History Main / PuttingTheBandBackTogether

* Season 15 of ''WesternAnimation/Ninjago'' starts with the Ninja having to be reassembled, as they had drifted apart [[spoiler:following Nya's departure to become one with the ocean at the end of the previous season.]]

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' is entitled "Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together!", in which the Flynn children try to reassemble the band "Love Händel" (a parody of 80's Main/HairMetal) in time for their parents' anniversary. Interestingly, one of the songs from this episode got nominated for a freaking ''[[TheEmmys Emmy]]'' for best original song.

* {{Wolverine}} begins to do this in the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen2009'' to varying degrees of success.

* In ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur III'''s Chronicles of the Sword mode, after a TimeSkip, the player loses their army for a few levels. A few chapters before the end though, the player has the option to get all but one ([[spoiler:whom they killed 2 chapters ago]]) back by [[spoiler:befriending them to knock them out of Soul Edge induced mind control]].

** {{Troperiffic}}ally done with ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/6/25/ Paint The Line 2]]''.
* ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'': Foreshadowed in [[http://skin-horse.com/comic/2014-10-27/ this]] strip, one of the creators having returned from having had a baby.

* In 2014, Kenny Dykstra, Jaden "Johnny" Jeter and "The Giant Killer" Mike "Mikey" Mondo did a most unexpected thing and went back to {{the gimmick}} that was believed to have stunted their careers: [[TheCheerleader The Spirit Squad]]. Perhaps due to their growth as wrestlers, the male cheerleaders have been better received the second time around, not that that was a high hurdle to climb.

* This trope is said word for word in ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueGenerationLost''. [[Characters/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Maxwell Lord]] decides to bring ComicBook/BoosterGold, Ice, Fire, ComicBook/CaptainAtom and the new ComicBook/BlueBeetle and Rocket Red back together to reform the Justice League International. Of course, Max Lord is a villain this time around, and none of the heroes are too happy about being reunited against their will.

** Subverted in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': after [[TheMan the Illusive Man]] offers [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] a list of candidates for his/her new crew, you can tell him to shove it because you already have a BadassCrew from the first game. However, it turns out none of them are available anymore (Kaidan/Ashley are on a top-secret mission for the Alliance, Garrus slipped off the radar, Tali is leading an expedition for the Flotilla, Wrex reigns on Tuchanka, and Liara is on a crusade against the Shadow Broker). Doubly subverted, however, when ''some'' of your old crew do come back, namely, [[spoiler:Joker, Dr. Chakwas, Garrus, Tali, and ([[GuestStarPartyMember temporarily]]) Liara.]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Guardians 2004}}'', Vince Armstrong is forced to reunite his childhood friends when an alien they encountered back when they were kids returns, hunted by other aliens, and seeks their help.

* After years of them being either on other teams, in comic book limbo or dead, ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'' is naturally [[http://www.cbr.com/marvel-runaways-revival-rainbow-rowell-kris-anka/ all about this]]. It begins with the late Gert Yorkes having a TimeTravelEscape and discovering the ComicBook/{{Runaways}} had drifted apart in the interim, so she has Chase Stein and Nico Minoru bring back as many members of their group as possible.

* In ''Fanfic/OneYear'', [[VideoGame/{{Persona4}} Yu Narukami]] resolves to do this- not with [[TrueCompanions the Investigation Team, which has remained close in the months after his departure from Inaba]], but with the group of friends he had prior to coming to Inaba, since his time in Inaba convinced him to make the most of his time in any one place and not keep people at a distance. Unfortunately, due to his friends' various issues, from increased demands on their time due to studying for exams to an ArrangedMarriage, this is harder than it seems.
* ''FanFic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': [[spoiler:As with canon, the new Mane Six manage to get the Humane Five to realize they were deliberately targeted and split up by Sunset Shimmer, repairing their bonds.]]

* ''FanFic/TotalDramaBattleOfTheGenerations'': Happens to the Drama Brothers sometime between Pahkitew Island and the start of the story, giving an early advantage to Harold, Trent, and Cody.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}: FES'', two months after [[spoiler: the Main Character has sealed away [[CosmicHorror Nyx]]]], the ex-SEES members get back together for one last dinner in the dorm before it closes down. While they're there, they get trapped inside the dorm by a mysterious force and [[GroundhogDayLoop have to relive the same day over and over again]]. They then discover a stairway leading to a new [[TheHeartless Shadow]]-infested dungeon beneath the dining room table...
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts 2}}'':

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* The ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' episode "How Long Is Forever?" had Starfire disappearing until Twenty Years Into The Future. When attempting to find her friends, we discover that Cyborg's main power ran out, and so he's trapped in the tower; Beast Boy was sold to the circus (and went bald); Raven was put into an asylum; and Robin became Nightwing.

* Pre-timeskip part of ''Manga/TwentiethCenturyBoys'' fits this trope really well. When Kenji realizes that disasters he and his gang imagined about during their elementary school years are happening in reality, he contacts his old friends who made up the prophecy together to stop 'Friend' who is from the old gang from elementary school.

