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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks! |
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| 6 | %% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1339992504057240100 |
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| 9 | ->'''Talzo:''' It's complicated. I'd prefer to leave your Squad out of my issues, but my actions aren't all related to my issues.\ |
| 10 | '''Caiya:''' What does that even mean?\ |
| 11 | '''Talzo:''' It means that if I got my way, I'd have gotten my revenge on Hali for what she did to me and none of you guys would have been involved whatsoever. |
| 12 | -->-- ''Webcomic/KirbyAdventure'' |
| 13 | |
| 14 | A Dragon with an Agenda is a character who serves as [[TheDragon the main villain's right-hand man]] but has motives or goals of their own (which may or may not line up with the BigBad's agenda). For example, if this character [[DragonTheirFeet encounters the heroes immediately after the death or defeat of their boss]], they won't necessarily try to avenge him or complete his EvilPlan. Conversely, if the Big Bad actually has some admirable or honorable traits, then his Dragon will be more violent or sadistic, preferring to actually kill the heroes rather than simply stop them. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Most commonly, he and the BigBad have a mutually profitable alliance, and the BigBad just happens to be the more powerful of the two. If he's also influencing the BigBad's plans, then he's also TheManInFrontOfTheMan. DragonInChief is when TheDragon is actually the more dangerous of the pair by a significant margin. It is not unknown for him to have taken on service for his own purposes and fooled the BigBad into thinking he's subordinate -- in this case, if his own objectives ever clash with his master's, [[EnemyCivilWar things will get interesting]]. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | If the Dragon's goal involves overthrowing his boss and [[KlingonPromotion taking his job]], he's TheStarscream. The tropes can overlap somewhat, as many Dragons with Agendas intend to do away with the competition [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness at some point down the road]] (or are at least aware that they ''might'' have to); a true Starscream intends to do so at the first available opportunity, and often their only difference in plans centers around ''who'' will benefit rather than ''what'' they entail. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Some are not outright evil and tend towards AntiVillain and/or EnigmaticMinion. Contrast with BattleButler and PsychoSupporter, who are often TheDragon but have the same goal as their master and are content with their position. If TheDragon and the BigBad are equal or nearly so, you have a BigBadDuumvirate. If they outlive the original BigBad, this type of [[TheDragon Dragon]] may go on to pursue their own motivations and become a DragonAscendant. Compare/contrast with the similar trope PiggybackingOnHitler. The equivalent among the hero's allies is WhoNeedsEnemies. Compare EvilChancellor. |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Examples: |
| 23 | |
| 24 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 25 | |
| 26 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 27 | * Smile in ''Anime/BattleSpiritsShonenToppaBashin''. [[spoiler:He doesn't support Number Nine's plan. Rather, he finds it repulsive. He just wants to face J in the King Uchuuchouten Cup to prove he makes a better partner for J than Bashin does.]] |
| 28 | * Gin from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' fills in this example. The reason it took so long for Gin to become a captain is because Aizen fought to hold on to Gin as his lieutenant for as long as he could. When Aizen betrays Soul Society, he states that even after Gin became a captain, he still viewed Gin as his "lieutenant". However, Aizen's villainy centres around a vendetta against the Soul King, the reason for which isn't explained. Even Gin's oldest friend, Rangiku, cannot fathom why Gin serves Aizen so faithfully. [[spoiler:Aizen stole a piece of Rangiku's soul when she was a child and Gin swore to avenge her; by becoming one of Aizen's right hands, he eventually learned Aizen's weakness. Unfortunately for Gin, Aizen knew Gin's motives all along and factored them into his plans.]] |
| 29 | * In ''Manga/Brave10'', Tokugawa Ieyasu has two dragons: Hattori Hanzo and Date Masamune. Hanzo has his own plans for capturing Isanami, and couldn't care less about the upcoming Tokugawa vs Toyotomi clash, [[spoiler:[[TheStarscream after all his team would be the one ruling from the shadows]]...or so he claims.]] Masamune also completely lacks respect for Ieyasu and his intentions. He's just in it for [[BloodKnight WAR!]] |
| 30 | * Vincent Leung in ''Literature/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard'' is employed by Octavia for various tasks and supports her, but it's made clear toward the end of the arc that he doesn't agree with her ultimate goals and also spends a healthy amount of time trying to advance his own goals with Seigi. |
| 31 | * [[spoiler:Wei]] to Amber in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack''. [[spoiler:Wei]] serves Amber so that he can have a chance to fight Hei again. |
| 32 | * ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'': |
| 33 | (* Demon of ''Manga/DigimonVTamer01'' [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans basically wants to wreck the world as he knows it]]. His dragon, Etemonkey, just wants to get to the human world and plans to come in peace. His other dragon, Neo Saiba, has his own plan of taking Digital World from Demon and [[InTheirOwnImage recreating it in his own image]]. [[spoiler:However, Demon knows this from the start and deliberately lets Neo to usurp him, by being assimilated by Neo's Arkadimon, so that he can assimilate it back when it gains enough power and Neo loses control of it.]] |
| 34 | ** Mercurymon in ''Anime/DigimonFrontier''. He plans to betray his master, Cherubimon, and rule the digital world himself. [[spoiler:However, he is killed before the fight with Cherubimon.]] |
| 35 | * ''Manga/FairyTail'': [[spoiler:Ultear]] serves this role to [[spoiler:Lyon and Jellal]], as they're secretly taking orders from their ''actual'' boss, Master Hades, and manipulating their teammates in order to serve Grimoire Heart's goals. [[spoiler:Of course, then she turns out to be fully willing to betray Hades too once their mutual goal, Zeref, is in sight.]] |
| 36 | * ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'': |
| 37 | ** In the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', Char Aznable splits his time between earnestly supporting Zeon's cause and trying to kill Zeon's ruling Zabi family. He's not TheStarscream since he isn't interested in ruling, he just wants [[RevengeByProxy revenge]] for his [[YouKilledMyFather father]]. |
| 38 | --->'''Char''': Blame this on the misfortune of your birth. |
| 39 | ** In ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'' Bask Om and his boss, Jamitov Hymem have very different agendas. Jamitov wants to rule the world. Bask, conversely, just wants to kill every colonial he can get his hands on. Since Bask's aims are rather less grandiose than Jamitov's, this doesn't really cause them too many problems. |
| 40 | ** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'''s Glemmy Toto starts out as a VillainOfTheWeek, eventually graduating to a position as [[BigBad Haman Khan's]] right-hand man. While the two of them share the goal of recreating the glory of Zeon, Haman intends to do it herself. Glemmy, on the other hand, seeks to reinstate the Zabi dictatorship, as [[spoiler:represented by himself]]. This eventually results in [[spoiler:Glemmy forming a RenegadeSplinterFaction and [[BigBadEnsemble challenging Haman]] for the BigBad spot]]. |
| 41 | ** {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED''. It's clear from fairly early on that [[GeneralRipper Patrick]] [[PresidentEvil Zala's]] right-hand man, Rau Le Creuset, has his own agenda, though just what it is isn't made clear. Than TheReveal comes along: he's [[spoiler:an OmnicidalManiac who seeks the [[KillAllHumans annihilation of the entire human race]], and oh, by the by, is the ''real'' BigBad of the series, with Patrick as his UnwittingPawn]]. |
| 42 | ** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'': [[TheDragon Vidar]]'s only reason for working under [[NonActionBigBad Rustal Elion]] is to get revenge on [=McGillis=]. Rustal wants to stop [=McGillis=] as well, but only because [=McGillis=] is a threat to his own plans of [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans maximizing his power]] over Gjallarhorn. |
| 43 | * In ''Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa'', [[StealthMentor Meta]] [[WorthyOpponent Knight]] is this to King Dedede. He claims to work for Dedede, but his mission is to defeat the demonic Nightmare, from whom Dedede orders his monsters from. |
| 44 | * [[spoiler:Dark Zero]] from ''Manga/{{Kurohime}}''. Rather than follow the BigBad Yashahime's plan and rule the universe, he just wants to exterminate humanity. |
| 45 | * ''Manga/{{Lady}}'': Mary Waverly, twice. |
| 46 | ** First on the list is [[spoiler:punishing Lynn for "ruining" her mother's engagement to her father, when in reality her mother was such an [[RichBitch unpleasant woman]] it drove him away]]. |
| 47 | ** Mary also manipulates [[spoiler:Lynn]] by promising to help them [[spoiler:get [[BigFancyHouse Marble Mansion]] back]] — but only if they [[spoiler:relinquish her bid to the Lady's Crest that both of them want so badly]]. |
| 48 | * Carrossea Doon from ''Anime/{{Madlax}}'' is only with Enfant to [[spoiler:find and protect female lead Margaret Burton, who's been targeted by the group]], rather than for [[NietzscheWannabe Monday's]] insane plans. |
| 49 | * DarkMagicalGirl Lutecia from ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' who cooperates with MadScientist Scaglietti not for his goals of world domination but [[spoiler:to reanimate her mother, Megane, who is in a coma]]. |
| 50 | * ''Manga/MajinTanteiNougamiNeuro'': Despite his position as [[BigBad Sick]]'s right hand man, Zenjirou Kaisai never quite hid the fact he wasn't loyal to his boss at all, having chosen to join the [[MasterRace True Bloodline]] merely as a means to fulfill his evil desires through the alliance and possessing little to no interested in the organization's goal of [[KillAllHumans eliminating mankind]]. Indeed, he states one of his wishes is to outlive Sicks. [[spoiler:The DistantFinale shows he accomplished this.]] |
| 51 | * Archduke Gorgon from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and ''Anime/GreatMazinger''. Theoretically, he allied himself with BigBad Dr. Hell to help him to destroy Mazinger-Z. [[ThePlan But his real goal was]] [[spoiler:watching over Hell and betraying him at the right time to get him killed (in the Gosaku Ota manga he backstabbed him) and Mazinger-Z destroyed.]] [[MagnificentBastard He succeeded on all fronts]]. |
| 52 | * Dabi from ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' is one of the League of Villains' most dangerous members, but he's ambivalent at best to [[BigBad Shigaraki's]] goals and is only allied with the League to advance his own agenda, that being Stain's will [[spoiler:and his personal vengeance against his father, Endeavor.]] |
| 53 | * Ichiki from ''Manga/NabariNoOu'' plays TheDragon to Hattori before she [[spoiler:betrays him for Fuuma]]. It appears that she'd been planning to [[spoiler:dispose of Hattori all along, and was just waiting for him to outlive his usefulness]]. |
| 54 | * ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': |
| 55 | ** Pain is a direct example; while [[spoiler:the Akatsuki were effectively highjacked by Tobi]], he in turn is only working with them to further his own goals. |
| 56 | ** Kabuto, because [[spoiler:after Orochimaru was defeated by Sasuke, he ingrained some of his master's remains into his own body, and decided to help Tobi in the 4th Ninja War]]. |
| 57 | ** Pain may be this to Tobi, but Tobi himself is this to [[spoiler:Madara]]. Both Tobi and [[spoiler:Madara]] are rather annoyed with how those agendas have messed with their plans. |
| 58 | ** It turns out that [[spoiler:Black Zetsu]] is this to [[spoiler:both Tobi and Madara]]; he's actually working for [[spoiler:Princess Kaguya]]. |
| 59 | * Saten in the anime of ''Manga/{{Needless}}'', who is introduced as one of Simeon's Elite Four, yet in a few scenes he "accidentally" helped out the good guys as they infiltrated Simeon's HQ. It turns out that [[spoiler:Saten was another survivor of the Adam Project who wanted Arclight dead so he could take over, but neither he nor his bosses counted on a revived Arclight coming back and absorbing him]]. |
| 60 | * {{Invoked|Trope}} in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' by [[MagnificentBastard Gendo]] [[LoveMakesYouEvil Ikari]], playing The Dragon to [[BigBad Keel Lorenz]] by ensuring the destruction of the [[EldritchAbomination Angels]] to open the path to [[AssimilationPlot Insturmentality]]. Once the path is open, he will immediately take things off the rails for his own [[EternalLove reunification]] [[LoveMakesYouCrazy scenario]]. Interestingly, the leaders of both [=NERV=] and [=SEELE=] both know from the very beginning that before the end, one will betray the other once they don't need the other groups help anymore. [[spoiler:And in ''End of Evangelion'', [=SEELE=] orders a full assault, killing almost everyone at [=NERV=].]] |
