History Main / TheLoad

** The Golden Age Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel, not the android) was part this, with a heaping dollop of comic relief. She was tough enough to at least hold her own in a fight against non-super-powered thugs, though.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the Pizza Planet Aliens are not a liability, but they have to rely completely on the other toys to save their lives (for which [[RunningGag they are]] [[IOweYouMyLife eternally grateful]]). [[spoiler:{{Inverted}} in the incinerator scene, in which [[BigDamnHeroes the Aliens]] [[DeusExMachina save all of the toys via]] ''[[BrickJoke the claw]]''.]]

* Russell in ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'' at first seems to fit this category: he loses his Wilderness Explorer GPS, literally acts as a deadweight while Carl is towing the house, cannot put up his tent, and reveals to Muntz that he and Carl have met "the Monster of Paradise Falls" (i.e. Kevin the Bird). However, he eventually [[TookALevelInBadass takes a level in badass]].

* This is recognized in the world of business by "The Peter Principle", where skilled employees are promoted through the ranks eventually to management -- where they are no longer doing what they are qualified to do and thus no longer competent in their jobs, making them The Load.
* And expanded upon using "The Dilbert Principle" by the cartoonist Scott Adams in his book of the same name. The principle states that incompetent employees are promoted to middle management where they will safely become The Load instead of remaining in their former positions where they could do actual damage to the company as TheMillstone. Another name for this phenomenon is being KickedUpstairs.
** Expanded further in "The Way of the Weasel" where it's explained that incompetent employees that cannot be fired tend to be moved where they will do the least damage: management.

* In ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'', Cara Scholte becomes this for Maxie Dasai. The latter has to literally pull Cara around for a good half a day and was prevented from fleeing from a dangerous encounter with Adam Reeves in concern for her companion's well-being. Sure, Cara was catatonic at the time, [[RapeAsDrama but given the outcome of the fight...]]

* Chou in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'' thinks that she is becoming The Load for Team Kimba due to her complete lack of powers when not doing what the Tao wants, which has lead to serious injury for her in some battles. [[spoiler: Not wanting to be this trope any more is the cover story for her leaving Team Kimba during the spring term.]]

* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Kiki is by far the most useless character in a fight, and her tendency to play with anything shiny has often put the characters in danger from explosions, dimensional portals, and radiation poisoning. However, because she is TheDitz, the GenkiGirl, and the TeamPet, most readers love her anyway. To be fair, it's not Kiki's fault that only Bun-Bun has figured out how to utilize (read: weaponize, using a pixie stick and a cardboard tube) her.

* Iki of ''Webcomic/OffWhite'' is a BigEater wolf that is bad at hunting, is clumsy, and slow. If he was not part of a pack, he would have died by now.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Nepeta is an EnsembleDarkhorse, but her sole achievements in the five thousand page comic were to be Aradia's server player, serve as Equius's MoralityPet, and scar [[spoiler:Gamzee's]] face. Eridan was either this or TheMillstone, since he doesn't seem to have done ''anything'' constructive. Among the Pre-Scratch trolls, Kankri a) never realised his Seer of Blood powers, b) is a passive class with an Aspect that has never been described in any detail, and c) when shown onscreen, does nothing except deliver trillion-word sermons that manage to passive-aggressively insult everyone they are directed at, so they could probably have done without him entirely [[TheFriendNobodyLikes and would quite happily have done so]].

* Russell in ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'' at first seems to fit this category: he loses his Wilderness Explorer GPS, literally acts as a deadweight while Carl is towing the house, cannot put up his tent, and reveals to Muntz that he and Carl have met "the Monster of Paradise Falls" (i.e. Kevin the Bird). However, he eventually [[TookALevelInBadass takes a level in badass]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the Pizza Planet Aliens are not a liability, but they have to rely completely on the other toys to save their lives (for which [[RunningGag they are]] [[IOweYouMyLife eternally grateful]]). [[spoiler:{{Inverted}} in the incinerator scene, in which [[BigDamnHeroes the Aliens]] [[DeusExMachina save all of the toys via]] ''[[BrickJoke the claw]]''.]]
** In the pilot movie for BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand, the Aliens are shown to be loyal and competent engineers under normal circumstances. But once the artifact that powers their species' HiveMind is stolen, they can hardly function.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan''
** Aunt May is such a load in sixties comics, it's frankly bizarre. This isn't helped by her tendency of referring to "that awful Spider-Man," and her belief that Otto Octavius is a polite and charming man -- while he's holding her hostage and Peter is trying to rescue her. Aunt May is a bit different from the usual instances. She isn't insisting on following Spider-Man around, for ex, or trying to hang out with him. She's a Load, but she's ''Peter's'' Load, not Spider-Man's -- and with the number of times Peter's had move back in with her, he's probably Aunt May's Load too. She's such a Load that everyone worries about her well-being when her nephew is a superhero... but not because she's so ridiculously old. And then... then there was OneMoreDay. Aunt May became such a Load that Peter Parker lost his marriage in a literal DealWithTheDevil just to keep her from dying ([[IdiotHero thanks to circumstances Peter brought upon her himself]]). In a subsequent storyline, she unknowingly dates a supervillain, but [[TheChrisCarterEffect nothing could have ever come out of it]] because we had already seen reality itself get altered for the sake of her not dying.
** Sally Avril, prominently featured in ''Comicbook/UntoldTalesOfSpiderMan''. Heady with the idea of being a super-hero, she created a blue-and-white costume, called herself [=BlueBird=], and tried to help Spider-Man with an arsenal of egg-themed gadgets. Unfortunately, her inexperience and malfunctioning eggs caused her to be such a burden that Spider-Man even allowed one villain to hurt her quite badly in an attempt to dissuade her.
* Rick Jones from ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''. What could be more useful to some of the most skilled and powerful super heroes in the Marvel Universe than some kid with a motorcycle following them around? Not to mention that he's apparently responsible for Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk. The only reason he's around is because he's one of the only people capable of calming the Hulk down as his friend.\\\
PeterDavid eventually subverted this in his ''Incredible Hulk'' and ''[[{{CaptainMar-Vell}} Captain Marvel]]'' series by showing that Rick had spent [[GenreSavvy so much time hanging around superheroes]], he'd actually picked up enough general knowledge, including extensive combat training during the time he insisted on being CaptainAmerica's sidekick, Bucky, to be able to handle himself in almost any situation (like, say, [[CrazyPrepared carrying around a parachute in case he's suddenly stuck on an exploding spaceship]]).\\\
Another instance was when two big strong tough guys tried to mess with Rick, only to discover that hanging out with the people he had, and his general experience, made him a ''very'' competent hand-to-hand fighter against other normals, he trashed them without much effort. By the standards of "normals", Rick Jones is not someone you want mad at you.
* Mary West, the mother of [[TheFlash Wally West]], became a particularly notable Load during his early years as the Flash. What are her Load bonafides? Start with the fact that she treats her twenty-something son (with ''years'' of superheroing experience) like a fourteen-year-old. This leads her to beg Wally ''not'' to help people, and basically act unwilling to let Wally out the door at all. She also behaves like a shrill banshee regarding Wally's girlfriends, calling them gold-diggers - even when Wally is dirt poor! She manages to get herself into various dangers due to her own wanderlusts, and she also blindly sets up several dangerous situations by telephoning the villains and giving up important information because "they seemed nice". Readers undoubtedly cheered when [[PutOnABus she married a European secret agent]]; you can have her, buddy.
* Tin of the ''MetalMen'' is a very fragile guy (what with the metal he was made out of and all), yet he [[{{Determinator}} does his damndest]] [[GenreSavvy to prove he does not fall under this trope]], with [[http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2007/04/greatest-hero-of-silver-age.html little success]]. Tin isn't so much a Load as a kind of ablative armor for the team and comic in general. Need to show someone's a serious threat but not damage anyone that actually has useful abilities? Let Tin take one for the team -- he's not strong, tough, or fast, but he's very brave.

* In ''Fanfic/GodsOfThisNewWorld'' Matt is this to Mello and Near--he spends all his time eating their food and playing video games rather than plotting with them on how to take out Kira.

** Quite frequently, the Vice President is chosen by his party to [[KickedUpstairs move him out of a more valuable office]] because the VP position is so powerless. In one [[TheodoreRoosevelt particular case,]] this [[ReassignmentBackfire backfired]] ''spectacularly,'' at least for the party. (It worked out pretty well for the country.) Most of the time, when the VP becomes the UnexpectedSuccessor, [[UsefulNotes/JohnTyler he proves]] [[UsefulNotes/MillardFillmore competent if]] [[ChesterAArthur not really]] [[GeraldFord noteworthy.]]

** Quite frequently, the Vice President is chosen by his party to [[KickedUpstairs move him out of a more valuable office]] because the VP position is so powerless. In one [[TheodoreRoosevelt particular case,]] this [[ReassignmentBackfire backfired]] ''spectacularly,'' at least for the party. (It worked out pretty well for the country.) Most of the time, when the VP becomes the UnexpectedSuccessor, [[UsefulNotes/JohnTyler he proves]] [[MillardFillmore competent if]] [[ChesterAArthur not really]] [[GeraldFord noteworthy.]]
* Germany has been plagued by this in both World Wars. In UsefulNotes/WorldWarI they had to prop up their useless ally Austria-Hungary; in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII it was their useless ally Italy.
** And there's France in both of these wars, especially World War II - the French are often portrayed as incompetent, cowardly buffoons who couldn't do anything without British and American help. In fact there's a whole trope about it: CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys. But as noted on that page, the truth is a bit more complicated (and this applies to the Austria-Hungary and Italy examples above, too).

'''Ben:''' Great. Just great. Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence.
-->-- ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead''

** Quite frequently, the Vice President is chosen by his party to [[KickedUpstairs move him out of a more valuable office]] because the VP position is so powerless. In one [[TheodoreRoosevelt particular case,]] this [[ReassignmentBackfire backfired]] ''spectacularly,'' at least for the party. (It worked out pretty well for the country.) Most of the time, when the VP becomes the UnexpectedSuccessor, [[JohnTyler he proves]] [[MillardFillmore competent if]] [[ChesterAArthur not really]] [[GeraldFord noteworthy.]]
* Germany has been plagued by this in both World Wars. In [[WorldWarOne World War I]] they had to prop up their useless ally Austria-Hungary, in [[WorldWarTwo World War II]] it was their useless ally Italy.

** Sally Avril, prominently featured in ''UntoldTalesOfSpiderMan''. Heady with the idea of being a super-hero, she created a blue-and-white costume, called herself [=BlueBird=], and tried to help Spider-Man with an arsenal of egg-themed gadgets. Unfortunately, her inexperience and malfunctioning eggs caused her to be such a burden that Spider-Man even allowed one villain to hurt her quite badly in an attempt to dissuade her.

** Aunt May is such a load in sixties comics, it's frankly bizarre. This isn't helped by her tendency of referring to "that awful Spider-Man," and her belief that Otto Octavius is a polite and charming man -- while he's holding her hostage and Peter is trying to rescue her. Aunt May is a bit difference from the usual instances. She isn't insisting on following Spider-Man around, for ex, or trying to hang out with him. She's a Load, but she's ''Peter's'' Load, not Spider-Man's -- and with the number of times Peter's had move back in with her, he's probably Aunt May's Load too. She's such a Load that everyone worries about her well-being when her nephew is a superhero... but not because she's so ridiculously old. And then... then there was OneMoreDay. Aunt May became such a Load that Peter Parker lost his marriage in a literal DealWithTheDevil just to keep her from dying ([[IdiotHero thanks to circumstances Peter brought upon her himself]]). In a subsequent storyline, she unknowingly dates a supervillain, but [[TheChrisCarterEffect nothing could have ever come out of it]] because we had already seen reality itself get altered for the sake of her not dying.

* The main point of view character of ''VisualNovel/Hakuoki'' is Chizuru, a young woman who becomes closely involved with the {{Shinsengumi}} during the end of the Edo period. Given the time period, it's no surprise that Chizuru has very little fighting ability; throughout the action of the VN she frets constantly over how much of a burden protecting her places on them and how little she can do to help them, especially once the Boshin War breaks out and the Shinsengumi have to leave Kyoto.

The Load must be played carefully, lest they become TheScrappy. If they must be protected, or come along despite lacking any useful skill, there should be a good reason for it, and not just as interaction, or perhaps they were not invited to the battle but brought themselves along. If a character who was once clearly the Load starts upstaging the characters who are competant or powerful, they are even more likely to be hated.

->'''[[TropeCodifier Ben]]:''' How am I ''not'' supposed to take offence to that? What am I, a liability?\\

->'''Ben:''' How am I ''not'' supposed to take offence to that? What am I, a liability?\\
'''Lee:''' ...\\

Closely related to the DamselScrappy, NonActionGuy, TheTeamNormal (if this character is the load because of a lack of powers). Can lead to a LiveActionEscortMission, BadlyBatteredBabysitter, or similar. Might result from a StoryBreakerTeamUp where one of the members is out of their league. The character may be a LivingMacGuffin or ThePresidentsDaughter.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', the Pizza Planet Aliens are not a liability, but they have to rely completely on the other toys to save their lives (for which [[RunningGag they are]] [[IOweYouMyLife eternally grateful]]). [[spoiler:{{Inverted}} brilliantly in the incinerator scene, in which [[BigDamnHeroes the Aliens]] [[DeusExMachina save all of the toys via]] ''[[BrickJoke the claw]]''.]]

