History Main / PraetorianGuard

The BigBad is ''much'' more likely to have a dedicated group of elite bodyguards than the story's BigGood or other equivalent-ranking good guy. This might be because the good leader often has a [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Kirk-like]] tendency to [[FrontlineGeneral lead his soldiers into battle]], even if logically it seems like a bad idea to have your leader be the first person you send into every potentially dangerous situation. Then again AuthorityEqualsAsskicking. The occasional exceptions form the HeroSecretService. Another notable exception is any fictional representation of the real-life Secret Service (typically American, but also occasionally Her Majesty's). A princess may also have a solitary male bodyguard that she sometimes finds herself [[BodyguardCrush attracted to (and vice-versa)]].

** Dothraki ''khals'' are attended by their bloodriders (e.g. Kovarro, Rakharo), but their AsskickingEqualsAuthority culture means they are BodyguardingABadass.

*** ''Revenge of the Sith'' also has the Neimoidain Beetle Guard seen guarding the separatist leaders on [[LethalLavaLand Mustafar]]. [[spoiler: They don't appear to put up much of a fight against Vader, seeing as they appear to have been slaughtered offscreen after he seals the room.]]

Whenever a story has an army, there's almost always some kind of elite group that serve as the guardians of the leader.

* Marvel also has the Shi'ar Empire's Imperial Guard who protect the Ruler. They're lead by Gladiator and are made up of some of the most powerful beings in the empire. [[spoiler:Though in the aftermath of ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'', Gladiator himself becomes the ruler of the empire.]]

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeries'': After their HeelFaceTurn in the back end of Season 1, the Enforcers are appointed to act as Elyon's honor guard in Season 2.
* The Royal Guards and the Knights of Round are supposed to be this for Emperor Lelouch in ''FanFic/MyMirrorSwordAndShield''. The Royal Guards is filled with spoiled noble second sons and end up being wiped out in their first battle. The Knights of Round backstabbed Lelouch twice on separate occasions due to their own agendas. The only loyal and competent Praetorian Guard is [[PeggySue Suzaku]].

** After Cersei crowns herself Queen Regnant, she assembles a new Queensguard consisting of undead {{Giant Mook}}s renanimated by Maester Qyburn's black alchemy, headed by an undead [[BlackKnight Gregor Clegane]].

** Roslin also had her own personal guard, consisting of non-military personnel (they were chosen from former private-security members and police officers) to avoid split loyalties between the military and the government.

** Ditto their later song "The Royal Guard", about the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Royal Guard]] of King Charles XII of Sweden and their victory against a seige force of Russians about three or four times their number at the Battle of Narva.

** The lifeguard of the kings of Judah, Cherethites and the Pelethites, first mentioned in 2 Sam 20:23. Modern research interpretes them as Cretans and Philisteans.

* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'':Every faction has a until ike this. In every case, cases their loyalty is first and foremost directly to their respective House Lord.
** The Draconis Combine's Otomo do mostly bodgyard work, but are trained as battlefield soldiers first.

** The Capellan Confederations's [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Death Commandos]]. They have plenty of other tasks to perform as well, such as terrorism, and high value target raids.

** The Lyran Commonwealth has the Royal Guards, who do more combat on the ballrooms than battlefields, but are still competent troops.

** One sourcebook mentions an equivalent to the Varangian Guard, where wealthy merchants and aristocrats hire Norscan mercenaries as bodyguards. As most Norscans are Chaos worshippers, this is a very bad idea that only the stupidest or pompous noble would try out. [[UpperClassTwit Too bad that describes the vast majority of Imperial aristocracy...]]

** Princess Celestia has a pair of grey unicorns who appear to be her throne room guards, and a pair of white pegasi who guard her while she travels. The pegasi have been shown to have BritishRoyalGuard stoicism, even when prodded by Rainbow Dash.

** [[{{Doppelganger}} Queen]] [[HiveQueen Chrysalis]] has an [[TheSwarm army]], but it doesn't seem to comprise any elite guards in her first appearance. Her second, however, she has two changelings [[https://derpiboo.ru/1032299 sporting armor and helmets]] that accompany her when she attacks [[LaResistance Zecora's hideout]].

* PraetorianGuard/AnimeAndManga

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The Royal Guards in ''Manga/Acca13TerritoryInspectionDept'' are very proud of their UndyingLoyalty to the royals they protect. They idolize Abend, a guard who died protecting his princess. [[spoiler: That's the public story, at least.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Aposimz}}'' the emperor Nichiko Suou is guarded by two giant spearwomen which are stated to be the strongest of the Rebedoa soldiers.
* The Knights of the Round in ''Anime/CodeGeass''. Also, the Zero squad. Don't do much difference in battles, but Kallen is [[BodyguardCrush very attached]] to her post as Captain of Zero's personal guard.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** The Zero Division, the Royal Special Task Force (commonly called the Royal Guard by fans), is tasked with protecting the Soul King. Its members are all captain-class shinigami promoted from the Gotei-13. It's said that the five of them ''alone'' are stronger than the entirety of the thirteen divisions.
** The BigBad and leader of the Vandenreich, Yhwach, also has a guard of his own, formed by four high-ranked Sternritters named the Schutzstaffel: [[BoisterousBruiser Gerard Valkyrie]], [[ColdSniper Lille Barro]], [[LargeHam Askin Nakk Le Vaar]] and [[InTheHood Pernida Parnkgjas]]. They utterly crush the Royal Guard above.
* The Guardian Senshi (Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter) in ''Anime/SailorMoon''. Their purpose is to protect the future Neo-Queen Serenity. Also, in the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] and likely in [[Anime/SailorMoonCrystal the Crystal anime]], the ''Shitennou'' (Kunzite, Zoisite, Jadeite, and Nephrite), Prince Endymion's former generals; and the Sailor Quartet (Sailor Ceres, Sailor Pallas, Sailor Juno, and Sailor Vesta) Chibiusa's protectors.
* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'' you can measure eliteness by the elaborateness of the mecha sleeves. Sinanju has goldplated sleeves and Frontal's royal guard have the same decorations but in white. They also have spike shoulder armor upgrades. Normal cannon fodder only have stripes. For the Londo Bell, the 12 Jesta units, AceCustom of Jegans serve as this role as they escort the Unicorn Gundam and handle non-Newtype enemies so the Unicorn can focus on destroying enemy Newtype weapons.
* The men of the Shogun's harem in ''Manga/OokuTheInnerChambers'' form one as part of their duties. In a Japan decimated by a {{gendercide}} plague, they're probably the largest group of armed men available.
* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'':
** Meryuem, the Chimera Ant King, has inherited the three Royal Guards [[TheDragon Neferpitou]], [[EvilGenius Shaiapouf]] and [[TheBrute Menthuthuyoupi]] from his mother when she [[DeathByChildBirth gave him birth and died]]. Each of the guards is more powerful than the Hunter Committee's Chairman [[BigGood Isaac Netero]], and the king is much more powerful than them, of course. [[spoiler:Only Neferpitou is killed in combat, while the other two get infected by the poison which is infected on Meryuem when Netero blows up himself with the Miniature Rose. The poison kills all three of them.]]
** The Mafia also had the Shadow Beasts, a group of ten highly-trained, highly-skilled fighters with an {{Animal Motif|s}}, one for each of the Ten Dons. [[spoiler:The Phantom Troupe kills them all in a hurry--while Uvogin almost perishes through his recklessness, Feitan gets rid of the remaining ones effortlessly.]]
* FAITH ([[FunWithAcronyms Fast Acting Integrated Tactical Headquarters]]) in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny''. They're a [=ZAFT=] special ops unit that only answers to Chairman Durandal. While they're not the Chairman's bodyguards full-time, they do end up protecting him during the Armory One attack and serving him during the Battle of Messiah.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'':
** The Military Police, whose ranks are made up of only the top ten trainees of each class, count "bodyguard for the king" among their duties. The irony that this means that those with the most skill at fighting titans are kept the farthest away from the fighting is fully lampshaded, although the main character's class is the exception as several of the top ten volunteer for the front line instead. Later it also emerges that the Military Police are hopelessly corrupt.
** [[spoiler:The Military Police's Central 1st Brigade is this for the ''real'' Royal family: the Reiss family. They are formed by the most skilled, ruthless, and amoral members of the MP, and have a pinch of SecretPolice and StateSec on top of it, as they have unlimited authority given by the true King of the Walls to track down and eliminate people who might threaten the status quo -- by inventing new technologies (and thus break the setting's MedievalStasis), are questioning the government's official positions or are too curious about the world outside the walls, maintaining TheMasquerade.]]
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' has Zarbon, Dodoria and the Ginyu Force be this for the galactic warlord Frieza. Zarbon and Dodoria are constantly at Frieza's side, while The Ginyu Force is called in to deal with threats too powerful for Zarbon and Dodoria, but not yet threatening enough for Frieza to personally intervene. In this case, it isn't because Frieza is a NonActionGuy who needs bodyguards ([[BodyguardingABadass at this point, he's pretty much the strongest entity in the universe, and leagues beyond Captain Ginyu, who's his strongest subordinate]]). Frieza takes this trope seriously too, he prefers to wait for the Ginyu Force to arrive rather than deal with the heroes himself, though this is partly because all of his scouters had been destroyed and he had no way of tracking them.
* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', the Alvarez Empire's ruler has the Spriggan 12, the hand-picked guards of Emperor Spriggan ([[spoiler:aka Zeref, the BigBad]]), who are all on par with, if not stronger than the Ten Wizard Saints of Ishgal. They also have the benefit of being at the top of the chain of command of Alvarez's military with many of them possessing their own personal squads. They are: [[ElementalPowers God Serena]] (the former #1 Wizard Saint), [[SizeShifter Brandish μ]], [[AnIcePerson Invel Yura]], [[DishingOutDirt Ajeel Raml]], [[TimeMaster DiMaria Yesta]], [[WalkingArmory Wall Eehto]], [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Bloodman]], [[EnemySummoner Neinhart]], [[KungFuWizard Jacob Lessio]], [[TheArchmage August]], [[LadyOfBlackMagic Irene Belserion]], and [[SevenDeadlySins Larcade]].
* ''Manga/TheRoseOfVersailles'' is a rare example of the protagonist belonging to one: Oscar is part of the ''Gardes du Corps du Roi'' (translates as "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Bodyguards of the King]]") and later transfers to the ''Gardes Françaises'' (French Guards), both regiments of the ''Maison Militaire du Roi'' (Military Household of the King), the royal guards. See below in RealLife for more.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'': The Egypt 9 Glory Gods are this to [[BigBad DIO]], they're all much stronger than the Tarot Users (except [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Oingo and Boingo]]) and are the last obstacle to DIO's hideout in Egypt. Vanilla Ice counts too, being TheDragon and extremely loyal to DIO, he [[spoiler:manages to [[HeroKiller kill two of the heroes]]]].
** ''Manga/GoldenWind'': After the heroes defect from [[TheMafia Passione]] to unveil a way to defeat [[TheDon Diavolo]], he sends his Elite Guard squadron to take them out as they attempt to find his identity and weakness before confronting him.
** ''Manga/StoneOcean'': The Sons of DIO are summoned by [[SinisterMinister Enrico Pucci]] once he begins finalizing the EvilPlan that'll allow him obtain "Heaven", with each of them taking on Jolyne and the others, serving as the last opponents prior to the final battle with Pucci.
* In ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'', the Pleiades [[NinjaMaid combat maids]] serve as [[VillainProtagonist Momonga/Ainz's]] personal bodyguards and the last line of defense of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Though, they're Second-to-last line, actually – the narrative explains that their intended purpose was always only ever to [[YouShallNotPass buy time]] so that the member-players of Ainz Ooal Gown could amass in the throne room for a final counteroffensive. Ultimately {{zigzagged|Trope}}, however, as Nazarick was never penetrated deeply enough for it to be an issue.
* ''LightNovel/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'':
** Pretty much every single [[MaouTheDemonKing Demon Lord]] has one of these, oftentimes made up of their [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strongest fighters]].
*** [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Guy Crimson]] has [[NinjaMaid his two maids]] Mizari and Rhein. Despite their appearances, they're actually fellow [[MonsterProgenitor Primordial Demons]] and it's noted their power is on par with an average True Demon Lord. Guy just so happens to be [[WorldsStrongestMan one of the two strongest Demon Lords in the world]] and thus is even stronger.
*** [[DragonAncestry Milim Nava]] originally didn't ''have'' a guard ([[WorldsStrongestMan not that she needed it being one of Guy's few rivals]]) since she's a free spirit whose "territory" wasn't even a nation so much as land she laid claim to that her worshipers of the Dragon Faithful lived on. [[spoiler:Once Demon Lords Carrion and Frey abdicate and become her subordinates, however, they and their own guards effectively became hers.]]
*** [[KingOfBeasts Carrion]] has his Three Beastketeers (Albis, Suphia, and Phobio).
*** [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Frey]] has her Twin Wings, Claire and Rucia, who are also her daughters.
*** [[LazyBum Dino]] has his fellow {{Fallen Angel}}s Pico and Gracia. Similar to Milim, however, Dino doesn't have a "kingdom" and is more of a bum squatting in other territories.
*** [[VampireMonarch Ruminas Valentine]] has her vampire subordinates Louis and Roy Valentine alongside Gunther [[spoiler:and technically the hero [[ThePaladin Hinata Sakaguchi]]]].
*** [[LightEmUp Leon Cromwell]] has the leaders of his [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight Orders]].
*** [[TheChessmaster Clayman]] has his Five Fingers [[spoiler:and he himself is technically part of the guard of former Demon Lord Kazaream as one of the four [[MonsterClown Moderate Clown Troupe]].]]
*** [[TheFairFolk Ramiris]] originally had no such thing until she got [[DarkIsNotEvil Beretta]] and [[PlantPerson Treyni]].
*** [[TheHero Rimuru Tempest]] plays this straight and spoofs it, with his original spoof attempt at the "[[EliteFour Big Four]]" being made up of Benimaru, Shion, Diablo, and ''Gobta'' (he won the right via tournament). His actual guard is known as the Twelve Patrons, [[spoiler:each with the strength of a True Demon Lord, while Rimuru himself has grown strong enough to challenge and even surpass Guy and Milim as the strongest around]].
** [[GodEmperor Emperor Rudra]] of the Eastern Empire has the Imperial Guardians, 100 elite warriors chosen for their strength that combined are considered worth ''the rest of the two million-strong Imperial Army'' (itself filled to the brim with augumented {{Super Soldier}}s). Each one is armed with at least Legendary-class gear (the sort of equipment that in the rest of the world is only owned by the Demon Lords and the strongest humans and monsters). The Single Digits of the Guard are the elite of the elite, not only possessing Legendary-class gear but also [[SuperEmpowering a personal blessing from Rudra]] that gives them a pseudo-[[RealityWarper Ultimate Skill]]. Notable for such a guard, many of them spend time working incognito as observers and spies, whether as agents situated in the other divisions of the Empire or acting aboard to gather intel. [[spoiler:The #2 Single Digit Damrada was even working long-term as a DoubleAgent in Yuuki's own ranks.]]
[[/folder]]

