History Main / AndroclesLion

* ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'': Superman keeps a baby [[PlanetEater sun-eater]] as a pet. After he releases it, it comes back to save him when he is battling [[PlotTailoredToTheParty Solaris, the Tyrant Sun]].

* ''Comicbook/ThePunisherMAX'': Played darkly in the "Valley Forge, Valley Forge" arc. A group of soldiers have been tasked by to bring down Frank Castle, knowing [[WouldNotShootAGoodGuy he won't use deadly force against them]], by a cabal of corrupt U.S. generals. In the end, it turns out that [[spoiler: the Colonel tasked with leading the soldiers was once a soldier in Vietnam who had been rescued by Frank's Marine Recon squad]]. When the generals come around to view their "''prize''", they find [[spoiler: an untied Frank with a fully loaded 1911. You can guess what happens next.]] Mildly subverted in that [[spoiler:the Colonel covered up the corrupt generals' crimes in the process]][[note]]he outright declares that he won't have the armed forces' reputation sullied publicly, and explicitly refuses to use the evidence to publicly expose them[[/note]], and that [[spoiler:Frank Castle wanted them dead more than he wanted their crimes exposed.]] It turns out that [[spoiler:the Colonel wanted the Punisher ''stopped'', but the generals wanted the Punisher ''dead'' -- so the Colonel actually volunteered for the task to ensure the former]].

* In ''Fanfic/DragonsOfIceAndFire'', when Jon tries to take control of the dragon Sonagon, he learns that dragons are natural wargs, and mentally dominating Sonagon isn't an option. So instead Jon saves it from the Others, helps it find food in an unfamiliar environment, treats its injuries, and guides it away from the wights trying to kill it. Eventually Sonagon becomes very protective over him, and feels comfortable enough with him to ''let him'' warg with it.

[[JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs For your safety]], however, please note that this is ''not'' TruthInTelevision. The vast majority of animals are simply not intelligent enough to grasp the ethical concepts involved in this sort of thing. In fact, most won't even be able to realize that you're trying to help them, and will instead associate you with whatever situation they're in, and lash out at you. And even if you're dealing with one of the rare handful of animals that ''are'' intelligent enough to both understand that you helped them and be thankful for it, those animals are by that very fact also intelligent enough for different individuals to have different personalities, so even then there's a chance that the particular individual you saved happens to be too much of a {{Jerkass}} to ''care.'' [[DoNotTryThisAtHome Unless you are a trained professional]], [[Punctuated!For!Emphasis! DO. NOT. APPROACH. WILD. ANIMALS. THAT. ARE. IN. DISTRESS.]] Instead, contact a wildlife rescue immediately.

[[JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs For your safety]], however, please note that this is ''not'' TruthInTelevision. The vast majority of animals are simply not intelligent enough to grasp the ethical concepts involved in this sort of thing. In fact, most won't even be able to realize that you're trying to help them, and will instead associate you with whatever situation they're in, and lash out at you. And even if you're dealing with one of the rare handful of animals that ''are'' intelligent enough to both understand that you helped them and be thankful for it, those animals are by that very fact also intelligent enough for different individuals to have different personalities, so even then there's a chance that the particular individual you saved happens to be too much of a {{Jerkass}} to ''care.''

HitchhikerHeroes often acquire animals like this; they are often {{Talking Animal}}s, perhaps even humans [[ShapeshifterModeLock trapped]] in an [[{{Animorphism}} animal's]] [[BalefulPolymorph body]].

* In a ''[[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Dresden Files]]'' [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9216763/1/Pet-Me-Damnit fic]], Marcone adopts an injured stray dog and gets it veterinary treatment. The dog turns out to be a [[BalefulPolymorph shapeshifted]] wizard, whose magical powers save his life years later.

* ''Film/Godzilla2014'', Ford Brody has a downplayed example with Godzilla. After saving the saurian kaiju from getting double teamed by the [=MUTO=] couple to get him a breather, Godzilla saves Ford from the female [=MUTO=] trying to kill him twice. While Godzilla might have done one or both saves indicentally, his sapience and locking eyes with Ford between the events implies some of it was intentional.

