History Main / MinoredInAssKicking

** It's certainly a hat of their ships. The idea is to be CrazyPrepared for whatever may be out there, and it's evident that it's necessary seeing how many episodes end with the crew surviving only by the skin of their teeth. The original ''Enterprise'' could devastate an ''entire planet,'' and each ''Enterprise'' is more weapon-laden than the last. This is even more true after ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine [=DS9=]]]'' 's Dominion War, where every ship built during that time or after is either like the starships ''Enterprise'' (an exploration vessel or what-have-you that doubles as a superweapon) or like the ''Defiant'' and ''Prometheus'' (the Federation supposedly doesn't have warships so we'll ''call'' it something else, but its true purpose is to shove quantum torpedoes down the bad guys' throats with extreme prejudice.) Every ship that wasn't built that way is being brought up to that standard, as seen with the ''Lakota'' (one of a type of ship that really shouldn't be able to stand up to the ''Defiant,'' but was upgraded.)

* ComicBook/DoctorStrange is a KungFuWizard who seldom lets on that he can defend himself physically. This allows him to keep the element of surprise whenever an enemy cuts off his access to magic and assumes Strange will then be helpless.

* Rafiki from ''Disney/TheLionKing''.

* Yoda from ''Franchise/StarWars'' is the diminutive, centuries-old leader of the Jedi order. The original trilogy depicts him as a frail and peaceful hermit (with a dose of ObfuscatingStupidity) to whom Luke goes for training in the spiritual and supernatural aspects of the force. The prequel trilogy initially shows him as slightly younger and more active, but still mainly serving as the leader of the Jedi council and a revered teacher. Then, at the climax of ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'', he reveals his dormant warrior prowess by holding his own against Count Dooku in lightsaber combat, defending against force lightning, and lifting colossal objects using the force. He spends much of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' as an outright ActionHero, but fails to destroy Darth Sidious and is forced to go into hidden exile, eventually becoming the unassuming hermit whom Luke meets many years later.

-->'''Henry Jones Sr.:''' You call ''this'' archaeology?!\\\

** Charity Carpenter (the wife of the Fist of God makes his armor (which is kevlar reinforced chainmail) and is his sparring partner).
** Mortimer Lindquist (after Harry helps him get his act back together) turns out to be very dangerous with a bunch of spirits at his command.

** Harry himself might not exactly count, as he quickly becomes one of the most effective blasting wizards in the world, however most people expect wizards to useless when things get up close. Harry, however, can kick ass physically too when he has to. He's somewhere around 6'9", keeps up his cardio, has training in staff based combat (since he carries one around anyways), and is more than happy to put all of that to use when he needs to. Not to mention the series of increasingly large and powerful revolvers he carries as a matter of course.

* Downplayed with the titular hero of Film/Rambo as he can be ruthless and vengeful, but he does often look for a diplomatic solution when he can.

* Downplayed with the titular hero of Franchise/Rambo as he can be ruthless and vengeful, but he does often look for a diplomatic solution when he can.

* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', the eponymous protagonist, is a "LabRat" (with an MD) who took "courses in advanced jujitsu". While he usually strikes by surprise, he was able to clash with a heavily muscled police sergeant who is ex-special forces, and able to best him while Dexter was handcuffed and the cop had a pistol drawn.

* The ''TabletopGame/{{Spycraft}}'' system has the "martial arts" feat, which allows a character to change the stat on which unarmed attacks are based, meaning that a weak character designed to have strong social skills can pull out a surprisingly damaging sucker-punch even if otherwise entirely devoted to talking their way out of things.

* ''Franchise/ProfessorLayton'' usually doesn't need to fight, given that his adventures are predominately mysteries. But when he does have to fight, remember that he is an expert fencer [[AllSwordsAreTheSame with a broadsword]] [[ImprovisedWeapon or lead pipe]].

