History Main / TheBait

* In ''Anime/MazingerZ'', often Kouji voluntereed to be TheBait.

--> '''Timon:''' What's the plan?
--> '''Simba:''' Live bait.
--> '''Timon:''' Good idea--HEY!
--> ''TheLionKing''

* In [[DanAbnett Dan Abnett's]] GauntsGhosts novel ''First & Only'', Larkin wanders into the Jantine Patrician quarters and runs when he spots some of them. They give chase and are struck down by his companions. Only then does Larkin complain that he always gets to be the bait.

* In [[JamesSwallow James Swallow's]] {{Warhammer 40000}} ''[[Literature/BloodAngels Deus Encarmine]]'', Iskavan is told that his entire force has been sacrificed as bait to draw the Blood Angels in -- and is jeered at for not even being able to die when he ought.

* In [[RobertEHoward Robert E. Howard's]] ConanTheBarbarian story "Literature/TheDevilInIron" Octavia is used to lure Conan.

* In [[RobertEHoward Robert E. Howard's]] ConanTheBarbarian story "The Devil In Iron" Octavia is used to lure Conan.
** In "The Frost Giant's Daughter," the title character lures Conan into a trap -- and discovers this is not wise unless you know that your defenders can take him.

* In [[JamesSwallow James Swallow's]] {{Warhammer 40000}} BloodAngels novel ''Deus Encarmine'', Iskavan is told that his entire force has been sacrificed as bait to draw the Blood Angels in -- and is jeered at for not even being able to die when he ought.

If you're the Heroes then you need to look for volunteers. There are two versions that pop up. The first is one of the Heroes agrees to be TheBait risking a HeroicSacrifice. The other version is for the resident ChewToy to become a [[GotVolunteered Less Than Willing Volunteer]]. [[MoreHeroThanThou A common resulting conversation]] in a FiveManBand is as follows:

** In "Gods of the North" the woman lures Conan -- and discovers this is not wise unless you know that your defenders can take him.

* In DragonAge2, Isabela's personal quest in chapter 3 requires her to take on the role of bait.

* In BrandonSanderson's ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' the [[spoiler: bridgemen]] are this.
* In RobertEHoward's ConanTheBarbarian story "The Devil In Iron" Octavia is used to lure Conan.

[[AC:Anime]]

[[AC:Fanfiction]]

[[AC:Literature]]
* In DanAbnett's GauntsGhosts novel ''First & Only'', Larkin wanders into the Jantine Patrician quarters and runs when he spots some of them. They give chase and are struck down by his companions. Only then does Larkin complain that he always gets to be the bait.

* In JamesSwallow's {{Warhammer 40000}} BloodAngels novel ''Deus Encarmine'', Iskavan is told that his entire force has been sacrificed as bait to draw the Blood Angels in -- and is jeered at for not even being able to die when he ought.

* Lelouch Lamperouge of CodeGeass uses his [[{{MindControl}} Geass]] to make himself forget that his partner Suzaku has disarmed the bomb keeping his [[{{DamselInDistress}} Sister]] [[{{HostageSituation}} hostage]]. Using himself as TheBait to distract the MindReading Mao to buy time for Suzaku to get close enough to catch Mao without him realizing it.

Compare WeNeedADistraction. Sometimes overlaps with WhyAreYouLookingAtMeLikeThat on part of the bait.

* ''The Tripods''. In order to capture one of the Masters, the protagonist rides a green-painted (to catch their attention) horse past one of their Tripods, and when it gives chase lures it into a hidden pit.

* In BrandonSanderson's TheStormlightArchive the [[spoiler: bridgemen]] are this.

* The function of several cards in ''MagicTheGathering. One of the best examples is the Taunting Elf, which has the ability that when it attacks, everything capable of blocking it has to. This can be used to allow all the other creatures to attack unimpeded, or to lure out a creature that normally wouldn't be used as a blocker. Since the elf is a 0/1 and thus unless enhanced is incapable of dealing or taking any damage, it generally doesn't survive the process.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ScoobyDoo, need I say more?
* Iago, from Disney/{{Aladdin}}, much to his everlasting chagrin.
* The baby dinosaurs in {{Land Before Time}} use poor little Ducky for this.

[[AC:ComicBook]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* Bait duty debates happen a lot on ''{{Buffy}}'', and usually Xander gets the job, being as he's the ButtMonkey of the series.
* In ''PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'', Sailor Venus takes on this role for much of the show. [[spoiler:She sees this as a good use of her life because she has a terminal illness and knows she'll reincarnate before long anyway.]]

[[AC:WebComics]]
* In ''OrderOfTheStick'', [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0524.html Belkar ]] -- he did not even figure it out first.

* In BrandonSanderson 's Way of Kings the [[spoiler: bridgemen]] are this.

----
->''I object to being used as psychopath bait!''
-->--'''Marten''', ''[[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=742 Questionable Content]]''

-->'''Xander:''' You don't hide. You're bait. Go act baity.
-->'''Cordelia:''' What's the plan?
-->'''Xander:''' The vampire attacks you.
-->'''Cordelia:''' And then what?
-->'''Xander:''' The vampire kills you. We watch, we rejoice.
-->''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', "Anne"

Compare WeNeedADistraction.

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