Line #10 Main/IndexToTheRescue


1	The index of tropes about {{rescue}}s: the types that exist, the ways they're enacted, [[PlayingWithATrope and the ways they can go awry]].
2
3	You'll also see tropes about rescuers, those dashing heroic types doing all the hard saving work, as well as the bothersome rescuees (or their more grammatical equivalents) who got themselves InHarmsWay in the first place.
4
5	For our purposes, a rescue is a situation in which [[DistressBall a character in danger]] is saved from it by another character. A BadassInDistress who saves herself with no help doesn't count. Neither does the escape of a DistressedDude after the {{Villains}} are [[DeusExMachina suddenly crushed]] by a [[DroppedABridgeOnHim falling bridge]]--unless TheHero deliberately toppled that bridge as a ConvenientlyTimedAttackFromBehind.
6
7	Often overlaps with JustInTime, since the BigDamnHeroes swooping in at the last minute is [[RuleOfCool dramatic]]. However, a rescue doesn't have to be last minute, and doom averted in the nick of time isn't always a rescue.
8
9	Compare with JustInTime, TheIndexTeam, and ProtectiveTropes. Contrast with IHaveYourIndex.
10	----
11	!!Tropes:
12	[[index]]
13	[floatboxright:
14	'''Also see:'''
15	* EscapeTropes
16	]
17	* AccidentalHero: A character becomes a hero after unknowingly saving the day.
18	* AlarmSOS: Deliberately setting off an alarm to signal that you need help.
19	* AlwaysABiggerFish: Your life gets saved by something that wasn't aiming to rescue you.
20	* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Saving the life of your LoveInterest before anyone else's.
21	* AmericaSavesTheDay: When the world is in trouble, America is the country to save everyone.
22	* BadassInDistress: Sometimes even tough as nails badasses need to be rescued.
23	* BedouinRescueService: Someone is stranded somewhere and on the brink of death, luckily the locals found them and gave them food and shelter.
24	* BigDamnHeroes: The heroes come just in time to save you from your doom.
25	* BreakingOutTheBoss: Minions rescue their superior from prison.
26	* BringHelpBack: Being sent to find help for your friends.
27	* CatchAFallingStar: Swooping in and saving someone from falling to their death.
28	* CatUpATree: The classic rescue situation involving a kitty cat stuck in a tree.
29	* CallingTheCopsOnTheFBI: Being saved from higher branches of law enforcement (like the FBI) by regular cops.
30	* TheCavalry: Reinforcements who come to [[TheHero The Hero's]] aid.
31	* CavalryBetrayal: TheHero is betrayed by those he thought were coming to his rescue.
32	* CavalryRefusal: Would be reinforcements refuse to come to [[TheHero The Hero's]] rescue.
33	* ChainOfPeople: A group of people save someone falling to their death by grabbing each other chain style.
34	* ChangedMyMindKid: The DirtyCoward comes to [[TheHero The Hero's]] rescue after refusing to get involved.
35	* ComeWithMeIfYouWantToLive: TheHero must go with someone they haven't met in order to get away from danger.
36	* ComplainingAboutRescuesTheyDontLike: Rescue victims aren't always grateful about being rescued.
37	* ConscienceMakesYouGoBack: The audience sees the DirtyCoward enjoy their freedom from responsibility, but at some point they will make the decision to go back and help to make things right.
38	* ConvenientlyTimedAttackFromBehind: Just as TheHero is about to be killed by the BigBad, one of their allies saves them by attacking the villain from behind.
39	* CrisisCatchAndCarry: Picking up and carrying someone away from a danger.
40	* DamselInDistress: The classic example of a rescue victim, a helpless young woman who has been kidnapped and needs saving.
41	* DamselOutOfDistress: This damsel doesn't need rescuing, she can take care of herself.
42	* DelayingTheRescue: The hero chooses to take their time with saving the damsel, because they've got other priorities too.
43	* DeusExMachina: A rescue comes out of nowhere when all hope seemed lost just a moment ago.
44	* DistressBall: A character needs rescuing because they uncharacteristically put themself in danger.
45	* DistressedDude: It's not always a woman who needs to be rescued, sometimes the fellas need saving too.
46	* DivingSave: Plowing right into someone to save their life.
47	* EmbarrassingRescue: A villain is embarrassed at being saved by a hero.
48	* FathersQuest: A father goes to rescue his child from a danger, being lost or kidnapped.
49	* FiremansSafetyNet: A trampoline is used to save a character who jumped from a height (whether due to suicidality or the building being unsafe).
50	* FollowingInTheirRescuersFootsteps: Someone chooses their job due to having been saved by someone with that job.
51	* FriendOrIdolDecision: A character has to decide whether to save an artifact or a friend.
52	* FrivolousSummoning: You needed my help for ''that?!''
53	* GiantRobotHandsSaveLives: A falling character is caught by a giant robot.
54	* GiveChaseWithAngryNatives: Someone is being chased and tries to throw the chaser off by riling up people who could attack either or both parties.
55	* GotOverRapeInstantly: The rescuee is saved from sexual assault and immediately offers sexual or romantic interest to their rescuer with no further mention of the trauma.
56	* GottaRescueThemAll: A video game where you need to rescue multiple characters one by one.
57	* GunshipRescue: A gunship (usually an aircraft) saves the bacon of one or more main characters in a tough situation.
58	* HandsOffMyFluffy: Somebody tries to save someone else from an animal, but it turns out the animal was the other person's pet.
