History Main / IJustWantToBeBadass

* "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" by Music/DJJazzyJeffAndTheFreshPrince. [[RealityEnsues He does not beat Mike Tyson]].

* Isidro in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' is like this: even though he works a lot better as a FragileSpeedster with short blades and throwing rocks, he idolizes Guts (a LightningBruiser) and his {{BFS}}. This leads to problems, as he always insists on fighting like Guts instead of focusing on his true strengths like evasion, an accurate throw, and quick wits. Because his wish to be badass causes problems, there is at least a certain element of {{deconstruction}} at work here. Guts himself is possibly the most badass character in all of fiction, but it's a sure bet that no one who followed the series [[TraumaCongaline actually wants to be him]].

This trope can, in FanFic, lead to the creation of a MartyStu. It is also strongly connected to a PowerFantasy (being a means by which this wish is fulfilled).

* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'': Mikado definitely qualifies because he wants to change something. [[spoiler: It's what led him to create [[ImageBoard Dollars]]. Later on, you actually see that he has been badass all along.]]

* This is the basic idea of ''Comicbook/{{Wanted}}'', both the original comic and the movie adaptation. The protagonist is a loser guy who becomes a badass when he finds out he has a badass gene inherited from a father he never knew. The comic book (but not the movie) also [[spoiler:attempts to deconstruct this trope by scolding the reader for identifying with the main character, who's essentially a violent sociopath]]. Perhaps not coincidentally, ''Wanted'' was written by Creator/MarkMillar, the same guy who also wrote ''Kick-Ass''.

* ''LightNovel/DemonKingDaimao'' fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8514012/1/Keena-the-Defendants-of-Constan-Magic-Academy Keena & the Defendants of Constan Academy]] has this happen to usual DamselInDistress Keena, who not only wants friends (due to the remaining characters being PutOnABus) but also wants to find herself useful in combat. Turns out [[spoiler: she actually ''is'' skilled in combat. Chapter 6 reveals that she actually has trained and learned to fight but never got the opportunity to do so]].

* ''Film/{{Deadpool 2}}'': after getting his first taste of murder thanks to Wade's advice, Dopinder becomes desperate to become a mercenary like him, however he is basically brushed off when Deadpool and Weasel set about assembling X-Force. He is absolutely ''pissed'' when he sees he got passed over in favor of Peter. [[spoiler:He ends up getting his wish at the end of the film, though.]]

* {{Deconstruct|ion}}ed with Solid Snake in ''VideoGame/MetalGear''. Snake is badass all right, but at tremendous cost to his own life. He is cynical, bitter, jaded, [[ShellShockedVeteran has a massive case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]], is so level-headed that many would consider him inhumanly emotionless, is controlled and manipulated by his superiors, and exists as a puppet. Even his free will is brought into question, with Liquid alleging he is controlled by his genes. Unfortunately, this trope is so pervasive that many people who played VideoGame/MetalGearSolid [[MisaimedFandom completely missed the point]] and saw Solid Snake as the ultimate action hero badass and desperately wanted to be him... which resulted in...
** ...Raiden in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'', an even more savage {{deconstruction}} of this trope than Solid Snake. As an audience proxy character whom the player is encouraged to identify with, he essentially serves as a living lecture to the audience against wanting to be badass by, at the start of his portion of the game, first failing miserably at being badass and then being harassed by his girlfriend because of his emotional distance (a common trait of badassery). Then, in the later portion of the game, it is revealed that he is exceptionally badass. Unfortunately, the circumstances through which his badassery was generated [[TrainingFromHell were so excruciatingly traumatic]] that only a complete masochist would want to undergo them. Finally, when the audience gets their [[WishFulfillment wish to be badass fulfilled]], the game begins [[NoFourthWall demolishing the fourth wall]] and reminding the players that they are playing a video game and hence are not really badass at all. During the game, several events and situations occur that directly copy (or are obviously analogous to) segments of the original VideoGame/MetalGearSolid, further forcing the players to ask themselves whether or not they truly wish to be like Solid Snake (because being like Snake would not be nice, fun, heroic or awesome). If that weren't bleedingly obvious enough, the game's plot involves [[spoiler: the entire game being a simulation of the events of the original game, designed to turn the player-character into Solid Snake!]].

* ''VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy''.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem:''

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Tuffy Smurf of ''TheSmurfs'' wants to be just like Hefty Smurf and will prove himself to be like him constantly by doing some daring things that usually put the other Smurfs in danger.

