History Main / DumbassNoMore

* On ''TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', Gumball and Darwin went from TooDumbToLive to a more normal level of intelligence after the first season.

* After the timeskip following the battle for the Sapphire gate, [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick Elan]] has gone from a total retard to... well, an idiot that still managed to make V look dumb by using illusion magic.

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villain, prone to impulsive acts and lacking in patience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall being a ruder version of [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]]. [[spoiler: And then he turns into [[OmnicidalManiac Kid]] [[PsychopathicManchild Buu...]]]]

* After the timeskip following the battle for the Sapphire gate, [[Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick Elan]] has gone from a total retard to... well, an idiot that still managed to make V look dumb by using illusion magic.

* This is the very end ([[HowWeGotHere which is also the beginning]]) of ''Literature/InvisibleMan'', with the title character "hibernating" and thinking over what he's done and how he could improve.

* A strange example of this trope exists within certain CRPG games like ''{{Fallout}}'' or ''{{Arcanum}}.'' Because it is possible to both start the game off as dumb (read: Int 1-3) and permanently increase stats without using bugs, some players may be playing a game "stupid" and then accidentally turn him back to standard dialogue choices as a "normal person."

* This is the very end ([[HowWeGotHere which is also the beginning]]) of ''Literature/InvisibleMan'', with the title character "hibernating" and thinking over what he's done and how he could improve. Since he was the victim of a XanatosGambit ''and'' a BatmanGambit, he needed it.

* Gourry Gabriev, in the ''{{Slayers}}'' anime series, is pretty much the resident IdiotHero and [[{{YMMV}} to some]] seems to get stupider in each season. [[OddlyNamedSequel Evolution-R]], the fifth season, starts portraying him more akin to his novel self (who is not an IdiotHero but instead ObfuscatingStupidity for a number of reasons, including the fact he likes Lina explaining things to him/thinks she's cute when she's mad).

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villain, prone to impulsive acts and lacking in patience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall being a more rude version of [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]]. [[spoiler: And then he turns [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel into]] [[OmnicidalManiac Kid]] [[PsychopathicManchild Buu...]]]]

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villain, prone to impulsive acts and lacking in patience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall being a more rude version of [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]]. [[spoiler: And then he turns [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel into]] [[OmnicidalManiac Kid]] [[PsychopathicManchild Buu...]]

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villain, prone to impulsive acts and lacking in patience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall being a more rude version of [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]].

* Caboose from ''RedVsBlue'' quickly went from TheDitz to a rather extreme form of RalphWiggum. Come ''Recreation'', however, he's managed to regain much of his intelligence (and sanity), to the point that he is fully capable of rational thought and even [[spoiler:managed to repair and awaken Epsilon-Church]]. He's still fairly ditzy though.

* Gourry Gabriev, in the {{Slayers}} anime series, is pretty much the resident IdiotHero and [[{{YMMV}} to some]] seems to get stupider in each season. [[OddlyNamedSequel Evolution-R]], the fifth season, starts portraying him more akin to his novel self (who is not an IdiotHero but instead ObfuscatingStupidity for a number of reasons, including the fact he likes Lina explaining things to him/thinks she's cute when she's mad).

* A strange example of this trope exists within certain CRPG games like ''{{Fallout}}'' or ''{{Arcanum}}.'' Because it is possible to both start the game off as a retard (read: Int 1-3) and permanently increase stats without using bugs, some players may be playing a game "stupid" and then accidentally turn him back to standard dialogue choices as a "normal person."

* After the timeskip following the battle for the Sapphire gate, [[OrderOfTheStick Elan]] has gone from a total retard to... well, an idiot that still managed to make V look dumb by using illusion magic.

* Caboose from ''RedVsBlue'' quickly went from TheDitz to a rather extreme form of RalphWiggum. Come ''Recreation'', however, he's managed to regain much of his intelligence (and sanity), to the point that he is fully capable of rational thought and even [[spoiler:managed to repair and awaken Epsilong-Church]]. He's still fairly ditzy though.

* Caboose from ''RedVsBlue'' quickly went from TheDitz to a rather extreme form of RalphWiggum. Come ''Reformation'', however, he's managed to regain much of his intelligence (and sanity), to the point that he is fully capable of rational thought and even [[spoiler:managed to repair and awaken Epsilong-Church]]. He's still fairly ditzy though.

* Gourry Gabriev, in the {{Slayers}} anime series, is pretty much the resident IdiotHero and [[YMMV to some]] seems to get stupider in each season. [[OddlyNamedSequel Evolution-R]], the fifth season, starts portraying him more akin to his novel self (who is not an IdiotHero but instead ObfuscatingStupidity for a number of reasons, including the fact he likes Lina explaining things to him/thinks she's cute when she's mad).

* Impulse from ''TeenTitans'' got sick of being the TheFool of the team (which was mostly on account of his extreme ADHD), so he used his super speed to read the contents of an entire library. Because he also has PhotographicMemory he basically became a walking encyclopedia. Unfortunately, he's more a GeniusDitz given that he's got the knowledge but not the wisdom or common sense.

* Hachi in OnePiece. He's still not terribly bright but he's quite a bit smarter than the DumbMuscle he used to be.

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villian, prone to impulsive acts and lacking on pacience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall being a more rude version of [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]].

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villian, prone to impulsive acts and lacking on pacience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall [[CharacterDerailment being a more rude version of]] [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]]. Then, he absorbs Gohan and gets his general incompetence against an weaker foe, but still manages to make Vegetto (who was far beyond him and also an example of this trope, being a smarter fighter that both Goku and Vegeta) have to do some effort.

* DragonBall example: Super Buu (and Majin Buu in general) is a short-witted villian, prone to impulsive acts and lacking on pacience. However, after getting thrashed by Gohan, he manages to come up with a plan and absorb Piccolo (one of the most intelligent characters in the series) and Gotenks (a character at least his equal in power). After that, he stats playing mindgames on his opponents, having backup plans, and overall [[CharacterDerrailment being a more rude version of]] [[CompositeCharacter Ce]][[ManipulativeBastard ll]]. Then, he absorbs Gohan and gets his general incompetence against an weaker foe, but still manages to make Vegetto (who was far beyond him and also an example of this trope, being a smarter fighter that both Goku and Vegeta) have to do some effort.