History Main / WaitHere

** As indicated by the page quote, the Doctor has been facing this problem for forty years.

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[DistressedDamsel And try not to get yourselves caught for two friggin' seconds.]]"]]

* As shown above in the page image, during The Subspace Emissary in ''SuperSmashBros'', [[MetalGearSolid Snake]] has been very clear to [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]] and [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Peach]].

->“If the Hero says ‘wait here,’ it really doesn't matter whether you obey him or not. If you stay, you will be captured by the Evil Overlord's henchmen as soon as the Hero is out of earshot. If you tag along, you will be caught by the Evil Overlord's henchmen as you stumble along. Don't agonize over your decision.”

* Parodied in ''BigTroubleInLittleChina'' when Jack Burton tells several {{Sidekick}}s: "Ok, you people! Sit tight, hold the fort and keep the home fires burning. And if we're not back by dawn, call the President." Of course, they later go in and get captured.
* ''LastActionHero'' goes into this at length, but Jack provides a very pragmatic solution: ''a gun'' in the glove compartment. Unfortunately, it also gives Daniel enough leverage to follow him… and get captured.

* ''BeverlyHillsCop'' uses the sidekick rescue variant when Axel Foley (lead Eddie Murphy) goes into a warehouse, telling Billy (Judge Reinhold) to stay put, because he doesn't have probable cause. The strictly by-the-book Billy gets increasingly nervous as the BigBad and his thugs show up then leave with the LoveInterest in tow, and finally gets up the nerve to go in. The resulting BigDamnHeroes moment sets up his CharacterDevelopment arc for the rest of the movie and the sequel.
* This becomes a RunningGag in ''TheGoldenChild'', with Chandler Jarrell repeatedly telling Kee Nang to stay put and her coming after him.
* In ''TheLordOfTheRings'' (film), at Weathertop Aragorn says he's going to have a look around and for the hobbits to “stay here.” Naturally it doesn't work out exactly as planned.

* Dawn in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' often fell into this. (“Dawn's in trouble; [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall must be Tuesday…]]”) Although to be fair, Xander had this happen to him occasionally (at least twice a season.)

* In ''{{Bleach}}'' Ichigo tells Orihime and Uryu to wait for him during the Ulquiorra fight, [[spoiler:she doesn't, the resulting crossfire probably saves Ichigo's life… And causes his SuperPoweredEvilSide to give Uryu a nearly mortal wound]].

[[quoteright:350:[[SuperSmashBros http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Brawl_Wait_Here_3274.JPG]]]]

* Miko from TransformersPrime seemingly has a psychological block against following the directions "Wait here" or "Stay put".

* [[{{Superman}} Lois Lane]] is, of course, the queen of this trope in every incarnation she's appeared in. Jimmy Olsen ties a close second.
* In the original Gold Key ''Magnus Robot Fighter'', Leeja Clane would, on the fairly uncommon times Magnus told her to stay out of harms way, do exactly that. Until something happened that Magnus needed to be urgently told about. Then Leeja would try to find him and only then be caught by the villain. Unlike ''Star Trek'', nobody in North Am thought of personal, portable communications.

* ''JonnyQuest'' TOS episode ''Terror Island''. When Race Bannon arrives at the title island, he tells Jonny and Hadji to stay and guard the boat to keep them out of danger.

* A RunningGag in ''TheGoldenChild''

* ''TheOuterLimits'' episode "Fun and Games". Mike Benson and Laura Hanley are on an alien planet participating in a death duel with two aliens. Mike tells Laura to "stay here" while he goes to check something out. She insists that they stick together, and when he goes anyway she follows him.

* In ''GreenLantern'', Hal Jordan tells [[LoveInterest Carol Ferris]] to "Stay here" as he goes off to fight [[BigBad Parallax]]. Considering that the two of them have just witnessed Parallax [[YouHaveFailedMe brutally murder his own minion]], Carol readily agrees. But after Hal immediately gets himself into trouble, Carol saves the day.

