Line #14 PlayingWith/TheDragon


1	'''Basic Trope''': The [[BigBad Big Bad's]] right-hand man (or woman), often has a vital role in the story.
2	* '''Straight''': [[MasterSwordsman General]] [[MeaningfulName Drake]] leads Emperor Evulz's armies into battle, and is more willing to get his hands dirty than his boss.
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Evulz has almost no control over his minion, [[TheHeavy who is all but running the show through sheer force of badassery.]] [[DragonInChief Drake is the one The Hero needs to defeat.]]
5	** Evulz has his right hand man, Drake, who takes the more direct role in fighting the heroes. Drake, in turn, has ''his'' right hand woman, Faye, who sends her enforcer, Gustave, who foists the job of fighting the heroes to his second in command, Heimlich, each of whom are portrayed as TheDragon to another Dragon.
6	* '''Downplayed''': MookLieutenant.
7	* '''Justified''':
8	** [[NonActionBigBad Emperor Evulz has terminal cancer]], and General Drake was simply the most capable candidate to carry out his will.
9	** Emperor Evulz and General Drake [[VillainousFriendship are friends]], and Drake doesn't mind doing the fighting.
10	** Drake is a mercenary hired just for that purpose.
11	** Drake believes in Evulz' cause, and volunteers for the job.
12	** Evulz is too busy running TheEmpire and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome has to delegate these things]].
13	* '''Inverted''':
14	** TheLancer
15	** TheHero, if there is a BigGood to oppose the BigBad.
16	* '''Subverted''':
17	** General Drake is a member of LaResistance and trying to help the heroes overthrow Evulz.
18	** General Drake doesn't exist, or has been dead for some time. He is just a propaganda device used by Evulz as an image of terror.
19	** General Drake is a LegacyCharacter- he is killed frequently, and Evulz promotes some random {{Mook}} to take his name and his place each time.
20	** Drake is not the Dragon; he and Evulz are in a BigBadDuumvirate.
21	** Drake is not the dragon; [[TheManinFrontoftheMan he is ''the boss'']], or otherwise the actual villain. But Evulz isn't his dragon either, just a harmless flunky, or even an innocent good guy all along. Drake has been using his name as an excuse to do evil.
22	* '''Double Subverted:''' Ah, but General ''Wolfenstein'', on the other hand, he is the real deal.
23	* '''Parodied''':
24	** General Drake is frequently sent down by Emperor Evulz to hassle the FiveManBand, [[GoldFishPoopGang despite him having a zero percent success rate with the heroes.]]
25	** General Drake is a [[VisualPun literal]] [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]].
26	* '''Zig Zagged''': General Drake may or may not be TheDragon. He could be TheManBehindTheMan, or [[TheMole secretly a member of]] LaResistance, but its ambiguous and the story goes back and forth on this.
27	* '''Averted''': Evulz has no dragon. He either has a bunch of faceless {{Mooks}}, none of whom stand out, or he is a one-man war machine all on his own.
28	* '''Enforced''': "We need to stall for time before the heroes face the [[BigBad Ultimate Bad Guy]]. Let's write this guy in."
29	* '''Lampshaded''': "Say hello to General Drake of the Seven Swords. If you expect to meet me in combat, you must face him."
30	* '''Invoked''': Emperor Evulz decides to promote the toughest {{Mook}} he can find to CurbStompBattle our heroes and help him stall for time to activate his sinister scheme.
31	* '''Exploited''': Drake proves his skills in combat and "loyalty" to Emperor Evulz so he can get close enough [[TheStarscream to overthrow him.]]
32	* '''Defied''':
33	** General Drake's attempt to block our heroes is thwarted when he's brutally tossed off a bridge.
34	** Evulz considers hiring a dragon, but decides against it.
35	* '''Discussed''': "Wait. Our trek here was too easy. Isn't this where someone nasty comes before us?"
36	* '''Conversed''': "I've noticed a lot of villains have this one guy that does their dirty work."
37	* '''Deconstructed''':
38	** General Drake knows that he's number two to a sick and feeble man, and hates every minute of it. Thus, [[TheStarscream he devotes his spare time to finding a way to put his boss down]].
39	** General Drake knows that he is working for a sick, twisted, despicable madman and thinks TheEmpire would be better off without him, or just desires to leave his employ.
40	** General Drake is the top enforcer of his master and the guy who is constantly fighting the heroes, taking charge of wars and being the face of terror in TheEmpire- unsurprisingly, he is killed early on doing such dangerous work.
41	* '''Reconstructed''':
42	** Emperor Evulz brutally reminds him of the status quo whenever Drake decides to plot against him.
43	** Evulz kills Drake, and replaces him with a loyal new dragon.
44	** Drake is killed, and Evulz replaces him with a more cautious and GenreSavvy new dragon.
45	** When you're a OneManArmy, is there really much need for caution? Drake is perfectly capable of going up against the heroes despite being an easy target, so they decide not to mess with him.
46	* '''Played For Laughs''':
47	** Drake is Evulz's only underling, and no matter how incompetent he is, Evulz has to keep using him to fight the heroes.
48	** All Evulz ever makes Drake do is [[YouGetMeCoffee make his coffee for him]], despite Drake's constant complaints.
49	* '''Played For Drama''': Drake serves Evulz because if he doesn't, Evulz will kill him.
50	----
51	Back to TheDragon, my lord.
52	----
53	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
54	%%
55	%%* '''Implied''': ???

Context PlayingWith / TheDragon