->''"When you first came to CTU, I never thought it was going to be you that was going to cover my back all those years."''
-->-- '''Jack Bauer''', to Chloe, Series Finale of ''Series/TwentyFour''

It's all come down to this. The quest is almost over. One by one, the people on the quest have [[OptOut dropped out]], [[HeroicSacrifice died]], or [[{{Transflormation}} been magically transformed into trees]]. The final battle is approaching. TheHero turns to see the who is left at his side, only to find... Bob, the Mostly Incompetent Comic Relief Sidekick?

Yes, somehow, the rookie, the PluckyComicRelief, the ButtMonkey, TheLoad, the MauveShirt, the... well, you get the idea... is the only person who still has the hero's back. This happens most frequently in a DwindlingParty situation. Expect the hero to say "I never thought you'd be the last one at my side." Alternately, the Hero wangsts that he has been left all alone, so that Bob can remind him that he's still there. Frequently include SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments.

A common variant on this comes when members of a police squad, any type of procedural, military band, or TrueCompanions have been replaced for one reason or another over the course of an entire series. Towards the end, especially in the finale, the hero and the last remaining member of the original band reminisce about how things have changed. In particularly grim versions, everyone else is dead, and the Hero wonders how Bob is the only other survivor.

Sometimes it is the [[TookALevelInBadass first step on Bob's road to being a badass.]] Compare LeastIsFirst for when the loser is the first to volunteer for a dangerous job. May also result in the side character [[LetsGetDangerous getting dangerous]]. If the following battle happens to be a DualBoss, the unlikely sidekick is very likely to have a moment to shine by evening the odds. Subtrope of YouAreNotAlone.
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!!Examples:

