History Main / MacGuffinGuardian

* ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'':
** ''VideoGame/EarthBound'': Each of the [[MacGuffin Sanctuaries]] is guarded by some sort of monster.
** ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'': One of the needles is protected by the Barrier Trio, a group of posing, PSI-using golems.

* ''VideoGame/Doom3'': as soon as you step into the room where the Soul Cube was sealed in Hell, a massive dinosaur-like blind demon (aptly named "The Guardian") emerges from a hellish portal and proceeds to engage the nameless Marine, serving as a PuzzleBoss.

* ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni'': The Sages guard the first tablet of the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Teachings of Eternal Shadow]], [[AncientKeeper Nameless]] protects the second (on top of his duties as warden of the [[SealedEvilInACan Vault of Endless Night]]), and the third is now only guarded by a single OldMaster (the giant wolf that also protected it having succumbed to a MutualKill long ago).
** Also, Miss Kimber protects the [[SealedEvilInACan container]] holding the [[LivingShadow Shadow Man]].

* In the ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'', it turns out Moochick was this for the Rainbow of Light until he gave it to the Paradise Ponies and Megan, while Heathspike (Spike's ancient ancestor) was the guardian of the Rainbow of Darkness. Unfortunately, Heathspike dying in battle killing the evil dragon Smaug resulted in Lord Tirek getting his Rainbow [[spoiler:[[NiceJobBreakingItHero thanks to a younger, far more apathetic Luna]]]].
* ''Fanfic/AvengersOfTheMultiverse'': In Episode 8, "Dawn of the Dragons", the five keys that unlock the [[KrakenAndLeviathan Leviathan's]] prison are hidden in different parts of the world, and are each protected by a legendary creature — the Mother Phoenix in China, the Quetzalcoatl in Mexico, the Yowie-Yahoo in Australia, the King Hydra in Greece, and the Sphinx in Egypt.

* ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth''

* ''VideOGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'': [[ThatOneBoss Grand Jewel]], [[BonusBoss Polter Armor]] and [[KrakenAndLeviathan the Last Kraken]]. The first is the keeper of the Dragon-Blocking Staff, the Polter Armor possess Dart's InfinityPlusOneSword and the Last Kraken was engineered specifically by the Wingly Savan to protect the Sigil of his city. [[spoiler: Too bad BigBad Zieg manages to hijack its mind.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'': The second game has its share, including the Guardian of the Cavern of Bad Dreams.

* The [[GeniusLoci Cave of Wonders]] itself in ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''.

** Spoofed to no end with the presence of a GiantSquid in a pool just outside the entrance of the Dwarven Kingdom is lampshaded. In a particular campaign said gag was brought UpToEleven.

* The Guardians of [[EvilTowerOfOminousness Temen-Ni Gru]] in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'' may count. Most of them at least. The other halves are GateGuardian instead.

* ''VideoGame/OdinSphere'': The mighty dragon Wagner, who has little love for other races due to the genocide against his kind, agrees to keep the [[RingOfPower Ring of Titrel]] safe in his stomach at [[ScrewDestiny Velvet's]] request due to a combination of Velvet besting him in combat, amusement at putting a spanner in several other character's plans, and because he's not interested in TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt that Titrel could be the key to. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Odin ''really'' wants the Ring for his own ambitions, so he eventually tasks [[BlackKnight Oswald]] to kill Wagner [[HerosStandardReward in exchange for a castle, a Psypher spear, and the enchanted-sleeping Gwendolyn]]. Granted, Wagner would love nothing more than to kill Oswald regardless since [[ItsPersonal Oswald killed his friend Hindel]]. Oswald kills Wagner, but keeps the ring for himself (since he thinks it would actually be a nice gift for his to-be wife) and notes to Odin [[LoopholeAbuse he only wanted a dragon slain with no mention of "rings"]].]]

* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', each of the [[MacGuffin Sanctuaries]] is guarded by some sort of monster.
** In ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}'', one of the needles is protected by the Barrier Trio, a group of posing, PSI-using golems.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'', each MacGuffin necessary for the plot advancement was guarded by a fearsome [[DegradedBoss monster]], including the Sergeant, [[StoneWall Adamantoise]] and [[ThatOneBoss Shrieker]].
* In the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series, Kratos must fight several Guardians during the course of the original three games, including [[ALoadOfBull Pandora's Guardian]], [[KingMook the Mole Cerberus]] and [[ScaryScorpions Skorpio]].
* [[ThatOneBoss Grand Jewel]], [[BonusBoss Polter Armor]] and [[KrakenAndLeviathan The Last Kraken]] from ''VideOGame/TheLegendOfDragoon''. The first is the keeper of the Dragon-Blocking Staff, the Polter Armor possess Dart's InfinityPlusOneSword and the Last Kraken was engineered specifically by the Wingly Savan to protect the Sigil of his city. [[spoiler: Too bad BigBad Zieg manages to hijack its mind.]]