* Tin of the ''MetalMen'' is a very fragile guy (what with the metal he was made out of and all), yet he [[{{Determinator}} does his damndest]] [[GenreSavvy to prove he does not fall under this trope]], with [[http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2007/04/greatest-hero-of-silver-age.html little success]]. Tin isn't so much a Load as a kind of ablative armor for the team and comic in general. Need to show someone's a serious threat but not damage anyone that actually has useful abilities? Let Tin TakeOneForTheTeam. (He's a robot, Doc can always rebuild him.)

* The American Vice President will more than often be seen as this. Usually if they were competent enough, they would have gotten the nomination. It helps that they have very little power

* TheLoad/FilmsLiveAction

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/BlackCat''
** Played straight in the Anime. The load in question is Eve, a TykeBomb the heroes rescue in one of the first arcs [[TagAlongKid and who travels around with them for the rest of the series.]] While [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome she had her moments]] every now and then, anime Eve's main purpose was to be a DistressedDamsel for Sven and Train to rescue every second or third episode and almost never did anything really useful.
** In the manga version, Eve started out the same way, but after the first time she froze up in combat she became ''determined'' not to be this trope and started frantically [[TookALevelInBadass Level Grinding in Badass]] in an attempt to make herself useful. [[LittleMissBadass It worked]]. [[CuteBruiser It worked very well]], and the trope was happily averted.
* Played straight and averted with Kodaka in ''LightNovel/BokuWaTomodachiGaSukunai''. Played straight during the gaming sessions in episodes 2 and 5. To be fair, he's still relatively new to the game (as opposed to Sena and Yozora, who both are familiar with it), and in the case of episode 5, he was playing a game where his character didn't even have any abilities, compared to the girls, who all had some kind of role or abilties for the group. Averted in real life situations, where he actually does do things and is essentially the linchpin to keeping the group together during said sessions.
* Haruto Sakuraba of ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' starts off as a totally useless member of the Ojo White Knights, and his friend Shin Seijuro, the team's ace responsible for pretty much all of the team's victories, admits that Sakuraba really doesn't contribute anything. Painfully aware that the team could do without him, Sakuraba gets an ImportantHaircut and TakesALevelInBadass after one summer of training, shedding his status as The Load.
* ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' has Italy. The only thing he contributes is good food and white flags to surrender with. Otherwise, he eats, sleeps and on occasion makes strange noises, all to Germany's dismay.
* Mia Koji and Yulie from ''Anime/RoninWarriors'' are probably the definitive examples of this trope. Yes, they were both incredibly useful (and became even more so once they acquired an artifact that protected them against bad guys and had taken [[TookALevelInBadass some levels in Badass.]]) But just their being mundane humans trying to actively participate in a battle where all of the other participants are wearing superpowered armor was enough to make them this trope (especially with the amount of effort the heroes had to take in order to keep them alive. If Mia and Yulie ''had'' been useless, the heroes could have just sent them away to safety and could have let loose on the villains as they saw fit.)
* ''Manga/OnePiece''
** A major theme as the story progress is that the more human characters of the crew (mostly Usopp) gets concerned about becoming The Load, in a LampshadeHanging of CantCatchUp.
** Luffy recently became the load during the Paramount War Saga with everyone constantly having to save him from the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Vice Admirals, and Admirals who were way out of his league.
** Princess Shirahoshi is a load who, strangely, carries Luffy. [[spoiler:Averted when her abilities prove instrumental to saving Fishman island. She couldn't help being a large target for the BigBadDuumvirate, but her power to control sea kings saved a lot of lives once the Straw Hats took care of the bad guys.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''
** Sakura Haruno is a Sasuke-only version. In the very beginning she worried she was becoming this but TookALevelInBadass in Part 2. However, her only major fight in the beginning against Sasori; she hasn't had a major fight since then. But Sakura ''has'' done some crucial things. In the war, for example, she's the one who figured out how that the Zetsu have been infiltrating the alliance by disguising themselves. And several prominent side characters such as Hinata, Kankuro, Kakashi, etc. would've been dead if not for her (even Naruto would've been worse for wear had she not healed him after his four tailed transformation ''and'' after he used the Rasenshuriken for the first time), not to mention all the help she did when Pain was attacking. Really, it's only when Sasuke is involved that she fits this trope (and even then she ''tries''...just has a hard time succeeding because of her feelings). Even if she isn't the best in all areas of her skill, she still does a lot of good onscreen with them and has received nothing but praise. And in chapter 573, despite what she said before about believing only Naruto can save Sasuke, she promises not to let him fight alone. [[HateDumb (Despite this, an unsettling number of Westerners see her as this trope.)]]
** Karin was a subversion at first. Despite having little combat skill she was treated as Sasuke's most valuable member (mainly thanks to her sensing and healing ability as well as logical skills). This changed in the fight with Danzo where, after being captured, Sasuke sees her squarely as this and tries to off her. (Emphasis on "Sasuke sees her as this". The general conscious within the fandom is: offing your only medic? [[WhatAnIdiot Yeah,]] ''[[WhatAnIdiot really]]'' [[WhatAnIdiot stupid idea...)]].
* Kyousuke Kawachi spends much of his time in ''Manga/YakitateJapan'', playing the role of The Load, since he has less baking talent than the other characters. By the end of the series, Kawachi has realized his incompetence has largely excused himself from the final tournament arc. This realization is a bit depressing because he actually had an epiphany about being a load in the last arc. He went on to win a pivotal battle with sheer willpower and hard work. This apparently was not enough.\\\
Even worse, at one point he'd undergone a grueling TrainingFromHell session to allegedly put him on par with the main character, and challenges him to a baking duel. Sadly, the series decided to end the battle with a gag that meant that Kawaichi didn't even get a chance to have his bread judged. Kawaichi just can't catch a break.
* Christmas from ''Anime/KurauPhantomMemory'' forms quite a burden for Kurau, despite being her long-awaited pair -- that is, until she finally [[spoiler:appears to be able to use Rynax-powers herself]].
* Some readers regard [[NonActionGuy Raki]] from ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' as a heartwarming Morality Pet, others deride him as a loathsome [[TheScrappy irritant]]; however '''Everyone''' agrees that the best thing he can do when he and Clare stumble across a Yoma or psychotic high-end Claymore is run away '''''[=QUICKLY=]'''''. Clare's companions for her first Awakened One hunt actually mock her for keeping him around (complete with hints of him being her "plaything").
* Rose from the anime ''Anime/RedGarden'' is usually seen cowering in a corner during a fight, screeching her head off. Occasionally she'll try to join in the group's efforts, but only when the opponent is busy grappling with one of the others. Even the slightly precious fashionista, Rachel, [[PluckyGirl gets better results]], and she has no qualms about telling Rose how useless she is in a later episode.
* Azmaria in the anime version of ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' starts out as TheChick, but devolves into The Load. She was never a real combatant to begin with, but [[spoiler:her Apostle wings and healing powers stop working near the end of the story, and she does absolutely nothing in the final battle against Aion.]]
* Shippo from ''Manga/InuYasha'' is the most useless member of Inu-Yasha and Kagome's group as he has virtually no fighting skills, often has to be rescued, and whines a lot. Occasionally he will try to fight, but the best he has ever done in a battle is using his illusion powers to momentarily distract an enemy. As the series goes on, Shippo's abilities become more and more useful. Even against other Kitsune his own age, he stands out and in his first test, he obtains a high rank.
* ''Manga/InitialD'' has Iketani and Itsuki as The Load in the sense they will never beat almost anyone in a race. Ever. Takumi came around to help them out for a bit but after he left, they were back to being a weak team.
* Rui from ''Anime/TelepathyShoujoRan'' arguably qualifies. Sure, he is supposed to have the ability to reduce and amplify psychic powers, but that hardly ever comes into play. Most of the time he acts as a male {{damsel in distress}} and has to get saved by Ran and Midori numerous times. Worse, he even gets in the way of the {{romantic two girl friendship}} dynamic between the two female leads -- and his personality is pretty bland to boot. He redeems himself somewhat in later episodes, but not by much.
* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''
** When a small handful of non-magically trained, [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent ordinary]] students enter the [[MagicalLand Magic World]] without main lead and teacher Negi knowing, he spends most of the TrappedInAnotherWorld arc distressed about their safety. [[spoiler: Thankfully, they all end up making pactios with Negi by the end of the arc, meaning that while they still can't fight on the front lines, they can at least play a decent support role.]]
** In the early Library Island arc, when some of Negi's students dragged him to [[GreatBigLibraryOfEverything Library Island]] to find a magic book to help them pass their finals, the usually powerful Negi becomes The Load because he [[AlwaysNeedWhatYouGaveUp sealed his magic]] to avoid the temptation to fix their grades.
* ''Manga/DragonBall''
** Oolong in the first story arc. He contributes only the bare minimum to the group with his already-limited transformation power and spends most of the time either complaining or trying to run away. He finally shows his worth when he stops the BigBad from taking over the world, though.
** In ''Dragon Ball Z'', [[OvershadowedByAwesome Kuririn/Krillin]] became a horrendous Load, since he, while [[EarthShatteringKaboom apocalyptically]] powerful in his own right, couldn't possibly hope to keep up with the villains and the Saiyans, who kept [[TookALevelInBadass leveling up]] to comical extremes every time a new BigBad showed up. Eventually, it got to the point where Krillin's only purpose was to carry the [[HealThyself Senzu beans]]. To be fair, Krillin did contribute early on -- he defeated most of the saibamen, came VERY close to killing Nappa and Vegeta, and played a vital role in slowing the bad guys down on Namek (even managing to slice off a part of Frieza's tail with his destructo disc, saving Gohan's life in the process). Also, EVERYONE who wasn't Goku or Vegeta eventually became this.
** Yamcha is even worse. He never got to really do much of anything, aside from getting blown away by a Saibaman.
* Ruby Crescent in ''Manga/SixSixSixSatan'' apparently was one of these, until [[spoiler:that was revealed that she was a Recipe, too.]]
* ''Anime/KiddyGrade'': Mrs. Padushka. The first time she appears, Éclair and Mrs. Padushka are supposed to escort some classified materials. Mrs. Padushka is both clumsy and anxious, and has little or no bluffing ability.
* Yaya Yuiki of ''Manga/ShugoChara'' is often this. It could even be argued that it's somewhat intentional on Yaya's part, since her "would-be self" is a baby, who isn't ''expected'' to be able to do anything.
* Kyoko from ''Anime/DennouCoil'' manages to raise her [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling already very annoying presence]] by getting herself into danger throughout the series, usually by following her older sister Yasako around and/or refusing to stay put when told to do so.
* ''Manga/DGrayMan'': Lenalee Lee is this trope for 32 episodes (out of 103 total at this time) in the second half of the series, barely able to walk under her own power due to [[HeroicRROD over-exerting]] her EmpathicWeapon, and is unable to help in battle for a further 5 episodes after that. Thankfully it's temporary.
* Pacifica of ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'' is frequently afraid of [[LampshadeHanging being the load]], constantly having to be protected by her adoptive sibling bodyguards, Shannon and Raquel. [[spoiler:Fortunately, she does turn out to have useful special powers.]]
* ''Anime/{{Raideen}}'': Akira Hibiki is always surrounded by children who can be counted upon to put themselves in mortal danger every episode.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'': Hikaru Zaizen accuses [[{{Determinator}} Taka-san]] of being "Seigaku's dead weight" in the episode titled [[TitleDrop "Seigaku's Dead Weight"]].
* Matsuda sees himself as this in ''Manga/DeathNote'' and endangers himself when he tries to be more of a contributor to the investigation team. [[spoiler: Technically, it works. He was able to lead the team to the Yotsuba group. He also turns it around when Light is relying on Matsuda to be the Load who won't mess anything up for him in the endgame, and winds up being the one who saves Near's life by shooting Light.]]