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[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* This almost happens in ''Manga/DragonBall Z'' during the battle against Super Buu: Gotenks and Piccolo were absorbed by the demon, and Goku planned to use the Potara earrings with his son Gohan but he too was absorbed. With Tien (the only real fighter left) knocked out, Goku realizes that the only candidates left for fusion are [[NonActionGuy Dende]] (which would render the Dragon Balls inert) and [[FakeUltimateHero Mr. Satan]]. He chooses Mr. Satan... but just before he throws him the earring, [[TheRival Vegeta]] [[BigDamnHeroes returns from Other World]].
* ''Manga/RaveMaster'', when Haru is about to face [[DiscOneFinalBoss Doryuu]] in his throne room he realizes that of all his companions, the only one left is... Ruby, the inept penguin sorcerer, leaving him less than thrilled at the prospect. [[spoiler: Fortunately for him, Ruby manages to turn his chime in a magic sword when Haru is mortally wounded and use its magic to teleport himself and Haru to someone who can cure him.]]
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[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Parodied in the ''Manga/DragonBall'' {{fanfic}} ''Dragon Ball Insanity School'': After Goku gets seriously damaged by Baby he asks for some help, and Pan quickly promise to help him. {{Beat}}. Goku re-asks for some decent help.
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[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Film/JudgeDredd'', in the final fight it's Fergee, the petty criminal and con man whom Dredd has been treating like garbage all through the film, who disables Judge Rico's Combat Bot, saving both Dredd and Hershey's lives.
* In ''Film/TheFifthElement'', effeminate radio host Ruby Rhod is the only person protagonist Corben Dallas can count on during the pitched gun battle.
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'':
** From ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers The Two Towers]]''. Frodo has split off from the rest of the Fellowship, with the sole exception of his hired help Samwise, who like most hobbits doesn't have much experience with adventure. However, that doesn't stop him from acting as Frodo's [[TheChampion champion]] for the rest of the journey.
--->'''Faramir''': Your bodyguard?\\
'''Sam''': His gardener.
** By ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'', it's totally inverted, as Frodo nearly succumbs to the Ring's seductive powers while his gardener Sam proves to have [[TookALevelInBadass more balls than a gymnasium]].
** Pippin saves Gandalf from an orc and Faramir from being burned alive. Merry helps Éowyn slay the Witch-King.
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[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TwentyFour'' gives Jack Bauer a particularly awesome one of these. He and Chloe are the oldest remaining members of the CTU, and one of the last lines of the entire series is Jack telling Chloe that he never thought she'd make it to the end.
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Pandorica Opens", The Doctor has a revived, Roman robot Rory backing him up. And it works.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', episode "The Gift": In a massive fight taking place at a construction site, all of the rest of Buffy's allies have been sidelined, Buffy's been deprived of her weapon, and the Hell-God Glory is bearing down on her, fully capable of tearing Buffy's arms off and feeding them to her:
-->'''Glory:''' You lost your hammer, sweetcheeks. What're you gonna hit me with now?\\
''(a wrecking ball comes out nowhere to knock Glory through a brick wall)''\\
'''Buffy:''' Whatever's handy...\\
'''Xander:''' ''(shown to be at the wheel of the crane attached to the wrecking ball)'' And the glorified brick-layer picks up a spare...
** Xander comes through for Buffy a lot in this way. At the end of the first season, a prophecy decrees Buffy will die. [[YouCantFightFate She drowns]], but Xander brings her back with [[CPRCleanPrettyReliable CPR]]. In the second season finale, Xander shows up to help Buffy fight Angelus: "The cavalry's here. Cavalry's a frightened guy with a rock, but it's here." She uses him to get [[TheMentor Giles]], badly hurt after Angelus' ColdBloodedTorture, out of the way while the vampires are distracted by fighting her.
* Constable Bob comes through for Raylan on multiple occasions throughout seasons five and six of ''Series/{{Justified}}'' despite Bob's bumbling nature.
-->'''Raylan:''' People underestimate Bob at their own peril.
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[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', timid, useless Pod the squire rescues Tyrion by shoving a fully-armoured knight off the side of a boat. Made extra heartwarming because Tyrion assumed it had to be his brother--the only person to ever, up until now, rescue him. Later, Podrick does it ''again'' for Brienne.
* ''Literature/RowanOfRin'': The first book ends with Strong Jonn being accompanied only by Rowan, the weakest child in Rin. Rowan ends up saving the day.
* An abbreviated version of this occurs in final battle in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. In the epic climax, the kids go down pretty much in the reverse order you'd expect (Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna...), ending with Neville, who up until then had been the series' ButtMonkey, as the last man at Harry's side. Its the first indication that Neville isn't as hopeless as he seems, and the first step in Neville's [[TookALevelInBadass ascension to utter badassery]].
-->'''Neville:''' He's not alone! He's still got me!
* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings.'' Sam Gamgee, the one member of the Fellowship who stays with Frodo all the way to Mt. Doom.
** This seems to be a recurring trait of hobbits in general.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'': Enjolras is alone and facing down a firing squad at the end of the barricade battle, before the cynical drunk Grantaire wakes up and pushes through the soldiers to join him.
-->And turning gently to Enjolras, he said to him: "Do you permit it?"\\
Enjolras pressed his hand with a smile.\\
This smile was not ended when the report resounded.
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[[folder:Theatre]]
* OlderThanSteam: In the morality play ''Everyman'' the title character is abandoned by Beauty, Strength, Discretion and Five Wits. The only one standing by Everyman when he goes to be judged is Good Deeds.
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* Kinda what happens in the bad ending of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', though not to Shepard but to the Illusive Man: if you really, really screw up the SuicideMission, Joker (who is not a loser but he is no fighter, either) is the only Normandy crew member that Cerberus ends up with for the upcoming battle against the Reapers.
** Even in a normal ending, Joker helps out by standing at the ship's outer door with an assault rifle and covering Shepard and co. as they run back to the Normandy. For most players, it's probably the ''last'' thing they'd expect to see someone with brittle bone disease doing (even in light of Cerberus springing for some proper medical treatment).
* Should you rescue her from her bullies, Nonogusa from ''Bible Black'' helps you in the good route.
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[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', when the Blood Gulch Crew stop arguing and band together, they're actually fairly successful losers.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Happens to Sheilla Horowitz in ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'' during the "Grudge Match" arc. Following the elimination games, one member of each of the gaming groups is supposed to belly up to the table for the final showdown. Sheila expects to be backed up by the power players from the other 'evil' groups: the other players being supposed to take the fall to allow them to progress. Instead she finds herself SurroundedByIdiots.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In the WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} cartoon "Double Dribble", Polytechnical University's team keeps losing players until the only one left is Merrithew, [[TheRuntAtTheEnd a pipsqueak]] who is only knee-high to the others. Surprisingly ([[UnderdogsNeverLose or not]]) he wins the game.
[[/folder]]
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