History Main / SaveThisPersonSaveTheWorld

Compare with MacGuffinGirl, BarrierMaiden and ApocalypseMaiden.

->'''"[[FusionDance Brain]][[ LexLuthor thor]]":''' ''Looks like TheQuestion was right all along... I kill [[TheFlash you]], and then Armageddon. Right on schedule.''

->'''LexLuthor:''' ''Looks like TheQuestion was right all along... I kill [[TheFlash you]], and then Armageddon. Right on schedule.''

->''"Looks like TheQuestion was right all along... I kill [[TheFlash you]], and then Armageddon. Right on schedule."''

* ''DoctorWho'' has an entire episode revolve around this in "Turn Left" it is revealed that [[spoiler: Donna meeting the Doctor saved the multi verse, as without her he would have died (along with several other companions who filled his role in various episodes) and nobody would have been left to stop the Dalek's Reality Bomb.]]

The goal therefore, is to protect this person no matter what the cost. If they die, are gotten hold of by the wrong person or are even just the wrong place at the right time, then ''bad stuff'' will result.

Basically, this is what happens when the MacGuffinGirl meets the ButterflyOfDoom without necessarily having the fantastic, world-shaping elements that those plots usually require. The reason the character is important is relatively mundane, emotional, and/or circumstantial in nature. They're not [[TykeBomb self-contained weapons]], a CosmicKeystone or artefacts [[MacGuffinGirl disguised as living beings]]; they're not TheChosenOne, TheMessiah, or any kind of BarrierMaiden; they possibly don't even have any special abilities to speak of (though that depends on the genre of the story). In some cases, they may have a [[MoralityPet strong emotional]] [[PluckyComicRelief connection and relevance]] to the cast which would means said character's death or even injury would result in their going off the rails in some way, but not nessecarily.

The other characters may not even know exactly ''why'' they're protecting this person. They may just have to be in a certain place in a certain time, or they may just have enough influence on others or on their surroundings that eliminating them would [[ForWantOfANail cause the situation to get a bit screwed up at best, and result in an apocalypse at worst]].

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* ''KingOfThorn'': Done subversively and surreptitiously in the manga -- where everyone rallies to protect Kasumi, [[spoiler: (who is in fact, Medusa) throughout the entire manga series. Their actions are mainly due to a directive imprinted in their minds by the Big Bad: ''"protect the small Japanese girl with your life"''.]] Most of them weren't even aware they were doing it. Of course, the bad guy wanted to reshape the entire world, not save it, so...

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* ''{{Willow}}'': Elora Danaan is destined to overthrow evil queen Bavmorda, the irony being it's her protectors who defeat Bavmorda because she was trying to kill the baby in the first place.

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* In the ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' Novel ''Metamorphosis'', after Data is granted his wish to [[BecomeARealBoy become human]], he is shown that his unique android abilities were the one thing which could prevent an all out war. Should he choose to stay human millions of people will die simply from his lack of ability to help them.

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->''[[TropeNamer "Save the cheerleader]], [[ArcWords save the world."]]''
-->-- '''Future Hiro''', ''Series/{{Heroes}}''

Compare with MacGuffinGirl, BarrierMaiden and ApocalypseMaiden. This one totally NeedsABetterName.

* Done subversively and surreptitiously in the ''KingOfThorn'' manga - where everyone rallies to protect Kasumi, [[spoiler: (who is in fact, Medusa) throughout the entire manga series. Their actions are mainly due to a directive imprinted in their minds by the Big Bad: ''"protect the small Japanese girl with your life"''.]] Most of them weren't even aware they were doing it. Of course, the bad guy wanted to reshape the entire world, not save it, so...

* In a split between a ItsAWonderfulLife and this trope, {{Nodwick}} learns, in a variety of ways that he simply must exist for the world to continue relatively peacefully. In the Baphuma'al series, his companions would have succumbed to various artifacts or neuroses had he permanently died at some point.

* In ''{{Bill and Ted}}'s Excellent Adventure'', apparently the reason Bill & Ted are given the time machine.
* Elora Danaan from the movie ''{{Willow}}''. Destined to overthrow evil queen Bavmorda, the irony being it's her protectors who defeat Bavmorda because she was trying to kill the baby in the first place.