** Mr. Spock of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' fame was a Crouching Scholar. As a half Vulcan, he was much stronger than his human peers, had combat training, could [[TapOnTheHead nerve pinch]] most enemies into submission, and aside from bantering with [=McCoy=] never [[SmugSuper lorded his abilities over anyone.]] This is made very apparent in the 2009 reboot ''Film/StarTrek'' films, where [[spoiler:when Kirk manages to ''break'' Spock's BerserkButton, he is thrashed from one end of the bridge to another and is very nearly choked to death (Kirk did this to make Spock realize he was not in the best state to command a ship]]. In [[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness the sequel]], [[spoiler:he proceeds to go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge and go toe-to-toe with OneManArmy SuperSoldier ''Khan Noonien Singh'', who had previously massacred an entire platoon of Klingons single-handedly and was only mildly annoyed at Kirk's best attempt to beat him up. He even fully used the nerve pinch to make Khan ''suffer.'' The only reason Spock didn't kill him was because Khan's blood could revive Kirk.]].

** Twilight Sparkle is a student and a librarian and a immensely powerful mage.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': Shepherd Book is especially this trope, delivering a half-fist to the throat to Dobson in the first episode. When [[spoiler:Mal is taken hostage]], Book is asked if Literature/TheBible [[ThouShaltNotKill prevented him from killing]]. His response? "It's a little fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps."

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': The staff of Hogwarts.

** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': The ten orders of the Knights Radiant were charged with protecting humanity from the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Voidbringers]]. By the modern era, the common assumption is that all the Knights were frontline fighters, but the truth is that many of the Orders were scholars or healers. However, no matter the Order, every Knight had a [[SoulCuttingBlade Shardblade]], [[PoweredArmor Shardplate]], and the enhanced [[SuperStrength strength]], [[SuperSpeed speed]], [[SuperReflexes perception]], and HealingFactor of Stormlight, making them extremely dangerous when they did need to fight. Considering that the duty of the Radiants was to lead humanity in the Desolations, a world-wide extinction war, it makes sense that even the support staff are deadly warriors.

** Molly's tutelage under Lea could be considered this, since combat is one of the disciplines of magic she's least good at. She mostly learned to use what she was already good (illusions) at in combat situations.

** Charity Carpenter (the wife of the Fist of God makes his armor and is his sparring partner).
** Mortimer Lindquist (after Harry helps get the former's act back together) who turns out to be able to call on spirits to let him do something like this.
** Molly's tutelage under Lea could be considered this, since combat is one of the disciplines of magic she's least good at.
** Harry himself shows shades of this. Most people expect wizards to be all about magic and therefore useless when things get up close. Fortunately for Harry, his staff comes in pretty handy as a club and he even has training in using it similarly to a bo staff. Though he still prefers magic in a fight, if need be Harry can kick ass physically too. Not to mention the series of increasingly large and powerful revolvers he carries as a matter of course.

** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': The ten orders of the Knights Radiant were charged with protecting humanity from the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Voidbringers]]. By the modern era, the common assumption is that all the Knights were frontline fighters, but the truth is that many of the Orders were scholars or healers. However, no matter the Order, every Knight had a [[SoulCuttingBlade Shardblade]], [[PoweredArmor Shardplate]], and the enhanced [[SuperStrength strength]], [[SuperSpeed speed]], [[SuperReflexes perception]], and HealingFactor of Stormlight, making them extremely dangerous when they did choose to fight. This doesn't seem like overkill as otherwise slaughtering everyone in those orders would doubtless have been a first priority.

** ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'': Sazed is a teacher first and foremost dedicated to preserving knowledge, but the same powers that let him store memories of entire books also allow him to store strength, speed and endurance, to be tapped [[LetsGetDangerous whenever he needs them]]. He's also the first character in the series to take on a [[EliteMooks Steel Inquisitor]] and come off at all well. Lampshaded in the third book, where he begins to protest that he's a scholar, not a fighter, for something like the eighty fourth time before realising he's seen more fighting than most actual fighters.

* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Maka spends most of her time reading books and studying for exams. However if you call her on it, she and Soul will beat the ever-loving crap out of you (kinda subverted in that they do get beat up a bit until they TookALevelInBadass). Also, Kidd counts - obsessed with perfection and generally thinks his way out of situations... however, he's a freaking {{Shinigami}}!
* A semi-example for Hattori Heiji in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'': He is more hotheaded than the other high school detectives (a fact remarked upon in the series), but he always keeps using his brains, confronting armed killers with his logical conclusions rather than just knocking them out and calling the police. Attack him or his friends, though, and you'll find out just who can beat the entire police kendo club of Oosaka. Or stop a sword with a ''cell phone''.
* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Tsuchimikado Motoharu is primarily a wisecracking spy and omnyouji, but has the combat skills to beat the protagonist in hand-to-hand combat.[[note]]The protagonist is only special because of his hand's ability to cancel supernatural powers, he is otherwise completely normal and as well as completely untrained in combat.[[/note]]

** In ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', its revealed that Gohan actually wrote and published a book explaining in great detail the principals of ''ki.'' This alongside Trunks and Goten's martial art school fending off an invasion was what led to the '''massive''' rise in ki-using martial artists in the setting of the game.

