Badass: Difference between revisions

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[[Rule of Cool]] personified.
[[Rule of Cool]] personified.


[[Badass]] is an adjective used to describe a character who gets away with outright insane stunts (defusing a bomb with their teeth, [[Did You Just Scam Cthulhu|conning a mob boss]], [[[[One Man Army]] getting into a firefight with the entire army]], etc.) that would be very hard to pull off in [[Real Life]], or would get the person trying it killed several times over. A badass is a fantasy figure whom the audience roots for precisely because of how prone they are to [[[[Moment of Awesome]] awesome moments]], to the point where they stretch or break the [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]]. Of course, [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]] may still be maintained depending on the mechanics of the universe.
[[Badass]] is an adjective used to describe a character who gets away with outright insane stunts (defusing a bomb with their teeth, [[Did You Just Scam Cthulhu|conning a mob boss]], [[[[One-Man Army]] getting into a firefight with the entire army]], etc.) that would be very hard to pull off in [[Real Life]], or would get the person trying it killed several times over. A badass is a fantasy figure whom the audience roots for precisely because of how prone they are to [[[[Moment of Awesome]] awesome moments]], to the point where they stretch or break the [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]]. Of course, [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]] may still be maintained depending on the mechanics of the universe.


It's notable that fans are more likely to tolerate a violent monster of a "hero" than a befuddled, cowardly [[Classical Antihero]].
It's notable that fans are more likely to tolerate a violent monster of a "hero" than a befuddled, cowardly [[Classical Antihero]].
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* [[Badass Biker]]: Nothing says badass better than a [[Cool Bike]].
* [[Badass Biker]]: Nothing says badass better than a [[Cool Bike]].
** [[Biker Babe]]: [[Distaff Counterpart]]
** [[Biker Babe]]: [[Distaff Counterpart]]
* [[Badass Boast]]/[[Pre Ass Kicking One Liner]]: Every good badass needs a cool line about how dead you're gonna be after they're done.
* [[Badass Boast]]/[[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]]: Every good badass needs a cool line about how dead you're gonna be after they're done.
** [[My Name Is Inigo Montoya]]: Isn't it nice for a badass to introduce themselves before they kick your ass?
** [[My Name Is Inigo Montoya]]: Isn't it nice for a badass to introduce themselves before they kick your ass?
** [[Pre Mortem One Liner]]: A badass quip made to the foe you just killed.
** [[Pre-Mortem One-Liner]]: A badass quip made to the foe you just killed.
* [[Badass Bookworm]]: Reads the encyclopedia for fun. Is also quite capable of using it to beat your face in.
* [[Badass Bookworm]]: Reads the encyclopedia for fun. Is also quite capable of using it to beat your face in.
** [[Genius Bruiser]]: Kicks ass, but is also intelligent.
** [[Genius Bruiser]]: Kicks ass, but is also intelligent.
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* [[Cool Shades]]: A traditional visual accessory of a badass.
* [[Cool Shades]]: A traditional visual accessory of a badass.
* [[Cowardly Lion]]: They may be cowardly, but when the going gets tough, they'll kick your ass.
* [[Cowardly Lion]]: They may be cowardly, but when the going gets tough, they'll kick your ass.
** [[The So Called Coward]]: They're faking.
** [[The So-Called Coward]]: They're faking.
* [[Cultured Badass]]: Enjoys the finer things in life... and beating the tar out of foes with their fancy cane.
* [[Cultured Badass]]: Enjoys the finer things in life... and beating the tar out of foes with their fancy cane.
* [[Crouching Moron Hidden Badass]]: Acts like an idiot or non badass, either on purpose or not, but it's just to hide how capable they are at wreaking their opponents.
* [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass]]: Acts like an idiot or non badass, either on purpose or not, but it's just to hide how capable they are at wreaking their opponents.
* [[Dare to Be Badass]]: When someone decides to quit being normal and be a badass instead.
* [[Dare to Be Badass]]: When someone decides to quit being normal and be a badass instead.
* [[Dark Action Girl]]: She's evil and she kicks ass.
* [[Dark Action Girl]]: She's evil and she kicks ass.
* [[Deadly Doctor]]: Can cause the same hideous agony they usually cure.
* [[Deadly Doctor]]: Can cause the same hideous agony they usually cure.
** [[Diagnosis From Dr. Badass]]: Will tell you in deep detail just how badly they're beating you while doing so.
** [[Diagnosis From Dr. Badass]]: Will tell you in deep detail just how badly they're beating you while doing so.
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu]]: If you actually manage to defeat something so far above your level, you're either lucky or badass.
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: If you actually manage to defeat something so far above your level, you're either lucky or badass.
* [[Determinator]]: He doesn't give up. Ever.
* [[Determinator]]: He doesn't give up. Ever.
** [[Plucky Girl]]: Neither does [[Distaff Counterpart|she]].
** [[Plucky Girl]]: Neither does [[Distaff Counterpart|she]].
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* [[Oh Crap]]: The classic reaction when you realized you're about to get your ass kicked.
* [[Oh Crap]]: The classic reaction when you realized you're about to get your ass kicked.
* [[Once Killed a Man With A Noodle Implement]]: Badass enough to kill someone with strange implements.
* [[Once Killed a Man With A Noodle Implement]]: Badass enough to kill someone with strange implements.
* [[One Man Army]]: They don't need reinforcements. They ''are'' the reinforcements.
* [[One-Man Army]]: They don't need reinforcements. They ''are'' the reinforcements.
** [[Person of Mass Destruction]]: They ''are'' the nuclear bomb.
** [[Person of Mass Destruction]]: They ''are'' the nuclear bomb.
** [[One Riot One Ranger]]: When the choice is to send in the army or send in one man, they send in one man. This man.
** [[One Riot, One Ranger]]: When the choice is to send in the army or send in one man, they send in one man. This man.
** [[Conservation of Ninjutsu]]: You will realize that your numbers mean nothing against them.
** [[Conservation of Ninjutsu]]: You will realize that your numbers mean nothing against them.
** [[Mass Oh Crap]] The general reaction when it happens.
** [[Mass Oh Crap]] The general reaction when it happens.
* [[Panthera Awesome]]: Cats are [[Cool Cat|awesome]], especially big ones.
* [[Panthera Awesome]]: Cats are [[Cool Cat|awesome]], especially big ones.
* [[Pint Sized Powerhouse]]: They may be small, but they pack quite a punch.
* [[Pint-Sized Powerhouse]]: They may be small, but they pack quite a punch.
* [[Pop Cultured Badass]]: They kick ass while listening to some rock music after having seen their favorite sitcom.
* [[Pop Cultured Badass]]: They kick ass while listening to some rock music after having seen their favorite sitcom.
* [[Ragin Cajun]]: What Cajuns become when your face needs wrecking.
* [[Ragin Cajun]]: What Cajuns become when your face needs wrecking.
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* [[Scarf of Asskicking]]: A badass scarf.
* [[Scarf of Asskicking]]: A badass scarf.
* [[Sealed Badass in A Can]]: When a badass of some type is temporarily put in some sort of stasis so they can later be unleashed.
* [[Sealed Badass in A Can]]: When a badass of some type is temporarily put in some sort of stasis so they can later be unleashed.
* [[Shut UP Hannibal]]: How a badass lets you know that you talk too much.
* [[Shut UP, Hannibal]]: How a badass lets you know that you talk too much.
** [[Talk to The Fist]]: With his fist.
** [[Talk to The Fist]]: With his fist.
** [[Killed Mid Sentence]]: Self-explanatory.
** [[Killed Mid-Sentence]]: Self-explanatory.
* [[Sociopathic Hero]]: They fight for good, but that doesn't mean they're good themselves.
* [[Sociopathic Hero]]: They fight for good, but that doesn't mean they're good themselves.
* [[Specs of Awesome]]: A badass pair of glasses.
* [[Specs of Awesome]]: A badass pair of glasses.
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* [[Action Duo]]: An [[Action Hero]] and an [[Action Survivor]] team up and kick ass.
* [[Action Duo]]: An [[Action Hero]] and an [[Action Survivor]] team up and kick ass.
* [[Amazon Brigade]]: A [[Badass Crew]] of [[Action Girl|Action Girls]].
* [[Amazon Brigade]]: A [[Badass Crew]] of [[Action Girl|Action Girls]].
* [[Back to Back Badasses]]: When two badass characters back each other up. Two badasses are better than one.
* [[Back-to-Back Badasses]]: When two badass characters back each other up. Two badasses are better than one.
* [[Badass Army]]: An entire army of badass.
* [[Badass Army]]: An entire army of badass.
* [[Badass Crew]]: An entire team of badass.
* [[Badass Crew]]: An entire team of badass.