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''
** Misty's Psyduck. While he does occasionally have [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass sudden bursts of competence]], in almost all of his appearances he is completely useless and often actually does more harm than good. The fact that he has a bad tendency to [[JumpedAtTheCall eagerly leap from his Pokéball]] when Misty requires another of her Pokémon, effectively ruining whatever strategy she had, does not help.
** [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling Max]] gets a lot of flak for this, too, as he's not a trainer yet and has no Pokémon. At least he gets a [[ADayInTheLimelight couple]] [[BadassNormal moments]] to earn his place, and by the end of Battle Frontier we can assume he'll start training in a couple more years.
* In the episodes of ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' involving the annual sports competitions, Chiyo frets and cries over being The Load. She assumes that since she's a ten-year-old competing against and alongside high schoolers, her lack of physical development must hold their team back to the point that her even participating is a handicap. She's right, but she's also adorable, and therefore easily forgiven. Especially since she means a guaranteed win in one event: cheerleading. The class does already have a cheerleader (Yomi), but this is one event where ''nobody'' judges against the cute ten-year-old.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Mokuba. Kaiba. All he's good for is getting kidnapped. In one memorable instance he actually managed to break himself out and alert Kaiba and Yugi to the whereabouts of the other kidnapped characters.
** Lampshaded to hell and gone in [[WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries The Abridged Series]], where he even gets a montage of all the times he's been kidnapped.
-->'''Kaiba:''' (''thinking'') Hmm. Perhaps I should consider keeping him on a leash.
* Dr. Dreks in part 2 of ''Manga/BioMeatNectar''. [[spoiler:Evolves into TheMillstone with TheReveal that he's carrying USBM spores, ''[[DiabolusExMachina as the heroes are getting away on the escape helicopter]]''.]]
* [[TheChick Fuu]] from ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo''. Some may argue that she's the one keeping the group together, but it's undeniable that she can't hold her own against serious opponents. Although this is arguably the point; if Fuu ''could'' hold her own, she'd have no need for bodyguards and there would be no show.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has an in-universe example, where the [[LaResistance Black Knights]] feel that [[MysteriousWaif C.C.]] is The Load because she just hangs around the base [[TrademarkFavoriteFood eating pizza]] and [[DeadpanSnarker snarking at people]] without doing any real work, and on top of this they believe (incorrectly) that she's only with the group because she's Zero's mistress. In truth, she's actually Lelouch's biggest benefactor, as [[SuperEmpowering the person who gave him his]] EvilEye, meaning she's indirectly responsible for Zero existing in the first place. The attitude improves in the second season, where C.C. temporarily leads the Black Knights when Zero is missing, and after his return she's much more active, even piloting her own AceCustom mecha.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has no genuine examples of this trope in the manga. However, the anime likes playing with it in {{filler}}.
** In the anime, the consequences of a filler arc ensure that Ishida actually ends up losing and regaining his powers ''twice.'' It's not that bad, really (his [[TrueCompanions friends]] are supporting him, he gets his powers back and so on).
** Orihime is this in every filler arc. Usually all she does is heal the characters after they first get destroyed by the filler villains. She'll occasionally do something else, but it's rarely anything significant. It probably says something that her most notable feat in a filler arc is healing the BigBad of the Zanpakuto Arc even after he tells her he's the villain.\\\
And not just fillers, that's almost her entire role. To make things worse, she is potentialy one of the most powerful characters as her abilities let her cut/block/heal nearly ANYTHING based on her will. However, she lacks the will to fight most characters have and thus has one of the weakest attacks, lacks the courage to stand strong so her shield is good but not great, but can heal a person reduced to dust. The biggest load moment might just be when the protagonist is fighting his hardest to rescue her, knows that her shield is too weak to block a stray attack leading him to take the shots to protect her, and then she demoralizes him by being terrified at looking at his hollow mask (which almost kills him).
** Nel's "brothers" Peshe and Dondochakka bounce in and out of this. They're not exactly the useless, bumbling idiots they appear to be, and Pesche's seemingly useless superpower saves Ishida's bacon on two occasions... but they're also not able to really do much in a fight besides getting punted around by the much stronger bad guys after inconveniencing them.
* One of the reasons why many fans have a problem with the first anime of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' is due to the fact Al was somewhat this to his brother. Completely avoided in ''[[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Brotherhood]]'' when Al is able to hold his own with the strongest homunculus, Pride, and Kimblee who had a Philosopher Stone with him. One of the main reasons Al was something of The Load in the first anime was that he was the only prominent alchemist in the series who didn't have portable alchemy circles, and could not transmute by clapping. This is avoided midway through the manga when he [[spoiler:regains his memories of the night at the Gate]] and gains the power to transmute by clapping.
* Yoriko from ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest''.
* Mr. James from ''Manga/FromEroicaWithLove'' manages to jeopardize almost any mission he participates in at least once. The first thing anyone (even his own teammates) does upon gaining custody of him is try to foist him off on some other poor sucker.
* Played straight and averted with Kai and Riku in ''Anime/BloodPlus''. At the beginning of the series, neither have much fighting skill and mostly hindered Red Shield. On many occasions, though, they gave Saya much required emotional support in order to fulfill her tasks. After the [[spoiler: [[TimeSkip destruction of Red Shield]]]], Kai trains and becomes an important part of the team, being able to fight as well as counsel those in distress.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'''s title character is a rare ''triple'' subversion. [[spoiler:Despite being the only one of the girls not to make a contract to become a MagicalGirl (though she came close in episodes 3 and 8, for different reasons). Episode 10 revealed that she did make contracts in previous timelines. However, because of all the [[BreakTheCutie horrors that]] [[AwfulTruth come with]] [[OurLichesAreDifferent being a]] [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie Magical Girl]], Madoka asked Homura to use her time travel powers to ''prevent'' her from making a contract, thus retconning all transformations. In the final timeline, however, she succeeds in making a contract... And her wish to erase all witches (past, present, and future) turns her into a being akin to a god.]] [[spoiler:She is also useful in her own way even without being a Magical Girl. At one point she saves a large group of people afflicted with H.N. Elly's Witch Kiss from committing ritual suicide (though shortly thereafter she requires saving from H.N. Elly herself).]]
* ''Strongly'' averted in ''Manga/CageOfEden''. Despite being trapped on an island with dangerous animals, no-one in Akira's group is willing to complain and slow everyone down, and they all want to contribute something. Though, as Tooru points out, because no-one is willing to complain, this nearly gets everyone killed when they attempt to climb a mountain and come down with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness altitude sickness]]. Of course, this also means that they reach the peak faster than they would if they'd stopped.
* [[TheQuietOne Takashi]] of ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' is apparently viewed as The Load, by the other members of the Host Club, due to not really doing anything. He himself is unaware of this, until episode 22.
* Pedro and Sancho, ThoseTwoGuys from ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold''. Mendoza's supposed "assistants", they're really just a pair of greedy, incompetent klutzes whose only talents are sniffing out treasure (the only thing they really care about), setting off dangerous traps before anyone can be killed by them, and giving the villains someone to shoot at other than the KidHero PowerTrio.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Jennifer Parker in the ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' Film series. Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale never had a character developement in mind for her, stating that had they planned to make a sequel to the original film, they would not have put "the girl" in the car at the end. Sure enough, less than five minutes into ''Part II'', she's sedated and pretty much spends the rest of the series that way. Her actresses aren't even given top billing in the film credits, even though those who play even smaller roles are.
* In the satirical ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', Buttercup ends up being a load. This is perhaps most exemplified by Wesley's battle with the [[RodentsOfUnusualSize ROUS]], during which she does absolutely nothing to help up to and including helping our hero get his sword. It could, in fact, be argued that Princess Buttercup is the most prominent reason the heroes get into so much trouble in the story.
* In the movie ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer'', the heroes have to spend most of their time babysitting a spoiled virgin princess who's the ''one key'' to finding a powerful artifact. She's pretty much useless in battle, gets kidnapped a lot, and the whole job winds up being a lot more trouble than it's worth. (At the end, once she was queen, she ''did'' take all those annoying {{sidekick}}s off of Conan's hands, so at least she was good for ''something''...)
* Prince Tarn from the film adaptation of ''Film/RedSonja'', who follows the heroes around, getting into trouble and then screaming for help. He could usually hold his own in a fight, though. (This ''is'' Ernie Reyes, Jr. we're talking about.) He's more of a RecklessSidekick and an ArrogantKungFuGuy than a load. You could also lump Prince Tarn into the [[RoyalBrat Royal Brat]] and LiveActionEscortMission tropes, with poor Falkon as his long-suffering, largely powerless guardian.
* Kazan in ''Film/{{Cube}}'' starts out this way. He's an autistic who is somehow able to survive in the Cube long enough to meet the other characters, especially given his knack for springing traps. Near the end it's discovered that he has a ''very'' useful skill.
* ''Film/JamesBond''
** Honey Rider in ''Film/DrNo''. Oddly enough, she isn't widely hated among ''James Bond'' fans, partly because she was the first main BondGirl, but she really is the single most superfluous Bond girl in the entire film series--yet is consistently ranked as the best, a position clearly earned solely ''because'' she's the first. The film makers were usually pretty good in making the Bond girls in the series of at least some nominal importance to the plot of each film (even if, in the case of [[Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun Mary Goodnight]], their only importance is as TheMillstone), but Honey is of no importance whatsoever. She shows up late in the film, tags along, and does nothing of any consequence. The film takes the time to give her the same backstory from the novel (Dr. No killed her father, she received all her education by reading the whole encyclopedia, she murdered her rapist, etc.) but again, none of that has any impact on the rest of the film. Of course, the fact she's The Load is also an accurate adaptation of the novel, another reason she isn't widely hated. She exists solely to be the DistressedDamsel (and even that comes across as an afterthought) and for {{Fanservice}}. The latter, Ursula Andress does very, very well, which is the third reason she isn't widely hated.
** Bibi Dahl from ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'' also qualifies. She's the only Bond Girl who offers herself to Bond, and he refuses it (since sometimes even 007 thinks "[[{{Lolicon}} that's just wrong]]").
** So does Christmas Jones from ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough''. Aside from the fact that in her first scenes, she nearly gets Bond killed and ends up inadvertently helping the villain (to be fair, she had no idea Bond was the good guy and was following protocol by reporting him), it's painfully obvious she's there just for Bond to have another Bond girl. Though she does tries to help in the later action scenes, and as [[WTHCastingAgency a nuclear scientist]], gives 007 some info.
* The [[BrattyHalfPint annoying kids]] in the ''Franchise/{{Gamera}}'' series. Yeah, he's the friend to all children, but even Gamera should be sick of saving these dim-witted kids constantly.
* ''Franchise/IndianaJones''
** In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', Willie had almost no purpose except to be distressed, to yell at Indy a lot, and to be sexy. Technically speaking, she was probably meant to be PluckyComicRelief, with {{Fanservice}} as a bonus.
-->'''Willie:''' [[MostAnnoyingSound INDEEEEEEE!!]]
** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' has Indy's dad and Marcus. The former, who despite his knowledge of the Holy Grail and the way he manages to get one enemy plane to crash, almost always winds up getting into some life-threatening trouble that requires his son to devote all his energies into saving him, and if he and his son are in a dangerous situation, he somehow ''always'' finds a way to make it worse. The latter goes from competent professor to bumbling goofball whose sole purpose in the film is to get captured and later rescued and really doesn't do anything else in the entire movie.
* Stephen from the original 1978 ''Film/DawnOfTheDead''. He appears all the more useless in contrast to Peter and Roger, the two BadAss SWAT operatives who constantly pull his ass out of the fire. Stephen does get a little better by the end of the film.
* How would you translate "The Load" in French? French movie ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283957/ Le Boulet]]'' (pictured above) gives you a hint. (It more specifically translates to "the ball-and-chain", that is the one inmates were dragging on their feet; you get the idea.)
* In ''Film/{{Fargo}}'', the killers are a team of two guys working together. One guy is a cold-blooded psychopath who really knows his stuff, and the other guy is a talkative, sex-obsessed person with a really nasty temper. Pretty much every single lead the cops get comes from the second guy, and he really doesn't contribute anything useful to their plan. Then again, the first guy tends to do stupid, plan-wrecking things like [[spoiler:killing a police officer right out in the open]] (though the second guy kind of made it necessary) and [[spoiler:shooting their hostage and meal ticket because she was making too much noise. In an abandoned cabin miles from anyone who could possibly hear her.]] [[hottip:*:The shooting of the hostage wasn't due to his fear of someone hearing her, it was because he was simply fed up with her noise, just as he became fed up with Buscemi's constant talking/whining as soon as they had the money.]] In ''Fargo'', everyone (except for the savvy pregnant police chief) is either The Load or TheMillstone.
* Both children, Lex and Tim, in the film adaptation of ''Film/JurassicPark'' fit into this trope. Throughout the movie TheHero Alan Grant continuously has to save them from danger. Lex agitates a T-Rex by flashing a flashlight in its eye, and then proceeds to choke Grant when he tries to save her from the dinosaur. Tim has to be guided out of a tree he fell in and later gets electrocuted on an electric fence after failing to climb it in time. Each of them have a shining moment though, with Tim locking a velociraptor in a freezer and Lex using her 'hacking skills' to bring power back to the park. The most noticeable moment is when Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler are trying to keep a velociraptor out of the control room by pushing against the door and the gun is out of reach of them. Ellie tries to reach it with her leg while Lex attempts to get the door locks back on using the computer. And Tim? He's jumping up and down behind Lex, punching the back of the chair and telling her "hurry, hurry hurry!"
* More Spielberg kid-stupidity is evident in Rachel and Robbie Ferrier in ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. The two kids make a grand total of zero good decisions during the course of the film.
** Rachel wants to run about a quarter mile away from her dad for some privacy for a pee-pee in a hostile alien environment. She then runs out of a relatively sheltered house to escape the alien ship's probe -- and runs out into the open -- making it even easier for the ship to snatch her. Rachel also has an inexplicable need to be carried around for the rest of the movie. She is ten years old. There is no reason for carrying a ten-year-old across the street, let alone from New York to Boston.
** Robbie slowly and calmly drives the car into a car-stealing mob... which you shouldn't do a mere one scene after being warned not to do that. Robbie wants to stay with the army and fight the ships, even though he's unarmed, and the alien ships are melting army tanks.
* This is parodied in ''Film/HotShots Part Deux'', where Rowan Atkinson plays a hostage who can't walk -- because his shoelaces are tied together. He insists that he be carried by Charlie Sheen (the hero), and berates him for jiggling too much -- while ''being shot at''! Atkinson's character goes ''firmly'' in TheScrappy territory, though, as he taunts the attackers (including shouting "You missed!" when they hit Topper, not him, in the arm), and insisting on getting a drink from [[RuleOfFunny a nearby drinking fountain]].
* In ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'', Sam himself acts very much as The Load to the rest of the Transformers. His only purpose is to have a head (and later, a sock) full of the {{Macguffin}} and to get it where it needs to go, and since that job requires him to run across a battlefield full of giant robots....
* In the movie of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', Zaphod spends the latter half of the movie somewhere between this, TheMillstone, and vaguely useful, because he's missing one of his heads. Ford actually has to drag him around in one or two scenes. Also, when they're getting shot at, he apparently thinks it's a dance party. Fortunately, Vogon soldiers make even the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy look good by comparison.
* Although Merry Brandybuck and Peregrin "Pippin" Took redeem themselves in the second and third ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' movies, they spend almost all of the first movie acting as a double load. Bill the Pony was of much more use.
** Although they already know of the dangers of the Ringwraiths, they think nothing of building a visible-for-miles-n-miles-cooking fire on an elevated watchtower on Weathertop. It ends badly. Oddly enough this is opposite in the book, where Aragorn tells them to build a fire because the wraiths fear it.
** Pippin later knocks a skeleton of armor down a well in Moria, alerting every enemy to their presence. Even the normally unflappable Gandalf laments his being in the Fellowship at this. This of course is the same Gandalf who said that even ''Gollum'' might have some purpose to serve.
-->'''Gandalf:''' Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!
** Pippin is by far the worst offender, and even Merry comments on this. The final straw is what shocks Pippin enough to stop being The Load. Unfortunately it takes the great flaming eye of Sauron himself, piercing right into Pippin's soul to terrify him out of his willful idiocy and into a burning need to become useful in some way at all. Although it does not excuse him from being The Load, it is realistic in Pippin's case. In the book series he is still the Hobbit equivilant of a teenager when he volunteers for the quest. While Elrond didn't really want Merry OR Pippin going on the journey, he especially named Pippin as being a bad idea.
** Frodo himself is basically a load, moreso later in the series as the ring starts to take hold in his mind. Though it is proof that this trope can be used well on occasion and is obviously justified by his decision to bear the CursedArtifact. Peter Jackson even has him solve the riddle of Dwarrowdelf instead of Gandalf just to give him something to contribute in the film.
** Though Merry and Pippin actually get more to do in ''The Two Towers'' film than in the book, where they actually comment that they feel like luggage being carried around by the important people.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'''
** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': Jar Jar Binks is The Load, the AlienScrappy, the MostAnnoyingSound, and probably a half-dozen other tropes all rolled into one incredibly stupid-looking package.
** Luke is The Load in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', but rather than Scrappyfication, it actually makes him more likable.
* The kid from ''Film/SixStringSamurai''. Oh how we hate the kid. All of [[Music/BuddyHolly Buddy]]'s injuries are either a direct or indirect result of the kid being stupid in some way or another.
* ''Film/{{Tremors}}''
** Earl describes all of Valentine's previous girlfriends in this fashion. "Dead weight!"
** Also applies to the obnoxious Melvin, who spends the first half of the movie crying wolf, the other half panicking and not following directions. Gloriously, the other characters half-seriously consider [[JustEatGilligan just throwing him to the worms.]]
-->[[WeNeedADistraction "Hey, Melvin! You wanna make a buck?"]]
* In ''Film/TheMolePeople'', a group of archaeologists accidentally discover an underground civilization; one of the team is an elderly Frenchman who spends most of his screen time being scared, nervous, or out of breath and often has to be dragged to safety by his two teammates. Then he gets killed, and even in death he gets the others in trouble as his corpse destroys their GodGuise ruse. The film was screened on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', and the guys constantly refer to him as The Load in a variety of creative ways.
* Interestingly, both Sarah and John Connor assume this role in the ''Film/{{Terminator}}'' and its sequel, the former initially being a relatively airheaded fast food waitress and the latter being a delinquent kid with two seconds of usefulness [[FridgeLogic cracking a safe that the Terminator could have easily ripped open with one hand]]. Of course they both TookALevelInBadass in time for their next film appearances, mostly because of [[WarIsHell the ordeals they went through]].
* In ''Film/PulpFiction'', two of the acts' conflicts are started due to Vincent's idiocy and carelessness and just about everything he accomplishes is either superfluous (it's pretty clear Jules didn't need his help) or him trying to solve a problem he's at least partially responsible for (cleaning up [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace Marvin's face]] and [[spoiler:stopping Mia from dying from snorting the heroin in his jacket]]). A good chunk of the film's conflicts could have probably been avoided had Vincent just stayed in Amsterdam.
* ''Film/{{Casino}}'': Ginger, being the crazy drug addicted ex-hustler who runs out on Sam twice to give his money to her ex-pimp boyfriend Lester Diamond. She doesn't actually become the Millstone by giving Ace up to the FBI but she does put his stress through the roof throughout the latter half of the film with her histrionics.
* Thadeous in ''Film/YourHighness''. Despite being the main character, he never really does anything of any importance (except [[spoiler:find the sword needed to kill the villain]]) and manages to get in more trouble than stopping it.
* ''Film/ResidentEvilAfterlife'': [[CelebritySurvivor Bennett is a movie producer]], and is too arrogant to understand that this means jack in a ZombieApocalypse, so [[spoiler: before he joins the BigBad]], he spends all his time bossing the others around instead of helping. Kim ''tries'' to help clear the roof so the plane can land, but he is too weak to move anything. Later, during the battle against the zombies on the roof, everyone grabs guns out of Alice's bag and fires, except for Kim, who cowers.
* Worm, the stupidly smart-mouthed gambling addict in ''Film/{{Rounders}}''. His dedication to screwing up every plan, including those meant to keep him from getting killed by TheMafiya, really is impressive.
* ''Film/{{Limitless}}'': The movie begins with Eddie is a divorced writer who suffers chronic writer’s block and is dumped by his girlfriend Lindy. Then Eddie takes [[AppliedPhlebotinum NZT-48 pills]], a revolutionary new pharmaceutical that allows him to tap his full potential... as TheMillstone.
* In the Coen Brothers' ''Film/OBrotherWhereArtThou'', Everett is a KnowNothingKnowItAll who nevertheless is able to scheme his way out of sticky situations, while Pete is much less educated and eloquent but possesses a lot of common sense. Delmar, however, while optimistic and good-natured, is a complete idiot.
* ''Film/WildWildWest''. Rita Escobar insists on going along with West and Gordon because she wants to rescue her father [[spoiler:actually her husband]] Professor Escobar. Though she does provide some vital information that helps them follow Loveless, she also activates the sleeping gas billiard ball and get them captured by Loveless.
* Chris Tucker's character in ''Film/TheFifthElement'', Ruby Rhod, is basically designed from the ground up to be The Load. He's not universally incompetent (he's a galaxy-wide media star and can seduce women with pure muttered nonsense), he's completely useless to a movie plot full of alien terrorists. It's all played for laughs to counterpoint the highly capable Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), whom he spends most of the movie calling out for and freaking out.
* Tony Fields, the titular ''Film/PumaMan'', is this. He spends most of the movie whining and complaining, leaving his HypercompetentSidekick Vadinho to do all of the heavy lifting. Granted, Tony DID do some good stuff in the end, but, as Crow pointed out when the episode was featured on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', the ''sidekick'' was the hero here.
* This was what Thorin initially thought of Bilbo in ''Film/TheHobbit'', even saying it to Bilbo's face. [[spoiler: By the end of the movie, after Bilbo saves him from Azog's mook, Thorin then declares "I've never been so wrong in all my life!"]]
* Fergie's influence on the story of ''Film/JudgeDredd'' reads like some kind of liability bingo card. He constantly gets in Dredd's way, holds him up in almost every chase sequence, trips in the middle of an access shaft of doom about to burst into flame, blows Dredd's cover when in disguise, and generally can't shut up to save his life. His one useful act in the entire movie was to disable a giant robot, which may not have even been necessary if Dredd's shotgun had anything to say about it.

