[[ElGoonishShive http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/endless-barrel.png]]
[[caption-width:253:Mr. Exposition takes pride in his job.]]
->"Thank you, Mr. Exposition."\\
-- '''Slappy Squirrel''', ''{{Animaniacs}}''

->"I know! That's what I told 'em, but no! All the cruddy exposition goes to me! I've got to talk and talk and fiddle with the computer and talk some more and fiddle and talk! I feel like [[StarWars Obi-Wan cruddy Kenobi]]!"\\
-- '''Roddie [=MacStew=]''', ''{{Freakazoid}}''

A character whose purpose is to explain the plot. Ostensibly, this is for the benefit of the protagonists, but most of the time their real reason for existing is to provide {{Exposition}} to the audience, sometimes to the point of an {{Infodump}}. This is why they spend so much time [[AsYouKnow explaining things the protagonists already know]]. Popular in ScienceIsBad stories, where you can bet the MadScientist in charge will have a tape recorder with him at all times that he's always dictating his progress to.

In spite of the name, this is an equal-opportunity position, as the many female examples below demonstrate.

TheWatson -- especially if the ElephantsChild -- may force Mr. Exposition into this role.

See also CaptainObvious.

----
[[foldercontrol]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Dr. Inez Fressange of ''MartianSuccessorNadesico'' abuses this trope to the point of parody: she is actually acknowledged as the "explanation woman" by ''the whole crew'' of the ''Nadesico'' battle spaceship. There have been cases where she senses her explanations are needed from several rooms/decks over, and she once uses exposition as her talent in a beauty contest.
** And in an episode where several of the crew, including Inez, find [[FreakyThursday their personalities inverted from their normal ones]] and are all in desperate need of an explanation? She's shown in her room quietly enjoying a glass of fruit juice, not saying a word.
* Seira in ''KaitouSaintTail''.
* Ryou and sometimes Keiichiro in ''TokyoMewMew''.
** A hilarious example of this occurs with Masaya in the first episode of ''TokyoCrystalMew''. He even feels the need to describe what he looked like in his Deep Blue form.
* Subverted in ''{{FLCL}}'' by Commander Amarao. He tells Naota (and the audience) that Haruko is searching for her lover Atomsk, the pirate king (the scene is accompanied by a humanoid fire creature). Actually, [[spoiler:Haruko wants to absorb the powers of Atomsk, which is actually a giant flaming bird]]. Amarao was just guessing.
* Yuko Ichihara ends up becoming the ''Ms.'' Exposition in the latter parts of ''TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' and ''{{xxxHolic}}'', the point that some fans have begun comforting others about the recent WhamEpisode by saying that "all will be explained" in the Yuko-monologue inevitably coming up in the next few chapters.
** Which proves problematic now that she [[spoiler: exploded into flower petals/hair/an illusory butterfly. With her dead/disappeared/whatever, we don't have anyone to explain what happened to her, why, or what exactly she dissolved into even!]]
*** She's back, at least in Tsubasa. Chapters 216 and 217 were pretty much her exclusively explaining what the hell's been going on.
* ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'' hangs a lampshade on this; Kyon, the sarcastic narrator, constantly tells Koizumi, the Mr. Exposition character, that he talks too much and no one cares what he has to say.
* Every single character in ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}!'' (the 4Kids dub anyway), often to downright [[CaptainObvious ridiculous lengths]]. Everyone feels compelled to remind one another (i.e. the viewers) of the continuous effects of every card in play, the effect of a card that has [[AsYouKnow already been played before]] in an episode (especially "Monster Reborn"), all the way to what happened ''two minutes ago''. This expo-speak always happens at the start of episodes, (referencing previous events), which wouldn't be a bad thing if not for the fact that each episode includes a "last time, on ''Yu-Gi-Oh!''" opening bit. Also always occurs after a commercial (because, well, [[ViewersAreMorons you know]]), but sometime even ''for no reason at all''. As an example of the last type, pick any duel in the Battle City finals/semi-finals and count how many times the fact that one of the characters possesses an Egyptian God Card is mentioned. For the truly ambitious, [[TVTropesWikiDrinkingGame ''drink'' every time it's mentioned]], and kiss your liver goodbye.