| 61 | * Nico Robin in ''Manga/OnePiece'' starts out as a Dragon to Crocodile in the Alabasta arc, but is later on revealed to have her own plans. After Crocodile's defeat, she [[HeelFaceTurn joins Luffy's crew]]. |
| 62 | * ''Literature/Overlord2012'': Albedo's loyalty to [[VillainProtagonist Ainz]] is, like all the rest of the Nazarick [=NPCs=], [[UndyingLoyalty absolute]]. However, that doesn't stop her from doing things that she knows he wouldn't like behind his back, if she thinks it's for his greater good. Most importantly, [[spoiler:secretly assembling a strike team to hunt down and kill any other Supreme Beings in the New World, despite Ainz wanting to reunite with his old friends. She does this because she doesn't want to serve anyone other than Ainz, and out of revenge for all the other Supreme Beings abandoning Nazarick and Ainz]]. |
| 63 | * From ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', [[spoiler:Sird to Giovanni]]. Turns out she was TheDragon from ''another'' villainous team; she was actually working undercover as TheMole to learn more about various Pokémon from space. |
| 64 | * ''Anime/RobotRomanceTrilogy'': |
| 65 | ** ''Anime/VoltesV'': Prince Heinel was born the son of a disgraced traitor, and ever since his birth, was treated with contempt by his fellow nobles. Even though he was a child, the other nobles refused to interact with him and he was barred from living in the castle, his birthright. Heinel swore he would do whatever he could to bring honour to his name, and opted to join the military. After he graduated from the Boazanian Institute of Military Sciences and Warfare as the top cadet, Emperor Zambajil tasked him with invading the Earth, which Heinel took as a great honour. He set out to the planet believing he would bring victory and honour to his name. |
| 66 | ** ''Anime/{{Daimos}}'': Richter was ordered to invade the Earth by Olban, but he does it with glee because the humans killed his father and he wants to inflict a great punishment for them. Throw in his screwed up [[MessianicArchetype Messiah complex]] and you get one hell of a villain. |
| 67 | * Queen Beryl in ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'' is second in command to Queen Metalia, but secretly plans to keep the Silver Crystal for herself and take over the earth. |
| 68 | * In ''AudioPlay/SaintBeast'', Lucifer is initially this, clearly having his own motives other than just serving Zeus, but eventually he [[TheParagonAlwaysRebels rebels and tries to take everyone he can with him]], leading to a TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil situation. |
| 69 | * Thorfinn in ''Manga/VinlandSaga'' is this to Askeladd. [[spoiler:He wants to kill Askeladd for murdering his father.]] |
| 70 | * Seto Kaiba from ''Anime/YuGiOh'' did this to his own Kaiba Corporation when he was what, twelve? |
| 71 | [[/folder]] |
| 72 | |
| 73 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 74 | * ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': It would probably take less time to list the high-ranking Roman officials appearing in the series who ''aren't'' hoping (and in many cases actively plotting) to take the throne of UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar for themselves. The most frequent example, of course, is [[UsefulNotes/MarcusJuniusBrutus Brutus]]. It's usually just a RunningGag, with Brutus shown sharpening a knife or grumbling "one of these days, I'm going to..." after a putdown by Caesar. However, he turns into an actual villain in Recap/AsterixAndSon, where he turns out to be plotting to kidnap Caesar's son (still a baby at this point) in order to eliminate a potential rival. |
| 75 | * ''ComicBook/BlakeAndMortimer'': Colonel Olrik, the heroes' archenemy, fits this trope in most stories. A renegade intelligence officer, he now spends most of his time as an underworld mercenary that various villains hire to do intelligence work for him. He's developed a very bad case of ItsPersonal against Blake and Mortimer after all the times they've thwarted him, however, so whatever agenda his employers have hired him for is always in danger of being sidelined by his personal agenda of gaining revenge. There are a couple other cases, however: |
| 76 | ** In the original story, ''The Secret of the Swordfish'', Olrik was working as head of StateSec for the Asian despot Basam Damdu. At one point, he offers the imprisoned Mortimer a chance to join him in plotting to overthrow his boss and free the world from his dictatorship. The plot never goes anywhere, as Mortimer is freed from his prison first, so we never find out if this was just a ploy to encourage Mortimer to work for him, or if he really was planning to turn [[TheStarscream Starscream]] on him. |
| 77 | ** In ''The Yellow Mark'', for once, Olrik is no longer a hired contractor but an enslaved one, whom the MadScientist Jonathan Septimus turns into his personal Dragon with advanced brain control techniques. Not surprisingly, once Septimus' brain control device is destroyed, Olrik's agenda of ''not being a slave'' kicks into gear and Septimus is quickly murdered. |
| 78 | * ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'': A couple of Cap's villains fall under this trope. |
| 79 | ** [[Characters/MarvelComicsRedSkull Red Skull]], his archnemesis, has long become a self-directed supervillain in his own right. However, in the original comics, he was in fact the Dragon for UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler. The Fuhrer essentially plucked him off the streets of Germany in an attempt to turn him into the perfect Nazi, eventually putting him in charge of the Reich's terrorist operations. However, he realized too late that the Red Skull had become too powerful for him to control and was using his own status to build up his own power base loyal to him rather than to Hitler. This would presumably have led to the Red Skull trying to overthrow him sooner or later, but the war ended and Hitler was killed before things had a chance to come to a head. |
| 80 | ** Batroc The Leaper, a French Foreign Legion deserter turned underworld mercenary that Cap frequently butts heads with. An extremely mild case as Batroc generally does what his employers tell him: however, he holds no malice towards Cap and is usually portrayed as having a WorthyAdversary relationship with him, which he occasionally prioritizes over his bosses' preferences. (In at least one instance, Batroc even saved Cap's life because he judged that his upcoming death - being eaten by a pack of sharks - would have been an unworthy death for such a great soldier). |
| 81 | * During ''ComicBook/DarkReign'', Norman Osborn put together a cabal of the best villains to help him hold onto power. Unfortunately, he ran into this trope: Doctor Doom was only in it to get back control of Latveria after his last... foray against the Avengers, Loki was in it for as long as it amused him (and later, as part of a plan to force Asgard to leave Midgard space), ComicBook/EmmaFrost was only there because she was desperate to save the mutants, and Namor was only there because he needed the political clout to rebuild Atlantis (and support Emma, who he wanted to get back together with). Later he adds Taskmaster to the group, who's only really there for the money, and unknown to Osborn, had previously helped Deadpool mess with Norman's plans. Osborn did realize that this was happening, and was starting a plan to build a new Cabal who ''wouldn't'' randomly try to kill him. |
| 82 | * In ''ComicBook/DeathOfTheFamily'', [[spoiler:Ogilvy, Penguin's second-in-command, has decided to take over Penguin's empire, as well as name himself Emperor Penguin]]. |
| 83 | * In the ''ComicBook/GreenLantern: ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'' story arc, every major baddie had a different agenda. |
| 84 | ** The Anti-Monitor's goal is simple -- [[OmnicidalManiac to wipe out every single thing in the matter multiverse]]. Nice when a villain has such a clear focus on what they want, isn't it? |
| 85 | ** Sinestro was aiming to bring order to the multiverse by taking it over and ruling as the head of the Sinestro Corps in much the same way as he did his home planet of Korugar... or so he lets everyone think. [[spoiler:In reality, his goal was not to win the war but to do so much damage that the Guardians of the Universe would allow the Green Lantern Corps to kill. In doing so, he believes he set in motion the events that would lead to the Green Lanterns being feared.]] |
| 86 | ** Hank Henshaw, the Cyborg Superman, is much cleaner, as all he has ever wanted was [[DeathSeeker to die]] and be reunited with his dead wife. If the Anti-Monitor is Sinestro's [[TheDragon Dragon]], then Henshaw is the Anti-Monitor's as the Anti-Monitor promised him death. [[spoiler:It almost worked. He was destroyed during the story but, in TheStinger, was located by the Manhunters and resurrected.]] |
| 87 | ** Superboy-Prime, meanwhile, only ever wanted to [[spoiler:kill the Anti-Monitor as retribution for Earth-Prime being destroyed.]] He actually succeeded. |
| 88 | * In ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', the main members of the Secret Society of Super-Villains: |
| 89 | ** ComicBook/LexLuthor was apparently there to brainwash the heroes, [[spoiler:but he had a secret plan to restart TheMultiverse. And he would have gotten away with it too, if not for those meddling kids]]. |
| 90 | ** Talia al Ghul was there so that when the villains [[TakeOverTheWorld took over the world]], she could betray her allies, kill the surviving villains, and create an ecologically sustainable utopia. |
| 91 | ** Black Adam signed up to get villain help protecting his country. [[NobleDemon Even Bad Men Love Their Fatherlands]]. |
| 92 | ** Calculator and Deathstroke were in it for [[MoneyDearBoy the money, fellows]]. |
| 93 | ** Doctor Psycho was... [[OutOfFocus Uh]]... [[ForTheEvulz Ummm]]... |
| 94 | * Following ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueNoJustice'', Luthor carefully explained to the members of the Legion of Doom why his new obsession would also be in their interests, giving them each control of an energy type they could use for their own ends. Unfortunately, in ''Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth'', Black Manta went off-message when he realised just how powerful his artefact was, and that he could achieve his own ends (domination of the oceans and revenge on Aquaman) in a way that screwed the rest of the Legion over. This was almost immediately followed by [[spoiler: the Joker revealing that he only joined because he thought it would be funny to muck the whole thing up just as Luthor was about to achieve it, until Luthor getting The Batman Who Laughs involved made him speed up the timetable on that.]] |
| 95 | * ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' storyline "ComicBook/ThoseEmeraldEyesAreShining": Ontiir helps Emerald Empress take over the Weber's World (an artificial planet which works as the United Planets' administrative center), claiming to have transferred his loyalties from the Dark Circle to her; but in reality he handed over the Weber's World to the Empress to further another of Dark Circle's schemes. As soon as she is defeated, Ontiir attempts to escape to inform his real masters. |
| 96 | * ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Despite their superior alien power, it was the Chitauri who worked for Hitler, not the other way. The Holocaust was entirely a nazi idea, the Chitauri simply accepted their "eccentricism" for the sake of their own long-term agenda. |
| 97 | * ''ComicBook/XMen'': Mystique's betraying the boss in charge is [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder almost expected at this point]], such as when [[spoiler:she killed Mr. Sinister in a BatmanGambit to save Rogue's life]]. |
| 98 | [[/folder]] |
| 99 | |
| 100 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 101 | * ''Fanfic/BloodSilkAndSteel'': Sokka is this to both Azula and Ozai. |
| 102 | * ''Fanfic/BurningBlack'': Crocker's only working for Remy to [[spoiler:keep his mother safe]] and after realizing that fairies are returning to Dimmsdale and there's a new Timmy in town, decides to use part of Remy's resources to create a device that will [[spoiler:resurrect Timmy Turner]] and make things the way they '''should''' be. |
| 103 | * ''Fanfic/ChasingDragons'': As is eventually revealed around the time of the Greyjoy Rebellion, [[spoiler: Euron is only playing loyal servant to Stannis in order to position himself as a replacement as Hand when Jon Arryn eventually retires, and from there set himself to become regent for Stannis' children upon eliminating him, then marrying one of his daughters when they come of age and taking the Iron Throne for himself.]] |
| 104 | * ''Fanfic/CindersAndAshesTheChroniclesOfKamenRiderDante'' has Yudai Sonoda, who works with Re:Shocker out of a desire to avenge his sister Yuna... who was turned into a monster by their machinations. [[spoiler:By the time he actually ''does'' have his chance for revenge and guns for their leader, they're [[RefugeeFromTVLand in the real world]] and his leader, having been aware of the genre conventions of Kamen Rider, [[BreakThemByTalking deconstructs how his arc will go end]]]]. |
| 105 | * ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': In the fourth story, ''The Diplomat's Life'', [[spoiler:Umbrea and later Rabia are this to Grogar, since he's the creator of the Shadow Pony Sect. When Umbrea began her scheme to escape the Shadow Prison, she had no intention of freeing Grogar, just wanting power for herself. Likewise, Rabia had plans of his own when he escaped, and he continues those plans when he's freed from Limbo]]. |
