History Main / CowardlyLion

* ''Film/{{Balibo}}'': Roger East is initially fairly reluctant to go to East Timor to cover the beginning of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor and he nearly abandons the country entirely after being nearly shot by an attack helicopter. However, he ultiibecomes invested in the country's fate and chooses to remain in East Timor so the world will know what happens to it. [[spoiler:Tragically, it leads to him being captured and executed during the invasion of Dili.]]

* A DiscussedTrope in the movie ''Film/{{Angus}}'', where Grandpa explains to Angus that Franchise/{{Superman}} is most certainly a hero, but isn't ''brave'' because he's invincible and so he has nothing to truly fear. True bravery comes from knowing you can be beaten, perhaps even easily, but pushing forward anyway in spite of your fear.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't 'fraid of no ghost!]] Well, he ''is,'' but it ain't about to stop him!]]

%%* ''Fanfic/CodeGeassPaladinsOfVoltron'': Shirley takes Hunk's place as this on the team.%%How?

%%* ''Fanfic/TheLionKingAdventures'': Tojo is a literal example.%%How?
%%* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'': Hobbes is [[CharacterExaggeration exaggerated]] into this.
* ''Fanfic/SomeSemblanceOfMeaning'': The heroine, Vale, is a [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] ShrinkingViolet who is (understandably) terrified of going into the arena and [[ChildrenForcedToKill being forced to fight her fellow tributes to the death]]. However, when it comes to defending the people she cares about, [[BewareTheNiceOnes she is no pushover]].

* ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'': Agent Lapis is fully aware that her first response to just about anything is to panic, which usually manifests as screaming in terror and diving for the nearest hiding place, and frequently [[SourSupporter believes in the worst-case scenario as far as the Duty is concerned]]. But as one unfortunate [[GodModeSue God-Mode Stu]] found out the hard way, if you hurt anybody she holds dear - or even [[FireForgedFriends anybody whom she merely works with]] - she will '''[[RoaringRampageOfRevenge END]]''' you.
* "[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/322786/unicornia Unicornia]]": Blueblood is a coward, but didn't stop him from helping the royal guard stop those terrorists at all.

* ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku:'' Despite his NighInvulnerability, SuperStrength, and other ComboPlatterPowers, Izuku is still a NervousWreck who is frequently intimidated by people who are physically incapable of hurting him. It doesn't stop him from running in when someone is actually in trouble, even offering to take on [[spoiler:the Ultra-Humanite]] alone after he watched the latter throw [[WorldsStrongestMan All Might]] into the ceiling.
* ''Fanfic/BequeathedFromPaleEstates'': Like in canon, Samwell Tarly is this, although he shows this before he ever meets Jon or anyone so supporting. When a plague sweeps through Westeros and Essos and the inoculation method is derided by the Faith so that Randyll won't hear of it (to a point of beating the boy when he insists on it), Samwell runs off with his two younger sisters to Dorne to get them inoculated. Even Randyll has to respect this, as it saved the three of them while his wife, eldest daughter, and preferred son Dickon died of the plague, even if he still despises everything else about his bookish, plump son.

* ''Fanfic/MyMiraculousAcademia'': While the Butterfly Miraculous makes Izuku more skittish than normal, this doesn't stop him from wanting to be a hero. According to Nooroo, this is how it is for ''all'' of their wielders.
* ''Fanfic/PokedexAdventures'' uses this for Rosa. Afraid of many things, including ghosts and [[AbsurdPhobia Sewaddles]], but she's still willing and able to fight Team Plasma if she has to.
* ''Fanfic/PrehistoricEarth'': Leon Gilbertson, resident animal expert of the [[ExtinctAnimalPark titular park's]] rescue team, tends to be fairly nervous in a variety of situations (especially in the event that spiders or any other invertebrate are involved). But when push comes to shove, he can always be trusted to get the job done. He similarly proves easily unnerved, yet still capable of getting the job done when the situation truly demands as much, in subsequent ContinuityReboot ''Fanfic/PrehistoricParkReimagined'' (where he actually gets even more chances to showcase this trait).

* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'' has Tiger. His personality almost seems based on the original Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, this trait gets Flanderized in the TV show to the point where he [[DirtyCoward leaves his friends in danger to save himself.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers'' portrayed WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck as this.

* Roger East in ''Film/{{Balibo}}''. He's initially fairly reluctant to go to East Timor to cover the beginning of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor and he nearly abandons the country entirely after being nearly shot by an attack helicopter. However, he ultiibecomes invested in the country's fate and chooses to remain in East Timor so the world will know what happens to it. [[spoiler:Tragically, it leads to him being captured and executed during the invasion of Dili.]]
* Malak in ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer''. He's constantly suggesting that he stay behind whenever the party ventures into danger, but circumstances or his own guilt always prompt him to get involved in the heroics.
* John [=McClane=] in the original ''Film/DieHard''. When Hans Gruber's gang attacks and takes hostages, John reacts in a completely human way: he runs, hides and does everything he can to call for help while obviously almost scared out of his mind. Of course, when he finds that the PoliceAreUseless, he has to conquer his fears and take action.
* Bob from ''Film/DrugstoreCowboy'' is pretty open about his neurosis and his reliance on drugs to keep the stresses of world away from him. The people around him are still awed by the acts of {{Magnificent Bastard}}ry he performs out of sheer panic.

* Spencer Gilpin in ''Film/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle'' is a easily-scared, socially awkward nerd even when placed in the body of [[TheAce Smolder Bravestone]], where he is packed with a HeroicBuild, SuperStrength, [[SuperSpeed speed]] and [[SuperReflexes reflexes]]. Despite all these advantages, he is easily frightened and his first reaction to danger is start running. His CharacterDevelopment is learning to be braver than he originally was.
* ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1990:'' Judy is a ScreamingWoman, but she does try to help press against the doors as the zombies break through them, and volunteers to drive a truck through the horde.
* Ichabod Crane in ''Film/SleepyHollow''. He's terrified throughout the entire course of the investigation, often to the point of fainting. Nonetheless, he pursues the case relentlessly despite his fear, going so far as to engage the Headless Horseman in physical combat -- twice!
* In ''Franchise/StarWars'':

* Albert Lory from ''Film/ThisLandIsMine'' lives in an unnamed country under Nazi occupation and, literally, runs home to his aged mother any time there is an allied air strike. He eventually makes a HeroicSacrifice because he's more terrified of seeing his friends picked off one by one than actually dying.
* A major characteristic of the [[TropeNamer Cowardly Lion]] in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment is cowardice]]. This doesn't prevent him from joining Scarecrow and Tin Man to rescue Dorothy when she's captured by the Wicked Witch of the West.

* [[LoveInterest Steve]] [[BadassNormal Trevor]] in ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' is normally a suave, unflappable spy in the service of the Allies during the [[UsefulNotes/WW1 Great War]], and his moxie is shown in his flashback to the job that led him to stumble onto Themiscyra. However, under the effects of the [[TruthSerum Lasso of Truth]], he reveals how truly terrified he is of the whole travesty of the war. [[spoiler: This is even evident in his HeroicSacrifice as he's clearly scared and doesn't want to die. It takes a moment for him to hype himself up but he still manages to go out with a smile]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': Scar is a villainous (not to mention literal) example of this trope. Alhough he's portrayed as your usual DirtyCoward, (i.e. running from conflict, begging for mercy when cornered) he [[CorneredRattlesnake actually puts up a pretty good fight against Simba]] in the film's climax.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'' has a scene in which Bernard, the shy stuttering unlucky mouse janitor, is attacked by a razorback hog in the Australian outback. After running and hiding, Bernard realizes that Bianca, Jake, and Cody are all depending on him, turns around, ''thrashes the full-grown wild boar by its tusks'', and [[LetsGetDangerous forces it to carry him to the scene]].

[-[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't afraid of no ghost!]] Well, he ''is'', but it ain't about to stop him!]]-]

[-[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't 'fraid of no ghost!]] Well, he ''is'', but it ain't about to stop him.]]-]

[-[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't 'fraid of no ghost!]] I mean, he ''is'', but it ain't about to stop him.]]-]

[-[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't afraid of no ghost!]] I mean, he ''is'', but it ain't about to stop him.]]-]