History Main / TheInquisitorGeneral

** In ''[[Recap/BabylonFiveFilm04ACallToArms A Call to Arms]]'', it is evident that the foreman at the shipyard for the new destroyers considers Micheal Garibaldi to be a most unwelcome version of this, but for the [[InvertedTrope inverse]] of the normal reason: The foreman wants to get everything perfect, and Garibaldi is insisting that he accept things as "Good Enough" and move on so they can actually complete the project. Of course, it's also possible that he was delaying over every little problem because [[spoiler:he was actually TheMole]].

** Miles Vorkosigan pulls off faking this in ''Literature/TheWarriorsApprentice'' as part of an IndyPloy -- or rather, the latest in a long string of Indy Ploys.
** In ''Literature/{{Memory}}'', the reader is introduced to the position of Imperial Auditor, a troubleshooter answerable only to the Emperor with vast powers to investigate situations beyond what's addressed by normal channels, in a combination of this trope and its sister trope InternalAffairs. Miles is assigned the position to investigate an unusual attack on [=ImpSec's=] security chief, and thinks he's killing time waiting for field agents to report on off-planet leads. As it happens, after a few days of snooping, he finds what he needs to crack the case in the basement of [=ImpSec=] HQ.

** The first-season episode ''Eyes'', had an officer named Colonel Ari Ben Zayn arrive on the station to inquire into the details of recent events aboard the station, going all the way back to the series pilot episode. He also brings along Harriman Gray, a [[{{telepathy}} telepath]], who is to scan each of the officers aboard the station to ensure that they are [[LivingLieDetector loyal to EarthGov]]. [[TheLancer Ivanova]] refuses, ostensibly because she is [[HonorBeforeReason offended that her superiors would even suggest her loyalty could be in question]], but in actuality, it is because [[spoiler: [[DarkSecret she is a rogue telepath]]. ]] In addition, it turned out that the Colonel was really trying to destroy the station commander's reputation. He had been seeking that posting and had been high on the list for consideration, but the Minbari (who had secured veto power in this regard in exchange for the funds necessary to finish the station) rejected him (and many others) in favor of Commander Sinclair.

** In ''[[PoorlyDisguisedPilot A Call To Arms]]'', it is evident that the foreman at the shipyard for the new destroyers considers Micheal Garibaldi to be a most unwelcome version of this, but for the [[{{inverted}} inverse]] of the normal reason: The foreman wants to get everything perfect, and Garibaldi is insisting that he accept things as "Good Enough" and move on so they can actually complete the project. Of course, it's also possible he was delaying over every little problem because [[spoiler: he was actually TheMole.]]
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' featured Inspector General officers in several episodes.
** In "Coming Of Age", two officers are inspecting the Enterprise and her crew, second-guessing every decision and action they've taken thus far. In the end, it is revealed that they suspected that [[spoiler: an alien force was infiltrating Starfleet]], and that at the end of their investigation, they found the Enterprise to be the finest ship in the fleet.
** Another episode later that same season revealed that [[spoiler: Both officers had been taken over by the [[PuppeteerParasite infiltrating aliens]], along with many of Starfleet's key senior officers. Several [[HeroOfAnotherStory starship captains]] became suspicious of their seniors' [[NotHimself suspicious behavior]], including trying to [[BluffTheImpostor bluff their way out of conversations about topics they should be familiar and comfortable with]], such as mutual friends or past encounters.]]
** A later episode, "The Drumhead", featured Admiral Norah Satie. After a near-catastrophic failure of the engines, she investigates the ship's crew in belief the failure was caused by sabotage. While an investigation of the incident itself [[HanlonsRazor pointed toward equipment failure]], she still [[WitchHunt pursued her case]], destroying the career of crewman Simon Tarses [[spoiler:who ''happened'' to have [[DarkSecret Romulan ancestry]], but there was absolutely no evidence otherwise that he was a Romulan spy]]. She then turned her investigative "guns" against Captain Picard. [[spoiler:Her investigation (and career) flamed out spectacularly]].

* The Creator/DannyKaye film ''The Inspector General'' has a man arrested for vagrancy mistaken for an Inspector General [[MasterOfDisguise in disguise]].

