History Main / TheFerryman

* PlayedForLaughs in an episode of ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'': The owner of a chain of funeral homes is named Ferryman.

* In one story in Myth/NorseMythology, Thor comes to a river and spots a ferryman on the other side, calling on him to ferry him over. The two proceed to have a shouting match consisting of the ferryman insulting Thor and Thor threatening to beat him up, but not being able to do much since the ferryman is on the other side of the river. Thor ends up having to walk around the river that day. ''ComicBook/{{Valhall}}'' adapted this story by having the ferryman be a disguised Odin.

* In ''Series/TheMandalorian'', at one point, the Mandalorian and his party encounters a Ferry droid to help them cross a river of lava to escape pursuit. Only to realize after they committed to the voyage that there were enemies waiting to kill them at the other end.

* ''{{TabletopGame/Pathfinder}}'' features Charon as not just a ferryman, but also as one of TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse, and consequently a NeutralEvil OmnicidalManiac. If someone (rather reasonably) doesn't want to try and enlist an archfiend, they can pay a thanadaemon to transport them anywhere the River Styx goes instead. Though Charon does have a habit of impersonating them, so that's not entirely safe either.

The most classic depiction is Charon of the River Styx,[[note]]Early sources have him ply the River Acheron instead.[[/note]] [[{{Psychopomp}} who aided souls across said river]] if he was paid, as there was a worse price to pay if you tried to swim through the waters. And like Charon, the archetype's representative need not be good or even evil; the character need not also be a ''literal'' ferryman; practically anything that can transport something/someone from one place to another is considered acceptable, including flight, teleportation, or even "dream walking."

* Charon naturally makes an appearence in ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'', selling items on the bank of the Styx. While Zagreus would happily pay his fee to be brought to the world of the living, he unfortunately never takes him up on the offer. [[spoiler:He does, however, take Zagreus and Persephone back down the river when the latter returns to the underworld in the game's ending.]] Charon also serves as a shopkeeper and provides the prince with various wares for a price, punishing theft by engaging him in a challenging fight.

* The DJ who opens and closes Music/TheWeeknd's ConceptAlbum ''Dawn FM'' is this, easing the listener through the experience of death and, in the closing track "Phantom Regret by Jim", guiding them out of Purgatory to Heaven via a rhyming poem. ("Jim" refers to his performer, Creator/JimCarrey.)

[[caption-width-right:350:Bring some spirits as a bribe.. [[TheAlcoholic and not the religious kind]].]]

* ''VideoGame/EldinRing'' has the Tibia Mariner, a RecurringBoss that takes the form of a skeleton piloting a ghostly boat. It attacks by [[FlunkyBoss summoning hordes of undead]] and bashing the Tarnished with his enormous horn.

[[caption-width-right:350:Bring some [[TheAlcoholic spirits]] as a bribe (and I ain't talkin' the religious kind).]]

* Myth/ClassicalMythology: Charon is the TropeCodifier.

* Played with in ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical''. After Dumbledore's apparent death, Rumbleroar, the [[TheCuckoolanderWasRight thought-to-be-fake headmaster of the thought-to-be-fake wizarding school on ''Mars'', Pigfarts]], appears to take Dumbledore away to Pigfarts. It's a very bizarre scene, to say the least.

* Charon naturally makes an appearence in ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'', selling items on the bank of the Styx. While Zagreus would happily pay his fee to be brought to the world of the living, he unfortunately never takes him up on the offer. [[spoiler:He does, however, take Zagreus and Persephone back down the river when the latter returns to the underworld in the game's ending.]] Charon also serves as a shopkeeper and provides the prince with various wares for a price, punishing theft with by engaging him in a challenging fight.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Promethea}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_ferryman_promethea.jpg]]]]

An old archetype, the ferryman is a character (and sometimes DeusExMachina) who acts as a guide or aid to another character, allowing them to travel over near impossible obstacles to reach (or at least ''help'' reach) a specific destination.

* Charon naturally makes an appearence in ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'', selling items on the bank of the Styx. While Zagreus would happily pay his fee to be brought to the world of the living, he unfortunately never takes him up on the offer. [[spoiler:He does, however, take Zagreus and Persephone back down the river when the latter returns to the underworld in the game's ending.]]

* In ''Series/TheMandalorian'', at one point, the Mandalorian and his party encounters a Ferry droid to help them cross a deadly river to escape pursuit. Only to realize after they committed to the voyage that there were enemies waiting to kill them at the other end.

* Music/ChrisDeBurgh's early-'80s hit "Don't Pay The Ferryman" is a rather straightforward retelling of the Ferryman trope.

* ''VideoGame/Spiritfarer'' opens with your character being given Charon's job. Gameplay revolves around collecting souls from various islands and fulfilling their requests. Once all of a soul's requests are met, you are tasked with delivering them to the 'Everdoor' so that they can move on to the next plane of existence.

* Charon naturally makes an appearence in ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'', selling items on the bank of the Styx. While Zagreus would happily pay his fee to be brought to the world of the living, he unfortunately never takes him up on the offer.

* One is encountered in ''Discworld/{{Wintersmith}}'' who happens to have the same [[AC:accent]] as [[TheGrimReaper a certain recurring character]]. He tries to extort the heroes for an additional fee to take them ''out'' of the Underworld, but is thwarted when the [[PintSizedPowerhouse Nac Mac]] [[ViolentGlaswegian Feegle]] [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth threaten to stay]].

* One is encountered in the AncientGreece levels of ''VideoGame/{{Daikatana}}'', forcing you to find some drachma to pay him with before you can proceed to the next stage.

* ''TabletopGame/WraithTheOblivion'' has the Ferrymen, a society of wraiths who have sworn an oath to protect those who seek [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Transcendence]], and to police the Underworld for those who would abuse the living. Charon was one of them, back when they first began, but they went separate ways after Charon became ruler of Stygia, the Western Underworld. They are not quite like other wraiths; their initiation ritual transforms them, giving them powers and weaknesses other wraiths do not share (it should be noted that Charon never underwent the ritual, though he's unique in other ways).