Just-in-time lad

Just-in-time lad or rescue lad is a type of stock character, who appears in the crescendo of story, rescuing main protagonist or helping him in another way. Appearing to be a pro-hero, a supporter for good guys, single-handed rescue lad always contrasted to a bunch of always-late-guys, who, in their quantity, appearing rather as a stage decoration, but always capable of doing nothing to help main protagonist.
Description and common examples
As it comes out from his name, just-in-time lad is a kind of hero who appears in the moment, critical for main protagonist or his sidekicks and quickly dissolves situation and rescues “good guys” from seemingly inevitable outcome. Usually, in the intro of a story, just-in-time lad refuses to help to a main protagonist, because he is out of business and doesn’t want no adventures, or simply “too old for that”, but when heroes are failing or being failed by a villains, just-in-time lad quickly changes his mind and hurrying up to the rescue. More clear examples of retired character, who saves main protagonist from fatal dénouement at the end of story, are Michael Dudikoff’s character Joe Armstrong in American Ninja 4, suddenly appearing to rescue his student from being executed by arab terrorists, just seconds before they will set him on fire, or Tai Chung Kim as the Ghost of Bruce Lee in No Retreat, No Surrender, who helps his young devotee to stand and fight back his arch rival, an evil Russian pugilist. Big John Studd’s character Jack Daniels in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, publicly stated he’s out of business because of his family plans, but instead appeared in critical moment to help the main protagonists to get out of shootout. A helicopter pilot in the same movie, who voluntarily appears in the closing episode to rescue Harley and Marlboro with his minigun, is also an example of a rescue lad, highly equipped with a cutting edge devices.
Richard Crenna as Col. Sam Trautman, appears in the First Blood, helping his former subordinate to make his way out of surrounded custody, saving main protagonist (Rambo) from being riddled with bullets, and main antagonist (Sheriff Will Teasle) from being killed by infuriated protagonist, leading the movie to a happy ending, on the contrary to the novel. At the same time Silvester Stallone as former convict John Rambo in Rambo III also appears to be a just-in-time lad for his old buddy Col. Trautman, whose high-risk invitation he initially had refused, feeling no obligations to his former Commanding Officer, but later, in deep remorse about Trautman’s capture by Soviets, he volunteered to rescue his friend from the hands of evil Russian thugs. But in case with Stallone, while being the main protagonist of the trilogy it seems to be a main role for him, while just-in-time lad is a second plan character, which cannot eclipse main hero of story, he is only to help.
Origin
As a type of character, just-in-time lad known from ancient times of Greek and Roman theater as Deus ex machina (literally, the god from a machine), what has been set as a dramaturgical notion that accounts for an ending through the appearance of an unexpected character. By the time he was of supernatural provenance, and his appearance did not necessarily meant a happy ending, but rather an unexpected ending. In contemporary culture he, most likely, appears as a human and leads to a good outcome.
Cover lad
Cover lad appears at time, but only to absorb the bullets or other lethal essences, stored for main protagonist. Such was Chelcie Ross as CIA operative Nelson Fox in Above the Law, who did not intended to save his former recruitee Det. Sgt. Nico Toscani, the main protagonist, but in the crucial moment changed his mind and get killed by his former accomplices, and by such self-sacrifice turned a “good guy”.
In Ron Howard's ‘1991 firefighter-movie Backdraft, Scott Glenn as “Axe” Adcox, being one of “bad guys” trying to save his friend and superior Lt. Stephen “Bull” McCaffrey (Kurt Russell) by asking him to let him lose, while himself is hanging over the gehenna of burning chemicals. However, McCaffrey responds with his famous “You go, we go”, refusing to receive help in such a way.
Beer delivery lad
In TV adverts, just-in-time lad usually appears to deliver some product to consume, most likely a cooled light alcoholic drink, or to help advertisement’s protagonist with some rationality or helpful advice (to use advertised product or service, of course). Such is the Bud Man in Being There and The Simpsons. Delivery lad is rather a comic appearance, without dramatic component, on the contrary to movie appearances of just-in-time lads.
Always-late-guys
Always-late-guys are usually a group of characters, who always came from behind the scenes after the story ended happily, and do not affect its result. Such is bomb squad in Lethal Weapon III, which arrived to the scene right at time Riggs activated the bomb and the whole building exploded only to make them laugh at Riggs’ failure.

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