History Main / AdaptationalBadass

* [[HeroKiller General Grievous]] in ''StarWarsCloneWars''. Notable in that the badass version [[AdaptationFirst was released]] ''[[AdaptationFirst before]]'' [[AdaptationFirst the wussy movie version]], making it look more like severe BadassDecay.

** Likewise The Penguin is an exceptional combatant. And TheRiddler. Really just about every bad guy.

* For twenty years, Garland in ''FinalFantasyI'' was known for two things: his famous declaration that he "[[MemeticMutation will knock you all down!]]" and being the first and easiest boss in the series. Then ''[=~Dissidia: Final Fantasy~=]'' was released. Now Garland is a [[BoisterousBruiser Boisterous]] BloodKnight with a {{BFS}} bigger than ''entire characters'', his [[LargeHam hamminess]] was [[BeyondTheImpossible ramped up]], and he got a few shades of DeadpanSnarker.
** The same goes for the other earlier FF characters: [[FinalFantasyI Warrior of Light]], who had literally no characterization in the original game, is now TheParagon and TheCape, and shows a touching compassion for Garland and [[StableTimeLoop his plight]]; [[FinalFantasyII Firion]] is a HotBlooded warrior; and [[FinalFantasyII The Emperor]] is a MagnificentBastard ''par excellance'' who [[spoiler: successfully manipulates the heroes into ''killing the god of order herself''.]]
*** It's more then that. [[spoiler:The Emperor was actually the main instigator of the Plot aside from Chaos himself. If you didn't kill him before defeating Chaos, then the Emperor would of actually survived the destruction of all reality and became the new Ruler to replace both Chaos AND Cosmos.]]

* For twenty years, Garland in ''FinalFantasyI'' was known for two things: his famous declaration that he "[[MemeticMutation will knock you all down!]]" and being the first and easiest boss in the series. Then ''[=~Dissidia: Final Fantasy~=]'' was released. Now Garland is a {{Badass}} BloodKnight with a {{BFS}} bigger than ''entire characters'', his [[LargeHam hamminess]] was [[BeyondTheImpossible ramped up]], and he got a few shades of DeadpanSnarker.

* Doctor Robotnik from the ''[[SonictheHedgehog Sonic]]'' both inverts and plays this straight. In [[AdventuresofSonictheHedgehog the first Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon adaption]], he is a complete buffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails; nearly all of his plans are failures, and his robot minions are incompetent. In [[SatAM the second cartoon adaption]], he becomes ''[[NightmareFuel terrifying]]''.

* Doctor Robotnik in the first adaptiational SonictheHedgeHog cartoon is notable for being a complete buffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails. All of his plans are a failure and his robot minions are incompetent. In the second adaptation SonictheHedgehog(SatAM), he becomes ''terrifying''.

** On a similar note to Starscream, Waspinator went from TheChewToy in ''BeastWars'', to a sinister WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds in ''TransformersAnimated''. Notably, a few of his lines are re-purposed quotes; the most well-known being "Waspinator has plans!", which changes meaning considerably when the context goes from him [[OhCrap facing down impending doom]] to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcEauLEN7Qg gradually pulling himself back together after being blown apart.]] Even his design is creepier.

* Doctor Robotnick in the first adaptiational SonictheHedgeHog cartoon is notable for being a complete buffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails. All of his plans are a failure and his robot minions are incompetent. In the second adaptation SonictheHedgehog(SatAM), he becomes ''terrifying''.

* Doctor Robotnix in the first adaptiational SonictheHedgeHog cartoon is notable for being a complete buffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails. All of his plans are a failure and his robot minions are incompetent. In the second adaptation SonictheHedgehog(SatAM), he becomes ''terrifying''.
->'''TheNostalgiaCritic''': "But surely you can't take something as silly looking as Robotnik and make him the least bit intimidat..."
->[sees the new Robotnik, head swiveling around and eyes glowing red]
->'''NostalgiaCritic''': "JESUS! Man, even Robotnik is cool! In fact, he may be one of the coolest villains ever!"

* MickeyMouse gets this in KingdomHearts and EpicMickey, becoming a {{badass}} who fights [[NightamreFuel freakish]] {Eldritch Abomination}}s.

* KingdomHearts, Mickey Mouse, Nuff Said.

* For twenty years, Garland in ''FinalFantasy'' was known for two things: his famous declaration that he "[[MemeticMutation will knock you all down!]]" and being the first and easiest boss in the series. Then ''DissidiaFinalFantasy'' was released. Now Garland is a {{Badass}} BloodKnight with a {{BFS}} bigger than ''entire characters'', his [[LargeHam hamminess]] was [[BeyondTheImpossible ramped up]], and he got a few shades of DeadpanSnarker.

* The Joker is more known for being crazy and insane than being an amazing hand-to-hand fighter. In fact only a couple of adaptations show him as anything close to Batman's level. But for ''TheBatman'', he was given the strength and dexterity of a monkey.
** Likewise the Penguin is an exceptional combatant. And the Riddler. Really just about every bad guy.
*** DependingOnTheWriter, Batman's various villains will display varying levels of fighting ability, intelligence and general threat, even in the comics.
* ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' gave this to Aquaman as well, at least compared to ''SuperFriends'' (the comics version was always pretty badass). They ended using almost any "joke" character in the past to great effect.

