History Main / ColonelBadass

* Creator/GailSimone's run on ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' turned former PluckyComicRelief character Etta Candy into a DeadpanSnarker Lieutenant colonel who is also a BadassNormal, as well as one of Wondy's "[[BloodBrothers sisters]]" and very dear friends.

** Colonel (and later Lord Commissar) [[Warhammer40000ImperialGuard Sebastian Yarrick]] fits the trope like a glove. Although a mere Colonel-Commissar (which, in comparison to the highest military ranks of the Imperial Guard, isn't much of a big deal), he was tasked with leading the defense of the Forge World Armageddon against what was possibly the largest Ork horde ever assembled by Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka. Fighting two separate, consecutive wars for the planet, Yarrick went from Colonel-Commissar to ''supreme commander of the entire planet'', with even the most senior of Imperial Guard generals deferring entirely to his command. His ruthlessness, [[OldSoldier grizzled appearance, huge amount of experience]], his sheer motivational abilities, strategic abilities, and a [[FrontlineGeneral penchant for slaughtering Orks alongside his men]] made him the most famous Commissar in the history of the Imperium of Man.

* One episode of ''Series/{{Flashpoint}}'' indicates that Sam Braddock's father literally earned the moniker "Colonel Badass", though he had been promoted to General by the time Sam joined SRU.

* One episode of ''Series/{{Flashpoint}}'' indicates that Sam Braddock's father literally earned the moniker "Colonel Badass", though he had been promoted to General by the time this fact was revealed.

* One episode of ''Series/{{Flashpoint}}'' reveals that Sam Braddock's father literally earned the moniker "Colonel Badass" sometime before he was promoted to General.

* Lt. Colonel [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dutton_Frost John Frost]] was the British Army's go to guy for impossible airborne missions. After proving himself by stealing a German radar station from occupied France, Frost went on to perform similarly daring missions in North Africa and Sicily. However his CrowningMomentOfAwesome came during the Battle of Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden where he was tasked with securing the Arnhem Bridge. Although ultimately doomed by the poorly conceived operation, John Frost and a small force of some 400 lightly armed paratroopers managed to penetrate German lines and seize the north end of the bridge where he held out against a German SS Panzer division for 4 days until finally being forced to surrender due to lack of ammunition. Lt. Col. Frost was later depicted in a movie and Arnhem Bridge was renamed in his honor. He finished his military career as a Field-Marshal and commander-in-chief of British armed forces.

* ''Literature/CodexAlera'': While Aleran Legions are commanded by [[TheCaptain Captains]], they don't use modern military ranks and their role tends to fit this trope better. As usual, the most badass of the lot is Captain Rufus Scipio (a.k.a. [[TheHero Tavi]]) a CrazyAwesome BadassNormal capable of taking on [[ElementalPowers Knights]] and [[{{Wolfman}} Canim]] by himself.

** Colonel Burton, the U.S.' [[RPGElements hero unit]] in ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquer Generals]]'' and ''Zero Hour'' kills enemy soldiers ([[CrazyAwesome and aircraft]] [[GoodBadBugs due to a bug in earlier versions]]) stealthily with his knife, sets demolition charges - he can destroy a base at once with remotes, one at a time with timed ones, and in one case, destroyed a chemical lab with one without even getting close by creating an avalanche -, [[InvisibilityCloak is hard to see]], and totes '''the''' most powerful bullet-based weapon of the game, able to kill ''even tanks''.

* Admiral Jane Roland and [[spoiler: eventually Laurence himself spoilerafter a promotion to admiral]] in''Literature/{{Temeraire}}''. Jane casually breaks swords in people's chests, wins massive air battles on the back of her ''acid-spitting dragon'' and generally impresses everyone she meets. Technically, Temeraire himself also counts in book 5.

* Admiral Jane Roland and [[spoiler: eventually Laurence himselfafter a promotion to admiral in''Literature/{{Temeraire}}. Jane casually breaks swords in people's chests, wins massive air battles on the back of her ''acid-spitting dragon'' and generally impresses everyone she meets.