* Tobi from ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''. Unlike other examples, however, he must be defeated in a race.

** In ''VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisDestiny'', each secondary character in their respective sidequest must recover an important item to help Jubei and fight a souped up, red [[EliteMook Oowassha]] to do so.
** The huge hound Gertrude in ''VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege''.

* The second ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' game has its share, including the Guardian of the Cavern of Bad Dreams.
* In ''VideoGame/SevenSamurai20XX'', the Library of Avalon is protected by Guardians, pitch black demon-like entities with horns, long bladed tails an dimensional powers who were created to defend the place, even if their original makers are long dead.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "The Enchanted Quill", the eponymous quill inside Castle Quill is guarded by griffins.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fangbone}}'' has the titular Fangbone the Barbarian, and his friend from Earth, Bill. They're both tasked with guarding the big toe of [[BigBad Venomous Drool]], making sure he never retrieves it to regain his full power.

** In ''VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisSoul'', each secondary character in their respective sidequest must recover an important item to help Jubei and fight a souped up, red [[EliteMook Oowassha]] to do so.

** Act II, you have to kill Scarabeus to recover the Scroll of Invocation, and then you must defeat [[WolfpackBoss the Pharaoh's Guard]] and [[ScorpionMan Nehebkau]] to recover the Eye of Truth and the Hand of Chaos needed for the ritual.

* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'', the gate to the Sanctuary in the Egyptian Kunlun is guarded by a small army of sand golems shaped as the Egyptian pantheon and a massive, Anubi-shaped Golem with petrification powers. Later, the Tomb of the Water General and the nexus of energy withing are protected by a mass of sentient, corrosive water. Though never stated, it is implied that the other four Generals' resting places are guarder by similar, elemental entities.

* In ''Manga/{{Yaiba}}'', Onimaru's Fortress is guarded by the Four Evil Kings, four demonic monsters acting as keepers.

* In ''Manga/InuYasha'' there are several examples, including Gozu and Mezu, the invincible guardians of the gate leading to the underworld, and a three-headed, fire-breathing wolf made of stone guarding the holy treasure of the Yoro Tribe, the [[WolverineClaws Gorai]][[ShockAndAwe shi]].

* ''Manga/BusterKeel'' has the humongous snake monster Anaconda living in an AbsurdlySpaciousSewer and guarding Gomeijii's treasure chest, revealed to be a more formidable [[MultipleHeadCase Twin Heads]] when confronted by the heroes.

* ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye The Transformers: Lost Light]]:'' [[spoiler:Before the fall of Garrus-9, the Magnificence was placed inside Grimlock's chest, on the grounds it was the safest place in the universe. It took Scorponok a long time, and an incredible amount of torture, to get it out of Grimlock's chest.]]
* ''ComicBook/SensationComicsFeaturingWonderWoman'': In "Morning Coffee" Diana is quite frustrated when she realizes that ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, who she's just apprehended, stole the golden fleece when the fleece's draconic protector attacks them.

* In ''Literature/LaSagaDuPretreJean'', several plot-relevant items are guarded by some monster. Book 1 alone has two pieces of the magical armor guarded by a massive octopus and a Hawk-man you have to trick or fight. At least two of them (one in Book 2, the other in Book 4) are also the FinalBoss of the story.
* ''Literature/BloodSword'' mostly plays this straight but has a curious inversion in Book 5: at one point you (or your party) are sailing down an underground river where you stumble on a small island containing a shrine to the ancient pagan deity {{Kraken|AndLeviathan}}. If you decide to profanate the altar and take the coins on it... Kraken won't appear, because you've shown that you hold no fear for a forgotten relic. If you leave the altar intact, Kraken will attack you as soon as you leave the island.
* ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series has plenty of such enemies, sometimes intentionally left behind to guard the chest/item you need (for example the [[DemBones Thassallos from ]] ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire'' or the Cat o Ninetails in ''Literature/{{Bloodbones}}'') but sometimes as either decoys or traps on their own. For example, the stone {{Golem}} from ''Literature/TheCitadelOfChaos'', who is guarding three treasure chests which don't contain actual treasure.

* Tobi from ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''. Unlike other examples, however, he must be defeated in a race.

