History Main / DesignatedVictim

* As the page image tells you, the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series has Princess Peach. When not being kidnapped by Bowser, she's near-always connected (whether by fate or magic) to the plot at large regardless and thus in need of protection from some ''other'' party. Sometimes she's playable instead, but even ''that'' doesn't save her most of the time. The series itself has regularly {{lampshaded}} this since the ''early 1990s'', from comic adaptations, to the various RPG spin-offs, to even the mainline platformers themselves.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':

** Generally, when the action get heated, and Ash isn't bound for TheWorfEffect, the female companions will usually be the first to fall under distress. May of the ''Advanced Generation'' series arguably suffered this most commonly, falling into danger or getting kidnapped or tied up by the bad guys routinely, though Lillie gets notice for needing rescuing in nearly all her limelight episodes in the relatively laid back ''Sun and Moon'' series.

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''. Bella frigging Swan. Every single plot in the books centers around a crazed vampire trying to kill her.

* As the page image tells you, The ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series has Princess Peach whom, when not being kidnapped by Bowser, is nearly-always connected, whether by fate or magic, to the plot at large and thus in need of protection from some ''other'' party. Sometimes she's playable instead, but even ''that'' doesn't save her most of the time. Over time, Nintendo has become increasingly self-aware regarding Peach's status; the page quote is just ''one'' example of LampshadeHanging.

** And then there's Kairi, who ends up being hostage bait in almost every game she appears in [[EveryoneCanSeeIt because of her connection to Sora]]. It reaches its peak in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII''[[spoiler:, where she is flat-out killed off by Xehanort in order to [[TargetedtoHurtTheHero make Sora suffer]], since he "required motivation" to clash wth Xehanort and creating the final key to reforge the χ-blade. Sora bitterly lampshades it at the ending of the game]].

* Downplayed in ''Series/MADtv'''s Spy vs Spy Animated Segments during the Rough Draft Studios' run with Black Spy tormented White Spy in a creative bondage solution or getting him under trap without any expectations.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', despite being a superpowerful alien being, Starfire was such a Designated Victim that she had to constantly and visibly be ironically babysat during the fast-paced fight scenes by [[BadassNormal superpowerless]] Robin.

Often times the victim is female. Usually within the realms of TheHeart, FauxActionGirl, a girl who has gone through Chickification, an adaptation of a girl who has an intense GirlinessUpgrade, and sometimes even a true ActionGirl when the writer just has no one else he thinks would be an appropriate victim. Male examples do exist and they are either younger siblings (usually the youngest of the litter) or even true males who are usually TheHero and are exceedingly capable can fall victim for a specific reason. In this case it is usually for someone who is usually the victim such as a younger sibling or a female to save them in their own ADayInTheLimelight game or episode. If this trope is abused to the point of annoyance, however, expect the victim to become a DamselScrappy.

Sure, the protagonists of any show where out of the ordinary stuff happens are going to be {{Weirdness Magnet}}s, but there is something about the number of times this one character is targeted specifically that stands out. Danger seeks them out like a bloodhound. While the other heroes are off foiling the EvilPlan, she ([[WomenAreDelicate and 90% of the time]], it will be a [[AlwaysFemale "she"]]) is busy trying to survive. The Designated Victim isn't incompetent or helpless or [[ButtMonkey accident prone]] or that much different from the rest of the cast. Something in her DNA is just a magnet for danger, probably something of the same material that went into the construction of {{Tokyo|IsTheCenterOfTheUniverse}} and [[BigAppleSauce New York]].

Often times the victim is female. Usually within the realms of TheHeart, FauxActionGirl, a girl who has gone through Chickification, an adaptation of a girl who has an intense GirlinessUpgrade, and sometimes even a true ActionGirl when the writer just has no one else he thinks would be an appropriate victim. Male examples do exist and they are either younger siblings (usually the youngest of the litter) or even true males who are usually TheHero and are exceedingly capable can fall victim for a specific reason. In this case it is usually for someone who is usually the victim such as a younger sibling or a female to save them in their own DayInTheLimeLight game or episode.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': Eren Yaeger gets kidnapped and injured with great frequency--[[spoiler:once in every major arc, in fact]]. Justified in that he's [[spoiler:a Titan Shifter with unique abilities]], making him desirable to many different factions.

