History Main / TheWatcher

* ''{{Concerned}}'' referred to this behavior as a "G-Peep."

** In ''Comicbook/OriginalSin'' #0, new Nova Sam Alexander asks Iron Man and Captain America why Uatu watches everything. After a beat, Cap admits that they have no idea. Nova later learns that Uatu is looking for a world where his father (who was the cause of the Watcher's "no-interference" policy) was right.

* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', Bernkastel takes this role for the first two games, but once Beatrice indicates that she knows where Bern's loyalties lie, she takes a much more active role. It may or may not be the same Bernkastel as in ''Umineko'', but [[spoiler:Frederica Bernkastel is TheWatcher of the ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' continuity, as she is the collective amalgamation of all past Rikas, and is responsible for plugging Rika into another kakera after Hanyuu invokes her power]].

* In ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', BigBad Paptimus Scirocco would like people to ''think'' he is this, as evidenced by his CatchPhrase "I'm merely a witness to history", but the truth is he's just a very good player of XanatosSpeedChess and is content to make a move only when he has to.

* The Watchers make a brief cameo in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2''. [[spoiler:Creator/StanLee is apparently a consultant. And they find him boring.]]

* Virgil in ''WebVideo/Lonelygirl15''. He's not the only "watcher" in the series, but he's the only example of "TheWatcher".

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' wad an example of this in the episode "Helter Shelter", where the Simpsons participate in a reality show where they are reduced to late 19th century living, and the producers enforce ratings stunts to keep the show interesting. When the Simpsons ask the show's creator if they can have lunch with the crew, he claims, "We're not allowed to interfere with the reality of the show." This is after the crew deliberately uprooted the house and sent it down a river.

* Philemon from the [[VideoGame/{{Persona}} first]] [[VideoGame/{{Persona 2}} two]] ''Persona'' games is mostly this, limiting his direct actions to giving the heroes the power to summon avatars of their inner psyche and [[spoiler:pressing the ResetButton when his EvilCounterpart manages to destroy the world]]. In the [[VideoGame/{{Persona 3}} next]] [[VideoGame/{{Persona 4}} two]] games in the series, he simply lets his servant Igor do all the work.

* Uatu the Watcher, a MarvelComics character (introduced in ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' #13) who lives on the moon, watches everything in every comic, and occasionally pontificates to the readership about it. He always loudly proclaimed "Yes, it is I the Watcher, who is always watching, but must not interfere", roughly every other sentence as if people were going to forget it. Which to be fair is probably a valid concern because quite notably, in spite of this expression, he almost always ended up interfering ''anyway''. A hilarious example of him actually not interfering comes when the ComicBook/RedHulk, who punched Uatu while on his VillainSue trip, appears about to die. Uatu shows up and tells him "[[SarcasmMode Sadly]] I am forbidden to intervene" and stands there so he can watch him get sucked into a black hole. This character is the TropeNamer.

* Virgil in ''{{lonelygirl15}}''. He's not the only "watcher" in the series, but he's the only example of "TheWatcher".

* The Time Lords in ''Series/DoctorWho''. Again, while they were officially supposed to never interfere, a lot of them were ''really'' bad at it. Notably, their doctrine of noninterference was largely self-imposed; they made that decision in the first place because they're almost all ''horribly corrupt'', and the doctrine is basically there to keep them from screwing up and/or conquering everything else.

* Meta Knight acts as the Mentor for ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' in the [[Anime/KirbyOfTheStars anime]] adaptation, and tends to act this way rather a lot of the time, often serving as MrExposition. Although he and his henchmen do take the odd opportunity to display how {{Badass}} they are on a regular basis, Meta Knight seems happy to leave the problem solving to Fumu and the ass kicking to Kirby.

A recurring character whose role is, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin to Watch]] and nothing else. Yet, strangely, instead of remaining completely passive it will probably give some advice to the hero and then disappear, or otherwise interfere in some small but important way to help the heroes triumph. Indeed, given the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_effect various observer effects]], if they were really doing their job they shouldn't be detectable at all. Often explained by saying The Watcher has some rules which restrict it from taking action, and it will then regularly ignore this ObstructiveCodeOfConduct as much as it can.

* Invoked in the ''Watcher'' series by Peter Lerangis. It was a [[CutShort six book series]] based on observers (who act like the ChessMaster). It mainly focused on the Watchers' interference with ordinary teenagers who got caught up in weird situations involving MindUploading / CreepyTwins, being TrappedInThePast, CloningBlues, stuck on an island of ElderlyImmortal or (even worse) GroundHogDayLoop...

* Invoked in the ''Watcher'' series by Peter Lerangis. It was a [[CutShort six book series]] based on observers (who act like the ChessMaster). It mainly focused on the Watchers' interference with ordinary teenagers who got caught up in weird situations involving MindUploading/CreepyTwins, being TrappedInThePast, CloningBlues, stuck on an island of ElderlyImmortal or (even worse) GroundHogDayLoop...