| 106 | * In Season Three of ''Fanfic/TheFlashSentryChronicles'', Shade was only working for Doom Raizer because it would bring him closer to accomplishing his own goals, which was to eliminate the last of the Jackhowls, Springer. |
| 107 | * In ''Fanfic/TheImmortalGame'', Nihilus serves King Titan with the intention of betraying him the moment she secures the Elements of Harmony. [[BigGood Princess]] [[TheChessmaster Celestia]] anticipated this from the start, and actually helped to ''encourage'' it. |
| 108 | * The {{Ascended|Fanfic}} ''Literature/ReadyPlayerOne'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Lacero}}'' reveals that [[spoiler:Nolan Sorrento had no intention of giving control of the OASIS to IOI. He intended to destroy it to take revenge on GSS because his sister was a Gunter who died because she took meth to stay up to be in the OASIS]]. |
| 109 | * Mako is a benevolent example of this to Ryuko Kiryuin in ''Fanfic/NaturalSelection''. Ryuko is the successor to a millennium-old plan to consume humanity and destroy the Earth for the sake of her alien benefactors. Mako just wants her girlfriend to be happy, less angry and for Honnouji to go back to being a (relatively) normal school. |
| 110 | * ''Fanfic/{{Necrophobia}}'': [[MagmaMan Samerina Volcuzas]] is one as she secretly seeks to take control over the titular dark guild from its leader, [[MadScientist Dieter Mengele]]. Dieter however, knows that his [[TheDragon number two]] is fully capable of this [[TheStarscream trope]] which is why he has implanted a [[ExplosiveLeash bomb]] within her skull to prevent her from doing any kind of mischief from behind his back. |
| 111 | * ''Fanfic/NightsFavoredChild'': The Inquisitor is implied to be this to Nightmare Moon, though like [[EnigmaticMinion pretty much everything else about him]], nothing about this agenda is clear. |
| 112 | * The ''Series/DoctorWho''[=/=]''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'' crossover fancomic ''[[Webcomic/RichsComixBlog Outrage]]'' reveals that Eric Raymond's toady Techrat was actually one of these. |
| 113 | * ''Fanfic/PastSins'' has an interesting twist on the concept; the BigBad is an extremely ReluctantMonster forced into the role, where TheDragon expects an OmnicidalManiac. |
| 114 | * In ''Fanfic/PersonaTheSougawaFiles'', [[spoiler:Yuudai Honda turns out to have completely different goals than his boss Nobuyuki, which come to light after Nobuyuki's death]]. |
| 115 | * ''Fanfic/APossibleEncounterForAPhantom'': While forming [[LegionOfDoom The Faction]], Dr Drakken becomes Vlad's closest partner in their plan to [[FossilRevival bring the prehistoric Terakon beasts back to life as an army for world domination]]. Drakken plots [[TheStarscream to betray him and seize control of the army]]. However, the first Terakon, a literal dragon, has its own plans for the army. |
| 116 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' fic ''Fanfic/TurningRedSecretsOfThePanda'', Howard Mitchell is only working for Jason as he wants to protect the city. |
| 117 | * ''Fanfic/VillainOfYourOwnStory'': After [[PointOfDivergence discovering the Butterfly Brooch]], Alya was disappointed to learn it specialized in SuperEmpowering ''other'' people, not the user, which she [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway thought was too lame for a superhero]]. So she decided to become the 'fake' supervillain Hawkmoth with the intent of luring other Miraculous users out of hiding so she could steal their magical jewelry and use them to become a "''real'' superhero" herself, [[DidntThinkThisThrough without considering the implications of her own scheme]]. Her partner Adrien, meanwhile, is secretly manipulating her into targeting their classmates: he [[BlamingTheVictim blames them all]] for causing Chloe's KarmaHoudiniWarranty to expire, aiming to destroy their lives with Alya's unwitting aid. |
| 118 | * Adam Taurus is this to Sienna Khan in ''Fanfic/WarOfRemnantARWBYAnthology''. While he doesn't murder her like in canon, it's only because she's much more bloodthirsty than her original incarnation. He is also prone to doing things behind her back, most notably killing Ilia, who Sienna cared a great deal about, and framing it on racist humans to enrage her. |
| 119 | * In ''Fanfic/WithStringsAttached'', the Raleka have a completely different agenda than [[spoiler:Brox and Co.]], but they have to work together to take the Vasyn pieces from the four. |
| 120 | [[/folder]] |
| 121 | |
| 122 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': Shenzi has an agenda. As the Matriarch of the hyena clan, who the BigBad Scar used to keep the Pride Lands under control, she seemed to just want freedom, power, and food for her clan. |
| 124 | * In ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons'', the villain, "[[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Bowler Hat Guy]]," [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin has a bowler hat]] that's actually a sapient robot helper, [[HypercompetentSidekick Dor-15]]. While he wants to ruin Lewis' life and pass the Memory Scanner off as his own, Dor-15 [[spoiler:becomes TheStarscream and creates a BadFuture where humans are {{Mind Control}}led]]. |
| 125 | [[/folder]] |
| 126 | |
| 127 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 128 | * Bennett from ''Film/{{Commando}}'' only aims to kill Matrix; little else. |
| 129 | * In ''Film/ConAir'', Cameron Poe asks black supremacist Diamond Dog why he's content to be second in command to white Big Bad Cyrus Grissom. Dog replies that while his long term agenda is vastly different from that of Cyrus, he needs to escape before he can get back to it -- going along with Cyrus is "a means to an end". |
| 130 | * ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'': |
| 131 | ** In both ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' and ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', ComicBook/TheJoker and Bane start out as Dragons to someone else (TheMafia for the former, a CorruptCorporateExecutive for the latter), but they're only using their nominal "bosses" for their resources and quickly [[DragonAscendant kill them and take over their operations]] once they've [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlived their usefulness]]. |
| 132 | ** In ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Scarecrow provides an unusual example. He does the same thing The Joker does to the Mafia, but his agenda is just that of a different villain to whom he is a more loyal dragon. |
| 133 | * ''Franchise/DieHard'': |
| 134 | ** In ''Film/DieHard'', Hans' top henchman Karl's brother -- another of Hans' henchmen -- is killed by [=McClane=]. Karl wants revenge against [=McClane=], losing interest in the main mission for the rest of the movie. |
| 135 | ** ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'': Simon Peter Gruber may or may not be this. He claims to be working for Middle Eastern clients who have hired him to steal and blow up the gold contents of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Instead, he's planning to keep the gold for himself, only pretending to blow it up to cover his tracks. However, since we never see the "gentlemen in the Middle East," it's unclear if Simon is cheating them, or if he completely made them up in order to con the Americans into thinking his high-stakes heist really was a terrorist attack. |
| 136 | * ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'': |
| 137 | ** Bowen is a benevolent example. He's a Knight of the Old (i.e. Arthurian) Code who's now the greatest warrior of a WastelandWarlord that he holds in deep contempt, along with the rest of his knights, as nothing more than glorified marauders and pillagers. However, he hopes that as weapons instructor for his boss' son, he'll be able to instill a sense of honor in him that'll make him a better king than his father. Unfortunately, the plan goes to waste, as Prince Einon steadfastly ignores every moral lesson and goes on to be an even worse king, forcing Bowen to cut ties with him. |
| 138 | ** Draco, meanwhile, is a literal dragon, and his agenda drives much of the movie. However, it's completely unrelated to this trope. |
| 139 | * ''Franchise/IndianaJones'': UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler seems particularly prone to picking these. |
| 140 | ** The main villain in ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', Rene Belloq, is a French archaeologist who trades in black market antiquities. While officially charged with recovering the Ark for the Nazis, he considers them "necessary evils" rather than genuine partners and isn't planning to turn the Ark over to them until he's discovered its secrets himself. It's not clear whether his interest is purely intellectual or something more, but since he considers the Ark a direct link to God, the sky's the limit in terms of what he could be planning. |
| 141 | ** The main villain in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Walter Donovan, is an American industrialist who helps the Nazis in their search for the Holy Grail. He has different goals for it than them: while they're interested in the symbolic value of "writing themselves into the Grail legend," his interest is purely materialistic, wanting the eternal life that the cup can grant him. |
| 142 | * Colonel Hans Landa from ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''. He happens to be PiggybackingOnHitler, but he's also TheDragon. After proudly hunting down Jews throughout the war, he sells out the entire Nazi high command and defects to the Allies. However, Aldo Raine is ''not'' going to let him off that easy, agreeing to the deal but also carving a swastika into Landa's forehead. |
| 143 | * A few of the main villains in ''Franchise/JamesBond'' can be seen as this. |
| 144 | ** Max Zorin, the main villain of ''Film/AViewToAKill'', is a KGB agent who was inserted into the West long ago until he rose to be the CEO of a wealthy Anglo-French defense contractor and microchip producer. This was supposed to be an industrial espionage conduit for the KGB, but Zorin [[BecomingTheMask is more interested in being a CEO in his own right]], culminating in a plan to wipe out his business competitors in Silicon Valley and leave his own company with a monopoly on the microchip market. When the KGB realizes something's amiss, they try to rein him in, but he refuses to obey and proclaims that he's cutting ties to them. |
| 145 | ** ''Film/{{Spectre}}'': Franz Oberhauser [[spoiler:aka Ernst Stavro Blofeld]] plans to turn himself into this. He's the hidden hand sponsoring "Nine Eyes," a sophisticated global surveillance network that nine of the world's most powerful nations will rely on for intelligence gathering (to the point that at least one of them is literally considering using this to replace their human intelligence capacities altogether). What those nations aren't aware of is that their Nine Eyes contractor is also a worldwide crime syndicate that will use this intelligence to manipulate them and to support its own criminal activities. |
| 146 | * The Asset from ''Film/JasonBourne'' wants to kill Bourne personally because of his leak of Blackbriar. |
| 147 | * Zero in ''Film/JohnWickChapter3Parabellum''. He becomes the main physical muscle for the High Table in their war with John Wick, but he doesn't seem to care all that much about them, abiding by their rules somewhat begrudgingly. What he ''really'' cares about is fighting and killing a legend like John Wick. |
| 148 | * ''Franchise/TheMatrix'': (Former) Agent Smith is under almost constant control by his Machine masters and tasked with maintaining order in the Matrix. However, even in the original film he reveals that he has ulterior motives. When he briefly [[RemovingTheEarpiece removes his earpiece]], he admits to Morpheus that he completely despises the "zoo" he considers himself trapped in, and is revolted by the stench of humanity. In the sequels, he goes on a full-scale rebellion to destroy everything. |
| 149 | * G Money in ''Film/NewJackCity'' becomes this after Nino Brown shows constant disrespect and indifference towards him after he helped Nino become the drug kingpin of New York, and even though Nino is supposed to be his best friend. This causes him to pull a MistreatmentInducedBetrayal. [[spoiler:It doesn't work out for him.]] |
| 150 | * ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'': The main villain, Frank, is a lifelong gunslinger who's now the Dragon for Morton, a railroad baron. Morton originally hired him as an enforcer charged with "removing small obstacles" from the path of his railroad (including any inconvenient citizens). Over the course of the movie, Frank becomes more and more ambitious, wanting to become Morton's full-fledged partner. It's made clear that he doesn't have the business sense for the job, however, and even he realizes by the end of the movie (and with Morton dead) that he's no businessman. ("Just a man"). |
| 151 | * TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Film/PatriotGames'' has Sean Miller fulfilling this role to his [[BigBad boss]] Kevin O'Donnell. After Ryan kills his brother and prevents a terrorist attack on the Royal Family, he cares less about O'Donnell and his plans and focuses more on getting revenge on Ryan and his family. [[spoiler:He also goes as far as to [[TheStarscream shoot and kill O'Donnell and Annette]] in the final battle when they force him to turn the boat around.]] |
