History Main / SavingTheWorld

* ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'': Tony and 6 other [[DysfunctionJunction dysfunctional]] heroes [[SuperTeam team-up]] to [[SavingTheWorld save the Earth]] from an AlienInvasion.

* In 'VideoGame/BanjoKazooie: Nuts & Bolts'', one of the characters, Klungo, creates a [[StylisticSuck horrendous]] 8-bit arcade platforming game (which he proclaims to be the best ever), titled ''Hero Klungo Sssavesss Teh World'', in which you save the world by ''holding it over your head''.

* [[NonIndicativeName Ironically]] [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''. The world never even comes close to being destroyed. The plot of the game is about getting [[spoiler: BackFromTheDead. A more appropriate title would have been ''A Small District of Tokyo Ends With You'']].
** [[spoiler:Except for the fact that the title refers to the fact that Neku needs to expand his horizons and stop being a gloomy loner]]

->'''Brain:''' Come, we have work to do.\\
'''Pinky:''' Oh, right, taking over the world, and all...\\
'''Brain:''' No, Pinky -- tonight, we must ''save'' the world!\\
'''Pinky:''' Egad, Brain -- ''save'' the world?!\\
'''Brain:''' YES! So it is available to take over ''tomorrow'' night.

--->'''Superman:''' It seems the only thing capable of destroying Warworld... was Warworld itself! The universe has been saved — at least from this menace!

--->'''Supergirl:''' How could anyone make it their mission in life to murder whole worlds? Can you imagine what an abomination that is to an orphan from a dead planet? [...] This world-killing stuff... it hits a nerve. It makes me furious, and the ring just fans the flame!

* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''/''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' story ''Fanfic/TheVampireOfSteel'', the lead heroines have to stop an eldritch abomination from being drawn into the human plane; later they destroy a Kryptonian turned vampire who attempts to open the Hellmouth.
* In ''ComicBook/PowerGirl'' fic ''Fanfic/AForceOfFour'', several old enemies of Superman and Wonder Woman team up to take revenge by blowing Earth up, but Power Girl and the world's heroes manage to thwart their plans.

* In self-insert fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Security}}'', Mike ''tells'' people straight-out what he's trying to do.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* So common in ''Series/{{Stargate}}'' it is even joked about:
-->'''O'Neill''': What's your time frame there?
-->'''Felger''': Uh, a day or so, then you guys can get right back to saving the world again. (laughs) For the seventh time.
-->'''Teal'c''': Eighth.
-->'''O'Neill''': What, you're counting?

* Being an epic [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] trilogy, ''Franchise/MassEffect'' uses the scaled-up version: Shepard and friends are out to save all sentient life in the galaxy.

* ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'' is notable here in that, while the first and fourth endings employ this, the second ending straight-up tells you that FailureIsTheOnlyOption, the third ending is mildly ambiguous as the world still needs saving, and the fifth ending...[[DroppedABridgeOnHim well, it's hard to tell really.]]

* Frequently the case in ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games. The trope is played straight in I - V, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII VII]], and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII VIII]] and [[InvokedTrope invoked]] in [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI VI]], [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX IX]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII XIII]] by the villains and in X by the heroes.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

-->'''Shelia:''' Vaaas, what have I told you about saving the world?\\
'''Vas:''' ''(sigh)'' "I am not to save the world or otherwise prevent its destruction during work hours."\\
'''Shelia:''' Good boy.

* ''FanFic/KingdomHeartsLinkToLife'': Well, worlds. However, they're actually all little worlds that were broken off from one world, so technically that's still one world.... My head hurts.

* The ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' sisters save the earth on a number of occasions.

* The ''ShinMegamiTensei'' games twist this around: the world is [[AfterTheEnd already destroyed]], and you get to "save" it by choosing how the pieces are put back together.

--> '''Shelia:''' Vaaas, what have I told you about saving the world?
--> '''Vas:''' ''(sigh)'' "I am not to save the world or otherwise prevent its destruction during work hours."
--> '''Shelia:''' Good boy.

->'''Brain:''' Come, we have work to do.
->'''Pinky:''' Oh, right, taking over the world, and all...
->'''Brain:''' No, Pinky -- tonight, we must ''save'' the world!
->'''Pinky:''' Egad, Brain -- ''save'' the world?!
->'''Brain:''' YES! So it is available to take over ''tomorrow'' night.