!!Examples:

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/{{Dune}}'': Imperial Sardaukar.
** Later, the ''Fedaykin'' [[Literature/DuneMessiah for Paul]]. In the film at least, they get badass {{Red Right Hand}}s to signify their allegiance.
** Later still, the Fish Speakers [[Literature/GodEmperorOfDune for Leto II]]. They are also an AmazonBrigade with fanatic reverence for their [[GodKing God-Emperor]].
* The Kingsguard, and later its derivatives, the Queensguard and the Rainbow Guard, of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. They're supposed to be made up of the seven greatest warriors in service to the monarch at that time, and for most of their history, they are. Deconstructed with the Kingsguard; they used to be appropriately badass, but after Robert's Rebellion leads to all but 2 of them dying and getting replaced with fighters of lesser quality, things start to go to hell quickly. At the end of the first book command of the Kingsguard is transferred to [[BloodKnight Jaime]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "Kingslayer"]] [[TheOathbreaker Lannister]], and things go further downhill from there. As the books progress, more members of the Kingsguard die in the war, and their replacements, instead of being selected for their skill with a sword or devotion to duty, are chosen for political reasons. Cersei eventually ensures that [[spoiler:with the exception of Jaime (who is crippled and away at war), Balon Swann (who has been sent south to Dorne) and Loras Tyrell (who was badly injured while trying to take a castle) all of the appointees are terrible fighters--so when she frames Queen Margaery for treason, Margaery has no choice but to select an incompetent fighter for a champion in her trial. It backfires spectacularly when Cersei herself is charged with treason.]] Also somewhat deconstructed with the Queensguard, in service to Dany, as it has never had more than one member at a time.
** Most lords have a household guard led by a captain who are usually the best fighters in their realms.
** Robb Stark has a guard made of sons and daughters of Northern and Riverland lords.
** The bloodriders serve a similar function for the Dothraki khals, although the khals are also [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority expected to be very capable warriors themselves]].
*** Daenerys has her own bloodriders in addition to her Queensguard.
** Melissandre also makes a point of taking guards with her wherever she goes as a display of power. [[BodyguardingABadass In her case, they're purely ornamental]] - her [[CrystalBall fires]] [[{{Seers}} show her all threats to come]] [[CombatClairvoyance and let her plan accordingly]].
** Previews from ''The Winds of Winter'' show that the Vale is organizing an eight-member group called the Brotherhood of Winged Knights to serve as young Robert Arryn's bodyguard until he comes of age.
* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' has a number of guard units, most notably the Citadel Guard of Minas Tirith which Pippin joins.
* The Deathwatch Guards from Seanchan in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime''. Most non-Borderlander countries have elite formations that serve this purpose (the Companions of Illian, the Tairen Defenders of the Stone, Mayene's Winged Guards, and the like). Then there's the Dragon Reborn's personal [[AmazonBrigade Maidens of the Spear]], who have a "complex" relationship with Rand.
** Elayne has the Queen's Guard, a [[AmazonBrigade unit of women]] whose [[BreastPlate uniform]] is designed to make people underestimate them.
* The Fanatical Praetorians in Creator/DanielPinkwater's ''Young Adult Novel'', a bunch of short guys in sailor hats organized by Kevin Shapiro to protect him, issue his orders, and intimidate even the teachers at Himmler High School.
* The [[Literature/SwordOfTruth Lord Rahl]] has two sets: Musclebound male bodyguards, and two thousand elite soldiers known as the First File. After Richard frees the Mord-Sith, they become a third set.
** Jagang has his elite core of soldiers that guard him and spearhead assaults with the rabble as extra weight. They are bigger, tougher, stupider, and better-armed than the normal troops.
%%* ''Literature/GreyKnights'': In ''Hammer of Daemons'', Lord Ebondrake has his Ophidian Guard.
* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'':
** Grayson steadholders (effectively higher-level nobility in command of the equivalent of states) has the Steadholder's Own tasked to protect them, though each Steadholder is limited to 50 armsmen to prevent anyone building up a private army. This actually becomes a bit of a problem, when Honor returns to her duties as a RMN officer. Since Grayson law demands that a steadholder never travels without his (or her) guards, this comes into conflict with the RMN regulation forbidding non-RMN personnel walking around armed aboard RMN warships.
** At one point, Honor inadvertently creates a constitutional crisis when she forms [[spoiler: [[MeaningfulName The Elysian Space Navy]]]], due to the above limitation on personal armsmen. This is averted by having her hand control of it over to Protector Benjamin, ruler of Grayson, who renames them [[spoiler: The Protector's Own Squadron, effectively giving him a ''Praetorian Fleet'']].
** Then there is the Queen's Own tasked to protect the Manticoran Royal Family
** The Totenkopf Hussars which serve as the household guard of the Andermani Emperor and his family.
** Queen Berry of Torch has a more ad hoc Praetorian Guard comprised of a mix of [[AmazonBrigade female]] [[SuperSoldier scrag mercenaries]] and members of the [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters Audubon Ballroom]]. They are later supplemented by members of the [[CovertGroupWithMundaneFront Beowulf Biological Survey Corp]].
** The [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny People's Republic of Haven]] uses foreign [[RecycledINSPACE Space Swiss]] mercenaries -- they certainly wouldn't trust their ''own'' people. Their paranoia is justified, and the ''next'' government who rises to power after killing off the previous government uses StateSec troops for their personal guard.
* The Emperor of Videssos (A FantasyCounterpartCulture of the Byzantine Empire) from Creator/HarryTurtledove's books has a guard of pagan Halogai warriors. This may seem rather unlikely in a culture so obsessed with the doctrinal purity of their religion, but apparently the logic is that the Halogai can't get involved in such denominational squabbles and the palace intrigue that goes with them. And it's TruthInTelevision - the real Byzantine Emperors had a Varangian (Viking) Guard.
* The ''Literature/PrinceRoger'' Series is all about one of these units- with its work seriously cut out for it. Within the first chapter, a plot by ambitious politicians of the Empire leads to the spoilt, nancy third-born prince and his Bronze Battalion being stranded with him on a serious DeathWorld. It got worse, ''much'' worse ([[spoiler: and the prince got better]]).
* The Palace Guard in early ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books, most notably ''Literature/GuardsGuards''. In later books, while Vetinari does keep the guards and gives them orders to accept all bribes, he relies mostly on VetinariJobSecurity (and, if ''entirely'' necessary, his own assassin skills) to keep himself alive. While still active in later books, Vetinari reduced their role with the introduction of Dark Clerks, unobtrusive, quiet, and efficient staff that just happens to be mostly drawn from the most promising graduates of the Assassins' Guild.
* A number of the Primarchs in the ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' series have Praetorian guards of one stripe or another - Fulgrim's Phoenix Guard, Ferrus Manus's Morlocks, Mortarion's Deathshroud, Sanguinius's Sanguinary Guard (not yet appearing on the page, but the recent re-release of the Blood Angels codex includes them). There are probably others, whose primarchs have not had their day in the limelight yet. Some definitely don't these, though, in particular thus far, Horus, Russ[[note]]well, strictly speaking, he had the Wolf Guard, but they seemed to be used more as his public [[TheFoil foil]], rather than as a bodyguard[[/note]] and Magnus. Angron splits the difference by having a set, the Devourers, but not caring they exist. The Emperor's are the most badass of all though - the Adeptus Custodes, who are to super soldiers what super soldiers are to regular soldiers. And that ignores all the army commanders who have their own, including the infamous Lucifer Blacks in ''Legion'' whose leader is possibly the single most BadassNormal in the entire setting, after fencing a primarch to a standstill with an unpowered sabre, and wounding him.
* In ''Literature/FalkenbergsLegion'', Vice President Bradford attempts this. He has Falkenberg organize a brigade composed of trusted party members and officers loyal to Bradford. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for him, Falkenberg uses the would-be Praetorian Guard to take the brunt of the fighting]].
** The government of Hadley also has a formal Presidential Guard, but their loyalties are questionable.
* In Sergey Lukyanenko's ''Literature/SeekersOfTheSky'' duology, the State (the Europe-spanning empire) had Praetorian Legions as elite troops. Several such legions are mentioned with the Grey Vests being the most badass (they all had guns, a rarity in this world). Their counterparts in the Russian Khanate are the Semetskiy Guards. Nothing is known of the counterparts in the third power, China.
* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse:
** The Imperial Royal Guards wipe out small armies by themselves. Before the Empire, they were the Red Guard and were the security detail of the Supreme Chancellor.
** The Senate Guards and Senate Commandos during the Clone Wars, who are in charge of the protection of the galactic senators and representatives and can also assist regular forces on some missions. They are also humans for the most part, and not clones, unlike the regular army. They are considered an elite group.
** In ''Literature/TheCourtshipOfPrincessLeia'' the Hapan Royal Guard are introduced, tasked with safeguarding the Hapans' royal family.
** ''Literature/FateOfTheJedi'': Head of State [[GeneralFailure Natasi Daala]] doesn't trust her own military forces, so she uses [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Mandalorians]] for several tasks besides just protection, like fighting Jedi, and [[KicktheDog massacring slave revolts]]. This is just like the successors of the TropeNamer, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangian_Guard#Varangian_Guard Varangian Guard,]] made up of [[HornyVikings Vikings]].
** Even better fitting the trope, ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'''s Imperial Knights start up in this series, [[spoiler: courtesy of Tahiri Veila]].
** The Jedi Temple Guards are this to the Jedi Order.
** In the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology, Grodin Tierce was a Guardsman who had survived fifteen years after Endor, choosing to appear as a normal soldier because to do otherwise would be to seek special privileges. He served as the tactical, planning part of his BigBadTriumvirate, though bit by bit he became more and more important in it. [[spoiler: Really he was a ''clone'' of the now-dead Guardsman Tierce, with some of Thrawn's mind added in.]]
** In ''Literature/YoungJediKnights'' there was an arc with four Guardsmen trying to make it look like the Emperor lived again by editing holofootage of him, in direct violation of WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture.
** The ''Literature/XWingSeries'' had a more minor appearance. In ''The Bacta War'', Ysanne Isard had a few Guardsmen around. The viewpoint character, unaware that the armor includes AC, pitied them. This was in a hot climate, and they had heavy scarlet robes.
** The Purge Troopers are this to the Inquisitorius made up of both clones and non-clones alike.
** The Slayers, named in honor of the Yuuzhan Vong war god, from the last book of the Literature/NewJediOrder.
* As it is set in the Byzantine era, they show up frequently in the ''Literature/BelisariusSeries'':
** Kungas and his Kushans serve as this for Shakuntala. Interestingly she knew them first as her prison guards but they were so effective and conscientious at this that she was perfectly happy to have them as bodyguards. They in turn were happy to serve a monarch they could respect.
** The Ye-Tai are described as performing this role for the Malwa. As they are outside the caste system, their high place in the social hierarchy is entirely due to their role as the Malwa's elite soldiers.
** Discussed, with regard to Link's assassins. As an elite, they are highly trained but frequently have little actual experience. "As Praetorian Guards have done throughout history, they had slipped from being killers to murderers."
* Subverted with the Steel Inquisitors in ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}''. Yeah, they're by ''far'' the most badass of [[EvilOverlord the Lord Ruler's]] minions and a couple of them accompany him at all times, but that's mostly because he doesn't like to do his own dirty work. He's actually far more powerful than any Inquisitor, illustrated in the climax of the first book when two characters take care of almost all the Inquisitors in the capital city and think they've won the revolution, only to be curbstomped by the Lord Ruler himself effortlessly.
* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', each Visser had his or her own personal guard unit. Visser Three's was the [[CadreOfForeignBodyguards Blue Band Hork-Bajir]].
** Also, the Orff, a race of aliens who act as security agents to the Council of Thirteen.
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' series, most notably seen in ''Literature/SummerKnight'', the Fairy Queen of Summer and Fairy Queen of Winter both have respective Knights who would hold a piece of their power in exchange for loyalty and protecting them.
* In the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'', each Count of Barrayar is limited to twenty armsmen to prevent them from having large private armies that could threaten civil war. Naturally every armsman is a badass. Armsmen are assigned not merely to guard the count and his family but to carry out local police duties.
* The [[GodEmperor Aristoks]] of Fiona Patton's ''Literature/TalesOfTheBranionRealm'' have three distinct forces - the commoner Palace Guard, the noble Shield Knights, and the religious Flame Champions.
* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'':
** Duke Nobel's bodyguards, made up of the sons of the nobility. They look impressive, but in practice, they're a collective PaperTiger.
** Calvarian generals are guarded (and are spied upon) by a trio of Blood Guards, members of the Calvarian StateSec.
** Glim, the Glyconese ambassador, is escorted by the fanatical Myrmidons, [[EmptyShell who are so dead inside that they are completely willing to kill themselves or each other just to make a point.]]
** Reynard creates one to defend himself in between the events of ''The Baron of Maleperduys'' and ''Defender of the Crown''.
* In the Literature/TortallUniverse, there are three basic military bodies in Tortall: the knights, the army, and the Queen's Riders. There is also the King's Own, composed of a variety of knights, soldiers, and fighters all dedicated to the King (specifically, Jonathan), and who act as his bodyguard. For the vast majority of the series, Raoul acts as their leader, while Sir Alanna acts as the King's Champion.
* In ''Literature/TheLostRegiment'', the Vushka Hush are the elite warriors of the [[HumanAlien Merki]] [[TheHorde Horde]]. They comprise several full umens (a full umen is 10,000) of finest warriors the Merki have to offer, being both excellent mounted swordsmen and horse archers. When going into battle, they chant "Vushka! Vushka!", sending fear into their enemies, especially since the Merki are 9-foot-tall and love the taste of human flesh. And yet, the titular regiment (the 35th Maine Volunteer Infantry) along with their Rus' and [[AncientGrome Roum]] allies manage to gut the Vushka, using UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar-era weapons and training to counter the numerical advantage of the enemy.
* The ''Literature/AgeOfFire'' series has the ''griffaran'', the dragon/griffin-like creatures that serve as an outer layer of defense for the Lavadome, as well as personal bodyguards of the Tyr.
* The Regiment in ''Literature/HammersSlammers'' has the ''White Mice'', the personal guard and military police of Colonel Alois Hammer. In later novels, the old Regiment, after conquering Nieuw Friesland, becomes this.
* The Tyrant's Guard in ''Literature/TheDinosaurLords'', who serve as bodyguards and policing force to the Emperor of Nuevaropa. The "Tyrant" in the name refers to T. Rexes.
* In ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'', Bridge Four becomes the Praetorian Guard of the Kholin family after most of their previous bodyguards died in the Battle of the Tower in ''Literature/TheWayOfKings''.
* ''Literature/RealmOfTheElderlings'':
** The King's Guard at the start of the series, though that's about as far as they are described.
** During ''Royal Assassin'', Queen-in-Waiting Kettricken acquires her own Queen's Guard, who are inspired by her own courage and prowess in battle and decide she needs her own guard.
* ''Literature/TheCrimsonShadow'': Cyclopian soldiers named this not only guard King Greensparrow but also serve as elite troops.
* In ''Literature/TheWitchlands'', the Marstoki Adders are the elite bodyguards to the Empress of Marstok. They're notable in-universe for every member being a [[WalkingWasteland Poisonwitch]].
* ''Literature/TheQueensThief'' series, by Megan Whalen Turner, has two examples, one heroic and one villainous. Attolia has the Palace Guard, who serve primarily as the personal bodyguards of the king and queen, although their complete devotion to the queen also makes them a core part of the regular army during times of war. [[spoiler: By the end of the third book, the GenreSavvy king has made plans to halve the Guard specifically to ''avoid'' the possibility of a KingmakerScenario.]] The fifth book introduces the Namreen, loosely based on the Immortals of the Achaemenid Empire, who are the personal guards of the Persian-esque emperor and pose the greatest threat to the protagonists for most of the book.
* ''Literature/Aeon14'':
** ISF Marines start guarding the President of the Transcend after the Battle of New Canaan.
** In ''The Empress and the Ambassador'', Empress Diana has the Impera Protego ([[AltumVidetur dog-Latin for "Imperial Protectors"]]), since the Scipio Empire uses a SpaceRomans motif. She's actually GenreSavvy about it, fully aware that the historical Praetorians often mounted {{Military Coup}}s against the emperor, [[spoiler:as the Impera Protego indeed attempts over dislike of her newly inked alliance with the Transcend]].
* ''Literature/MagicMetahumansMartiansAndMushroomCloudsAnAlternateColdWar'': During the 1960s, Francisco Franco recruits a group of five metahumans to act as his elite bodyguards. Not much information is given on them, but [[UndyingLoyalty their loyalty is stated to be absolute]].
* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': The King's Men, elite soldiers who surround and guard kings, who come in three types:
** Good. The salt of the earth like their liege, they are shown relaxing while off duty, laughing and talking about their families to show they're nice. Assuming they have to arrest the heroes, [[ApologeticAttacker they're apologetic]], though also not easily escaped as they are quite diligent about their duties.
** Bad. They will seem like good King's Men at first, but their inner natures are revealed through nasty swearing and messy quarters. When ordered to arrest the heroes, they'll beat them up in doing so [[PoliceBrutality even if it's unnecessary]]. If the heroes are sent to be tortured, these King's Men are pleased about it. They'll [[{{Sadist}} ask to watch]] too.
** Automata. They're in full armor [[TwentyFourHourArmor every time they're seen]], with [[FacelessMooks visors down]], due to them no longer really being human, [[{{Brainwashed}} controlled by the Dark Lord]]. They will not stop attacking, [[ImplacableMan no matter what]]. Often they work for a PuppetKing in the thrall of the Dark Lord, but others serve him directly and can form entire armies.
* In ''Literature/GauntsGhosts'', the Suicide Kings, an elite unit within the titular regiment, draw their name from the royal guard of the High King of Tanith (the regiment's lost homeworld), the Nalsheen. If the High King was in danger, the Nalsheen would shield him with their own bodies and were armed only with knives because swinging larger weapons at that range might injure the king by accident. In exchange for the fact that their lives could end at any moment, the Nalsheen enjoyed the same absolute authority as the High King himself, and so got the nickname "Suicide Kings".
* In Christopher Ruocchio's ''Literature/TheSunEater'', the hostile alien Cielcins have an alliance with renegade human technologists. The Cielcins are already superhumanly strong and fast, but their Extrasolarian allies then create cyborg SuperSoldiers from them, called Chimeras. The Chimeras have an adamant, further enhanced strength and speed plus a number of built-in weapons. Then there are 6 special Chimeras...these are the Vayadan. The 6 Vayadan are further enhanced (the first one encountered was 30 feet tall and a living siege engine that could tear through fortress walls) and directly serve the Cielcin's "King of Kings" as its bodyguard and generals.