* ''VideoGame/{{Mardek}}'': Chapter 3 features guardians in each of the elemental temples you visit. Fire had a wise, flaming dragonlike guardian named Girru who tests you by combat and finds you worthy, Water had a giant lobster-seahorse thing with a human rider, and Earth had the Rock Mole. Darkness was guarded by a wolflike alien mage called Solaar, but she had already been taken out by a villain when you get there and in fact joins your party in hopes of catching the thief.
* In the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series, Kratos must fight several Guardians during the course of the original three games, including [[ALoadOfBull Pandora's Guardian]], [[KingMook the Mole Cerberus]] and [[ScaryScorpions Skorpio]].
* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', each of the [[MacGuffin Sanctuaries]] is guarded by some sort of monster.
** In ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}'', one of the needles is protected by the Barrier Trio, a group of posing, PSI-using golems.
* ''VideoGame/PonyIsland'': The three daemons: Azazel, Beelzebub and Asmodeus.
* Plenty of these in the ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' series. It's played with in one particular instance, where you can reason with the guardian and argue that its orders were to guard [[ExactWords the chest]], not necessarily the chest's contents. Since it was getting bored with guarding the thing anyway, it lets you take the item and leave without a fight.
* ''VideoGame/Doom3'': as soon as you step into the room where the Soul Cube was sealed in Hell, a massive dinosaur-like blind demon (aptly named "The Guardian") emerges from a hellish portal and proceeds to engage the nameless Marine, serving as a PuzzleBoss.
* ''VideoGame/MusashiSamuraiLegend'': Each of the five areas has a boss which you have to defeat in order to unlock the power of your elemental swords. The earth Sword has [[ScaryScorpions Gorpus]], the water Sword has [[KrakenAndLeviathan Scarlet Kraken]], the fire Sword has [[MagmaMan Vallord]], the wind Sword has [[GiantSpider Arachnoblia]] and the void Sword has [[CoolSword Ashura]]. Vallord and Arachnoblia though are slight exceptions, there's more background to them than just mere guardians.
* ''VideoGame/TitanQuest'' has some important quest items guarded by unique, powerful monsters:
** Act I, you must slay Arachne to obtain the olive tree branch you must offer to the Oracle of Delphi.
** Act II, you have to kill Scarabeus to recover the Scroll of Invocation, and then you must defeat [[WolfpackBoss the Pharaoh's Guard]] and [[ScorpionMan Nehebkau]] to recover the Eye of Truth and the Hand of Chaos needed for the ritual.
** Act III, a giant Chimera guards over the Sickle of Chronos, [[spoiler: but by the time you kill it, the sickle is missing.]]
** Act IV, in order to access to Hades you must recover the Eye of the Gray Sisters for Medea. This means killing the Grays themselves. In Hades, the [[GiantSpider Bloated One]] guards the magic mirror you need to release Orpheus, while a sidequest involves recovering the ashes of a Titan by slaying the huge reptilian demon watching over them.
** Act V: Troll King Goldtooth has stolen the golden sickle of a local druid. In order to recover it, you must fight Goldtooth and kill him.
** Act VI: Each of the items required to travel to Atlantis have a guardian you have to dispose of, including [[TheUndead King Arganthonius]], [[GiantEnemyCrab The Ancient One]] and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Ladon]].
* In ''VideoGame/SevenSamurai20XX'', the Library of Avalon is protected by Guardians, pitch black demon-like entities with horns, long bladed tails an dimensional powers who were created to defend the place, even if their original makers are long dead.

* The ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode, "The Lost Mattress" had Mr. Krabs' prized money-filled mattress guarded by a ferocious worm at the junkyard, after it got thrown away.

* A rare heroic example is in ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfChima'', where the lions guard the pool of chi that falls from Mount Cavora, and unlike most MacGuffin Guardians, are willing to share what they're guarding.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "The Enchanted Quill", the eponymous quill inside Castle Quill is guarded by griffins.

-->-- '''Cave of Wonders''', ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}''

* The [[GeniusLoci Cave of Wonders]] itself in ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}''.

* ''Franchise/{{Onimusha}}''

* The Guardians of [[EvilTowerOfOminousness Temen-Ni Gru]] in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'' may count. Most of them at least.

* [[ThatOneBoss Grand Jewel]], [[BonusBoss Polter Armor]] and [[KrakenAndLeviathan The Last Kraken]] from ''VideOGame/TheLegendOfDragoon''.

** ''VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams'' features the gigantic, bug-looking keeper of Sawayama.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' arc "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E5TheKeysOfMarinus The Keys of Marinus]]", one of the keys is in a block of ice and guarded by several warriors who come to life when it is thawed out.
[[/folder]]

** Spoofed to no end with the presence of a GiantSquid in a pool just outside the entrance of the Dwarven Kingdom is lampshaded. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments In a particular campaign said gag]] was brought UpToEleven.

* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarSeries'', Kratos must fight several Guardians during the course of the original three games, including [[ALoadOfBull Pandora's Guardian]], [[KingMook the Mole Cerberus]] and [[ScaryScorpions Skorpio]].

But wait! As he approaches, a sudden [[RoarBeforeBeating roar chills the blood in his veins]] and a [[EldritchAbomination towering, nameless creature]] suddenly appears to stop him. [[CaptainObvious It's the Guardian!]]