History Main / TheDragalong

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants'': Squidward Tentacles. He makes it quite clear that he couldn’t care less about [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, and that he just wants to be left alone at his house. However, there always seem to be certain circumstances that make him go on their adventures anyway.

* [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants SpongeBob Squarepants]]: Squidward Tentacles. He makes it quite clear that he couldn’t care less about [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, and that he just wants to be left alone at his house. However, there always seem to be certain circumstances that make him go on their adventures anyway.

* [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants SpongeBob Squarepants]]: Squidward Tentacles. He makes it quite clear that he couldn’t care less about [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, and that he just wants to be left alone at his house. However, there always seem to be certain circumstances that make him go on their adventures anyway.

* Boober in ''Series/FraggleRock'' is perpetually this or a SourSupporter, or both. However, in an episode where he and Red [[spoiler: get trapped under a rock slide and believe they are going to die, he confesses that he secretly has enjoyed all of the Fraggles' adventures, despite having been a reluctant coward about them all when they were happening]].

* [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants SpongeBob SquarePants]]: Squidward Tentacles. He makes it quite clear that he couldn’t care less about [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, and that he just wants to be left alone at his house. However, there always seem to be certain circumstances that make him go on their adventures anyway.

Compare RefusalOfTheCall, CowardlySidekick, CowardlyLion, GrumpyBear, IJustWantToBeNormal, DraggedByTheCollar.

** During the Peter Davison (5th) Doctor era, this became Tegan Jovanka's defining character trait, likely due to {{flanderization}}, and [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters too many characters]] on the TARDIS at the time.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'': [[TeamPet Iggy]] doesn't want to be with the heroes, yet he's dragged off to risk his life fighting DIO and the Stand users working for him, and he frequently annoys his teammates with his hostility. The only reason he sticks around is because Avdol defeated him in a fight, and he's bribed with [[TrademarkFavoriteFood coffee-flavored gum]] into joining their group. Though [[HiddenHeartOfGold underneath all the grumpiness, he does have a good heart.]]

** Craig in "Pandemic" and "Pandemic 2: The Startling". Somewhat of a parody since [[RefusalOfTheCall it was his own adventure he didn't want to go on]], and he fulfilled an ancient prophecy while actively trying to have nothing to do with it.

** Craig in exactly one episode. Somewhat of a parody since it was his own adventure he didn't want to go on, and he fulfilled an ancient prophecy while actively trying to have nothing to do with it.

* ''FinalFantasyIX'': Captain Adelbert Steiner views his first and greatest duty to safely return Princess Garnet to Alexandria Castle, with seeing Zidane punished for his kidnapping of Garnet as a strong second place. Garnet and Zidane are desperate to get to Lindblum instead. Eventually, Steiner learns to see his duty as supporting the princess' goals rather than keeping her locked up and becomes fully heroic.

* Likewise for [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy and Scooby]], who self-identify themselves as being chicken, and, as a result, always end up in the middle of a ghost story gone wrong (often being the main ones to find the [[strike:Guy In A Mask]] MonsterOfTheWeek while exploring), and have to be coerced with [[FoodAsBribe promises of Scooby Snacks]]. This gets played with in later installments of the franchise where Shaggy and Scooby know they're [[GenreSavvy know they're going to be dragged into doing it anyway]], so they exaggerate their cowardice because it means they get free food.

* Eric in ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' also fell into this role, sort of. Only he had even less choice because he'd been thrust into this psychotic fantasy world and going along was the only way to get out.

[[quoteright:225:[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mario_drags_luigi_8741.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:225:[[VisualPun Not always this literal.]]]]

* Chisame of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' frequently acted like this for a while after she found out about the magic world. Then it got subverted, as she successfully escapes the weirdness only to realize that her life was now incredibly boring. So she heads right back into the weird stuff.

* ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}''

* The Drummer in ''Comicbook/{{Planetary}}'' is this occasionally, likely because his [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway information-gathering powers]] aren't the most useful in a fight.

* In ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'', Joy literally has to drag Sadness across the floor, because Sadness is too depressed to move.

* Likewise for [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Shaggy and Scooby]], who self-identify themselves as being chicken, and, as a result, always end up in the middle of a ghost story gone wrong (often being the main ones to find the [[strike:Guy In A Mask]] MonsterOfTheWeek while exploring), and have to be coerced with promises of Scooby Snacks.

* Rincewind from ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''. In pretty much every book he's in, he's always forced into adventure without any say on his part. The exception is ''Discworld/TheLastHero'', where he doesn't want to go, but [[GenreSavvy knows he'll end up going somehow]], so "un-volunteers". [[spoiler:After this book, he is rarely brought into other adventures]].

* Ship Leesoo from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' gets dragged along by Anak and Hatsu quite a bit, especially when they engage in their {{Indy Ploy}}s. He is even ''physically'' dragged along at one point, which considering Hatsu and Anak once considered him to be TheLoad, shows they really do... kinda respect him... Kinda.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'', Mugman understood the dangers of taking the Devil's gamble, but Cuphead was blinded his own greed when the Devil offered all the loot in his casino, he took the gamble and lost. Now Mugman has to be a debt collector alongside Cuphead on the Devil's behalf, though Mugman was willing to gamble in the Devil's casino at first, only stopping upon realizing the dangers of taking the Devil's gamble, but it was too late by that time.

* Luigi in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games, part of the general move toward cowardliness he's been going on since ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', as part of his DivergentCharacterEvolution. Also a HandWave explanation for his absence in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''.

Contrast TheTeamWannabe but do not confuse with the TagalongKid. Also not to be confused with DraggedIntoDrag.

A variation on TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong and IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam. Most Drag-Alongs are also {{Butt Monkey}}s or [[TheChewToy Chew Toys]], which may justify their reluctance. In the event the group gets into trouble, he'll be the victim of GuiltByAssociationGag no matter how many times he protests he DidntWantAnAdventure.