History Main / TheLoad

* Played ''absolutely'' straight, however, by [[GeneralFailure Charles]] [[ItsAllAboutMe De]] [[UngratefulBastard Gaulle]], an ''unbelievably'' arrogant buffoon who focused more on jockeying for political power than aiding the war effort ''despite France being occupied at the time'', radioed news about D-day to French resistance fighters to bolster morale ''after the Allies spent downright herculean efforts to obfuscate the exact date of the invasion'', and even having the audacity to claim that [[BlatantLies France liberated itself]]. Post-war, De Gaulle set about sabotaging NATO, securing France special treatment, and attacking the Anglophone world however he can, such as rousing separatism in Quebec and repeatedly vetoing Britain's efforts to join the [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion European Economic Community]]. Not for nothing did Churchill say "The heaviest cross I have to bear is the Cross of Lorraine".[[note]]The Cross of Lorraine being the French resistance's symbol[[/note]] Also, when one of his cabinet mentioned that De Gaulle seemed to have delusions of being the reincarnation of UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc, Churchill only half-jokingly lamented that he couldn't have De Gaulle burned at the stake.

* This trope can even occur at home if a family member is not doing their fair share of finances, chores, etc. Many frustrated parents have watched their millennial ManChild do nothing but sit around and play video games, turning into the load of the household.

* The American Vice President will more than often be seen as this. Often, if they were seen as competent enough, they would have gotten the nomination for President. It helps that they have very little power.
** 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 [[UsefulNotes/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]] [[UsefulNotes/ChesterAArthur not really]] [[UsefulNotes/GeraldFord noteworthy.]] Of course, there are [[UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson exceptions]] [[UsefulNotes/AndrewJohnson below]] [[UsefulNotes/HarryTruman as well as]] [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt above the average.]]

* 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, ''Aoi Shiro'' has an unlockable minigame based on one of the MultipleEndings in ''Akai Ito'', where (long story short) Kei TookALevelInBadass and become a DemonSlayer.]]

* ComicBook/LuckyLuke: No example is better suited for this trope than Rantanplan. He is a total moron who never quite understands what's going on, fancies himself a heroic hound but is too easily distracted and contributes nothing but trouble for Lucky Luke. In the video games the player even has to avoid shooting him, while in a fight with dangerous villains. It is no surprise that Jolly Jumper dislikes his company. A few times, Rantanplan saved the day without realizing it and completely by accident.

->Take a load off Fanny \\
Take a load for free\\
Take a load off Fanny\\
And (and) (and) you put the load right on me
-->- The Band, ''The Weight''

* One could interpret the Squeeze Toy Aliens in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' in this role, as they exist either as superlatives or hindrances to the toys escaping from Sunnyside. From almost alerting [[TheDragon Big Baby]] to getting stuck in the dumpster and (indirectly) causing the toys to get sent to the dump. [[spoiler:{{Inverted}} in the incinerator scene, in which [[BigDamnHeroes the Aliens]] [[DeusExMachina save all of the toys via]] ''[[BrickJoke the claw]]''.]]

!!Examples

* At one point in ''Fanfic/TheKeysStandAlone: The Soft World'', the narration mentions that outworlders have started to refer to Ringo as “the Load,” because he's never seen to do anything except cower next to John. [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower Hoo boy, are they wrong.]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. In early editions, amongst the many scrappy mechanics -- a big one was how experience points were allotted. Besides completing the quest or dungeon, the vast majority of your experience came from being conscious in a fight. That's it... there is no bonus or penalty to whether you do anything in a battle. This leads to some players becoming the Load. They would go picking their butts or jerking off in a safe corner and earn thousands of xp, while someone who fights in 90% of the battle but is unlucky enough to get knocked out will get 0 xp. To top it off, there was an experience reward earned from finding loot too so the Load would get that as well while the unconscious participant might not if the party doesn't give him or her a share while they're still knocked out.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/DarthsAndDroids'' depicts [[Film/RogueOne Jyn Erso/Bria Tharen]] as a useless, [[TheMillstone terminally stupid]] NPC that the party is having to [[EscortMission escort for their quest]]. She pisses off the party's contacts, repeatedly wanders into the middle of firefights, forces the pacifist Cassian into killing to save her, [[UnfriendlyFire accidentally shoots K-2SO]] (forcing the DM to pretend she hit a different droid to prevent the game from [[OffTheRails derailing]]), and generally just gets in their way.

