[[quoteright:266:[[StarWars http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Luke_Skywalker.jpg]]]]

->"If you were ever trapped in a burning building, you would turn to Jake and ask, 'What do we do?' And he would have an answer, too."\\
-- '''Tobias''', ''{{Animorphs}}'' book 3

->'''Price Lir:''' Then what is magic for? What use is wizardry if it cannot save a unicorn?\\
'''Shmendrik:''' That's what heroes are for.\\
-- '''PeterSBeagle''', ''TheLastUnicorn''

The Leader. TheCaptain. The protagonist. The [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight]]. That [[MagneticHero shining star]] that holds [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits the whole mess]] together. In a [[PowerWalk team lineup]] they will be front and center.

This guy is a hero, [[IncorruptiblePurePureness pure]] and simple. He's almost always right, is a friend to all his [[FiveManBand bandmates]], and morally superior. He has a [[TheMario well-rounded skill set]]. He's not as strong as TheBigGuy, or as smart as TheSmartGuy, or as [[CloserToEarth sensitive and socially adept]] as TheChick, but he's close. He can personally accomplish a variety of goals, but his [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway real superpower]] is getting [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters the whole diverse set of personalities]] under his command to [[TheKirk focus and pull together]]. He'll always know who to ask for help, and when -- and ''usually'' how.

Other powers and skills common to the hero include:
* In many games or settings, he'll be TheMario; a well-balanced fighter with decent power and speed, and sometimes some [[MagicKnight ability at magic]].
* Most of the time, he'll use a [[HeroesPreferSwords sword or sword-like weapon]] as his weapon of choice, even in science-fiction settings where that wouldn't make sense.
* In a fight, [[BoringInvincibleHero he will ALWAYS win.]] And even if he loses, bet your life on it he will win the inevitable rematch.
* He will wear either [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience Red or Blue]] [[{{Superman}} (sometimes]] [[SpiderMan both)]], and if he's got a [[AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance theme]] or powers expect them to be [[ElementalPowers fire based.]] Lightning and light are also common elemental themes for the hero.

[[ChickMagnet Almost invariably]], TheChick is [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan in love with him]] (unless she's his sister [[BrotherSisterIncest and not]] [[{{Twincest}} always]]), as are [[EvenTheGuysWantHim any other members]] who happen to be women or [[GayOption gay]].

If the Hero has too much of the "positive" qualities listed above, he may degenerate into a MartyStu. If he's too generic, then he's a StandardizedLeader. They are sometimes the OnlySaneMan trying to keep the team together. If this is the case fans might consider him to be dull compared to more entertaining members of the team.

The Hero and TheLancer usually have a special chemistry within the Band, either a RyuAndKen relationship or RedOniBlueOni. They are often [[TheRival rivals]] with a strong mutual respect for each other, and are sometimes even HeterosexualLifePartners.

The primary romantic plot in the band will be between TheHero and TheChick, with TheLancer [[LoveTriangle rounding out a triangle]]. For a female Lancer who doesn't double as TheChick, they will likely be an UnluckyChildhoodFriend. (Bonus points if The Lancer is [[HoYay bi-sexual]] and is interested in ''both'' of them!) The Hero might also be a ChasteHero or a CelibateHero as an additional complication to romantic subplots.

Usually, this role will not be filled by a woman unless [[AmazonBrigade all the other roles are already women]] (as is often the case in {{anime}}). If so, there might not be a [[TheChick Chick]] in the group (although there ''might'' be TheOneGuy or the NonActionGuy), and the prize for "most feminine" will go to TheHero or TheSmartGuy.

Although The Hero is usually the leader of his band, this is not always the case. If he isn't, this is usually justified by him being [[KidHero the youngest]], [[IdiotHero most inexperienced]], and/or newest member of the team. Thus, his more senior teammates may quite reasonably see him as the TagAlongKid or the SixthRanger, even if he's clearly the [[DesignatedHero central protagonist]] to the audience. He may even be something of TheChick if he's a MouthyKid or TheFool. Don't worry -- in time, he will reveal his [[TheChosenOne great potential]], eventually [[MagneticHero swaying]] friend [[DefeatMeansFriendship and foe]] alike to his cause. Even if he needs [[CharacterDevelopment significant growing up]] to reach that point.

