->'''Luffy:''' You. Join our crew!
->'''Brook:''' All right then!
-->-- ''Manga/OnePiece''

When you're a callow youth charged with halting some EvilOverlord's rise to power, life ain't easy. Your home village probably [[GullibleLemmings won't support you, and may actively oppose you]] ([[DoomedHometown assuming it's still there]]); your parents are most likely [[ParentalAbandonment dead and/or gone]] [[LukeIAmYourFather and/or evil]]; and the one thing you need to vanquish the evil--the MacGuffin or SpiritAdvisor or whatever--is an [[TheQuest Epic Quest]] away. And again, you're but a callow youth, without the skills needed to pull off this most solemn of tasks. At least, not alone.

So what's a callow youth to do? Why, go on the Epic Quest anyway, and just recruit whomever you meet along the way, of course.

Hitchhiker Heroes describes a band of warriors or (more commonly) would-be warriors who join up with TheHero over the course of his journey to defeat the EvilOverlord. The trope encompasses several specific characteristics:

# The Hero must go on the Quest; he cannot simply sit around and wait for events to come knocking (although that [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive can be the impetus]]).
# The Hero should [[TheDrifter begin the journey alone]], or at least with minimal companions. Perhaps a love interest, if that one is not [[DamselInDistress currently a hostage]].
# Each member or sub-group shall be [[DebutQueue encountered sequentially]]--and, ideally, quite by "coincidence"--during the course of the Quest, and will join in the Quest separately.
# Typically, each member or sub-group will come from cultures or societies that have, up until now, had little or nothing to do with one another. Bonus points if they are ignorant of, or indifferent to, the rise of the EvilOverlord prior to meeting The Hero.
# Usually (but not always), each member or sub-group shall possess a singular talent or skill, unique unto them, which will [[PlotTailoredToTheParty inevitably prove vital at some key moment]] down the road, likely during the final climactic battle.
** Oftentimes, certain would-be Hitchhiker Heroes will initially decline to join in the Quest, whether out of indifference, [[WeAREStrugglingTogether fear or mistrust]]. In these cases, TheHero will usually have to earn their respect by besting them with their own special skill.

This collection is a common feature of fairy tales.

In computer role-playing games with a party of playable characters, most are typically encountered this way. An aggravating variation occurs in many western-style [=CRPGs=] in which you can only have so many party members at once. While you can still only recruit certain characters, you have to dump current party members temporarily in order to change around your party. Since there's no console-style portable hyper-dustbin to leave spare companions, you actually have to track them down again if you want them back. In some games, they may be so insulted by being discarded that they're {{Permanently Missable|Content}}.

This often results in the formation of a RagtagBunchOfMisfits. This trope can delve into BecauseDestinySaysSo or even ContrivedCoincidence, as the average viewer might find it very improbable that so many people with just the needed talents can be encountered along the path of the Epic Quest. See Also PlotTailoredToTheParty, CharacterMagneticTeam, DebutQueue, MagneticHero. Expect at least one episode to be devoted to a member facing the LeaveYourQuestTest.