Like IJustWantToBeSpecial, IJustWantToHaveFriends and IJustWantToBeNormal, I Just Want To Be Badass describes one of those {{wish|Fulfillment}}es that consumers of media like to have [[WishFulfillment fulfilled]] by the works they consume. Typically, males are somewhat more prone to harbor this wish. A tentative explanation for this could be the fact that western popular culture's standards of masculinity and badassery have some similarities.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Miles "Tails" Prower, per his ImageSong. Originally a bully victim, meeting Sonic and joining him in his adventures helped him break out of his shell, but he still retained his timidness, [[KidSidekick always living in Sonic's shadow]]. By ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' he was thrust into a situation that made him realized he couldn't keep depending on [[BigBrotherMentor Sonic]] forever, leading to him single-handedly taking [[BigBad Eggman]] on for the first time and saving the city from him.

* ''Anime/MahouSenseiNegima'': Negi Springfield definitely qualifies. Already a [[{{Determinator}} hard-working]] prodigal mage at the age of 10, his quest for power increases after many of his students become his [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits mischievous]] [[TrueCompanions followers]], making him constantly worried for their safety. It doesn't help that he's [[OvershadowedByAwesome surrounded by a lot of ]] powerful people such as his more combat-trained pupils (Setsuna, Mana, Kaede, Ku Fei), his father's friends (Jack Rakan, Alberio Imma, Takamichi), and his former enemy (Evangeline), some of whom are game-breakingly powerful. Oh, and his father? An [[WorldsStrongestMan incredibly powerful]] war hero who is practically worshipped across the Magic World. That's a lot of hurdles to jump over. [[spoiler: It's no surprise then that he would push himself to incredible extremes, even learning [[NobleDemon Evangeline]]'s '''[[BlackMagic Dark Magic]]'''.]] He's definitely not your standard shounen hero.
* [[LightNovel/{{Durarara}} Mikado]] definitely qualifies because he wants to change something. [[spoiler: It's what led him to create [[ImageBoard Dollars]]. Later on, you actually see that he has been badass all along.]]

* [[Manga/BakiTheGrappler "If one is born as a male, at least once in his life he will dream of becoming the strongest man alive. Grappler is the martial artist who aims to become the strongest in the world!"]]

* Cyril, the bellringer mouse from the Literature/{{Redwall}} fic ''Fanfic/TheUrthbloodSaga'' has as his life's ambition to become a warrior someday, resenting his status as a lowly abbey novice and feeling as if his elders will [[AdultsAreUseless always treat him like a child]]. While he becomes somewhat less enthusiastic about the idea and more accepting of his place after his younger brother Cyrus [[spoiler: just barely survives being wounded by a visiting soldier]], he still has it as his ultimate goal.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStoryThatTimeForgot'', Trixie laments the fact that Bonnie plays her as anything ''but'' a dinosaur, so when the Battlesaurs offer her to join them, [[JumpedAtTheCall she accepts without hesitation]]. Later on, after [[spoiler:defusing the conflict with them by tricking Bonnie and Mason into playing with the toys]], she's learned to appreciate her MasterOfAll role.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Miles "Tails" Prower, per his ImageSong. Originally a bully victim, meeting Sonic and joining him in his adventures helped him break out of his shell, but he still retained his timidness, [[KidSidekick always living in Sonic's shadow]]. By ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' he was trusted into a situation that made him realized he couldn't keep depending on [[BigBrotherMentor Sonic]] forever, leading to him single-handedly taking [[BigBad Eggman]] on for the first time and saving the city from him.

* In ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'', Flynn Rider modeled himself on a fictional character, an adventurer, TheCharmer, and rich enough that he could do anything and go anywhere. Which explains Flynn's career as a thief.

* ''Videogame/FireEmblem:''

** ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]]'' and its sequel ''Radiant Dawn'' has Reyson, one of the [[{{Bishonen}} very beautiful]] and very frail princes of the [[{{Animorphism}} heron tribe]]. In his support conversations with the protagonist Ike, Reyson reveals that he at times ''despised'' himself for his inability to fight after the human nation Begnion massacred the heron tribe and all but destroyed their home, Serenes Forest. He was jealous of his caretaker, the [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority immensely powerful king]] of the Hawk laguz tribe, Tibarn, and tried to toughen himself up by force so that [[PayEvilUntoEvil he'd be able to one day take revenge on humans]]...only to make himself sick in the process. He mostly came to terms with his status as a NonActionGuy, seeing as he is able to [[SupportPartyMember help out through singing]] his magical galdrs, which do things like heal allies, cure them of harmful conditions, and grant them {{Extra Turn}}s.