And if there's a character [[RuleOfCool Cooler]] than the Hero, that character is generally TooCoolToLive.

See also TheAce, TheKirk, TheMessiah, TheChosenOne.

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[[foldercontrol]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The arguable TropeCodifier (if not the outright TropeMaker), is Eagle Ken of ''ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman''.
* Hyouma Aoi of ''CombattlerV''.
* Kenichi Gou/Steve Armstrong of ''VoltesV''.
* Akira/Keith of ''GoLion''/''{{Voltron}}''.
* America in ''AxisPowersHetalia''. Or at least ''he'' thinks so.
* Monkey D. Luffy of ''OnePiece'' fits this perfectly. Despite being an IdiotHero, he is the captain and leader of the Strawhat Pirates, and is always the one to take on the big bad in the end of every big story arc.
* TheHero and [[CharacterTitle title character]] of ''{{Naruto}}'' has never been the leader of any team he's been on yet, except in spirit. The genin of Team 7 are instead led by [[{{Mentors}} their teacher, Kakashi]]. When left to their own devices off the job, they tend to split up. When left alone on the job, it's less about who leads and more about whoever comes up with the best plan. When he's later part of a five-man retrieval team, ''[[TheSmartGuy Shikamaru]]'' is the leader. But Naruto will probably get there one day.
* Kamina from ''{{Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann}}'' fits this to a T.
** [[spoiler:But then he dies in an interesting subversion and]] Simon takes up the mantle.
* Nike from ''MahoujinGuruGuru.''
* Interesting variation in ''{{Gantz}}''. Originally the Gantz team's nominated leader was Masaru Katou who seemed to be TheHero while the actual main character, his JerkAss old friend Kei Kurono, seemed to be TheLancer, despite Kurono being notably the more powerful fighter. But after [[spoiler:the entire team, except for Kei, gets wiped out in a mission,]] and Kurono undergoes some serious character development, he becomes TheHero for the [[spoiler:new]] team. [[spoiler:And then he resurrects Katou. And dies. And Katou resurrects him.]]
* Rosette Christopher in ''ChronoCrusade''. Somewhat subverted in that she's a very flawed individual and a girl, but (particularly in the manga) she's front-and-center in the team and the one that holds most of the group together. Her love interest isn't TheChick, but her {{lancer}}, Chrono (who's less of an UnluckyChildhoodFriend and more of a [[StarcrossedLovers Starcrossed Lover]]).
* Tenma from ''{{Monster}}''.
* Ichigo Kurosaki of {{Bleach}}.
* Last but not least, Kenshiro from ''{{Fist of the North Star}}. His nickname is "The End-of-Century Savior".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films]]
* Elizabeth Swann-Turner is the ''{{Pirates of the Caribbean}}'' version of this. Used loosely, as heroes aren't as pure in her world.
** ThisTroper would argue that Will fits this trope just as well.
* [[StarWars Luke Skywalker]] fits this trope so exactly that [[ThisTroper this troper's]] Psychology textbook showed a picture of him in reference to the archetype of a hero.
* 9 from... well, ''[[Film/{{Nine}} 9]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''HarryPotter'', of course.
* Jake of ''{{Animorphs}}''.
* Aragorn from ''{{The Lord of the Rings}}''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Tidus from ''FinalFantasyX'' is clearly the main character to the player, but he's a late-comer to the other characters, who already composed a complete FiveManBand before he showed up.
** This is also an example of what can happen when TheHero and TheCaptain are not represented by the same character, or rather, when there is no Captain at all.
* Sora from ''KingdomHearts'' was TheHero but not the leader of his original ThreeAmigos PowerTrio. That position went to TheLancer, Riku, who was [[TooCoolToLive older, bigger, stronger]], and [[JumpedAtTheCall more adventurous]]. It was Riku's idea to build a raft and leave their home behind to visit other worlds. If Riku hadn't been [[AmbitionIsEvil a little]] ''[[AmbitionIsEvil too]]'' [[AmbitionIsEvil eager]] to seek his destiny, he might have become the ''de facto'' leader of a full FiveManBand, with Sora and [[TheChick Kairi]] functioning as the team's heart and conscience. Sora might lead with his heart and by example, but Riku would have led with his head and from the front. Even after Sora formed a new PowerTrio with [[TheSmartGuy Donald]] and [[TheBigGuy Goofy]], ''Donald'' was initially more the leader due to his drive and seniority.