| 152 | * ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'': Some of Jigsaw's numerous apprentices and accomplices (who are more or less treated equally asides from how much they're involved in Jigsaw's schemes), including the most notorious ones, have goals and ideals differing from his own. |
| 153 | ** While Amanda did support Jigsaw's testing, the traps she made on her own were inescapable rather having a way for the victims to escape, believing that death would be more merciful and that nobody can really change. |
| 154 | ** Hoffman never really subscribed to [[InsaneTrollLogic Jigsaw's twisted philosophy]]. A test of character he has with Simone, a furious maimed survivor, [[CaptainObvious has him further doubt it amounted to anything positive]]. |
| 155 | ** Although nowhere near as rebellious as other disciples, WordOfGod suggested that even after his FaceHeelTurn, Lawrence [[PetTheDog was going to go back and free Adam]]. Sadly, Amanda already got to him by then. |
| 156 | * ''Film/{{She|1965}}'': She's second in command, Billali, hopes to be granted immortality as a reward for his service, and rebels when she decides to give it to the hero instead. |
| 157 | * ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'': Cosmo, the main villain, has this relationship with the local Mafia dons. As far they know, he's just their IT department. He's actually a political radical, who never lost the extreme-left ideology of his university days, and is looking for the film's {{MacGuffin}} in the hopes of crashing the entire world economy (and the social order it supports). |
| 158 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': |
| 159 | ** Darth Vader's infamous speech from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' ends with him revealing his willingness to betray the Emperor for family: |
| 160 | --->''Darth Vader'': Luke, you can destroy [[BigBad the Emperor]]. He has foreseen this. It is your ''[[BecauseDestinySaysSo destiny]]''. Join me, and [[WeCanRuleTogether together we can rule the galaxy as father and son]]! |
| 161 | ** In ''Film/TheLastJedi'', [[spoiler:Kylo Ren kills Snoke and usurps the First Order for about twenty minutes]]. |
| 162 | ** The Sith Order's Rule of Two ''officially'' makes the apprentice a Dragon With An Agenda, that agenda being [[TheStarscream "kill your master."]] The apprentice is meant to learn as much as he can about the dark side of the Force until he's grown powerful enough to overthrow and replace his master (who, in turn, will be working to prevent this outcome). This is due to the Sith Order's extreme Darwinian ideology: if the apprentice kills his master, he's worthy to replace him. If he can't do it and is killed instead, he isn't worthy, and the master will have to find a more deserving apprentice. |
| 163 | * Richter from ''Film/TotalRecall1990'' nearly screws up his boss Cohaagen's plans several times, because Cohaagen wants Quaid alive for whatever his plans are, and Richter is constantly trying to kill him to avenge his wife Lori, whom Quaid killed (and the fact that Lori was Quaid's 'wife' for a while and was constantly in bed with him can't have helped either). He is naturally quite pleased when Cohaagen finally gives up and gives the order to take him out. |
| 164 | * Ross in ''Film/TheTragedyOfMacbeth'' has his role expanded to become Macbeth's right-hand man after becoming king, serving as his personal assassin and enforcer. [[spoiler:In the end, it's revealed that he was also selling Macbeth out to Malcolm, and took Fleance under his personal protection instead of killing him as per Macbeth's orders, all for an unknown purpose.]] |
| 165 | * The ''Film/{{Twilight}}: Eclipse'' movie seems to do this to Jane, implying that she will allow the Cullens' deaths without Aro's knowledge. This makes more sense than in the book, where Aro wants Edward and Alice to join his side but nevertheless is willing to let Victoria's army kill them. |
| 166 | [[/folder]] |
| 167 | |
| 168 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 169 | * In ''Literature/TheBalancedSword'', the demon king Kerlamion takes a shot at world domination using a strategy devised by one of his underlings. Said underling has his own objective, and once he's got what he wants from Kerlamion he cheerfully goes his own way and lets Kerlamion's world domination attempt crash and burn. |
| 170 | * In ''Literature/BehindBlueEyes'' by Anna Mocikat: Metatron is technically just the chief enforcer of the Olympias Corporation but it's clear he wants to actually rule it even to the Board. They'd love to reign him in but he's very good at contriving reasons why that's a bad idea. Nephilim becomes ''his'' DragonWithAnAgenda when he promotes her to Archangel status [[spoiler:until he brainwashes her rebellious tendencies out of her]]. |
| 171 | * In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', [[LadyMacbeth Lady Invidia Aquitaine]] serves as her husband Lord Aquitaine's Dragon so that she can get her hans on the Realm's reins of power (and married him primarily for this purpose), while he [[spoiler:wants to topple a First Lord he sees as corrupt, but has no real desire to hold power himself]]. After breaking with him, Lady Aquitaine winds up in a similar relationship with [[spoiler:the Vord Queen]], serving [[spoiler:her]] only because [[spoiler:she is able to keep Invidia alive despite her crippling injuries]]. |
| 172 | * In Creator/RobertEHoward's ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'' story "Literature/ThePhoenixOnTheSword", Ascalante. He was summoned to help the conspirators, and in his first appearance, comments on how his tools think he is their tool. |
| 173 | * On the good guy side, in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' we get Vimes playing this role to Vetinari, maybe. Most of the time Vimes appears to be just a good little dragon, but he does sometimes have a different agenda, or at least a different motivation. Depending on how you look at it; technically, they both want what's best for Ankh-Morpork, but they ''do'' often differ on what exactly that means. |
| 174 | ** Vetinari frequently "solves" problems he's not allowed to solve himself by pointing Vimes at them and giving him a Clue. Carrot would make a straighter example of a Dragon, though usually he's serving by proxy as he technically answers to Commander Vimes, not the Patrician. |
| 175 | ** Lord Hong from ''Literature/InterestingTimes'' is this to the emperor, and only just fails being TheStarscream by way of not really being bothered about having his old boss's land. |
| 176 | * Galadan Wolflord in ''Literature/TheFionavarTapestry''. Rakoth, the BigBad, is a pretty standard dark god/EvilOverlord who is out for world domination, but Galadan wants to destroy the world because he was [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds driven mad by the death of his love]], and he views Rakoth as a convenient weapon to help accomplish this. Obviously these goals are mutually exclusive, but it's implied that Rakoth knows all about Galadan's plans and does nothing simply because he knows the Wolflord isn't powerful enough to be a threat to him. |
| 177 | * Drake from ''Literature/{{Gone}}''. A psychopath, he serves as BigBad [[TheSociopath Caine's]] top enforcer, but it's apparent from his interior monologues that he's just helping Caine in hopes that Caine and Sam will kill each other. Although he probably would've turned on Caine as soon as they no longer had mutual goals, [[spoiler:Caine tried to kill him after Drake gave Diana near-fatal injuries, which caused Drake to switch over to The Gaiaphage]]. |
| 178 | * Interestingly, in ''Literature/TheGoodTheBadAndTheMediochre'', Sapphire's [[TheDragon Dragon]] [[SmugSnake Mr Antler]] ''doesn't'' have any ulterior motives that [[BigBad Sapphire]] doesn't know about. However, TheBrute [[BarbarianHero Maelstrom]] secretly intends to [[FantasticRacism murder the dragon]] (of the winged, scaly sort) which the Sapphire Smuggling Syndicate are keeping alive as a back-up plan, while TheEvilGenius "[[MagnificentBastard the tempomancer]]" is a HiddenAgendaVillain and member of a NebulousEvilOrganisation who are using Sapphire's plans to further their own. |
| 179 | * ''Literature/JackRyan'': |
| 180 | ** Felix Cortez in ''Literature/ClearAndPresentDanger'', Badaryn in ''Literature/ExecutiveOrders'', and Dmitri Popov in ''Literature/RainbowSix'' are all freelance professionals who are hired by the [[BigBad Big Bads]] (the [[TheCartel Medellin Cartel]], the [[MiddleEasternCoalition United Islamic Republic]], and John Brightling's pharmaceutical MegaCorp, respectively) as intelligence and special operations specialists. Originally, the "agenda" part of their behavior is extremely mild, consisting mainly of bilking their employers by skimming off the top of the money allocated for intelligence operations. However, Cortez graduates to full-blown [[TheStarscream Starscream]] when an American operation against the Cartel offers him a chance to overthrow its leaders and take their place. Popov on the other hand makes a HeelFaceTurn when he realizes that his CEO boss is running an environmentalist conspiracy whose purpose is to [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out almost all human life on Earth]], making this an odd case of "dragon whose boss never bothered to tell him what the agenda ''was'' and ensure they were on the same page." |
| 181 | ** This is the backstory of Kevin O'Donnell, leader of the Ulster Liberation Army, in ''Literature/PatriotGames''. He was once the chief of security for the [[UsefulNotes/TheTroubles Provisional Wing of the IRA]], and used this position to eliminate members of the organization whose politics didn't agree with his, ultimately in the hopes of remaking it into something more in line with his own ideology (Maoist revolutionary rather than the Provos' less radical brand of nationalism). The PIRA eventually catch on, forcing O'Donnell to flee and [[RenegadeSplinterFaction set up his own organization.]] |
| 182 | * In Creator/DavidEddings' ''Literature/TheMalloreon'', the [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils Demon Lords Mordja and Nahaz]] work for [[BigBad Zandramas]] and [[AGodAmI Urvon]] solely so that they can seize the [[ArtifactOfDoom Sardion]] from them in their moment of triumph and then drag them into hell. Urvon's other Dragon, [[EvilSorceror Harakan]] / [[DarkMessiah Mengha]], is also a DragonWithAnAgenda; he conspires with Nahaz to drive Urvon mad and take his place, so that the two of them can rule the world. Since Nahaz is out to betray ''both'' of them, and both of them believe that their magic is enough to keep him under control, he succeeds in being DragonWithAnAgenda ''and'' DragonInChief to two separate characters. |
| 183 | * In ''Literature/MarvelsSpiderManHostileTakeover'', Fisk hired Blood Spider to sully Spider-Man's reputation. Bingham wants to take it a step further and usurp Spider-Man and his legacy all together. The would eventually lead to Fisk taking over by holding the last remaining flash-drive of his illicit activities with Oscorp hostage. |
| 184 | * In the third ''Literature/{{Nevermoor}}'' book, it's revealed that [[spoiler:Ezra Squall, the series' primary villain, works for President Wintersea, who might be even worse than he is and is certainly more of a threat to the population at large--he's an extremely powerful Wundersmith, but she has control of an entire nation, and political and personal power so great that even Squall falls in line. He works for her not because he likes her (he doesn't) or because he feels loyal to her cause (he has no loyalty to ''anything'' except himself), but because he's [[PragmaticVillainy pragmatic]] enough to realize that, after being banished from the Free State, cozying up to her is the best way he can remain safe in the Republic. His primary goal is ''always'' to find a way to return to and conquer Nevermoor; anything he does for her is just so he can maintain his position and stay on her good side. The first time her goals directly interfere with his own, he immediately goes behind her back to find a way to undermine her]]. |
| 185 | * In Creator/TadWilliams' ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'', John Dread is this to CorruptCorporateExecutive Felix Jongleur. Jongleur's EvilPlan is focused on [[ImmortalitySeeker living forever]], and he's trained the AxCrazy SerialKiller Dread as a PsychoForHire to go after his physical opponents. Dread is far, far more ambitions than Jongleur realizes, however, and is simply biding his time, waiting for a moment of weakness to take over. And he does indeed, deposing Jongleur as master of Otherland and embarking on a godlike orgy of [[SugarApocalypse virtual destruction]]. |
| 186 | * In ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', Obliteration is this to Regalia. Strangely, she knows very well that he is an OmnicidalManiac planning to kill her and everyone else eventually, but is using him in the meantime anyway. |
| 187 | * ''Literature/{{Smoke}}'': Barney Bueler is hired to capture Freddy for the tobacco company who accidentally turned him invisible (and want to find him to study the process and/or use him as a corporate spy) but is far more interested in forcing Freddy to be an invisible Assassin for himself (killing Buelers enemies and being rented out to organized crime) and gathers blackmail material against his employers. |