* ''Manga/OnePiece''

** The Nine Red Scabbards are loyal retainers of the rightful ruler of Wano Country, the late Kozuki Oden. The Scabbards are scattered after Oden's execution ([[spoiler:some via TimeTravel]]), but the Straw Hats got to meet five of them before even deciding to go to Wano, and while preparing a rebellion to depose Wano's current shogun, one of their missions is to find those that remained.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''

* A variation happens in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl's'' adventure mode, [[spoiler:almost everyone becomes an inanimate trophy, and the few remaining characters have to find them to reanimate them and get them back into the group]].

* Happened with Music/LedZeppelin at UsefulNotes/LiveAid - was supposed to happen to Music/TheBeatles as well (with Julian Lennon standing in for his father, John Lennon), but alas, that one didn't [[IncrediblyLamePun come together...]] Also, it was the only time Music/{{Sting}} ever performed "MoneyForNothing" with Music/DireStraits after the song's [[Music/BrothersInArms original recording]].

** The PostHardcore band Music/{{Finch}} had originally broken up in 2010, as a result of several false starts to a rumored third album. Two years later, the band members were contacted by their former manager to do some tenth anniversary shows to commemorate the release of the band's debut album, ''What It Is to Burn''. This eventually turned into a tour, and during this time the band started writing songs again. This resulted in the band's reunion, as well as the release of their long-awaited third album, fittingly entitled ''Back to Oblivion''.

* Happened with both Music/PinkFloyd and Music/LedZeppelin at Live Aid - was supposed to happen to Music/TheBeatles as well (with Julian Lennon standing in from John Lennon), but alas, that one didn't [[IncrediblyLamePun come together...]] Also, it was the only time Sting ever performed "MoneyForNothing" with Music/DireStraits after the song's [[Music/BrothersInArms original recording]].

** Pink Floyd later re-reunited one last time at Live 8 in 2005. It now seems likely to *really* have been the last time, owing in large part to the 2008 death of keyboardist Rick Wright.

* Music/VanHalen managed to pull it twice after the [[Music/{{Extreme}} Gary Cherone]] era imploded after the critical and commercial failure of their sole studio album, ''Van Halen III''. Eddie Van Halen would go through drug and alcohol addictions, survive tongue cancer (he has since replaced cigarettes with vaping) and divorce to longtime wife [[Series/OneDayAtATime1975 Valerie]] [[Series/HotInCleveland Bertinelli]]. Then in 2004 came a reunion with previous singer Sammy Hagar, with new 'Van Hagar' compositions for a GreatestHitsAlbum and a tour. But said gigs would be marked by in-fighting (for starters, bassist Michael Anthony only returned because Hagar demanded it) and Eddie's re-emerging alcoholism, leading to another disbandment, followed by Sammy and Michael forming Music/{{Chickenfoot}}. Eddie would sober up, rekindle talks with original singer Music/DavidLeeRoth, and begin a world tour with Eddie's son Wolfgang replacing Anthony. Wolfgang would even convince daddy that the band could make another album, and ''A Different Kind Of Truth'', Van Halen's first new album in fifteen years and its first with Roth since ''1984'', would be released to commercial and critical success in 2012. Their last tour happened in 2015, and five years later Eddie died.

** Of particular note is Music/{{Aerosmith}}, who formed in the early 70s and broke up in the 80s largely due to rampant drug use and personality conflicts. After they all went to rehab, the original lineup got back together, have been cranking out album after multi-platinum album ever since, and are still going strong as of 2013.

* After years of silence, Music/{{ACDC}} announced in 2020 that the line-up of previous album ''Rock or Bust'' would reunite for a new record, overcoming [[DwindlingParty a succession of departures]] (Stevie Young only played because his uncle Malcolm's health problems that would take his life, Phil Rudd couldn't tour following an arrest, Brian Johnson left halfway through the tour at the risk of losing his hearing, and Cliff Williams had retired after the tour because the changes made him lose his passion).

* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': [[spoiler: Five years after]] [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar Thanos' snap]], the remaining Avengers have been split apart doing their own things: Tony has a daughter with Pepper, Clint has become a vigilante, Bruce has been learning to live with the Hulk in one body, Thor has secluded himself in New Asgard out of guilt for failing to stop Thanos, and Steve and Natasha have been working with Rhodey, Rocket, Nebula, Okoye, and Carol to help rebuild the universe. It isn't until Scott escapes the Quantum Realm that Steve and Natasha realize there is a way to [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong bring everyone back]], and while some need a bit more convincing, they eventually get everyone back together to make their Time Heist possible.

* ''Film/TheWorldsEnd'': This is said word for word when Gary is gathering everyone up. He even has to specify that he isn't being literal after Stephen pointed out he sold his guitar to buy drugs.

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts 2}}'': "PSI King's Sensorium" has you travelling around to find the members of PSI King's band, who also happen to be the embodiments of the five senses (Vision Quest, Sniffles, Tasty, Dr. Touch, and Audie O). The goal is to get them to put on a performance to help PSI King deal with his SensoryOverload and regain his memories of who he was before he became a BrainInAJar.

** And when Colonel Carter returns in episode 6, she asks, "but who's the new backup singer?" about Vala.

This nifty little scenario is common in sequels, especially after a TimeSkip, but it can also happen at the beginning of a story, which basically just means that the original 'Band' existed prior to it.

