History Main / PowersThatBe

[[folder:Toys]]
* The Great Beings have recently started to fill this role in ''{{Bionicle}}''. Previously, we have had named characters such as Artakha, Tren Krom, and TheOrder of Mata Nui filling a similar role, often manipulating the heroes without really letting them know what's going on. However, we now have a web serial titled "[[LampshadeHanging The Powers That Be]]" which revolves around [[spoiler: some of these beings [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu getting violently murdered.]] ]]
[[/folder]]

This trope can be thought of as a character similar to the BigBad. This entry refers to the thing that is represented by a character, rather than the character itself. Not all {{Big Bad}}s are mysterious enough to be Powers That Be, and not all Powers That Be are threatening enough or bad enough to be {{Big Bad}}s.

Even [[BigGood good Powers That Be]] [[NeglectfulPrecursors tend to rub the heroes the wrong way,]] as they tend to be too distant to understand the heroes' concerns and {{protectorate}}.

One variety of the Powers That Be is the AncientConspiracy, another is TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness. Another one is {{God}} himself. If the powers are warring with each other, it could be HeavenAndHell or a "house divided against itself." Contrast PalsWithJesus, where the relationship is entirely personal and personable. See also PhysicalGod and SentientCosmicForce, and BiggerBad and UltimateEvil.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', these powers are represented by the Truth and the Gate, two ambiguously malevolent entities that begin the story by ripping the arm and leg off of a grieving orphan. Though that might be enough said, these two are the embodiments of the [[EquivalentExchange Principle of Equivalent Exchange]] - their remorseless tolls continue to be exacted upon the characters throughout the story, and none of them are [[NightmareFuel any more pleasant]].

* In ''Literature/StarmanJones'', Sam discusses various planets the spacecraft is scheduled to serve, about where to [[SpaceIsAnOcean jump ship]] and escape. One such planet consists of domed cities, where one does as the PowersThatBe demand or one doesn't breath.

This trope can be thought of as a character similar to the BigBad. This entry refers to the thing that is represented by a character, rather than the character itself. Not all {{Big Bad}}s are mysterious enough to be Powers That Be, and not all Powers That Be are threatening enough to be {{Big Bad}}s.

One variety of the Powers That Be is the AncientConspiracy, another is TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness. Another one is {{God}} himself. If the powers are warring with each other, it could be HeavenAndHell. Contrast PalsWithJesus, where the relationship is entirely personal and personable. See also PhysicalGod and SentientCosmicForce, and BiggerBad and UltimateEvil.

* In the British kids' TV show ''{{Knightmare}}'', the players and the DungeonMaster Treguard were representatives of the Powers that Be, facing off against the [[ShapedLikeItself Opposition]]. Emphasised more in the later series - in the first series Treguard is more of a TrueNeutral arbiter.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Planescape:Torment}}'' setting is literally centered around the city of Sigil, located at the very center of TheMultiverse - the only place where gods can not go and which has magical portals to every place that exists. While the city is basically pure anarchy and populated by mortals, angels, demons, undead, and even weirder beings, there is also The Lady of Pain, who is customarily considered its supreme ruler. She's unusual in that she's both a definite and well known being and that she's frequently seen physically wandering the streets of the city, but almost everything about her is a complete mystery. She appears as a completely silent figure in long robes and an intricate metal mask that covers all of her features; nobody has any clue what she is, how she came to Sigil, or ''what she actually does!'' All she does is silently float through the streets, which causes people to also call her simply "her Serenity". Only when someone actively tries to shift the status quo of Sigil, attempts to take control over its portals, or starts to worship her, does she appear to the offender and cause him to be ripped apart by her shadow, then silently continue floating down the roads. While the Planescape setting is actually highly developed, the writers intentionally left the Lady's identity completly open, stating that there is no truth the players could ever hope to unveil. This doesn't stop characters within the setting to come up with theories that range from an ancient over-deity to [[{{TotemPoleTrench}} three squirrels standing on each other shoulders dressed in a robe and using a simple levitation trinket.]]

* The ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' setting is literally centered around the city of Sigil, located at the very center of TheMultiverse - the only place where gods can not go and which has magical portals to every place that exists. While the city is basically pure anarchy and populated by mortals, angels, demons, undead, and even weirder beings, there is also The Lady of Pain, who is customarily considered its supreme ruler. She's unusual in that she's both a definite and well known being and that she's frequently seen physically wandering the streets of the city, but almost everything about her is a complete mystery. She appears as a completely silent figure in long robes and an intricate metal mask that covers all of her features; nobody has any clue what she is, how she came to Sigil, or ''what she actually does!'' All she does is silently float through the streets, which causes people to also call her simply "her Serenity". Only when someone actively tries to shift the status quo of Sigil, attempts to take control over its portals, or starts to worship her, does she appear to the offender and cause him to be ripped apart by her shadow, then silently continue floating down the roads. While the Planescape setting is actually highly developed, the writers intentionally left the Lady's identity completly open, stating that there is no truth the players could ever hope to unveil. This doesn't stop characters within the setting to come up with theories that range from an ancient over-deity to [[{{TotemPoleTrench}} three squirrels standing on each other shoulders dressed in a robe and using a simple levitation trinket.]]