** Subverted in the movie when Kaiba interrupts Pegasus' exposition of a card-effect with "Do you ever shut up?"
** Also Lampshaded in one episode where an opponent starts to explain the effects of Painful Choice before Kaiba cuts him off with "I know what the card does, you fool."
*** ... And then he explains it anyway.
* Reversed in ''{{Eyeshield 21}}'' in the form of Yamamoto Onihei, ace lineman of the Hashiritani Deers. In fact, everything that he says will be proven otherwise. It doesn't help that the team he usually tries to predict is one of the most unpredictable teams in the whole of Japan....
* On the too few occasions when TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness in ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' told anyone anything, they have been told "But I already know all of this" by the person they were speaking to. It serves solely to inform the audience, [[CrypticConversation and yet it doesn't]].
* Reborn in ''KatekyoHitmanReborn!'' does this ''almost every time'' a battle is plot-important and he happens to be watching. Most of the rest of the cast is guilty of this at various occasions as well, but it's usually Reborn that does the exposition. In fact, it's consistent enough that one can tell if a fight is plot-important when Reborn is nearby by whether he's beating people up or currently being MrExposition. For everything not related to the most recent level-up, there's Ranking Futa, who seems to be a recurring character primarily for random exposition.
* This is Autor's main function in the final episodes of ''PrincessTutu''. Well, that and putting Fakir through the TrainingFromHell.
** And pretty much Edel's entire function in the first season [[spoiler: until she dies. Sort of.]]
* After being introduced to the [[TheLibraryOfBabel Infinity Library]], Yuuno of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' [[IsntItSad was reduced from being]] TheLancer to this.
* Yue Ayase in ''MahouSenseiNegima'', usually due to her innate [[TheSmartGuy smarts]] or her BookOfShadows. She tends to indulge in WallsOfText, but isn't usually heard.
-->'''Yue:''' ''(long explaination about Celtic mythology, the "other world" and paradise)''\\
'''Nodoka:''' Yue, they're not listening.\\
'''Yue:''' Say what!? This is important background information!
** Kamo's usual functions are [[DeadpanSnarker snarky commentary]] and exposition at a moment's notice. [[http://www.onemanga.com/Mahou_Sensei_Negima!/92/05/ With diagrams! Whether or not anybody is listening!]]
* ''ErgoProxy'' had a very interesting method of revealing its backstory: the characters ended up in a bizarre gameshow, where most questions and answers were directly related to the plot. The gameshow host MCQ played the part of MrExposition.
* Tae Sekihara from ''RurouniKenshin'' sometimes takes up the role in-story.
* Subverted at the beginning of ''DarkerThanBlack''. One of the characters is a scientist who had been working on the Gate. She gives us a rather hefty dose of {{Expospeak}} to explain the Contractor-related weirdness; however it turns out [[spoiler:she doesn't even know who ''she'' is.]] As such, [[UnreliableNarrator 90% of anything anyone says]] in the first two episodes is misinformed at best and BlatantLies at worst.
* At first, it appears that Dr. Tofu Ono is going to fulfil this role in RanmaOneHalf, but it fails to happen, partially because of his tendency to become a [[LoveMakesYouDumb bumbling idiot]] when Akane's sister [[YamatoNadeshiko Kasumi]] is around (to the point where he actually destroys potential cures for their problems), and partially because of the introduction of the OldMaster and TricksterMentor Cologne. And, to a [[JerkAss much]], [[CardCarryingVillain much]], ''[[FairWeatherMentor much]]'' lesser extent, [[DirtyOldMan Happosai]]. In fact, the manga outright gave him a case of ChuckCunninghamSyndrome, having him vanish by the end of the first Cologne story arc. The anime kept him on as a bit-character and an excuse for {{Filler}} episodes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comics]]
* If any MarvelUniverse plot has magic in it at any time whatsoever, you can bet Dr. Strange will be there to explain the nuts and bolts of how MagicAIsMagicA. Or just DeusExMachina the heroes out of it.