'Back then', the RagtagBunchOfMisfits were kicking ass and taking names all over the place. Alas, the golden days came to an end, and [[TheFellowshipHasEnded they split up, took ordinary jobs, started families]]...

But now [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed a new threat looms]]! And there's only one team that can solve it, so it's time to put the old band back together. There are two possible ways to do this: One is that the old [[TheLeader leader]] picks up where he left off, seeking out his old friends and convincing 'em to join up with him again. But just as often, the old leader isn't available - may be dead, or may have retired, or may have simply disappeared. Or maybe he's just not interested at all. (In that case, he's the first one they visit, only to get turned away, but he'll probably show up anyway just when the rest of the crew has been gathered, or later, [[ChangedMyMindKid in the nick of time to save the day.]]) Anyway, if it's a former minor character who's gathering the band, that means that he or she will probably be the new leader.

* ''Film/TheArtOfTheSteal'': When Crunch is released after spending seven years in a Polish prison, Uncle Paddy contacts about putting the CaperCrew who worked on the disasterous Warsaw job back together for a new job: including the one who sold Crunch out to the Polish police.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1504712058016339000
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', Arcade Gannon's companion quest has you reunite the Enclave Remnants, some of which previously appeared in ''VideoGame/Fallout2'', to support your faction of choice in the Second Battle of Hoover Dam.
* In ''Exile'' for the UsefulNotes/PCEngine / UsefulNotes/TurboDuo Super CD system, Sadler already has a Four Man Team. All you must do is talk to them and they'll join you shortly afterwards, popping in and out of the plot for the rest of the game. In the sequel, ''Exile: Wicked Phenomenon'', Sadler's friends are scattered across the Middle East. Rumi is believed to be dead, but turns up in Baghdad. Fakhyle and Kindhi arrive a short time later in a BigDamnHeroes moment (complete with anime cutscene) to save Sadler and Rumi from the first boss' trap and allowing a fair 1-on-1 fight. After the boss is dead, the gang from the first game is officially back together - and this time, they're all playable.
* This is the premise for the third ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' game. You have to reunite the three legendary heroes, Oddsock, Toggle and Swoop. There's even a trophy for doing so, aptly named "Put The Band Back Together."
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'': The bulk of the gameplay consists of freeing and recruiting members of your old gang.
-->'''Boss:''' We're getting the band back together and then we're gonna kill Zinyak.

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has this with the titular Overwatch, a peacekeeping organization that stood for 25 years after the [[RobotWar Omnic Crisis]], but was disbanded five years before the current events of the story, and made illegal by the United Nations. The plot officially kicks off when one member reinstates the organization illegally, [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight despite the risk in prosecution in doing so]].
* The dungeons in ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' tell the story of the attempts to reunite the members of the guild Destiny's Edge in the face of the new threat of the Elder Dragons.
* The first half of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'' is reuniting Class VII [[spoiler:(except for Crow)]], who were scattered across half the country in the TimeSkip between games. An optional sidequest in the second half is tracking down various people from the other classes who were similar scattered about.
* The ''Trespasser'' DLC of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' does this for the Inquisitor and their inner circle, as it takes place roughly two years after the end of the main game. Everyone except for the advisory council has left the Inquisitor and gone off to do their own thing, but they're all summoned to one spot to provide testimony in a hearing about the future of the Inquisition. The first arc of gameplay involves the Inquisitor going around the area, finding all of their friends, and having friendly/affectionate reunions; there are codex entries to collect for each which explains what they've been doing in the meantime, which in some cases is determined by player choices during the main game.
* One of the main themes in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' is Sora reuniting the heroes who died (Ventus, Xion), vanished (Aqua, Roxas), or had their lives ruined (Terra, [[spoiler:Saix]]) because of Master Xehanort or Organization XIII. [[spoiler:The Wayfinder and Sea Salt trios are reunited, and Saix is redeemed. [[PyrrhicVictory But it comes with a price]] of the Island trio's separation when Sora disappeared and Kairi went into stasis, leaving only Riku, albeit for unrelated reasons]].
* ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 4'' takes place 10 years after the 3rd game and the heroes had already parted ways to do their own thing, effectively retiring from brawling against criminals. However, a new Syndicate has risen up and is causing trouble again, which prompts Blaze to contact the other protagonists for help. Axel returns after having spent years studying and meditating. Adam is working with a special investigation team, so he can't help directly, but he sends his daughter, Cherry, to fight in his place. Dr. Zan is caught up in his own thing and sends his protege, Floyd, in his place. Max is unable to help due to [[spoiler: being brainwashed by the Syndicate]]. Effectively, only half of the band (Blaze and Axel) are able to answer to the threat of the new criminals.

* ''Webcomic/NecessaryMonsters'': Jonathon putting his team of covert monster-cops back together is part of the opening act.
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Meenah is trying to do this with a band who have been dead for a very long time. Sadly for her, the band in question is more or less evenly divided into people smart enough to have a better plan than taking on an invulnerable demon with a head-down charge, and people who are too traumatised, sex-obsessed, creepy, evil or otherwise dysfunctional to successfully boil water, let alone kill Lord English.
* The plot in the ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' [[Webcomic/TeamFortress2 comics]] involves Ms. Pauling trying to locate all of the mercenaries after Grey Mann fired them.