* In ''Literature/AMemoryOfFlames'', the Speaker of the Realms has a group of "Adamantine Men" serving as their personal guard. The fanatically brave and loyal Adamantine Men also served the Realms by helping the Alchemists control dragons for the various Kings and Queens.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'': The Four Guardians serve as the prime enforcers of Copy-X and the generals for each of the armed forces within Neo Arcadia.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' has the Combine Elite, the creme de la creme of the Combine Overwatch whose job is essentially as the final line of defence for the Combine regime and its head Dr. Breen. They only start to show up near the end of the game as it becomes clear that you're getting closer to winning.
* In ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'', while never seen, there are several mentions of a Lombax elite guard called the Lombax Praetorian Guard.
* The ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' hybrid TBS / RTS series usually gives faction leaders and heirs special "bodyguard" units that accompany them into battle. ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'', naturally, features ''the'' Praetorian Guards as elite heavy infantry.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' introduces the Harmour line, [[note]] The other variants include Bad Karmour, Lethal Charmour (Formerly named Dragooner), Charmour, Alarmour, (Which are introduced in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'') and Guardian Angel, the last of which is a rareified Harmour. (Introduced in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'') [[/note]] which qualify enough to look like the Imperial Royal Guards, fighting alongside [[spoiler: the real]] [[DiscOneFinalBoss Murdaw]], Blackmar, [[note]] Who's flanked by 2 Lethal Charmours [[/note]] and [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIX Hootingham-Gore]]. Of course, they're no slouches in fighting by themselves or with other monsters, using various abilites and spells like [[PlayingWithFire Flame Slash]], [[BlowYouAway Gust Slash]], [[ShockAndAwe Lightning Slash]], Harvest Moon, Kabuff, Double Up, Dragon Slash, Helm Splitter, [[DeathOrGloryAttack Double-Edged Slash]], and Multislash.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** The Imperial Elites from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' are [[DiscOneFinalBoss Emperor Gestahl]]'s best guards, though they can only be fought during the "ceasefire" [[NoMrBondIExpectYouToDine dinner]].
** The Knights of Pluto act as the personal guards to the Alexandrian Royal Family in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''.
** San d'Oria has the Royal Guard, Windurst has the Patriarch Protectors, Bastok has the Mythril Musketeers, and there are also the Immortals of Aht Urhgan in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI''.
** In addition to being the supreme commanders of the military, the Judge Magisters from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' serve as bodyguards to the Imperial family of Archadia.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV''
*** ThePaladin order trace their origins as the Sultansworn, the royal guard of the Sultan or Sultana of Ul'dah. Players who become paladins instead become a [[KnightErrant Free Paladin]].
*** The Gunbreaker traces its origins to the long-lost "Gunnhildr's Blades", the personal soldiers of the queen of Ilsabard. The weapons they bear are [[MeaningfulName named after this order]]: "[[MixAndMatchWeapon Gunblades]]".
*** The Heavensward are a chosen group of loyal knights and the personal bodyguards of the Archbishop of Ishgard. [[spoiler: When the Arcbishop transforms himself into the primal King Thordan, the Heavensward transform into his Knights of the Round.]]
*** The Schola of TheEmpire are the personal guards of the Emperor himself, with the twins Annnia and Julia quo Soranus being the ones that guard him in his throne room. [[spoiler: However, as Emperor Varis is killed by his son, they come too late to even attempt to stop it.]]
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** Throughout much of the series and in the {{backstory}}, the [[AncientOrderOfProtectors Blades]] act as this for the Emperor of Tamriel. In addition to acting as the Emperor's elite bodyguards, they also [[SecretPolice act as spies]] throughout the Empire. You get an opportunity to join them in each game since ''Morrowind'' (and in ''Daggerfall'' you are technically an agent of the Blades from the intro movie on, even if nothing says you have to ''remain'' loyal).
** The Blades were inspired and influenced by the [[{{Wutai}} Akaviri]] Dragonguard, who were taken on by [[FounderOfTheKingdom founder]] of the Second Tamriellic Empire, Reman Cyrodiil, after he defeated them during their invasion of Tamriel. After using the [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]] against them during the decisive Battle of Pale Pass, they recognized Reman as "Dragonborn" and swore fealty to him, becoming a CadreOfForeignBodyguards as his personal bodyguard.
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'''s ''Tribunal'' expansion, Almalexia has the elite "Her Hands" [[ReligiousBruiser High Ordinators]] in this role. Her rival in the power struggle over Mournhold, King Hlaalu Helseth, has the more Imperial-styled Royal Guards in this role. Helseth also has a CadreOfForeignBodyguards situation going on, with his Guard Captain being an Imperial, and his toughest and most loyal bodyguard a Redguard. (He also employs several other Imperials and Redguards among his palace guard.)
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', [[BigBad Mehrunes Dagon]], the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]], has the Valkynaz, the [[FantasticCasteSystem highest caste]] of [[LegionsOfHell Dremora]], in this role.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'':
*** With the Blades having been officially disbanded as a term of the White-Gold Concordat (and the survivors ruthlessly hunted by the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]]), the Penitus Oculatus has taken over as the Emperor's bodyguard force. While the Blades were essentially OneManArmy [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana-wielding]] {{Samurai}}, the Penitus Oculatus are just standard Imperial soldiers [[PaletteSwap wearing darker armor]], Subverting the trope.
*** The [[PlayerCharacter Dragonborn]] can help to [[OrderReborn rebuild the Blades]], who are then oath-bound to serve the Dragonborn. However, in practice, they mostly just [[DudeWheresMyRespect boss around the Dragonborn]] and refuse to continue helping them unless [[spoiler:the Dragonborn kills Paarthurnax, the [[HeelFaceTurn Heel-Face Turned]] leader of the [[OldMaster Greybeards]] who has been a great help to the Dragonborn and to mankind in general]].
** In the ActionAdventure spin-off game ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsAdventuresRedguard'', two Vermai, a pair of [[EyelessFace blind]] and aggressive lesser Daedra serve in this fashion to N'Gasta, the infamous Sload necromancer.
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', the most famous royal guards in the game are Warchief Thrall's Kor'Kron Elite. Most other racial leaders just use regular city guards.
** The Kor'kron in Shadowmoon Village in Outland are a stronger version.
** Also, the Stormwind Royal Guard for Stormwind and the Royal Guard for Silvermoon are there, There are also Royal Dreadguards in Undercity as well as the Shields of Velen in Exodar, and as of Wrath of the Lich King the Royal Guards are level 80 elites, not to be trifled with.
*** ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' also had the Naga Royal Guards as the most powerful non-hero units in the game, even moreso than the [[TheLegionsOfHell Doomguard]].
*** Admiral's Elite Guard, the Chief Petty Officer and the Chief of Chaplains was the Praetorian guard of Admiral Proudmoore.
** Queen Azshara's High Guard in the Well of Eternity instance
* ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' has EliteMooks for virtually every faction in the game, and one or two even have a Praetorian Guard. The most noteworthy may be the Council's Ascendants, who are rumored to be the personal bodyguards of the Council's leader, the Center.
** Then there is the alternate-dimension villain group called The Praetorians, who are the evil version of the Freedom Phalanx hero group.
*** Incidentally, while the region called [[AlternateUniverse Praetoria]] is ruled by these alternate Freedom Phalanx members, who are known as Praetors, they are not Praetorian Guards. Their actual function serves as something between the enforcer and ranking police official. Of course, considering who [[GodEmperor the emperor is]], he hardly needs them.
** The Bane Spiders are referred to as being Lord Recluse's praetorian guard in their descriptions.
*** Well, one of his attacks summons about six billion of them...
* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'':
** ''VideoGame/Halo2'' featured Honor Guard Elites and Honor Guard Brutes, who served as the personal bodyguards of the Covenant Prophets. Honor Guard Elites generally wielded energy swords or dual plasma rifles, while Honor Guard Brutes were immune to headshots (which were the Brutes' one weakness in ''Halo 2''). They also had very big crown-like headwear that fanned out over a meter long, as opposed to the more practical helmets worn by regular Elites.
** In ''VideoGame/Halo3'', the Brute Chieftain enemies are usually protected by a few Brute Bodyguards, who have slightly different-looking armor from the regular Brute soldiers. These Bodyguards supplant the Honor Guards from the previous game.
* Agent 47 faces off against the [[SarcasmMode creatively-named]], possibly [[SuperSoldier genetically enhanced]] Praetorians, the BigBad's elite bodyguards in the epilogue of ''VideoGame/HitmanAbsolution''. Their names? [[MeaningfulName Aegis, Hoplon and Scutum.]]
* The equivalent in ''VideoGame/LostSoulsMUD'' was the Millenarian Guard, imperial guard of the fallen Altrian Empire. Their remaining legacy in the present day of the setting is the spectacularly enchanted armour that was reserved just for them.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'', The Ironbloods are this to Osborne, being his most trusted subordinates.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' has the Ocelot Unit, special Spetsnaz troops with distinguishing red berets that are only seen accompanying Ocelot.
** In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'', Liquid Ocelot has the [=FROGs=], an elite group of all-female soldiers who protect him and clear paths for him. The Beauty and the Beast Corps are also Praetorian Guards, though they are offensive rather than defensive units. All of the above have power suits that are far superior to normal mooks' battle gear.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOf''
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' has the five Grand Cardinals, who double as bosses. The four Seraphim of [[BigBad Yggdrassil]] may also count, though at the time of the game all are either dead or rebelling against Yggdrassil, openly or otherwise.
** The six God-Generals in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' serve [[BigBad Van]] and double as bosses as well.
* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar2'' had Theron Palace Guards, a version of the EliteMooks Theron Guards seen in the original ''Gears of War''. On the human side, ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar3'' has the Onyx Guard, who protect the Chairman of the COG as well as perform special operations under his direct command.
* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights: Hordes of the Underdark'': The Valsharess' precious [[AmazonBrigade Red Sisters]].
* The SuperpoweredMooks Korean Nanosuit Soldiers in ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' are supposed to be BigBad General Kyong's personal bodyguards, which explains why they're so incredibly rare in the game (with almost all of them only seen in the level where you encounter General Kyong).
** In ''Crysis Warhead'', the Korean Nanosuit Soldiers seem to act as bodyguards for the new North Korean leader, Colonel Lee.
* The SuperpoweredMooks nano-augmented Elite Guard in ''VideoGame/ProjectSnowblind'' are General Yan Lo's personal bodyguards, and only encountered in the General's bunker.
* The Sopot Elite Guard in ''VideoGame/RedFaction 2'' serve as totalitarian dictator Sopot's personal bodyguards.
* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' activates the Royal Guard when the appropriate noble arrives at your fortress. However, they do nothing aside from sparring since their role is only to [[FalseReassurance reassure]] the nobility that they are [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential in no danger whatsoever]].
** In theory at least, they also accompany the Tax Collector on his rounds.
* ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' has the Tank Commanders, which guard the Makron's palace. The only difference between them and regular Tanks is extra HP and a wicked red-gold paint job.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' has Darknuts and Iron Knuckles, which qualify in several cases as guardians for Ganon and Vaati.
* Almost every time Slogra and Gaibon appear in the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, they are serving as an additional line of defense for [[TheGrimReaper Death]]. [[DegradedBoss Even as bosses]].
* The NOL of ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' literally has the Praetorian Guard, which is composed of elite members of other NOL divisions.
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'', since it allows you to go to the Vatican, naturally has Papal Guards. They are {{Kung Fu Proof|Mook}} {{Lightning Bruiser}}s dressed largely in black, have {{Badass Cape}}s and use a SwordAndGun.
** One could argue that the Assassin recruits Ezio acquires throughout the game come to represent this as well, certainly a full force of rank 12 Assassino would qualify as an elite fighting force in their own right. A rare example of the PlayerCharacter of a game having an elite guard.
** ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' replaces the Papal Guards with the Janissaries, who are equally deadly.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' gives Caesar several praetorian guards, armed with ''shotgun fists''. Subverted in that the Guards aren't the best soldiers available, they are just extremely devoted to Caesar and his ideals, and Caesar explains that once someone has been selected to join the Guard, they still have to [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt kill a serving member in single combat]] to join. They're mostly found in Caesar's Tent and serve as an obstacle against the natural inclination to [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim shoot Caesar in the face]] the moment you meet him.
** Not to be outdone, the NCR has their elite Rangers to both patrol the Mojave and guard [=VIPs=]. Chief Hanlon is so dedicated to the protector role that [[spoiler:unless you convince him that doing so is lunacy, he will sacrifice the Rangers to the last man and woman to cover General Oliver's escape from Hoover Dam during the climactic battle--sacrificing fifty Rangers to save thousands of soldiers sent to Vegas on what he considers a fool's errand.]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar: Dark Crusade'' and ''Soulstorm'' has the Honor Guard units in the campaign. They are earned by conquering certain territories and are essentially a beefed-up (sometimes- some of them are actually ''weaker'' than the regular versions, but they help the player kickstart their economy by capturing strategic points immediately instead of waiting for units to be trained) version of regular units or sometimes (in case of unique and vehicle units) a regular unit that doesn't count into the ArbitraryHeadcountLimit.
* ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'' has a rare example of this ''not'' belonging to the BigBad. Palutena has one in the form of the Centurions. Pit, [[UndyingLoyalty the goddess' most loyal servant]], is their leader.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has the Four Knights of Gwyn, an elite group of warriors that were Gwyn's most trusted soldiers. In the vanilla game, you kill their leader and only remaining living member of this group, Ornstein the Dragonslayer, and a wannabe member, Smough the Executioner. You also rob the grave and kill the LoyalAnimalCompanion of one of the other ones, Artorias the Abysswalker.
** In ''[[DownloadableContent Artorias of the Abyss]]'', you travel to the past when all four of them were still alive, have a pretty awesome boss fight with Artorias himself (who has been corrupted by the Abyss), and meet the other two Knights: Hawkeye Gough and Lord's Blade Ciaran, who thank you for freeing their friend from his torment. Like any neutral NPC, [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential you have the option of killing them too]]. In fact, it's the only way to get their unique armour sets.
* The Bratgirls from ''VideoGame/CrashOfTheTitans'' act as this for Nina. In ''VideoGame/CrashMindOverMutant'', the [[SmellySkunk Stenches]] act as this for Cortex.
* The first use of this for the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' franchise was the Creator/{{Capcom}} BeatEmUp UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame ''VideoGame/AlienVsPredatorCapcom'', though they went by the name of "Royal Guard", while the "Praetorian" moniker would be be used in the 1999 FirstPersonShooter ''VideoGame/AliensVsPredator''. Accordingly, Praetorians are the largest and strongest of the xenomorph castes before the Alien Queen, protecting the latter and the egg chambers from intruders. Their physical characteristics and behavior varies from appearances, but a common trait are the Praetorians' having large, triangular-shaped heads like the Queen, yet slower, but tougher than the average Alien Drone or Warrior. And [[DependingOnTheWriter in some variations]], if the current queen dies, one of the praetorians will metamorphose into a new queen to replace her.
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'''s Overmind is guarded by a Zerg brood called the Tiamat Brood, which are red in color. The bulk of their forces are air units, but they do provide special hero units in the campaign.
* The Philip campaigns in the ''VideoGame/HegemonySeries'' have the Companion Cavalry, a strong heavy cavalry unit (and the only one for most of the beginning), and the first thing you do is have your king Philip join them.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'' has the Taiidan Imperial Guard, tasked with both defending the emperor and Hiigara and general troubleshooting. Their ships are encountered four times: first a small group of tries to kill a defecting Taiidan officer (implied to be a member of the guard due his ship having the same paint job), and the player has to protect him. The second time is at the border of the Hiigara system, when an ''insane'' number of frigates with their colours guard the Hyperspace Inibitor, as the emperor was [[ProperlyParanoid scared that someone could try and attack his prize planet]] (both ships and Inibitors have been there for years); third time is when they ambush the Exiles by throwing a giant asteroid with engines at the Mothership, with their ships escorting the asteroid; finally they're the final opponent in the last level, forming both the first wave of attackers against the Mothership (other waves have the colours of the regular navy) and the last line of defense of the emperor's own mothership (in the same level the [[LaResistance Taiidan Rebellion]] [[BigDamnHeroes arrives bringing reinforcements]], and their ships have the same paintjob).
** The trope reappears in ''Homeworld 2'', as Makaan's mothership is escorted by the elite of the Vaygr fleet. Sports also a good example, as the player-controlled Mothership Fleet escorts Karan S'jet in her desperate counteroffensive against the Vaygr.
* ''[[Videogame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic Might and Magic: Heroes VI]]'' allows you to upgrade the Haven faction's [[BladeOnAStick Sentinels]] into Praetorians. The unit description states that they are the personal bodyguards of emperor Liam and can only be promoted during a ceremony which happens once a year; [[GameplayAndStorySegregation but they have the same recruiting mechanics as any other creature.]]
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'' has the Elite Guard protecting the Kremlin in the final Allied mission, consisting of a number of defensive buildings and 4 elite Apocalypse Tanks that are very hard to take head-on (especially as their stationary, defensive role negates their drawback of being [[MightyGlacier Mighty Glaciers]]). Since the regular Soviet forces are red, the Elite Guard are jet black.
* ''VideoGame/MarchOfWar'' has the Immortals of the Shogun Empire. Think fanatically loyal Samurai who worship the Goddess of Death charging into battle clad in steel armor and packing 20mm auto-cannons.
* Ramon Salazar of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' had with him two "Verdugos" that were his most elite units. They're ghastly creatures with bladed hands and a spiked tail. He sics one of them on you (which he refers to as his "Right Hand") and then absorbs the other when he fuses with the Queen Plaga. Incidentally, Osmund Saddler (the true BigBad) does not have any sort of elite guard units that accompany him and is often seen standing alone whenever he appears.
* ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' has the Elite Mutons, who function as both EliteMooks and this trope. They are tougher and more heavily armed than the regular Mutons. Whenever entering the command area of a UFO where an Ethereal is present, there are almost always several Elite Mutons with it.