This is a character whose job it is to go over everything you do with a fine-toothed comb and an electron microscope, making sure to [[ListOfTransgressions catalog each of your transgressions]], [[CantGetAwayWithNuthin big and small.]] He could be a DrillSergeantNasty, TheNeidermeyer, or even ColonelBadass. Assuming that he is a benevolent form of this trope, his goal is to help you become as flawless at what you do as possible, so you'll be less likely to make any mistakes when [[ThisMeansWar it counts for real]]. Of course, it's also possible that he's a JerkAss whose only goal is to make you look like an incompetent fool or get you angry enough to do something you'll regret.

* In ''Franchise/StarWars'', Colonel Wullf Yularen is a colonel in the Imperial Security Bureau (the Empire's state and military police) is frequently shown to be the point of call for military internal problems. A specific example is in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' Season Four episode "Through Imperial Eyes", in which he is called in by Grand Admiral Thrawn to root out a spy. [[spoiler:Thanks to his investigation, Thrawn deduces the spy to be his protege and ISB Agent Kallus]].

* In the ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' short story ''Fanatic'', a StateSec PoliticalOfficer is sweating bullets after the suspected murder of his superior, whilst the government he works for, the People's Republic of Haven, is undergoing considerable political turmoil and purges. Things quickly get worse when he finds that the Inspector General being sent to investigate the death is none other than Victor Cachat, holder of [[NomDeGuerre many nicknames]] with [[RedBaron terrifying implications]]. [[spoiler: It doesn't help him much that he [[DramaticIrony doesn't know what the readers know]], that Victor is a good guy, just a [[SociopathicHero terrifyingly cold blooded one]], and recognizes that the protagonist is also obviously a good guy, despite who he worked for.]]

** The first-season episode ''Eyes'', had an officer named Colonel Ari Ben Zayn arrive on the station to inquire into the details of recent events aboard the station, going all the way back to the series pilot episode. He also brings along Harriman Gray, a [[{{telepathy}} telepath]], who is to scan each of the officers aboard the station to ensure that they are [[LivingLieDetector loyal to EarthGov]]. [[TheLancer Ivanova]] refuses, ostensibly because she is [[HonorBeforeReason offended that her superiors would even suggest her loyalty could be in question]], but in actuality it is because [[spoiler: [[DarkSecret she is a rogue telepath]]. ]] In addition, it turned out that the Colonel was really was trying to destroy the station commander's reputation. He had been seeking that posting, and had been high on the list for consideration, but the Minbari (who had secured veto power in this regard in exchange for the funds necessary to finish the station) rejected him (and many others) in favor of Commander Sinclair.

* Inquisitors in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' are more concerned with rooting out heretics, xenos-sympathizers and other undesirables, so usually it's [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Administratum drones]] that look for this kind of misuse. The ''Imperial Guardsman's Uplifting Primer'' suggests that they have the power to execute soldiers found lacking in maintaining equipment perfectly clean. If an actual Inquisitor takes interest it means that there is widespread corruption issues in the backline to such an extent that Daemonic, Alien or Heretical activity is suspected. If it turns out that it is just mundane corruption left to fester by local military and civilian bureaucrats then the inspectors are in trouble for wasting the Inquisitor's time through incompetence.

* ''Webcomic/AirForceBlues'' has a mild example in the form of Barbie's ex girlfriend, Captain Dhart. She appears from time to time to inspect the 809th, though nothing ever seems to come of it.

** In fact, the very first time the Inspector General is mentioned in the comic, one of the characters is trying to equate the Inspector General to a MadScientist. The logic behind his conclusion is a a bit weak, to say the least.

* A RunningGag in ''Webcomic/CrewDogs'' was that the Inspector General was a malicious JerkAss turned UpToEleven, who seemed to have almost supernatural powers to catch the officers making mistakes.

* Inquisitors in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' are more concerned with rooting out heretics, xenos-sympathizers and other undesirables, so usually it's [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Administratum drones]] that look for this kind of misuse. The ''Imperial Guardsman's Uplifting Primer'' suggests that they have the power to execute soldiers found lacking in maintaining equipment perfectly clean.

* Mercilessly parodied (as was everything else) with the "[[FanNickname Latrines General]]" in ''Literature/TheGoodSoldierSvejk'' — a bumbling, dimwitted general whose only passion in life was inspecting and regulating military latrines.

* Mercilessly parodied (as was everything else) with the "[[FanNickname Latrines General]]" in ''Good Soldier Švejk'' — a bumbling, dimwitted general whose only passion in life was inspecting and regulating military latrines.

[[folder:Fanworks]]
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaDivided'' Trixie is one of these working for [[TheMagocracy House Moon and Star]].

[[folder:Live Action Television]]