the Wano arc, where Big Mom wants to replace her daughter Pudding (who is a half member of the Three-eyed tribe, which can read them, but has not awakened this power) with Robin. And then again in that same arc, we have [=CP0=] trying to kidnap her for the WG]].

** In the Dressrosa arc, Caesar Clown becomes this. As the scientist responsible for Doflamingo's Smile production, which is key to Doflamingo's alliance with Kaido, Doflamingo is desperate to get him back lest he incur the wrath of Kaido. Law, who's Doflamingo's ArchEnemy, thus plans on using Caesar as leverage against Doflamingo, including demanding that Doflamingo step down from the Seven Warlords of the Sea in exchange for Caesar's return. Big Mom is also looking for Caesar, since he tricked her into believing that he could turn people into giants (''technically'' he can, but the side effects are always fatal), and she wants him to make good on that deal.

** In the Dressrosa arc, Caesar Clown becomes this. As the scientist responsible for Doflamingo's Smile production, which is key to Doflamingo's alliance with Kaido, Doflamingo is desperate to get him back lest he incur the wrath of Kaido. Law, who's Doflamingo's ArchEnemy, thus plans on using Caesar as leverage against Doflamingo, including demanding that Doflamingo step down from the Seven Warlords of the Sea in exchange for Caesar's return. Big Mom is also looking for Caesar, since he tricked her into believing that he could turn people into giants, and she wants him to make good on that deal.

* PlayedForLaughs on Day 3 of the ''[[LetsPlay/LifeSMP Limited Life SMP]]'', where Grian spends the entire session AFK due to being sick in real life and tasks Joel and Jimmy, his faction-mates, with keeping him safe. Shenanigans ensue as just about every other faction on the server attempts to "steal" him by hiding him in random holes in the ground, [[spoiler:resulting in him getting killed twice in the process (including by pufferfish, of all things).]]

* The ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' fic "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/33823474/ Apex Predator]]" has Harry become this for reasons outside of the prophecy (which he doesn't know about at this point); after he begins a relationship with Fleur Delacour, it's revealed that Harry is [[spoiler:so fertile he's capable of impregnating Veela with relative ease when it normally requires various charms and potions to ensure pregnancy. Fleur's mother Apolline notes that this ability means Harry could basically turn wizarding society as a whole and Veela society in particular on its head, with the Veela that "controls" Harry thus holding a particularly powerful position in society and the Delacours taking care to keep Harry safe because they wish to ensure his emotional well-being as well as his role]].

** While not strictly an example of "living", the cells of the First Hokage [[WordsStrongestMan Hashirama Senju]] are so prized for their [[HealingFactor regenerative properties]] as well as their [[GreenThumb other]] [[PhysicalGod properties]] that it's not an exaggeration to say ''every'' BigBad has used them in some form or another, usually as a BadassTransplant.

* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger'', Ragna the Bloodedge is treated this way since he supposedly wields the Azure Grimoire. In the sequel ''Continuum Shift'' Noel gets this treatment after it's revealed that she is the true wielder of the Azure Grimoire and Ragna's Grimoire is a flawed imitation. [[spoiler:In ''Central Fiction'', the status returns to Ragna with every character going after him again. Yes, including Noel herself.]]

* ''Film/TronLegacy'': Quorra is [[spoiler:[[LastOfHisKind The Last]] [[ArtificialBrilliance ISO]]]].

* MacGuffinSuperPerson: A living [=MacGuffin=] who's sought after for some unique power or status they have (eg, they're TheChosenOne or an ApocalypseMaiden), usually with world-shaking consequences.

* HostageMacGuffin: A person who is a MacGuffin because they're important (they're the president, a rich businessman, a top scientist, etc) or related to someone who is (family, LoveInterest, [[TrueCompanions True Companion]], etc).

* MundaneMacGuffinPerson: A living [=MacGuffin=] who's sought after for some mundane trait (beauty, wisdom, etc).

