Category:Hidden Badass

Sub-index to Badass and More Than Meets the Eye. Contrast with Paper Tiger.

This Trope has a sub-index of its own:

• Submissive Badass

These characters are Badasses but you wouldn't expect it because they are...

• Action Fashionista - too obsessed with the latest trends.
• Action Mom - a mom
• Adaptational Badass- not a Badass in the original
• Adaptational Villainy - not a Badass villain in the original
• Agent Peacock - too much of a girly boy
• Almighty Janitor - too blue-collar
• Ambadassador - an ambassador
• Awakening the Sleeping Giant - too neutral
• Badass Adorable - too cute
• Badass and Baby - too busy protecting the baby
• Badass and Child Duo - too busy protecting the child
• Badass Back - not facing you
• Badass Bookworm - too smart
• Badass Bureaucrat - a paper-pusher
• Badass Bystander - just some random person
• Badass Damsel - a damsel
• Badass Gay - homosexual
• Badass Grandpa - too old
• Badass Normal - lacking special powers
• Badass on Paper - unimpressive in person
• Badass Pacifist - opposed to violence
• Badass Princess - a princess
• Badass Preacher - a priest
• Badass Santa - Santa
• Badass Teacher - a teacher
• Blind Weaponmaster - blind
• Beware the Nice Ones - too gentle
• Beware the Quiet Ones - too quiet
• Beware the Silly Ones - just the Comic Relief
• Bodyguarding a Badass - letting others fight for him
• Brilliant but Lazy - too lazy
• Brought Down to Badass - officially powerless
• Bully Hunter - a kid
• Cornered Rattlesnake - a once weak person fighting back
• Costumed Nonsuper Hero - too ordinary
• Cowardly Lion - too cowardly
• Crazy Awesome - too crazy
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass - too stupid
• Cultured Badass - too urbane
• Deadly Doctor - just a doctor and doctors only heal, never harm
• Dork Knight - Adorkable
• Effortless Amazonian Lift - just a strong girl
• False Innocence Trick - just an Innocent Bystander—right?
• Fluffy the Terrible - given too cutesy a name
• Good Is Not Dumb/Good Is Not Soft - too nice
• Goo-Goo Godlike - too young
• Handicapped Badass - handicapped
• Heartbroken Badass - too despondent
• Heart Is an Awesome Power - gifted with a seemingly lame superpower
• Hypercompetent Sidekick - a sidekick
• Iron Woobie - too sympathetic
• Just a Kid - too young
• Kicking Ass in All Her Finery - not gonna start a fight in that dress
• Killer Rabbit - too cute and looks harmless
• Kung Fu Jesus - too Messianic
• Lady of War - too refined to get her hands dirty
• Lethal Joke Character - a Joke Character.
• Let's Get Dangerous - not an actual threat...
• Little Miss Badass - a little girl, or looks like one
• Mama Bear - a mom
• More Deadly Than the Male - a proper lady
• Minored in Asskicking - too smart
• Mugging the Monster/Bullying the Dragon - not going to hit back, right?
• Never Mess with Granny - a sweet little old lady who wouldn't hurt anyone
• Not-So-Harmless Villain - a Harmless Villain
• Obfuscating Insanity - hiding it
• Obfuscating Stupidity - hiding it
• Papa Wolf - a dad
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse - too small
• Pop-Cultured Badass - too nerdy
• Pregnant Badass - pregnant
• Retired Badass - retired
• Savage Setpiece - just part of the background
• Silk Hiding Steel - too quiet and refined
• Specs of Awesome - wearing glasses
• Submissive Badass - too much of a follower
• The So-Called Coward - a coward, right?
• Took a Level In Badass - not a Badass previously
• Tranquil Fury - too calm
• Unskilled but Strong - lacking the skills to apply his strength
• Violently Protective Girlfriend - someone's girlfriend
• Waif Fu - a petite female
• Weak but Skilled - lacking the strength to apply her skills
• Who's Laughing Now? - originally a wimp.
• Will Not Be a Victim - apparently already conquered
• Xenafication - suddenly Action Girl

Then again, anyone might turn out to be a secret badass.

Even if they never wanted to be in the first place.