* ''WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}'', ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights'', and ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' all have WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic getting large numbers of reviewers from [[Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses Channel Awesome]] to join him on whatever zany scheme he's hit upon. He gets the job done by tricking them into getting together (or, in the case of ''To Boldly Flee'', simply beaming them into his house against their wills) and giving a motivational speech to get them to go along with his plan. There's also ''WebVideo/TGWTGYearOneBrawl'' where a large number of reviewers join in on a brawl between The Nostalgia Critic and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd. No tricking necessary.

* As the title character of ''Literature/{{Curveball}}'' starts to get in over his head, his old buddy [[NighInvulnerability Regiment]] says the line [[https://www.eviscerati.org/fiction/Curveball/novel/Drums-War-Part-One almost verbatim]] when he decides to put [[SuperTeam The Gladiators]] back together.
* The podcast, This Week In Tech, was started by Leo Laporte in 2005, getting some the crew of Creator/TechTV's The Screen Savers back together. In fact the first few episodes were unofficially called the Revenge of the Screen Savers, until they formally named the podcast, as G4 (the new identity of the Creator/TechTV network) held onto the trademark. Over a decade later, the podcast network that grew around This Week In Tech, TWiT, acquired the Screen Savers trademark and launched a video podcast, The New Screen Savers.
* Epoch of ''Podcast/RollToBreathe'' attempts to get his retired superhero mentor, Hal, back into the game with his old team. [[spoiler: When Hal finds out, he is so incredibly offended that Epoch would interfere with his life that he threatens to kill him.]]
* The kickoff for ''Series/TheAquabatsSuperShow'' transitioning into a web series took the form of a series of videos in which the MC Bat Commander had to track down the other members of Music/TheAquabats, who had since gotten "real jobs" to support themselves after their TV show went under.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'' plays this straight, when Pickles decides to put back together his old ''GlamRock'' band, Snakes N' Barrels.

* Used in ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters'' when Egon's teammates from the disbanded [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters Real Ghostbusters]] appeared in a few episodes.
* The ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "Bwah My Nose" had this when Hank and the gang demand a rematch by playing flag football against the team they lost against in the high school state championship who are now gloating them every year. Hank called up every teammate to participate in the rematch.
* The first season finale of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' has the gang disbanded--Fred to look for his real parents, Daphne to wallow in misery with her family, Velma to ponder what she's done [[spoiler: (not coming forward about Angel Dynamite's real identity]], Shaggy off to military school, and Scooby Doo being sent to a prison-like "farm." The first arc of season two focused on Scooby's promise at the conclusion of the season one finale: getting gang back together and tracking down Professor Pericles, who has two pieces of the Planispheric Disc.
* ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' in the episode "Exit 9B", after everyone at the park except Mordecai and Rigby are brainwashed by [[spoiler:GBF Jr.]], the two end up traveling two months into the future where they have to find everyone and unbrainwash them to save the park.
* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AngelaAnaconda''. Angela goes to her friends to put their band back together to win a talent show. FlashBack to a shot of them as toddlers in a pretend band with Angela demanding they call themselves "Angela and her Bandacondas", to which all the rest start crying over. ''Her friends unanimously refuse'' with a BigNo.
* Happens in the 1990s ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' with the Six Forgotten Warriors who team up again years later.

* ''Literature/TwentyYearsAfter'', the sequel to ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'', is both an example and a subversion. Cardinal Mazarin asks d'Artagnan to find his three old friends, who have left the service long since, and convince them to join back and help the Cardinal against his enemies. But only Porthos JumpedAtTheCall; Athos and Aramis excuse themselves... [[spoiler:and we find out several chapters later that the reason is that they are already involved with the other side.]]
* Happened in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book ''Literature/ThiefOfTime''. It was played straight, in a ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book! Anyway, what happens is that the world is about to end, and so Death tries to round up the other three members of the Four HorsemenOfTheApocalypse. They all refuse, but later come just in time anyway and decide to [[spoiler: start kicking Auditor butt instead of heralding the end of the world. This includes the fifth horseman, Kaos, [[ThePeteBest who left before they got big]] but rejoins just in the nick of time.]]

* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', chosen cats from [[Literature/WarriorCatsTheNewProphecy the second series]] reunite in ''Outcast'' to help Tribe again.
* The poem ''Literature/{{Ulysses}}'', by Tennyson, features an old Ulysses contemplating how life sucks now that he has gotten home, and gotten old, and that the people no longer really need him. The rest of the poem is a speech to his old comrades about getting the band back together.
* In ''Literature/{{Zeroes}}'', the story begins with Bellwether working to reassemble the group, which had previously worked together but had broken up several years ago due to a conflict between Bellwether and Scam.

* Happens offscreen in ''Literature/HarryPotter''. In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' Dumbledore's Army initially forms in secret to teach students how to defend themselves when Umbridge, the actual Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher refuses. They disband after Umbridge is fired, but reforms in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' when Voldemort has taken over Wizarding World and installed more Death Eaters at Hogwarts.

* At the beginning of season 3 of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', Leslie Knope announces she is "rounding up the team" after the government shutdown.

