'''Basic Trope''': A character is a bodyguard to someone much more powerful than them.
* '''Straight''': Bob bodyguards Alice, even though she's a superhuman and he's just a random police officer assigned to protect her while she gives evidence.
* '''Exaggerated''':
** Alice is TheChosenOne; not only is she much more capable of dealing with threats than Bob, but she's actually the only one capable of doing so at all.
** Alice is an NighInvulnerable PhysicalGod, her bodyguard is a BadassNormal.
* '''Downplayed''':
** Bob is a well-trained, experienced officer... but so is Alice.
** Alice is stronger than Bob, but not by a very wide margin. In a fight that Alice can not win on her own, Bob is very useful.
* '''Justified''':
** Bob's bosses don't quite trust Alice. He's there to keep an eye on her as much as he is to watch her back.
** Alice is an important person who knows that protecting herself will distract from her main business whether or not she is capable of it.
** Bob's bosses accept that Alice is a badass. However they know she has a dangerous job and think even she is not enough of a badass.
** While Alice's abilities are [[StoryBreakerPower incredibly versatile and powerful]], they also are [[TooAwesomeToUse limited to a certain number of uses]], and once spent there's no way to replenish them. So, she must rely on bodyguards to deal with the "lesser" emergencies while she handles the greater crises.
** Bob has other skills Alice finds useful, and having him as a bodyguard ensures that he's always nearby when Alice needs or wants him to use them.
** Alice does not believe in the InverseNinjaLaw, and thus reasons it's better to have backup as skilled as she is.
** Even a Badass needs to sleep sometimes...
** Alice is a GlassCannon and needs someone who can prevent her from getting hit herself.
** Bob is specifically trained to ''spot'' assassins and threats before they can get off an AlphaStrike.
** Alice may be UnskilledButStrong - a lot of raw power or talent, but not enough training for it to be reliable. Bob has less raw power, but a lot more skill and experience, and is there to train her as well as guard her.
** And reduce the risk of [[CrimeOfSelfDefense violating the legal limits on self-defense]] in the meanwhile.
** Alice is wealthy/famous/both and is socially expected to have bodyguards because of that, even if she can protect herself just fine.
** Sergeant Major Alice is participating in a (perhaps self set up) [[EscortMission civilian escort]] [[TutorialLevel training exercise]] as one of the 'civilians'.
** [[PersonOfMassDestruction Alice]] is prone to inflicting DisproportionateRetribution on her attackers when [[HairTriggerTemper she loses her temper.]] Bob has the unenviable but highly appreciated task of preventing her fights from escalating to that point by subduing her aggressors before she uses them to [[LudicrousGibs paint the town red.]]
** Alice [[BodyguardCrush likes having Bob around]] and/or wants to spend more time with him as a companion rather than a bodyguard.
* '''Inverted''':
** Bob has an EscortMission on his hands.
** WeakBossStrongUnderlings
* '''Subverted''': Alice isn't invulnerable, eventually she needs Bob's help to get her out of a sticky situation.
* '''Double Subverted''': ...that is, she needs someone to hold her coat so it doesn't get dirty, and [[YouGetMeCoffee she could do with a coffee after kicking this guy's ass]].
* '''Parodied''': OnceAnEpisode Bob tries to pull a "You'll have to go through me!" on the MonsterOfTheWeek, only to be tossed aside.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Bob suffers from a severe case of StrongAsTheyNeedToBe.
* '''Averted''': Alice is assigned a bodyguard who's strong enough to be useful to her.
* '''Enforced''': Bob is added to serve as a character the audience can identify with.
* '''Lampshaded''': "You're giving me a bodyguard? You did see me one-shot that monster with my bare hands, right?"
* '''Invoked''': Bodyguarding [[PhysicalGod Alice]] is a mission given to guards who need to be eased back into the workforce after an injury, as well as training rookies in a low-risk situation.
* '''Exploited''': Alice gets herself a bodyguard so she can use him as a servant.
* '''Defied''': Alice refuses to co-operate if they try to force a bodyguard on her.
* '''Discussed''': "Why do you keep following me around? You're only getting in the way!" "It's my job."
* '''Conversed''': "I wonder why they bothered giving Alice a police bodyguard. What's he going to do? Threaten to arrest the MonsterOfTheWeek for a breach of the peace?"
* '''Implied''': InverseNinjaLaw does not apply in this universe, and while Alice is shown as perfectly capable of going toe to toe with the BigBad, there's still TheDragon and an army of {{Mooks}}, meaning Alice is not going to be able to solo the mission, no matter how badass she is.
* '''Deconstructed''':
** Alice frequently ditches Bob to keep him out of the way.
** Alternately, Bob may begin feeling doubtful about his own skills and role, which will affect his work and life.
** Bob loses his job after it comes to light how redundant he is.
* '''Reconstructed''':
** Bob is still competent in his own right and occasionally manages to catch up to save the day.
** Alice ends up getting hurt and Bob ends up functioning as effective backup.
* '''Played for Laughs''': Bob insists on following and guarding Alice even though he's almost useless.
* '''Played for Drama''': Bob's in way over his head and his dedication to his job could get him killed.
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???