* Nate Morgan used to fill this role in the Archie ''SonicTheHedgehog'' comics, offering pages upon pages of technobabble-laden exposition for the "benefit" of the reader.
* The Inhumans in MarvelComics (at least in their early appearances) are an entire ''race'' of Mr. Expositions. They also do recaps. A lot.
* ''The Key'', from DCComics. Lampshaded and subverted in that opening up your entire mind to the universe (AGodAmI) has the side effect of causing a lot of monologuing.
* Batman plays this role in a lot of JLA stories.
* All the issues of Cable Deadpool after #13 feature Deadpool doing a [[NoFourthWall 4th wall breaking recap page]] in the beginning of the comic. His [[ThoughtCaption "Little Yellow Boxes"]] are also filled with expository dialogue, [[CloudCuckooLander among other musings.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films]]
* Basil Exposition (with British Intelligence) from ''AustinPowers'', is both an obvious send-up of this type of character, and a good alternate trope name.
* Ric Olié in ''[[StarWars The Phantom Menace]]'' has dialogue that consists entirely of exposition such as "That little droid did it, he bypassed the main power drive!" Same thing with Admiral Ackbar in ROTJ ("It's a trap!")
* Reese in ''The {{Terminator}}'' explaining to Sarah why a man completely resistant to shotgun blasts (the title character) is trying to kill her. In the DVD commentary they point out that he's doing exposition (which usually brings the pace of the movie to a screeching halt), however he does it while they're ''on the move'' which works in this case.
* Mr. Gibbs in the ''{{Pirates of the Caribbean}}'' trilogy seems to exist primarily to tell Will about Jack's backstory or Pirate lore.
** And he takes it very personally when ThoseTwoGuys, Pintel and Ragetti, try to do his job for him.
* JamesBond's "M".
** In ''Casino Royale'', Mathis plays the role during the poker scenes, explaining what is going on to Vesper. Later, Felix Leiter briefly plays the role [[spoiler:by offering to "stake" Bond and then promptly explaining what "stake" means when he looks confused.]]
* The [[TheVoice nameless voice]] (presumably the Secretary) who provided the tape-recorded briefings on ''MissionImpossible''.
* Ardeth Bey in ''The Mummy Returns'', which actually is quite at odds with his characterization in the first film. As Stephen Sommers says on the commentary track, "In the first film Ardeth Bey was this cool, mysterious character. Here he's just a chatterbox. Every chance he gets, it's just wave after wave of exposition."
** In fact, he refers to the character by name as Mr. Exposition.
* Grave-Robber from ''[[RepoTheGeneticOpera Repo! The Genetic Opera]]''. His song, "Zydrate Anatomy", introduces himself, Amber Sweet, Blind Mag, some {{AppliedPhlebotinum}} in the form of zydrate, the veritable epidemic of surgery addiction, and reveals the first of Rotti Largo's many, many plots.
** And before that, there's 'Genetic Repo Man' and '21st Century Cure,' both of which go over the basics of the world they live in, explaining the role of Repo Men and some facts about the circumstances that led to the Repo Men coming into existence.
* [[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CwyGnuLfxBo&feature=related The Princess Irulan]] manages to pull this off seriously in ''{{Dune}}''.
* Mr. Universe in ''{{Serenity}}'', to the point where JossWhedon refers to him as The King of Exposition in the DVD commentary.
* Lindsay Brigman in ''TheAbyss'' does a slightly {{Lampshaded}} version of this in the early descent scene, as she explains the (plot critical) perils of prolonged deep water diving to a SEAL team that is thoroughly familiar with them.
** They end up finishing most of her sentences for her.
* Margo Litzenberger, the reporter in ''{{Big Trouble in Little China}}'' temporarily embodies this trope at one point:
-->'''Margo:''' You mean the Lo Pan that's chairman of the National Orient Bank and owns the Wing Kong Trading Company, but who's so reclusive that no one has laid eyes on him in years?\\
'''Jack Burton:''' Who the hell are you, anyway?