** Nico Robin is this; she is the only person still alive who can decipher Poneglyphs, through which the location of ancient super weapons can be discovered. The Enies Lobby arc was all about saving her from the Government, who wanted to find said weapons for their own means. [[spoiler:This pops later in the Wano arc, where Big Mom wants to replace her daughter Pudding (who is a half member of the Three-eyed tribe which can read them, but has not awakened this power) with Robin. And then again in that same arc, we have [=CP0=] trying to kidnap her for the WG]].

%% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1551383494063530700
%% Please start a new thread if you'd like to suggest an image.

* The French chef Anatole in Creator/PGWodehouse's ''Literature/JeevesAndWooster'' stories; the universal desire to lay claim to his peerless talents led to the hatching of many a ZanyScheme.
** [[TheJeeves Jeeves]] himself is highly sought-after; Bertie notes that plenty of his friends want to steal him and make him their valet, and this is borne out in ''Literature/ThankYouJeeves'' when [[spoiler:Jeeves quits and Bertie's pal Chuffy snatches him up almost instantly. Later in the book, Jeeves goes to work for American multimillionaire J. Washburn Stoker, who offers him a position, before returning to Chuffy and finally [[StatusQuoIsGod settling down with Bertie again]]]].
* A few crop up during the course of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'': Hen Wen the pig in ''The Book of Three'', Princess Eilonwy in ''The Castle of Llyr'', and Taran's long-lost parents in ''Taran Wanderer.''
* In Tobias Buckell's ''Crystal Rain'', Oaxyctl is looking for John deBrun because he wants to torture "the code" to a spaceship out of him. We later find out that John ''is'' the code -- he has to be bodily present (and alive) to open the spaceship.
* Clockpunk [[TheBait pretends to be one]] in "Literature/ClockpunkAndTheVitalizer" to lure The Vitalizer away from the actual {{MacGuffin}}'s trail.
* It could be argued that [[Literature/AliceInWonderland The White Rabbit]] is one. The entire reason Alice ends up in Wonderland is her curiosity about the Rabbit. And it's often the Rabbit, constantly hurrying from one place to the next, which brings her from scene to scene.
* Bree Pym is this for Lori and Bill's college chum Cameron; they spend most of the novel ''[[Literature/AuntDimity Aunt Dimity Down Under]]'' pursuing the girl over New Zealand's North and South Islands to deliver the Pym sisters' letter and convince her to meet Ruth and Louise before they die.

* Happens in all three books of ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials''. The first book had two for Lyra—Roger and her father. The second book for Will had his father while, unbeknownst to either of them, his father was seeking Will. The third book had both Lyra and Will acting as Living [=MacGuffins=] for both the bad guys and the "good" guys. A large, deadly battle occurred to try to take them. For Lyra, it was again Roger, though at this point, he wasn't really a living MacGuffin anymore.
* Kindar Pomma D'ok and Erdling Teera Eld in Zilpha Keatley Snyder's ''Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy''. After they [[spoiler: connect with each other telepathically and rediscover important psychic abilities, some lost to their people for many generations]], they are [[MacGuffinSuperPerson literally named Holy Children]] and worshiped by nearly everyone -- except Pomma's brother Raamo, who believes worshiping ''anyone'' is harmful -- he was a member of a sacred order revered as demigods, since disbanded. Living examples of the Rejoyning of the Kindar and Erdling peoples, Pomma and Teera are the hope of their respective nations. Then they disappear. Have they been [[HostageMacGuffin kidnapped by dissidents?]]
* In ''Literature/{{Bequin}}'', there are at least seven different factions that want to get their hands on the protagonist Beta Bequin for various reasons. Some of them want her because she’s a [[AntiMagic pariah]] [[spoiler:who can use [[LanguageOfMagic Enuncia]]]], some want her because of her connections to the Maze Undue [[spoiler:and by extension, the Cognitae]], and several want to use her as a weapon against an ''eighth'' faction. Toward the end of the book, she privately laments that she’s become the grail which all these people are questing for.