* Morganna the AI from ''[[HackSIGN .hack//SIGN]]'' was only depicted as a voice from the sky that can smite the main character and sends out monsters. In fact, it never even states her name in this particular {{anime}} series.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Time Lords of Gallifrey (the Doctor's own people), who are introduced in "The War Games" and recur now and then throughout the Third Doctor's era. (In later stories, as entire stories are set on Gallifrey, they become less mysterious and godlike, more human, in terms of their politics and motivations.) They sometimes take the Third Doctor's TARDIS to other planets (with him and companion in it), so he can carry out a mission (with some reluctance). Also the Fourth Doctor in "Genesis of the Daleks."

* The Dark Powers of the ''{{Ravenloft}}'' Campaign Setting. They are mysterious and incredibly powerful. (Powerful enough to, through sheer power or some kind of deal, shut the Gods themselves out of Ravenloft.) The 2E version of the Campaign Setting actually had separate arguments printed for them being Good, Evil or Neutral. Although most information leads towards Evil. Their MO is mostly to punish evil... by giving someone exactly what they wish for and precisely what they do not want. Attention-seeking manipulative child? Gets mind control powers that don't work on anyone he loves AND a corresponding curse that makes anyone he loves see him as repulsive. Wizard-King seeking to live forever to master every aspect of magic? Turning into a lich, but as a side-effect cannot learn any new spells. And so forth.
* The ''{{Planescape}}'' setting is literately centered around the city of Sigil, located at the very center of TheMultiverse and the only place where gods can not go and that has magical portals to every place that exists. While the city is basically pure anarchy and populated by mortals, angels, demons, undead, and even weirder beings, there is also The Lady of Pain, which is customarily considered its supreme ruler. She's unusual in that she's both a definite and well known being and that she's frequently seen physically wandering the streets of the city, but almost everything about her is a complete mystery. She appears as a completely silent figure in long robes and an intricate metal mask that covers all of her features and nobody has any clue what she is, how she came to Sigil, or ''what she actually does!'' All she does is silently floating through the streets, which causes people to also call her simply "her Serenity". Only when someone actively tries to shift the status quo of Sigil or attempting to take control over its portals, or some fool starts to worship her does she appear to the offender and causes him to be ripped apart by her shadow, to silently continue floating down the roads. While the Planescape setting is actually highly developed, the writers intentionally left the Lady's identity completly open, stating that there is no truth the players could ever hope to unveil. This doesn't stop characters within the setting to come up with theories that range from an ancient over-deity to [[{{TotemPoleTrench}} three squirrels standing on each other shoulders dressed in a robe and using a simple levitation trinket.]]
* The Messengers from ''HunterTheReckoning''. They imbue mortals with superpowers and give them the ability to see the monsters that harrow humanity every day. On the other hand, sometimes the Imbuing goes [[MadOracle very]] [[AxCrazy wrong]], and hunters who grow more powerful also start [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity losing their grip]] until the Messengers take over and use them as puppets.

* In ''FullmetalAlchemist'', these powers are represented by the Truth and the Gate, two ambiguously malevolent entities that begin the story by ripping the arm and leg off of a grieving orphan. Though that might be enough said, these two are the embodiments of the [[EquivalentExchange Principle of Equivalent Exchange]] - their remorseless tolls continue to be exacted upon the characters throughout the story, and none of them are [[NightmareFuel any more pleasant]].

* Though they are explicitly stated to not be gods, the ascended Ancients in ''StargateSG1'' tend to function this way, having the "watch how messed up the world is but don't do anything about it" mentality.

One variety of the Powers That Be is the AncientConspiracy, another is TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness. Another one is {{God}} himself. If the powers are warring with each other, it could be HeavenAndHell. Contrast PalsWithJesus, where the relationship is entirely personal and personable. See also PhysicalGod and SentientCosmicForce

Not to be confused with AnneMcCaffrey's ''{{Petaybee}}'' series, which has this at the title of the first book and an alternate series title.

This trope can be thought of as a character similar to the BigBad. This entry refers to the thing that is represented by a character, rather than the character itself. Not all {{Big Bad}}s are mysterious enough to be PowersThatBe, and not all PowersThatBe are threatening enough to be {{Big Bad}}s.