* In ''Fatal Instinct'', secretary Laura Lincolnberry explains the situation in great detail to her boss Ned Ravine.
* In addition to providing keys when needed, the Keymaker in ''TheMatrix Reloaded'' provides a great deal of information to Our Heroes about the bomb-trapped office building with many doors (and how to break into it).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gamebooks]]
* The elderly wizard Gereth Yaztromo often fulfills this role in the ''Fighting Fantasy'' gamebooks, most particularly those by Ian Livingstone, explaining the latest evil threat before asking the reader to try and solve it. The reason he can't do it himself, of course, is because he's just too old.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In CJCherryh's ''Cyteen'' and ''Regenesis'', the first Ariane Emory acts as Ms. Exposition for the second, via pre-prepared programs on Base One left for her successor. In ''Regenesis'', the second Ariane Emory begins leaving records for ''her'' successor in a similar manner.
* In SusanCooper's ''TheDarkIsRising'' sequence, this role usually falls to Merriman Lyon: he explains their quests to the Drews in ''Over Sea, Under Stone'' and ''Greenwitch'', and acts as Will's [[{{Mentors}} Mentor]] in the titular book. (In ''The Grey King'', however, the job mostly falls to Will.)
* In Simon Hawke's ''TimeWars'' books, this role normally falls to Moses Forrester in his initial mission briefings to the [[TimePolice Time Commandos]].
* Subverted in the ''WheelOfTime'', Robert Jordan had stated that several times characters are guessing when giving exposition so you can never tell which Forsaken is the strongest (especially between men and women), or how the hell Mat's dagger actually works. The best example, is in ''Crown of Swords'', where the Aes Sedai accompaning Elayne, and Nyneave, tell her the Kin are a small group of women who help runaways, and the Aes Sedai use them to find the runaways. Later in the book [[spoiler:the leader of the Kin explain that the Kin number about 2,000, and are actually a well organized group who hide their numbers so that the Aes Sedai will not notice them.]]
* Mike Hanlon in StephenKing's ''IT''. Being the only member of the Lucky Seven who stayed in Derry, and therefore the only one who remembers anything at all about what happened when they were kids, Mike is something of an exposition god in the book. Not only does he provide exposition to his friends little by little, his journal entries provide exposition as to the history of It, and whenever another character gets to do some expositioning they generally turn to Mike and ask if whatever they just stated is correct. Interestingly enough, it works. Contageous amnesia can apparently be a wonderful exposition tool so long as someone is immune.
* In CSLewis' ''{{Narnia}}'' books:
** ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'': Mr. Tumnus, and later the Beavers, play this role for the Pevensies.
** ''The Magician's Nephew'': Uncle Andrew plays this role initially, until Jadis enters the story and assumes the role.
** ''Prince Caspian'': Cornelius, Caspian's tutor outlines how Narnia changed from the situation in the previous book to the current book, and the true nature of Caspian's uncle Miraz.
* In the ''HarryPotter'' books, Dumbledore fills this role quite a bit. [[spoiler:From ''beyond the grave'', at one point!]] Hermione also fills this role on occasion.
* Winter Celchu, Leia's aide in the ''StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse, tends to fulfill this when she has more than one line of dialogue at a time. Why? [[PhotographicMemory Holographic memory]].
* In JRRTolkien's ''{{The Lord of the Rings}}'', Gandalf takes on this role in ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', particularly in "Shadow of the Past" and "The Council of Elrond". (In the latter chapter, however, the role alternates between the various attendees.)
* ''Snow Crash'': The Librarian is an expensive computer program owned by the protagonist that is literally an anthropomorphization of all the world's collected information and knowledge, sort of like a talking 200x-size Wikipedia. Its sole purpose is basically to tell the protagonist the complicated plot. There are chapters nearly entirely filled with nothing but the Librarian expositioning.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* This troper posted this above everyone else, due to the fact that everyone else forgot about one of the original bad boys of exposition, TheVoice himself, Charlie, from CharliesAngels.