* In Creator/JinYong's ''Literature/LegendOfTheCondorHeroes'', the guy with the most powerful martial arts is not the abbot of Shaolin, not the series' protagonists, not the BigBad... but the guy, completely forgotten to even his fellow monks, who sweeps the floor in the Shaolin library, and has probably read some that even the abbot hasn't heard of.

* Comicbook/{{Loki}} is often considered a GlassCannon or SquishyWizard by Asgardian standards (though he has SuperStrength and amazing endurance in comparison to mortals). However, he has physically (or mostly physically) outfought several opponents, most recently the Dsir during the ComicBook/{{Siege}} event. He also changes weapons more than most ''Thor'' characters, his main ones being a whip, sword, or halberd.

* Literature/SherlockHolmes solves mysteries with his vast intellect, but he is occasionally given the opportunity to showcase his martial arts prowess. His wiry frame also hides incredible strength.
* A number of Creator/TamoraPierce characters.
** [[Literature/CircleOfMagic Tris]]: [[FieryRedhead Redheaded]] [[NerdGlasses glasses-wearing]] crosspatch bordering on genuine {{Jerkass}}, but is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold sweet heart]] underneath. Constantly reading, slightly overweight, brilliant, and always picked on. Has weather magic that can literally rip you to bits.
** [[Literature/TortallUniverse Numair]]: Veritable CloudCuckoolander and always lost in some scholarly pursuit. Someone doubted his prowess as a war mage and that someone is now a tree. (As a consequence, somewhere, a random tree is now a somebody.)

* The science-fiction version of Maturin is Adele Mundy in the Creator/DavidDrake ''Literature/{{RCN}}'' series. She'll always be clumsy on a starship, she's uncomfortable dealing with people rather than computers or books and she'd much prefer collating information to anything, but she's ''extremely'' protective of her TrueCompanions and a remarkably good shot with a pistol.
* The first thing Richard notices about Henry in ''Literature/TheSecretHistory'' is his size and how carefully he carries himself. It turns out he's a softspoken genius and even more terrifying for his mind--in addition to being a stoic killer.
* In ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'', Kurda Smahlt is the one character like this in a mountain full of ProudWarriorRaceGuy vampires. He's a [[ActualPacifist pacifist]] and prefers not to fight unless he has to... and a vampire can't refuse a challenge during the Festival of the Undead.
* In Creator/JinYong's ''Literature/LegendOfTheCondorHeroes'', the guy with the most powerful martial arts is not the abbot of Shaolin, not the series' protagonists, not the BigBad... but the guy, completely forgotten to even his fellow monks, who sweeps the floor in the Shaolin library, and has probably read some that even the abbot hasn't heard of.
* ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'': Sazed is a teacher first and foremost dedicated to preserving knowledge, but the same powers that let him store memories of entire books also allow him to store strength, speed and endurance, to be tapped [[LetsGetDangerous whenever he needs them]]. He's also the first character in the series to take on a [[EliteMooks Steel Inquisitor]] and come off at all well. Lampshaded in the third book, where he begins to protest that he's a scholar, not a fighter, for something like the eighty fourth time before realising he's seen more fighting than most actual fighters.
* El Greco of ''Literature/InFuryBorn'':
-->The academics of El Greco warmed up their computers, set up their data searches, and turned to the study of guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and assassination as if preparing to sit their doctoral orals.

* Stenwold Maker, hero of Adrian Tchaikovsky's ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheApt'' series, scholar, artificer, spymaster and War Master of Collegium.
* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': Arbat-Elivat-Estoni from ''The Arrival''.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': The staff of Hogwarts.
-->'''[=McGonagall=]''': We teachers are rather good at magic, you know.