* In the StarTrekTheNextGeneration Novel ''Metamorphosis'', after Data is granted his wish to [[BecomeARealBoy become human]], he is shown that his unique android abilities were the one thing which could prevent an all out war. Should he choose to stay human millions of people will die simply from his lack of ability to help them.

* Trope namer: The ArcWords of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' referring to Claire as being fundamentally important to the bad guy's plan for the reason that her particular powers ([[HealingFactor Wolverine-like healing]]) are the one thing he needs to fulfil his plot. Hence the ArcWords: ''Save the Cheerleader, Save the World''.
** [[spoiler: They didn't save her (so to speak), but they managed to save the world anyway. For now.]]

* Done in [[{{StarcraftII}} Starcraft 2]], where it's [[spoiler: Kerrigan. From Zeratul's and the Overmind's visions of the future, the Dark Voice will take control of the Zerg Swarm, and unlike Kerrigan has no problem using it to destroy everything, resulting in the extinction of the Terrans and Protoss, then killing the Zerg off once they're no longer necessary. If Kerrigan were to survive to that point, the swarm would still have a leader, thus preventing the Dark Voice from getting his army.]]
* ''You'' in BaldursGate and its sequel in what is probably the most extreme that WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou has ever been taken to.

* Who would've guessed that the [[ForWantOfANail epic chain of events]] leading to the downfall of [[CiemWebcomicSeries Arfaas' control of Dirbine]] [[ButterflyOfDoom could be instigated]] by [[CollegeWidow one distraught widow]] rescuing a Spanish-speaking six-year-old girl from a [[PaedoHunt lowly pedophile]]?

* It's predicted that the death of the [[JusticeLeagueUnlimited Flash]] will be a trigger for Armageddon since he's the PluckyComicRelief keeping them on the rails. (In a MirrorUniverse, his death brings about Luthor's death at the hands of Superman and instigated the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]]). Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance. [[CassandraTruth Only the Question is convinced it'll happen.]] So convinced, in fact, that he attempts to kill Luthor ''himself'' to save Superman from it. This ends up [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making everything]] [[ItGotWorse worse]] when Luthor reveals his XanatosGambit. Flash does end up [[spoiler: defeating Brainthor when nobody else could, so, who knows...]]
* Fry, from {{Futurama}} has saved the world and universe ''twice'' due to being the only one without a Delta brainwave (due to [[BuffySpeak past-nastifacation]] with [[MyOwnGrandpa his grandmother]] so Nibbler makes sure he gets frozen.

->''[[TropeNamer "Save the cheerleader, save the world."]]''

->-- ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', "Divided We Fall"

->''[[{{ArcWords}} "Save the cheerleader, save the world."]]''
->-- Future Hiro, ''Series/{{Heroes}}''

* [[{{Harry Potter}} Harry Potter]]

* Played straight in ''TheTerminator'': kill Sarah Connor, and her son will never grow up to threaten the BigBad.
** Played straight again in TerminatorSalvation: the machines try to kill Kyle Reese so that he will not go back in time and become John Connor's father, and the plot revolves around saving him.

* One example (quoted above), from Justice League Unlimited. Though it doesn't seem believable to the ''characters'', the audience knows heavy ForeShadowing when they see it. It's predicted that the death of the Flash will be a trigger for Armageddon since he's the PluckyComicRelief keeping them on the rails. (In a MirrorUniverse, his death ''does'' bring about Luthor's death at the hands of Superman and instigated the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]] so it's not entirely over the top). Ergo, don't let him die seems a smart move. Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance. [[CassandraTruth Only the Question is convinced it'll really happen.]] So convinced, in fact, that he attempts to kill Luthor ''himself'' to save Superman from it later. This ends up making everything [[ItGotWorse worse]] when Luthor reveals his XanatosGambit. Flash does end up [[spoiler: defeating Brainthor when nobody else could, so...]]

* Fry, from {{Futurama}} has saved the world and universe ''twice'' due to being the only one without a Delta brainwave (due to [[BuffySpeak past-nastifacation]] with [[MyOwnGrandpa his grandmother]].

* Fry, from {{Futurama}} has saved the world and universe ''twice'' due to being the only one without a Delta brainwave (due to [[BuffySpeak past-nastifacation]] with [[ImMyOwnGrandpa his grandmother]].