* CJ Cregg, the White House press secretary on ''TheWestWing''. She patiently reports every single piece of news, including those with not the slightest connection to the US Government.
* Giles from ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In the dream sequence episode "Restless" he even gets to deliver the exposition in the form of a song.
** Which is exactly what he's trained to do for many years. Watchers are supposed to tell the Slayer how to kill the evil monster.
*** Ex-watcher Wesley filled this role on ''{{Angel}}'', though the science stuff was shared with Fred.
** In later seasons, Willow, Tara, and Anya filled this role sometimes, especially if Giles wasn't around -- Willow and Tara would exposit about magic, Anya about demons she met in her [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld thousand-year lifespan]].
** Dawn was heading this way in Season Seven. She even referred to herself as "Junior Watcher" in the finale.
* At the beginning of every ''AlloAllo'' episode, Rene breaks the FourthWall to explain to the viewer what's been going on. In one subversion he starts off by discussing the doings of some of the townspeople, before saying "You have never met these people, nor are you ever likely to. I am simply giving you the local gossip because with my own affairs I don't know where to start."
* Samantha Carter from ''{{Stargate SG-1}}''.
** Exposition duties were usually tag-teamed by her and [[{{DeadpanSnarker}} Jack]] or Daniel and Jack. Sam (or Daniel) would give a {{technobabble}}-laden exposition of what's happening, then Jack would force them to repeat it ''in English''.
** In earlier seasons, Teal'c would provide exposition about things he encountered when serving as First Prime of Apophis.
* Dr. Reid does this often in {{Criminal Minds}}
* In ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Data was the main choice for any {{Technobabble}} plot exposition, although really nearly any character on the various ''Star Trek'' shows was at some time forced into that role. Once she had been introduced to ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Guinan became the mouth through which the writers often introduced backstory information, i.e. about the Q, the Borg, etc.
** Usually, Data and Geordi did technical exposition, Worf what another ship is about to do/is doing/did, and Troi the emotional state or motives of whatever grouchy alien they ran into that week. Of course, in RealLife, exposition to the CO is what each section [[{{JustifiedTrope}} is supposed to be doing]].
*** Subverted slightly in that for a long time, Data did not know when it was appropiate (or not) to do the infodumpage.
*** Avoided entirely with Troi because her empathic suggestions were universally uselessly vague. (e.g. "Troi, can you tell why they might be shooting laser death missiles at us?" "I sense... Pain. Pain... and anger.")
* In ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'', Spock the OmnidisciplinaryScientist usually filled this role -- including much knowledge about history. In the fourth movie ''The Voyage Home'', he's aware of the "colorful metaphors" used on 20th-century Earth.
** One exchange in the episode "I, Mudd":
--->'''Spock:''' Whatever method we use to stop them, we must make haste. They have only to install some cybernetic devices aboard the ''Enterprise'', and they'll be able to leave orbit.\\
'''[=McCoy=]:''' How do you know so much?\\
'''Spock:''' I asked them.\\
'''[=McCoy=]:''' ... Oh.
* Holly and Kryten in ''RedDwarf''. Note the redundancy; the producers did, and when they needed to get rid of a character for the sixth season, Holly was PutOnABus with the rationale that the exposition could be given to Kryten. The writers later found themselves in the same position again, when the newly-introduced Kochanski became Ms. Exposition, and Kryten was relegated to the servile mother-figure that he'd grown out of over the course of the series.
* Joel and the Robots of ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' humorously pointed this out while watching a movie, labeling two cop characters "Sergeant Exposition" and "Captain Backstory".
* The Doctor from ''DoctorWho'', to such a degree as this editor wonders if he has some kind of condition...
** The Doctor always has a traveling companion from modern Earth who would be in the dark if The Doctor didn't explain everything. That seems to be the main function of the cohort, a "Watson" to his "Sherlock".