* Reynir from ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'' is a good example of this trope done right. Reynir is pretty useless (at least to begin with), but unlike most Loads he keeps out of harm's way, listens to instructions from people who know better, tries to develop his skills and has a good sense of his own limitations.

* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'': Trinket barely ever contributes to the group's exploits in a meaningful way. On the contrary, the group frequently has to go out of it's way to make sure he isn't left behind since he's too big to fit on the flying carpet, or to save his bacon when Vex actually does send him into the fray (which she usually avoids; he could get hurt, after all!). Subverted once the "pokeball" is acquired, as Trinket can be easily carried and only come out when needed.

* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': Andy is The Load quite often, and proud of it! In fact, he usually invokes this trope because he thinks its funny.
* The main character in the blog novel ''Literature/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.
* In ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'',

* The "[[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/shut-the-fck-up-carl Shut The Fuck Up, Carl]]" meme, or what happens when recruiters get desperate.
* Kyle's character in ''Literature/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.

* 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.]]
** Pretty much the only current members of the Vindicators training team who ''aren't'' liabilities are Sizemax and Lemure, and neither of them are really good enough to carry the rest of the team. Of them all, it is probably Kismet (the team leader) who is the worst offender; when she is knocked out cold during a training session, the others manage to pull things together enough to successfully complete the mission. Cerebrex and Dynamaxx would be passable team-mates if it weren't for their personality flaws (serious enough in the case of Cerbrex, aka Captain Canada!, that it's been used against him in a Combat Final), but Donner is just an incompetent boob.

* This is recognized in the world of business by "ThePeterPrinciple", 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 "TheDilbertPrinciple" 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.

* 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.

** 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 [[UsefulNotes/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]] [[UsefulNotes/ChesterAArthur not really]] [[UsefulNotes/GeraldFord noteworthy.]] Of course, there are [[UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson exceptions]] [[UsefulNotes/AndrewJohnson below]] [[UsefulNotes/Harry Truman as well as]] [[UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt above the average.]]

* 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.
** 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 [[UsefulNotes/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]] [[UsefulNotes/ChesterAArthur not really]] [[UsefulNotes/GeraldFord noteworthy.]]

* This trope can even occur at home if a family member is not doing their fair share of finances, chores, etc. Many frustrated parents have watched their millennial ManChild do nothing but sit around and play video games, turning into the load of the household.

** And there's UsefulNotes/{{France}} in 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).
*** Played ''absolutely'' straight, however, by [[GeneralFailure Charles]] [[ItsAllAboutMe De]] [[UngratefulBastard Gaulle]], an ''unbelievably'' arrogant buffoon who focused more on jockeying for political power than aiding the war effort ''despite France being occupied at the time'', radioed news about D-day to French resistance fighters to bolster morale ''after the Allies spent downright herculean efforts to obfuscate the exact date of the invasion'', and even having the audacity to claim that [[BlatantLies France liberated itself]]. Post-war, De Gaulle set about sabotaging NATO, securing France special treatment, and attacking the Anglophone world however he can, such as rousing separatism in Quebec and repeatedly vetoing Britain's efforts to join the [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion European Economic Community]]. Not for nothing did Churchill say "The heaviest cross I have to bear is the Cross of Lorraine".[[note]]The Cross of Lorraine being the French resistance's symbol[[/note]] Also, when one of his cabinet mentioned that De Gaulle seemed to have delusions of being the reincarnation of UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc, Churchill only half-jokingly lamented that he couldn't have De Gaulle burned at the stake.

* On [=P2P=] networks, "leeches", users who download without uploading anything in return, are seen as this, as they slow down everyone else. [=BitTorrents=] algorithm attempts to get around this by making downloads faster the more a user uploads, and most clients upload as soon as a user starts to download anyway. Some trackers also require users to maintain a certain upload/download ratio.