* Pretty much any ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode involving River Tam has her getting in serious trouble with ''someone'' after her, though this is averted in "Objects in Space," where River outmaneuvers the BountyHunter after her with trivial ease. Somewhat ironically inverted in ''Serenity'', where River goes from being the DistressedDamsel to an extremely {{waif|Fu}}ish Badass.

Often times the victim is female. Usually within the realms of TheChick, FauxActionGirl, a girl who has gone through Chickification, an adaptation of a girl who has an intense GirlinessUpgrade, and sometimes even a true ActionGirl when the writer just has no one else he thinks would be an appropriate victim. Male examples do exist and they are either younger siblings (usually the youngest of the litter) or even true males who are usually TheHero and are exceedingly capable can fall victim for a specific reason. In this case it is usually for someone who is usually the victim such as a younger sibling or a female to save them in their own DayInTheLimeLight game or episode.

* To an extent, this happens to Lord Vetinari in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', who has been turned into a lizard, very nearly killed-via-sword, shot, poisoned, cudgeled, framed for attempted crimes he'd have certainly committed more competently were it not a frameup, etc. On two occasions, a plan against him has specifically involved the caveat that [[VetinariJobSecurity killing him would be a very very bad idea]], so they specifically decided to only incapacitate him a little... which means he always survives being VictimOfTheWeek so it can happen again. Plus the gallant Commander Vimes keeps rescuing him. So he's always fine in the end but ends up looking like just a little bit of a damsel in distress.

* Maya Fey from ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, in the first six games of main series appears in 12 cases, ''six'' of which involve her being framed, kidnapped, or otherwise targeted.[[labelnote:The List (Spoilers)]]She's framed for her sister's murder in her debut case, "Turnabout Sisters." She gets framed again in "Reunion, and Turnabout" by her aunt, who's jealous of the head family of the Fey Clan. She gets kidnapped in "Farewell, My Turnabout" in order to force Phoenix to get a "Not Guilty" verdict for Matt Engarde. In "Bridge to the Turnabout," she ends up being targeted again, as part of a plot to kil her and/or frame her for murder. In "The Rite of Turnabout," she's accused of ''two murders''. In "Turnabout Revolution," she gets kidnapped.[[/labelnote]]

** In a Franchise/{{Superman}} story a few years back, Darkseid's crazy bioengineers, Simyan and Mokkari, kidnap ComicBook/JimmyOlsen to experiment on him. In a ShoutOut to the classic Creator/JackKirby [[ComicBook/NewGods Jimmy Olsen]] stories (as well as UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} stories where Jimmy was always getting [[BalefulPolymorph turned into crazy stuff),]] Simyan and Mokkari imply that they've kidnapped Jimmy many times before, and that they [[ItAmusedMe just get a kick]] out of inflicting ridiculous mutations on him specifically.

** Clover, who is most concerned about her looks, is ''always'' the one to undergo a BalefulPolymorph, whether it's being shrunk, [[{{Animorphism}} turned into a cat]], [[TemporaryBulkChange fattened up by highly-addictive cookies]], or even having her legs stolen and replaced.

* ''Webcomic/{{Magellan}}'' has The Man Who Can, a {{Technopath}} superhero, who seems a magnet for mind controlling villains. In the first arc, he was merely disabled in such a manner. In the second he became one of the bigger threats the protagonists had to deal with. In the third, while almost the whole cast was affected, the BigBad mostly used everyone else's minds to power up The Man Who Can's powers to fight everyone else, while the BigBad was TheUnfought. Although the fourth arc featured an invasion by ScaryDogmaticAliens who use telepathy to copy and adapt technology, The Man Who Can is not present for the events of this Arc, so for once the protagonists' problems aren't caused by his tech being turned against them.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not some bizarre]] [[InvertedTrope inversion of]] [[TwentyFifthAmendment Designated Survivor]].