* ''Franchise/JakAndDaxter'': Jak does this every game. Not that he ever gets a "thank you" lasting more than 30 seconds into the next game...

** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII FFVII]] actually deconstructed this, [[DeconstructorFleet as it did with many other JRPG tropes.]] The line gets thrown around a lot, used to justify terrorist acts (Barret), Rally people to a cause you can't really explain (Cloud), or even just an excuse because you got nothing else to do (Cid). Indeed, it almost becomes an excuse; an easy answer that people use because they don't want to admit to their real reasons, or can't explain. In the End, Cloud breaks RPG tradition and admits that the reason he's going after BigBad Sephiroth isn't due to some higher cause. For him it's a [[ItsPersonal Personal matter]], a fight that was started years ago that he intends to finish. Saving the Planet just happens to be a part of that.

While villains love to TakeOverTheWorld or cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, the {{heroes}} are most likely motivated by the polar opposite, [[TitleDrop Saving The World]]. A fairly simple plot/motivation related to ForGreatJustice and what not, this trope is pretty broad and ''very'' common for many stories not focused on character interaction only.

* ''StarOcean''. All of them. ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' and ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'' replace "world" with "universe".

* Every ''{{Wild ARMs}}'' game.

* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''/''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' story ''Fanfic/TheVampireSteel'', the lead heroines have to stop an eldritch abomination from being drawn into the human plane; later they destroy a Kryptonian turned vampire who attempts to open the Hellmouth.

* Particularly galling in ''IllusionOfGaia'', where your goal is generally exploring ancient ruins and collecting mystic statues.

* ''JakAndDaxter'': Jak does this every game. Not that he ever gets a "thank you" lasting more than 30 seconds into the next game...

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]'', the EvilSorcerer Jagar Tharn has usurped the throne of the benevolent emperor Uriel Septim VII and is allowing the empire to fall apart. Naturally, you must defeat him and restore the rightful emperor to the throne.
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'', you initially start off investigating the haunting of the eponymous city by the ghost of a former king as a favor to the emperor. Naturally, this escalates until you are retrieving the key to an ancient superweapon and must decide which of several parties to give it to. One of the MultipleEndings has you activate yourself, with cataclysmic results.
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', you initially start off as an agent of the Empire investigating local superstitions. Naturally, this escalates until you are stepping up to face the BigBad PhysicalGod Dagoth Ur, who is using the power of the heart of the dead creator god to spread disease and, eventually, will use the power said heart to power a copy of the superweapon mentioned above.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' plays it completely straight, with the entire world of Nirn being threatened by the encroachment of Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' again plays it straight with return of the dragon Alduin, prophesied to bring about the end of the world. Naturally, you must stop him in order to save all of existence.

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': In a rare example, [[spoiler: this is the ''[[BigBad Big Bad's]]'' ultimate plan: [[WellIntentionedExtremist convert humanity's despair into energy to save the universe from heat death.]]]]

* Fry saved the earth from giant brains in ''Series/{{Futurama}}''.

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', Fry and the rest of the Planet Express crew have saved the world (and sometimes the universe) more times then they can count.

* Season 4 of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' and Season 2 of ''Series/{{The Flash}}'' involve saving the earth.

* ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'' averts this entirely, as there is no threat to the world whatsoever. ''VideoGame/UltimaVIII'' kind of subverts it, as you wind up doing a great deal of damage to one world in order to have the opportunity to try to save another. The rest of the main ''Franchise/{{Ultima}}s'' play this trope to varying degrees of straight.

* Most of the ''{{Pokemon}}'' films. And in the ''Diamond'', ''Pearl'', and ''Platnium'' games, replace "the world" with "all existence".

Most of the time, this is the result of TheCall, or occasionally may be someone who JumpedAtTheCall and is just trying to be able to do this. Note, this doesn't always ''happen'' and it's entirely possible for [[TheBadGuyWins the bad guy to win]] and the Earth to be destroyed. Sometimes, the villain will actually help with this goal, [[EvilVersusOblivion as what's the point in taking over a pile of rubble after all]]? (Especially if it's NotMeThisTime.)

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Stated right at the beginning of the BraggingThemeTune: "I'm your basic average girl, and I'm here to save the world"

* One of the (many) notable aspects of ''PlanescapeTorment'' was that the plot had nothing to do with saving ''anything'', be it city, world, plane etc. Rather, your main quest involved an amnesiac immortal trying to figure out who he is, who took his mortality, and eventually ''die''.