Again, please remember that neither WishFulfillment nor the fulfillment of any specific wish (including this one) [[TropesAreNotBad is a bad thing]]. If reality matched our fantasies, we would not need to create fiction.

This can be akin to hanging a sign on your head saying, "Am looking for DealWithTheDevil, apply within." Or an invitation for TrainingFromHell. It's hard to tell the difference at first....

Arguably, video games in general have a strong element of this as their appeal. Many FPS games do at least in part avert or subvert this however. During some action games, there is a level where the game radically changes pace and becomes [[UnexpectedGameplayChange something different]]. For instance, an action game will toss in a stealth level where the player character is stripped of all their weapons. These levels are {{subver|tedTrope}}sions of this trope and gain their impact from the sudden loss of power the player character has experienced. SurvivalHorror games often rely on averting this to generate fear in the player. Feeling powerful and competent is not conducive to feeling scared, frightened, alone and weak.

* Kosuna of ''Manga/DesertPunk'' just wants to be the #1 ActionGirl in the Great Kanto Desert, and becomes an apprentice handyman to Kanta to do so. She then spends the rest of the series learning that survival in the desert involves a lot of grunt work, trickery, and that doing your job right means using your gun as ''little'' as possible.

* [[LightNovel/{{Durarara}} Mikado]] definitely qualifies because he wants to change something. [[spoiler: It's what led him to create [[ImageBoard Dollars]]. Later on you actually see that he has been badass all along.]]

* In ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'', this was one of the major motivations of Joshua, an IllBoy whose BlessedWithSuck HealingHands powers confined him to his bed. After being disappointed by a suggestion from [[TheMentor Father Remington]] to go through TrainingFromHell to grow strong, [[BigBad Aion]] offered him a DealWithTheDevil to gain immense power through a pair of demon horns. It worked, but [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity also turned him insane]] and allowed Aion to kidnap him and use his powers for his plans. This kicks off the main plot of the series, when his sister makes her own DealWithTheDevil to be able to rescue him.

** Most characters in the story, like Luffy, strive to become the next Pirate King. Others have entirely different goals that fit this trope. Zoro, for example, wants to be replace Mihawk as the world's strongest swordsman.

* After the death of his mother, the titular protagonist of ''Anime/RingingBell'' decides he wants to be a wolf. The problem? He's a lamb. Chirin thought that being a sheep is boring and that sheep are just a bunch of cowards - he wanted to be tough and powerful like a wolf. [[spoiler:In the end Chirin does become extremely strong however he lost everything in his quest to become powerful. He's not accepted by other sheep, he took revenge on his mentor, and he's not a wolf]].

* Cyril, the bellringer mouse from the Literature/{{Redwall}} fic ''Fanfic/TheUrthbloodSaga'' has as his life's ambition to become a warrior someday, resenting his status as a lowly abbey novice and feeling as if his elders will [[AdultsAreUseless always treat him like a child]]. While he becomes somewhat less enthusastic about the idea and more accepting of his place after his younger brother Cyrus [[spoiler: just barely survives being wounded by a visiting soldier]], he still has it as his ultimate goal.
* ''LightNovel/DemonKingDaimao'' fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8514012/1/Keena-the-Defendants-of-Constan-Magic-Academy Keena & the Defendants of Constan Academy]] has this happen to usual DamselInDistress Keena, who not only wants friends (due to the remaining characters being PutOnABus), but also wants to find herself useful in combat. Turns out [[spoiler: she actually ''is'' skilled in combat. Chapter 6 reveals that she actually has trained and learned to fight, but never got the opportunity to do so]].

* {{Deconstructed}} in ''Film/TriadElection'': Jet believes being feared by everyone is what will get him noticed in the Hong Kong underworld, many of which includes assassinations from Chairman Lok of the Wo Shing Wo. Unfortunately, it's the only thing he's good for; it's implied Jet has been in hiding for so long because of all the hits he's being doing for Lok, making it unlikely for him to climb the ladder and be a legitimate candidate for Chairman in the future (which Lok promises), let alone a promotion. {{Lampshaded}} by one of the "Uncles" of Wo Shing in the climax of the sequel, who's never heard of this lowly foot soldier.
* Kylo Ren from ''Franchise/StarWars'': ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is a villainous example. He models himself after Darth Vader, [[spoiler: his grandfather]], and considers himself his successor, but secretly feels inadequate due to his (relatively) weak Force powers and struggles with the "temptation" of returning to the light side. Eventually he [[spoiler: kills Han Solo, his father]], believing this will give him the clarity he needs and prove his resolve to both himself and his master, Supreme Leader Snoke. It doesn't.