* The Sheredyn in ''Videogame/EndlessSpace'' are the bodyguard of the Emperor and their description compares them to the Praetorians. Since they also handle escorts, they built up significant infrastructure and a powerful economy to equip their ships. They are honor-bound and loyal to the Emperor, but in a radically change they assisted the ascension of Maximum Zelevas to the throne in exchange for more autonomy, becoming an effectively independent nation. The Sheredyn are an EliteArmy, exchanging some of the Empire's economic abilities for combat-based abilities, such as preventing enemies from retreating.
* Each faction has one in ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer''. Grimgor Ironhide has a squad of Black Orcs called "Immortulz"--as Grimgor is a 9-foot-tall, 400-pound axe-wielding murder machine himself, this is a case of BodyguardingABadass. Thorgrim Grudgebearer, the High King of the Dwarves, is carried into battle by four Thronebearers who can fight very well. The Reiksguard of the Empire also qualify, as a knightly order who serve as the Emperor's personal bodyguard. The Vampire Counts have their own dark counterparts in the form of the Black Knights and the Grave Guard, fallen warriors from long before the time of the Empire reanimated as skeletal puppets to protect and serve their new vampire masters.
* ''VideoGame/TheBannerSaga2'' has the Elite Guard, the guard of King Meinolf. Boasting high stats and the shield wall ability used by most shield-bearing humans, they also come with their own set of unique abilities. All Elite Guards on the field will attack any target in range when King Meinolf uses his King's Will ability, and even take damage on behalf of the king, meaning he can't die as long as at least one guard stands. According to a conversation between Egil and Prince Ludin at the start of the game, you must have a title to apply. Depending on your choices, thy can fight with you, or against you.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'', [[EliteArmy the Disfavoured]] have the Iron Guard, Graven Ashe's inner circle who serve as both unit commanders, personal bodyguards, and military advisors to the Archon of War. His counterpart in [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores the Scarlet Chorus]], The Voices of Nerat, have their own personal gang known as the Crimson Spears, whose members consist of the Scarlet Chorus' finest fighters.
* ''VideoGame/AIWarFleetCommand 2'': There is a special fleet directly called the Praetorian Guard whose purpose is to safeguard the AI Overlord, and all planets close to it. They're not particularly active until you reach it, but as soon as the Overlord is at risk not only will they pile on the attack, they will also soak up ''all'' active ships that were waiting for a chance to strike to throw them at your attacking force, leading to massive battles just to hold the line where it is. And if you're following the Fallen Spire questline, the Praetorian guard gets some ships worthy of the title in the Dragons, powerful vessels that are experts at fending off Spirecraft; they're there to make sure you don't just rush your cruisers in and snipe the Overlord from the start.
* ''VideoGame/{{Blasphemous}}:'' The Anointed Legion is a pious brotherhood of elite knights and warriors created by decree of His Holiness Escribar to [[ChurchMilitant fight in his name and the Church]], serving as his bodyguards.
* Queen Ga'ran in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'' has her own Royal Guard who carry out her requests or support her decisions, although they seem to be chosen based on [[YesMan devotion]] rather than actual competence. [[spoiler:Although [[BodyguardBetrayal they turn their guns on her]] as soon as they realize she [[PhonyPsychic can't channel spirits]].]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Named after the guards to the [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Emperors of Rome]]. As mentioned in the trope description, they weren't all that great at their job: between [[BodyguardBetrayal killing Caligula]], and his next two successors bribing them upon claiming the throne, they came to the conclusion that they had the right to remove Emperors they didn't like, and not being paid off by the guy when he took the throne was grounds to do so.
** And in all fairness, Caligula was, well, ''[[TheCaligula The]]'' [[TheCaligula Caligula]]. His behavior being a combination of being a BadBoss, TooDumbToLive, and especially a severe case of BullyingADragon. Caligula pretty much got away with most of the depravities, but doing them to the Praetorians would lead to his death.
** Given that Claudius' bribe was offered mere minutes after the Praetorians slaughtered his nephew Caligula, along with the late Emperor's wife and daughter, it may have been intended as a please-don't-kill-me-too bribe.
** As mentioned above, after the murder of Commodus (not directly by the guard), they murdered his Senate-appointed successor Pertinax, and then literally auctioned off the empire to the highest bidder. This led to a civil war even faster than usual because the legions were outraged by that decision. Outraged, that is, that they weren't included in the bribe.
* UsefulNotes/{{Augustus}} had his own CadreOfForeignBodyguards, the Imperial German Bodyguard, whose job it was to protect him from the Praetorian Guard (whose loyalties were much more suspect).
* Even during the time of the Republic, officials of Rome had his Lictors as a personal bodyguard. While they were less armed than normal examples of this trope, they carried an executioner's axe outside of the city, and lictors assigned to a dictator were the only people allowed to have any weapon within the city of Rome proper (inside the pomerium).
* Constantine the Great eventually dissolved the Praetorian Guard and replaced it with a guard of his own creation: the Scholae Palatinae.
* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangians Varangian Guard]] of the Eastern Roman Empire mixed this with CadreOfForeignBodyguards, as they were Vikings and later Anglo-Saxons employed by the Emperor as his personal bodyguard. The guard frequently went to the battlefield as well as being the palace guard.
** Unlike their predecessors, the Praetorians, the Varangian Guards were very loyal and well trusted precisely because they were foreigners (and thusly not mixed up in local politics).
** The Varangian Guard was founded in 988 and recruited from Rus and Viking warriors. After 1066, the majority of the guardsmen were defeated Anglo-Saxons fleeing from William the Conqueror. The last action of the guard was the Last Stand of Constantinople in 1453, making it a LongRunner as a military unit.
* The line between 'army' and 'bodyguard' was generally a blurry one in medieval Europe, as most rulers would have household troops: warriors who would live under the king's roof and get reimbursement in the form of wages and food in return for their service as bodyguards in peace and as soldiers in war. Depending on the size of a king's household, all or some of them would serve the role as personal bodyguards on the battlefield.
* The Kheshig, the personal guard of UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan and his descendants. Unlike most examples of the trope, the Kheshig (or at least the parts of it closest to the khan; at its height the Kheshig was 10,000 men strong and was its own army unit) was personally recruited by the khan from amongst his friends, family and personal followers and each new khan had to assemble his unit; this made the unit marginally more reliable than the average version of this trope.
* [[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte Napoleon's]] Imperial Guard, which was also used as a reserve in some battles. It got pretty big though, by the invasion of Russia it had around 100,000 troops. Above-average height was a prerequisite for membership, which is why Napoleon is stereotyped as [[TheNapoleon being so short]]. Napoleon himself was only a little bit on the short side, an inch or so below average (for a nobleman, that is -- he was a few inches ''taller'' than the average peasant), but by surrounding himself with six-foot-plus giants, he made himself seem very short indeed by contrast. Napoleon and the Guard had deep feelings of mutual respect for each other. The Guardsmen were nicknamed the Grognards ("grumblers") because they were free to complain or criticize in the presence of the Emperor.
* The United States Secret Service handles this for the President and other officials, as well as visiting diplomats. Interestingly, the protective mission is barely 10% of the manpower: the rest serve as federal police attached to the Department of Homeland Security, where they investigate (among other things) counterfeiting (which is what they were originally created to deal with--by Abraham Lincoln, shortly before his assassination), cybercrime, and identity theft, thoroughly unrelated work. The Secret Service ended up with the duty of presidential bodyguards because when it was decided (after a few too many assassinations) that a permanent and well-trained squad of bodyguards was needed, the Secret Service was the largest federal law enforcement agency (the FBI did not exist yet, while the U.S. Marshals were deemed to be too closely linked with the judiciary branch) and thus the only one with sufficient manpower for the job. Also, a little-known division of the Secret Service is the C.A.T. or Counter Assault Team, which is made up of former US Military Elite types. These are the guys who travel around in the presidential convoy and stay at the White House in full combat kit with one objective: stopping assaults on the president.
** Prior to the Secret Service's establishment, the White House has occasionally been guarded by militia or army units in times of war or unrest; in calmer times, a day shift of security guards and a night shift of watchmen monitored visitors and crowds. From its beginning, White House security has opted for plain clothes or understated uniforms when in the public eye, as no President has wanted the residence of the chief executive to resemble an armed camp.
* Mexico has the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estado_Mayor_Presidencial Presidential State Major.]] You see them, and you could swear you're looking at a detachment of American [=SOCOMs=].
* During the presidency of Salvador Allende, he had the Group of Personal friends as his guard. [[HoldTheLine They took]] [[LastStand a stand]] when Allende's [[EvilFormerFriend most]] [[WithFriendsLikeThese trust]][[EtTuBrute ed]] [[TheUsurper general]] [[MilitaryCoup lead the rest of the country's armed forces in a bid to overthrow Allende]]. After Allende's suicide, the organization was dissolved, and it's membership was executed by the new government.
* Swiss Guards is the name that has been given to Swiss mercenary soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts from the late 15th century until the present day. They are now represented in some sense by the Papal Swiss Guard, which is the only Swiss Guard that still exists ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin they]] guard UsefulNotes/ThePope).
* The Late Libyan revolutionary leader UsefulNotes/MuammarGaddafi's bodyguards were the Revolutionary Nuns, an all-female group dubbed the Amazonion Brigade in the west. The group was widely assumed to have been formed for the spectacle, and several former members claimed that they were regularly abused by male senior military leaders.
* And another example with the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey_Amazons Dahomey Amazons]], a contingent of female soldiers recruited due to the attrition of the male population through war and slavery. Some of them served as the king's bodyguards.
* UsefulNotes/RepublicanItaly still keeps around the Corazzieri, a regiment of the Carabinieri notable for having all soldiers extremely tall and [[BlingOfWar wearing shining armor]] that served as royal guard during the monarchy. Nowadays they guard the president, the government, and the Parliament.
* Musketeers of the Guard (French: Mousquetaires de la garde), were part of the French king's royal guard. The protagonists of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' are part of this group.
* Irish chieftains in the Middle Ages were known to recruit displaced Scottish nobles, known as Gallowglass warriors. They were known to be able to hold their lines far stronger than the Irish light warriors and were armed with thick armor and huge axes or swords. They were distant enough from the politics of the Irish clans to be considered perfect bodyguards and were a major part of the Irish stopping the Normans from flooding over from England.
* France still keeps the flamboyant ''Garde républicaine'' ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Guard_(France) Republican Guard]]) around. It's an elite unit of the ''[[UsefulNotes/LesCopsSportif Gendarmerie]]'' (military branch of the Police) and although it's best known for taking care of all shiny things (its mounted regiment is the biggest one in the world, and the last one in France. Individual member often partake in the Olympics) it also ensures security of all officials and sees combat once in a while.
* The Janissary Guard of the Ottoman Empire gets a special mention for the inflation it suffered. Originally, it only consisted of a few hundred slave-soldiers who [[TheSpartanWay had been taught to fight from childhood]]. While they were highly effectiv at first, that very effectiveness made them powerful. It didn't take all that long before (despite still nominally being slaves) [[TheManBehindTheMan the Janissaries were running the empire]]. Over time, their numbers increased until practically the entire army was Janissaries, they recruited openly from the free population, [[BadassDecay most of them didn't do any fighting or have skills for that matter]], and they killed several sultans for thinking it was time to put the guard down.
* Norway has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Majestet_Kongens_Garde Hans Majestet Kongens Garde]] (His Majesty the King's Guard), who don't differ wildly from other examples of royal guards. During the union with Sweden, they served as messengers between the Norwegian and the Swedish capital. They were eventually made obsolete, and king Oscar I reformed them as a detachment under his direct command serving in Norway. King Haakon VII adopted them as his own guard when he became king of the newly independent Norway. During the second world war, they were known as "[[TheDreaded The Black Devils]]" by the German soldiers, due to their ferocity and black uniforms. Also, their bowler-like hats were insisted upon by Swedish princess Louise because she was so impressed by the Italian Bersaglieri troops who wore similar hats. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nils_Olav And their colonel-in-chief is a penguin]].
* UsefulNotes/MaoZedong had a personal bodyguard as well. This might be traced from China's Imperial Guard. It existed in various forms over the ages and was noted for recruiting foreigners, including Russians captured in illegal settlements along the frontier. It was briefly featured in ''Film/ShanghaiNoon'', as the Chinese lead played by Creator/JackieChan was a (rather clumsy) member of it.
* The Soviet Union also had a praetorian guard in the form of the Kremlin Regiment, who were used to arrest any member of the Party if needed, guard Lenin's tomb, and march daily near the Russian version of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These guards fought in WWII, being entrusted with the defense of the Kremlin itself, and killing some 1,200 German troops (they were arranged as snipers to do this). The Kremlin Regiment still serve the Russian Federation today, however recently (2013) some of the Tsarist era regiments were restored and god knows how this salad of historical artifacts will settle together.
* The KGB's 40,000-man Ninth Directorate, and even known by the nickname 'Praetorians' in some circles, charged with providing security for the party members and their families, securing government telephone lines, and operating the Moscow VIP subway, Metro-8. Given that, in more than 70 years, no Soviet head of state was ever assassinated, despite Civil War, World War, and succession, they ''seemed'' to do their job. They were also the most visible portion of the KGB, wearing dress uniforms in their marches around Red Square.
* UsefulNotes/RedOctober era Soviet Russia had [[CadreOfForeignBodyguards the Latvian Riflemen]]. Before this, the Latvian Riflemen were a general military unit of men conscripted in the Baltics to fight Germany in the Great War.
* The Imperial Guards regiments in Tsarist Russia had a habit, like the original Praetorian Guard, of killing emperors who crossed them and putting someone else (usually some pretty girl to [[TheHighQueen make everything better]]) on the throne. Just ask Ivan VI and Peter III. The Decembrist Revolt of 1825 also involved many Guard officers.
* Guard Yeager Regiment, Finnish Army, which is the [[LongRunner last surviving direct descendant of the Russian Czar's Imperial Guards Regiments]] and today acts as the Presidential Guard. The [[{{conscription}} conscripts]] serving in the unit are trained for both guerrilla and UrbanWarfare and are considered similar elites as Parachute Rangers. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gztGzNljqW4 honorary march]] of the regiment is ''older than independent Finland'' and dates to Russo-Turkish War 1878.
* Japan:
** During the Edo period, there were the "hatamotos", literally "those who gather around the flag" or more loosely "bannermen", who were a hand-picked force of elite samurai under the direct command of the shogun and who had privileges almost in par with those of a Daimyo.
** The leadup to the UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration actually saw two groups of non-Tokugawa Shogunate affiliated samurai rise to such rank: the traditional samurai-family led ''Mimawarigumi'', and the more famous, {{ronin}}/lower-class samurai led ''[[UsefulNotes/TheShinsengumi Shinsengumi]]''.
** In UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan, there was an Imperial Guard. They distinguished themselves well in combat in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. After the war, they were 'civilianized' but were still given the task of protecting the Imperial family, the family's properties, as well as being the firemen in the palace grounds in case a fire broke out.
* India
** The National Security Guard aka the Black Cats. This organization was created as an elite bodyguard unit after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by two policemen on her protection detail. This group carefully screens applicants, puts them through specialized VIP protection training, and are noted for their distinctive black camouflage. One slight aversion is that the NSG Black Cats aren’t exclusively for the Prime Minister’s protection - any national or state level political leader or his/her immediate family who is deemed to be a high priority terrorist target is assigned a Black Cat protective detail.
** The President's Bodyguard, the seniormost regiment in the country's army. They're trained as cavalry and paratroopers, and maintain some [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PBG_(my_own_photo).JPG splendid]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Presidents%27_Body_Guard.jpg parade uniforms]] in the [[AwesomeAnachronisticApparel 19th-century style]].
* Brunei has the Gurkha Reserve Unit, meant to protect the Sultan and his immediate family. They also assist friendly military and law enforcement forces when their GRU is needed, especially in humanitarian ops.
* The Livgardet in Sweden. The band Sabaton wrote [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGE8QXoEPl0 a]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KNCpHCRINY song]] about them.
* UsefulNotes/NaziGermany had several:
** The ''Reichssicherheitsdienst'' (Reich Security Service/RSD) initially provided security solely for Adolf Hitler in the Nazi Party's home state of Bavaria but their duties grew to the protection of all high-ranking Nazi Party functionaries. As such, they could request without restriction the cooperation of any police authority in protecting their charges. While the FBK (below) provided close security for Hitler, the RSD guarded him and his entourage, including his staff, accompanying party members, and adjutants. As such, they used different vehicles from the FBK.
** The ''SS-Begleitkommando des Führers'' (SS Escort Command of the Führer) was an eight-man protection squad sourced from the ''SS-Begleitkommando'', a twelve-man unit, tasked with close, personal protection of Adolf Hitler outside Bavaria. They accompanied him to all his trips and public appearances. These were the only armed personnel that Hitler would let near him. Eventually expanded into the ''Führerbegleitkommando'' (Führer Escort Command/FBK), they would be the only organization that provided close, personal security for Hitler, as well as protecting his various residences and field headquarters.
** The SS regiment ''Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'' (Bodyguards SS Adolf Hitler) was formed as a guard unit for Hitler, his offices, and residences. Originally an SA unit, Heinrich Himmler demanded that it be renamed to be under the SS. Commanded by Sepp Dietrich, Hitler's original chauffeur and chief bodyguard, they evolved into a Waffen-SS tank division that perpetrated the massacre of American [=POWs=] in Malmedy, Belgium.
** Unlike the previous examples, the ''Führerbegleitbrigade'' (FBB) was composed of army officers, not SS officers. They were tasked with the escort and protection of Adolf Hitler at the front, first commanded by UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. Similar to the Leibstandarte, they evolved into Hitler's personal war unit at the front and were instrumental in routing the 20 July plot. The officer responsible for this, Otto Ernst Remer was [[RankUp promoted to major general]] and commander of the FBB, later the division-sized unit ''Führerbegleitdivision''.
[[/folder]]

