History Main / MysteriousBacker

* In ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'', [[spoiler:Saul becomes this in the lead-up to the protagonist's trial. Saul states that he has his own reasons for representing him for free, and he disappears after the trial is over. He speculates that Saul might be a relative of Lainie's family lawyer whom he and Lainie previously hoodwinked, but Saul's motives are still unclear.]]
* Dr. Mosely is this to the protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework''. She seems helpful and sympathetic to him at times, but it's always clear that she has a hidden agenda. [[spoiler:As it turns out, she wants him to sleep with all of the girls in his summer school class (minus Johanna), because she would receive a grant if that were to happen.]]

** The memories of Shepard's father in ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' reveal that [[spoiler:the Andromeda Initiative had an unknown backer. Someone, or something, who apparently knew about the imminent Reaper invasion - possibly before even Shepard knew - and was trying to FlingALightIntoTheFuture by putting a viable population outside their reach.]]

* ''Fanfic/PersonaHeavenAfreaknamedpete'': ETTEILLA, the new proprietor of the Velvet Room as a textbook example, a dark mysterious figure who speaks in vague philosophical terms who gifts Hiyori with the power of Persona and tasks her with destroying HEAVEN, though to people more familiar with the [[VideoGame/Persona2 older Persona games]] might not find him so mysterious.

* FanWork/PersonaHeavenAfreaknamedpete has ETTEILLA, the new proprietor of the Velvet Room as a textbook example, a dark mysterious figure who speaks in vague philosophical terms who gifts Hiyori with the power of Persona and tasks her with destroying HEAVEN, though to people more familiar with the [[VideoGame/Persona2 older Persona games]] might not find him so mysterious.

* And then there's the Hoffman Institute in ''TabletopGame/DarkMatter'', from which ''d20 Modern'' took a lot of inspiration even before republishing it as a sourcebook for the latter game. Ostensibly a BenevolentConspiracy, the Institute is still very secretive and run by a grey alien disguised as a human. The game books provide suggestions for making the Institute's goals and behavior quite murky, turning them from a "save the world" organization into an alien-backed conspiracy out for its own slice of the secret world pie, only happening to do good things through the PlayerCharacters along the way.

A subtrope of ThePowersThatBe and MysteriousStranger. See PsychoSupporter for another type of ally who might not see eye to eye with the rest of the team. Compare AnonymousBenefactor. Contrast with BigBadFriend, for someone who's close to and trusted by the hero, but leads the villains, and EnigmaticMinion for someone who's on the villain's side with unclear motives.

* In ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Data Entity]] fits this role, being the creator of [[RobotGirl Yuki Nagato]] and the other interfaces to study the titular character and her godlike powers.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': Akira's EvilMentor VirtualSidekick Alpha, who he finds in the ruins, and makes a contract with to raid a ruin to recover a MacGuffin for her, being trained and mentored until he's strong enough to do so. What greater purpose this mission serves as a JigSawPuzzlePlot mystery, but we're told it will effect the well-being of millions. Alpha's a ManipulativeBitch who tries to keep Akira from getting too close to anyone, as well as doing things like disappearing at inopportune moments to make Akira appreciate her, seeming to make him an UnwittingPawn. However, Alpha needs Akira alive for her own objective, so Akira trusts in her self-interest, not in her, and is an UnscrupulousHero in the first place. Additionally, Akira takes things like IGaveMyWord and IOweYouMyLife very seriously, to the point it's MyMasterRightOrWrong.

Cue this trope--a powerful benefactor of the heroes (essentially doing the same thing in the story that a BigGood would) who has their own agenda or reasons for helping them. Perhaps they're mysterious and hard to trust, perhaps they're visible, but seem a little too keen to ShootTheDog. Other times, they're genuinely benevolent beings who are working within some sort of non-interference clause and may employ the same tactics as their opponents. Either way, they'll provide the support the cast needs, but the heroes (or at least the audience) don't quite know if they can be trusted. Even if they are the BigGood proper, they might [[KnightTemplar not be planning to do things in an entirely moral manner]] or have it in for the heroes and wish to make them suffer more than they really need to. In a worst-case scenario, they might become the new BigBad or turn out to be a GreaterScopeVillain.

* fernwithy's ''FanFic/TheEndOfTheWorld'' ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' stories cast [[TheHost Caesar Flickerman]] in this role, with him providing every kind of support he can to each and every tribute, and being quick to do favors for the victors despite being uninvolved in the Rebellion [[spoiler: with it eventually being revealed that this is because [[TwoAliasesOneCharacter he is a mostly-forgotten victor who reinvented himself]] and knows ''exactly'' what they're going through]].