* ''[[Comicbook/SpiderMan Spider-Man]]'' villain Electro could get pretty lame in the comics, with his power just about enough to almost kill the web-slinger once before getting beat every time after. In ''SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' however, he was a BigBad by the last episode of the story arc ''in his first appearence'', replacing the ''Red Skull'' as the primary threat. The guy then easily dispatched the Six American Heroes, which included CaptainAmerica, the Insidious Six ''and'' Spider-Man, and made it clear he could kill any of them at any time, took control of the Earth's satelites through the electrical signals he fired to broadcast himself to the world's media, announce he's the new PresidentEvil of the world, and when all of S.H.I.E.L.D. chose to disagree, he handled them single-handedly ''by SHOOTING DOWN their base'':

->'''NostalgiaCritic''': "But surely you can't take something as silly looking as Robotnik and make him the least bit intimidat..."

** Same with NostalgiaCritic. [[spoiler: He is the devil.]]

* Corporal Jensen from ''The Losers'' went from Computer whiz [[NonActionGuy]] to being a capable soldier, though the least bad-ass. Justified as The Losers are supposed to all be special forces soldiers.

** The same goes for the other earlier FF characters: [[FinalFantasI Warrior of Light]], who had literally no characterization in the original game, is now TheParagon and TheCape, and shows a touching compassion for Garland and [[StableTimeLoop his plight]]; [[FinalFantasyII Firion]] is a HotBlooded warrior; and [[FinalFantasyII The Emperor]] is a MagnificentBastard ''par excellance'' who [[spoiler: successfully manipulates the heroes into ''killing the god of order herself''.]]

* [[TheBumblebee Bumblebee]] from the ''{{Film/Transformers}}'' film series has a Decepticon kill count second only to Optimus Prime himself, and he's the go-to guy for being a [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero]]. His ''TransformersWarForCybertron'' incarnation is a HotBlooded playable character who can easily rack up a triple-digit kill count over the course of the Autobot campaign. His main role in [[{{TransformersGeneration1}} the original cartoon]] was evacuating the humans to safety while the bigger, tougher Autobots went into action, and that was about it.
** Also, while the original Starscream was pretty much a RunningGag of one highly transparent backstabbing plan after another, and his only being kept alive because his Megatron was no brighter than he, [[TransformersCybertron certain]] [[TransformersAnimated later]] [[TransformersWarForCybertron incarnations]] are nigh unto MagnificentBastard class, and the second-most-powerful Decepticon next to Megs himself to boot.
*** On a similar note to Starscream, Waspinator went from TheChewToy in ''BeastWars'', to a sinister WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds in ''TransformersAnimated''. Notably, a few of his lines are re-purposed quotes; the most well-known being "Waspinator has plans!", which changes meaning considerably when the context goes from him [[OhCrap facing down impending doom]] to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcEauLEN7Qg gradually pulling himself back together after being blown apart.]] Even his design is creepier.

* Doctor Robotnix in the first adaptiational SonictheHedgeHog cartoon is notable for being a complete buffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails. All of his plans are a failure and his robot minions are incompetent. In the second adaptation SonictheHedgehog(SatAM), he becomes ''terrifying''

'''NostalgiaCritic''': "But surely you can't take something as silly looking as Robotnik and make him the least bit intimidat..."

[sees the new Robotnik, head swiveling around and eyes glowing red]

'''NostalgiaCritic''': "JESUS! Man, even Robotnik is cool! In fact, he may be one of the coolest villains ever!"

* Doctor Robotnix in the first adaptiational SonictheHedgeHog cartoon is notable for being a complete baffoon and foil for Sonic and Tails. All of his plans are a failure and his robot minions are incompetent. In the second adaptation SonictheHedgehog(SatAM), he becomes ''terrifying''
''NostalgiaCritic'': "But surely you can't take something as silly looking as Robotnik and make him the least bit intimidat..."

''NostalgiaCritic'': "JESUS! Man, even Robotnik is cool! In fact, he may be one of the coolest villains ever!"

* Taizo Hori, hero of the original ''DigDug'', and member of the ''MrDriller'' cast, pictured above in his appearance in ''NamcoXCapcom''.

* [[TheBumblebee Bumblebee]] from the ''{{Film/Transformers}}'' film series has a Decepticon kill count second only to Optimus Prime himself. And he's the go-to guy for being a [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero]]. His main role in [[{{TransformersGeneration1}} the original cartoon]] was evacuating the humans to safety while the bigger, tougher Autobots went into action, and that was about it.

* The Question received this in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited''.
** This is more a case of retrieving a {{Badass}} status that [[DependingOnTheWriter some comic writers didn't always apply]]. During Dennis O'Neil's run on the Question comic books, he was trained in martial arts to the point of being one of the best in the world -- possibly the best, according to Lady Shiva.

* Irene Adler in the new ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' movie. In her original appearance (in ArthurConanDoyle's story, "A Scandal in Bohemia") she was a resourceful [[GuileHero Guile]] AntiVillain. In the movie, she's practically SteamPunk [[{{Batman}} Catwoman]]. Which does nothing to prevent her from getting the DistressedDamsel treatment.

-->'''Nick Fury:''' I copy. But for what it's worth, that man took down all of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a gesture. [[OhCrap Heaven help us all]].