* Invoked in the ''Watcher'' series by {{Peter Lerangis}}. It was a [[CutShort six book series]] based on observers (who act like the ChessMaster). It mainly focused on the Watchers' interference with very ordinary teenagers who get caught up in weird situations involving MindUploading/CreepyTwins, being TrappedInThePast, CloningBlues, stuck on an island of ElderlyImmortal or even worse GroundHogDayLoop...

* Bookman and Lavi in ''DGrayMan'' are supposed to be unbiased recorders of "the secret history." [[BecomingTheMask Supposed to be]]...

* From the TheDCU, ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger, is a little more proactive than most Watchers (in fact, he is, as he points out in the ''[[ComicBook/JLAAvengers JLA/Avengers]]'' crossover, a sometimes member of the league), but still fits the bill. [[ComicBook/TheSandman Destiny of the Endless]] is perhaps Franchise/TheDCU's purest example, although there are others as well.

Also see TheObiWan and the MysteriousInformant. Frequently an AllPowerfulBystander. Normally a FantasticAnthropologist. Compare TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness.

[[caption-width-right:292:[-Don't mind me I'm just here to spectate-].]]

* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', Bernkastel takes this role for the first two games, but once Beatrice indicates that she knows where Bern's loyalties lie, she takes a much more active role. It may or may not be the same Bernkastel as in ''Umineko'', but [[spoiler:Frederica Bernkastel is TheWatcher of the ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' continuity, as she is the collective amalgamation of all past Rikas, and is responsible for plugging Rika into another kakera after Hanyuu invokes her power]].

* In TeresaEdgerton's ''Literature/{{Celydonn}}'' books, Dame Ceinwen often plays this role - she considers it part of the responsibility of having great power that she must not interfere too much.

** In ''Comicbook/OriginalSin'' #0, new Nova Sam Alexander asks Iron Man and Captain America why Uatu watches everything. After a beat, Cap admits that they have no idea.

* Uatu the Watcher, a MarvelComics character (introduced in ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' #13) who lives on the moon, watches everything in every comic, and occasionally pontificates to the readership about it. He always loudly proclaimed "Yes, it is I the Watcher, who is always watching, but must not interfere", roughly every other sentence as if people were going to forget it. Which to be fair is probably a valid concern because quite notably, in spite of this expression, he almost always ended up interfering ''anyway''. A hilarious example of him actually not interfering comes when the RedHulk, who punched Uatu while on his VillainSue trip, appears about to die. Uatu shows up and tells him "[[SarcasmMode Sadly]] I am forbidden to intervene" and stands there so he can watch him get sucked into a black hole. This character is the TropeNamer.

* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', Bernkastel takes this role for the first two games, but once Beatrice indicates that she knows where Bern's loyalties lie, she takes a much more active role. It may or may not be the same Bernkastel as in ''Umineko'', but [[spoiler:Frederica Bernkastel is TheWatcher of the ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'' continuity, as she is the collective amalgamation of all past Rikas, and is responsible for plugging Rika into another kakera after Hanyuu invokes her power]].

* Marvel's NewUniverse has The Witness, a character who dies as a result of the White Event, but continues to exist as an intangible ghost. He is drawn to places where people are manifesting paranormal powers, but can only watch what happens, unable to intervene in any way.

* In TeresaEdgerton's ''{{Celydonn}}'' books, Dame Ceinwen often plays this role - she considers it part of the responsibility of having great power that she must not interfere too much.

* Creator/TerryPratchett's other work, ''{{Strata}}'' has people who stay in [[HumanPopsicle cryostasis]] on a orbiting satellite and are only woken to record big developments on a planet below. The job literally takes thousands of years.
* Astinus of the ''{{Dragonlance}}'' novels is TheWatcher of Krynn. Rumoured to be the god Gilean (the God of the Book, of course) in human form, he's the only man on the planet who, according to Raistlin's time vision, is ''not'' dying. He spends all of his time recording the events of the world in (generally) unbroken sittings. This is even to the extent that he'll be writing things like ''On this morning, Caramon entered my office--'' before turning to the visitor. He has also unintentionally interfered in events -- mostly through TimeTravel, when a protagonist obtained and brought back to the present [[TimelineAlteringMacGuffin one of his books from the future]]. On that day there was only one recording in his book: ''On this day of Overwatch Rising, Caramon of Solace brought me a volume of Astinus's Chronicles. A book that I will never write.''

* In ZetaGundam, BigBad Paptimus Scirocco would like people to ''think'' he is this, as evidenced by his CatchPhrase "I'm merely a witness to history", but the truth is he's just a very good player of XanatosSpeedChess and is content to make a move only when he has to.