* Several times on ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' could be considered this. In the Pilot episode, when Dean breaks in to Sam and Jessica's house to tell Sam their father is missing and that they have to find him. [[spoiler:Of course, Sam thinks it's a one time thing. And then Jess dies.]]
** Again in Season 4, when [[spoiler:Dean returns from hell and is reunited with Bobby and Sam, as well as introduced to Castiel.]]
** At the the start of Season 6, [[spoiler:when Sam gets back from Hell and gets Dean after Dean has taken up residence with Ben and Lisa.]]
** In Season 7 after [[spoiler:Castiel's]] sanity is restored, Team Free Will with the addition of Meg get together to take down the head leviathan, [[spoiler:Dick Roman.]]
** And finally again in Season 8 when [[spoiler:Dean escapes purgatory, joining up again with Sam and Kevin. And then Castiel comes back from Purgatory via Angel Express and Team Free Will is briefly reunited for a few episodes.]]
* In Season 9 of ''Series/StargateSG1'', Cameron makes multiple mentions of 'getting the band back together'.
** And when Colonel Carter returns in episode 6, she asks, "but who's the new backup singer?" about Vala.
* Season 3 of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', The Return Pt. 1 and 2; after being reassigned back to Earth for six weeks when the returned Ancients retake command of Atlantis, the team reunites to reclaim the city from Replicators and prevent it from being destroyed by Stargate Command.

* The 2002 revival of ''Series/AufWiedersehenPet'' begins with the surviving members of the old gang (last seen in 1986) getting together for another member's wake. [[spoiler:It turns out that he's not really dead, but arranged his wake as a stunt specifically to reassemble the old team. They soon learn that another of the old gang has died -- not surprisingly, since the actor who played him had died in 1986.]]
* The second season of ''Series/PhoenixNights'' begins this way.
* A season premiere of ''Series/{{Bones}}'' happens this way, with Brennan, Booth, and the Squint Squad reuniting to help Cam with what was thought to be one case (which turned out to be two). And by the way, [[ItMakesSenseInContext CAM is really the lynchpin personality]].

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Vance disbands the entire team in a season finale, but StatusQuoIsGod, and naturally they put the band back together in the season premiere.
* Lt. Daniels spends most of Season 2 of ''Series/TheWire'' putting the Barksdale detail from Season 1 back together as the new Sobotka detail, which he hopes to eventually turn into a permanent Major Case Unit.
* The whole point of the Creator/DisneyXD show ''Series/ImInTheBand''.
* Used as a theme with the ensemble in ''Series/{{Leverage}}''. The running gag is that, while each of them used to work solo as criminals, they've gotten [[GoodFeelsGood hooked on helping people]]
* The plot of comedy-drama ''Hunting Venus'' revolves around an early eighties new romantic band getting together again for a reunion twenty years on. Unfortunately they can barely remember how to play their instruments, the lead guitarist has had a sex-change, and nobody can recall how the hit single went.
* The trope is mentioned by name but otherwise averted in the ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' episode "Nothing Personal"; [[spoiler: following SHIELD's official dissolution,]] Maria Hill, now working for [[Film/IronMan Stark Industries]], tells Coulson, "We're not putting the band back together."
* The opening two-parter of ''Series/RobinOfSherwood'' season 3. The [[LegacyCharacter new Hooded Man]], after finding that [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the call knows where he lives]], has to reassemble the outlaws to rescue Marion.
* In season 3 episode 4 of Series/{{Zoo}} Jackson tells Abe, "C'mon, let's get the band back together." immediately prior to the full assembly of the cast primaries following season 2's cataclysmic conclusion.

* Music/XJapan did this in 2007, finally accomplishing it completely in 2010 with the full return of [[Music/ToshimitsuDeyama Toshi]] and the selection of Music/{{Sugizo}} as permanent lead guitarist in place of the late [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide]], and the one-show return of now-late bassist Music/TaijiSawada.

* Happened with both Music/PinkFloyd and Music/LedZeppelin at Live Aid - was supposed to happen to Music/TheBeatles as well (with Julian Lennon standing in from John Lennon), but alas, that one didn't [[IncrediblyLamePun come together...]] Also, it was the only time Sting ever performed "MoneyForNothing" with Music/DireStraits after the song's [[Music/BrothersInArms original recording]].
** A better example for Led Zeppelin would be their 2007 reunion concert, documented in the film/CD ''Celebration Day''.
** Pink Floyd later re-reunited one last time at Live 8 in 2005. It now seems likely to *really* have been the last time, owing in large part to the 2008 death of keyboardist Rick Wright.
* All five members of country-pop band Music/RestlessHeart reunited in 2003 for one more album, and they tour sporadically to this day. They pretty much broke up in 1993, save for four of them reuniting temporarily in 1998 to make new songs for a GreatestHitsAlbum.

* At Music/{{Motorhead}}'s 10th anniversary concert (documented in the album/video ''The Birthday Party''), Lemmy had ALL of the former members of Motorhead onstage for the finale.