** After his [[BadassDecay infamous fall from grace in season 4 onwards]], Spike has a interesting case of "I just want to be badass ''again''". In the season 5 episode crush, [[ThrowTheDogABone he gets close to accomplishing this]] when Drusilla invites him to terrorise the globe with her again. This being [[ButtMonkey Spike]] however, it doesn't last until even the end of the episode, and he ends up [[YankTheDogsChain even more pathetic than before]] as a result.

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': [[FauxActionGirl Andrea]] is this in Season 1 and the first part of Season 2. By the end of Season 2, however, [[TookALevelInBadass she can actually hold her own against a surprising amount of walkers before hitting the ground exhausted.]] Unfortunately, [[BadassDecay this is dropped early on in Season 3 after she becomes the Governrs slu - erm, partner]]. She spends the rest of the season trying to prove herself as a powerful, diplomatic leader in Woodbury. She has moments, but overall, no one really takes her seriously, and her actions throughout the season - such as abandoning Michonne for a stranger and repeatedly defending the Governor ''despite'' knowing about his unstable tendencies - cause her to be labelled as TheScrappy by most fans. Eventually, all of her indecision and poor choice in loyalty culminate in [[spoiler: [[AlasPoorScrappy her death]]]].
* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': [[MilesGloriosus Mac brags about being a badass constantly]] as well as knowing karate [[WhatTheFuAreYouDoing which he doesn't]]. Mac also likes his {{Action Hero}}es [[EscapistCharacter muscular and tough-looking]] and not just for the [[PerverseSexualLust obvious reasons]], [[ArmouredClosetGay though that too]]. However he's too much of a DirtyCoward to fulfill this fantasy of his and live up to his claims.

** Also ''Don't Take Your Guns to Town'' by same artist, which song ends in tragedy.

** ...Raiden in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'', an even more savage {{deconstruction}} of this trope than Solid Snake. As an audience proxy character whom the player is encouraged to identify with, he essentially serves as a living lecture to the audience against wanting to be badass by, at the start of his portion of the game, first failing miserably at being badass and then being harassed by his girlfriend because of his emotional distance (a common trait of badassery). Then, in the later portion of the game, it is revealed that he is exceptionally badass. Unfortunately the circumstances through which his badassery was generated [[TrainingFromHell were so excruciatingly traumatic]] that only a complete masochist would want to undergo them. Finally, when the audience gets their [[WishFulfillment wish to be badass fulfilled]], the game begins [[NoFourthWall demolishing the fourth wall]] and reminding the players that they are playing a video game and hence are not really badass at all. During the game, several events and situations occur that directly copy (or are obviously analogous to) segments of the original VideoGame/MetalGearSolid, further forcing the players to ask themselves whether or not they truly wish to be like Solid Snake (because being like Snake would not be nice, fun, heroic or awesome). If that weren't bleedingly obvious enough, the game's plot involves [[spoiler: the entire game being a simulation of the events of the original game, designed to turn the player-character into Solid Snake!]].

** Cloud is at his most badass when hes not trying to be.

-->'''Xbox 360 users:''' "[[RatedMForManly I want to be manly, for in reality I am not.]]"\\
'''Playstation 3 users:''' "[[{{Bishonen}} I want to be pretty, for in reality I am not.]]"\\

* This is the reason Hammer from ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' [[spoiler: [[FaceHeelTurn eventually turns evil]]. In the end he's practically the only one on your team who isn't superpowered in some way, and this weighs heavily upon him.]]