[[folder:Literature]]
* OlderThanSteam: ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' has The Load in the person of Xuanzang. He's a holy Buddhist monk, who is protected by four warriors. Not only he is both unable and unwilling to defend himself so he is easily captured. Because he is is a holy man eating his flesh grants immortality so there are a lot of demons who would ''want'' to capture him.
* Ernie from the ''Literature/GreyGriffins'' book series. He's also kind of TheScrappy as well, with his nerdiness and whininess. But his dumbest move by far was when he just happened to randomly sneeze and blow out the match the heroes were using to light a dark room. Natalia was sufficiently pissed at him for it. Later on, he becomes more of a liability when he happens to end up in a coma caused by an enemy attack. [[spoiler:Later, he is revived from the coma with magic powers, making him surprisingly powerful and no longer The Load.]]
* Glew in book 5 of the ''Literature/ChroniclesOfPrydain'', when he isn't TheMillstone. The other characters are very aware of it, but keep him around because they feel sorry for him, have no way of sending him elsewhere, or want to keep an eye on him. To cap off his annoyance factor, he's constantly complaining that he's treated badly and the companions are being selfish in not thinking of his loss. He's so bad that this is actually his ''only'' saving grace in that book, when his greed leads to [[spoiler:him inadvertently collapsing the mine tunnels that the group was traveling through, forcing them to take another route and leading them to accidentally find the missing sword and win the battle.]] Of course, he does redeem himself somewhat, in that he's able to confess to his mistakes at the end.
* Kay in ''Literature/GreystoneValley'' winds up being this to an extent, since his spells get Sarah into more trouble than not. He does come in handy from time to time, albeit accidentally most of the time.
* The ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' [[labelnote:*]]HERO OF THE IMPERIUM[[/labelnote]] novel ''Caves of Ice'' gave us a marvelous acknowledged example in the form of the tech-priest Logash, whose sole contribution is to tell them a little bit about ambulls before just hanging around. Some 70% of Cain's narration about him amounts to "What an annoying man he was" and/or "The mission would have gone smoother if I had thrown him to the orks/ambulls/[[spoiler:necrons]]". However, he survived alone far better then any of the soldiers. In fact without him they wouldn't have escaped near the end, or [[spoiler:been able to blow up the facility stopping the Necrons and saving millions of lives.]]
* Eustace in ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' until the point mid-story when he has his very own {{Anvilicious}} adventure in character development. He starts the voyage as a complaining selfish prig. The "Eustace's journal" portion of the book is a scarily effective portrait of self-delusion and self-righteousness.
* Lex in the novel of ''Literature/JurassicPark''. Mostly justified as she is quite young and no matter how annoying she is, there is no way they are going to give up a little girl to vicious dinosaurs.
* Amusingly subverted in John Maddox Roberts' ''Hannibal's Children'' and ''The Seven Hills'', an AlternateHistory in which the Romans circa 100 BC [[TookALevelInBadass are even more]] {{Badass}} than in reality. Aulus Flaccus is lazy, hedonistic, and a poor fighter by Roman standards, definitely The Load -- to '''them'''. By anyone else's standards, he's a terrifying killing machine. Attacked by assassins, he kills all four with six quick sword strokes... which his friend Scipio calls two too many.
* ''Literature/{{Belgariad}}''
** Ce'Nedra. She becomes a liability to the heroes in ''Queen of Sorcery'' because after she runs away, everyone is looking for her because one, she's an Imperial Princess, and two, in the current political crisis, she's a very valuable potential hostage. She kicks up a stink about everything, treats Garion like a slave, makes it very clear to him that she thinks of him as a total inferior, and then gets pissed off that he won't totally devote himself to her. They have to leave her behind in Prolgu because she's the only one who can't defend herself at all, she treats everything as a personal insult, and despite her CrowningMomentOfAwesome in bringing in the Tolnedrans and the Arends to join the army, it's balanced when she almost gets [[spoiler:Adara]] killed by her own stupidity. In the sequel series this eventually becomes stated (by the Prophecies) as her ''official'' status: she's been messed with emotionally to the point where she can't be stashed anywhere out of the party's sight, and is there almost entirely to slow them down and prevent conclusion of the main plot until a variety of side tasks have been attended to.
** Relg the Ulgo zealot spends quite some time weighing down the party by being terrified of the open sky, having to stop for prayer breaks several times a day, and being rude and obnoxious due to spending his whole life thinking himself special and blessed by his God, only to have his self-image crushed when said God personally tells him to get off his high horse, lay off his self-made holy quest and join the protagonists as he's ''supposed to''. And as a zealot he also believes that women are out to corrupt him and that physical touch will ruin his spiritual purity. He grows out of it fairly quickly. Learning that praying on horseback is legitimate does help.
* Rita Blakemoor in ''Literature/TheStand''. A middle-aged socialite who has never known a real day of hardship in her life, she becomes The Load to [[JerkAss Larry]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Underwood]], up until the point where she [[spoiler:[=OD=]s on 'luudes and dies in her sleep]].
* Teela Brown is an innocent 20-year-old girl, part of the team that investigates the Literature/{{Ringworld}}, chosen because she was BornLucky, literally and figuratively. The other members are a 200-year-old man who has done and seen everything, a ProudWarriorRaceGuy and a StarfishAlien that's part of a system-spanning confederate. She's a liability from her sheer ignorance. [[spoiler:Even more so once her luck starts kicking in, because it's ''her'' luck. It doesn't always translate into "lucky for the team".]] In the sequel, it becomes painfully apparent that her "luck" doesn't always even mean [[spoiler:lucky for her personally; it's more "lucky for the human race in general."]]
* Bella, from ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''. She doesn't do anything remotely useful until ''Breaking Dawn'' and it's because of her bloodthirsty monsters keep showing up and attacking people in the surrounding areas. In the first book, James is attracted to her scent. In the second, so is Laurent. In the third, Victoria wants revenge for James. In the fourth, it's her hellspawn that causes the Volturi to come. Every major monster clash in all the books is a result of Bella.
* Harry Literature/{{Flashman}} spends more time as The Load than anything else. He routinely deserts his men in the face of impossible odds, collapses into an uncooperative cowardly funk when his companions are plotting impossibly dangerous escapes, fakes or exagerates injuries before impossibly dangerous battles, and can be relied on to spill the beans and betray absolutely everyone the moment he gets captured. Being the quintessential FakeUltimateHero though, he always manages to make sure nobody ever hears about his less than heroic behavior. Flashman is 110% aware and unapologetic about this. Starting with his very first campaign he makes a habit, when events start turning south for the British Army, of collecting a force of tough fighters who can spirit his Loadishness to safety when disaster strikes. This keeps him alive and able to plan for silencing/hoodwinking/disposing of his saviors to preserve his reputation when the crisis is passed.
* ''Literature/SpecialCircumstances'': Barbara's husband, who does almost nothing but complain, particularly about having to actually take care of things for himself and the rest of the family when she's away on one of her missions.
* Mommy of ''{{The Fire-Us Trilogy}}'' is a {{Hikikomori}}, which isn't a problem at first, since her job is pretty much to stay inside and take care of the little kids. However, it makes the later trip north out of Florida very difficult, and even once they figure out a way that she can bear being outside, she slows them down tremendously.
* ''Literature/LegacyOfTheDragokin'': In story that involves civil unrest, SealedEvilInACan and the clash of armies, Benji is useless in battle and has nothing to contributed outside of battle.
* Peeta ends up becoming this in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' after his leg gets injured. He's pretty much helpless, meaning Katniss has to risk her life twice as often to get food and supplies. Even after he heals enough to move around, he's a liability when Katniss fights and even when she ''hunts''--he walks so clumsily that he scares off any prey within earshot.
** He gets an undeserved bad rep for being this in ''Catching Fire'' as well. He displays these traits the first day of [[spoiler:the Quarter Quell - at the Cornucopia (because he can't swim) and when they're fleeing from the poisonous gas (because he's weak after getting severely electrocuted mere hours before).]] However the rest of the time he's either [[spoiler:fighting monkey mutts with Katniss and Finnick, carrying Beetee around the arena, creating a map of the clock, doing all he can to ensure that Katniss survives at the cost of his own life, killing Brutus who is one of their toughest competitors, or generally contributing as much as anyone else in the party.]] He was also the one who made sure himself, Katniss and Haymitch were prepared for [[spoiler:the Quell by forcing the other two to train with him, both physically and survival skills-wise, and meticulously studying their competition to find out what the other victors' strength and weaknesses were.]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In the TV series version of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'', Carl Grimes and Sophia Peletier are about as much help as you'd expect a pair of gradeschool kids with a fondness for wandering off to be in the middle of a ZombieApocalypse -- and that's in season 1. In season 2, they actually take a level in being the load; Sophia panics when she gets attacked by a pair of [[NotUsingTheZedWord walkers]] in the first episode, which is understandable, but then she leaves the safe place that Rick tells her to hide in and runs off while he's busy drawing away and killing them -- [[spoiler:this results in her death when a walker in the woods gets her,]] and directly leads to every bad thing that happens in the season. Carl gets shot while out looking for Sophia; this prompts the guilty shooter, Otis, to make a dangerous run to an infested highschool with Shane and wind up being shot to serve as live bait for the walkers. Then, after he finally gets better, he steals a gun and wanders off in a tantrum for [[spoiler:telling Sophia's grieving mother that there is no heaven]] -- when he finds a walker stuck in the mud, he taunts the thing, and then panics when it manages to escape, running back to the farm. Not only does this lead the undead monster there, he refuses to admit he saw a walker in close proximity and that it may have followed him because he's afraid of getting in trouble. This makes him the indirect cause of [[spoiler:the death of Dale, the CoolOldGuy TeamDad]] -- and earned a lot of bile from the watchers.
* ''Series/TheRifleman'' stars a BadAss ''[[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill rifle slinging]]'' [[PapaWolf rancher]]... and his son Mark. When Mark isn't directly getting into trouble himself (and forcing poor Luke to rescue his worthless ass), or ''getting his father into trouble that he has to bail'' himself ''out of'', he's probably whining about the school teacher being mean to him.
* In ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', some players are weak in challenges, lazy at camp, and have no real sense of strategy. These are usually the first tribe members to be voted out -- ''if'' the tribe is playing intelligently. But, since anything can happen in ''Survivor,'' sometimes these players make it all the way to the end of the game and even ''win. Pretending'' to be this, as Natalie White did, can protect a player against a YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness.
* Doctor Goodfellow, the resident "scientist" aboard ''Searcher'' in the second season of ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'', whose occasional contributions as MrExposition were vastly outweighed by his bumbling mannerisms, inability to control his curiosity, and an utter lack of basic self-preservation instincts. ''Searcher'' and its complement could have avoided at least half of their problems if he had been ThrownOutTheAirlock and Buck, Wilma, or Hawk had asked for a scientist with a ''brain'', instead of trying to protect someone so self-evidently TooDumbToLive.
* Plenty of ''Series/DoctorWho'' companions qualify for this trope, ''especially'' [[TheChick the female ones]], with the most well-known examples being Tegan, Susan and Peri. The new series has thankfully avoided this, making the companions useful while still being outshone by the Doctor.
** With the possible exception of Adam Mitchell, who borders on TheMillstone, especially in ''The Long Game''. Note, however, that for once the Doctor dumps him as soon as his status becomes clear. Also take note that Adam was only invited because of Rose's poor judgement of his character (plus it was strongly hinted that she invited him because he was in the Doctor's words, a "bit pretty"). The Doctor wasn't so sure, and the Doctor always chooses companions whom he knows without a doubt will rise to the occasion.
** In the post 2005 series, The Doctor makes a point of refusing to allow anyone who are too small-minded or unimaginative or fearful of the unkown to join him on his adventures because he knows they would end up being The Load or TheMillstone. In fact, [[spoiler:he nearly left Rose in the wrong timeline because she came dangerously close to being TheMillstone when she tried to alter the timeline by saving her doomed father in the episode "Father's Day".]]
** The Doctor even pre-judged certain characters as The Load like Mickey and Amy's fiancé, Rory. Until Mickey [[spoiler:spent the second half of season 2 in a parallel earth as a resistance fighter]], and Rory [[spoiler:spent two thousand years as an immortal auton guarding [[SealedGoodInACan Amy in stasis inside the Pandorica]].]] The Doctor is surprised and proud of them both for having [[TookALevelInBadass proved him wrong]].
** Just being around the Doctor seems to have a de-Loadifying effect. Jackie Tyler was pretty much The Load in her early appearances, not so much in the later ones. Just [[NoJustNoReaction don't let her try to help pilot the Tardis]].
* River Tam's "wanted" status on ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' generates conflict between the crewmembers by forcing them to avoid lucrative jobs that would involve too much oversight and poses a risk of arrest whenever they come into contact with government agents. That is, until she TookALevelInBadass for the movie. Of course, her brother and protector, Simon, acts as The Counterwieght by being a ''very'' useful doctor and occasional heist planner for the crew, of a talent the crew would not otherwise have access to, if not for the fact that he and River are on the run. Justified in that even without Simon, the crew (with the exception of Jayne) would never have the heart to dump a cripplingly insane girl with the Alliance, especially since they made her that way. It should also be noted that River's telepathy has saved the crew's ass more than once, both in the series and the movie. And, of course, she almost certainly would have continued to be progressively more helpful [[ScrewedByTheNetwork had the series gone on for more than one season.]]
* Luke, [[BigBad Sylar's]] KidSidekick on ''Series/{{Heroes}}''. "You almost got us both killed!" "[[TooDumbToLive That was]] ''[[TooDumbToLive so]]'' [[TooDumbToLive awesome!!]]"
* ''KrodMandoonAndTheFlamingSwordOfFire''
** An intentional example with [[TheSmartGuy Zezelryk]]. He's a SquishyWizard, with the caveat that he is so inept that we never have seen him actually ''performing'' FunctionalMagic, despite repeatedly trying. Because of this, he is far from one of the annoying examples of the trope, especially since he actually does come in useful once in a blue moon.
** Loquasto and Bruce are pretty useless too, though Loquasto has some usefulness as the DumbMuscle. But all three make up for it by having at least one of them be the OnlySaneMan when the rest of the group touches the IdiotBall.
** Loquasto's sense of smell and Zezelryk's potion making also occasionally come in handy [[spoiler:Plus Zezelryk now has a nifty magic item.]] Also in the season finale Bruce shows that he's a pretty competent fighter.
* ''Series/{{Lost}}''
** Charlie was The Load for the first two seasons, but came through in a big way at the end of season 3.
** A few ''characters'' have occasionally treated Hurley like The Load, but he's likable enough (and ''also'' comes through at the end of season 3) that the characterization doesn't stick.
** Daniel spent some time as The Load when he was first introduced in season 4 before he gained confidence and moved more towards a leadership role amoung the Frieghties, until midway through season 5 where he suffered a HeroicBSOD after [[spoiler:Charlotte died.]]
** And let's not forget Boone, who spent the entire first season being completely useless, then [[spoiler:getting a plane dropped on him... while inside it.]] If you need proof of just how completely worthless he was, his first appearance on the show had Jack sending him off to find a pen to perform a tracheotomy on a woman who did not need a tracheotomy.
** Shannon is even worst than Boone.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''
** The page quote above comes from the end of the episode, ''Prince of Space''. Most of the movie's action involves a group of hapless, middle-aged scientists having to be constantly rescued from Evil Alien Chicken people by the title character. Furthermore, the movie demonstrated a particular peculiarity Japanese children seem to constantly exhibit in movies like this; namely, the need to be within close proximity of the hero at all times, even or especially when he's busy fighting the Monster of the Week, and even or especially when this would put both them and the hero in incredible danger. Maybe it's the Japanese's way of trying to weed out the weak and stupid and keep the population down.
** In episode 803, ''The Mole People'', the heroes have to drag a middle-aged French scientist with them everywhere they go. He's such a liability, that [[TropeNamer Mike and the bots quickly nickname him "The Load".]] He mercifully keels over early in the film, but still manages to cause problems for the heroes later on when his body is discovered by the eponymous Mole People. (Up to that point, [[GodGuise they believed the visiting heroes were immortal gods]].)
-->"He died as he lived: A total load."
