History Main / ColonelBadass

* Another Warhammer 40000 example: Col. Shaeffer of ''The Last Chancers''. He can stroll up and down a battlefield filled with Orks and Tyranids like he was on parade, decapitating Carnifexes and seeing the whole battle through without a scratch. At the same time, the hardened criminals of the 13th Penal Legion absolutely fear him more than those same Orks and Tyranids.

* Colonel H. David Belote, base commander of Nellis AFB and five-time ''Jeopardy!'' champion.

** Basque. Grand. Manga version. What makes it more impressive is that he had been firmly entrenched in the minds of the fans as a complete monster by the first anime's portrayal. But then in the manga, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome he shoots his superior officer...]]

* Another Warhammer 40000 example: Col. Shaeffer of ''The Last Chancers''. He can stroll up and down a battlefield filled with Orks and Tyranids like he was on parade march and not get a scratch on him. At the same time, the hardened criminals of the 13th Penal Legion absolutely fear him more than those same Orks and Tyranids.

* Otto von Stirlitz (real name: Maxim Isaev) from ''Seventeen Moments of Spring'', the pinnacle of a Soviet SpyFiction, is a [[CommonRanks Standartenführer]] ([[ThoseWackyNazis SS]] equivalent of colonel). He was so badass back in his days, that he experienced a MemeticMutation in recent times and ended up being a MemeticBadass, as well ([[RussianHumour no, seriously]]).

This is probably because "Colonel" is the highest military rank deployable in the field, the highest rank unlikely to be noticed and AuthorityEqualsAsskicking on TV. Theoretically, GeneralRipper and TheBrigadier should have more PowerLevels than ColonelBadass but star ranks are for [[DeskJockey pen-pushers and quill-drivers]]. That's why the colonel always wins.[[hottip:* : Unless you have a FourStarBadass lurking around.]] The fact that an army, marine, or air force colonel and a navy captain are [[CommonRanks technically the same rank]] may also have something to do with it, or it may just be coincidental.

This man in a professional, married to the job and mission accomplishment is the entire purpose of his existence. He's tends to be fairly young for a colonel, likely because he climbed the ranks rapidly after an outstanding performance in an earlier war or campaign as junior officer. When he's got a full command of hundreds or thousands of troops chances are he wont do much fighting himself on a day to day basis because he's too busy managing the battlefield with a level of competence that prevents the enemy from ever gaining the initiative in the first place. If it ever comes down to it though his personal weapon will likely be a high caliber handgun and while it wont be drawn often it'll rarely miss when it is. Many have tried to kill this man, many of them extremely deadly in their own right, all of them have failed.

He wont break down over losses but nor will throw his men's lives away, if a GeneralRipper is his immediate superior the two will almost certainly clash in styles because not only is ColonelBadass a better leader but he's also more sane, more pragmatic, far more imaginative, doesn't give a crap about political concerns and values ability/utility wherever he finds it. In fact chances are as good as not he rose from nothing himself especially if the organization he's a part of doesn't usually encourage that sort of thing. He's an unstoppable force and an immovable object. He's loyalty incarnate the best friend anyone can have, he's also the embodiment of vengeance, screw him over and your life is forfeit. Even if he dies he lives on as an ideal.

Pretty much a universal trope, just like colonel is a universal rank (lieutenant colonels are included, as are full commanders, the naval rank equivalent to lieutenant colonels in most western militaries). A subtrope of AuthorityEqualsAsskicking.

* Col. Roy Mustang from ''FullmetalAlchemist''. He beats even the [[spoiler:[[PuttingOnTheReich Führer]]]], in the first anime. In the manga/Brotherhood he BURNS HIS OWN WOUNDS SHUT and by the end of the series, he managed to take down [[spoiler:two out of seven Homunculus]], which is [[{{Badass}} REALLY impressive]] in that universe.
** Not to mention his best friend Lt. Col. Maes Hughes, who, [[BadassNormal despite not being an alchemist]], is an [[GreatDetective investigative genius]] who also knows how to kick ass [[KnifeNut with throwing knives]]. He even gets ''double promoted'' to [[TheBrigadier Brigadier General]] for dying in the line of duty, though that ''was'' in part to cover up the conspiracy.

* We got here so far and no mention of Colonel Sanger Zonvolt of Super Robot Wars fame? Shame on you all. Pilot of a giant mech, a German samurai and all-round badass. What's not to like about this guy?

Imagine TheCaptain, but instead of a ship at sea or in the [[SpaceIsAnOcean stars]], s/he has a large contingent of ground troops. Still the most [[{{badass}} kickass]] guy around, powerful leader, outranks everyone else in TheSquad, you know the type. Chances are, he is gonna be a colonel. It works the other way around, too: if someone is saluted "Colonel", expect badassitude en masse. Unless it's ColonelMakepeace, who is an entire different area altogether.[[hottip:* : If you have a ColonelMakepeace, then you already have ''one'' colonel. They can't both be badass.]]

** Not to mention his best friend Lt. Col. Maes Hughes, who, [[BadassNormal despite not being an alchemist]], is an [[GreatDetective investigative genius]] who also knows how to kick ass [[KnifeNut with throwing knives]]. [[spoiler:He even gets ''double promoted'' to [[TheBrigadier Brigadier General]] for dying in the line of duty.]]

* Colonel Dax in ''Paths of Glory''. Try not flinching when enemy shells are exploding randomly less than 20 yards away from you.

* Well, not ColonelBadass but more Major Badass, [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Major Misato Katsuragi]]. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZIvjQxqrm0#t=5m20s Especially]] in End of Evangelion.
** She's referred to as Lt. Col. Katsuragi in Rebuild of Evangelion, however. So this trope qualifies.

* Col. Roy Mustang from ''FullmetalAlchemist'' is the MostTriumphantExample. He beats even the [[spoiler:[[PuttingOnTheReich Führer]]]], in the first anime. In the manga/Brotherhood he BURNS HIS OWN WOUNDS SHUT and by the end of the series, he managed to take down [[spoiler:two out of seven Homunculus]], which is [[{{Badass}} REALLY impressive]] in that universe.

* The one atop this page, Colonel Miles Quaritch of ''{{Film/Avatar}}''. He's [[DesignatedVillain supposedly]] the [[GeneralRipper villain]], but that doesn't stop him from modding his [[AMechByAnyOtherName AMP suit]] with a gigantic ''combat knife'', or running out into Pandora's toxic atmosphere, guns blazing, without bothering to put a gas mask on. In one instance, it takes him about 11 seconds to react to the fact that he is, in fact, ''on fire''. Quaritch is in fact, so BadAss he inspires major RootingForTheEmpire, especially compared to the [[OurElvesAreBetter Elf-ier than thou]] [[MarySue wonderfulness]] of the Na'vi.

* Col. Todou of CodeGeass. He's one of the higher-ranked members of the Japanese Liberation Front, ''and'' leader of their most elite squad, the Four Heavenly Swords. [[spoiler: Later, he joins the Black Knights and becomes Zero's third-in-command.]]

* AirForceBlues: Col Alvis "Minnie" Gunnar and LtCol Mike "Deadlock" Rowland.

* Colonel David Randolph Scott, seventh man on the moon and the only Air Force pilot to actually pilot a moon landing.