** The Red Guard, later the Royal Guards, serving Palpatine. Adorned in their [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority blood-red robes]], and armed with lethal "force pikes." They serve basically as set dressing for the films, doing absolutely nothing but looking scary in the background. The prequels riff on this by making it look like we'll finally get to see one in action, but he gets [[CurbStompBattle smacked aside by Yoda and forgotten]]. As shown in ''Film/RogueOne'', they can also be lent to Darth Vader. ''Literature/LordsOfTheSith'' and ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' finally show them in action with the latter having specialized force pikes and they give Ezra Bridger significant trouble, but he was lightsaber-less at the time and eventually took them down with the Force.
*** Various ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' works introduced still more elite subdivisions of the Royal Guard, who are themselves [[EliteMooks selected from the most skilled Stormtroopers]]: in order of debut, there are the Sentinels from ''Comicbook/DarkEmpire'', who are genetically modified to be given SuperStrength and other preternatural abilities; the Sovereign Protectors from ''Comicbook/CrimsonEmpire'', charged with protecting the top-secret secondary capital of Byss; and the Shadow Guard from ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'', who are [[MagicKnight all Force-sensitive]].

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': The Dawn Templars are a non-villainous example, being paladins who [[{{Protectorate}} swore to defend]] Celestine, the [[GodEmperor Goddess Reborn]]. Throughout the series, the cadre has only been in a fight once: at the climax of the ''Rebel Scum Arc''. They are a part of the five-thousand-men army that is sent to Thorn for a BigBadassBattleSequence, but this is ultimately not shown due to the fanfic being [[OrphanedSeries abandoned]].