* [[spoiler:Elena]] becomes one in season 7 of ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', after being put into a magical coma in the previous season finale. Her body is placed into a coffin, which is subsequently stolen and used as a bargaining chip by various characters throughout the series. The real reason for this was because the actress had to leave the show, and thus had to be [[PutOnABus written out in a way that would allow her to come back]] (which she did, [[BackForTheFinale at the very end]]) but still have a presence in the series.
* In ''Series/TheMandalorian'', [[spoiler:the Child, a [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld 50-year-old]] [[GooGooGodlike Force-sensitive]] [[ChildrenAreInnocent toddler]] of the same species as Yoda]], is a sought after bounty target. After collecting on the bounty, the titular character ends up [[spoiler:[[ConscienceMakesYouGoBack abiding by his conscience]] and rescuing the Child from the client he delivered it to]] and going on the lam with it in tow after facing repercussions from the Bounty Hunter's guild.
* ''Series/TheSilentSea'': Luna, the girl that the astronauts find on the [[AbandonedLaboratory otherwise abandoned]] Balhae Station moon base. Her genetic adaptations with respect to lunar water had made her the station's sole survivor.

* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' where in a co-op mission you must rescue the daughter of "Farmer MacGuffin."
* Here's an evil version of the Living [=MacGuffin=]: Sephiroth during the first half of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. Both Cloud's party and Shin-Ra are hell-bent on finding the guy, and he acts as the game's main antagonist to boot.

* At the beginning of ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'', Kamek kidnaps Baby Luigi (who becomes the DistressedDude), but the stork forces Kamek to drop Baby Mario, who falls onto Yoshi. Baby Mario becomes a free MacGuffin, whose only role is to point the way to Baby Luigi, while the Yoshis perform the EscortMission that will reunite the babies and rescue Baby Luigi. Then in ''Yoshi's Island DS'', Kamek and the Toadies kidnap Baby Luigi again, and several more babies. The BigBad ([[spoiler:adult Bowser from the future]]) is searching for the seven star children.[[note]]Seven stars had fallen and were resting inside the hearts of certain babies. These babies are said to contain an extraordinary amount of power. The villain wants to take these stars and become a GalacticConqueror.[[/note]] The villain never gets all seven; some remain free. The star children turn out to be [[spoiler:Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Wario, Baby Bowser, and Baby Yoshi. The last two were never captives; Baby Yoshi is still in the egg, and hatches at the very end of the credits.]]

* In the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' fan-made module ''VideoGame/TheBastardOfKosigan'', Alex is a mix of this and DamselInDistress. And a ChekhovsGunman at the end. [[spoiler:Annoyingly, despite being one of the coolest characters in the series (as evinced by her [[ThePlan cunning plan]] to take over Kosigan by killing the entire ruling family), if you didn't choose to kill her at the end of the second module she dies near the end of the fourth.]]
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger'', Ragna the Bloodedge is treated this way since he supposedly wields the Azure Grimoire. In the sequel ''Continuum Shift'' Noel gets this treatment after it's revealed that she is the true wielder of the Azure Grimoire and Ragna's Grimoire is a flawed imitation. [[spoiler:In ''Central Fiction'', the status returns to Ragna with every character going after him again. Yes, including Noel herself.]]
* A variant occurs in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheCuriousVillage''. Layton knows that he needs to find the Golden Apple of Baron Reinhold. [[spoiler:What he ''doesn't'' know is that the Golden Apple is really Flora, the Baron's daughter.]]

* Similar to the ''Film/TronLegacy'' example above, ''[[VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh Tron 2.0]]'' had this in the form of [=Ma3a=], who carried the correction algorithims needed for Jet [[spoiler:and Alan]] to get back to the analog world. However, the terrible trio from [[CorruptCorporateExecutive F-Con]] were ''also'' seeking those algorithims in order to digitize an army into {{cyberspace}} and TakeOverTheWorld.
* Ryu from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' is treated this way for most of his plot involvement. Bison is after him in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' to use him as a new host body while Seth wants to use his Satsui no Hadou to complete his bio weapon.
* The Destined Children from ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa3'' [[spoiler:The Abyss Lords want them to open the gate to the Abyss so they can escape. Both also serve to summon the Destroyer to end existence if both are in the abyss at once. Abyss Lords used the Devil King for them to rule the world for 3 centuries before the Holy King sent them packing.]]
* In ''VideoGame/MacGuffinsCurse,'' [[spoiler:Alphonse becomes a LivingMacGuffin when he turns into a werewolf himself and goes on a rampage]].