* Having had more different line-ups than an Italian coalition government, and at least thirty-five different members over the years, [[IAmTheBand Dave Brock]] attempted to create the Hawkestra, bringing together ''everyone'' who had at one time or another played with space-rockers Music/{{Hawkwind}}. Alas, it only served to remind everyone as to ''why'' the band had broken up and reformed with new members so many times. The exercise broke up in disastrous acrimony, with people reviving old arguments, grievances, grudges, vendettas and blood-feuds, placing the blame on each other, but almost universally at that bastard Brock. Division of the revenues from the poorly-received Hawkestra gigs caused even more rows, and the repercussions simmer on today.
* Music/BlueOysterCult brought back Albert and Joe Bouchard, and Allen Lanier for their 40th anniversary show in November 2012. This ended up being the last ever performance featuring all five original members due to Lanier's death in August 2013.
* A meta example in Donald Fagen's song "H Gang", about an "orphan girl with that crazy red hair" putting her old band back together after she gets out of jail.
* This is essentially what happened with Cult Leader. After Gaza broke up (primarily due to rape accusations aimed at Jon Parkin; while nothing has ever been confirmed or denied, it has been strongly hinted that they were completely genuine), Anthony Lucero, Mike Mason, and Casey Hansen decided to continue on under a new name, and after drafting in Sam Richards on bass and having Lucero switch to vocals, Cult Leader was born.
* Music/{{Belly}} announced a reunion and tour in 2016 after a 20-year hiatus.
* Music/{{Jawbreaker}} reunited at Riot Fest in 2017 after breaking up in 1996.
* Music/{{Pain}} reunited in 2019 after breaking up in 2000.

* Gav of Music/MiracleOfSound made a song for ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' called "Get The Gang Back Together", focusing on the heroes and the family they once shared.
--> "Get-get the gang back together, / it's getting closer! / Get-get the gang back together! / Keep watching over..."
* Music/SoftCell attempted to do this in the early Noughties. However, the reunion didn't work out and they disbanded again after releasing only one album of new material and having a couple of minor hits on the UK singles chart. Marc Almond now believes the reunion was a mistake.
* After years of silence, Music/{{ACDC}} announced in 2020 that the line-up of previous album ''Rock or Bust'' would reunite for a new record, overcoming [[DwindlingParty a succession of departures]] (Stevie Young only played because his uncle Malcolm's health problems that would take his life, Phil Rudd couldn't tour following an arrest, Brian Johnson left halfway through the tour at the risk of losing his hearing, and Cliff Williams had retired after the tour because the changes made him lose his passion).

* ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' is a video game example. Various events have led to Fox being all alone by the beginning of the game. Although he's really hesitant to do it at first (going as far to hire his rival Wolf instead in one branch), there's at least one branch of the storyline where Fox gets together the entire original Star Fox team.

* ''The Tale of Food'' starts off with a DownerBeginning that includes Kòngsāng's destruction and the breaking of the pact between the place and all foodsouls living in it, causing them to lose all memory of their life there and get sent back to their time and place of origin. The plot after that is about traveling all around China at various historical periods to bring everyone back.
* The second half of ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'' opens with Garr seeking out Ryu, and the two of them setting out to find the other previous party members. Unlike ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI,'' the plot is [[NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom totally linear]]; you cannot progress past X area until you've recruited party member Y.
* ''[[VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar Lunar: Silver Star Story]]'' has a failed attempt at bringing the last Dragon Master and his friends back together to fight the new evil. Unfortunately, the new evil keeps getting to the old heroes [[TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot just before you do.]] At least you get the ReplacementGoldfish for party members.
* In ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur III'''s Chronicles of the Sword mode, after a TimeSkip, the player loses their army for a few levels. A few chapters before the end though, the player has the option to get all but one ([[spoiler:whom they killed 2 chapters ago]]) back by [[spoiler:befriending them to knock them out of Soul Edge induced mind control]].

* Another video game example in ''VideoGame/BatenKaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean'', right after [[DiscOneFinalBoss Geldoblame]] is revealed to have been manipulated by [[spoiler:Melodia, Fadroh, and Kalas]], the entire party ends up separated and scattered across the five floating islands, and Xelha has to rescue the other [[spoiler:four]] members before you can travel to Wazn to get the next PlotCoupon.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** Subverted in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': after [[TheMan the Illusive Man]] offers [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] a list of candidates for his/her new crew, you can tell him to shove it because you already have a BadassCrew from the first game. However, it turns out none of them are available anymore (Kaidan/Ashley are on a top-secret mission for the Alliance, Garrus slipped off the radar, Tali is leading an expedition for the Flotilla, Wrex reigns on Tuchanka, and Liara is on a crusade against the Shadow Broker). Doubly subverted, however, when ''some'' of your old crew do come back, namely, [[spoiler:Joker, Dr. Chakwas, Garrus, Tali, and ([[GuestStarPartyMember temporarily]]) Liara.]]
** Kaidan / Ashley and Liara return as full party members in ''[[VideoGame/MassEffect3 ME3]]'', as do Garrus and Tali provided they survived the SuicideMission (Wrex is still busy leading the krogan). You can also pull in a few Normandy [=NPCs=] from both of the previous games.
** Taking this trope even further is half the point of the ''Citadel'' DLC, where all of the squad members you've ever had (who are still alive) can fight with you in the Armax Arsenal Arena, and the DLC concludes with you throwing a big party for all of them. It's also significant that Wrex returns as a full squad member for the main story mission; play your cards right, and you can have all surviving squad members from the original game[[labelnote:*]]Kaidan/Ashley, Garrus, Wrex, Tali and Liara[[/labelnote]] back in your squad and fully invoke the trope.
* Taken rather literally in the Co-op Story Mode of ''VideoGame/GuitarHero III: Legends of Rock''. Halfway into it, your band splits up (well, the singer and drummer at least), and then they meet again three months later and rejoin. The subsequent song block is even titled "Getting the Band Back Together".
* ''VideoGame/StarTrekEliteForce II'' starts with the ''Voyager'' coming home triumphantly... and your Hazard Team being disbanded by an asshole bureaucrat with BigOlEyebrows who thinks that all's well in [[TheFederation Federation]] space. Some time later, Munro, your PlayerCharacter, is teaching combat tactics to cadets at the Academy, when Picard comes along and, after telling to bureaucrat to shove off, asks you to rebuild the Hazard Team, this time on the ''Enterprise''-E. All but one former team members come back (plus two new ones), and the one remaining is later found by pure coincidence.
* In ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', there's an achievement called "Got The Band Back Together" for reuniting the Vault Hunters of the first game back in Sanctuary.

* ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'':
** Occurs in ''[[TheMovie Prince of Darkness]]'', in which Ruri reunites the old Nadesico crew after a TimeSkip.
** Happened in the anime proper, too. After Nergal [[spoiler:disbands the crew]], Ruri just about singlehandedly [[spoiler:re-hijacks the ship]].
* A strange version in ''Bubblegum Crash'' -- Sylia calls everyone together to announce that they're reuniting; Nene thought they were being called together to announce that they were breaking up.
* After ''Manga/{{BECK}}'' break up temporarily, Koyuki tries to reunite everybody from the band, though he has great troubles finding Ryuusuke, who went road-tripping in America.
* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Simon, Yoko, Kittan and [[spoiler:Viral]] put Team Dai-Gurren back together to fight [[spoiler:the Anti-Spirals]].

* The first volume of ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'' has [[BigGood Commander Hayate]] reconstructing the [[TheSquad Riot Force Six task force]] from ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' so they could resolve the Hückebein and Eclipse case before it could grow into a serious incident.
* ''Manga/OnePiece''
** After Kuma [[PartyScattering scattered the Straw Hat crew]] to the four corners of the world (for their safety, as it later turns out), Luffy sends them a secret message to meet in Sabaody [[TimeSkip after two years]], when they all have trained to become stronger.
** The Nine Red Scabbards are loyal retainers of the rightful ruler of Wano Country, the late Kozuki Oden. The Scabbards are scattered after Oden's execution ([[spoiler:some via TimeTravel]]), but the Straw Hats got to meet five of them before even deciding to go to Wano, and while preparing a rebellion to depose Wano's current shogun, one of their missions is to find those that remained.
* An unusual variation in ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', where Kyon reassembles the SOS Brigade... or at least their alternate universe counterparts.
* ''Anime/TheLegendOfBlackHeaven'': Oji Tanaka needs to get his old band back together to operate an alien superweapon, which is powered by rock music.

* In the second episode of ''Anime/StrikeWitches'', the original witches of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing all return to face the new Neuroi threat.
* Happens near the end of ''Anime/TenchiInTokyo'' - despite all of their brand-spanking new jobs and hang ups, the girls comes running back to Tokyo when [[spoiler:Yugi makes her move, kidnapping Sasami and starting to crystalize the rest of the world.]]

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': After the one year timeskip following the battle with Tartarus, [[spoiler:Natsu returns and is horrified to find out that Fairy Tail was disbanded. He and Lucy set off to gather the old members and bring Fairy Tail back together, and they first come across Wendy and Carla, who joined Lamia Scale. [[IdiotHero Natsu]] assumes everyone would immediately drop everything and rejoin Fairy Tail in an instant, and is shocked and outraged when Wendy and Carla adamantly refuse to leave Lamia Scale and the friends they made there. Though the two later agree to rejoin after beating their enemies.]].

* Captain Metropolis tried to do this in a flashback in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' only for it to fall completely flat.
** The trailers to [[Film/{{Watchmen}} the movie]] try to make it seem as if this is the plot proper in true NeverTrustATrailer spirit.
** However, some of the team members do get back together again as stimulated by Rorschach.
* The original ''ComicBook/XFactor'' comic started with Jean Grey doing this to her old teammates from the original X-Men upon coming BackFromTheDead.

* This trope is invoked by name in the new ComicBook/DarkwingDuck revival comic book. Only in this case, it's the ''villains'' who are getting their band back together, while the hero is still [[AchillesInHisTent sulking his way through a forced retirement.]]

* Specifically invoked by ComicBook/GreenArrow at the start of BradMeltzer's Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} run. Unusually, it's not him that they've come to recruit...
* In ''ComicBook/ZodiacStarforce'', Kim ''really'' wants to get the various members of the Starforce reunited, even though as far as the rest of the team is concerned they're done fighting monsters.