* Much, the TagalongKid from the series ''Series/RobinOfSherwood'', never accomplishes anything, fails as a lookout, and occasionally lets prisoners go. Any fight scene he's in always involves someone rescuing him, even when he gets a MagicSword. He's quite a liability for a tiny group of constantly hunted outlaws. Of course, he's also the hero's brother... at first. After Robert Huntingdon comes in, they don't even have that excuse. He eventually [[TookALevelInBadass gets (somewhat) better]]. At the beginning of the episode "Adam Bell" an entire troop of fully armed and armoured soldiers has hard time capturing Much, who has only a staff and none of his friends to help. They eventually get him, but he gives them a good run for their money. It says a lot about his Load status that "not getting captured right away" is a point in his favour.
* The new BBC series of ''Series/RobinHood'' also has one. [[TheSmurfettePrinciple For mysterious reasons]], the outlaws let village girl Kate join the gang instead of shipping her off to Kirkless Abbey like they do to all the other people they rescue. They pay dearly for their foolishness, considering they spend the greater part of the rest of the series [[DistressedDamsel rescuing her when she gets kidnapped]], caring for her when she gets injured, and having to put up with her endless moaning, nagging, whining, and criticism (all done in a delightful high-pitched screech). Throughout the course of the series she never achieves anything important or interesting. [[FauxActionGirl She's useless as a fighter]], [[InformedAttribute has no helpful skills]], [[TooDumbToLive lacks the most basic degree of common sense]], and [[JerkSue isn't even a very nice person]]. Honestly, if a team member is so useless that she needs to be '''spoon-fed''', then you need to seriously reconsider your recruiting standards.
* ''Series/StargateAtlantis''
** The scientists can't fire a gun to save their lives (literally). While certainly not worthless, [=McKay=] redeems himself when something technical has to be done. 90% of time he is the one who saves the day while everybody else just provide covering fire, distraction or just do what they are told. And will be the first to point that out.
** Special mention to Dr. Keller. On two separate occasions, Keller ends up in a dangerous situation where she's on the run from the bad guys with one of Sheppard's team (with Teyla in "Missing" and Ronon in "The Lost Tribe".) Both times she is a serious liability, being unable to fire a weapon or fight (and complaining when she has to pick up a gun to defend herself). ''And yet'', when Keller TakesALevelInBadass in later seasons and becomes at least semi-competent at defending herself, most of her haters in the fandom simply said that this just proved that she was a MarySue -- thus proving themselves to be an UnpleasableFanbase.
* Camille Wray and Chloe Armstrong from ''Series/StargateUniverse''. Their field of study are in politics, which makes them useless on an alien spaceship. On top of that Camille is a ManipulativeBitch and Chloe has a bad case of TooDumbToLive.
* A new Crime Scene Unit guy Stucky on the 08-09 season of ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' was a load to the detectives, ''shouting'' inappropriate things at crime scenes and generally annoying the hell out of the other lab tech and Stabler. All this changed in the season finale when he [[spoiler:was revealed to be a complete psychopath who planted evidence and ''killed a man'' to "help" the detectives catch a serial killer. And when that failed to impress his colleagues he killed his lab partner and almost killed Stabler. Fortunately Olivia was there to put down the deranged Scrappy.]]
* ''Series/{{Chuck}}''
** There's Chuck. At the start much of the show's humor came from demonstrating someone in so far over his head he's in danger of being crushed by the pressure. He also demonstrates erratic competence, often managing to both save the day and act as The Load in the same episode. [[TookALevelInBadass He has largely]] [[CharacterDevelopment outgrown this now]], and is actually pretty darn competent much of the time.
** Morgan becomes this when Chuck outgrows the role.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''
** Dawn. Buffy has to protect her from those that know she is the key, but Dawn gets kindapped, paralyzed, and attacked all the time, not to mention the trouble she causes by herself by inviting vampires into their house, making wishes to vengeance demons, resurrecting dead people and parking with vampires. That being said, the show makes it fairly obvious that half of this is Buffy's fault, as she [[ScreeningTheCall refuses to train her in combat]] so that she can have the normal life [[IJustWantToBeNormal Buffy never had]], yet [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne personal]] [[HeroicBSOD problems]] and [[HeroicSacrifice various]] [[ParentalAbandonment tragedies]] intervene and she ends up ignoring the poor girl more than half the time. The only way Dawn could ever get attention was [[AlwaysSaveTheGirl when she got in trouble]], so it might be that subconsciously she wanted to be in danger, [[FridgeBrilliance which might explain her lack of caution in certain situations that should have warranted it]], and certainly explains her brief stint as [[StickyFingers a kleptomaniac]] in the sixth season. Once Buffy does start training her and giving her a bit more attention, Dawn [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap stops getting kidnapped]] so much and even manages to become [[TookALevelInBadass a decent supporting fighter]]. And in the comics, she's proving quite GenreSavvy.
** Wesley was this when he first appeared on Buffy. Aside from being a not-very-effective [[TyrantTakesTheHelm tyrant]], he was inexperienced, his attempts to help the other protagonists usually just made things even worse, and the number of times he was actually useful could be counted on one hand. He got a lot better when he was moved to ''Angel'', however.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''
** Tasha Yar. Her character's complete lack of usefulness is what led Denise Crosby to leave the show near the end of the first season.
** In many ways, Deanna Troi filled this role too. She was always being possessed by aliens, abused by aliens in crashed shuttles, abducted by aliens for political gambits, being nearly forced to marry an alien, having her psychic powers robbed by aliens, suffering nightmares at the hands of aliens, forced to listen to a virtual music box in her head for days by an alien, the list goes on. Her only real use on the show was to counsel the [[RedShirt random crew member of the week]] and to tell Picard when she sensed weird things happening while on the bridge. Maybe this makes her closer to ButtMonkey. Troi did manage to TakeALevelInBadass during a two-episode arc where she was sent to spy on the Romulans... but [[PlotInducedStupidity left that level somewhere]] for the rest of the series, never to be seen again. Those episodes are the reason ADayInTheLimelight used to be named "Good Troi Episode".
* There's at least one racer per season on ''Series/TheAmazingRace'' that's completely useless on tasks, dragging down their teammate.
* Arthur from ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' contributes nothing to the household and in fact has cost the Heffernans significant amounts of money( Started fires, sold their furniture when they are away...etc) and stress (goes through personal belongings, keeps them awake at night when moved across the hall, constantly yelling and trying to force his rules on them...etc). Whenever he comes across some money like bingo winnings, he doesn't even think to offer Doug and Carrie any of it for something such as new appliances they all use and has to be more or less told to give it to them. Doug wants him out of the house for these reasons but Carrie defends Arthur, claiming he isn't that bad(which is odd, as it has been firmly established that Arthur was a terrible father).
* ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'': Harry Solomon. Although all the aliens are often TooDumbToLive, Harry is the worst. At first he seems to have no official role in the unit, until it's revealed that [[spoiler:he has a massive transmission device in his head, and to make space for it they gave him only half a brain.]] An unusual case because although he's generally useless, he's one of the most beloved and endearing characters in the show.
* Stark on ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', who gets promoted to the main cast to replace [[spoiler:Zhaan]] after [[spoiler:she]] gets KilledOffForReal. Except that, unlike [[spoiler:Zhaan]], Stark has no particularly useful skills and is generally either borderline catatonic or engaging in psychotic fits that endanger the other characters.
* ''Series/{{Merlin}}''
** Subverted with Merlin. He's the king's clumsy manservant who can't hold a sword to save his life, and yet the Knights of the Round Table all insist on bringing him along on dangerous missions. However, when the Knights turn their backs, Merlin turns out to be an extremely badass mage who has singlehandedly saved all of Camelot multiple times and is the only reason Arthur survives these dangerous missions. Problem is, magic's illegal on pain of death, so no one is aware of this except the audience.
** DependingOnTheWriter, Guinevere. On one hand, her quick mind has proven useful on several occasions, on the other, she's still a relatively small and untrained peasant girl who often winds up being a DistressedDamsel.
* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': Aaron sees himself as such which is why he abandoned his wife—he felt he was only hindering her chances for survival post-blackout. He got better.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In any party-based RPG in which you're playing as a mage, during the early levels ''you'' are The Load to your party. They have to act as targets and damage-soakers for your enemies because you go down when the wind blows too hard. They have to bash the baddies' heads in when you run out of the few pathetically low-damaging spells you can cast. They have to carry your stuff because your spine would break under the strain. And all the while, somehow everyone important insist on talking to you.
* In general, playing co-op/multiplayer games with other players who aren't contributing enough if at all, especially when said game requires the effort of every player in order to succeed. It may be excusable if a player is new to the game or the multiplayer portion of it, but some players may [[{{Griefer}} actively try to sabotage their teammates]]. Thankfully most games allow you to kick such players. This is especially so if the number of players in a team are low, but the skill levels of the players affect their roles (or negatives) by a lot. This translates to having a few player bringing important and far-reaching contributions, but there is this one person who might as well not exist (he might not be bad persay, he's just CantCatchUp to his teammates). MOBA games such as ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' and RTS such as ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', even certain breeds of FPS and action games such as ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' and ''Team Fortress'' tend to become TeethClenchedTeamwork because of this trope.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL645A94C4720C11E7 A textbook example]] of this would be Simon in the LetsPlay of ''VideoGame/{{Magicka}}'' by TotalBiscuit and LetsPlay/{{Yogscast}}. RuleOfFunny is pretty much the only reason for his continued inclusion. His regular contributions include...
** [[EverythingsWorseWithBees Summoning bees everywhere.]]
** Healing enemies just as much as allies.
** Preventing teammate revival by making it rain ''constantly.''
** Using [[MeaningfulName ARSE]] [[FanNickname Mines]] to blow himself, his teammates, and (occasionally) enemies [[RingOut clear off the map.]]
** Accidentally blocking his teammates' attacks with his entire body until he [[LudicrousGibs explodes]].
** CrossingTheStreams with his teammates' beams and [[TotalPartyKill blowing them all to Hell.]]
* Every EscortMission ever.
** Except Caiden Dunwald from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. He wants you to accompany him through what he knows damn well is a twilight ambush. He is so powerful however that ''he'' is escorting ''you.''
** [[Franchise/IndianaJones Harrison Jones]] from [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft the same game]] in one quest in Northrend is so {{Badass}} that even though you start a quest by getting him out of the cage he's locked in, he ends up escorting '''you''' out of the dungeon.
** Escort missions in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'', unfortunately, are a straight example; your escortee is always level 1 (at least in Rescue Team), they will always attack enemy Pokemon (even when said enemy Pokemon has a type advantage or can otherwise [[OneHitKill one-shot]] them), you can't edit their moveset or IQ to help them not make stupid decisions that could get them killed, and you can't give/take away/exchange items with them. Your best bet is to bring along lots of Reviver Seeds and pray that nothing too terrible happens. Also, Pokemon that you've just recruited can turn into this if you forget to turn off any unhelpful moves.
** The escort missions in Morrowind are infamous for this. They're ungodly slow and are easly killed.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''
** Eventually in the game you will probably end up doing instances or raids. There is a 99% chance that you will eventually be in a group with The Load who will constantly ignore the group's pleas to stop screwing up or [[TheMillstone grabbing aggro]] and will often need to be saved. Others will lag well behind the rest of the party in DPS (including the tanks), compromising a raid's ability to win through a more subtle vector, and will not (or, more charitably, ''cannot'') make improvements. Needless to say, they are often kicked.
** Every player who purchases [=PvP=] equipment to trick the dungeon finder into believing their item level is high enough for heroic or zandalari random dungeons will inevitably be one of those through inadequate gear. They might also have a lack of skill or bad attitude as bonus. Though this has become averted in ''Mists of Pandaria'' thanks to Blizzard finally playing smart with the latest round of PvP gear. Seeing as how actual PvPers didn't want to be completely useless when switching to PvE content when they didn't have any PvE gear (PvP gear in the past replaced a stat with "Reselliance", the reason why PvEers wearing PvP gear was dumb), they instead renamed the PvP stat into "PvP Power" and "PvP Defense" and just had them as additional stats to the two that were already given. This actually proved useful for PvEers that had bad luck in drops to get '''something''' to up their item level and to get into LFRs.
* Every JokeCharacter who is a RequiredPartyMember during some parts of their game.
* Stross of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2''. He starts off fairly coherent and helpful, but as his sanity degrades, so does his usefulness. He spends most of the second act sitting in a corner and [[MadnessMantra whispering to himself]], and eventually goes so crazy that [[spoiler:he pulls a FaceHeelTurn, [[EyeScream pokes out Ellie's eye with a screwdriver]], and tries to do the same to Isaac, who [[CutsceneBoss offs him]] by [[HoistByHisOwnPetard stabbing him with said screwdriver]].]]
* Slippy Toad of ''VideoGame/StarFox''. He was even nicknamed "Slippy 'The Load' Toad!" It helps that he's pretty popular in [[AmericansHateTingle Japan]]. [[MostAnnoyingSound "Slippy just got hit!"]] Slippy is ALWAYS getting hit. Actually gets lampshaded at the end of the Aquas level in ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' where Peppy comments on Slippy's nice work with the Blue Marine (submarine used by Fox in the level) and says "Maybe Slippy's not such a screw up after all!". Naturally this gets Slippy all hot and bothered.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Ruto ''literally'' acts as a load, forcing Link to carry her around and getting caught by enemies. And ironically, is only useful by ''being'' a load. Specifically, she is an indestructible and portable [[StockVideoGamePuzzle weight that can be used to keep switches pressed down.]] As well as all that, she also damages enemies if you happen to chuck her at them, leading to the ridiculous amounts of awesome that is defeating most of the enemies with the "Ruto Cannon".
* In ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' there's Doctor Carroll who you must escort; he gets stuck on walls and odd places when following you, and can die easily.
* In ''[[VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 GoldenEye 64]]'', Natalya could feel this way at times (like refusing to help you if you kill Boris, who is a BAD guy, thereby guaranteeing the enemies win), but she generally had good health, scripted importance and in some levels was even given a magnum and super aiming skills. The scientists you weren't allowed to kill (unless you wanted to fail the mission) were a much more a straight example, however, since many seemed to almost prefer death to life.
* In ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' there's Yorda. The shadows are constantly after her and you can't let her die because A) You need her to open doors and B) You instantly die if she's captured. It's very intentional, as the game is a close examination of the trope, gently asking the player to start caring about the girl ''because'' she's helpless. In the original game concept, she was blind.