** In two of the game's DownloadableContent, he can serve as a GuestStarPartyMember, and is generally OlderAndWiser. Carver may even [[CharacterDevelopment say that he misses adventuring with Hawke, and be confidant enough to explicitly patronize]] ''his older brother/sister''.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Jaune Arc is angry that he's PluckyComicRelief and wants to be a great warrior like his [[FamousAncestor legendary war-hero great-great grandfather]]. He at first rejects Pyrrha Nikos' offer to train him because he thinks if he can't succeed on his own then it doesn't count, but eventually relents. The training starts to have results, but he's still leagues below everybody else.
** Ironically, even though he isn't a great fighter, he still demonstrates a lot of tactical prowess - in Episode 8, he does a fantastic job of directing Pyrrha, Ren and Nora in their battle against the Deathstalker, taking advantage of their skills and personal strengths to methodically take the scorpion monster apart. This is in contrast to our plucky heroines on Team RWBY, who rely on one of Ruby's {{Indy Ploy}}s and a ''lot'' of TeethClenchedTeamwork. He's also a NiceGuy with a kind heart, who is willing to step up and protect not only his teammates but even horrible people who antagonise him. Jaune ''is'' a badass, it's just he undervalues himself due to his lack of physical prowess.

* Tuffy Smurf of ''TheSmurfs'' wants to be just like Hefty Smurf, and will prove himself to be like him constantly by doing some daring things that usually put the other Smurfs in danger.

-->-- '''"[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF2XAltk1NM Believe In Myself]]"''', ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''

In order to fulfill this wish of their audience, the creator of a work will usually create a viewpoint character and, over the course of the story, make said character badass. This allows the audience to identify with the viewpoint character and as such experience badassery by proxy. Another way by which the author can fulfill this wish of the audience is to take a character that has already established his badassery and give said character a trait which the intended audience will identify with. Additionally, a writer can take a characterization with already-established badass credentials and [[{{Flanderization}} remove non-badass elements from said characterization in order to highlight the badassery]].

This trope applies in two circumstances. The first is that a ''character in the work is motivated by the trope'' ('''the in-universe version'''). The other is that ''the work engages with (fulfilling, parodying, or being to some extent motivated and/or changed by) its viewers Wanting To Be Badass'' ('''the meta-version'''). There is often considerable overlap between the two types; if this wish was not prevalent in viewers, said viewers would probably react differently to characters motivated by the wish. The later is so common-place that only examples of playing with or subverting this expectation should be listed.

* {{Deconstruct|ion}}ed with Solid Snake in ''Franchise/MetalGear''. Snake is badass all right, but at tremendous cost to his own life. He is cynical, bitter, jaded, [[ShellShockedVeteran has a massive case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]], is so level-headed that many would consider him inhumanly emotionless, is controlled and manipulated by his superiors, and exists as a puppet. Even his free will is brought into question, with Liquid alleging he is controlled by his genes. Unfortunately, this trope is so pervasive that many people who played VideoGame/MetalGearSolid [[MisaimedFandom completely missed the point]] and saw Solid Snake as the ultimate action hero badass and desperately wanted to be him... which resulted in...

I want to be strong; I also want to be trusted..."''
-->-- From [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF2XAltk1NM Tails' theme]] from the ''SonicAdventureSeries.''

* [[Anime/MahouSenseiNegima Negi Springfield]] definitely qualifies. Already a [[{{Determinator}} hard-working]] prodigal mage at the age of 10, his quest for power increases after many of his students become his [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits mischievous]] [[TrueCompanions followers]], making him constantly worried for their safety. It doesn't help that he's [[OvershadowedByAwesome surrounded by a lot of ]] powerful people such as his more combat-trained pupils (Setsuna, Mana, Kaede, Ku Fei), his father's friends (Jack Rakan, Alberio Imma, Takamichi), and his former enemy (Evangeline), some of whom are game-breakingly powerful. Oh, and his father? An [[WorldsStrongestMan incredibly powerful]] war hero who is practically worshipped across the Magic World. That's a lot of hurdles to jump over. [[spoiler: It's no surprise then that he would push himself to incredible extremes, even learning [[NobleDemon Evangeline]]'s '''[[BlackMagic Dark Magic]]'''.]] He's definitely not your standard shounen hero.

* A subplot in ''Film/ScoobyDoo2MonstersUnleashed'' is Shaggy and Scooby tired of being TheLoad of the gang and trying to be real detectives,

* Tedd in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive''. Especially after he felt weak about something [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-22 far worse than a school bully]]. His attempts look [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-09-30 less badass and more adorable than he'd like to]]. But at the same time he tries to circumvent his [[UnSorcerer powerless status]] and back from the {{foreshadowing}} [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-08-24 dream]] we know he can accept becoming more like his apparently EvilOverlord counterpart in AlternateUniverse, if he needs [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-10-07 this]] to fight back.

* Deconstructed in Immortal Technique's song "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dRgYd5Mxs0&feature=related Dance With the Devil]]".