* ''ComicBook/AgentsOfAtlas'' begins with Jimmy Woo reuniting the team he assembled to save President Eisenhower during the 1950's in order to investigate the mysterious Atlas Foundation. As it turned out, [[spoiler:the reunion was instigated by the leader of the Foundation, who had chosen Woo as his successor]].
* In ''ComicBook/{{Guardians 2004}}'', Vince Armstrong is forced to reunite his childhood friends when an alien they encountered back when they were kids returns, hunted by other aliens, and seeks their help.

* ''Fanfic/{{Windfall}}'' is about the [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Mane Six]], who had since gone their separate ways as their lives moved on, coming back together for the birth of Fluttershy's first child.

* ''FanFic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': [[spoiler:As with canon, the new Mane Six manage to get the Humane Five to realize they were deliberately targeted and split up by Sunset Shimmer, repairing their bonds.]]
* ''Fanfic/OfSheepAndBattleChicken'': Played straight and subverted in the third story. While Shepard is playing this trope straight in her actions of reassembling her old team, due to the fact that several of them are operating under assumed identities she is unaware that this is what she is doing until after she finds them.
* ''Fanfic/Earth27'': With the shutdown of the Justice League of America, there were two members (the Question and Captain Atom) that chose to band together. Their goal was to create a new Justice League based in their shared home of Hub City. While they did manage to recruit fresh talent from the Titans (Blue Beetle and Booster Gold) and a young Hub City heroine named Nightshade, they never really got their new Justice League off the ground, with the Question ultimately quitting the team just eight months after it was founded in order to relocate to Gotham City.
* While it doesn't intentionally happen in ''Fanfic/{{Precipice}}'', the old Clone Wars heroes of Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, and Ahsoka eventually find their ways back to each other throughout the story and become the team they were during the events of the war.
* While the actual process of reuniting the team might have happened offscreen, ''Fanfic/HazredousInterruptions'' had Team [=STRQ=] be reunited to save Team [=RWBY=]. [[spoiler:Including one Summer Rose, who had been FakingTheDead for over ten years to hide the fact that she had become the Winter Maiden.]]

* In ''Film/TheMuppets'', Muppets fans Walter, Gary, and Mary try to get Kermit to get the Muppets back together after learning that Muppet Studios is going to be bought by an oil magnate, in hopes that they can organize a telethon to buy it back. [[spoiler:The telethon is unsuccessful, but the group decides to stick together, and they end up getting the Studio back anyways.]]
* In ''Film/ImGonnaGitYouSucka'', John Slade reassembles the team of black heroes who once took down Mr. Big.
* The first ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' movie had the group disband at the beginning, and then rejoining for another mystery two years later. Also done with the animated movie ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland''.
* ''Film/TheMightyDucks'' sequels has the hockey team regroup for each competition. Between their lack of off-season practice, moving to a higher level, figuring out how to incorporate the new members (as well as compensate for the members they've lost) with each new film, they need to do some adjustments.
* ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'' arranges for this. NASA wants Bruce Willis's character to help their team; he'll only go if he can take all his own band of oil drillers. They have split up across the country -- that's what they do when they're on leave. Government force is gently used to put them back together.
* The Robert Rodriguez film ''Film/{{Desperado}}''. El Mariachi is reuniting his former bandmates, and tells them to bring their guitars, [[ChewBubblegum but not to play music.]]
* In ''Film/ShaolinSoccer'', the protagonist must convince his old training buddies to reunite and begin practicing kung fu again -- in order to [[MundaneUtility play soccer]]. Many of them are of the "unmotivated wash-up" variety, although there's also one who's a businessman comfortable with his new life.
* Happens in ''Film/UncommonValor'' when a wealthy businessman finances a raid to rescue [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POW POW]]s from Vietnam.
* A meta-example in the ''Film/TheHobbit'' films in which Creator/PeterJackson brings back former ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' cast and crew members. Frodo, Gandalf, Elrond, Gollum, Saruman, Legolas, Galadriel, and the elderly Bilbo are all featured on-screen, and a great many important production members also returned, such as composer Howard Shore.

* Sort of in ''Film/StandUpGuys'' where former bank robbers Walken, Pacino and Arkin meet up after 28 years and keep telling each other "It's just like the old days", while Pacino adds "It's better" because they appreciate it more now. Though they didn't get together to pull another job, they do find a couple of missions as the film progresses.

* ''Film/Anchorman2TheLegendContinues'': Ron Burgundy has to put his old crew back together after being offered a job at a 24 hour news network.
* ''Film/TheConcert'', a more literal example of this trope.
* In ''Film/GangOfRoses'', Rachel gathers together the old members of her outlaw gang to aid in her in her RoaringRampageOfRevenge after her sister is murdered.
* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': [[spoiler: Five years after]] [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar Thanos' snap]], the remaining Avengers have been split apart doing their own things: Tony has a daughter with Pepper, Clint has become a vigilante, Bruce has been learning to live with the Hulk in one body, Thor has secluded himself in New Asgard out of guilt for failing to stop Thanos, and Steve and Natasha have been working with Rhodey, Rocket, Nebula, Okoye, and Carol to help rebuild the universe. It isn't until Scott escapes the Quantum Realm that Steve and Natasha realize there is a way to [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong bring everyone back]], and while some need a bit more convincing, they eventually get everyone back together to make their Time Heist possible.

Compare with AvengersAssemble, EveryoneMeetsEveryone and OrderReborn.