** Colonel (and later Lord Commissar) [[Warhammer40000ImperialGuard Sebastian Yarrick]] fits the trope like a glove. Although a mere Colonel-Commissar (which, in comparison to the highest military ranks of the Imperial Guard, isn't much of a big deal), he was tasked with leading the defense of the Forge World Armageddon against what was possibly the largest Ork horde ever assembled by Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka. Fighting two separate, consecutive wars for the planet, Yarrick went from Colonel-Commissar to ''supreme commander of the entire planet'', with even the most senior of Imperial Guard generals deferring entirely to his command. His ruthlessness, [[BadassGrandpa grizzled appearance, huge amount of experience]], his sheer motivational abilities, strategic abilities, and a [[FrontlineGeneral penchant for slaughtering Orks alongside his men]] made him the most famous Commissar in the history of the Imperium of Man.

* The abilities of soldiers in ''{{VideoGame/XCOM}}'' generally improve as they survive more missions, as does their rank. The rank of colonel is the second highest in ''[[VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense UFO Defense]]'', next to the commander which you can only get one of at any time.
** In the reboot, ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', Colonel is ''the highest rank'' (because ACommanderIsYou), and any soldiers who make it there will most assuredly be badass.

* D'Artagnan in ''Literature/TheVicomteOfBragelonne'' -- as a lieutenant and captain of the king's Musketeers he becomes the equivalent of a colonel and major-general of the regular army.

* D'Artagnan in ''[[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers The Vicomte of Bragelonne]]'' -- as a lieutenant and captain of the king's Musketeers he becomes the equivalent of a colonel and major-general of the regular army.

** In the reboot, ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', Colonel is ''the highest rank'', and any soldiers who make it there will most assuredly be badass.

* [[Webcomic/ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings Commander Badass.]] Names a redirect, even!

** Colonel Douglas "Duke" Ellington, the [[CoolPlane F-19 Ghostrider]] pilot who provided the main point of view character for the central front air war in Germany and the Soviet colonel commanding the MiG-29 regiment at Keflavik both also qualify (both demonstrate their AcePilot skills numerous times, the MiG-29 regiment CO survives leading his pilots in a battle against two full squadrons of F-14 Tomcats at one point, while Ellington also gets to demonstrate his all-around badassery by managing to successfully escape and evade after being shot down over hostile territory late in the war).

* During the "War In the Sun" arc of ''ComicBook/Preacher'', Herr Starr uses his contacts in the American Military to grant him a battalion of soldiers to hunt down Jesse in the American Southwest. When Starr makes one too many dismissive comments towards the battalion's commander, said commander makes it clear that he could care less what connections or position Starr has and threatens to personally cut out Starr's liver and fry it if even one soldier is harmed.

* Col. Fedmahn Kassad of DanSimmons' ''Literature/HyperionCantos'' fights his way through the exploding wreckage of an enemy fleet, plummets down onto a planet and then fights the soldiers there. Later, he gets into hand-to-hand combat with [[spoiler:the Shrike, a giant, indestructible EldritchAbomination covered in spikes. Did we mention it can move faster than light?]] He is explicitly stated to be the greatest soldier in history [[spoiler:which is why godlike AIs use his consciousness to create the Shrike]].

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' novels:
** Two in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: Literature/GauntsGhosts'': Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and his subordinate, Col. Colm Corbec. Gaunt has a head-start in that he's already a BadassLongcoat, but Corbec makes a rather good accounting of himself as well.

* Lt. Col. Frank Slade from ''Film/ScentOfAWoman''. He does the tango with a beautiful stranger who's waiting on her boyfriend, drives a Ferrari BLIND, and completely and utterly owns snobby schoolmasters. Plus, he's played by AlPacino, which doubles his badassitude.

* The upcoming ''AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' will give us a USAF Colonel for the protagonist and a Russian Colonel for the antagonist. You just know this is gonna be epic.

* From the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, we have Lt. Col. (full Colonel as of ''Film/IronMan3'') James Rhodes, who has [[ComicBook/WarMachine a suit of powered armor]], Col. Chester "Let's Go Find Two More" Philips, who commands ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, and most of all, SHIELD Director Col. Nick Fury. Extra badass props for Fury being portrayed throughout the Marvel Cineverse by none other thatn [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Samuel L. Jackson]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TennesseeTuxedoAndHistales'': If any of Commander [=McBragg=]'s tales are true (which is highly debatable), he would definitely qualify.

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