* Kazuya Mishima ''was'' TheHero of the first ''{{Tekken}}'', and his looks and background somewhat supports it. However he [[BaitTheDog proves otherwise in the second series and forward.]]
* [[{{Halo}} Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 of the SPARTAN IIs]]. Not the strongest, fastest, smartest of the Spartans, or the best at anything at all, except in leading the others and always getting the job done. That's why he was made the leader of the rest.
** Although Cortana says he has one thing the rest didn't: LUCK.
* [[{{Disgaea}} Laharl]] subverts this trope. Adell plays it straight. Mao subverts it.
* [[{{SonicTheHedgehog}} Sonic]] is the team's de facto leader.
* ''Mario'', of course. He names the franchise, is the main playable character, is TheMario, etc., etc.
* [[IAmNotShazam Link]] from ''{{The Legend of Zelda}}'' is literally an incarnation of this trope. In most of the core {{Canon}}, Link is specifically titled "Hero" of something: of Hyrule in the original and ''Link to the Past'', of Time in ''Ocarina of Time'', of Winds in ''Wind Waker'', and Chosen Hero of the Gods in ''Twilight Princess'' (Hero of Light is {{Fanon}} only for ''TP''; it was actually used in an earlier [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] installment).
* Although there's the possibility of it being too obvious to be worth listing here, the majority of the main characters in every ''DragonQuest'' game serve as the Hero, to the point that in ''Dragon Quest VIII'' the hero's default name '''is''' Hero. Nearly all of them have balanced abilities and use (or have the option of using) swords, and many of them have lightning and/or fire in their selection of attack magic. One of the only exceptions is the Hero from ''Dragon Quest II'', who learns no magic at all and serves as the physical fighter of the party.
** Another DQ Hero-Subversion, in V the hero plays the role as more the party's priest, and his son is the legendary hero.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* Buffy of ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}''.
* Angel from ''Angel''.
* Malcom "Mal" Reynolds, of ''{{Firefly}}'', though he's more of a LovableRogue.
**All of them are in a way too quirky to be TheHero . Mal is too rogueish, Jayne too barbaric, Zoe too stoical, Wash too unassertive, Inara too you-know-what, Book too holy (except when he is breaking kneecaps), Simon too introspective and too devoted to a single team member, Kaylee too chickish, and River too crazy. Really, TheHero is the whole {{Nakama}} rather then one single hero.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f_HsjpSVaI Holding Out For A Hero]]'' by Bonnie Tyler is all about this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Despite being a GeniusBruiser, Roy from ''{{The Order of the Stick}}'' is TheHero instead of TheBigGuy or TheSmartGuy.
* Torg from ''SluggyFreelance'', though when he's in one of his "[[http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=090217 wacky moods]]" you'd never realize it.
* Lance from ''[[http://www.shapequest.net Shape Quest]]'', ultimately.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Robin of ''TeenTitans''.
* Ulrich of ''CodeLyoko'' is one Hero who is not the team leader.
* Kwame of ''{{Captain Planet and the Planeteers}}'', which gives him the honor of saying the {{Invocation}} before their ByThePowerOfGreyskull ritual.
* Hank of the ''[[Series/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' cartoon, who [[YourMileageMayVary borders]] on being the StandardizedLeader.
[[/folder]]

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