Line #84 Main/RescueIntroduction


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5	[[quoteright:300:[[Manga/OnePiece https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/one_piece_zoro_rescue.png]]]]
6
7	->''"Hooray! Thank you for rescuing me. My name is Yoshi. On my way to rescue my friends, Bowser trapped me in that egg."''
8	-->-- '''Yoshi''', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''
9
10	A new character is met when the protagonists rescue them from a tricky situation, or when they rescue the protagonists. Often creates a strong emotional bond with a new character, as said rescue adds instant dramatic tension to any first impression. Depending on attitude and reaction of the character, it can act as an EstablishingCharacterMoment.
11
12	Will sometimes result in a RescueRomance or RecruitmentByRescue. Compare to ComeWithMeIfYouWantToLive, which has a similar introduction dynamic. The rescuer can act as TheCavalry, or BigDamnHeroes depending on the situation.
13
14	While this meeting may often overlap with introducing the character to the audience as well, it does not necessarily have to -- this is an in-universe trope about how the protagonist(s) meet the character.
15	----
16	!!Examples:
17
18	[[foldercontrol]]
19
20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': Kazuki first met Tokiko when he tried to save her from a man-eating homunculus. The rescue didn't go to plan, however, as Kazuki suffered a mortal wound, forcing Tokiko (who was only pretending to be in danger to lure the homunculus into a trap) to [[FirstEpisodeResurrection bring him back to life]] with a {{Magitech}} kakugane, making it a mutual rescue introduction.
22	* Richard is rescued by Seigi when he is introduced in ''Literature/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard''.
23	* ''Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'' -- in an inversion, the titular Cesare Borgia first appears when he saves TheWatson Angelo from a runaway horse. [[Theatre/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto The musical]] plays it straight, with Cesare singing his IWantSong before, and the rescue as Angelo's first appearance.
24	* In the ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'' manga, [[SixthRanger Chitose]] is introduced when the Elsiors finds a capsule floating adrift in space, which they pick up and rescue.
25	* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
26	** Nanoha rescuing Subaru in the first episode of ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]''. Interestingly, the series ends with [[spoiler:Subaru rescuing Nanoha, in turn]].
27	** Rinne first met her mentor Jill in ''Anime/VividStrike'' when the latter saved her from a kidnapping.
28	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Misato rescues Shinji from getting squashed by the First Angel/blown up by JSDF the very first time he sees her.
29	* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Plenty of characters are introduced like this:
30	** The first one is Roronoa Zoro, the bounty hunter. While his name is mentioned quite a few times beforehand, we only get a clear shot of Zoro when Luffy sees him from over a wall. Luffy is already intent on rescuing and recruiting him by then.
31	** Chopper is technically introduced while rescuing a frozen, exhausted Luffy and his friends atop a mountain, although we only learn his name in the subsequent chapter.
32	** Camie the Mermaid is introduced in Hachi's cover story, having been eaten by a huge sea boar and then spat out thanks to Hachi. She is reintroduced in the main story pretty much the same way, except she is eaten by a sea rabbit this time.
33	** Gan Fall the Sky Knight is introduced early during Skypiea by saving the Straw Hats from a resident native warrior (Wyper).
34	* In the anime ''Anime/RomeoXJuliet'', this is how Juliet meets both Romeo and Tybalt.
35	* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Makoto is introduced saving Usagi from either getting hit by a car ([[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] and ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'') or from JapaneseDelinquents ([[Anime/SailorMoon 1990s anime]]) depending on the version.
36	* Barnaby from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' is introduced partway through the first episode when he swoops in and rescues protagonist Kotetsu by snatching him out of a fall, {{bridal\| carry}}-style. This is {{played for laughs}} in that episode itself, soon becomes a RunningGag, and is even used as a [[BookEnds Book-End]].
37	* ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'': Misty Cornwell debuts this way in the first episode of The Second Stage, when the Nirvana picks up her capsule and wakes her up from her cold sleep. Upon waking up, the first person she sees is Hibiki and, assuming he was the one who rescued her, jumps in to kiss him.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Comic Books]]
41	* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk1962:'' Bruce gets hit by his own Gamma Bomb because, moments before the bomb was to go off, he saw a teenager had managed to drive right up to it and rushed out to save him (he had told his assistant to cancel the detonation, but the assistant was a spy who let the bomb go off so it'd kill Banner). And that's how Bruce met Rick Jones.
