History Main / KnowledgeBroker

-->''' The Shadow Broker [[spoiler:aka Liara]]''', ''MassEffect2''

-->''' The Shadow Broker''', ''MassEffect2''

[[AC: Webcomics]]
* [[http://amazingplasmaman.com/comics/62 Ace Tanager]] from TheIncredibleAndAweInspiringSerilAdventureOfTheAmazingPlasmaMan holds a wealth of information about the citizens of Meridian City, which he gladly shares with Plasma-Man in exchange for patronage of his lounge.

[[AC: Web Comics]]

* The Oracle in DeusEx is an AI [[InstantAIJustAddWater born in cyberspace from the shear information in it]], who trades what he knows for information he does not have (this doesn't have to be of any value, a "joke you heard recently" and your breakfast are both things he requests in exchange for information). However the Oracle only appears at 2 points in the game, both in emails that are entirely optional to read, and everything we know about him is WordOfGod.

* The entire Nosferatu clan serve this function in [[TheWorldOfDarkness Vampire: The Masquerade]] and its [[VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines PC counterpart]]. Being vampires that live BeneathTheEarth and have the ability to turn invisible, they have considerable influence- allowing them to charge high prices for information and make life unbearable for unwanted customers.
** In the new ''World of Darkness'', this role belongs to the Mekhet clan, who have the added advantage of looking normal, and being able to acquire information directly through supernatural means (such as mind-reading, psychometry, or astral projection).

-->'''Munch:''' Fin bolted a few horus ago, didn't say where. That usually means a covert meeting with one of his operatives in the Drug Netherworld.

* Mycroft on ''[[Sherlock]]''. He ''is'' the British Government.

** Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC reveals [[spoiler:that there was an original Shadow Broker about 60 years prior. The Shadow Broker you know and love started as a hyperintelligent "pet" Yahg of one of the original broker's agents, who (known to the original broker) killed the agent and stole his identity, and then later usurped the Shadow Broker himself.]] You and Liara [[spoiler:track him down and kill him, resulting in Liara taking over the role with the sole intent of aiding Shepard, becoming by far your most powerful ally against the Reapers (and the [[SmugSnake Illusive Man]] should it come to it).]]

-->'''[[YouKillItYouBoughtIt The Shadow Broker]]''', ''MassEffect2''

** Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC reveals [[spoiler:that there was an original Shadow Broker about 60 years prior. The Shadow Broker you know and love started as a hyperintelligent "pet" Yahg of one of the original broker's agents, who (known to the original broker) killed the agent and stole his identity, and then later usurped the Shadow Broker himself.]] You and Liara [[spoiler:track him down and kill him, resulting in Liara taking over the role with the sole intent of aiding Shepard, becoming by far your most powerful ally against the Reapers (and the Illusive Man should it come to it).]]

* Parodied in the shape of Johnny the Snitch on ''PoliceSquad!'', the shoeshine guy who could give you information on absolutely ''everything'' -- at a price -- whether you're a firefighter wanting help tackling a blaze, a surgeon needing advice on how to perform an operation, or just Dick Clark asking about musical trends (and youth cream)...

* Pahvulti in Simon Spurrier's {{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''Lord of the Night''

** The sequel has [[spoiler:Liara]] take up this line of work in the two years Shepard was dead. Do her a [[FetchQuest few favors]] and she reveals she's doing this because [[spoiler: the Shadow Broker tried to sell Shepard's corpse to the Collectors and killed her friend when she staged a rescue. So she's going to build up her network of contacts, track the Shadow Broker down, [[{{Revenge}} and kill him]].]]
** Cerberus itself is quite the KnowledgeBroker, leading many to [[EpilepticTrees assume]] that Cerberus and the Shadow Broker are one and the same.
*** An assumption that does not work considering that Cerberus and the Shadow Broker have worked directly against each other both in [=ME1=] and in the ''Redemption'' comics.

* The Daily Days, a newspaper from {{Baccano}}

* In the ''AstroCity'' story, "The Tarnished Angel," Donnelly Furguson uses his knowledge of the city's underworld to find jobs for the B-rate villains of Kiefer Square. [[spoiler:He arranges for all of them to be hired for a city-wide crime spree planned by fallen hero El Hombre, who plans to kill all the villains and restore his heroic stature.]]