* Cursors from ''Literature/CodexAlera''. Yeah, they're couriers, and spies, and occasionally, they're called on to defend themselves, so its one of the things they train in.
* Kahlan Amnell of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' is somewhere between this and a borderline BadassNormal. Her father taught her everything he knew about fighting, and he was a king who was unequaled in the Midlands at bringing war.
** Warren. Also a BadassBookworm.
** Given [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld how long Nathan spent studying prophecy]], his martial talents could be considered this.
* Doctor Impossible in ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'' wouldn't have survived as a genius supervillain if he couldn't also tear the armor off a wannabe ComicBook/IronMan with his bare hands when the occasion calls for it. It's suggested most people don't even realize how strong he is because his physical abilities are completely overshadowed by people who have superstrength as their main power.
* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'' Unlike others in the Dragon's Lair mercenary guild, Mia's job is purely clerical but she can still subdue thugs with ease.
* ''Literature/RevancheCycle'': Dante Uccello presents himself as a completely cerebral manipulator, until it comes to a showdown with three bounty hunters -- at which point he demonstrates what he learned from years as a city militia captain.

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': The ten orders of the Knights Radiant were charged with protecting humanity from the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Voidbringers]]. By the modern era, the common assumption is that all the Knights were frontline fighters, but the truth is that many of the Orders were scholars or healers. However, no matter the Order, every Knight had a [[SoulCuttingBlade Shardblade]], [[PoweredArmor Shardplate]], and the enhanced [[SuperStrength strength]], [[SuperSpeed speed]], [[SuperReflexes perception]], and HealingFactor of Stormlight, making them extremely dangerous when they did choose to fight. This doesn't seem like overkill as otherwise slaughtering everyone in those orders would doubtless have been a first priority.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Despite being a GuileHero who relies primarily on his wits, Tyrion has killed someone with just a shield. Tyrion's definitely taken some night classes since becoming Hand of the King, to the point where he proves a reasonably competent fighter in the Battle of the Blackwater. Bronn witnessed his killing with a shield, figured he'd make good use of a war axe, and offers one to him in recommendation. He does in the battle.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** Mr. Spock of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' fame was a Crouching Scholar. As a half Vulcan, he was much stronger than his human peers, had combat training, could [[TapOnTheHead nerve pinch]] most enemies into submission, and aside from bantering with [=McCoy=] never [[SmugSuper lorded his abilities over anyone.]] This is made very apparent in the 2009 reboot ''Film/StarTrek'' films, where [[spoiler:when Kirk manages to ''break'' Spock's BerserkButton, he is thrashed from one end of the bridge to another and is very nearly choked to death (Kirk did this to make Spock realize he was not in the best state to command a ship]]. In [[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness the sequel]], [[spoiler:he proceeds to go on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge and go toe-to-toe with OneManArmy SuperSoldier ''Khan Noonien Singh'', who had previously massacred an entire platoon of Klingons single-handedly and was only mildly annoyed at Kirk's best attempt to beat him up. He even fully used the nerve pinch to make Khan ''suffer.'' The only reason Spock didn't kill him was because Khan's blood could revive Kirk.]].
** Data from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' also fits the trope - he has the strength of ten men, nanosecond reflexes, perfect aim, and other superhuman body feats. And he is a ''science officer''. Excels at it, having perfect memory, infallible logic and being faster at data processing than the ship's computer. He isn't defeated in hand-to-hand combat ''once''. (For the record, he can use the nerve pinch too, as demonstrated in "Unification", pt. 2. He learned it from watching Spock use it. Once. Most non-Vulcans don't have the dexterity to pull it off at all, and even Vulcans have to be trained in it.)
** Data's commanding officer Jean-Luc Picard has shown enough combat and survival ability that he could easily be a one-man commando unit. This is the man who prefers diplomacy and peace above all else, enjoys a glass of tea and some classical music while reading a 19th century novel, plays a flute and studies archaeology in his spare time, and is [[CoolOldGuy in his 60s]]. Oh, and a throwaway line in ''Q Who'', combined with one of Creator/JohnDeLancie's [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic later roles]], establishes Picard as a scholar of early 21st century TV drama.
