History Main / RescueArc

* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': On Day 75, Acho and Apo launch a search party for Marnie, the Nightingale faction leader who went missing during a quest days earlier, and recruit Scott and Shelby to join. When the latter two get captured by the Hooded Figures while Acho and Apo's backs are turned, the two Nightingales give chase and eventually return to the Faction Isles on Day 76 to gather reinforcements and launch a ''second'' rescue mission for all the ''other'' pirates who had been kidnapped by the Hooded Figures so far. [[spoiler:They manage to save everyone except [[MentorOccupationalHazard Marnie]], who was TakenForGranite off-screen by the Hooded Figures.]]

* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': On Day 75, Acho and Apo launch a search party for Marnie, the Nightingale faction leader who went missing during a quest days earlier, and recruit Scott and Shelby to join. When the latter two also get captured by the Hooded Figures while Acho and Apo's backs are turned, the two Nightingales give chase and eventually return to the Faction Isles on Day 76 to gather reinforcements and launch a ''second'' rescue mission for all the ''other'' pirates who had been kidnapped by the Hooded Figures so far. [[spoiler:They manage to save everyone except [[MentorOccupationalHazard Marnie]], who was TakenForGranite off-screen.]]

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' is a borderline example where the ending of ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and the beginning of ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' formed the Rescue Arc.
** The first half of ''Film/ANewHope'' focused on saving Princess Leia from the Empire, the second half involving the heroes escaping from the Death Star with Leia's help and then mobilizing to destroy it.

* ''Manga/OnePunchMan'' has Monster Association Arc, where the son of important Hero Association executive, Waganma, is kidnapped by monsters as occupation, sending most of S-Class and a few other heroes on operation. What was supposed to be a quick mission to save one child, devolves into an all-out battle between two factions and [[BloodKnight the]] [[HeroKiller Hero Hunter]] [[JapaneseDeliquents Garou]], with potential world ending scenerio thanks to a few monsters appearing with an Above Dragon Level Threat, combining the trope with WarArc. [[spoiler:At the end, despite some losses and majority of Z-City destroyed because of it's placement near Monster Association, Waganma and a few other hostages are saved, majority of monsters ending up being killed, making the operation successful.]] It's important to note that Waganma is a [[CanonForeigner manga-only character]], making the arc closer to WarArc in webcomic.

* Once it's revealed that Asuna's trapped in an MMORPG instead of being in a coma, the Fairy Dance Arc of ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' becomes this.

* ''Manga/GetBackers''' [[OvertookTheManga anime-only]] final arc was about rescuing Makubex, who was kidnapped by [[TheMole Masaki]] and Brain Trust for knowing too much about the various secrets of the series. Ginji [[spoiler:barely stopped him from making a HeroicSacrifice.]] The ''manga'' has two arcs like this: the goal of the Eternal Bond arc was to rescue [[DistressedDamsel Madoka]] and goals of the final Lost Time arc included rescuing Himiko, Juubei, Toshiki and Sakura.

** Before that, Team MAR had to save [[TheChick Snow]] twice. The first time was a minor plot at the beginning of the series and the second time at the end where she gets captured during the semi-finals because of letting her guard down against her opponent.

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[[folder:Web Original]]
* [[spoiler:Episode 542, ''Hero Helpers'']] of the Minecraft LetsPlay series ''[[WebVideo/StampysLovelyWorld Stampy's Lovely World]]'' is this, [[spoiler:[[MultiPartEpisode continuing]] from where they [[{{Cliffhanger}} left off]] in the previous episode, ''[[UnexpectedlyDarkEpisode I Lost]]'']].
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* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' has the Moka rescue arc in which they must break her out of Fairy Tale's flying fortress.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

* The Zoldyck family arc in ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' is about Gon trying to rescue Killua from his family. However, unlike most Rescue Arcs, the problem is resolved without much violence.