* Various examples can be found in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13545968/1/Wilhuff-Tarkin-Hero-of-the-Rebellion Wilhuff Tarkin, Hero of the Rebellion]]'':

* Flash Sentry is promoted to Twilight Sparkle's bodyguard in ''FanFic/WhatHathJoinedTogether''. His superior Captain Ironhoof literally recommended anypony ''but'' Flash because [[LoveTriangle Flash is competition for Twilight's affection]] and the captain (rightfully) suspects him of having a BodyguardCrush, but Celestia and Twilight insisted on it.
* The ''Kompanions'' serve as Maledict's personal bodyguards in ''FanFic/SonicXDarkChaos'', as the most elite of the [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Nephilim/Hell Knights]]. Their job is mostly ceremonial, and they spend more time guarding important diplomats and foreigners than Maledict - [[PhysicalGod who doesn't need guards at all]]. However, Episode 75 shows that they're so skilled and well-trained that they can each individually battle Jesus himself in one-on-one combat.
* ''Fanfic/JustBeforeTheDawn'' features Celestia's Praetorians prominently, after the main protagonist is promoted to the unit at the start of the story.
* The Royal Guards and the Knights of Round are supposed to be this for Emperor Lelouch in ''FanFic/MyMirrorSwordAndShield''. The Royal Guards is filled with spoiled noble second sons and end up being wiped out in their first battle. The Knights of Round backstabbed Lelouch twice on separate occasions due to their own agendas. The only loyal and competent Praetorian Guard is [[PeggySue Suzaku]].
* In ''Fanfic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse'', we have the Night Guard of Princess Luna. They are set apart from the regular Equestrian armies by their enchanted armor, which in addition to strength and speed boosts grants a glamor that makes them appear to have slitted eyes, tufted ears, bat wings, and fangs (Luna finds that having her Guard look really scary can be quite useful).
* After the Eighteenth Royal Mechanized Infantry Division is disbanded in ''Fanfic/DavionAndDavionDeceased'' the lone remaining regiment takes on the job of keeping Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky alive.
* In ''Fanfic/TheUnabridgedMemoirsOfDarthPlagueisTheWise'', Plagueis still has his Sun Guards, as per canon. Later on in the story, after [[spoiler: Dooku]] manipulates his way into the Supreme Chancellorship, he reassigns the office's contingent of Senatorial Guards elsewhere, and replaces them with a handful of handpicked Jedi, whom the media dub the "Chancery Knights".

* In ''Fanfic/PurpleDays'', tired of the Kingsguard's incompetence and the lack of a worthy military corps, Joff establishes the Royal Guard, gathering recruits from secondborn noble scions and bastards. This gets him learned warriors with some fighting experience, but who are not proper nobility (and thus will be amenable to a merit-based promotion system, rather than Westeros' noble-led armies) and see the Guard as the perfect means to do something worthy with their lives. With continuous drilling and diligent training, the Guard and a Raider force destroy Renly's massive army with only minor losses.
* ''Fanfic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': [[spoiler: Memorizing Gaze is the Royal Protector of the Badlands Changeling Hive, born to protect its Royal Family, and takes up that duty again when Page finally accepts her position as Queen. His triplet brothers serve a similar function for the Hivemind Body and the Sages of the Past.]]
* In ''Fanfic/QueenOfShadows'', whichever one of the [[CoDragons Generals]] is serving as [[DragonInChief Yojimbo]], their tribe serves as the bodyguards and personal attendants of the [[GodEmperor Queen]].

* ''Manga/MobPsycho100'': The Super 5 are the upper echelon of [[NebulousEvilOrganization Claw]] who work directly under [[BigBad Suzuki]]. They are regarded as Suzuki's most powerful enforcers and battles each of the heroes during the World Domination Arc.

* The Princesses of Jahad, a bunch of {{Action Girl}}s and [[LadyOfWar Ladies of War]] empowered by the ruler of the ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''.
* The Sapphire Guard in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' are paladins serving the ruler of Azure City.

* The men of the Shogun's harem in ''Manga/{{Ooku}}'' form one as part of their duties. In a Japan decimated by a {{gendercide}} plague, they're probably the largest group of armed men available.

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': The Clones of Horde Prime are the most fanatically loyal of his forces, sworn to serve and protect him with their lives. Prime often appears with two attendants by his throne, guarding him.

* The Guardian Senshi (Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter) in ''Franchise/SailorMoon''. Their purpose is to protect the future Neo-Queen Serenity. Also, in the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] and likely in [[Anime/SailorMoonCrystal the Crystal anime]], the ''Shitennou'' (Kunzite, Zoisite, Jadeite, and Nephrite), Prince Endymion's former generals; and the Sailor Quartet (Sailor Ceres, Sailor Pallas, Sailor Juno, and Sailor Vesta) Chibiusa's protectors.

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', the Military Police, whose ranks are made up of only the top ten trainees of each class, count "bodyguard for the king" among their duties. The irony that this means that those with the most skill at fighting titans are kept the farthest away from the fighting is fully lampshaded, although the main character's class is the exception as several of the top ten volunteer for the front line instead. Later it also emerges that the Military Police are hopelessly corrupt.

