# What's the first example of the "hero saves world from a villain and his minions" trope **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751 "2024-06-11T19:28:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/41 "2024-06-13T23:49:01Z")
Darn. I was hoping nobody would notice that. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/42 "2024-06-14T00:04:20Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s thankfully forgotten now. Or is it… [It still shows up here and there.](https://www.atomic-robo.com/atomicrobo/v1ch1-page-11) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/43 "2024-06-14T00:12:25Z")
All that and a robot created by Nikola Tesla in 1923. It’s one giant hive mind. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/44 "2024-06-14T00:19:46Z")
Isn’t Jesus the superhero of the Bible? He is constantly fighting evil and bad people like Satan, the Romans, and hypocrites. And he totally comes back and kicks ass in the final chapter. Now some will say the New Testimont is just a story, but thats the point. Its a superhero story. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/45 "2024-06-14T00:49:46Z")
Worst superhero costume ever. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/46 "2024-06-14T01:15:10Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > In my fading memory of the 3 Musketeers, D’Artangnan and Richelieu mostly reconcile in the end, and the real villain turns out to be the woman with the Fleur de Lis. Right. Richelieu isn’t trying to take over the world; he’s just doing standard 17th century power politics, internally (in the French royal court), and externally (against England, where Milady plays a major part in getting King James’ favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, killed). In the end, Richelieu, seeing D’Artagnan’s value, offers him a commission in the musketeers. I wouldn’t call him a villain; he’s the antagonist, but both he and D’Artagnan want to support the King and France. They just have different ideas about how to go about it, and what they want the King to do. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/47 "2024-06-14T02:36:35Z")
Yeah, in hindsight the big wooden cruciform cape seems like a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/48 "2024-06-15T14:27:44Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > I think John Buchan’s spy adventure novels fit this trope, especially _The Thitry-nine Steps_ (1915). Although the main enemy is WWI-era Germany, the hero Richard Hannay is working to defeat a ring of spies called Black Stone, and particularly its brilliant leader and master of disguise … whose name I forget. I think maybe he only ever had aliases. He does somehow escape and is back to face Hannay again in _Mr Standfast_. Spoiler alert! Just kidding, but in one of those weird coincidences I am in the middle of that book. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/49 "2024-06-15T14:34:14Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Right. Richelieu isn’t trying to take over the world; he’s just doing standard 17th century power politics, internally (in the French royal court), and externally (against England, where Milady plays a major part in getting King James’ favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, killed). Shockingly this was lost somewhat in the cartoon dog version of the story 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/50 "2024-06-15T14:37:55Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In the end, Richelieu, seeing D’Artagnan’s value, offers him a commission in the musketeers. - [D’Artagnan](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001868/?ref_=ttqu_qu): [_reciting from memory the letter Richelieu wrote giving Milady de Winter permission to kill Buckingham, d’Artagnan and Constance, as Richelieu reads the actual note which D’Artagnan has handed him_] “By my order and for the good of the state, the bearer has done what has been done.” - [Cardinal Richelieu](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000032/?ref_=ttqu_qu): Hm. One should be careful what one writes… - [_he tears up the note_] - [Cardinal Richelieu](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000032/?ref_=ttqu_qu): and to whom one gives it. I must bear those rules in mind. [signs] This is a commission in the King’s Guard. The name is blank but it is to you I give it. [Gives a wrist flick of dismissal that I have spent a lifetime trying to master!] ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/51 "2024-06-15T15:00:53Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Isn’t Jesus the superhero of the Bible? He is constantly fighting evil and bad people like Satan, the Romans, and hypocrites. And he totally comes back and kicks ass in the final chapter. > > Now some will say the New Testimont is just a story, but thats the point. Its a superhero story. My wife got me the T-shirt: [![](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.sR8ecxo8Ov_X8MB8hwwfjQHaJQ?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) ](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.sR8ecxo8Ov_X8MB8hwwfjQHaJQ?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/52 "2024-06-15T15:06:26Z")
Was Jesus called upon to mediate between the DC and Marvel characters? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/53 "2024-06-15T16:21:21Z")
Who better? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/54 "2024-06-15T18:36:55Z")
Verne’s Captain Nemo (1870) is an edge case - operating out of a submarine, with a devoted crew, sinking military vessels that trouble him, and resisting imperalism in general. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/55 "2024-06-16T01:03:02Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Shockingly this was lost somewhat in the cartoon dog version of the story Wow, was that the Spanish language one … the Mosqueperros? My dad brought me back a comic book of that from a trip he took to Mexico back when I was learning Spanish in school. I remember it being the first pun I ever understood in Spanish – and maybe still the only one. I never got much past high school Spanish. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/56 "2024-06-16T02:14:18Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Wow, was that the Spanish language one … the Mosqueperros? Originally but it was dubbed into English in the UK as Dogtanian & the Three Muskehounds. It was one of a few of those Japanese/Spanish kids cartoons that have (it seemed at the time) billions of episodes. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751/57 "2024-06-16T11:47:11Z")
Gosh, and I thought sure you were talking about [Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yippee%2C_Yappee_and_Yahooey)! Who would have thought there would be multiple cartoon dog adaptations of The Three Musketeers? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-first-example-of-the-hero-saves-world-from-a-villain-and-his-minions-trope/1002751.md?page=2)