42	* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Karolina first encounters Klara while rescuing her from a factory fire.
43	* ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'': Best friends Tails and Sonic first met when Sonic saved Tails from drowning in a swamp. He saw the two tails and thought that two foxes had fallen in, but it was just one boy with two tails.
44	* ComicBook/SpiderMan's parents were spies working for ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}. In the special -1 issue of ''Comicbook/UntoldTalesOfSpiderMan'', the audience is treated to a case in which they have to save a fellow agent. When they rescue that agent, it's revealed to be [[spoiler:ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}]] whom they were meeting for the first time.
45	* In ''[[Recap/TintinTheBlueLotus The Blue Lotus]]'', ComicBook/{{Tintin}} meets Chang Chon-Chen by rescuing him from drowning in a flood.
46	* Franchise/WonderWoman first met her eventual adopted sister and first ComicBook/WonderGirl ContinuitySnarl/DonnaTroy when she rescued Donna as a toddler from an apartment fire. She also first met her eventual husband ComicBook/SteveTrevor when she pulled him from the burning wreckage of his crashed plane.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Fan Works]]
50	* The heroes of ''[[Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge All This Sh*t is Twice as Weird]]'' are first introduced aboard the ship carrying them to [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition the Divine's Conclave]]. Victoria happens upon a group of sailors threatening to throw the stowaway elf Mahanon overboard, and she lies and claims he's part of her own retinue. From there they grow to be close friends, even before becoming the Heralds of Andraste.
51	* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': Lily is introduced in Chapter 7 of the original via a rescue by [[TheProtagonist Kyril]], Hugh, and Harriet while she and her sisters are being [[PrisonRape raped in the Feoh dungeons]]. She later becomes Kyril's third [[TheApprentice apprentice]] via RecruitmentByRescue, participating in the war against the Black Dogs (aka the {{plot}}).
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Film — Animated]]
55	* Seen often in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon:
56	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': Aladdin meets Princess Jasmine when rescuing her from a street vendor from whom she accidentally stole an apple and her arm is nearly slashed off.
57	** Taran and Eilonwy first meet Fflewddur Fflam in ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'' when they get him out of the Horned King's dungeon.
58	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'': Hercules meets Megara when rescuing her from a monstrous centaur.
59	** ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame\|Disney}}'': Phoebus first meets Esmeralda after he saves her from being arrested by his own teammates.
60	** ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'': Ariel meets Eric after he is accidentally separated from his ship during a hurricane, and brings him to shore to prevent him from drowning.
61	** ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'': Cody rescues Marahute, a giant golden eagle, from a poacher's trap on top of a cliff. When freed, Marahute accidentally pushes Cody off the cliff with her wing, and when she sees him falling down, she swoops down and saves him.
62	* In ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'', Shrek and Donkey meet Princess Fiona when they rescue her from her tower.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Film — Live Action]]
66	* This is how the eponymous protagonist of ''Film/{{Hancock}}'' meets Ray, who then becomes his PR man.
67	* This is how Number Six introduces herself in ''Film/IAmNumberFour''.
68	* ''Film/KickAss'': Kickass is about to get carved up by Razul's gang when Hit-Girl gets her EstablishingCharacterMoment by massacring them all. This is also the first time we see her in the Hit-Girl persona.
69	* In ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'', Sarah comes across her second traveling companion, GentleGiant Ludo, as he's being tortured by goblins. She tosses rocks at their helmets, which sends them off in confusion. As she approaches him to free him from the ropes that they strung him up with, he roars at her and she chides him for acting that way toward someone trying to help him.
70	* ''Film/PaleRider'': The Preacher and Hull first meet when the Preacher rescues him from a bunch of thugs.
71	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
72	** ''Film/ANewHope'' has one of the most iconic examples of this when Luke rescues Leia.
73	** Finn and Poe meet in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' when Finn helps Poe escape the New Order's prison cells.
74	* ''Film/TheTerminator'' has Kyle introduce himself to Sarah J. Connor by extricating her from Tech Noir just as the T-800 closes in for the kill. This is a theme that's carried on in the other films/TV series, accompanied by the catchphrase, "Come with me if you want to live."