* One example (quoted above), from Justice League Unlimited. Though it doesn't seem believable to the ''characters'', the audience knows heavy ForeShadowing when they see it. It's predicted by the Question that the death of the Flash will be the trigger for Armageddon since he's the PluckyComicRelief keeping them from going off the rails. In a MirrorUniverse, his death ''does'' bring about Luthor's death at the hands of Superman and instigated the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]]). Ergo, don't let him die seems a smart move. Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance. [[CassandraTruth Only the Question is convinced it'll happen.]] So convinced, in fact, that he goes as far as to attempt to kill Luthor ''himself'' in order to save Superman from doing it later, and ends up making everything [[ItGotWorse worse]] when Luthor reveals his XanatosGambit.

* One example (quoted above), from Justice League Unlimited. Though it doesn't seem believable to the ''characters'', the audience knows heavy ForeShadowing when they see it. It's predicted by the Question that the death of the Flash will be the trigger for Armageddon since he's the PluckyComicRelief keeping them from going off the rails. In a MirrorUniverse, his death ''does'' bring about Luthor's death at the hands of Superman and instigated the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]]). Ergo, don't let him die seems a smart move. Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance. Only the Question is convinced it'll happen. So convinced, in fact, that he goes as far as to attempt to kill Luthor ''himself'' in order to save Superman from doing it later, and ends up making everything [[ItGotWorse worse]] when Luthor reveals his XanatosGambit.
** [[CassandraTruth Most of the league believes the Question is a lunatic]], [[spoiler: but it turns out that he had a point as Flash was the only one who could destroy Brainiac where all the others had failed by using his super speed, which he couldn't very well do if he was dead, SoYeah.]]

** [[CassandraTruth Most of the league believes the Question is a lunatic]], [[spoiler: but it turns out that he had a point as Flash was the only one who could destroy Brainiac where all the others had failed by using his super speed.]]

->-- JusticeLeagueUnlimited, "Divided We Fall"

->-- Future Hiro, ''{{Heroes}}''

Examples

* Played straight in ''TheTerminator'': kill Sarah Conner, and her son will never grow up to threaten the BigBad.

* In ''Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure'', apparently the reason Bill & Ted are given the time machine.

* An Isaac Asimov short story had this as a plot element. A man is pampered and kept away from all harm. The reason? It has been predicted by the Multivac computer that when he dies, the world ends.

* DoctorWho has an entire episode revolve around this in "Turn Left" it is revealed that [[spoiler: Donna meeting the Doctor saved the multi verse, as without her he would have died (along with several other companions who filled his role in various episodes) and nobody would have been left to stop the Dalek's Reality Bomb.]]

<<|CharactersAsDevice|>>

**([[CassandraTruth Most of the league believes the Question is a lunatic]], [[spoiler: but it turns out that he had a point as Flash was the only one who could destroy Brainiac where all the others had failed by using his super speed.]]

* One example (quoted above), from Justice League Unlimited. Though it doesn't seem believable to the ''characters'', the audience knows heavy ForeShadowing when they see it. It's predicted by the Question that the death of the Flash will be the trigger for Armageddon since he's the PluckyComicRelief keeping them from going off the rails. In a MirrorUniverse, his death ''does'' bring about Luthor's death at the hands of Superman and instigated the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]]). Ergo, don't let him die seems a smart move. Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance. Only the Question is convinced it'll happen. So convinced, in fact, that he goes as far as to attempt to kill Luthor ''himself'' in order to save Superman from doing it later, and ends up making everything [[ItGotWorse worse]].

* One example is quoted above. Though it doesn't all become particularly clear to the ''characters'' until near the end, the audience sees it coming a mile off. It's implied in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', and predicted by the Question that the death of the Flash will be the trigger for Armageddon since he's the conscience of the group and its PluckyComicRelief (the Question is a conspiracy theorist and [[CassandraTruth half the league believes him to be crazy]], but he has a point on this one. In a MirrorUniverse, Flash's death brings about ''Luthor's'' death at the hands of Superman and the rise of the [[KnightTemplar Justice Lords]]). Solution? Don't let him die would probably be a smart move. [[spoiler: Turns out that Flash was the one who could destroy Brainiac where all the others had failed by using his super speed.]]
** Or, you know, go kill the guy you're worried about Superman ending up killing ''yourself'', for the Question, that option works too...
** Of course, Flash [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this in "The Doomsday Sanction", much to his own smugness and everyone else's annoyance.