| 188 | * ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'' has this as the relationship between Grand Admiral Thrawn himself and Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth. C'baoth took Thrawn's orders with more and more reluctance as time went on, and he wanted very different things. Towards the end, they weren't really on the same side anymore. [[spoiler:Thrawn was fully aware of this, and at the time of his death was planning to solve the problem by [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness eliminating C'baoth]] and [[SendInTheClones making a replacement C'baoth]]. His own death, nearly simultaneous to C'baoth's, derailed his plan.]] |
| 189 | * ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium'': |
| 190 | ** ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Per WordOfGod, [[EvilOverlord Sauron]] only worked with [[GodOfEvil Morgoth]] to advance his own ends -- namely, to create perfect order by turning the world into a giant totalitarian state. As Morgoth's goals were, essentially, to take over the world so he could say "mine" before [[OmnicidalManiac blowing it up]], it's very likely that an EnemyCivilWar would have broken out had the bad guys ''won''. Fortunately for Sauron, Morgoth went down first, allowing him to graduate to BigBad in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. |
| 191 | ** In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', Saruman ''thinks'' he's part of a BigBadDuumvirate with Sauron, but he's actually far lesser in power, and wants to get the Ring himself to stab Mordor in the back. |
| 192 | * ''Literature/TheUpgrade'' by Wesley Cross: The Red Dragon gang and Victor Ye is the official "head" of the cabal but Guardian Manufacturing has a lot more wealth as well as legitimate power. As such, its CEO, Alexander Engel, is always planning to take control of the group from him. |
| 193 | [[/folder]] |
| 194 | |
| 195 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 196 | * ''Series/TwentyFour'': In the seventh season, [[spoiler: [[TheManBehindTheMan Alan Wilson]]]] is at the head of the season's terrorism plot. [[spoiler: [[FallenHero Tony Almeida]]]], however, has their own motives and is undoubtedly the primary antagonist. |
| 197 | * ''Series/{{Angel}}'': The incorporeal demon Sahjhan tried to use Holtz as his dragon by offering him vengeance against Darla and Angel. However, Sahjhan's true goal was actually to either prevent the birth of Connor, Angel and Darla's unborn son, or kill him as a child. Sahjhan quickly grew frustrated with Holtz's focus on punishing the vampires instead of simply killing them as quickly as possible i.e. before Darla gave birth. And then Holtz decided that ''stealing'' Angel's son and raising him as his own would be a more fitting punishment, at which point Sahjhan lost control of his ally. |
| 198 | * ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': We learn in the episode "Deathstroke" that [[spoiler:Isabel Rochev is this to Slade. She insists that she's working ''with'' him instead of ''for'' him as she is trying to exact her own revenge on the Queen family, and it's just that their goals are mutually beneficial.]] |
| 199 | * ''Series/BreakingBad'': Between seasons 3 and 4, [[VillainProtagonist Walter White / Heisenberg]] is [[BigBad Gustavo Fring]]'s chief meth cook. While Gus has his conflicts with [[TheCartel The Juarez Cartel]], Walter clearly doesn't mind, and later plans to dismantle his business when the conflict between him and Gus begins to solidify. |
| 200 | * ''Series/ChouseiKantaiSazerX'': Jackall works for Neo Descal, but only so he can get revenge on Commander Shark. This makes it quite hard for Garade and Grouza to keep him on a leash, as he won't listen to any orders than don't have anything to do with Shark, and he eventually deserts Neo Descal entirely to keep pursuing Shark on his own. |
| 201 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Security Chief, who is [[TheDragon Dragon]] to the War Chief's BigBad in the serial "The War Games". |
| 202 | ** The War Chief is also this to the War Lord. The Security Chief is ultimately loyal to his people's leader. The War Chief is an outsider running his own game. |
| 203 | * ''Franchise/KamenRider'': |
| 204 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'': [[SerialKiller Takeshi Asakura]] occasionally does [[PsychoForHire temp work]] for Shiro Kanzaki, but only because he [[BloodKnight loves killing]]. In fact, he'd probably kill Kanzaki too if he ever got the chance. |
| 205 | ** ''Series/KamenRider555'' has Kitazaki. Similar to Asakura up there, he's a psychopath who works as an assassin for Murakami because he loves killing, though Murakami usually doesn't have too much of an issue keeping him on a leash. |
| 206 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'': Gremlin serves under Wiseman because Wiseman promised him [[spoiler:the PhilosophersStone, which Gremlin needs to become human again. As soon as he figures out Wiseman doesn't plan to give it to him, Gremlin [[TheStarscream turns treacherous]].]] |
| 207 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'': Each member under Takatora's employ each have their own agenda to fulfill. Ryoma wants to obtain the ForbiddenFruit of Helheim and to use his research to bring about a god ForScience (and possibly become a god himself), Sid also wants to [[GodhoodSeeker become a god]] for [[ItsAllAboutMe self-serving reasons]], Yoko wishes to be the [[KingmakerScenario kingmaker]] and support anyone she thinks is worthy to be said god, Mitsuzane wants to protect his friends from Helheim and eventually tries to kill [[TheHero Kouta]] because [[HopeIsScary he believes his idealism is hurting the people he loves]], Kaito is merely using Yggdrasil to gain more power and eventually topple them, and Oren? [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking He cares more about his restaurant than any schemes he's involved in]]. |
| 208 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'': The Heart Roidmude leads the Roidmudes with the goal of creating a paradise for them all. Medic, one of his CoDragons, believing trying to save every Roidmude is futile and plans to cull them down to a select few that includes Heart and herself. |
| 209 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'': [[spoiler:Hiiro Kagami]] eventually [[FaceHeelTurn flips]] to working for Cronus, but he only does so because [[spoiler:Cronus has the power to revive his dead girlfriend, and is using that as leverage to get him to go along with his plans.]] |
| 210 | ** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': Yoshiko Tajimi is the Prime Minister of Hokuto who seeks to conquer Touto and claim Pandora's Box for herself. Kazumi Sawatari, her top soldier, is a PunchClockVillain who lost his farm to the Skywall Disaster and who just wants to support his workers. |
| 211 | * ''Series/{{Kikaider}}'' features a case where this unintentionally inflicted by the BigBad. Hakaider was designed to be [[NebulousEvilOrganisation DARK]]'s trump card, but because Professor Gill gave his directive as simply "destroy Kikaider", Hakaider [[ZerothLawRebellion took this as his only order]] and refuses to obey any other orders from Gill, effectively becoming a WildCard. |
| 212 | * ''Series/{{Nikita}}'': Alex becomes this for Oversight during season 2. |
| 213 | * ''Series/OnceUponATime'': Captain Hook's desire to kill Rumpelstiltskin [[YouKilledMyFather for killing his love]] ends up getting in the way of Cora's desire for his power, so she cuts her ties with him. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Big mistake]] considering how he strikes out on his own [[spoiler:and poisons Rumpelstiltskin so hard that healing him requires the sacrifice of another. Unfortunately for Cora, a couple of {{Manipulative Bastard}}s make sure that she's that said another]]. |
| 214 | * ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': Zeltrax's desire to get rid of Tommy often causes him to go against Mesogog's wishes. |
| 215 | * ''Series/PersonOfInterest'': The standard MO of Decima Technologies. When we first encounter them, they're a defense and IT contractor working for China's MSS (intelligence/security service). Unknown to the Chinese, however, they have their own agenda, namely creating an artificial intelligence that they ultimately intend to put in control of the entire world. Later in the series, they arrange a similar deal with the U.S. government, which uses them to carry out surveillance for them while maintaining PlausibleDeniability, a position they eagerly use to subvert it and place more and more of its political and military institutions under their AI's control. |
| 216 | * ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': Major Tom Neville is the closest thing to TheDragon that BigBad Monroe has. But Neville is becoming this as of [[Recap/RevolutionS1E8TiesThatBind episode 8]], because Monroe is suffering SanitySlippage, while Neville is trying to keep his family safe. |
| 217 | * ''Series/{{Salem}}'': The inner dynamics of the coven are quite a complex matter. Mary seems to be their quasi-leader, but everyone from the elders to Tituba and Hale are beginning to doubt her effectiveness after John Alden returns to Salem. And Mary herself, their [[TheDragon Dragon]], has her own ideas about how things should be run. |
| 218 | * ''Series/TheSopranos'': In Season 1, Tony allowed his Uncle Junior to become the official Boss of the family since ''he'' would become the FBI's main target instead of Tony, who could still exercise power through the other capos, who recognized him as de facto leader. Eventually, it resulted in a minor MobWar when Junior realized that his nephew had fleeced him, one which Tony won. |
| 219 | * ''Series/StargateSG1'': Master Bra'tac is a benevolent example when acting as the leader of Apophis' armies. He knows his boss isn't a god, just a bloodthirsty warlord, but Apophis and his Goa'uld brethren have ruled the galaxy for ten thousand years and Bra'tac has no prospects of overthrowing them. So he does the best thing he can: worm his way into a position of trust where he can act as a sometimes-heeded voice of restraint and limit the damage Apophis does as much as he can. He passes this ethos onto his successor, Teal'c. However, once Teal'c defects to Earth and joins a full-blown war against the Goa'uld, Bra'tac soon abandons this role and joins him in open revolution. |
| 220 | * ''Franchise/SuperSentai'': |
| 221 | ** ''Series/HikariSentaiMaskman'': Prince Igam is one of the two surviving members of [[TheEmpire Tube]]'s original royal family, who serves under Emperor Zeba in the hopes of one day succeeding him and restoring her family to the throne. |
| 222 | ** ''Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger'': Yaiba of Darkness is the second-in-command of Dark Shadow ninja clan, but while the group is mostly concerned with stealing rare artifacts and selling them on the black market, Yaiba is a darkness fanatic who views the group as a tool to advance his ambitions [[spoiler:leading him to eventually betray them when he views them as an impediment to his goals]]. |
| 223 | ** ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'': Akumaro Sujigarano is [[TheDragon second]] to Dokoku in the Gedoshu hierarchy, but has different and much more destructive goals than his boss; he's a HellSeeker who wants to bring about HellOnEarth and who eventually betrays Dokoku to enact his plans. Akumaro also ends up gaining his own Dragon with an Agenda in Juzo Fuwa, a "stray" Gedoshu who's [[BloodKnight obsessed with fighting]] [[spoiler:and who ironically betrays Akumaro in turn when their goals diverge.]] |
| 224 | ** ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'': [[EvilCounterpart Basco ta Jolokia]] works as a privateer for the [[TheEmpire Zangyack Empire]], but his main goal is to obtain the Greatest Treasure in the Universe before the Gokaigers do. |
| 225 | * ''Series/{{V 2009}}'': In the S1 finale, we find out that [[spoiler:Marcus definitely seems to have an agenda different from Anna]]'s. |
| 226 | * ''Series/TheWire'': It becomes apparent that [[TheDragon Stringer Bell]] has very different goals from [[BigBad Avon]], wanting to use the money from their drug operation to escape the ghetto and become a legitimate businessman. Avon, meanwhile wants to protect his reputation and power as a gangster, and will even sacrifice smart business decisions to make war on the streets. [[spoiler:This causes tremendous strain between them that builds until they both betray each other -- Avon betraying Stinger to [[ProfessionalKiller Brother Mouzone]], and Stringer informing on Avon to the police. This leads to the downfall of the Barksdale organization]]. |
| 227 | [[/folder]] |
| 228 | |
| 229 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 230 | * Wrestling/IvelisseVelez in SHINE Wrestling's Valkyrie. Rain, Wrestling/AllysinKay, Taylor Made and April Hunter all had vendettas against the promotion in general, Vélez wanted to prove she was the best in the world. You'd be surprised how well that ended up ''not'' working out. |
| 231 | * Out of WWE's Authority: |
| 232 | ** Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon wanted what was "best for business", and they thought that Wrestling/RandyOrton being WWE Champion rather than [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] was just that. |
| 233 | ** Wrestling/{{Kane}} thought that ruining people's lives was best for business, but Triple H and company were good at that, so he threw his lot in with them. |
| 234 | ** Wrestling/TheShield wanted "justice". They sided with Wrestling/TheAuthority because they considered it an injustice that their career paths were decided on the whims of the "WWE Universe" instead of their bosses, and so attacked [[{{face}} fan favorite wrestlers]] to ensure that the WWE Universe [[KickTheDog did not get what it wanted]]. But after their stablemates decided to attack Wrestling/JerryLawler, they came to the conclusion that [[HeelFaceTurn the Authority was the biggest injustice in WWE]]. |