* Even at home, a family member can be this if they are not doing their fair share of finances, chores, etc. This trope has become more prevalent in recent generations. Many frustrated parents have watched their millennial ManChild do nothing but sit around and play video games, turning into the load of the household.

* On [=P2P=] networks, "leeches", users who download without uploading anything in return, are seen as this. [=BitTorrents=] algorithm attempts to get around this by making downloads faster the more a user uploads, and most clients upload as soon as a user starts to download anyway. Some trackers also require users to maintain a certain upload/download ratio.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries''
** Socrates tends to fit this category. Hobbes seems to be the only one who likes him, but over time, even he starts to find him annoying. Of course, Socrates does pull through for the group from time to time, often saving their lives.
** [[TVGenius Sherman]], [[DoAnythingRobot the]] [[TalkingApplianceSidekick MTM]], and [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick Jack]] have all taken their turns as this also.
* In ''Fanfic/TheDarknessSeries'' Wormtail is this to the Death Eaters and Harry considers Ron to be this in his other life.
* 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.
* ''Fanfic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic'':
** Lightning Dawn. Despite his physical strength, most of the villains use magic and his inability to use magic is quite a liability in battle. Anytime he finishes a battle is with his Uniforce.
** Krysta is more of a hindrance to the others than anything.
** Brain also qualifies.
* At one point in ''Fanfic/TheKeysStandAlone: The Soft World'', the narration mentions that outworlders have started to refer to Ringo as “the Load,” because he's never seen to do anything except cower next to John. [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower Hoo boy, are they wrong.]]
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:298:[[Film/LeBoulet https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LeBoulet.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:298:Very [[DoubleEntendre straight]] example.]]

** Modern Rick Jones has basically turned his history as TheLoad into a superpower. Besides being the Marvel Universe's foremost hacktivist, it's noted in-universe that somebody who has a good 80 percent of all the current and former Avengers in his personal contact list is not to be trifled with. When he's hanging out with the New Avengers, it's also shown that the mementos he's picked up over the years include enough super-powered gadgetry to outfit a strong squad of B-level supervillains.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Omnipresent in armies based on {{conscription}}. Since conscription is forced labour by definition and it is a true cross-section of the whole society, it will bring not only the best and the brightest to the rank and file, but also the worst and the dullest. Since the service motivation of forced labour tends to be ''very'' low, and the drilling and training must be designed by the learning capability of the least capable of the boys, the quality of conscripted soldiers tend to be very low, with the low talented boys being more TheLoad rather than of any asset except ballooning the numbers.

* Remoras, a taxon of bony fishes which specialize in adhering to larger sea creatures' bodies, have often been considered TheLoad for the animals they attach themselves to. {{Subverted|Trope}} by some remora species, which pick parasites or dead skin cells from the bigger animals from which they hitch rides.

* On P2P networks, "leeches", users who download without uploading anything in return, are seen as this. [=BitTorrents=] algorithm attempts to get around this by making downloads faster the more a user uploads, and most clients upload as soon as a user starts to download anyway. Some trackers also require users to maintain a certain upload/download ratio.

* ''Fanfic/MyLittleUnicorn'':

*** Played ''absolutely'' straight, however, by [[GeneralFailure Charles]] [[ItsAllAboutMe De]] [[UngratefulBastard Gaulle]], an ''unbelievably'' arrogant buffoon who focused more on jockeying for political power than aiding the war effort ''despite France being occupied at the time'', radioed news about D-day to French resistance fighters to bolster morale ''after the Allies spent downright herculean efforts to obfuscate the exact date of the invasion'', and even having the audacity to claim that [[BlatantLies France liberated itself]]. Post-war, De Gaulle set about sabotaging NATO, securing France special treatment, and attacking the Anglophone world however he can, such as rousing separatism in Quebec and repeatedly sabotaging Britain's efforts to join the European Union. Not for nothing did Churchill say "The heaviest cross I have to bear is the Cross of Lorraine".[[note]]The Cross of Lorraine being the French resistance's symbol[[/note]] Also, when one of his cabinet mentioned that De Gaulle seemed to have delusions of being the reincarnation of UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc, Churchill only half-jokingly lamented that he couldn't have De Gaulle burned at the stake.