* Owyn from ''VideoGame/BetrayalAtKrondor'' starts out as this, as the nineteen-year-old kid who's not quite as experienced in dealing with life-or-death situations as his companions, which include a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy dark elf]], a former-thief-turned-royal-special-agent, and a knight and soldier of the realm. He only joins the party because he's a security risk otherwise, and his limited magic skills don't do much to offset the trouble of needing to protect him from getting killed all the time. As soon as he starts picking up some new spells, however, this changes dramatically, and you'll be glad to have him. The "blind" spell that he knows from the beginning is quite useful, though. By blinding some enemies in an attacking group you can momentarily keep them out of the fight and let your fighter characters deal with the remainders one at a time.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''
** Any character in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' who is supposed to shoot at the bad guys while you drive. They all have worse aiming than seems humanly possible. To the point where the "let's go do a drive-by" mission is easier (and quicker) if you just run over the targets. At least Woozie is ''literally'' blind. What's everyone else's excuse? Not to mention he arguably has the best aim out of everyone else.
** Roman is a pretty obvious candidate for this in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', what with being the PluckyComicRelief and his gambling and bumbling causing a lot of problems that Niko must solve. However, it turns out Niko is just as much of a burden on Roman; his impulsive acts of vengeance inadvertently ruin the life his cousin has built for himself in America. They only survive Niko's initial killing of Vlad because the latter is enough of an ass that even Mikhail Faustin didn't like him.
* Professor Harold [=MacDougal=] from ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' fits this trope to a T. He's not only a whiny, wimpy and drug-addled racist, he also requires constant protection and creates new problems for players, such as provoking a grizzly bear or being held at gunpoint and used as a human shield. He contributes absolutely nothing during missions, and on top of it all, is ridiculously full of himself, making his departure back to Yale a welcome moment in the game. And when you read the last Newspaper, it is revealed he is kicked out of Yale after going on a drug-fueled rampage. And then he returns to Blackwater just in time for '' [[EverythingsDeaderwithzombies Undead Nightmare]] '' where he [[TemptingFate is going down that empty street to get his bag]]
* Shandra Jerro from ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' is a bit of a load before her [[TookALevelInBadass levels in fighter]] show up.
* Most ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' games allow you to make anyone light enough (low enough constitution) become The Load to someone with an adequate rescue value by use of the rescue mechanic, which, while useful for moving slow units and well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin rescuing]] units in peril, also halves the rescuer's speed and skill stats (as well as Strenght, Defense and sometimes Movement in ''[[FireEmblemJugdral Thracia 776]]''). At least it's not as annoying since it's by choice, but irresponsible use can lead to failure.
** A straighter example of this occurs in ''Radiant Dawn'' near the end of part 1. The main character, [[SquishyWizard Micaiah]], becomes this during [[ScrappyLevel 1-9 when the bad guys ambush her at night, resulting in Fog of War]]. The good news is that the [[EleventhHourSuperpower Black Knight]] literally warps in out of nowhere to save your ass, but Micaiah can still be attacked if you're not careful. This is bad considering all of the enemies are fairly powerful physical users, and Micaiah's weak points are speed and defense, as well as a low HP cap. The worst part is that she refuses to be rescued by the Black Knight for... principles, I guess? Despite the fact that you'll pretty much be using him for the entire fight anyway, while Michaiah runs and hides, despite the fact that [[ScrappyMechanic enemies are never blinded by Fog of War]]. Still if she could be rescued, the fight would becomes [[ZeroEffortBoss something else entirely]].
** PlayedWith somewhat, as the whole point of the level is to cap Micaiah before her forced promotion. The good side of this is that if you've prepared well enough and play strategically, she can hit level 20 and max out a few of her stats. If Micaiah is too low a level, it's almost impossible for her to ''not'' get killed.
* Ashley Graham, from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''. In the game, you [[EscortMission return her safely to the White House]], which turns out to be as easy as it sounds, for the chirpy First Daughter's heavily prone to danger. Whether she's cowering in fear in the line of fire, being kidnapped by spinning walls, eating up your health items, or shrieking HAAALP! and LEON! when snatched up, it barely justifies [[PantyShot the bonus of her company]] in what can be a very long game.\\\
This is pretty much the reason that, in NewGamePlus, you can choose to put her in a suit of armor that both protects her from ANY damage and is too heavy for the mooks to carry her away. Not only is she just some girl that follows you around now, but you can actually use her as bait now. The only drawback it the noise she makes when she walks, but it's a miniscule price to pay for The Load becoming invincible. Fortunately, the game eventually starts giving the player dumpsters that they can make Ashley hide in so she can keep out of the way.
* During most of the time in ''VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}}'', Zeke who borderlines being a [[TheMillstone Millstone]] just sleeps at his roof top, spouts non-sense conspiracy theories, uses his friendship with Cole to score dates, and [[spoiler:even joined [[BigBad Kesseler]] during the game's twilight hours. He does come back to your side at the end however. Granted, all he does is offer an ineffectual pistol shot against a guy practically immune to bullets. By the end of ''inFAMOUS 1'', Zeke can be a real load for some players.]] He gets much better presentation in ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}} 2'', [[spoiler: especially if you finish that game on the Evil side.]]
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''
** Play the game in versus mode for a while and eventually you'll come across at least one player who is a complete and total Load who doesn't know how to play the game well, doesn't know how to adapt and learn, doesn't understand that he should be constantly running with the rest of the team instead of idling behind, is always needing to be rescued by his teammates, etc. Players like this are rarely tolerated for long and are often booted from the game by their teammates. You won't be playing for long if you remain so unskilled despite hours of gameplay experience that you're always the source of frustration in your team.
** This also applies to co-op as well. Doing newbie mistakes such as using healing items when your health is already in the green (unless you're using them to take an extra item you found), throwing pipe bombs after someone clearly tossed a bile bomb (both bombs attract zombies to an area), constantly throwing molotovs badly that result in setting everyone else on fire, lagging behind or running too far ahead of the team, or not shooting special infected that has another player pinned down are just some of the many examples that will get people to kick you out of the game for being such a burden. Sadly, these kinds of bad tactics is a major attraction for a {{Griefer}}.
** The bots themselves can be this as well thanks to their ArtificialStupidity. They will keep trying to heal you at the worst time possible (healing you near a [[OneHitKill Witch]], healing you as soon as a Charger is gunning for you, etc.) and you can't move when being healed. Bots will also shove their Pills into your hands in a middle of a heated gunfight which causes you to switch to that item. As for combat, bots have excellent accuracy, but they seem to just freeze up when it comes to certain special infected or forget how to shove zombies away when they get surrounded.
* ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'': '''EVERYONE''' knows Flavio is this. [[spoiler:He makes up for it... somewhat... by convincing Cortez to help them at the end of the chapter.]]
* Murray is actually like this in the first ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'' -- he is a clumsy, cowardly goofball absolutely useless for anything not involving driving, to the point that his job description actually includes the phrase "full-time burden." The later games make him into TheBigGuy.
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''
** Snipers will often [[http://www.ubercharged.net/2007/12/04/players-you-dont-want-on-your-team-fortress-2-team-weighted-companion-sniper/ start dueling each other]] to the exclusion of any other matters, such as taking out strategic targets, or ''helping their team win''.
** Soldiers have been known to do this on occasion too, though it's far less common.
** Particularly bad spies as well, while any other class no matter how bad can at least either absorb bullets or aim in the general direction of the enemy and do at least a little damage, bad spies get caught while trying to sneak around and die without accomplishing anything at all.
* Snipers dueling each other or sniping enemies strictly to rack up kills is a common problem in a ''lot'' of team-based multiplayer games, including ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' and ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'', to the point where some players are of the opinion that snipers are completely useless. Of course, there's also a practical point to sniper duels: you have to keep killing the other guy, or at least making yourself a target for him, so that he doesn't start ''shooting at the rest of your team''.
* Any thief character in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons: Order of the Griffon''. There are a few locked doors he can open at the very beginning, but after that, there's no real opportunity to use any of the thief special abilities, and you cannot even backstab in combat. As a result, the thief just becomes a very weak, under-armed and especially under-armored fighter. And since you can only have four characters in your party, you are really much better off taking almost anyone else besides a thief. This is a milder example than some of the others, in that a thief isn't totally useless, he's just not as useful as any other option you could take.
* Since ''Order of the Griffon'' utilizes something very similar to the classic Gold Box engine, this same trope could be said to apply, to a lesser extent, to most if not all the Gold Box games. Depending on the game, there may be the occasional trap to disarm, and locked doors are relatively common. In the latter case, however, you are likely to have at least one character strong enough to force any locked door. Additionally, backstabbing in combat is hard, although not impossible. Also, the fact that you can have six party members as opposed to just four means it's less of a burden to use one slot on a thief. All in all, though, you will frequently be better off with another frontline combatant or spellcaster.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'', both [[MrExposition Verdelet]] and [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld Seere]] serve this role in their own way. Verdelet is not only the NonActionGuy despite being considered a party member, he spends the game raving about the impending doom befalling the world and little else (and when he actually tries something, it only leads to the villain going OneWingedAngel in response). Seere serves mostly as a DamselScrappy who gets kidnapped and sidetracks the protagonists.
* In ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'', Pearl can't fight at all, and in events that require her, she takes up a slot that could be filled with a more useful character, or even a main character from another game file. Not quite an EscortMission -- you can bring her along on random missions, and the game doesn't care if she gets hit with NonLethalKO if another character remains standing -- but she sure does not pull her weight. [[spoiler:[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Lady Blackpearl]], [[GameBreaker on the other hand...]]]]
* Maria, Eileen, and Elle in ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', ''[[VideoGame/SilentHill4 4]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/SilentHillHomecoming Homecoming]]'' respectively. Eileen's, which takes up the ''entire second half'' of the game, can be particularly frustrating; on one hand, she herself is invincible [[spoiler:(up until the FinalBoss, anyway)]] and is capable of fighting back. On the other, she can't keep up with Henry because of her injuries, which makes running away from dangerous situations that much more difficult, and she likes to attack ''everything'', [[TooDumbToLive including the]] [[InvincibleMinorMinion Ghost Victims]]. It probably doesn't help that all three have a bad case of ArtificialStupidity.
* Emma Emmerich in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. [[spoiler: She dies at the end of the mission.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Hakuouki}}'', teenaged girl Yukimura Chizuru is taken in by the {{Shinsengumi}} and spends a good four to five years tagging along with them. She has almost no combat ability herself, and despite her best efforts to make herself useful by acting as a messenger or medic when the need arises, she's well aware that she's a liability to them -- especially when they're forced to leave Kyoto and go to war against the Imperial Army.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonNest'', if you complete a dungeon without attacking you get the "Carried through a dungeon. Tsk, tsk." achievement and the Pacifist title.
* Skye from the first ''VideoGame/LostInBlue'' installment is rendered [[BlindWithoutEm blind]] after you accidentally step on her glasses. Now you are tasked with not only escaping from a deserted island, but you must feed and care for two people [[ItsUpToYou while doing so]]. Should you ever have to bring her with you on your journey, be prepared to lose all your stamina hauling her butt up the island. Your best bet is to just leave her in the cave, [[StayInTheKitchen where she'll prepare meals with the food you bring back]].
* Ben from Creator/TelltaleGames' take on ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' seems more like an exposition character when he's first introduced in Episode 2, dropping vital information on the characters and mostly staying off the screen. However, by the end of Episode 4, he's somehow managed to[[spoiler: fail to protect Clementine at least once AND be the indirect cause of Katjaa's suicide, Duck's death and - depending on who you saved in Episode one - either Carley or Doug's death.]] His apparent uselessness gets lampshaded in Episode 4.
-->'''Clementine:''' You want me to stay with ''BEN''?\\
'''Lee:''' I'm not leaving you with Ben. I'm leaving Ben with you.
:: However, in a rare instance, Ben also views ''himself'' as The Load, since he explicitly states in Ep. 4 that "For once, I want to do something ''right''." Too bad he doesn't live up to that, but at least the sentiment's there.
* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestV'' gives King Graham a talking owl companion named Cedric to help him in rescuing his kidnapped family. Unfortunately, not only is Cedric completely useless (for the first chunk of the game, he won't even enter any dangerous areas or buildings,) but later on he's constantly getting into trouble and needing to be rescued. The only time he actually does anything useful is when he [[spoiler: TakesTheBullet for Graham at the end of the game, and even then he does it unintentionally.]]
* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars II'': Non-combat ships like Repair and Salvage or Supply. In the first game, you could stuff a fleet with as many spacecraft as you wanted and only deploy the combat ones. In this installment, though, changes to the system mean that you can only load a fleet with as many craft as your ArbitraryHeadcountLimit allows and can't hold non-combatants in reserve. This means that long-range expeditions that require multiple Supply-types will have much less firepower to call on. Unsurprisingly, this has been bemoaned as a ScrappyMechanic.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* The {{Yuri}} VN ''VisualNovel/AkaiIto'' is an interesting example. Hatou Kei, the ''main character'' is The Load and all fighting are done by her ActionGirlfriend. This eventually [[DamselScrappy gets so grating]] that the sort-of sequel ''VisualNovel/AoiShiro'' has a hypercompetent ActionGirl as the main character. [[spoiler:As a ContinuityNod, ''AoiShiro'' has an unlockable minigame based on one of the MultipleEndings in ''Akai Ito'', where (long story short) Kei TookALevelInBadass and become a DemonHunter.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Justin of ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' feels like The Load during the Painted Black Arc because everyone assumes he's not strong enough to help rescue Elliot. (All of the other candidates for the team had magic and/or super powers.) In fact, his dream that night casts him as a helpless hobbit who's forced to stay behind while the girls who saved Elliot are cast as the Fellowship.
* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Kiki is by far the most useless character in a fight, and her tendency to play with anything shiny has often put the characters in danger from explosions, dimensional portals, and radiation poisoning. However, because she is TheDitz, the GenkiGirl, and the TeamPet, most readers love her anyway. To be fair, it's not Kiki's fault that only Bun-Bun has figured out how to utilize (read: weaponize, using a pixie stick and a cardboard tube) her.
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''
** Elan the bard. Once he's separated from the party (and stuck in a prison cell, no less), he [[TookALevelInBadass takes a level in Dashing Swordsman]].
** In social encounters (or actually any encounters that [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0157.html require something other than wanton violence and destruction]]), Belkar takes over the role of The Load from Elan, as less useful than rocks when it comes to negociating.
* Iki of ''Webcomic/OffWhite'' is a BigEater wolf that is bad at hunting, is clumsy, and slow. If he was not part of a pack, he would have died by now.
* What would it be like to assemble a team of so-called heroes where ''every'' member is The Load to everyone else through stupidity, greed and general antisocial behavior? The answer is the Light Warriors of ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater''!