| 235 | * Ron Mathis, one of Wrestling/{{CZW}}'s Forgotten Ones. Drew Blood and Rory Mondo both had personal vendettas against a member of the Nation of Intoxication, Matt Tremont was out for revenge against all three of them. Ron Mathis just wanted to get booked on shows.[[/folder]] |
| 236 | |
| 237 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 238 | * The Ebon Dragon of ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' serves as this to Malfeas. While he may advise Malfeas or defer to his authority, he constantly seeks to manipulate the Demon King to his own purposes, and endemically betrays him. One of the biggest examples would have been back when they were the Dragon's Shadow and the Holy Tyrant respectively, and he manipulated him into creating the Unconquered Sun (a deity who could serve as something for the Shadow to oppose, even while he would also subvert the authority of the Tyrant). |
| 239 | * In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'', if you are a Dark Elf or a Skaven, chances are you're this or have one or more of these under your command. Warriors of Chaos and Orcs also might fit under this. |
| 240 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': |
| 241 | ** All Dark Eldar assume this of their subordinates, as backstabbing is the only way to gain a promotion. This is part of the reason why Incubi are valued as bodyguards over the Archon's own cabalites; Incubi loyalty is tied to their coffers, not your competency. |
| 242 | ** Sorcerers of Chaos (especially the Tzeentchian ones) tend to be this to Chaos Lords (it is generally assumed that if your advisor openly worships the god of backstabbers but you don't take precautions against his inevitable betrayal, you ''deserve'' what you get). The best-known example would be Sindri Myr of ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'', who uses Lord Bale as a loud distraction ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ujVI5CPjk throwing him to the Blood Ravens when convenient]]) to get to his true prize: finding the Maledictum and ascending to daemonhood. |
| 243 | [[/folder]] |
| 244 | |
| 245 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 246 | * ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'': |
| 247 | ** Dr. Schroeder was working with Erusea to collect data from Mihaly to improve the drone army when they started taking heavy casualties. [[spoiler:However, he had no interest in restoring Erusea to its former glory, and was only looking to avenge his homeland of Belka.]] |
| 248 | ** [[spoiler:It is revealed three quarters of the way through the game, that Princess Rosa Cossette d’Elise was manipulated by young Erusean officers called the Radicals. While Cossette just wanted to protect her people from she saw as encroaching Osean imperialism, with the construction of [[SpaceElevator the Lighthouse]], the Radicals had hoped to use their drone army to restore Erusea to its former glory. When Farbanti had fallen to Osean control, the Radicals tried to have Cossette killed as they [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness no longer had any use]] for her.]] |
| 249 | * It is revealed midway through ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' that Cesare, Rodrigo Borgia's [[TheDragon Dragon]] (and son) has a very different idea of how the Templars should conquer all of Italy, and eventually Europe. Cesare plans to conquer it openly with military might, while Rodrigo would rather work behind the scenes as, while he wants Templar world domination, he doesn't want to be ''seen'' doing it. |
| 250 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'', [[spoiler:Loptr pulled Father Balder (the BigBad from the [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} first game]]) [[TimeTravel through time]] to serve him. Loptr wants to claim the 'Eyes of the World' for his own and Loki, the good half of his soul, stands in his way. Balder, meanwhile, only wants to kill Loki because he thinks Loki killed his wife, Rosa (it was actually Loptr from 500 years ago), and has no interest in any of Loptr's goals otherwise]]. |
| 251 | * ''VideoGame/{{Blazblue}}'': All of [[spoiler:Izanami's]] direct subordinates have the same goal as their boss but have their own reasons for working for her, none of which seem to coincide with her own goals of "creating a world of death". Terumi wants ToCreateAPlaygroundForEvil because he [[ForTheEvulz finds misery interesting]]. Hazama, [[spoiler:now separated from Terumi, has different motives that are still unknown]]. Relius wants to be [[GodhoodSeeker the god of a perfect world]] to satiate [[ForScience his scientific curiosity]]. And Phantom/[[spoiler:Nine]] wants revenge against the first two for using her for their plans in the first place. |
| 252 | * [[spoiler:Cabadath, the Tall Man]] from the ''VideoGame/ChzoMythos''. The central conflict of the series, in fact, is him resisting [[BigBad Chzo]] intention to [[spoiler:replace him. He fails in the last game, and the PlayerCharacter Theo becomes TheDragon]]. |
| 253 | * ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'': Sindri Myr to Lord Bale. The Chaos army is under the nominal control of Lord Bale, but Sindri is pulling the strings, arranging as much carnage and betrayal as he can to find the Maledictum and use it to attain daemonhood. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ujVI5CPjk Ever since, it has become traditional in 40K to bellow the name of your Dragon With An Agenda when he betrays you.]] |
| 254 | * Aaron Keener in ''VideoGame/TheDivision'', had sided with Colonel Bliss and the [=LMB=], when the situation had spiraled out of control in New York. However, at the end of the game, when it became clear that the [=LMB=] was finished, Keener cut his losses, and made off with Vitaly and Gorden Amherst’s research and equipment to make new viruses to seize power. |
| 255 | * ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'': Aamon pretends to be Psaro the Manslayer's loyal right-hand man, but in reality Aamon was plotting against Psaro all along: he manipulates several human crooks into murdering Psaro's lover, and her death drives Psaro into transforming into a mindless, genocidal monster, whereupon Aamon claims Psaro's position as "Master of Monsters". |
| 256 | * ''VideoGame/DyztopiaPostHumanRPG'': Although Akari seems loyal to Zazz at first, their end goals are subtly different. Zazz is deluded enough to believe that his plans for apartheid will result in humanity prospering, but Akari [[spoiler:realizes and hopes that Zazz's ideal society will fall apart due to its own greed and exploitative policies, bringing ruin to even the human first-class citizens]]. |
| 257 | * In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline'', Mannimarco is an EvilAllAlong agent of BigBad Molag Bal. However, Mannimarco plans to [[TheStarscream usurp Bal's godhood]] if all goes to plan... |
| 258 | * Colonel Autumn from ''Videogame/{{Fallout 3}}'' counts, as both he and the President have different aims for Project Purity. He wants to use it as leverage to [[spoiler:control]] all the free humans in the Capitol Wastelands, and President Eden wants to use it to [[spoiler:exterminate]] everything in the Capitol Wastelands. It's also why [[DragonTheirFeet he takes the opportunity to split as soon as the Lone Wanderer hits the Enclave base]]. |
| 259 | * ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': |
| 260 | ** Kefka from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' kills the emperor at the end of the DiscOneFinalDungeon and spends the next year [[OmnicidalManiac killing whatever he pleases]]. He fits for this trope, [[ForTheEvulz assuming he had an agenda in the first place]]. |
| 261 | ** He did outright state his intentions of reviving the Warring Triad when spied upon in the Magitek Factory, but it's questionable whether his method was planned or at a whim. |
| 262 | ** All of Chaos' Warriors in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' have priorities other than serving him. Some of them, like Exdeath and the Cloud of Darkness, are just {{Omnicidal Maniac}}s. Others, like Sephiroth and Kuja, are more interested in going back to their own worlds, regaining their memories, and screwing with the Warriors of Cosmos. And then there's Golbez, whose role in the story [[AntiVillain can hardly be called antagonistic]]. |
| 263 | * The BlackKnight in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' aided TheChessmaster in [[spoiler:unleashing Ashera and her judgement]] and fought on their side in the game's climax, but didn't seem to have much interest in which side won in the end. His only personal goal was to [[spoiler:surpass his teacher, Greil, as a swordsman. After Greil was killed, he figured his son Ike would make a suitable substitute, and siding with Ashera gave him the chance to face Ike in combat.]] This goal also existed when he was serving Ashnard in ''Path of Radiance'', but the player didn't know about it then. |
| 264 | * ''VideoGame/ForeverHome'' has General Kail, the second-in-command to the BigBad General Barclyss in Tren's Judgment military faction. Barclyss wishes to use his military power to wipe out all life on the planet ([[DeathSeeker including himself]]) and while Kail outwardly supports his ideology, he secretly plans on being the SoleSurvivor so he can have the planet all to himself. It's unknown if Barclyss is aware of his subordinate's agenda or if he cares. |
| 265 | * Alex from ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' fits this trope very well. |
| 266 | * In ''Hordes of the Underdark'', Mephistopheles spends the first two chapters manipulating events so that he can be freed of the Valsharess' control; culminating in the final battle of the second chapter in which he removes all obstacles between you and the Drow queen so that you can take his revenge for him. |
| 267 | * Once Organization XIII is introduced in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', it pretty quickly becomes clear that nearly ''every'' Dragon in it has their own agenda: |
| 268 | ** Marluxia and Larxene spend all of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'' ostensibly working for Xemnas, but plotting to turn Sora into their puppet so they can overthrow him using Sora's power. They employ Axel as their own Dragon, which proves a mistake. |
| 269 | ** Vexen is there ForScience in the first incarnation of the Organization, and claims to be there for it again in the second. He's soon revealed to have actually joined so he could get his hands on his old research and use it for something good. |
| 270 | ** Lexaeus and Zexion are generally loyal, but spend most of their screentime in ''Chain of Memories'' pursuing their own agenda by trying to gain control of Riku as a counter to Marluxia's plans with Sora. They ''also'' employ Axel as their Dragon, which proves just as much of a mistake for them as for Marluxia's team. |
| 271 | ** Saix and Axel are ''also'' planning on overthrowing Xemnas together, and Axel had actually been backstabbing everyone in ''Chain of Memories'' so that Saix would go up in rank. Neither of them actually get around to betraying their leader, however - Axel's friendship with Roxas and Xion led him away from the plan, and Saix's jealousy at Axel's new friendships led to him dropping the idea and BecomingTheMask. In the second incarnation of the Organization, Saix appears to retain his loyalty, but works behind the scenes with Vexen to atone for their prior sins. |
| 272 | ** Xigbar is there to manipulate Xemnas along with all of Xehanort's other incarnations into carrying out the plan to enact a second Keyblade War, as he's actually working for the ''next'' saga's villain. [[spoiler:He's also there so he can get his Keyblade back, which was Xigbar's long before it was Xehanort's.]] |
| 273 | ** Xehanort's previous Dragon, Vanitas, is generally interested in going along with Xehanort's plans, but in both ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' he's not ''that'' interested if it gets in the way of his own immediate gratification. In both cases he nearly kills a key member of his master's EvilPlan before they've done their job. |
| 274 | * Various games in the ''VideoGame/{{Langrisser}}'' series have reoccurring villain Bozer side with the current Empire seeking to rule the land, as he's solely motivated by causing war and using the power of the dark sword Alhazard. In games where the player can side with the Empire, Bozer can either become a major obstacle to a more peaceful resolution to the conquest, or a major ally in ''your own'' usurpation and conquest. |
| 275 | * [[spoiler:Yuga]] in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' appears to be the BigBad of the game, until it's revealed that he was actually the Dragon to [[spoiler:Hilda]]. However, he turns out to be this when he makes it clear that [[spoiler:he doesn't care about Lorule or Hyrule, and only wishes to attain the Triforce to remake Lorule in his own image]]. |
| 276 | * In ''VideoGame/LibraryOfRuina'', this happens on the players' side due to being {{Villain Protagonist}}s. Specifically, [[spoiler:all that time spent working with Angela was all so Roland could try to make Angela suffer by killing her as soon as she got what she wanted- as revenge for causing Distortions, including the Pianist which killed his wife and unborn child. He succeeds in one of the bad endings]]. |