* In ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'', Superman keeps a baby [[PlanetEater sun-eater]] as a pet. After he releases it, it comes back to save him when he is battling [[GeniusLoci Solaris,]] [[PlotTailoredToTheParty The Tyrant Sun]].
* Shows up in ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'', where the heroes befriend a baby rat creature whom Smiley Bone names "Bartleby". In part because it's dangerous for a rat creature to be near humans, in part because they figure he belongs with his own kind (never understood that reasoning when "his own kind" is AlwaysChaoticEvil), they manage to get him back in the company of rat creatures. [[spoiler:Of course, later on, when they need the help, one of the rat creatures turns out to be Bartleby, and by the end he's their travel companion for keeps.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' comic, WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, in ancient Rome, is about to be thrown into the coliseum. He sees the lion he will have to fight has thorns from his other opponent, an enormous Venus Flytrap, stuck in his paw. Bugs pulls the thorns free and explains how this trope works to the reader. When the battle starts, however, the lion refuses to back down. ("Sorry, I'm a professional", he explains.) Fortunately, the monster plant is grateful for having the lion's paw removed from his thorns, and comes to Bugs' rescue.
* Played darkly in the "Valley Forge, Valley Forge" arc of ''Comicbook/ThePunisherMAX''. A group of soldiers have been tasked by to bring down Frank Castle, knowing [[WouldNotShootAGoodGuy he won't use deadly force against them]], by a cabal of corrupt U.S. generals. In the end, it turns out that [[spoiler: the Colonel tasked with leading the soldiers was once a soldier in Vietnam who had been rescued by Frank's Marine Recon squad]]. When the generals come around to view their "''prize''", they find [[spoiler: an untied Frank with a fully loaded 1911. You can guess what happens next.]] Mildly subverted in that [[spoiler:the Colonel covered up the corrupt generals' crimes in the process]][[note]]he outright declares that he won't have the armed forces' reputation sullied publicly, and explicitly refuses to use the evidence to publicly expose them[[/note]], and that [[spoiler:Frank Castle wanted them dead more than he wanted their crimes exposed.]]
** It turns out that [[spoiler:the Colonel wanted the Punisher ''stopped'', but the generals wanted the Punisher ''dead'' -- so the Colonel actually volunteered for the task to ensure the former]].
* In ''ComicBook/RedSonja: Berserker'', Sonja rescues a polar bear cub from a pair of sadistic hunters who were tormenting it. The bear stays with her through winter. Years later, Sonja has been sentenced to [[GladiatorGames die in the arena]] and a bear is unleashed against her. It turns out to be the same bear and refuses to attack her. The two team up and escape the arena.
* In the miniseries ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}: Monster Society of Evil'' (written by the author of ''Bone,'' above) [[KidHero Billy]] always shoos away the cockroaches that infest his abandoned building but is never seen killing them. When all the insects of the city come under the control of [[PsychicPowers Mister Mind]], this turns out to be very helpful.
* In ''[[ComicBook/{{Swordquest}} Swordquest: Fireworld]],'' the fire-goblins spared by Torr later return the favor by summoning Tarra to rescue him when he's attacked by an undersea monster.
* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', [[HeroicComedicSociopath Whirl]] (of all bots) nearly sacrifices his life for a DoorstopBaby that turns out to actually be [[TheWormThatWalks a vicious swarm]] of scraplets (think piranhas, but microscopic). It subsequently takes over the rest of the ship's scraplets, and when they're turned loose on Team Rodimus by Getaway, the swarm turns into a giant hand, gently caresses Whirl, and sides with Team Rodimus, [[spoiler:and is eventually the one to kill Getaway for his many and varied crimes]].
* Ezekiel, the leader of the Kingdom in ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead'' has a pet tiger named Shiva, from the zoo he used to work at. He explains to Michonne that she was badly injured falling into a pit in her exhibit and would have died if Ezekiel hadn't helped her, getting slashed across the stomach in the process. Shiva never lashed out at Ezekiel again and is loyal to the point that [[spoiler: she sacrifices herself to save him from walkers]].

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* The ''WebAnimation/StarWarsGalaxyOfCreatures'' episode "Nexu" has Aree saving a Nexu from poachers, which means the Nexu quickly returns the favor and saves Aree from the poachers.
[[/folder]]

* In the 5e {{Tabletop/DungeonsAndDragons}} stream {{WebVideo/TheUnexpectables}}, the party encounters a crab holding a knife. While the DM, Monty, was certain that the crab would meet his demise, the party instead befriended him and was able to retrieve the knife for some Northlanders nearby. A few sessions later, the crab returns, named Crabbius the Mighty, and vouches for the party when confronted by a storm giant. Crabbius returns once more in episode 68 to save the party after they had been tossed in a channel by the hyper-religous United Clergy of Orun.