*** (Though in some cases {{fanservice}} seems to take over as main function...)
**** And who claim that they can't be both?
* Alfred Gogh and Miles Millar cast Alison Mack as Chloe Sullivan on ''{{Smallville}}'' because of her "rare ability to deliver large chunks of expositionary dialogue conversationally."
* Col. Tigh in the reimagined ''BattlestarGalactica'' often performs the role of Mr. Exposition, although in one episode, President Roslin subverts this by annoyedly thanking him for his insight.
** Anders managed to be one of these for one episode, finally explaining what the deal with the Final Five was, as well as some background on the Cylons in general. This being BSG, everything was working against him, and only got about halfway through it. Cavil filled a somewhat similar role in the same episode, but he also didn't spill the beans completely.
* ''WhoseLineIsItAnyway'':
-->'''Colin Mochrie:''' Finally, I caught up with you! I'm a mob hitman... They call me Jimmy the Exposition.
* Captain Jim Brass, the Homicide detective from ''{{CSI}}'' has been affectionately nicknamed "Captain Exposition" by the fandom, even though all he does is deliver factual data on the victim du jour (such as name, occupation, family, circumstances of death...).
* All the ''{{Supernatural}}'' characters have been this at some point, although recently it's been mostly Bobby being the sensible one (most notably, ''Tall Tales'' and ''Dream A Little Dream Of Me'') and doing the explaining.
* The character of Sara on the Canadian comedy series ''TrailerParkBoys'' served this function in the early seasons, explaining many of the goings-on in the trailer park and putting things into context for the audience. Her doing this was [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the series being framed as a documentary filmed by a camera crew following the main characters around, so it only made sense that the documentary crew would try and find a way to explain things to the audience.
* Delenn on ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]''. Whenever she begins a speech with, [[AsYouKnow "As you know,"]] expect a recap of the whole season thus far.
* In the recent seasons of ''{{Lost}}'', Daniel Faraday fits the bill, though he doesn't quite know ''everything''. Nor does he tell all that he ''does'' know. Nor does he think everybody else would ''understand'' if he tried. After the episode "The Variable", [[spoiler: he becomes a ''posthumous'' Mr. Exposition once his journal outlives him]].
* Lois Habiba in ''[[{{Torchwood}} Torchwood: Children of Earth]]''. The series attracted many viewers who were unfamiliar with the previous two series, and Lois served to explain the origins of the Torchwood Institute to these new viewers.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* Parodied in ''The Real Inspector Hound'' by the play-within-a-play's Mrs. Drudge, who answers the phone, "Hello, the drawing-room of Lady Muldoon's countrry residence one morning in early spring?" and "I'm afraid there is no one of that name here, this all very mysterious and I'm sure it's leading up to something, I hope nothing is amiss for we, that is Lady Muldoon and her houseguests, are here cut off from the world, including Magnus, the wheel-chair-ridden half-brother of the ladyship's husband Lord Albert Muldoon who ten tears ago went for a walk on the cliff and was never seen again." And then there's the treacherous fog.
* The musical ''Urinetown'', which parodies almost anything that moves, has Officer Lockstock, the narrator, reference this trope on several occasions.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Since he's been in similar situations before, Leon S. Kennedy takes this role the Capcom's (mercifully Alice-free) CG film ''ResidentEvil: Degeneration''. That said, he still gets to kick more ass than every other character combined.
* Pretty much any supporting character in the ''MetalGearSolid'' series. Particularly Col. Campbell and Dr. Naomi in the first ''Metal Gear Solid'' (the latter whom goes into in-depth detail explaining the backstories of every boss in the game), Rosemary and Pliskin in ''Sons of Liberty'', and Drebin in ''Guns of the Patriots'' to name a few.
** The Colonel, Otacon, and Mei Ling all serve this role in Snake's codec conversations in ''SuperSmashBros. Brawl'', explaining information on Nintendo characters that Snake doesn't know about.