One variety of the PowersThatBe is the AncientConspiracy, another is TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness. Another one is {{God}} himself. If the powers are warring with each other, it could be HeavenAndHell. Contrast PalsWithJesus, where the relationship is entirely personal and personable. See also PhysicalGod and SentientCosmicForce

* In the AnneMcCaffrey /Elizabeth Ann Scarborough ''{{Petaybee}}'' book series, the BigBad of the Powers Trilogy, the Intergal company, are called the PowersThatBe, or PTB for short, by the native inhabitants of the world, named Petaybee, a play on PTB, as they were settled there when their ancestral lands on Earth were too valuable for them to be left there.

* The various cabals in ''TheXFiles''.

* ''TwinPeaks'' had the Little Man, the FBI, possible alien abductors, "[=BOB=]", and the woods in general. The entire series was one big, creepy Battle of the Network PowersThatBe, all-nefarious, all the time.

* "Management" in ''{{Carnivale}}'' appears at first to be this trope, but during the second season many of his mysteries a revealed and thus becomes more human-like.

* In the WhateleyUniverse, there probably are PowersThatBe interfering in some of the character's lives, but no-one has definite proof or any idea of who they might be. And neither do the characters. The authors might, though.

** This is still true for most modern religions. The Judeo-Christian {{God}} is probably the best example here - not only is he all-powerful and ineffable, but his original Hebrew title is "YHWH" (pronounced Yah-weh), which basically means "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Power Which Is]]". Similarly, in Latin he is IHVH (Jehovah) which means "That Which Is". Even in English, he is sometimes referred to as "The Great I AM".

* The Patriots from [[MetalGear]] are always in the background and only overshadow the games' conflicts.

* ''HalfLife'', where the G-man and his "employers" manipulate minor but crucial things to their own ends. However, as seen in ''Half-Life 2: Episode 1'', these powers are not all powerful.

* The Reapers from ''VideoGame/MassEffect''. Oh, [[AbusivePrecursors they're bastards]], but their level of technology is beyond even the furthest reaches of the most advanced galactic science, they have almost completely inscrutable motives, they inspire superstitious awe and they've dictated the development of space-sparing civilisation for untold billions of years. [[spoiler:And ''they'' had a creator, who fulfils this trope to the letter.]]

* ''Franchise/SilentHill'', where it is never clear what's causing all strange events.
** Actually this trope really only applies for ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', and ''VideoGame/SilentHillHomecoming''. In the others, the PowersThatBe are [[AxCrazy (usually psychotic)]] human [[RealityWarper reality warpers.]]
*** Unless that's simply because the [[EldritchLocation town itself]] ''allows'' them to be such. Thus, as the first troper said, it really ''isn't'' clear what is the ultimate PTB which is behind all the strange events in Silent Hill.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'': "He's got Friends on the Other Side..."

* The trope is discussed in [[http://banter-latte.annotations.com/2013/07/12/story-day-lovelace-12-part-6/ Part 6]] of ''Literature/LovelaceOneTwo'', [[spoiler:Tatum says that there aren't any secret world-controlling superhuman conspiracies ''now''...]].

* The ''{{Planescape}}'' setting is literately centered around the city of Sigil, located at the very center of TheMultiverse and the only place where gods can not go and that has magical portals to every place that exists. While the city is basically pure anarchy and populated by mortals, angels, demons, undead, and even weirder beings, there is also The Lady of Pain, which is customarily considered its supreme ruler. She's unusual in that she's both a definite and well known being and that she's frequently seen physically wandering the streets of the city, but almost everything about her is a complete mystery. She appears as a completely silent figure in long robes and an intricate metal mask that covers all of her features and nobody has any clue what she is, how she came to Sigil, or ''what she actually does!'' All she does is silently floating through the streets, which causes people to also call her simply "her Serenity". Only when someone actively tries to shift the status quo of Sigil or attempting to take control over its portals, or some fool starts to worship her does she appear to the offender and causes him to be ripped apart by her shadow, to silently continue floating down the roads. While the Planescape setting is actually highly developed, the writers intentionally left the Lady's identity completly open, stating that there is no truth the players could ever hope to unveil. This doesn't stop characters within the setting to come up with theories that range from an ancient over-deity to three squirrels standing on each other shoulders dressed in a robe and using a simple levitation trinket.

->''For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers.''\\
-- ''Literature/TheBible'', ''Ephesians 6:12''

!!Examples

[[folder:Films]]
* The People In Charge (or PIC) in ''WristcuttersALoveStory,'' and presumably, [[TheBookOfTheFilm the book]] as well.
* In ''Film/GroundhogDay'', they are whatever is keeping Phil in the GroundhogDayLoop, or at least the best description for it. There are rules he is bound to and [[spoiler: a way out in the end]].

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''ThePrincessAndTheFrog'': "He's got Friends on the Other Side..."