* In the final episode of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Jumanji}}'' cartoon series, the kids figure out that Alan has to pull out a thorn from a lion's paw to escape from Jumanji once and for all.

* In the SEGA ''VideoGame/((Shadowrun}}'' game, Joshua saves Licourtrix, a dragon, from a squad of hunters sent by [[MegaCorp Renraku]]. In thanks Licourtrix allows Joshua to take a scale from his body, which can be used as a spell component by a shaman during a ritual. [[spoiler:He also pulls a BigDamnHeroes moment during the final battle, binding [[BigBad Thon]] with his magic and offering Joshua a strategy to destroy him.]]

* In the SEGA ''VideogameGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' game, Joshua saves Licourtrix, a dragon, from a squad of hunters sent by [[MegaCorp Renraku]]. In thanks Licourtrix allows Joshua to take a scale from his body, which can be used as a spell component by a shaman during a ritual. [[spoiler:He also pulls a BigDamnHeroes moment during the final battle, binding [[BigBad Thon]] with his magic and offering Joshua a strategy to destroy him.]]

* In the SEGA ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' game, Joshua saves Licourtrix, a dragon, from a squad of hunters sent by [[MegaCorp Renraku]]. In thanks Licourtrix allows Joshua to take a scale from his body, which can be used as a spell component by a shaman during a ritual. [[spoiler:He also pulls a BigDamnHeroes moment during the final battle, binding [[BigBad Thon]] with his magic and offering Joshua a strategy to destroy him.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "All Creatures Great And Smurf" has the adult Nat Smurf mistake a TheFarmerAndTheViper situation for this when he nurses a wounded Azrael back to health when he had his paw stuck in an iron trap, with Azrael being grateful at first, but upon hearing his master Gargamel's voice reverts back to his old nature. What kept Azrael from tearing Nat to shreds wasn't Nat's talking or any kindness on Azrael's part, but [[AlwaysABiggerFish the sound of a fiercer creature coming straight for him]] and chasing him off into the forest.

** Speaking of Samus, [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Pikachu]] plays this role with her in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl''. In the story mode ''Subspace Emissary''. After she rescues him from a generator, he accompanies her through the enemy base, helping her get her suit back, and eventually saving her ass when Ridley tries to smear her across the wall.

* Kit removes a bit of wreckage from around the axle of a sentient Lotus in the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' novel ''So You Want to Be a Wizard'', and the Lotus ends up becoming a friend and helper to them. [[spoiler:It pulls a SenselessSacrifice against the [[BigBad Lone Power]], trying to buy them some time to run. It later shows up in Timeheart.]]

* In ''Fanfic/PrehistoricParkReimagined'', Diego the smilodon fatalis is narrowly saved from getting killed by Smokey the arctodus via a timely intervention from the rescue team's [[TheSmartGuy resident animal expert]] Leon. Much later, Diego engages in a rematch against Smokey just in time to incidentally save Leon's life right as the bear has both started charging towards Leon with the intent to attack as well as unwittingly gotten worrisomely close to where Diego's mate Shira and their three fairly recently born cubs are lying asleep.

* ''Series/{{House}}'': In one episode, House heals his crazy cellmate's pet cricket that got sick from a pesticide. Towards the end of the episode, when another inmate is about to [[KnifeNut stab House with a knife]], House's cellmate bashes the other guy in the head with a chair.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Vivo}}'', because the titular character helped Dancarino the Roseate spoonbill talk to his crush Valentina, Dan comes to save him from the [[SnakesAreSinister giant python]] in the Everglades. He later assists in helping Vivo rescue Gabi.

** In ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', the Etecoons and Dachoras were friendly creatures who helped Samus by teaching her techniques like the Wall Jump and the Shinespark. At the end of the game when Samus is trying to escape the [[EarthShatteringKaboom Zebes-Shattering Kaboom]], taking a slight detour shows them trapped in a room. If they're saved, a tiny dot will be seen escaping the explosion in the ending sequence. By ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', the same Etecoons and Dachoras are seen in a containment hold in the BSL labs partway through the game, and Samus sets them loose. At the end of the game, they return her both favors by piloting her ship into the docking bay (with the help of her computerised CO, Adam), allowing her to escape the station just before crash landing.

* In ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/pussboots/stories/donpear.html Don Joseph Pear]]'', the hero spares the fox's life when he catches it stealing, and it plays a ChessmasterSidekick role for him.

* In ''[[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/392.htm The Golden Mermaid]]'', the prince actively offers his horse to the starving wolf and gets its aid.