* This is the sole purpose for the existence of Travis in ''Killer7''. As you go through each mission, he informs you why you're there and what's happened thus far. Since the Killer7 are only called in once things have degraded to where someone has to die, this is essentially LateToTheParty embodied in a character. And you can never be sure if Travis (who openly despises you) is telling the ''truth'', either...
** Even better than that, while Travis does display open contempt for the Smiths at points, he shows it by being the most honest and trustworthy character in the game. When he says he'll talk "straight up," he's usually getting ready to tell you something you'd really rather not know.
** At least he's more trustworthy than [[NinjaButterfly Iwazaru]]. And less annoying than Kess, who tells you how to defeat the next boss.
* [[MaechenPeriod Maechen]] from ''FinalFantasyX''. The difference being the fact he doesn't explain the plot. Instead, he goes in long-winded description of the areas you visit for the first time. Nicknamed "Exposition Man" on [[http://www.videogamerecaps.com VG Recaps]].
** Auron and Lulu from the same game are guilty of this at certain points, but Auron's a {{Badass}} so of course you'll listen to whatever he says, right? Right?
*** Somewhat justified in both cases. Tidus is the game's [[TheWatson Watson]], and Lulu knows a lot about the world, [[spoiler: having gone on two (failed) pilgrimages before accompanying Yuna,]] and Auron is actually the only character (maybe, aside from Seymour) that actually has any clue what's ''really'' going on.
* Namine gets this role in ''KingdomHearts II'', explaining to Roxas (and the players who haven't played ''Chain of Memories'') just what the heck is going on in the Prologue.
** Once Roxas is out of the picture, Master Yen Sid from [[FanTasia Fantasia]] serves this role to Sora.
* In the final chapter of ''{{Mother 3}}'', it's revealed [[spoiler:this was the entire reason Leder did not have his old memories erased, in case anything corrupts their lives again. His monologue is so big, a stinkbug helpfully memorizes most of what he's revealed if you happen to forget.]]
* Morris O'Dell from SplinterCell gives exposition in cutscenes at the beginning of missions. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as he is a news anchor.
* Pick any character with a speaking role in MassEffect. ANY. CHARACTER.
* Professor Frankly is the MrExposition of ''[[PaperMario Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'', and Merlon fills this role in ''[[PaperMario Super Paper Mario]]''. The first game of the series, having a simpler plot, seemingly doesn't need one.
** In the field, Goombario and [[{{Expy}} Goombella]] have actual powers related to exposition, able to tell you about your surroundings, people and [[EnemyScan enemies]].
* Guy from ''{{Tales of the Abyss}}'' is often forced into this role by [[DeadpanSnarker Jade]]. So much that it was a [[RunningGag Running Gag]].
* The ''AceAttorney'' series has the various assistants that go around to assist or comment on the action, and to give general plot recaps at the beginning of each chapter. Most often, it has been Maya Fey.
* Upon joining the party, Naoto Shirogane in ''{{Persona 4}}'' serves this role primarily.
* ''{{Knights of the Old Republic}}'': Trask, Carth, Bastila, the Jedi, Atris, Atton, Kreia, HK-47, T3-M4, the player character, that guy you run into on Nar Shaddaa...
** Kreia gets points for being the main provider of exposition ''and'' a ConsummateLiar at its worst. The second game in general tended to give the role to people you should never, ever trust.
* Deckard Cain in the ''{{Diablo}}'' games, the only character besides Diablo himself who will appear in all three. His role is always the same: talk in a monotone voice about [[WasteOfTimeStory the backstory nobody's interested in]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* The bard Elan in the webcomic ''{{The Order of the Stick}}'' even has a spell called [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html "Summon Plot Exposition"]] which creates dramatic illusionary pictures that accompany Elan's voice-overs.
** He also [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0501.html cries]] when someone else pulls off a good plot recap.
** Redcloak often fills this role on the villain's side, with the help of a series of short-lived, lower-ranking hobgoblin clerics.
* Mr. Verres from ''ElGoonishShive'', who recently exclaimed "I am an endless barrel of exposition!"