75	[[/folder]]
76
77	[[folder:Literature]]
78	* Taran and Eilonwy meet in the first book of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' when he's imprisoned in Spiral Castle. All she really wants is for him to throw her bauble back to her, as she's accidentally dropped it into his cell; when he explains that his hands are bound, she instead breaks into the cell and unties him. He then asks her to also rescue the prisoner in the other cell, whom he believes is his companion Gwydion, but is actually the wandering bard Fflewddur Fflamm. Eilonwy then helps both of them escape and ends up joining the quest.
79	* ''Literature/DreamPark''. The players first meet Alex Griffin's character when they find him [[QuicksandSucks sinking in quicksand]]. One of them teases Griffin by making him prove that he's worthy to join the party before they rescue him.
80	* In ''Literature/TheDreamsideRoad'', Enoa and Orson meet when he saves her from two Liberty Corps Shapers disguised as [[ScoobyDooHoax Sight-Stealers]].
81	* Murtagh rescuing Eragon in ''Literature/InheritanceCycle''.
82	* In ''Literature/MuchFallOfBlood'' Erik and Bortai first met when she was escaping from Gatu's forces, and he offers her shelter, with unintended consequences.
83	* ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'': How Richard meets Door when he takes her home after finding her lying and bleeding on a cold London Above street.
84	* ''Literature/{{Safehold}}'':
85	** How Merlin Athrawes introduces himself to then-Crown Prince Cayleb in ''Off Armageddon Reef''.
86	** Merlin does it again in ''How Firm a Foundation'' when he shows up at Talkyra Castle to rescue Earl Coris, Princess Irys, and Prince Daivyn.
87	* ''Literature/{{Stray}}'': Sister Caroline Mary is introduced when she saves Pufftail after he's thrown out of a car. She's one of the very few humans that Pufftail has ever truly trusted.
88	* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': How Miles meets Taura in "Labyrinth". However, he's also on a mission to kill her. ItMakesSenseInContext.
89	* In ''Literature/TheWardedMan'', Leesha and Rojer meet the titular Warded Man when he saves them from being killed by demons and gets them to safety.
90	* ''Literature/WarriorCats'':
91	** In ''[[Recap/WarriorCatsFirestarsQuest Firestar's Quest]]'', Firestar and Sandstorm meet Clover and Scratch when they find Clover trying to defend herself and her kits from a fox; the two of them rush over to rescue her, and Scratch joins in shortly afterward.
92	** In ''[[Recap/WarriorCatsMidnight Midnight]]'', the Clan cats meet Purdy when they're fleeing from a dog and he calls to them to climb the tree that he's in.
93	** In ''[[Recap/WarriorCatsHollyleafsStory Hollyleaf's Story]]'', Hollyleaf meets Fallen Leaves after she is injured in a rockfall and falls unconscious; he found her and began tending to her injuries.
94	** In ''[[Recap/WarriorCatsTheApprenticesQuest The Apprentice's Quest]]'', Needlepaw and Alderpaw rescue two orphaned, starving kits that they name Violetkit and Twigkit, and end up becoming adopted older siblings to them.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
98	* Several times throughout ''Series/DoctorWho'', but explicitly in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose "Rose"]], where Rose's first meeting with the Doctor is him grabbing her hand and yelling "Run!"
99	* In ''Series/{{Haven}}'', Duke is introduced after having rescued Audrey from drowning. Earlier in the episode, Nathan is introduced just prior to saving Audrey from going over a cliff in her rental car. It was a tough episode to be Audrey.
100	* ''Series/LostGirl'': How Bo meets Kenzi. And how Bo meets Dyson's NewOldFlame Kiara. And how Dyson re-connects with her after several centuries of separation.
101	* How Dov meets his girlfriend in season 2 of ''Series/RookieBlue''. She's a bomb disposal expert called in to help him after he steps on a bomb-trigger trap and rescues him from said trap.
102	* In ''Series/{{Suits}},'' Harvey and Mike meet this way when Harvey and Donna conspire to rescue Mike from the police chasing him in the pilot.
103	* Although we never see it (and Dean doesn't seem to remember it), Dean and Castiel from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' first meet when Castiel rescues Dean from Hell.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Manhwa]]
107	* ''Manhwa/TheBreaker'': Shi Woon rescues Sosul from the Torrent Clan, and while it does [[DefrostingIceQueen make a big impression]] on her, Shi Woon's oblivious to her feelings.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Theatre]]
111	* In ''Theatre/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'', Angelo first appears when the titular Cesare Borgia rescues him from a runaway horse. In the [[Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto manga]] source material, it was inverted -- we see Angelo's point of view for a few scenes and the rescue is Cesare's first appearance. In the musical, it comes after Cesare's IWantSong, and it's Angelo's first appearance.