Revision as of 23:38, 8 January 2014


The splinters and shrapnel would not touch him, due to Pure Awesomeness.
 "Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest motherfucker in the world. ...Hiro used to feel this way, too, but then he ran into Raven. In a way, this was liberating. He no longer has to worry about being the baddest motherfucker in the world. The position is taken."
—--Snow Crash

Rule of Cool personified.

Badass is an adjective used to describe a character who gets away with outright insane stunts (defusing a bomb with their teeth, conning a mob boss, [[One-Man Army getting into a firefight with the entire army]], etc.) that would be very hard to pull off in Real Life, or would get the person trying it killed several times over. A badass is a fantasy figure whom the audience roots for precisely because of how prone they are to [[Moment of Awesome awesome moments]], to the point where they stretch or break the Willing Suspension of Disbelief. Of course, Willing Suspension of Disbelief may still be maintained depending on the mechanics of the universe.

It's notable that fans are more likely to tolerate a violent monster of a "hero" than a befuddled, cowardly Classical Antihero.

Most attempts to parody or deconstruct the badass have turned into Misaimed Fandom -- no matter how nutty the character gets (like Rorschach from Watchmen), the fans just cheer on how badass the character is. This has led to a new Trope: the Sociopathic Hero. Writers beware: Take it too far and either God Mode Sue or Jerk Sue will stride Out of the Inferno of your work.

For a child-friendly version of the badass whose badassery is somewhat diminished by the limitations of the work, see Badbutt.

For a not so complete list of badasses, see Badass of the Week.

This Trope is not what you say to a Stubborn Mule. Characters that are Badass are often said to have Brass Balls.

Below are the tropes that are definite signs of a true badass. For Sub Tropes when the character who you do not expect to be like this becomes a badass anyway, see this index.


Capable of screwing with your life in many ways.

but funny (at least to the audience).

their skills before combat.

Plural forms:


If an example can be placed in these previous tropes, please put them there.

For many outstanding examples of badassness, see Moment of Awesome.

Considering almost every hero of ancient myth was Badass Incarnate?, this trope is Older Than Dirt.

Now divided into Badass sub-pages:

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Badass?oldid=496767"