** At least she and her husband have this in common. If Shining Armor shows up anywhere near a MonsterOfTheWeek he ''will'' [[TheWorfEffect get snuffed out by said monster in no time]]. Just ask Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Discord, or Lord Tirek. [[UpToEleven He even seems to take the majority of blows from his own daughter if his far more ragged state than his wife's is any indication]].

* Maya Fey from ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, in the first six games of main series appears in 12 cases, ''six'' of which involve her being framed, kidnapped, or otherwise targeted.[[labelnote:The List (Spoilers)]]She's framed for her sister's murder in her debut case, "Turnabout Sisters." She gets framed again in "Reunion, and Turnabout" by her aunt, who's jealous of the head family of the Fey Clan. She gets kidnapped in "Farewell, My Turnabout" in order to force Phoenix to get a "Not Guilty" verdict for Matt Engarde. In "Bridge to the Turnabout," she ends up being targeted again, as part of a plot to kil her and/or frame her for murder. In "The Rite of Turnabout," she's accused of murder again. In "Turnabout Revolution," she gets kidnapped.[[/labelnote]]

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': Eren "[[FanNickname Princess Peach]]" Yaeger gets kidnapped and injured with great frequency--[[spoiler:once in every major arc, in fact]]. Justified in that he's [[spoiler:a Titan Shifter with unique abilities]], making him desirable to many different factions.

* ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' has [[MemeticBystander Scarf]]-[[FanNickname tan]].

** And then there's Kairi, who ends up being hostage bait in almost every game she appears in [[EveryoneCanSeeIt because of her connection to Sora]]. It reaches its peak in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII''[[spoiler:, where she is flat-out StuffedIntoTheFridge by Xehanort in order to make Sora suffer, since he "required motivation" to clash wth Xehanort and creating the final key to reforge the χ-blade. Sora bitterly lampshades it at the ending of the game]].

*** In ''1634: The Galileo Affair'', investigative reporter Joe Buckley is tortured and killed (not in that order) by a French spy, ostensibly because he can't keep his damn mouth shut, actually because said spy was trying to provoke the protagonists.
*** In one of the ''Grantville Gazette'' short stories, Joe Buckley is already dead, as a somewhat notorious downtimer London area criminal who fell into the Thames while drunk, and drowned. His actual role in the story is as a corpse to be dissected to demonstrate uptimer knowledge.

** From the ''Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo'' series:

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': Eren "[[FanNickname Princess Peach]]" Yaeger gets kidnapped and injured with great frequency--[[spoiler:once in every major arc so far, in fact]]. Justified in that he's [[spoiler:a Titan Shifter with unique abilities]], making him desirable to many different factions.

* Maya Fey from ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, in the first six games of main series appears in 12 cases, ''six'' of which involve her being framed, kidnapped, or otherwise targeted.[[labelnote:The List(Spoilers)]]She's framed for her sister's murder in her debut case, "Turnabout Sisters." She gets framed again in "Reunion, and Turnabout" by her aunt, who's jealous of the head family of the Fey Clan. She gets kidnapped in "Farewell, My Turnabout" in order to force Phoenix to get a "Not Guilty" verdict for Matt Engarde. In "Bridge to the Turnabout," she ends up being targeted again, as part of a plot to kil her and/or frame her for murder. In "The Rite of Turnabout," she's accused of murder again. In "Turnabout Revolution," she gets kidnapped[[/labelnote]]

* In ''MangaNegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', Nodoka has started finding herself in this role. She's the only one [[BigBad Fate]] and his minions actually want dead, because they want to [[ShootTheMedicFirst Shoot the Mind-Reader First]]. [[spoiler:Although they find out the hard way that when when the chips are down, [[BewareTheNiceOnes you really really don't want to screw with her]].]]
** Anya qualifies even more, as the only semi-plot relevant thing that she's done is get immediately captured by the BigBad, soon after she enters the magic world.