59	* HangingByTheFingers: A character is dangling from a ledge or rope by their fingers and is in danger of falling.
60	* HelpMistakenForAttack: A character is helping another but someone thinks they're attacking them.
61	* HeroicFireRescue: Rushing into a burning building to save the people inside it.
62	* HeroicSacrifice: Saving someone's life, even if it means providing risk for yourself.
63	* HerosFirstRescue: Someone who's recently gained powers sees people in danger, realises they could rescue them with their powers, does so, and usually goes on to become a superhero.
64	* IFoundYouLikeThis: The rescuer finds the rescuee at near-death or unconscious and takes them to their home to heal them back to health.
65	* ImprobableFallingSave: Catching a falling person without their weight and momentum injuring you or pulling you down with them.
66	* IWasJustPassingThrough: Somebody saves, or tries to save, their rival, but makes an excuse to save face.
67	* IWillFindYou: Someone is on a determined quest to find a missing lover, relative, or friend.
68	* JumpIllCatchYou: A character has another, who is stuck in a high place, jump into their arms.
69	* JustWhistle: A character saves another and gives them a whistle to blow if they need saving again.
70	* LastMinuteReprieve: Someone is just about to be executed, only to be pardoned in the nick of time.
71	* NewcomerSavesTheDay: A character joins a team, then earns their membership by saving everybody else.
72	* NoOneGetsLeftBehind: A character refuses to leave behind an injured friend or a dead body, no matter how dire the situation is.
73	* NotTheFallThatKillsYou: A character is plummeting, but can survive uninjured as long as they don't actually hit the ground.
74	* NotTooDeadToSaveTheDay: A character is saved by another, who either died and came back, died but the one being saved hallucinated them, or was [[DisneyDeath mistaken for dead]].
75	* ParentsInDistress: Children save their parents from danger.
76	* PassiveRescue: A character is imprisoned, so someone else sneakily gives them the means to escape.
77	* PetGetsTheKeys: A pet gives some trapped characters a means to escape.
78	* ProhibitedHeroSavesTheDay: A character was not allowed to join a group of heroes, but then has to save them when the group gets endangered.
79	* ProtectedByAChild: A character's life is saved when a child jumps in front of them, thus making the attacker reluctant to hurt them.
80	* RecruitedFromTheGutter: Two characters work together because one saved the other from a bad life.
81	* RecruitmentByRescue: A character needs help saving the day, so they must save people and then recruit them.
82	* RedundantRescue: A character is rescued even though logically they shouldn't need it. Sometimes this is an intentional gag, other times it's just a PlotHole.
83	* RefuseToRescueTheDisliked: When you're reluctant to save someone because you can't stand them.
84	* RescueArc: A story arc centered around saving someone's life.
85	* RescuedFromTheUnderworld: Rescuing someone who is trapped in the afterlife.
86	* RescueHug: A character rescues someone from falling, which results in the two having a tender embrace.
87	* RescueIntroduction: A character is introduced saving the day.
88	* RescueReversal: Characters try to rescue another, only for that character to save themselves, and the would-be rescuers to end up needing rescue instead.
89	* RescueRomance: A romantic relationship that begins with saving someone's life.
90	* RescueSex: TheHero rescues the DamselInDistress, and she rewards him by spending the night in bed together.
91	* RestrictedRescueOperation: Somebody plans a rescue, but lacks the necessary supplies, needs to keep it secret, or isn't allowed to do it.
92	* RevoltingRescue: A heroic, but gross, act.
93	* RoadsideSurgery: A character operates on another in an area that's not an operating room.
94	* RoaringRampageOfRescue: A character goes on an aggressive, determined rampage to save another.
95	* SaintBernardRescue: A Saint Bernard brings a hypothermic character a barrel of brandy.
96	* SavedByATerriblePerformance: A character saves the day by doing something they are known to be bad at.
97	* SaveTheJerk: The hero rescues someone who gets on their nerves.
98	* SaveTheVillain: The hero rescues one of their enemies.
99	* SavingTheWorldWithArt: Making art as a rescue.
100	* SheWillComeForMe: Someone is in danger and muses that they will, or won't, be saved by a second character, who does save them regardless of what the endangered one thought.
101	* ShutUpAndSaveMe: A character in danger reminds a distracted hero to save them.
102	* SlaveLiberation: Rescuing people who are trapped in forced labor or servitude.
103	* StabTheScorpion: A character appears to be attacking another, but really they're killing a dangerous animal and saving the other character.
104	* SummonBiggerFish: Summoning a monster/god/etc to defeat another, evil one.
105	* TakeMyHand: A character saves, or tries to save, someone dangling from a ledge by having them grab their hand.
106	* TakingTheBullet: Someone is about to be attacked, but another character jumps right in front of them and takes the hit.
107	* TeleportationRescue: Saving someone via teleportation.
108	* TerrifyingRescuer: A scary character rescues someone.
109	* ThirdPartyStopsAttack: Somebody tries to attack someone else, but a third character interrupts the would-be attacker.
110	* TuckAndCover: A character saves another from an explosion or something similar by blocking the way with their body.
111	* UnwantedRescue: A character saves another, who didn't want to be rescued.
112	* TheVictimMustBeConfused: Somebody assumes someone else was kidnapped by another, but the "victim" claims they're not kidnapped.
113	* VillainousRescue: A villain saves a hero.
114	* WeJustNeedToWaitForRescue: A character insists on sitting back and waiting to be rescued from some disaster.
115	[[/index]]

Context Main / IndexToTheRescue