* In ''{{Manga/Fairy Tail}}'' the Alvarez Empire's ruler has the Spriggan 12, the hand-picked guards of Emperor Spriggan ([[spoiler:aka Zeref, the BigBad]]), who are all on par with, if not stronger than the Ten Wizard Saints of Ishgal. They also have the benefit of being at the top of the chain of command of Alvarez's military with many of them possessing their own personal squads. They are: [[ElementalPowers God Serena]] (the former #1 Wizard Saint), [[SizeShifter Brandish μ]], [[AnIcePerson Invel Yura]], [[DishingOutDirt Ajeel Raml]], [[TimeMaster DiMaria Yesta]], [[WalkingArmory Wall Eehto]], [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Bloodman]], [[EnemySummoner Neinhart]], [[KungFuWizard Jacob Lessio]], [[TheArchmage August]], [[LadyOfBlackMagic Irene Belserion]], and [[SevenDeadlySins Larcade]].

* The Egypt 9 Glory Gods in Part 3 of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' are this to [[ArcVillain DIO]], they're all much stronger than the Tarot Users (except [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Oingo and Boingo]]) and are the last obstacle to DIO's hideout in Egypt. Vanilla Ice counts too, being TheDragon and extremely loyal to DIO, and [[spoiler: is also the only villain in Part 3 to kill two main characters permanently.]]
* In ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'', the Pleiades [[NinjaMaid combat maids]] serve as [[VillainProtagonist Momonga/Ainz's]] personal bodyguards and the last line of defense of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
** Second-to-last line, actually – the narrative explains that their intended purpose was always only ever to [[YouShallNotPass buy time]] so that the member-players of Ainz Ooal Gown could amass in the throne room for a final counteroffensive. Ultimately {{zigzagged|Trope}}, however, as Nazarick was never penetrated deeply enough for it to be an issue.

* ''Franchise/DragonQuest''
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' introduces the Harmour line, [[note]] The other variants include Bad Karmour, Lethal Charmour (Formerly named Dragooner), Charmour, Alarmour, (Which are introduced in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'') and Guardian Angel, the last of which is a rareified Harmour. (Introduced in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'') [[/note]] which qualify enough to look like the Imperial Royal Guards, fighting alongside [[spoiler: the real]] [[DiscOneFinalBoss Murdaw]], Blackmar, [[note]] Who's flanked by 2 Lethal Charmours [[/note]] and [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIX Hootingham-Gore]]. Of course, they're no slouches in fighting by themselves or with other monsters, using various abilites and spells like [[PlayingWithFire Flame Slash]], [[BlowYouAway Gust Slash]], [[ShockAndAwe Lightning Slash]], Harvest Moon, Kabuff, Double Up, Dragon Slash, Helm Splitter, [[DeathOrGloryAttack Double-Edged Slash]], and Multislash.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''

* In ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots Metal Gear Solid 4]]'', Liquid Ocelot has the [=FROGs=], an elite group of all-female soldiers who protect him and clear paths for him. One could argue that the Beauty and the Beast Corps are also Praetorian Guards, though they are offensive rather than defensive units. All of the above have power suits that are far superior to normal mooks' battle gear.
* ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Metal Gear Solid 3]]'' has the Ocelot Unit, special Spetsnaz troops with distinguishing red berets that are only seen accompanying Ocelot.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' has the five Grand Cardinals, who double as bosses. The four Seraphim of [[BigBad Yggdrassil]] may also count, though at the time of the game all are either dead or rebelling against Yggdrassil, openly or otherwise.
* The six God-Generals in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' serve [[BigBad Van]] and double as bosses as well.
* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar2'' had Theron Palace Guards, a version of the EliteMooks Theron Guards seen in the original ''Gears of War''.
** On the human side, ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar 3'' has the Onyx Guard, who protect the Chairman of the COG as well as perform special operations under his direct command.

* ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'' has a rare example of this trope ''not'' belonging to the BigBad. Palutena has one in the form of the Centurions. Pit, [[UndyingLoyalty the goddess' most loyal servant]], is their leader.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV''
** ThePaladin order trace their origins as the Sultansworn, the royal guard of the Sultan or Sultana of Ul'dah. Players who become paladins instead become a [[KnightErrant Free Paladin]].
** The Gunbreaker traces its origins to the long-lost "Gunnhildr's Blades", the personal soldiers of the queen of Ilsabard. The weapons they bear are [[MeaningfulName named after this order]]: "[[MixAndMatchWeapon Gunblades]]".
** The Heavensward are a chosen group of loyal knights and the personal bodyguards of the Archbishop of Ishgard. [[spoiler: When the Arcbishop transforms himself into the primal King Thordan, the Heavensward transform into his Knights of the Round.]]
** The Schola of TheEmpire are the personal guards of the Emperor himself, with the twins Annnia and Julia quo Soranus being the ones that guard him in his throne room. [[spoiler: However, as Emperor Varis is killed by his son, they come too late to even attempt to stop it.]]

* ''[[Videogame/AIWarFleetCommand AI War 2]]:'' There is a special fleet directly called the Praetorian Guard whose purpose is to safeguard the AI Overlord, and all planets close to it. They're not particularly active until you reach it, but as soon as the Overlord is at risk not only will they pile on the attack, they will also soak up ''all'' active ships that were waiting for a chance to strike to throw them at your attacking force, leading to massive battles just to hold the line where it is. And if you're following the Fallen Spire questline, the Praetorian guard gets some ships worthy of the title in the Dragons, powerful vessels that are experts at fending off Spirecraft; they're there to make sure you don't just rush your cruisers in and snipe the Overlord from the start.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Queen Ga'ran in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'' has her own Royal Guard who carry out her requests or support her decisions, although they seem to be chosen based on [[YesMan devotion]] rather than actual competence. [[spoiler:Although [[BodyguardBetrayal they turn their guns on her]] as soon as they realize she [[PhonyPsychic can't channel spirits]].]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* Good-guy Elite Guard: Jazz, Sentinel Prime, and Blurr serving under Ultra Magnus in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''.

** Interesting, the Decepticon Ravage was part of one such guard for the last surviving Autobot Overlord...and promptly betrayed him in favor of Megatron. His Autobot counterpart Nightstalker, though, sacrificed himself for his liege.

* Azula of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' was introduced with the red-clad royal guard. However, they're not much more useful than [[{{Mooks}} usual]], and Azula gets rid of them once her lieutenant [[SurroundedByIdiots screws up her plans]].

* A rare good version is used in the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' with the White Lotus serving in such a role for Korra as she's not yet mastered all the elements. This is dispensed with quickly, though the White Lotus does stay on to protect the world's only family of airbenders, as well as resuming their other responsibilities, such as protecting the world from dangerous criminals and promoting the public welfare.

* The Shredder from the 2003 onwards ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' series had the Foot, and then the Elite Foot who appeared from behind him, all the time, with massive straw hats. And big weapons.

* The ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' hybrid TBS / RTS series usually gives faction leaders and heirs special "bodyguard" units that accompany them into battle. ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'', naturally, features ''the'' Praetorian Guards as el

** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' introduces the Harmour line, which qualify enough to look like the Imperial Royal Guards, fighting alongside [[spoiler: the real]] [[DiscOneFinalBoss Murdaw]], Blackmar, [[note]] Who's flanked by 2 Lethal Charmours [[/note]] and Hootingham-Gore

** The Red Guard, later the Royal Guards, serving Palpatine. Adorned in their [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority blood-red robes]], and armed with lethal "force pikes." They serve basically as set dressing for the films, doing absolutely nothing but looking scary in the background. The prequels riff on this by making it look like we'll finally get to see one in action, but he gets [[CurbStompBattle smacked aside by Yoda and forgotten]]. As shown in ''Film/RogueOne'', they can also be lent to Darth Vader. ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' finally shows some of them in action with specialized force pikes and they give Ezra Bridger significant trouble, but he was lightsaber-less at the time and eventually took them down with the Force.

* The ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' hybrid TBS / RTS series usually gives faction leaders and heirs special "bodyguard" units that accompany them into battle. ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'', naturally, features ''the'' Praetorian Guards as elite heavy infantry.
* San d'Oria has the Royal Guard, Windurst has the Patriarch Protectors, Bastok has the Mythril Musketeers, and there are also the Immortals of Aht Urhgan in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI''.

** If you visit the Vatican, you will see them. Their uniforms look like a cross between Stuart doublets and hose and stripy red, blue and orange pyjamas. They are everywhere!! (They also wear a more nondescript, but still somewhat out of place for the twenty-first century, blue uniform.) However, they are armed, and not only with the sabres at their hips and halberds in their hands. They are also very devoted to their mission, very pious Catholics (piety is actually a major factor in recruiting candidates), and do not suffer fools, especially people who laugh at their uniforms. It's the same reason poisonous creatures are brightly colored: so you know to stay away from them.
* The SS started as a personal military bodyguard for [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]], intentionally meant to remind people of UsefulNotes/{{Napoleon|Bonaparte}}'s Imperial Guard and the Praetorians.
** When the SS grew, the members assigned to Hitler's security detail became the Praetorians within the SS. Himmler, even as head of the SS, didn't have full authority over them. The Wehrmacht also had a unit assigned specifically to protect Hitler.
* RealLife overlap with AmazonBrigade occurred in the late Libyan revolutionary leader UsefulNotes/MuammarGaddafi's bodyguard.
** And another example with the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey_Amazons Dahomey Amazons.]]
* Most monarchies had a Life Guard for the king or emperor at some point. Those that have survived, [[BritishRoyalGuards such as Britain]], still retain Guard regiments, which are typically rotated between ceremonial and frontline duties to keep them honed.
** And also a few of the former monarchies: UsefulNotes/RepublicanItaly still keeps around the Corazzieri, a regiment of the Carabinieri notable for having all soldiers extremely tall and [[BlingOfWar wearing shining armor]] that served as royal guard during the monarchy. Nowadays they guard the president, the government, and the Parliament.
** Also a former monarchy, Putin's Russia recently (2013) restored some of the old Imperial Guard regiments. See more on them later.
** Musketeers of the Guard (French: Mousquetaires de la garde), were part of the French king's royal guard. The protagonists of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' are part of this group.

In RealLife, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praetorian_Guard Praetorian Guard]] was a special force originally intended to serve as a Roman general's bodyguard in combat, but the term was later restricted to the elite personal guard of the [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Roman Emperors]]. As a bodyguard unit, they proved to be a miserable failure, as they soon became ''horribly'' corrupt and very frequently wound up playing [[KingmakerScenario kingmaker]]. '''Nine''' separate emperors were [[BodyguardBetrayal killed by the guard itself]], and others were deserted by the guard to be overthrown or killed by others. In some cases, the Guard literally sold the Imperial office to the highest bidder, then turned on their new master when he failed to deliver on his extravagant promises. Roman Emperors began employing [[CadreOfForeignBodyguards foreign bodyguards]] (mostly from Germania) to protect themselves. In other words, the early emperors of Rome had a unit of personal bodyguards whose job was to protect them from their official bodyguards.

* The first ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'' has the Taiidan Imperial Guard, tasked with both defending the emperor and Hiigara and general troubleshooting. Their ships are encountered four times: first a small group of tries to kill a defecting Taiidan officer (implied to be a member of the guard due his ship having the same paint job), and the player has to protect said officer; second time is at the border of the Hiigara system, when an ''insane'' number of frigates with their colours guard the Hyperspace Inibitor, as the emperor was [[ProperlyParanoid scared that someone could try and attack his prize planet]] (both ships and Inibitors have been there for years); third time is when they ambush the Exiles by throwing a giant asteroid with engines at the Mothership, with their ships escorting the asteroid; finally they're the final opponent in the last level, forming both the first wave of attackers against the Mothership (other waves have the colours of the regular navy) and the last line of defense of the emperor's own mothership (in the same level the [[LaResistance Taiidan Rebellion]] [[BigDamnHeroes arrives bringing reinforcements]], and their ships have the same paintjob).