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Nepeta is an EnsembleDarkhorse, but her sole achievements in the five thousand page comic were to be Aradia's server player, serve as Equius's MoralityPet, and scar [[spoiler:Gamzee's]] face. Eridan was either this or TheMillstone, since he doesn't seem to have done ''anything'' constructive. Among the Pre-Scratch trolls, Kankri a) never realised his Seer of Blood powers, b) is a passive class with an Aspect that has never been described in any detail, and c) when shown onscreen, does nothing except deliver trillion-word sermons that manage to passive-aggressively insult everyone they are directed at, so they could probably have done without him entirely [[TheFriendNobodyLikes and would quite happily have done so]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'', Cara Scholte becomes this for Maxie Dasai. The latter has to literally pull Cara around for a good half a day and was prevented from fleeing from a dangerous encounter with Adam Reeves in concern for her companion's well-being. Sure, Cara was catatonic at the time, [[RapeAsDrama but given the outcome of the fight...]]
* The main character in the blog novel ''FlyoverCity!'' is a slacker / fanboy in a world where superheroes are real. His mundane call center job for the “big evil empire” eventually leads him to the sidelines of several super-powered battles.
* Chou in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'' thinks that she is becoming The Load for Team Kimba due to her complete lack of powers when not doing what the Tao wants, which has lead to serious injury for her in some battles. [[spoiler: Not wanting to be this trope any more is the cover story for her leaving Team Kimba during the spring term.]]
* Kyle's character in ''StatlessAndTactless'' is the team's load. Having his stats spread out to make him a generalist (as well as having terrible dice rolling luck), means he pretty much can't pass any check. Joe attempts to be the load as a form of coercion, but is actually fairly useful.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Ma-Ti from ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' often feels this way. After all, WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway? And being just 12 years old when the other Planeteers are over the age of 15 doesn't help, either. This may be subverted, as his powers has saved them countless times from being eaten by flesh-eating predators. Even more frustrating when it's explicitly stated that [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower he has the best power out of all the Planeteers,]] and just doesn't use it properly most of the time.
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''
** Cheetor in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', but on an intermittent basis. Cheetor's ''relatively'' small size/firepower, impetuousness, immaturity, and lack of specialized skills can even verge on TheMillstone. On the other hand, his speed and enthusiasm commonly enable him to fill a solid supporting role. Equally, he starts out as the load (and the resident trouble magnet), but throughout the series get powered up and matures into the Cheetor we see in Beast Machines. He's still fast, he's still impetuous but hell, he's scary good at what he does.
** Almost the exact same thing could be said of ''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated Animated]]'' Bumblebee, for all his charm and humor. While he is okay at fighting human supervillains he is utterly ''useless'' when fighting Decepticons on his own, as his one weapon (nodes that shoot out beams of electricity) are too weak to even make any of them flinch. [[spoiler:Well, until he gets the limiters on them taken off and they become the most powerful weapon on the entire team.]]
** In ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines'', Rattrap takes over this position at the beginning because he has trouble transforming and, even when he does, doesn't have any actual weapons in robot form. The other characters, who previously viewed Rattrap as mildly annoying but a good guy to have on your side, start treating him increasingly as The Load. When Optimus is temporarily put out of commission and can't head off the other characters, they get downright hostile. Then they're surprised when Rattrap takes drastic measures to get some firepower.
** Certain ''Transformers'' series attempt to avert this with their [[RobotBuddy Human Buddies]] -- the [[TransformersFilmSeries location of the Allspark]] is imprinted on Sam Witwicky's glasses, [[TransformersCybertron Coby, Bud and Lori fix things]] and Sari is somewhat of a liaison between humans and the Autobots as well as having a key empowered by the Allspark. ([[TransformersEnergon Kicker has premonition]], but that didn't stop him from becoming TheScrappy.)
** In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', Miko has this ''bad'', possessing all the survival instincts of a lemming with nothing left to live for. Not even months of experience is enough to teach her that, no, she can't be of much help on the battlefield, and no, it is not safe for a squishy human to be around giant robot fights. Surprisingly, the other two TeamPet human kids are actually helpful, one in an information-providing capacity, and the other having actually slowed down or temporarily defeated Decepticons once or twice. Though she's getting better in recent episodes.
* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'': Alien X is a reality-bending SuperMode alien, the most powerful being in the universe. The problem is that Ben has to get a majority agreement on the tasks at hand with two other personalities within the alien. But seeing as they can't agree on anything, and are only ''slighly'' more likely to agree with Ben, the form is literally dead weight.
* Korporal Kretinus/Fugg in ''WesternAnimation/{{Insektors}}''. How he manages to keep his job when he happens to be fairly thick is anyone's guess.
* Nearly everyone in ''WesternAnimation/DragonBooster'', thanks in part to how [[GodModeSue overpowered]] Artha and Moordryd happen to be.
* Mostly averted with the sidekick Ron Stoppable in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''. Despite the fact that he sometimes does screw up the missions or needs to be saved, history has shown that he does save the mission more times than he screws them up, has Rufus in his pocket who saves the team every time the writers are too lazy to figure out a more clever way, and the first movie showed that Kim was practically a loser without Ron as her sidekick. Aside from the few times late in the series when Ron's intermittent monkey-theme superpowers kick in, his contributions are less than obvious, because they're almost entirely passive, but are actually quite important. Most notably, he does two things: transport Rufus (who's nearly as useful as Kim) to where he's needed, and keeps Kim [[ThePowerOfLove inspired by his presence, and motivated by his being usually in some danger]]. The latter is usually only very weakly implied, but the aforementioned movie, and similar scenes in a couple serial episodes, made it very explicitly clear: in Ron's significant absence, Kim's effectiveness drops by a wide margin. The villain of the first movie arranged for them to be separated for ''precisely this reason''. Another aspect of it is that his apparent incompetence makes him completely unpredictable, so no matter how good the villain's plan is, [[SpannerInTheWorks Ron can ruin it just because it could never have foreseen him.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko''
** Aelita might count in the first two seasons, where her only form of defense, "Creativity", costs half of her life points, and she will ''die'' if she runs out of Life Points. She's only useful to stop XANA from attacking by deactivating towers he is using. In the 3rd season, she no longer dies when she loses all her Life Points, and she has an attack that is actually more powerful than those of the rest of the group.
** In the real world, [[DungeonmastersGirlfriend Sissi]] can either become The Load if she gets involved in the action, or surprisingly helpful. She's unpredictable like that.
* Played with a lot in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''. Examples: The second episode, where they get stuck in a crater's quicksand on the Moon. Fry says "It's no use! Every man for himself!" Jumps out of the cart, gets stuck, then cries "Help me, Leela!" Or when Fry's head gets [[TwoBeingsOneBody grafted]] onto Amy's shoulder.
* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''
** Almost all of Hank Hill's friends and family are Loads on one level or another (and sometimes he himself is a Load to them!), but [[SmallNameBigEgo his wife Peggy]] really takes the cake with her raging ego and uselessness.
** Bill is so much of The Load that Hank, Dale and Boomhauer will literally work him into their plans ''as'' the load. In the episode where the 4 are challenged to a paintball match with teenagers, Hank's plan is to use Bill to draw the teenagers attention since, [[TeensAreMonsters teenagers will always go for the slowest, fattest, most pathetic individual they can find.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'' has Pepper Potts. She gets captured and rescued by Tony with surprising regularity, except for those occasions where Gene rescues her. She has an incredible knack for making bad situations worse and does very little to help Tony out, though to her credit she ''does'' try. Her efforts usually result in Tony [[StopHelpingMe yelling at her]]. However she is fully aware that she is The Load, which is why she wants a PowerArmor of her own so she can be a more proactive member of the team. So when she finally does get her power armor, she shows full well she is no longer The Load.
* Sokka from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' feels this way, at least sometimes, because he's basically the only one in the team who can't bend any element. Also, Toph remarks it when they are [[spoiler:being chased by [[DaddysLittleVillain Azula]] and her tank]]. But while in some situations, Sokka's lack of bending makes him less threatening, he's often had great success with his boomerang, and it's basically his intellect that drives the other characters from Point A to B for pretty much the entire series' run. [[spoiler:And he only gets better after he gets his sword (see TookALevelInBadass).]]
* Mysterio temporarily becomes a villainous example in the VillainTeamUp in ''WesternAnimation/{{Spider-Man the Animated Series}}''. He has no powers to contribute to anything, only crates of stuff their quarry can knock down to block the villains' way when they are chasing a de-powered Spider-Man.
* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland''
** [[CreatorsPet Owen]], and in early episodes [[TedBaxter Courtney]] (though this changed once she got more competitive). Owen's natue as The Load is made worse in ''Action'' by the fact that [[CreatorsPet his team always forgives him for losing challenges or slowing them down.]]
** ''Total Drama Revenge of the Island'' has Cameron take his place in "The Enchanted Franken-Forest", complete with lampshade hanging from [[ActionGirl Zoey]], who is forced to save him from mutant plants and pitfalls at every turn.
-->'''Zoey:''' (''confessional'') Is it just me, or am I doing ''everything'' while Cameron acts as mutant bait?
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Milhouse was this to Bart & Lisa when the Springfield elementary kids were stranded on an island. He forces them to carry him on a log over a chasm then he throws away the log before Bart & Lisa can cross because the kids chasing them are getting too close.
* Antoine from ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM''. He is incredibly cowardly and almost never contributes anything of value, yet for some reason they frequently bring him along on action missions. Funny enough, this was indirectly spoofed in the Archie comic. Antoine becomes far more useful over the course of the series, and at one point Bunnie tells him that they wouldn't have brought him on so many missions if they didn't have faith in him.
* All the Channel 6 News Crew have become the Load at some point in the 1987 ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|1987}}'' cartoon, but Vernon Fenwick is usually the biggest Load. He seems to exist just to make April O'Neil look like the more capable reporter, judging by the number of times he's fainted, run away, whined about getting a hard reporting assignment, or gotten captured by the MonsterOfTheWeek. It's no surprise that the Turtles can't stand him.
* While the main cast of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are well-rounded and capable characters, on occasion one pony's weakness will drag the whole team down.
** One such example is Fluttershy in "Dragonshy". They're assigned a task to wake a sleeping dragon and make him move to a different location. Fluttershy's fear of dragons makes her a burden on everyone else through most of the episode. [[spoiler:But in the end it's subverted, as her BadassAdorable nature finally takes over, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome and she's ultimately the one who convinces the dragon to move]].]]
** An interesting meta example in "The Return of Harmony". [[BigBad Discord]] attempts to [[MoreThanMindControl drive her to cruelty]] by pointing out to her that she is The Load to her team. To his great surprise she proceeds to ''agree with every one of his insults'' in her usual kind, calm way [[spoiler:much to the hilarity of the fans who know how [[BadassAdorable badass]] she actually is]], which forces [[RealityWarper Discord]] to straight up [[MindControl brainwash]] her instead. Basically, by agreeing she is The Load, Fluttershy almost makes a hole in [[MadGod Discord]]'s evil plans and proves that she's not The Load at all--''[[BadassUnintentional all without realizing it]]''.\\\
Interestingly, though, although there's no denying Fluttershy is a BadassAdorable, she ''does'' have a tendency to make things significantly worse, but then often fixes things later. An example of this would be the aforementioned "Dragonshy", but it also shows up in other episodes like "Swarm of the Century" with the parasprites and "The Sonic Rainboom" (although Rainbow Dash fixes that situation herself). There's also "Hurricane Fluttershy" when her timidness almost puts her in The Load category, but she ends up subverting it at the end of the episode.
** Spike plays the role more straight, [[MagikarpPower being a baby dragon]], he has yet to gain much physical prowess and so is often useless or requires protection once a physical threat appears. In the role of Twilight's assistant however, he is thoroughly competent, so proves himself rather useful in emotional or intellectual manners at least.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes''
** It is actually Iron Man who is somewhat the load of the team. This is highlighted when Captain America confronts Tony about his combat tactics which usually involve blasting a target or simply tackling it, making Tony very predictable and ineffective despite all the power his armor should be capable of. Steve even offers to train Tony in hand-to-hand combat, which if Tony had agreed to, would've probably made him the most effective team member.
** Subverted in the case of [[spoiler:Sue Storm]] when there was a breakout from [[spoiler: the Skrull's ship]] and [[spoiler: Madam Viper]] advises [[spoiler: Captain America]] to leave [[spoiler: Sue]] behind, since they would only be dead weight in their power-drained state. [[spoiler: Captain America]] refuses and [[spoiler: Sue]] would later protect the latter from an attack.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''
** Lumpy Space Princess usually hangs out in episodes or scenes that call for a larger cast. She rarely contributes much when she does. However this is likely done on purpose, given her whole routine is to be like a spoiled teenager.
** Jake was this in one episode when a witch stripped him of his magical fur that gave him his shape-shifting abilities. Hampering Finn's mission to help regain his powers. It wasn't until Finn was in mortal danger that he finally snapped out of it.
* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' toys with this. The overwelming majority of the time, the brainless detective is clueless to Claw's plan, spending most of his time bumbling or accusing the wrong guy while Penny and Brain do all the work for him. A fair few occasions however, [[SpannerInTheWorks his well-timed clumsiness]] actually helps them along the way.
* Rufus and Amberley of ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone''. While often relied upon to protect the stone from the Urpneys, the two Noops actually usually left it vulnerable for the baddies to steal, [[TheMeddlingKidsAreUseless getting captured or outfoxxed in their attempts to get it back]], leaving more competent allies like the Wutts or [[NiceJobFixingItVillain the Urpneys' own bumbling]] to fix things for them. In the first season they are slightly more competent, [[OvershadowedByAwesome but still outshined by their more powerful peers]].
* In the earlier episodes of ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' included Scooby-Dumb ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin yes, that is his name]]), Scooby's inbred, hillbilly cousin. He is literally to dumb to be scared, and had to be dragged away from the various monsters. It takes something to make Scooby look ''smart'' and [[TheScrappy Scrappy]] look ''useful''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* This is recognized in the world of business by "The Peter Principle", where skilled employees are promoted through the ranks eventually to management -- where they are no longer doing what they are qualified to do and thus no longer competent in their jobs, making them The Load.
* And expanded upon using "The Dilbert Principle" by the cartoonist Scott Adams in his book of the same name. The principle states that incompetent employees are promoted to middle management where they will safely become The Load instead of remaining in their former positions where they could do actual damage to the company as TheMillstone. Another name for this phenomenon is being KickedUpstairs.
** Expanded further in "The Way of the Weasel" where it's explained that incompetent employees that cannot be fired tend to be moved where they will do the least damage: management.
* The American Vice President will more than often be seen as this. Usually if they were competent enough, they would have gotten the nomination. It helps that they have very little power
* Germany has been plagued by this in both World Wars. In [[WorldWarOne World War I]] they had to prop up their useless ally Austria-Hungary, in [[WorldWarTwo World War II]] it was their useless ally Italy.
[[/folder]]