** ''VideoGame/TalesOfArise'' also features a Rescue Arc towards the end of Act 1, where Shionne was kidnapped by [[spoiler:[[DiscOneFinalBoss apparent]]]] BigBad Vholran after the heroes's battle against Almeidrea. The remaining members of the group conveniently end up shipwrecked in Ganath Haros, Vholran's domain, and have to set off to find Shionne. In a case of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, Alphen is depowered during this arc and cannot use any of his Blazing Sword artes due to the absence of Shionne in the party.

* ''Manga/MobPsycho100'' has the 7th Division Arc, which deals with Mob, Teru and Dimple raiding one of [[NebulousEvilOrganization Claw]]'s facilities with the sole intent of rescuing Mob's little brother from the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Scars]].

* Done by ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' during the "Dangerous Days," "Vampires," and "A Time for Hair-Raising" storylines.

* Subverted in [[https://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/329 this]] ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' strip.
* The rescuing of Fumbles in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}''.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' did this in its Painted Black arc.
* Faen's rescue in ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}''.

* ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'''s first arc, before its shift to a GottaCatchThemAll plot, involved Vyse and Aika sneaking into Valua to save Vyse's father and [[MysteriousWaif Fina]].
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' had several arcs where Colette had to be rescued, and one early one where Lloyd himself had to be (although it was still played from his perspective). Towards the end, whichever party member is [[RelationshipValues Lloyd's closest friend]] is possessed by the BigBad and has to be saved before the move to the endgame.
* ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'': The first game revolves around main character Dave and his friends breaking into local MadScientist Doctor Fred's house to rescue Dave's girlfriend Sandy, who's been captured as a test subject for an experiment.
* ''VideoGame/Halo3'': The level "Cortana" is a rescue mission to save the eponymous character.
* The first three games in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series. A lot of people forget that all the [[SaveTheWorld world saving]], [[SideQuest side questing]], and [[ContemplateOurNavels philosophizing]] are just byproducts of Sora trying to rescue his friends.
* The ''VideoGame/MegamanBattleNetwork'' series loves this trope. There's at least one or two of these arcs in each game. The last game is especially notable in having ''three'' rescue arcs that involve rescuing player character [[CutsceneIncompetence Megaman]]!
** First arc occurs when Megaman is forced to seal either [[SealedEvilInACan Gregar or Falzar]] (which one [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo depends on the version]]) within his own body. Cue having to control a friend to find something that helps him fight off the sealed beast and retain control of his body.
** Second arc occurs when some worshippers of Falzar and Gregar capture Megaman. Cue having to control a friend to storm their shrine and rescue him.
** Third arc occurs when the OddlySmallOrganization sets a trap for Megaman and captures him (again). Cue Megaman losing control to the sealed beast and escaping, with you having to control yet another friend to chase him down and hopefully BrightSlap him back into control before they find him again.
* Rescuing the princess in ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' is one of the two main jobs you do in the game, but it's subverted that you can totally ignore her. Oops...
** A part of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' is about your wife being kidnapped by bad guys.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'': midway through the game, the Emperor kidnaps Princess Hilda and holds her as a prize for a tournament in Palamecia. After said tournament, [[spoiler:the Emperor reveals it's actually a trap and then throws ''you'' into the dungeon and then Paul comes over to break you out.]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': an early part of the game involves rescuing Rosa from Golbez as he takes her hostage in exchange for the earth crystal. Once you do come to save her though, [[KilledOffForReal you lose Tellah permanently.]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': Two examples, and both victims happen to be [[WhiteMage the party healers]]!
** First, Dagger during Disc 2. After returning to Alexandria willingly to settle matters [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen with her mother]], she is promptly captured and [[spoiler:has her Eidolons ripped out]] by Kuja, Zorn and Thorn. After the destruction of Cleyra, Zidane and co. overhear Brahne's decision to execute Dagger when she returns to Alexandria, and the [[TimedMission next 30 minutes turn into a castle siege to find her before it's too late]].
** Secondly, after the [[ThatOneLevel exhausting Oeilvert/Desert Palace Scenario]], Eiko is kidnapped by Kuja, who wants her for the same reasons as Dagger above. A race to another continent, through a DungeonTown, a trip into a volcano and a ClimaxBoss later, she turns out to be just fine.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': The first fight with Seymour, and the party's subsequent labeling as traitors begins one for Yuna. Your party is scattered all over a desert, sees the destruction of [[spoiler:the Al Bhed's Home by the Guado]], learn Yuna has been kidnapped by them, then you have to pilot the airship (infested with fiends, to boot) to Bevelle and rescue her. [[CantCatchUp It leaves her relatively behind the rest of the group.]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': Chapter 9, which is dedicated to rescuing Sazh and Vanille from the Sanctum. In a subversion, they decide to stop being TheLoad, and manage to rescue ''themselves'' halfway through, and meet the party in the middle.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': Chapter 13 is centered mostly on rescuing [[spoiler:Prompto, who has been kidnapped by Ardyn, after Noctis accidentally throws him off of a train in chapter 11.]] The chapter however is often regarded as ThatOneLevel due to being really long and Noctis temporarily losing his companions and access to weapons.
* The rest of ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil'' turns into a Rescue Arc (at least for Jade) after [[spoiler:Pey'j is captured by the Alpha Sections]] at the Nutripils Factory, and even more so when [[spoiler:they come for the children at the orphanage.]]
* The heroic motivation for the first ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' game is as much rescuing the hero's friend Jenna (who's been kidnapped by a group of WellIntentionedExtremists including her brother, thought dead) as it is about preventing the elemental lighthouses from being lit up. [[spoiler:She won't be doing anything until the second game, when she's a party member.]]
* Nearly the entirety of chapter 3 of ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault'', combined with WarArc; the party is out to save a POW captured by the rebelling Swordbearers while turning the tide on the rebellion.

