History Main / MandatoryUnretirement

* Santa Clara County’s Public Health Officer Sara Cody, facing the 2020 Pandemic called in retired State Public Health Officer Karen Smith and retired County Public Health Officer Marty Fenstersheib. The morning she learned of the county’s first coronavirus case she was already calling two of her most-trusted advisers, now retired, from the health department. Karen Smith was on a girls’ ski weekend at Donner Summit when she got Cody’s call. "When do you need me?" Smith asked. "Right now." [[https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/29/she-shut-down-the-bay-area-to-slow-the-deadly-coronavirus-none-of-us-really-believed-we-would-do-it Meet the doctor who ordered the Bay Area’s coronavirus lockdown, the first in the U.S.]] [[/folder]]
* The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, was re-elected against his own will in 2022.[[labelnote:How does it work?]]Italian Presidential elections are conducted by the Italian Parliament, and the ballot isn't a "tick the pre-printed name of a candidate" one - so all the votes are write-in.[[/labelnote]]

* In fourth entry of the ''{{VideoGame/Uncharted}}'' series, ''VideoGame/Uncharted4AThiefsEnd'', Nathan Drake is forced to return from his normal life as a retired treasure hunter when his brother Sam Drake came asking for his help to find the lost treasure of Captain Henry Avery to pay off a drug lord's debt. Of course, it was later revealed that the reason that forced Nathan to come back [[LiarRevealed was all a lie.]]

* Santa Clara County’s Public Health Officer Sara Cody, facing the 2020 Pandemic called in retired State Public Health Officer Karen Smith and retired County Public Health Officer Marty Fenstersheib. ''The morning she learned of the county’s first coronavirus case she was already calling two of her most-trusted advisers, now retired, from the health department. Karen Smith was on a girls’ ski weekend at Donner Summit when she got Cody’s call. “When do you need me?” Smith asked. “Right now.”'' [[https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/29/she-shut-down-the-bay-area-to-slow-the-deadly-coronavirus-none-of-us-really-believed-we-would-do-it Meet the doctor who ordered the Bay Area’s coronavirus lockdown, the first in the U.S.]] [[/folder]]

** Then it happens again in the fourth game. Kojima seems to really love this trope...
** It's apparently genetic, as something similar to [=MGS1=] happened to Big Boss to set off ''Portable Ops''.

* In the ''Manga/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents. [[spoiler: Given the implications that Matic was responsible for Cain being captured in the first place as part of his plan for Hiryu to kill Enterprise President Clay in order to take over the ZAIN Project, it's safe to say that Matic's actions can [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist never be justified as good intentions]].

* In the ''Manga/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents. [[spoiler: Given the implications that Matic was responsible for Cain being captured in the first place as part of his plan for Hiryu to kill Enterprise President Clay in order to take over the ZAIN Project, it's safe to say that Matic's actions can [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist never be justified as good intentions

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[[folder:Comic books]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', the Third Hokage is forced back into active duty after the incident that sealed the Kyuubi inside the main character- and the death of the Fourth Hokage, obviously. He wasn't the only person who was seen as a viable candidate, but the village went with him because ''they knew where to find him''; [[spoiler:the future Fifth Hokage]] had no interest in the job, and had left the village entirely after retiring from its ninja forces.

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', the Third Hokage is forced back into active duty after the incident that sealed the Kyuubi inside the main character- and the death of the Fourth Hokage, obviously. He wasn't the only person who was seen as a viable candidate, but the village went with him because ''they knew where to find him''; [[spoiler:the future Fifth Hokage]] had no interest in the job, and had left the village entirely after retiring from its ninja forces.
* Kunieda Aoi of ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' was the 3rd leader of [[AmazonBrigade the Red Tails]], a gang of the strongest ladies of Kanto who [[DoesNotLikeMen do not like men]], and as such getting a boyfriend means that you quit. Kunieda sports an incredibly obvious crush on Oga since their first meeting and quits accordingly; however, the gang (and the NumberTwo especially) do not accept it and still treat Kunieda as their boss. [[spoiler:Then the Red Tails' founder, through a special request, changes the rule about men, and afterward Kunieda reclaims her title after a showdown with the 2nd Red Tails leader who'd gone rogue along with the majority of the Red Tails.]]
* In the ''Manga/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents. [[spoiler: Given the implications that Matic was responsible for Cain being captured in the first place as part of his plan for Hiryu to kill Enterprise President Clay in order to take over the ZAIN Project, it's safe to say that Matic's actions can [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist never be justified as good intentions]]]].

* ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' has the RetiredGunslinger variation.
* ''Film/HudsonHawk''. After getting out of jail, Eddie wants to go straight but various villains coerce him into becoming a cat burglar again because they need his expertise.
* ''Film/HotShots'' and ''Film/HotShotsPartDeux''. In both movies, Topper Harley quit the military, but the U.S. government sought him out and recruited him for a secret mission.
* ''Film/InvisibleInvaders'': Act One of the film has Dr. Adam Penner retiring from the Atomic Commission because he's distressed at the fact his friend and fellow colleague Dr. Karol Noymann was blown up in an atomic experiment gone wrong and the U.S. Government cares little about the fact a huge chunk of countryside got irradiated and even less about using atomic energy to help mankind, instead continuing to focus on making nuclear weapons. He swears on his friend's grave that he will no longer use science to harm others. Act Two of the film is him going back to the Atomic Commission and being assigned to research some way to destroy the titular alien invaders, who are well on their way to accomplish their promised goal of exterminating all of mankind within three days.
* ''Film/OurManFlint'' and ''In Like Flint''. In both movies, Z.O.W.I.E. chief Cramden must convince his reluctant old military subordinate Derek Flint to join up and save the day.
* ''Film/BlazingSaddles''. The Waco Kid is a RetiredGunfighter who gives up his drunken ways and becomes a hero again to help his friend Sheriff Bart save the town of Rock Ridge.

* ''Film/{{Dreamscape}}''. Alex Gardner gave up psychic research to use his incredible abilities to make money by betting on horse races. After being threatened by a bookie he rejoins his old mentor, who needs him for a project that has him entering the minds of sleeping people and sharing their dreams.
* ''Film/{{Flatliners}}''. Brilliant student David Labraccio quits medical school after being forced to break the rules to save a patient's life. Although he's reluctant to do so, fellow student Nelson recruits him for a bizarre experiment to explore beyond the boundaries of life and death.

* ''Film/{{Swordfish}}'', Stanley Jobson. although he was forced into "retirement" (convicted criminal) he is forced back into his criminal ways.

* Mandatory ''Franchise/StarTrek'' example: In ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', Kirk pulls a few strings and yanks [=McCoy=] out of retirement and back into his position as CMO, overruling and ending his objections with one memorable (and [[HoYay slashy]]) line: "I need you, Bones. I ''need'' you."
* K in ''Film/MenInBlackII'' is yanked from his peaceful life as a mailman to join the MIB again due to knowledge even he doesn't know he possesses.
* This is how Col. Jack O'Neil ends up involved in the events of ''Film/{{Stargate}}'', and becomes a recurring theme for him (see under Live Action TV below).
* In ''Film/{{Commando}}'', the bad guys kidnap John Matrix's daughter in order to force him to do one last job for ''them''. Big mistake.
* Nick Charles in ''Film/TheThinMan'' series of films gets pulled back into detective work after his retirement.
* In ''Film/TheXFilesIWantToBelieve'', Scully works at a hospital and Mulder is still technically a wanted fugitive. The FBI recruits Scully to recruit Mulder (since she's the only one who knows where he is) to assist in investigating the X-Filean disappearence of another FBI agent. In exchange, all charges against Mulder are dropped and he's no longer a fugitive.
* ''Film/MissionImpossibleIII'' begins with Ethan Hunt retired from field duty and working only as an instructor, all ready to settle down and start a family.