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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The main cast of ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' assembles in this manner. It starts out with just Kagome, then she meets Inuyasha. Then they encounter Shippo, Miroku, and Sango after they embark on their quest to collect the jewel shards.
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' starts off and often falls back into this. The only times Kenshiro ever asks for anybody to tag along are when the person in question is actually competent enough to defend themselves, but that doesn't stop people from following him anyway. Not to mention every single character in the story that knows how to fight AND is a hero, except for [[spoiler:Mamiya and Bat all end up dying against some evil villain when Ken isn't around.]]
* ''Manga/OnePiece'' is particularly notorious for this, as Luffy is willing to take in just about anyone as part of his crew at the drop of a hat. And each member of his crew has a special power. And he never expects to meet them at all. It gets to the point of being PlayedForLaughs, as Luffy offers membership onto the crew to some very ridiculous characters, including a ''tree''.
** Toward the end of Fishman Island saga, [[spoiler:Luffy asks Jimbei to join his crew. While Jimbei declined at the time, he promised to join the next time he meets the Straw Hats, and at the Whole Cake Island arc, he did]].
* In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'', most Pokémon trainers start off on their journey alone. Although some stay alone, Ash has a strong tendency to pick up companions on the way, typically forming a team of three: him, a girl trainer, and a guy trainer (usually Brock). This is also Ash's MO for getting his Pokémon, though he rarely has to out-Pokémon his potential recruits.
* ''Manga/RaveMaster'' begins with Haru and Plue. Then they're joined by Elie, Musica, a non-combatant, Let...
* The first arc or so of ''Manga/DragonBall'' starts out like this with a colorful cast of characters joining [[TheHero Goku]] and Bulma on their quest to collect the [[MacGuffinTitle titular]] [[MacGuffin Dragon Balls]]. However, as the series progresses, they gravitate more towards DefeatEqualsFriendship most of the time.
* The titular main character of ''Manga/BoboboboBobobo'' roams the planet on a quest to take down the worldwide regime of the Hair Hunters. Though he starts off alone, various allies sequentially join him on his journey, usually due to personal reasons, loneliness, or just for the sake of having a crazy, good time.
* In ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'', originally each member joined Arslan for their own reasons. Darun was only following his uncle's orders. Narsus found Arslan interesting. Elam would follow Narsus wherever he went. Farangis hated Lustianian religious fanaticism. Gieve joined because he was chasing after Farangis and because he hated oppression of any kind. But eventually Arslan's kind and charismatic personality won them over and they would [[UndyingLoyalty go to great lengths for him]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fairy Tales]]
* In "Literature/TheFoolOfTheWorldAndTheFlyingShip", it's understood, if unspoken, that Fate or some Higher Power is directing the encounters, given that the Fool is told he must give a ride to anyone who asks him; and of course each person he encounters does ask him. He picks up, in short order and completely unconnected: a man who runs extremely fast; a man who can hear things miles away; a man who can see things miles away; a man who can keep eating and never be full; a man of extraordinary strength who generally seems to be a weakling; and a man with a bundle of sticks which he can turn into soldiers. Various versions add to or subtract from the lineup, but the PlotTailoredToTheParty at the end always requires each of their strengths, in some combination.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* The Creator/RogerCorman[=/=]Creator/JohnSaxon[=/=]Creator/RichardThomas B-Movie ''Film/BattleBeyondTheStars'': although the whole point of TheQuest was to assemble such a group, each new member was encountered quite by chance. [[OlderThanTheyThink ...just like its predecessors]], ''[[Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960 The Magnificent Seven]]'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''
* ''Film/{{Krull}}''. The {{Mentor|s}} heads down to bind the wounds of TheHero, an IneptMage teleports near them ({{lampshad|eHanging}}ing it by noting he came quite a distance from where he intended), a gang of robbers decide to join them, an ''actual'' mage and his apprentice comes along to lead them, a cyclops has [[YouCantFightFate seen the future]] to know he'll join them...
* To an extent, ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** In ''Film/ANewHope'', we start with the droids, who "happen" upon Luke Skywalker, who knows Ben Kenobi, who takes them to Mos Eisley whey they meet Han Solo, and so on.
** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' follows a similar motif, from the Jedi to Jar Jar to the Queen to Anakin.
* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' - Dorothy lands in Oz with no company but her pet dog, and picks up her companions as she goes.
* ''Film/TheOutlawJoseyWales'' is a good example of the AntiHero version.
* ''Film/{{Willow}}''. Willow actually first meets Madmartigan imprisoned in a cage by the road.
* ''Film/TheMuppetMovie''.
* ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'' is a silly version. Robin saves Atchoo from some guards, then they run into Blinkin, Will Scarlet O'Hara, and [[LetsYouAndHimFight Little John]], then later [[YiddishAsASecondLanguage Rabbi Tuckman]].
* Of course, the Rock and roll fairy tale ''Film/AKnightsTale'' is this, picking up a poet, a blacksmith, and a Queen on the way, as well as being a RagtagBunchOfMisfits.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Deconstructed in ''Literature/ChickenLittle'', where the titular chicken, upon believing the sky was falling[[note]]actually an acorn hitting them in the head[[/note]], went to go warn the king, with every friend he/she encounters along the way coming along: Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Lucy, and Turkey Lurkey. Unfortunately, Chicken Little ends up getting them all eaten when they're tricked by Foxy Loxy.
* ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest''.
** Maybe not a perfect example, since the various companions of the monk had already been recruited long before the journey actually started.
* Pretty much every variation on ''Myth/RobinHood''.
* ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'' features TheHero, Simon, escaping from the castle that has been his home, on the heels of his [[MentorOccupationalHazard mentor's death]], with nothing but the clothes on his back. On his journey north to find [[TheWisePrince Prince Josua]], he encounters and befriends: a [[AllTrollsAreDifferent troll]] and his pet wolf, a [[TheFairFolk Sitha]] prince, and a RebelliousPrincess, all of whom join his party and become crucial to the plot.
* ''Literature/TheRedemptionOfAlthalus'' is pretty much based on this trope as not only does the hero have to find his allies in order one by one but also encounter his enemy's allies in order as well all according to the future as predicted by the Knife.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''[[Film/StarWarsEwokAdventures Caravan of Courage]]'', a Franchise/StarWars MadeForTVMovie. (This trope's working title was "Caravan Cavalry")
* ''Series/DoctorWho'', to an extent. The Doctor is on an endless thrill-seeking journey in time and space, and tends to pick up similarly adventurous people they meet along the way. When the current companion leaves - usually after a particularly big adventure, at least in the revival - the process starts all over again.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* It's a running joke among ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' fans that none of the series' many heroes could've won their respective conflicts if they didn't take every chance to steal troops from the enemy.
* Every ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' game ever encourages the player to gather up at least some of 108 possible party members, with all of the important ones (read: those with some importance to the plot somewhere) encountering the player as opposed to the player hunting them down. This is of course destiny, no matter how hard/annoying/pointless the quests seem, and you get the 'good' ending for collecting all of them.
* {{Justified|Trope}} and {{deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', where the Exile gathers allies by subconsciously creating Force bonds.
** ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' is slightly similar, in that there turns out to be a reason why all the seemingly random companions end up joining the Nameless One--even for those who aren't his companions from a former incarnation.
* Justified in ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', as an Adept of each element (Earth, Fire, Wind, Water) is required to enter the Elemental Lighthouses.
** Much more blatant in ''Dark Dawn'', and lampshaded at least twice.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** This is the way recruitment works in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''--save for starting squad member Kaidan Alenko, each is recruited sequentially during the main quest and joins the team as soon as you meet them. The alien members served as {{m|rExposition}}outhpieces on their species' history and culture, and all six combat classes were represented by the six squad members.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' is this minus the "coincidence": recruiting and gaining the loyalty of Shepard's squad members forms the majority of the game's storyline. They talk mostly about themselves and the mission, and there are no new classes, so there is overlap in powers and abilities.
** It also converses the previous game's use of this. Ask Archangel how he put together a team to take on the underworld of Omega and he'll reply he followed Shepard's example; he started doing something about the criminals and people got inspired and joined up.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' has Ryder's party form like this. Initial squadmates Liam and Cora are there from the start. Then Vetra just sort of attaches herself when Ryder gets the ''Tempest''. Peebee and Drack are met on the first planet Ryder goes to and decide to join them (Peebee because Ryder's investigating the same alien technology she is, and Drack because he's looking for a good fight). Finally, Jaal joins up on behalf of the local resistance to see if the Initiative is on the level.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the Warden and Alistair pick people up this way while journeying through Ferelden to stop the Blight. This potentially includes one who first tries to kill you for money [[spoiler: or, as you later learn, in an attempt at suicide.]] Some are forced onto you (Morrigan), some feel they owe you a debt (Wynne, Oghren), and some have nothing better to do (Shale, Sten).
** During the ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]'' expansion, you start out with Mhairi [[spoiler: (who doesn't survive the Joining)]] and bump into Oghren and Anders almost immediately. Other potential companions show up as you complete the main plot quests.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' continues the Creator/{{BioWare}} pattern, with each class collecting a diverse set of companions as they go about their story, including a potential LoveInterest, an alien or droid, and a token [[TokenEvilTeammate evil]]/[[TokenGoodTeammate good]] teammate for those who want to play against their faction's typical morality. The first one usually joins right around the time you finish the starter planet, and others join in every couple of planets after that. Reasons vary; they may be assigned to you by your superiors, they might follow you in gratitude for helping them out of a jam, you might recruit them from the enemy forces, etc. The expansions add in many, many more companions, some of which are dumped on you by the plot, while others are optionally recruited through side-quests.
* In ''VideoGame/{{MARDEK}} RPG'', the only person actually ''recruited'' is the mercenary Zach (and, kinda, the ClockPunk robot [[IAmLegion Legion]], whom you help construct).