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' Good grief, one game can't go five minutes without this happening.
** ''Asylum'': Commissioner Gordon is taken prisoner fairly early by Harley Quinn. Then Warden Sharp later on and Gordon ''again'' by Joker near the end of the game as well as various officers and staff of the building.
** ''City'': Catwoman gets kidnapped by Two-Face at the start of the game and needs to be bailed out. You gotta rescue Mr. Freeze from the Penguin to progress the game. Then Vicki Vale after her helicopter is shot down from snipers. ''Batman himself'' needs to be rescued by Catwoman after being buried under rubble and finally Talia Al Ghul by the Joker at the end of the game [[spoiler: though this one he fails to save due to a double switch by Joker catching him off guard]]. Not to mention various political prisoners and Riddler hostages as well. ''Harley Quinn's Revenge'' DLC focuses on Robin having to rescue Batman for half of it.
** ''Origins'': Surprisingly not that much, you rescue a woman dressed up as Alice from Mad Hatter and Gordon and the warden of Blackgate at the end of the game plus a few hostages during the hotel segment and Deadshot boss fight.
** ''Knight'': Hoo boy this one goes the mile. Everyone gets a turn: Oracle, Poison Ivy, Robin, Knightwing, Gordon, Jack Ryder and Catwoman as well as various law enforcement officers and hostages that got captured before Scarecrow's threat.
* ''VideoGame/CriminalCase''
** The East Asia arc in ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseWorldEdition'' focuses on the Bureau trying to rescue orphans that have been kidnapped all over the region by [[NebulousEvilOrganization SOMBRA]] with the intent of making them participate in a [[DeadlyGame Battle Royale-esque murder game.]]
** ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseSupernaturalInvestigations'' has the Midwest arc, where the Supernatural Hunters traverse the titular region looking for children that have been kidnapped by [[WickedWitch witches.]]
* Act I and the Fragments chapter of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel IV'' make up one of these. During these early chapters, [[spoiler:Juna rallies the other surviving members of Class VII into searching for [[HeroOnHiatus Rean]], who has been captured by the Black Workshop after the TraumaCongaLine he suffered at the end of ''Cold Steel III'' caused him to [[UnstoppableRage go berserk]] and trapped him in his SuperMode]].