* In ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', Ripley is called back to join the mission for her expertise after being suspended from work.
* ''Film/WorldWarZ'': Gerret, who was apparently one of his country's best investigators is pulled back into action because authorities want his help in stopping the ZombieApocalypse.
* In ''Film/WelcomeToThePunch'', Jacob Sternwood, an English biker robber, is forced to come out of his Icelandic retirement to save his arrested son in London.

Often will be a police officer, soldier, or mercenary, but can be any job. RetiredGunfighter is a common starting point for this character, before they are forced into Mandatory Unretirement. Often set up as an extended TenMinuteRetirement or crossover with a ScrapHeapHero. This is one of the many [[ThePerilsOfBeingTheBest Perils of Being the Best]], as being so good that [[WeDoTheImpossible that you can do seemingly impossible things]] may mean that your life will never be your own.

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* Santa Clara County’s Public Health Officer Sara Cody, facing the 2020 Pandemic called in retired State Public Health Officer Karen Smith and retired County Public Health Officer Marty Fenstersheib. ''The morning she learned of the county’s first coronavirus case she was already calling two of her most-trusted advisers, now retired, from the health department. Karen Smith was on a girls’ ski weekend at Donner Summit when she got Cody’s call. “When do you need me?” Smith asked. “Right now.”'' [[https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/29/she-shut-down-the-bay-area-to-slow-the-deadly-coronavirus-none-of-us-really-believed-we-would-do-it Meet the doctor who ordered the Bay Area’s coronavirus lockdown, the first in the U.S.]] [[/folder]]

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* [[Creator/JohnLeCarre George Smiley]] has retired at least three times and been brought back, albeit in an informal or advisory capacity, to clean up various messses made by his former colleagues in the security services. He does it enough that one character at the begining of ''[[Literature/TheQuestForKarla Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy]]'' insists, much to Smiley's chagrin, that his retirement (Smiley's second at that point) is merely cover.

* Retired Scout Edin Dan from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' had enough of the Tower-climbing nonsense… until [[MagnificentBastard Koon]] baited him into a bet, trying to win him for his ascending team. Edin tried to trick Koon, but got quickly OutGambitted.

* In the ''Manga/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents. [[spoiler: Given the implications that Matic was responsible for Cain being captured in the first place as part of his plan for Hiryu to kill Enterprise President Clay in order to take over the ZAIN Project, it's safe to say that Matic's actions 'can' [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist never be justified as good intentions]]]].

* In the ''Manga/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}'' manga, Hiryu is forced out of his self-imposed retirement to [[ContractOnTheHitman murder his friend Cain]], who was captured while on duty and became a liability to the group. He reluctantly accepts the job after his superior [[{{Jerkass}} Matic]] threatens an entire village of innocents.

* Happens again and again to Wedge Antilles in the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse. As early as the first-set issue of the ComicBook/XWingSeries he's been contemplating retirement and believing that there was too much he still needed to contribute. In the ''Literature/NewJediOrder'', ''Literature/LegacyOfTheForce'', and ''Literature/FateOfTheJedi'' he's been pulled out of retirement, because not only is he pretty much [[ImprobablePilotingSkills the greatest pilot alive]], he's a skilled and inventive tactician.

-->'''[[SmugSnake Councilor Pwoe]]''': "I see now why Fey'lya never liked you, General. You should have been put out to pasture years ago."
-->'''Wedge''': "WithAllDueRespect, Councilor, ''I was''. If you and [[ObstructiveBureaucrat the rest of the Senate]] had handled this war in anything approaching a competent fashion, I could have been ''left'' there."

** In "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", MI6 calls Higgins back up for a FakeDefector job.

** ''Film/RogueOne'' presents Jyn Erso as an unusually young version of this trope, having previously been a ChildSoldier fighting with Saw Guererra and his Partisans. She was abandoned by Saw because he was afraid of what the Partisans might do if they found out her father was an Imperial weapons engineer, and struck out on her own until she was [[BoxedCrook conscripted]] by the Rebel Alliance when ''they'' found out who her father was.