** As the creator explains, Mr. Verres, Grace and Tedd are the main barrels, but since Tedd and Grace learned most of their information from Mr. Verres, he's directly responsible for most of the expositions in the strip. Also, there are ExpositionFairies, but not in the usual sense.
* Parodied with [[http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=050210 Dr. Viennason]] in ''SluggyFreelance''. His DVD series "A Visual Guide to Timeless Space" gives pretty much all the exposition during the "Oceans Unmoving" arc... and he does it ''so'' poorly most characters consider it a form of torture.
* Red Mage usually does this in ''[=~8-Bit Theater~=]'', although Thief took the role when the Light Warriors were in Elfland.
* Rainer from ''[[http://www.msfhigh.com MSFHigh]]'' is this, combined with being a Handsome Lech. He's getting more and more lampshade hanging.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Captain Exposition from ''Protectors of the Plot Continuum'' has been known to appear and deliver some information on an Agent's past when said Agent is in a HeroicBSOD because of the bad FanFic. The information pertains in some way to why the Agent is in a HeroicBSOD.
* ImproFanfiction's Do-Gooders's Sailor Exposition is a parody of this; she defeats monsters by talking to them.
* Any of the time travelers from ''[[http://www.tru-lifeadventures.com TRU-Life Adventures]]''.
* In the ''WhateleyUniverse'', a lot of the teams at [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]] seem to have them. Ferret of the Good Ol' Boyz, Stopwatch of the Masterminds, Foxfire of the Whitman Literary Girls (well, it's not really a ''superhero'' team).
* Agent Washington from ''[[RedVsBlue Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction]]'' dispenses all sorts of information about Project Freelancer and the [=AIs=] it uses. According to the DVD commentary, Church served in this role for plot recaps in the original series.
* Gubaru from the web fiction serial ''DimensionHeroes'', while serving a purpose as mentor and part-protector of the multiverse, serves the majority of the series as an exposition machine.
* In ''{{KateModern}}'', Sophie's main purpose is to compile recap episodes and [[BreakingTheFourthWall discuss plot events with the viewers]].
* ''BrokenSaints'' has Raimi Matthews, who also functions as NonActionGuy, DeadpanSnarker, SadClown, and TheSmartGuy. A man of many hats indeed.
* Played with in [[GaiaOnline zOMG!]]; the expositional character who mysteriously disappears at the beginning is actually [[spoiler:one of the BigBad's evil henchpeople...and reappears near the end of the game to provide ''more'' exposition.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Dr. Drakken in ''KimPossible''.
-->'''[[HarmlessVillain Drakken]]:''' Shego, at last! Pure nanotronium is mine! The smallest, most powerful energy source known to m--\\
'''[[TheDragon Shego]]:''' Are you for real? ''I was with you''. I know what it is, Dr. Exposition.
* Mocked in the {{Simpsons}} episode "Itchy and Scratchy Land":
-->'''Lisa:''' The flash must have scrambled their circuits!\\
'''Homer:''' Who are you, the narrator?
** And again in "Treehouse of Horror IX":
--->'''Lisa:''' Of course -- the transplant! Somehow Snake's hair must be controlling--\\
'''Marge:''' Oh please, Lisa, everyone's already figured that out.
* In both his appearances, [[AncientKeeper Frostbite]] of ''DannyPhantom'' ends up explaining the current item/dilemma in order to advance the plot. He doesn't do much outside of expositions after, despite his combat-savvy skills.
** At times, Sam Manson often covers this ground, too.
* Jérémie Belpois of ''CodeLyoko'' often ends up in this role, with generous heaping of AsYouKnow and {{Technobabble}}. The two-part prequel, "XANA Awakens", even starts with him registering a video diary of how he discovered the Supercomputer.
* Summer Gleeson in ''{{Batman the Animated Series}}''. Not terribly obtrusive as she's usually shown on a TV screen addressing the FourthWall.
* Dib on ''InvaderZim''. [[LampshadeHanging "Wow, I'm boring! Do I always explain everything like that?"]]
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