History Main / ButNotTooChallenging

** It's a recurring thing with [[Characters/TheSimpsonsLisaSimpson Lisa Simpson]], as she is often frustrated with how little intellectual challenges she has in Springfield Elementary School, but any time she has less than straight A's, she doesn't take it well.

** Seto Kaiba is an obsessive Duel Monsters player, always trying to improve his skills and often slandering those he perceives as lesser-skilled. When he actually gets outplayed by Yugi, he spends the rest of the series trying to one-up him.

* ''Literature/Overlord2012'': According to WordOfGod, [[RedBaron Zesshi Zetsumei]] ([[spoiler:real name: Antilene Heran Fouche]]) is the WorldsStrongestWoman before [[VillainProtagonist Ainz]] and the [[NonPlayerCharacter Great Tomb of Nazarick]] are transported to the New World; she is the only person serving a nation who goes over level 50, being in the high 80s in a place where a legendary creature is equal to level 30 and an average human adventurer is likely to be less. Unsurprisingly, Zesshi is [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction bored early on in the series as there's nobody]], besides the Platinum Dragon Lord, [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction who could to challenge her]] and wishes for a WorthyOpponent to defeat her in combat and [[BestHertoBedHer bear his child]]. [[spoiler:Ironically, when she does get her wish upon engaging Mare, a Level 100 Dark Elf, for the first time in Volume 16, she doesn't enjoy herself nor feel attracted to Mare at all because 1) Mare is a child by elf standards and [[DudeLooksLikeALady thought to be a girl]], 2) [[CurbStompBattle the battle was an ensuing curb-stomp with]] ''[[CurbStompBattle her]]'' [[CurbStompBattle suffering on the end]], and 3) the battle not going as she would expect; [[SpiritedCompetitor an epic battle that would drive both combatants to give every single drop of what they had until the best of them emerged victorious]].]]

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': While [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] does enjoy a "battle of wits" against L, and later Near after the 5-year timeskip, he'll ''never'' accept losing as a possibility. His refusal to accept loss is justified given that "losing" in his case means that he can kiss whatever goals he has as Kira, his social life, and his freedom goodbye behind bars, assuming that he doesn't get killed beforehand or get the death penalty, it also shows his raging God complex, narcissism, and refusal to admit to any fault. This attitude is what really separates him from L, as by his own admission, he also doesn't like to lose, [[AtLeastIAdmitIt but the latter's very self-aware of his flaws]].

** [[FillerVillain Noah Kaiba]] tries actually stops one of his henchmen, Johnson, from cheating during his duel against Joey, as Noah wants to prove his superiority to Seto by beating him fair and square. During Noah's duel against Seto, the minute the latter starts winning, Noah decides to cheat by using their brother Mokuba as a HumanShield, and after Seto rescues Mokuba, Noah decides to use his [[VirtualRealityWarper power over the Virtual World]] to [[TakenForGranite turn Seto and Mokuba to stone]] and declares himself the winner by default. Yugi [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out]] for his {{hypocri|te}}sy.

* ''Literature/Overlord2012'': According to WordOfGod, [[RedBaron Zesshi Zetsumei]] ([[spoiler:real name: Antilene Heran Fouche]]) is the WorldsStrongestWoman before [[VillainProtagonist Ainz]] and the [[NonPlayerCharacter Great Tomb of Nazarick]] are transported to the New World; she is the only person serving a nation who goes over level 50, being in the high 80s in a place where a legendary creature is equal to level 30 and an average human adventurer is likely to be less. Unsurprisingly, Zesshi is [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction bored early on in the series as there's nobody]], besides the Platinum Dragon Lord, [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction who could to challenge her]] and wishes for a WorthyOpponent to defeat her in combat and [[BestHertoBedHer bear his child]]. [[spoiler:Ironically, when she does get her wish upon engaging Mare, a Level 100 Dark Elf, for the first time in Volume 16, she doesn't enjoy herself nor feel attracted to Mare at all because 1) Mare is a child by elf standards, 2) [[CurbStompBattle the battle was an ensuing curb-stomp with]] ''[[CurbStompBattle her]]'' [[CurbStompBattle suffering on the end]], and 3) the battle not going as she would expect; [[SpiritedCompetitor an epic battle that would drive both combatants to give every single drop of what they had until the best of them emerged victorious]].]]

* ''VideoGame/VermintideII'': The Chaos Lord Bödvarr Ribspreader makes a big show of bragging that he'll personally cut down all the heroes in his BossBattle, but starts [[FlunkyBoss calling for backup]] as soon as they put a dent in his health.

** It's a recurring thing with [[Characters/TheSimpsonsLisaSimpson Lisa Simpson]], as she is often frustrated with how little intellectual challenges she has in Springfield Elementary School, but any time she has less than straight A's, she doesn't take it well. Example: In the episode "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", she enrolls in a MilitarySchool alongside Bart (who is not there by choice [[{{Unishment}} but comes to thrive in it]]) because it is more intellectually stimulating, but literally everything else (physical training, firearms training, being hazed by the other students, the borderline DeadlyGraduation) is beyond her.

** It's a recurring thing with [[Characters/TheSimpsonsLisaSimpson Lisa Simpson]], as she is often frustrated with how little intellectual challenges she has in Springfield Elementary School, but any time she has less than straight A's, she doesn't take it well.

->'''Lisa:''' I can't do this, Bart. I'm not strong enough.
->'''Bart:''' I thought you came here looking for a challenge.
->'''Lisa:''' Duh! A challenge I could do!