112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Video Games]]
115	* Creator/BioWare likes this trope for party members:
116	** ''Franchise/MassEffect'': Ashley, Liara, and Tali from the first game. The second game has Archangel and [[spoiler: Legion]], while [[BoxedCrook Jack]] and [[PeopleJars Grunt]] qualify to a lesser extent. The third game has Javik in the ''From Ashes DLC'', while Vega takes part in the ''Normandy's'' GunshipRescue to evacuate Shepard during the prologue. Subverted with [[spoiler: Wilson]] from the second game and [[spoiler: Maya Brooks]] from the third game's ''Citadel DLC'' respectively, who are both revealed to actually be TheMole and responsible for the attack they were rescued from.
117	** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': The PlayerCharacter and Alistair meet Flemeth very briefly, but later have a more extensive one of these. The Warden later rescues Sten, Shale, and Wynne, leading to their RecruitmentByRescue. Unless the Warden is the Human Noble, they also meet Dog when they save him from the Blight sickness, and he later finds them and becomes their pet.
118	** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', Hawke and family meet Aveline by saving her and her husband from darkspawn. Flemeth again introduces herself after rescuing Hawke and company from darkspawn. Varric introduces himself after taking down the pickpocket who'd just robbed Hawke, returning his/her money before casually offering them a place in the Deep Roads Expedition.
119	** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', this is revealed to be how the Iron Bull met his right-hand man Krem; Bull defended Krem, whom he didn't even know, in a bar fight. The incident cost Bull one of his eyes. Right after it was over, he introduced himself and invited Krem to join his mercenary company. Naturally, Krem has UndyingLoyalty to "the big idiot."
120	** ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'': Branwen, Dynaheir, Viconia, Yeslick, and Xan in the first game; Aerie, Cernd, Haer'Dalis, Viconia (again!), Mazzy and arguably Minsc and Jaheira in the sequel.
121	** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' has you rescuing Bastila (or, as she'll insist, [[ComplainingAboutRescuesTheyDontLike her rescuing you]])...
122	* In the sixth installment of the ''VideoGame/DarkParables'', the Fairytale Detective meets Literature/{{Jack\|AndTheBeanstalk}} when he saves her from being killed by Prince Leonard.
123	* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', Celes is introduced just as Locke rescues her from the jail cell.
124	* ''VideoGame/ForTheKing'': The Lost [[ClassAndLevelSystem character classes]] must first be found in a special {{Random Encounter\|s}} and then [[DoubleUnlock bought in the Lore Store]] to play. The Monk is partially frozen into a yeti's ice cave in Frost Adventure; the Treasure Hunter was SwallowedWhole and is at the end of a Whale Belly dungeon in Into The Deep.
125	* The [[VideoGame/TheGodfather videogame adaptation]] of ''Film/TheGodfather'' has you meet [[RescueRomance Frankie]] when she's taken hostage by Vito's would-be assassins. The same event also leads you to become personally acquainted with Vito.
126	* ''VideoGame/GreedFall'': De Sardet meets Aphra after they deal with[[note]]by either negotiating with or killing[[/note]] a couple of natives looking for her. She then holds them at gunpoint, then asks that they help her rescue the rest of her colleagues.
127	* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' you meet Alyx Vance after she rescues you.
128	* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
129	** In the first ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Snake meets Otacon by rescuing him from the Cyborg Ninja.
130	** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'': Raiden meets the President of the United States and Emma Emmerich while trying to rescue them from the terrorists that have taken over the Big Shell.
131	* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorVanguard'': The first time the player sees the Bazooka Operator, he is [[ParachuteInATree trapped in a tree by his parachute]], the player then gets to cut him down from the tree.
132	* In ''VideoGame/MitsumeteKnight'', this is how the main protagonist meets Sophia (punks harassing her), as well as one of the two ways to meet Laury (dangerous dog about to attack her). Depending on if one of them is the girl you target the ending of on your playthrough or not, it can evolve into RescueRomance.