* The Temperance Brennan novels, on which ''{{Bones}}'' was based has this as a very dark RunningGag. Some cop tells Tempe to stay out of trouble, occasionally reminding her she's not a cop, and then circumstances and/or her own curiosity send her into trouble anyway.
* Harry of TheDresdenFiles on several occasions tells his apprentice to stay somewhere relatively safe before heading off for his latest confrontation. Unusually, this actually works (the fact his apprentice can turn herself invisible helps).

* ''TheTwilightZone'' TOS episode ''Still Valley''. A Confederate scout gives orders to his partner.

“dead weight” (such as [[SmallAnnoyingCreature cute sidekicks]] or [[LoveInterests love interests]]) that might slow them down by [[DamselScrappy getting into trouble at precisely the wrong time]]. He'll tell the person something akin to “Wait here, if I'm not back in an hour, call the police.”

This almost never helps.

* In ''{{Bleach}}'' Ichigo tells Orihime and Uryu to wait for him during the Ulquiorra fight, [[spoiler:she doesn't, the resulting crossfire probably saves Ichigo's life… And causes his SuperPoweredEvilSide to give Uryu a nearly mortal wound]].
* Lampshaded in the GagDub of ''{{Ghost Stories}}''.

* ''BuckarooBanzai''. When the Red Lectroids break into Buckaroo's mansion, he tells Penny Priddy to stay in his room. Of course she wanders off looking for him, which is both good and bad. Professor Hikita manages to pass the Oscillation Overthruster to her so the Red Lectroids can't get it from him, but then she's captured by them and used as a {{Hostage For MacGuffin}}.

* In ''[[GreenLantern Green Lantern]]'', Hal Jordan tells [[LoveInterest Carol Ferris]] to "Stay here" as he goes off to fight [[BigBad Parallax]]. Considering that the two of them have just witnessed Parallax [[YouHaveFailedMe brutally murder his own minion]], Carol readily agrees. But after Hal immediately gets himself into trouble, Carol saves the day.

* In ''{{Film/The Smurfs}}'', the rest of the Smurfs tell this to Clumsy twice while in modern-day New York City. The second time, he actually does stay behind, [[spoiler:which allows him to initiate the NoOneGetsLeftBehind, as Papa had made them all promise not to go back for him — but Clumsy, who wasn't there at the time, never promised anything.]]

* In RobertEHoward's ''Literature/{{The Devil in Iron}}'' ConanTheBarbarian orders Octavia to do this. It doesn't work.

* Mickey and Rose do this in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode ''The Girl in the Fireplace'', wandering off to explore after he just told them not to run off.

* As shown above in the page image, during The Subspace Emissary in ''SuperSmashBros'', [[MetalGearSolid Snake]] has been very clear to [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]] and [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Peach]].

* As shown above in the page image, during The Subspace Emissary in ''SuperSmashBros'', [[MetalGearSolid Snake]] has been very clear to [[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]] and [[SuperMarioBros Peach]].

* In RobertEHoward's ''The Devil in Iron'' ConanTheBarbarian orders Octavia to do this. It doesn't work.

* ''LastActionHero'' goes into this at length, but Jack provides a very pragmatic solution: ''a gun'' in the glove compartment. Unfortunately, it also gives Daniel enough leverage to follow him… and get captured. Le sigh.

* The 2009 ''Film/StarTrek'' begins with an “if I'm not back in fifteen minutes” line.

** Children and those with [[AttentionDeficit...Ooh,Shiny! short attention spans]] are specially vulnerable.

* ''TheMask''. Stanley Ipkiss does this to his dog Milo before going to confront Dorian Tyrell. Of course Milo disobeys him, follows him and saves the day.

** Although they don't listen to him, they actually don't get into any trouble. Peach manages to recruit Fox, and they both help out in the fight against Duon, after which Peach adds yet ''another'' useful member into the team, Mr. Game & Watch.

** Although they don't listen to him, they actually don't get into any trouble. Peach manages to recruit two allies, Fox and Mr. Game & Watch, and they both help in the fight against Duon.

* Miko from [[TransformersPrime]] seemingly has a \psychological block against following the directions "Wait here" or "Stay put".

--> *{{Beat}}*