History PlayingWith / YouAreInCommandNow

'''Basic Trope''': Owing to a sudden lack of superiors, a character finds himself in command.

* '''Justified''': Someone in command, no matter how inexperienced, is always better than nobody in command. Besides, there is a chain of command for a reason - when units are separated from their commanders or circumstances intervene, everyone must be capable of assuming leadership.

* '''Inverted''': The officers are treacherously taken prisoner for their hostage value; their subordinates are all slaughtered so they have no one to command.

* '''Parodied''': After Colonel Williams is killed, Major Taylor fakes a stomach flu, and leaves Captain Smithson in command. Smithson promptly is knocked unconscious when he accidentally gets bonked in the head by a falling tree branch, and Lieutenant Jones faints in panic, leaving a nonplussed Sergeant Rock in charge.

* '''Invoked''': Captain Smithson murders his superiors in order to take command.
* '''Exploited''': Emperor Magnificus deliberately places all the other officers in positions where they will be killed, because he knows the middle-class Captain Smithson is treated in a belittling manner among the aristocratic officer corps, and so will be easier to persuade -- or so he thinks.

* '''Zig-Zagged''': Captain Smithson assumes command following the loss of Major Taylor and Colonel Williams, but it turns out Captain Thompson should actually be in command, due to him having been promoted earlier. However, Smithson was nearest the [[CommunicationsOfficer radio operator]], while Thompson was pinned down in combat elsewhere, and unable to effectively lead the unit from his position, so Smithson has command. For now.

* '''Parodied''': After Colonel Williams is killed, Major Taylor fakes a stomach flu, and leaves Captain Smithson in command. Smithson promptly is knocked unconscious when he accidentally gets bonked in the head by a falling tree branch,

and Lieutenant Jones faints in panic, leaving a nonplussed Sergeant Rock in charge.

* '''Parodied''': After Colonel Williams is killed, Major Taylor fakes a stomach flu, and leaves Captain Smithson in command. Smithson promptly is knocked unconscious when he accidentally gets bonked in the head by a falling tree branch, and Lieutenant Jones faints in panic, leaving a nonplussed Sergeant Rock in charge.
* '''Deconstructed''': Captain Smithson is a newly minted officer and his lack of experience leads to issues with the troops under his command.
* '''Reconstructed''': Because he is forced to adapt with nobody to help him, Smithson gradually grows into a very unpredictable and nontraditional commander, far different from most other leaders.

%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???

* '''Straight''': Captain Smithson is assigned duty officer while all the other officers -- captains, majors, colonels -- go off to a concert with the country they are negiotiating with. He receives a message that they were all [[NastyParty murdered]], and he must surrender.

* '''Downplayed''': Colonel Williams, having a stomach flu, is in no shape to give orders; Major Taylor issues them.

* '''Justified''': Chain of Command

* '''Subverted''': Captain Smithson thinks he's in command, but a lieutenant reveals that he's actually an undercover special agent and a colonel.
* '''Double Subverted''': Captain Smithson doublechecks and finds he's lying.

* '''Zig-Zagged''': Captain Smithson assumes command following the loss of Major Taylor and Colonel Williams, but it turns out Captain Thompson should actually be in command, due to him having been promoted earlier. However, Smithson was nearest the [[CommunicationsOfficer radio operator]], while Thompson was pinned down in combat elsewhere, and unable to effectively lead the unit from his position.

* '''Enforced''': "You can't promote Smithson through normal means, not in that time frame. We have to eliminate the other officers to put him in command."
* '''Lampshaded''': "Captain Smithson, the Colonel and the Major are dead. YouAreInCommandNow!" "[[OhCrap Roger that.]]"

* '''Exploited''': Emperor Magnificus kills all the other officers because he knows the middle-class Captain Smithson is treated in a belittling manner among the aristocratic officer corps, and so will be easier to persuade -- or so he thinks.

* '''Zig Zagged''': Captain Smithson assumes command following the loss of Major Taylor and Colonel Williams, but it turns out Captain Thompson should actually be in command, due to him having been promoted earlier. However, Smithson was nearest the [[CommunicationsOfficer radio operator]], while Thompson was pinned down in combat elsewhere, and unable to effectively lead the unit from his position.

* '''Lampshaded''': ???

* '''Parodied''': ???
* '''Zig Zagged''': ???
* '''Averted''': ???

* '''Defied''': The Army always keeps Colonel Williams and Major Taylor seperate so that when the colonel is killed, the Major is certain to survive. Therefore no Captain will ever take command.
* '''Discussed''': ???

* '''Conversed''': ???

* '''Defied''': ???

* '''Invoked''': ???

* '''Exaggerated''': The officers' and NCOs' rations were spiked with poison. Private Jones, the senior private, takes command.