133	* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Twinbee}} Pop'n Twinbee]]'', Light and Pastel first meet Madoka when she begs them to rescue her grandfather Mardock, a benevolent scientist whose personality changed into [[TakeOverTheWorld a deranged megalomaniac world-conqueror]] after he hit his head on a pole. They ultimately manage to turn him back to normal, making the three youngsters the best of friends ever since, and Mardock one of Light and Pastel's most trusted allies.
134	* In the main story of ''VideoGame/{{IMGCM}}'', Akisa Higashiyama, who was RetGone after a [[SpaceTimeEater demon]] ate her existence, is rescued by Omnis and the magical heroines by killing the demon who ate her existence. They first meet her after rescuing her. Her restoration and rescue pushed her to join the fight against them in order to prevent this from happening to others. Completing this episode will have SR-rare Akisa and unlocking her in the home menu as a reward.
135	* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'': Sean [=MacGuire=] was captured by the law as the Van der Linde gang escaped Blackwater. A Chapter 2 mission has the gang rescuing him while he is being transferred, giving him a formal introduction to the player.
136	* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'': Leon first meets Ada while he's pinned down by a [[RaisingTheSteaks zombie dog]] and she shoots it, saving his life.
137	* ''VideoGame/TurtleHead: Unmasked'' mentions Kay Brown in [[StoryBreadcrumbs documents]], but she is first seen in person when Detective [[spoiler:Mason Camdenburg]] breaks into the room in the OldSchoolBuilding where she has been left tied up by the titular SerialKiller and busts her out, showing her to the emergency exit.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
141	* In ''VisualNovel/SpiritHunterNG'', the player is introduced to Akira and Kaoru when the latter is being harassed by Maruhashi. Upon seeing Akira, she pretends that [[BoyfriendBluff they're together]] to try and get away from the situation. Akira reluctantly goes along with it, beats down Maruhashi, and they both escape.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Webcomics]]
145	* In ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'', while looking for Faen, Ariel discovers Freyja and Myou in a dungeon. ([[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=1144 seen here]]. (Spoiler Alert!))
146	* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' - Yuri's introduction to Bam. As he is up and about to storm to his certain death, she [[DynamicEntry jumps in]] and convinces the test master to change the rules so much that the kid actually has a chance.
147	* In the webcomic [[http://www.winglesscomic.com/ Wingless: The Dovecote Princess]], Alif is [[http://www.winglesscomic.com/archives/1676#comic_title introduced]] by beating up bandits that were harassing Ephelia... which quickly turns into her [[ComplainingAboutRescuesTheyDontLike complaining about the rescue]] once Alif asks for a service fee.
148	[[/folder]]
149
150	[[folder:Web Games]]
151	* In the ''[[VideoGame/{{Bionicle}} Mata Nui Online Game]]'', Gali, Pohatu, Onua, and Kopaka are introduced when they [[BigDamnHeroes make a sudden appearance]] to save the player and others, and a lot of the other characters (most of the Ga-Matoran and Le-Matoran, Nokama and Matau, and Kopeke) are introduced when you have to save them.
152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Web Original]]
155	* A 2020 video of ''WebVideo/CreamHeroes'' has a pet example when Claire starts fostering a mother cat and her twin babies facing euthanasia, which became their permanent home in around a month when the rest of the cats warmed up to the now-named Nana, Dodo, and Toto.
156	* In the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, Team Kimba first meets Skyhawk when he swoops in and plucks Chaka off the roof of a car of bad guys just before it crashes. They first meet AntiHero The Lamplighter when he mistakes Chaka and Dyna-Man for supervillains and tries to kill them.
157	[[/folder]]
158
159	[[folder:Western Animation]]
160	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': Ezra first meets the ''Ghost'' crew when he steals some items they were in the process of stealing from the Empire's garrison on Lothal and is subsequently rescued from the Empire by the crew.
161	* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'':
162	** Superboy is introduced in the first two episodes as a clone from Cadmus that Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad try to liberate. Though he does attack them at first, he turns against Cadmus and then saves them from being KillAndReplace.
163	** Though she debuts in "Infiltrator", Artemis's is first hinted at in the previous episode "Schooled" when she fires an arrow at Amazo to save Kid Flash.
164	** In season 3, Artemis first meets Halo when she saves her from being buried alive by Metahuman traffickers.
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Real Life]]
168	* A standard trick by private investigators or spies to gain someone's trust is to stage a fake bar fight or street mugging, with the investigator as the Good Samaritan coming in to "save" him or her.
169	[[/folder]]
170

Context Main / RescueIntroduction