* Averted with Rachel Amber in ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'' - she's initially presented as this as a motive for Max to join in Chloe's investigation into Rachel's disappearamce which ties into most of the overarching plot of the game, but it's revealed that her influence has greatly impacted the cast.
* In ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'', it turns out that your squad's actual mission is to recover [[spoiler:a Huragok/Engineer who defected from the Covenant]]. [[spoiler:Said Huragok]] also serves this role in the audio logs; [[PluckyGirl Sadie]] comes to value it because [[spoiler:it downloaded Virgil, the last thing left of her father's work]], while [[DirtyCop Kinsler]] wants to capture it so he can be branded a war hero.
* ''VideoGame/HauntingGround'': The main character, Fiona, is treated less like a human and more like an object by all four of the game's stalkers. All but one of them is after [[spoiler:Azoth, the mystical essence of life, which Fiona happens to have a lot of. This is emphasised by Riccardo and Lorenzo, who at several points drop her name entirely and call her "Azoth" instead]].
* Ciri in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt''. The main character, Geralt, seeks her because he wants to find his lost daughter, while every other faction after her do so because of her unique bloodline and [[MacGuffinSuperPerson the powers she possesses]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 0}}'' has the owner of the [[MacGuffinLocation Empty Lot]], [[spoiler: Makoto Makimura]], with various Yakuza factions either wanting them dead outright, or wanting to seize control of them for themselves until they can get the property rights to the lot signed over. The heroes, meanwhile, while also having use for the Empty Lot themselves, are mostly just disgusted by how the owner's been treated as a pawn in a larger power game and want to keep them safe.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, Iachesis was the [[TheArchmage Ritemaster]] of the Psijic Order, the olderst and most powerful MagicalSociety in Tamriel. After leading them for [[LongLived over 3,500 years]], in order to keep it from being stolen by the Sea Sload K'Tora and the Abyssal Cabal, he hid the Heart of the Transparent Law, the "stone" of [[TheTower Crystal Tower]], within himself. Several [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]] formed [[VillainTeamUp an alliance]] in an attempt to take it from him. [[TheSacredDarkness Nocturnal]] ultimately betrayed the others, killing Iachesis, but was thwarted from using the heart by the [[PlayerCharacter Vestige]] with assistance of the other vengeful Triad members and Meridia during the events of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline''[='s=] ''Summerset'' chapter.

%%* ''Manga/SaintSeiya'':
%%** Saori/Athena in general.
%%** Seiya's sister Seika was played up as this, despite [[spoiler:turning up only at the end of the series and not appearing in the sequel, yet.]]
%%** ''Manga/SaintSeiyaNextDimension'': Saori becomes one (again) after she is transformed [[spoiler:into a baby.]]
* While it's debatable whether the torches in ''Literature/ShakuganNoShana'' are "alive", Yuuji Sakai is generally treated as living by the main characters. That's partially because unlike other torches, he isn't going to just go out one day. But it's also because he's managed to validate his humanity, even before he found out he wasn't going to become RetGone.
* Theatre/TheFirebird from ''Anime/TimeBokan'' series ''Yattodetaman''. In this series, two royal houses battle for the power to rule the Kingdom of Fir. In order to secure the Kingdom, two representatives go back in time to find the mythical Firebird, which will allow its bearer to become the rightful ruler.

** In a similar vein to Caesar, in the Whole Cake Island arc, Charlotte Brûlée gets this treatment, where after being defeated by Chopper and Carrot, she's tied up and carried around so she they can use her mirror powers whenever they want. [[TheChewToy She's understandably not too happy about it]], but it's all PlayedForLaughs
* If an intelligent computer program can be considered "living," then [[ADogNamedDog the AI nicknamed "Ai"]] on ''Anime/YuGiOhVrains'' counts. Five years ago Ai sealed away the real MacGuffin, [[MacGuffinLocation the Cyverse]], and now everyone's hunting Ai down so they can steal the coordinates to where the Cyverse was hidden. Except [[AntiHero Yusaku]], who has no clue about any of this and just wants to use Ai as leverage.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'' has Trish Una, the illegitimate daughter of the Boss of Passione, and supposedly the only person able to identify said Boss. Bucciarati's team fights to protect her from those who want to use her to get to the boss, [[spoiler:and eventually the Boss himself, who wants to kill her to keep his identity secret.]]