* In ''VideoGame/ExitFate'' you can gather a full 75 party members, including the main character. Some join by plot, others have to be sought out and hired/aided/persuaded/tricked to join you. This actually makes sense since you have a unique commission and is asked by your commander to seek out talented people who might not want to join under normal circumstances. Oh, and you also have regular soldiers.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': You begin as [[TheHero Crono]]; he meets [[RebelliousPrincess Marle]], who promptly disappears. Here the quest starts; you and [[WrenchWench Lucca]] save her, but the three become outlaws upon their return (Crono and Lucca for "kidnapping the princess", Marle for defying her father). Then the three find out about [[EldritchAbomination Lavos]]. From this point, they recruit several unconnected people from different time periods (who know nothing of Lavos), as they try to find Lavos' source and destroy it to save the future. You collect a FailureKnight [[ForcedTransformation transformation victim]], a TinCanRobot [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots with a big heart]], and a NubileSavage. ([[spoiler:Optionally, they can also get AntiVillain Magus.]])
* Once you [[IntroOnlyPointOfView get control of]] TheHero Kyrie in ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'', he meets his LoveInterest, Morte. As she hopes to use his status as a PersonOfMassDestruction to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and he's just fallen in LoveAtFirstSight, the two agree to become a team and journey across the world--she to convince him to want to use his powers (as he's ''not'' keen on the idea of world destruction), and him because...hey, the pretty girl asked. They soon meet Taupy, a bounty hunter who is first paid to keep tabs on them for Felis Rex, but eventually decides to join the group because Kyrie is a NiceGuy and that's a very strange thing (especially if he's capable of ending the world as Morte thinks he is). Morte suggests they seek out her old friend Agan to use his ship (since hers [[DrivesLikeCrazy got wrecked somehow]]), but it turns into a RecruitmentByRescue when they discover he's been captured and is undergoing some ColdBloodedTorture due to the FantasticRacism that humans and beastmen have against each other. He's reluctant to get involved in any of Morte's craziness but eventually decides [[TeamMom it's better to keep an eye on them]]--and because Kyrie's nice to the point of insanity. Later, Rhi'a--the [[CuteMonsterGirl dragonkin]] who's been hanging around with Felis Rex--decides to join because she, too, is curious about Kyrie (especially since she's aware of his destiny and didn't expect the Destruct to have emotions at all, much less to be kind and polite), and because [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight she thinks it's the thing to do, even if dragons are supposed to be strictly observers of the fate of the world, not participants in it]]. This seems to make a full roster, but TheSixthRanger [[spoiler:Naja, the guy you controlled briefly in the beginning,]] decides to join the team just after the mid-point of the game, [[MagneticHero once again because Kyrie is so strangely nice to everyone]] [[spoiler:and he can't believe he asked him to kill him in order to prevent himself from losing control of his powers and ending the world. Furthermore, he has a hard time accepting that someone could be resurrected after he stabbed them in the chest, but if anyone deserves a second chance, it's Kyrie]]. It's not a DebutQueue because there's plenty of ''other'' plot going on between character collections.
* ''VideoGame/APlagueTaleInnocence'' starts out with Amicia and her little brother Hugo as the protagonists. While they remain the only player characters throughout the game, they gather a bunch of allies who help them during the game: first Lucas, the alchemist's apprentice, then the thief siblings Melie and Arthur, and finally the blacksmith Rodric.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/NoRestForTheWicked'': November has picked up three companions. Thus far.
* In the fantasy webcomic ''Webcomic/CwensQuest,'' Cwen and her [[LivingToys stuffed]] {{weasel|Mascot}} companion Wendy have thus far collected a [[IOweYouMyLife life slave]] named [[TheLancer Riddly Lancer,]] a geriatric dragon, a younger half-sister with hat phobias and has called the favor of a friend of the family, a demon named Essex. The first three were collected in the same place and same day, while Essex was actually summoned later by Wendy.
** This may become a subversion after the current story arc. Essex was hired in a "You help me now I help you later" deal. Thus he might leave after the battle he was hired for. Trel is holding information vital to the titular quest over Cwen's head and might stay behind when Cwen, Wendy, and Riddly leave.
* Webcomic/{{Roza}} [[http://www.junglestudio.com/roza/?date=2008-11-17 acquires at first a goat, then a man under a]] {{Curse}}.
* ''Webcomic/{{Collar 6}}'': Michael Kappel starts on a life of adventure with just a SympatheticSentientWeapon whom he rescued. Over time he gathers a wife and two more sidekicks (these five meld together into a family) plus a large group of other followers that includes a former TortureTechnician and an embittered government secret agent.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' - They began with three and ended with at least six. It manages to escape most questions about it being 'unlikely' with the heavy implication of destiny; Aang had visions of Toph before he met her, and [[spoiler:Zuko]] was always meant to [[spoiler:reconcile the two parts of his ancestry]].
* ''WesternAnimation/MagicAdventuresOfMumfie'''s movie Mumfie's Quest was set up this way.
[[/folder]]

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