* Literature/Overlord2012: According to WordOfGod, [[RedBaron Zesshi Zetsumei]] ([[spoiler:real name: Antilene Heran Fouche]]) is the WorldsStrongestWoman before [[VillainProtagonist Ainz]] and the [[NonPlayerCharacter Great Tomb of Nazarick]] are transported to the New World; she is the only person serving a nation who goes over level 50, being in the high 80s in a place where a legendary creature is equal to level 30 and an average human adventurer is likely to be less. Unsurprisingly, Zesshi is [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction bored early on in the series as there's nobody]], besides the Platinum Dragon Lord, [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction who could to challenge her]] and wishes for a WorthyOpponent to defeat her in combat and [[BestHertoBedHer bear his child]]. [[spoiler:Ironically, when she does get her wish upon engaging Mare, a Level 100 Dark Elf, for the first time in Volume 16, she doesn't enjoy herself nor feel attracted to Mare at all because 1) Mare is a child by elf standards, 2) [[CurbStompBattle the battle was an ensuing curb-stomp with]] ''[[CurbStompBattle her]]'' [[CurbStompBattle suffering on the end]], and 3) the battle not going as she would expect; [[SpiritedCompetitor an epic battle that would drive both combatants to give every single drop of what they had until the best of them emerged victorious]].]]
* Lord Hong in n ''Literature/InterestingTimes'':
--> Lord Hong sometimes wished he could have an enemy as clever as himself. Or, because Lord Hong was indeed very clever, he sometimes wished for an enemy ''almost'' as clever as himself, one perhaps given to flights of strategic genius with nevertheless the occasional fatal flaw.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': In "Rivals," O'Brien and Bashir both regret playing each other at racquetball for this reason. Bashir, having played competitively at the Academy, is the superior player, but O'Brien's pride won't let him either concede, or accept Bashir throwing the game. Bashir eventually fakes a medical emergency to get away (fearing a ''real'' medical emergency if O'Brien has a heart attack), but knows he'll insist on a rematch.
-->'''O'Brien:''' ''He'' had a game. I just kind of stumbled around the court for ninety minutes and made a complete ass of myself.
-->'''Bashir:''' After the first game, I told him I had an appointment. He ignored me. After the second game, I told him I was getting tired. He didn't believe me. And then his racquet broke and I thought, finally. But no. He made me stay there while he went away and replicated another one. [...] While he was gone, I called my assistant and told her to call me back after five minutes and say there was an emergency at the Infirmary. [...] There was no other way out! Otherwise there would have been an emergency. Chief O'Brien's coronary!

* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Apprentice mages in [[MagicalSociety House Tremere]] need to defeat their master in a formal, non-lethal WizardDuel to complete their apprenticeship. The master always puts up a serious fight, but it's bad form to go all-out to avoid losing, as they might if the stakes were higher.

!!Examples

[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]

[[/folder]]

** Saiyans, despite claiming to be a [[ProudWarriorRace warrior race]], are essentially just {{sadist}}ic bullies whose idea of a "strong opponent" is someone who's ''just'' strong enough to not be immediately {{curb stomp|battle}}ed by them, but not strong enough to be an actual threat. Goku is an [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch anomaly among Saiyans]] for preferring to fight people who can actually defeat him.

** After achieving his perfect form, Cell organizes the Cell Games in hopes of fighting a opponent worthy of his newfound strength, and even gives his enemies a week to prepare for the fight. He maintains a [[FauxAffablyEvil seemingly]] AffablyEvil facade and a show of good sportsmanship in the lead-up to the tournament and during his fight with Goku, but when Super Saiyan 2 Gohan turns out to be vastly stronger than him, he proves to be a SoreLoser and tries to [[RageQuit blow himself up]] and [[TakingYouWithMe take the whole planet with him]].

* ''Anime/MyHeroAcademia'': Bakugo is furious at the idea of losing to Deku but is also furious at the idea of Deku ''letting him win''. This continues with other classmates, where he is enraged after Shoto throws his fight against Bakugo.

** It's a recurring thing with Lisa, as she is often frustrated with how little intellectual challenges she has in Springfield Elementary School, but any time she has less than straight A's, she doesn't take it well.
** The episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E23KingOfTheHill King of the Hill]]" plays with this trope. When Homer finds out his Sherpa guides have been physically carrying him up the mountain he fires them, but he also disregards their comment that if he's so determined to do it the "right" way, he should backtrack the climbing they've already done and go back up all by himself.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'', Byrne has spent an untold number of years training to be the best warrior he can be. When he actually faces defeat at the hands of Link and Zelda, he is completely aghast that he could ever lose, least of all to mere Hylian children.

[[/folder]]

'''Indices'''
* {{Hypocrite}}
* IndexMyopia
* PridefulTropes
* CharacterFlawIndex
* EntitledToThisIndex
* EgoTropes
* VictoryAndDefeat
* CompetitionIndex
* IndexBackfire
* IndexOfConsequences
* DignityTropes
* ADishonorableIndex
* CynicismTropes

Some people hold the idea that [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction an easy victory]] is unsatisfying, which is why people [[ChallengeSeeker prefer challenges]] over a guaranteed win. While some people are genuine in their desire for an actual challenge, for others, their idea of a "challenge" is essentially just a delayed victory; they're more interested in the ''idea'' of a challenge rather than an ''actual'' challenge. These type of characters try to have their cake and eat it too, by desiring "challenges" that are just hard enough to force them to try, but not so difficult that they can actual fail.