* Yorick in ''ComicBook/YTheLastMan'' is a male example; various factions want him, mostly alive, some dead. Yorick has a LivingMacGuffin of his own in his girlfriend Beth.
* [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]] refers to Ray Palmer (The Atom) in the trainwreck [[Creator/DCComics DC]] crossover event ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis'' as "The Mini-MacGuffin".

* The ''ComicBook/MortadeloYFilemon'' story ''ComicBook/ValorYAlToro'' has a fighting bull as the MacGuffin, as it carries secret plans in a fake horn. Naturally, HilarityEnsues.
* ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'' has The Winslow, the oldest known living thing in the universe. It's seemingly immortal, seemingly indestructible, and apparently very important, though nobody who knows ''why'' is willing to tell anyone else. To an objective observer, The Winslow is a two foot long fuzzy alligator that speaks (usually just simple things like "Hi") and is so stupid it needs a minder to keep it from trying to eat its own feet. But since the Prime Mover has stated that it is of cosmic importance for unspecified reasons, virtually every race in the galaxy is willing to fight over it.

* Combined with DismantledMacGuffin in ''Fanfic/TheSweetieChroniclesFragments'': Twilight Sparkle gets TakenForGranite and is split into a series of crystals ([[AndIMustScream in which Twilight is still completely sentient]]) spread over TheMultiverse. Sweetie Belle must then gather these crystals by traveling through various {{Alternate Universe}}s, which correspond to various ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfics.
* Kurama is searching and gathering all the jinchuuriki he can find in ''Fanfic/BlackkatsReverse'' so they can protect themselves from the Akatsuki, who need to capture them to kill them all to take over the Elemental Nations.
* In ''Fanfic/TheKeysStandAlone: The Soft World'', Paul and George go on a fairly pointless delivery mission to a small fishing village, only to discover that the recipient of their stuff has been kidnapped by Tayhil. The actual rescue of this man is not nearly as important as the method the two come up with to deal with the Tayhil, or Paul's confrontation with Spectrem, who wants to call in an airstrike on the Tayhil, or the aftermath and the angry reaction of the villagers.

* In crossover fanfiction ''Fanfic/TheGreatToadSageOfBrocktonBay'', Tinkers are quite the highly-sought commodity, but Chemist's broad specialization makes him more versatile and as such more valuable. He first appeared when the ABB tried to kill him for stopping the Empire to get a hold of him, and the Protectorate currently eyes him.
* ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'''s "Last Waltz with Luthor" story arc puts Franchise/{{Superman}} of all people in this role. The Man of Steel went missing shortly after ComicBook/LexLuthor fell off the radar. Nobody buys both events are unrelated, so ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} rallies the whole super-heroic community to find and rescue her cousin.
* In ''Fanfic/FutureTense'', Carim's sacrifice is required to open the time gate.
* In ''Fanfic/DigimonChildrenOfTime'', the Demon Lords are hunting the members of the Olympos XII in hopes that when they are united, the path to Mount Olympos will make itself known. Those that reach Mount Olympos can then have their desire granted.
* In ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'' arc ''"The Apokolips Agenda"'', an important subplot revolves around rescuing Orion before Darkseid tortures the Anti-Life Equation out of him and binds the universe to his will.
* In ''Fanfic/BurningBlack'', Timmy is one to the Pixies, to the point that they orchestrated all the events that took place in Dimmsdale over the past four years after learning something about Timmy that those in the Masquerade have been trying to keep secret, all in order to equal Fairy World's greatest weapon. They even came out in public view of a crowd in order to kidnap an android posing as Timothy Neogene, though they failed to hold on to him and didn't realize the ruse.
* ''Fanfic/FinalFantasyVIIAnotherSide'': Aerith; Sephiroth notes that for whatever reason, everything keeps coming back to her, and for those same reasons, ''everyone'' is after her.