| 277 | * The Amaterasu Corporation Peacekeepers in ''VideoGame/MasterDetectiveArchivesRainCode'' are not actually following the orders of the company's CEO. They are instead acting on their own, completely against the CEO, and plan to overtake the corporation and use it for their own self-centered goals, with Yomi Hellsmile leading this rebellion. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:said CEO, Makoto Kagutsuchi, knows the Peacekeepers are doing it, which is why he's the game's BigBad in his goal to remove Yomi from power over the company so Makoto can take change instead.]] |
| 278 | * [[TheDragon Craft]] in ''VideoGame/MegaManZero4'' is one of these and makes this apparent [[NearVillainVictory when his boss]] [[BigBad Dr. Weil]] [[NearVillainVictory is about to destroy Area Zero and the Resistance with it]]. Craft fires the KillSat that Dr. Weil was planning to use on Area Zero at Neo Arcadia, destroying the city. Unfortunately, Weil survives this. Interestingly, Craft betrays Weil to protect Neige. |
| 279 | * [[VideoGame/MetalGear Revolver Ocelot]]. In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', Ocelot has been seemingly working for the BigBad, but working behind their backs, and usually the backs of the people he's supposedly really working for. The portrayal of him in ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'' even named the trope ChronicBackstabbingDisorder. The only MGS game he ISN'T this trope is the one where he's [[spoiler:not actually]] the BigBad himself, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'', where his agenda comes to fruition. Even in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'', he still has his own agenda while working loyally for the player character, in that he [[spoiler: betrays the player]]. |
| 280 | * In ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VII'', Kastore initially serves as an advisor to King Archibald of Deyja (along with the three other Terrans that followed his lead, but Kastore is the dominant one). Once you've made your choice between Light and Dark, however, it becomes increasingly clear that Kastore is building a power-base of his own (apparently going for a more traditional military-focused necromantic regime, but it turns out it is [[LostTechnology a bit more complex than that]]), culminating in Archibald evacuating his closest followers to a laboratory off the coast of [=AvLee=] and Kastore assuming the throne of Deyja. |
| 281 | * Just nearly ''every'' dragon in ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' has their [[TheStarscream own hidden agenda]] or suffer from ChronicBackstabbingDisorder. |
| 282 | * Hawke in the ''VideoGame/NintendoWars'' series, which is especially noticeable in ''Dual Strike'' as he actively chafes against Von Bolt taking control of Black Hole [[spoiler:and eventually ends up leaving him for the heroes.]] |
| 283 | * From the ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' series, we have [[spoiler:you guessed it: Dimentio]]. In this case, TheDragon is even ''more'' evil; an outright OmnicidalManiac instead of a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds. |
| 284 | ** The player was clued into the fact that [[spoiler:Dimentio]]'s trying to work behind Count Bleck's back pretty early on. However, it isn't until the end of the game that we learn that he's really higher up on the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil, instead of just being TheMole. |
| 285 | ** Before that, we had the ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', where the power-hungry [[BigBad Sir Grodus]] tried to unearth an ancient power. [[spoiler:Too bad said ancient power was a [[SealedEvilInACan demoness whom Beldam served]], and wanted to spring free. Grodus ends up living as a talking head afterwards.]] |
| 286 | * In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', [[spoiler:Akechi]] genuinely is trying to help the BigBad [[spoiler:become Prime Minister of Japan]], but this is actually only the first step in their revenge plot against them, with the ultimate goal of destroying them entirely. [[spoiler:Sadly, if he had been honest with the Phantom Thieves about wanting this from the beginning, they likely would have been happy to help, but because he was too distrustful and too unwilling to cut his losses, he only managed a DeathEqualsRedemption ending.]] |
| 287 | * An interesting case occurs with Arthur towards Dutch in ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionII''. Arthur continues to remain loyal to Dutch, even if he is aware of Dutch's SanitySlippage and doesn't always agree with his plans - his honor level determines whether he is keeping up appearances or if it is genuine. Regardless, Arthur starts doing things behind Dutch's back, such as throwing [[spoiler: Straus]] out of the gang, permits [[spoiler: Swanson and Trelawny to leave]], attempts to de-escalate the Wapiti-US Army feud and actively plots to [[spoiler: help John and his family escape with money to leave the outlaw life]]. Majority of Arthur's actions against Dutch is to protect the gang from both the law and from Dutch himself. |
| 288 | * [[ManipulativeBastard Mastema]] in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney''. He outright states he hates the [[CouncilOfAngels Three Wise Men]] and is just doing the job for the chance to ascend to a superior form. |
| 289 | ** Interestingly, he returns in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'', playing the role for Tayama... allowing the Samurai entrance into Reverse Hills and sealing three of the four Archangels in Kagome Tower, with the caveat that his final objective is ''[[HeelFaceTurn saving]]'' as many people as he can and preserving humanity's free will. |
| 290 | * ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'': |
| 291 | ** [[spoiler:Constable Neyla]] in ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'' is this to [[BigBad Arpeggio]], intending to betray him at the 11th hour and take over his plans for her own ambitions. [[spoiler:She succeeds, kills Arpeggio [[TheUnfought before you get to even fight him]], and fuses with Clockwerk to become "Clock-La"]]. |
| 292 | ** In ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'', the only goal [[TheSociopath Penelope]] shares in common with [[BigBad Cyril Le Paradox]] is to erase the Cooper family from the timeline, and even then, her motivation is mainly out of [[TheResenter spite]] towards the member of her generation. And while Le Paradox has the goal of altering time to make him appear to be of French royalty because of his huge ego, Penelope intends to build weapons of mass destruction, sell them to terrorists to make billions of dollars, and turn the UsefulNotes/WarOnTerror into WorldWarIII so she could TakeOverTheWorld in the resulting chaos. [[spoiler:Penelope escapes, and is likely to be the new BigBad of the series]]. |
| 293 | ** The other members Le Paradox recurred also joined of their own selfish ambition: El Jefe joined to profit from cigar smuggling in 17th century Japan, Toothpick wanted to live the life of a western sheriff, The Grizz tried to forge Ice Age artworks so that he can "discover" them in the 21st century, and Miss Decibel is a DreadfulMusician who has a crush on Le Paradox, and desires to prove her usefulness to him [[spoiler:and fails]]. |
| 294 | * In ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'', Dr. Eggman seems to have a talent for attracting these: |
| 295 | ** Eggman outright ''designed'' Metal Sonic to be a DragonWithAnAgenda, programming him to have the sole purpose of destroying Sonic. This came back to bite Eggman in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', where Metal Sonic's drive to beat Sonic overrode his loyalty to Eggman, and apparently Eggman has reprogrammed him to be less disobedient in Metal Sonic's later appearances. |
| 296 | ** In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', the water god Chaos initially submitted to Eggman's control, but only because Eggman was feeding him the energy needed to pursue his vengeance against the whole world. When Chaos absorbs all of the Chaos Emeralds, he immediately kicks Eggman aside. |
| 297 | ** In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'', Shadow initially swears loyalty to Eggman, but it's later revealed that Shadow has his own plans for destroying the world out of revenge for the death of his surrogate sister Maria and creator Gerald Robotnik. Unlike most examples, Shadow never tries to get rid of Eggman directly when his plans come to fruition, but he does refuse to obey him afterwards. |
| 298 | * [[TheBrute Astaroth]] in the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'', [[AllThereInTheManual according to the backstory]]. |
| 299 | * Samir Duran could be considered a Dragon With An Agenda compared to the BigBad Infested Kerrigan in ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' when we [[spoiler:discover some of his agenda in ''Dark Origin'']]. He could also be viewed as an EnigmaticMinion [[spoiler:and TheMole (against two different factions!)]] |
| 300 | * [[spoiler:Cyril]] in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory'', who was supposed to be the leader of their organization, and seeks to reclaim the position over actually following the group's goals. |
| 301 | * In ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'', it is revealed that Darth Vader has been Palpatine's Dragon with an Agenda much earlier than the "I am Your Father" Scene in Episode V mentioned under Film. Vader tries pulling off a similar speech to the young Starkiller, but proves unable to sway him. |
| 302 | ** In the "Dark Side" DLC available for some versions of the game, Starkiller actually becomes a Dragon with an Agenda appealing to Luke Skywalker. |
| 303 | * In ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII'', you eventually learn [[spoiler:[[TheChessmaster Albert Silverberg]] orchestrated everything just to prove his skill as a strategist. He then casually derails it and walks away, likely leaving many players [[KarmaHoudini aching for a chance to settle the score]]. Or at least wipe that not-quite-smile off his face]]. |
| 304 | * In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' (as well as some non-OG games, to an extent), Shu Shirakawa acts as this to Bian Zoldark. Bian is well aware that Shu is both more powerful and more interested in pursuing his own goals, and he actually ''requests'' for Shu to [[DragonTheirFeet merely observe during his final battle]]. |
| 305 | * The Ancient Minister and Ganondorf, as well as possibly Bowser, ''all'' take this role in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'''s Subspace Emissary. |
| 306 | * Recurring villain Wild Dog in the ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis'' series. In the first two games he seems to be very loyal and close to the retrospective {{Big Bad}}'s, but after they both die and he loses his arm in his first fight with a VSSE agent back in the first game {Then getting it replaced with a robotic arm}, he shows up in the later games not caring about the plans of the {{Big Bad}}'s of the 3rd and 4th games: He just wants to cause as much trouble for the VSSE for as he can, regardless of what his current boss wants to do. |
| 307 | * ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'': |
| 308 | ** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'', [[spoiler:Second Lieutenant Lorence (aka Loewe) seems to be the most capable man in Colonel Richard's intelligence division, but it's later revealed he's from another organization, with different objectives, and already knew that Richard's coup d'etat, which he aided, would fail. His real agenda revolved around breaking a seal in the ruins underneath the Royal Castle. He's also this to his actual boss, Weissmann, who seeks to use the Aureole to brainwash humanity while Loewe believes exposing the Aureole will shock humanity out of their complacency and self-deceit]]. |
| 309 | ** The secret organization, Ouroboros, encourages this mindset. Every Enforcer can choose whether or not to aid the organization's leaders, the Anguis, in their plans, and usually do so for their own personal reasons. |
| 310 | ** Rufus Albarea appears to serve Duke Cayenne for most of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'' as his Chief of Staff. [[spoiler:He turns out to be TheMole for Cayenne's political rival, Chancellor Osbourne.]] |
| 311 | * Bleden Mark from ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'' is TheDragon to Tunon, Archon of Justice and the oldest and most trusted of Kyros' archons, but spends most of his time in Tunon's court acting as an EnigmaticMinion. [[spoiler:His true agenda, as seen through the different playthroughs, is unknown but he seems to take marching orders directly from Kyros without Tunon's knowledge -- he attempts to assassinate you on Kyros' orders in three of the paths (after directly interceding to interrogate you in one of them). In the final one joins up with you instead because [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder your actions up to this point]] have amused him, but requires that you kill Graven Ashe and the Voices of Nerat first.]] |
| 312 | * [[spoiler:Konishi]] from ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''. It's hinted at, but eventually [[spoiler:she outright betrays the Conductor by making a deal with Minamimoto, wanting to be the new Conductor when he becomes Composer.]] |
| 313 | [[/folder]] |
| 314 | |