** Musketeers of the Guard (French: Mousquetaires de la garde), were the guards for the King of France. The protagonists of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' are part of said group.
*** To be more accurate, they were ''part'' of the guards for the King of France. The Maison Militaire du Roi de France (Military Household of the King of France) included various regiments (InNameOnly: their numbers were actually those of oversized brigades, with their company commanders holding the seniority of regular army colonels, their battalion commanders being effectively brigade generals and the regimental commanders being ''Marshals of France'') of different specialties, among which the Musketeers were the equivalents of dragoons (mounted infantry) and the most prestigious regiment due their duty of protecting the king on the battlefield. The other regiments were the Gardes du Corps (Bodyguards, the heavy cavalry and main guards at Versailles), Gendarmerie d'Ordonnance (pistol-armed cavalry), Gentilshommes à Bec de Corbin (cavalry equipped with halberds), Chevau-Légers (lit. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Light Cavalry]]), Grenadiers à Cheval (originally cavalry equipped with grenades, later heavy cavalry), the Gardes Suisses ([[UsefulNotes/SwissWithArmyKnives Swiss]] [[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenary]] infantry, and the most loyal unit, guarded Versailles' exterior. Moved to the Tuileries with the king during the Revolution, and were massacred by the Revolutionaries when they defended the king in the Insurrection of 10 August 1792) and the Gardes Françaises (line infantry and ''the'' senior regiment of the whole army, guarded Versailles' exterior with the Gardes Suisses and helped policing Paris), the latter of which, due being the only one with the rank and file composed of commoners, heavy ties with the Parisian people and too harsh discipline imposed in 1788, deserted to the second-to-last non-officer (reportedly a single sergeant stayed with the regiment) in the course of the French Revolution, which was instrumental in the Storming of the Bastille (whose garrison had been reinforced by Swiss Guards, who were massacred).
*** The ''Gardes du Corps'' were initially made of the older ''Garde écossaise'' (Scottish Guard) formed officially in 1422 (though older occurrences of Scottish nobles protecting the King date back from as far as 822). They were effectively the most loyal to the King and were regularly reinforced after every war against England (the last time would be the Battle of Culloden). Their commander was usually a member of the Scottish royal family.
** Irish chieftains in the Middle Ages were known to recruit displaced Scottish nobles, known as Gallowglass warriors. They were known to be able to hold their lines far stronger than the Irish light warriors and were armed with thick armor and huge axes or swords. They were distant enough from the politics of the Irish clans to be considered perfect bodyguards and were a major part of the Irish stopping the Normans from flooding over from England.

* UsefulNotes/MaoZedong had a personal bodyguard as well.
** This might be traced from China's Imperial Guard. It existed in various forms over the ages and was noted for recruiting foreigners, including Russians captured in illegal settlements along the frontier. It was briefly featured in ''Film/ShanghaiNoon'', as the Chinese lead played by Creator/JackieChan was a (rather clumsy) member of it.

** Said Kremlin Regiment was eventually part of the KGB's 40,000-man Ninth Directorate, and even known by the nickname 'Praetorians' in some circles, charged with providing security for the party members and their families, securing government telephone lines, and operating the Moscow VIP subway, Metro-8. Given that, in more than 70 years, no Soviet head of state was ever assassinated, despite Civil War, World War, and succession, they ''seemed'' to do their job. They were also the most visible portion of the KGB, wearing dress uniforms in their marches around Red Square.
** Before all this, the UsefulNotes/RedOctober era Soviet Russia had [[CadreOfForeignBodyguards the Latvian Riflemen]]. Before this, the Latvian Riflemen were a general military unit of men conscripted in the Baltics to fight Germany in the Great War.

* In feudal Japan, during the Edo period, there were the "hatamotos", literally "those who gather around the flag" or more loosely "bannermen", who were a hand-picked force of elite samurai under the direct command of the shogun and who had privileges almost in par with those of a Daimyo.
** The leadup to the UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration actually saw two groups of non-Tokugawa Shogunate affiliated samurai rise to such rank: the traditional samurai-family led ''Mimawarigumi'', and the more famous, {{ronin}}/lower-class samurai led ''[[UsefulNotes/TheShinsengumi Shinsengumi]]''. While both groups were notably competent and brutal against their enemies, factional strife between the groups not only affected their duties (and the prestige of the Shogunate), it helped consolidate the Imperialist rebels to finally unite and overthrow them.
** In UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan, there is also an Imperial Guard. They distinguished themselves well in combat in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. After the war, they were 'civilianized' but were still given the task of protecting the Imperial family, the family's properties, as well as being the firemen in the palace grounds in case a fire broke out.
*** Fitting this trope, the Japanese Imperial Guards were heavily involved in politics of the 1920s and 30s. Many Guard officers were ultranationalists and often conspired against moderate politicians whom they regarded as enemies. The most infamous of such involvement in politics by the Guards was in February 1936, when several units based in Tokyo, including Imperial Guard units, attempted to overthrow government and succeeded in killing or seriously injuring several top government officials who opposed the militarists. While the army swiftly suppressed the mutineers, their coup attempt did help the militarists consolidate power nevertheless, by eliminating or cowering many of their opponents in government, and moved Japan decisively closer to World War II.
*** On the night of August 14, 1945, some Japanese imperial guardsmen [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyujo_incident tried to prevent the broadcast of the emperor's surrender announcement]] [[MilitaryCoup by force]]. A number of people, including the commander of the guards, who tried to stop them were killed, but the mutineers were ultimately stopped and the formal announcement of surrender was broadcast the next day.
*** Modern Japan has them subordinated to the National Police Agency as the main unit responsible for protecting the Imperial family, their properties, and guests. They also provide security escorts for [=VIPs=] (Mostly ambassadors) going to meet the Emperor to present their credentials.
* India has the National Security Guard aka the Black Cats. This organization was created as an elite bodyguard unit after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by two policemen on her protection detail. This group carefully screens applicants, puts them through specialized VIP protection training, and are noted for their distinctive black camouflage. One slight aversion is that the NSG Black Cats aren’t exclusively for the Prime Minister’s protection - any national or state level political leader or his/her immediate family who is deemed to be a high priority terrorist target is assigned a Black Cat protective detail.
** Another Indian example is the President's Bodyguard, the seniormost regiment in the country's army. They're trained as cavalry and paratroopers, and maintain some [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PBG_(my_own_photo).JPG splendid]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Presidents%27_Body_Guard.jpg parade uniforms]] in the [[AwesomeAnachronisticApparel 19th-century style]].

** The ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' series introduced [[NewMeat rookie]] Smokescreen, who received his training from the Elite Gaurd.

*** [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Frey]] has her Twin Wings.

* ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}'': The real leader of Libria [[spoiler: Dupont]] has himself a group of Sweepers (designated with a green armband) protecting his office, as well as a group of bodyguards armed with katanas. [[spoiler: They're not very effective against the hero.]]

** The Senate Guard (aka the Blue Guard) served as these for the Galactic Senate are a rare heroic example.
** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' has the Naboo Palace Guard another heroic example that are said to form the backbone of the Royal Naboo Security Forces and are seen guarding Padmé when she is a senator in ''Film/AttackOfTheClones''.
** The Red Guard, latter the Royal Guards, serving Palpatine. Adorned in their [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority blood-red robes]], and armed with lethal "force pikes." They serve basically as set dressing for the films, doing absolutely nothing but looking scary in the background. The prequels riff on this by making it look like we'll finally get to see one in action, but he gets [[CurbStompBattle smacked aside by Yoda and forgotten]]. As shown in ''Film/RogueOne'', they can also be lent to Darth Vader. ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' finally shows some of them in action with specialized force pikes and they give Ezra Bridger significant trouble, but he was lightsaber-less at the time and eventually took them down with the Force.

** In ''Franchise/StarWars Episode III: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' and the ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars Clone Wars]]'' animated series, General Grievous has a personal guard of [=MagnaGuard=] droids, who fight with electrostaffs and are skilled enough to fight Jedi in melee combat. ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' showed Dooku using them on occasion as well and [[AllThereInTheManual Expanded Universe]] state they were based on a previous group of Praetorian Guards from back in his days as a Kaleesh Warlord.
*** ''Revenge of the Sith'' also has the Neimoidain Beetle Guard seen guarding the separatist leaders on [[LethalLavaLand Mustafar]]. [[spoiler: They don't appear to put up much of a fight against Vader seeing as they appear to have been slaughtered offscreen after he seals the room.]]

** The death of the Praetorian Guard in ''The Last Jedi'' resulted in Kylo Ren taking the Knights of Ren to be his own equivalent in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', and they happen to be Force-sensitive, though crudely so. Like the Empire and the First Order, the Sith Eternal has bodyguards in red armor for Emperor Palpatine, the Sovereign Protectors.

** ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'': [[TopGod Zen'o]] is consistently flanked by a pair of bodyguards. Of course, if you're dealing with [[BodyguardingABadass Zen'o]], the bodyguards are probably the ''least'' dangerous thing in the room.

** On the flip side, they were considered the best troops Rome had, and when not on the field they went through constant training ([[TrainingFromHell extensive and constant drills with equipment much heavier than the one actually used in the field]] like normal legions, [[UpToEleven only more often and with even heavier training weapons]]) because they knew they could be called to live up their reputation any moment. The fall of Vitellius (the third emperor to rule in the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Year of Four Emperors]]) is directly linked to this: angry at the Praetorians for siding with Otho against him, after Otho's suicide he disbanded them and replaced them with his own veterans, only for the former Praetorians to join Vespasian and inflicting a devastating CurbStompBattle to their replacements in the Second Battle of Bedriacum.
** In actuality, that is the modern impression of them. To the Romans, the Praetorian Guard were a bunch of overpaid and duplicitous thugs who couldn't stand up to a legion that had actual combat experience. See, unlike modern elite troops, there weren't any actual military prerequisites to join the guard. You just had to be an Italian with Roman citizenship. For Italians interested in joining the army, it would be like choosing between going to Afganistan or working at a base in America and getting paid 50% more and having a shorter enlistment requirement. Incidentally, this led to the army becoming more and more provincial over time, and more often the soldiers were the sons of soldiers from military colonies (Augustus royally fucked up when he created the guard). On the other hand, they usually ended up surprising everyone by being just as effective as regular legions when civil war broke out, such as at the above-mentioned Bedriacum.

* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangians Varangian Guard]] of the Eastern Roman Empire mixed this with CadreOfForeignBodyguards, as they were Vikings and later Anglo-Saxons employed by the Emperor as his personal bodyguard. The guard frequently went to the battlefield as well as being the palace guard.

* ''LightNovel/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'': Pretty much every single [[MaouTheDemonKing Demon Lord]] has one of these, oftentimes made up of their [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strongest fighters]].
** [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Guy Crimson]] has [[NinjaMaid his two maids]] Mizari and Rhein. Despite their appearances, they're actually fellow [[MonsterProgenitor Primordial Demons]] and it's noted their power is on par with an average True Demon Lord. Guy just so happens to be [[WorldsStrongestMan one of the two strongest Demon Lords in the world]] and thus is even stronger.
** [[DragonAncestry Milim Nava]] originally didn't ''have'' a guard ([[WorldsStrongestMan not that she needed it being one of Guy's few rivals]]) since she's a free spirit whose "territory" wasn't even a nation so much as land she laid claim to that her worshipers of the Dragon Faithful lived on. [[spoiler:Once Demon Lords Carrion and Frey abdicate and become her subordinates, however, they and their own guards effectively became hers.]]
** [[KingOfBeasts Carrion]] has his Three Beastketeers (Albis, Suphia, and Phobio).
** [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Frey]] has her Twin Wings.
** [[LazyBum Dino]] has his fellow {{Fallen Angel}}s Pico and Gracia. Similar to Milim, however, Dino doesn't have a "kingdom" and is more of a bum squatting in other territories.
** [[VampireMonarch Ruminas Valentine]] has her vampire subordinates Louis and Roy Valentine alongside Gunther [[spoiler:and technically the hero [[ThePaladin Hinata Sakaguchi]]]].
** [[LightEmUp Leon Cromwell]] has the leaders of his [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight Orders]].
** [[TheChessmaster Clayman]] has his Five Fingers [[spoiler:and he himself is technically part of the guard of former Demon Lord Kazaream as one of the four [[MonsterClown Moderate Clown Troupe]].]]
** [[TheFairFolk Ramiris]] originally had no such thing until she got [[DarkIsNotEvil Beretta]] and [[PlantPerson Treyni]].
** [[TheHero Rimuru Tempest]] plays this straight and spoofs it, with his original spoof attempt at the "[[EliteFour Big Four]]" being made up of Benimaru, Shion, Diablo, and ''Gobta'' (he won the right via tournament). His actual guard is known as the Twelve Patrons, [[spoiler:each with the strength of a True Demon Lord, while Rimuru himself has grown strong enough to challenge and even surpass Guy and Milim as the strongest around]].

* ''Pow Wow Highway'': Cheyenne activist Buddy is targeted by the conservative tribal chief's GOONS (Guardians Of the Oglala Nation) when he visits an Oglala Reservation. Based on an actual organization known by that acronym.

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' has a few examples of these:
** Big Bad Makuta had the [[MechanicalMonster Manas crabs]] in the first year's storyline and the [[EliteMooks Rahkshi]] in the Mask of Light arc.
** Roodaka and Sidorak both had troops of [[GiantSpider Kahgarak]] elite guards.
** The Bohrok swarm had the Bohrok-Kal, which were deployed as soon as the swarm's Bahrag Queens were defeated with the objective of freeing them from the [[SealedEvilInACan can they’d been sealed in.]] Compared to the innumerable Bohrok, there were only six Bohrok-Kal, but they had a completely different power set and full intelligence to boot.
** Subversion: The Toa Hagah were originally bodyguards of the Makuta, but when they found out that the Makuta had become evil, they promptly did a HeelFaceTurn and stole the Makuta's Achilles' Heel, the Mask of Light.