* ''Fanfic/InvaderZimABadThingNeverEnds'': [[spoiler: Minimoose]] becomes one when Lex determines that he's the one that the Tallest have dispatched him to Earth to retrieve.

[[folder:Films — Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesInAnAdventureWithScientists'': The last dodo bird, Polly.

* Minimoose in ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus.'' He's needed for Zim to achieve his plan, meaning that Dib, Gaz and [[spoiler:Membrane]] need to get him to reverse it, but other than that he doesn't do much.
* 2021 animated movie ''Where Is Anne Frank'' has [[Literature/TheDiaryOfAYoungGirl Kitty]] take on a human form and search for Anne all over modern day Amsterdam.

[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
* ''Film/{{Troy}}'' is a subversion. It is established early on that Agamemnon is using Helen only as an excuse to wage war on the city. At one point Helen says she would give herself up to prevent further violence, but Hector makes it clear that even if she did, it would not end anything. Agamemnon even says that he didn't come here for Helen, but for Troy.
* In ''Film/TheDarjeelingLimited'', the brothers use a trip to find their long left mother to tell her about their father's death and try to bond with each other. Another long lost mother variation of the living MacGuffin is Mike's mother in ''My Own Private Idaho'', whom he never finds.
* The monster in ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}''. The movie is mostly uninterested in the monster itself, and more in its effects.

* ''Film/TronLegacy'': Quorra is [[spoiler:[[LastOfHisKind The Last]] [[ArtificialBrilliance ISO]]]].
* The hobo in ''Film/MysteryTeam''.

* The 2007 film version of ''Film/SweeneyTodd'' portrayed Johanna Barker as this, especially as they cut most of her songs and speaking parts from the original musical.

* FrankensteinsMonster in the Franchise/UniversalHorror [[MonsterMash "monster rally"]] movies (''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan'', ''Film/HouseOfFrankenstein'', ''Film/HouseOfDracula'', and ''Film/AbbottAndCostelloMeetFrankenstein''). All four films are driven at least partly by some variety of mad scientist seeking to revive the Monster, who is mostly dormant or weakened for the bulk of the film. All four end up in a rhubarb with the Monster revitalized and the lab going down in flames or explosions.
* ''Film/{{Help}}'': Ringo when wearing the ring, since the cult are not so much trying to take the ring from him as trying to sacrifice him because he's wearing the ring ([[ReligionOfEvil It's a different religion from ours]]).
* The entire plot of ''Film/ChanIsMissing'' revolves around two Chinese-American cabbies trying to find their friend Chan, who has disappeared along with $4000 of their money. They never do find him, but the plot is really just a means to portray life and culture in San Francisco's Chinatown in the early 1980s.

* In ''Film/UnderFire'', Rafael, one of the leaders of the rebels in 1979 Nicaragua, becomes this for Alex, Claire, and Russell, the three [[IntrepidReporter reporters]] trying to find him so they can interview him (or, in Russell's case, take his picture). [[spoiler:Later [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when it turns out Rafael is really dead, though Russell ends up faking a picture for rebels to make it look as if Rafael is really alive]].

* ''Film/TheException'': Wilhelm's exile is the center of the story, with different factions (German monarchists, the Dutch resistance and Nazis) having their plots around him.
* In ''Film/AppointmentWithVenus'', Venus is a pregnant cow that the protagonists have to rescue from a Nazi-occupied island.

* [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Queen Guinevere]] is also not in distress, as most versions have her go willingly with [[TheLancer Lancelot]]. The whole kingdom goes down because the vassals have to choose sides, help Arthur get her back, or help Lancelot keep her.
** Most of the variations have the vassals torn between personal loyalty to Arthur (who would pardon his beloved and his best friend, despite the pain they have caused him) and loyalty to the law itself which demands she and Lancelot be tried for treason against their king (with the lawful side being spear-headed/manipulated by one enemy or another of Arthur's).