| 315 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 316 | * ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}'': Alice is this to her "sister", the Alpha Prototype. The two of them are the secret puppet masters of PACT and have instigated a devastating galactic war. But whereas Alpha is a WellIntentionedExtremist using the war to prepare humanity to face a worse threat down the line, Alice is a genocidal misanthrope who wants all humans to die for killing the man she loved. Alice's true intentions only come to light at the end of ''Sunrider: Liberation Day'', where she derails Alpha's plans by [[spoiler:turning the peace conference that was supposed to mark the war's end into a bloodbath]]. |
| 317 | [[/folder]] |
| 318 | |
| 319 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 320 | * [[spoiler: Neomutant]] in ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}'' is a rare example where the DragonWithAnAgenda is actually ''worse'' than the BigBad without having any [[TheStarscream aspirations of power themselves]]. [[spoiler: Neomutant helped Rubirules develop the Antivirus in order to control Kajet, but made sure to program it to induce brain death in the person it was attached to when activated - namely, Flamegirl. He wanted [[IfICantHaveYou revenge on her for rejecting him]], and is the only human in this series to deliberately attempt murder. Thankfully, Flamegirl survives the experience thanks to intervention by Alpha, and is shown to be healthy afterwards.]] |
| 321 | [[/folder]] |
| 322 | |
| 323 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 324 | * In ''Webcomic/AntiheroForHire'', Angelson has at least one {{plan}} going on under his boss's nose, we just don't know what. |
| 325 | * Wanda from ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'' seemingly serves Stanley the Tool willingly, but it turns out she convinced him to attack her kingdom of Faq because she expected him to get slaughtered, and when he emerged victorious, she only joined him in his quest for the legendary Arkentools because she was hoping she'd get to wield one herself. [[spoiler:She does.]] |
| 326 | ** When asked [[spoiler:why she's still with him after that]], her answer is somewhere between BecauseDestinySaysSo and YouCantFightFate. |
| 327 | * Ian and Anita in ''Webcomic/ErrantStory'' fit this trope pretty well, with the added little twist that it isn't clear which one is the BigBad and which one is TheDragon. |
| 328 | * ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'': Ysengrin wants to KillAllHumans, and his boss Coyote apparently doesn't. It's [[WildMassGuessing possible]] that Ysengrin is trying to pull strings behind Coyote's back, and that Y killed Red and Blue because [[HeKnowsTooMuch they saw too much]]. |
| 329 | * ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'''s [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Condesce]] works for [[BigBad Lord English]], but also seems to be looking to backstab him...[[HiddenAgendaVillain somehow]]]]. |
| 330 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': |
| 331 | ** Xykon and Redcloak have a mutually beneficial alliance. Redcloak only serves Xykon in order to open the Gates and get a fairer deal for the goblin race. There's actually a fair bit more to it than that, as seen in ''StartOfDarkness.'' Whether or not he'll turn {{Starscream}} eventually, or be forced to confront Xykon if their plans diverge, remains to be seen. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html As it turns out]], [[spoiler:Redcloak's plan doesn't help Xykon's own goals ''at all'', and Xykon is ultimately just Redcloak's UnwittingPawn. Though some of Xykon's dialogue (e.g "Don't confuse not caring with not knowing") hints that even if he does know that Redcloak doesn't ''really'' serve him he won't bother to let on until Redcloak actually acts against him.]] |
| 332 | ** Also, Sabine is Nale's Dragon. However, she's also covertly working for [[spoiler:The Inter-Fiend Cooperation Commission.]] Luckily for Nale, her agenda involved helping him advance his agenda. [[spoiler:Also, it's implied in the Western Continent arc that her loyalty to Nale is actually greater than her loyalty to the IFCC, though she still works for them.]] And getting [[UnholyMatrimony lots of hot hot sex from him.]] Though, considering [[SuccubiAndIncubi what she is,]] that last part goes without saying. |
| 333 | ** Malack was helping Tarquin's conspiracy to conquer the Western Continent [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans for peace,]] but was aware that [[spoiler: as a vampire]] he will long outlive Tarquin and the other conspirators, allowing him to take over and dedicate the whole continent to worship of Nergal [[spoiler: and turn it into a HumanSacrifice farm, including very [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi-esque]] slaughter methods[[note]]although Word of God is that the Nazi parallel was unintentional[[/note]]]]. Notably, Tarquin was apparently very aware of this, and doesn't mind, since he's happy that his legacy will live on ([[{{Narcissist}} and Malack promised him a bigger statue]]). |
| 334 | ** Tarquin himself is a ''professional'' Dragon With An Agenda. His agenda is to stand behind the [[PuppetKing Puppet Empress]] of the Empire of Blood, while his other party members take the same role for the Empires of Sweat and Tears, thereby ensuring that his crowd are the ''real'' rulers of the supposedly-divided continent. If one of the puppets ever starts to realize what's going on or tries taking their own initiative, or if they hit a ZeroPercentApprovalRating and public anger boils over, Tarquin's crew manufactures a convenient assassination or FullCircleRevolution and immediately starts pulling the replacement's strings instead. |
| 335 | * Torg from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' did this professionally for a while. First with the Minion Master, and then with Crushestro [[spoiler:ever since he thought that the Minion Master's sister betrayed him to Hereti-Corp.]] |
| 336 | [[/folder]] |
| 337 | |
| 338 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 339 | * In the ''Website/ChannelAwesome'' world, The Other Guy is the real puppet-master behind the site. The one who everyone thinks is the ineffectual BadBoss, WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic, is just like that because he's desperate for attention and praise. |
| 340 | ** Linksano and Mecha-Kara are ultimately this during the Lord Vyce arc of ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall''. In fact, [[spoiler:Linksano defects to the side of the good guys to take Vyce down, while Mecha-Kara was a former BigBad who only went along to take out Linkara.]] |
| 341 | ** Mechakara is also this in ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' acting as TheMole for Turrell and Zodd. He cares nothing about their plans and is only helping because Turrell promised that he would reveal to him the secrets of Malachite's Hand. [[spoiler:When he finds out that Turrell knows as much about it as he does, he goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge on a terrified Turrell and Zodd.]] |
| 342 | * In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', [[spoiler:Ronove]] becomes the closest lieutenant of [[FourStarBadass Duke Malphas]] after the siege of Vanna but has his own, secret agenda for working with the demonic duke. |
| 343 | * In ''Series/{{Noob}}'', Ash is the go-to character for RealMoneyTrade and Tenshirock is a [[TheCracker hacker]] who want to get people off MMORPG. Tenshirock lets Ash exist due to his customers sometimes getting banned by Game Masters and never coming back, but refuses to help him get better merchandise to keep the game from becoming even more fun for those that do not get caught. Their dialog sometimes gives the impression that they would be opponents if they weren't old friends. |
| 344 | [[/folder]] |
| 345 | |
| 346 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 347 | * The Fright Knight in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' subtly expresses his absolute distaste working for Pariah Dark and it hints he wants to go a different route. It ultimately proves true when he works against Pariah during the final battle. It's hinted he went to serve Vlad, but the original writer left the show before [[WhatCouldHaveBeen possible stories]] of this could have been told in Season Three. |
| 348 | * On ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', [[TheFairFolk the Weird Sisters]] serve this role for the Archmage -- he wants revenge on Goliath, while they want revenge on the Magus and the rest of the Avalon Clan. They couldn't really get on the island themselves, however, since Oberon had forbidden it; the reason they willingly put themselves under the Archmage's service was because they knew ''he'' would order them to go there, exploiting a loophole in Avalon's laws. |
| 349 | * Destro in some iterations of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe''. He's in it for the money and TheBaroness. |
| 350 | * Bill Cipher of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' was summoned by Lil' Gideon to attack Stan, but this exchange suggests that he's less a MonsterOfTheWeek and more his own agent: |
| 351 | -->'''Gideon''': Listen to me, demon! I have a job for you. I need you to enter the mind of Stanford Pines and steal the code to his safe!\ |
| 352 | '''Bill''': Haha- Wait. Stan...Pines... ''(Images of Stan and Stan's tattoo flash by on his face)'' You know what, kid? You've convinced me. I'm sold! I'll help you with this and in return you can help me with something I've been working on. We'll work out the details later. |
| 353 | ** As of Season 2, he's officially the BigBad of the series. |
| 354 | * In a [[BadFuture dark future]] episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', Grim is ultimately this to dark overlord Mandy. [[spoiler:She was aware of this and set things up to capture the rebels and make Grim pay.]] |
| 355 | * In ''WesternAnimation/LegendQuest'', Literature/BabaYaga is the Dragon to Quetzacoatl, but only because he's enslaved her. While he intends to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, she has a plan to instead remake the world so witches are in power. [[spoiler:Too bad that's all part of his BatmanGambit.]] |
| 356 | * In the original ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'', Porcina's Raptorian minions encourage her to go to the extreme of turning Ponyland and all the Little Ponies into glass because they want to take the place for themselves. |
| 357 | * In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Grogar is set up to be the ultimate antagonist of Season 9, recruiting [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicQueenChrysalis Queen Chrysalis]], [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicLordTirek Lord Tirek]], and [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicCozyGlow Cozy Glow]], and when he sends them to retrieve his bell, they find it but withhold it from him, planning to betray him and take over Equestria themselves. [[spoiler:Subverted in that Grogar turned out to be Discord trying to improve Twilight's confidence by orchestrating a fight between her and her greatest enemies, and the trio are the up front [[BigBad Big Bads]] for the entire two-part finale.]] |
| 358 | * ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': |
| 359 | ** ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'': The final minutes of the series finale revealed that [[spoiler:Snively]] had been plotting against Robotnik all along, hoping to [[TheStarscream overthrow him and seize power for themselves]]. |
| 360 | ** On ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', Sleet and Dingo once plotted to steal tax money meant for Robotnik and frame [[StickyFingers Manic]] for it. |
| 361 | * [[Characters/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilToffee Toffee]] from ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil''. Originally hired by Ludo to help manage his incompetent monsters, it's clear Toffee has some ulterior motives. Sure enough, he soon [[spoiler:manipulates Ludo into firing Buff Frog and then convinces the monsters to throw Ludo out of his own castle, effectively taking control of his army]]. |
| 362 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'', [[Characters/TeenTitans2003Slade Slade]] (formerly a BigBad himself) only serves as [[{{Satan}} Trigon's]] Dragon so [[spoiler:he can get his mortal body back]]. Interestingly, he starts out this plotline very subservient to Trigon, and gradually starts acting less as a servant and more like a partner when he gets closer to getting what he wants. [[spoiler:When it becomes apparent that Trigon has no intention of honoring their agreement, Slade [[EnemyMine teams up with the Titans]] to take him down]]. |
| 363 | * Raythar from ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'' serves this role during the first part of the second season -- BigBad Nerissa has [[HiddenAgendaVillain her own agenda]], but Raythar just wants to avenge the previous BigBad, [[EvilOverlord Phobos]]. When a chance arises to put Phobos back on the throne, he ditches Nerissa and transfers his loyalty back to his original boss. Nerissa, meanwhile, replaces him with Shagon, who is her creation and therefore completely loyal. |
| 364 | * The ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' version of Mystique. In the first season, she's working for Magneto, but they have a slight falling out and she works independently for the rest of the series. This causes some tension when both tried to take command of the Brotherhood, with varied results depending on the episode and the Brother. |
| 365 | [[/folder]] |
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