*** In fact, he does serve as a one-man commando unit in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E16StarshipMine Starship Mine]]". The [[VillainOfTheWeek villains of the week]] try to take over the Enterprise during a maintenance stop when they expect the ship to be deserted. Picard, who is present only by accident, [[DieHardOnAnX single handedly takes out the entire team]]. No one even seems all that surprised by his success. Oh, and ''he'' uses a Vulcan nerve pinch. (How he knew how to do it, we don't know, but {{Fanon}} has it that it's a holdover from his mind-meld with Sarek.)
** This is a hat of the Federation really, only ''one'' class of ships was ever designed for combat, yet most can rival any other races warships of equal or greater size, often winning.
** It's certainly a hat of their ships. The idea is to be CrazyPrepared for whatever may be out there, and it's evident that it's necessary seeing how many episodes end with the crew surviving only by the skin of their teeth. The original ''Enterprise'' could devastate an ''entire planet,'' and each ''Enterprise'' is more weapon-laden than the last. This is even more true after ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine [=DS9=]]]'' 's Dominion War, where every ship built during that time or after is either like the starships ''Enterprise'' (an exploration vessel or what-have-you that doubles as a superweapon) or like the ''Defiant'' and ''Prometheus'' (the Federation supposedly doesn't have warships so we'll ''call'' it something else, but its true purpose is to shove quantum torpedoes down the bad guys' throats with extreme prejudice.) Every ship that wasn't built that way is being brought up to that standard, as seen with the ''Lakota'' (one of a type of ship that really shouldn't be able to stand up to the ''Defiant,'' but was upgraded.)
* Methos from ''Series/{{Highlander}}'', at least from about 1800 till modern day. He's spent two hundred years hiding out and spying on the Watchers, and running away from every fight he can run away from. But just because he doesn't like to fight doesn't mean he can't. After all, he's not the world's oldest Immortal for ''nothing''.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': Shepherd Book is especially this trope, delivering a half-fist to the throat to Dobson in the first episode. When [[spoiler:Mal is taken hostage]], Book is asked if Literature/TheBible [[ThouShaltNotKill prevented him from killing]]. His response? "It's a little fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps."
** Also, it appears that on his way to becoming a respected doctor Simon Tam learned to throw one hell of a punch. [[FridgeBrilliance Which makes a good deal of sense]] if you've ever had the misfortune to attend a hospital emergency room on a Friday or Saturday night after the bars close.
*** He has also incapacitated a man, literally with his hands tied behind his back, by calmly kneeling on his windpipe.
** Inara seems to have some combat training, given her fights with Saffron (in "[[Recap/FireflyE06OurMrsReynolds Our Mrs. Reynolds]]") and the Operative (in ''Film/{{Serenity}}''), and the fact that she has a personal laser-bow-thing that she uses against the Reavers (also in ''Serenity''), landing at least some hits. Makes sense given that her Companion work presumably leaves her in at least some dangerous situations.
* In the later few seasons of ''Series/StargateSG1'', [[CunningLinguist Dr. Daniel Jackson]] falls into this trope. Keep in mind he was always TheSmartGuy (well, he shared with Sam), but only later did he [[TookALevelInBadass take a level]] and fit.
* On the surface, Simon Campos of ''Series/{{Flash Forward|2009}}'' is a brilliant particle physicist (not to mention short and wimpy-looking, which has been pointed in-show). However, you ''do not'' want to bully, threaten, or hurt him, or he will go psycho and kill you without hesitation. Preferably with his bare hands.

*** A brilliant example is the Fourth Doctor - he was intended as, and fans remember him as, a less aggressive incarnation than the Third Doctor (who had been a martial arts master), but he is actually a lot more physical than the Third Doctor was, although he has a looser, more chaotic, [[GoodOldFisticuffs brawling]] fighting style. Even after the introduction of ActionGirl Leela forced some CastSpeciation, it only caused him to switch to guns.

** The First Doctor's companion, Barbara. Usually, Ian would be the ActionHero, the Doctor would be the CrazyAwesome-clever one, and Barbara would be the insightful-clever one who would pick up on things the Doctor was too arrogant or unobservant to notice. However, she'd get physical on occasion - she knocks a {{Mind Control}}led Ian off his feet in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E5TheKeysOfMarinus The Keys of Marinus]]", kills a bunch of nasty alien brains in the same story, battles super-fast growing foliage, kills a Dalek by running over it in a speeding lorry, shoots a 'sand beast' in the face with a rocket, [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu kills a Lovecraftian monstrosity]]...

* Jor-El on ''Series/{{Smallville}}''. Renowned scientist and scholar, legal mind par excellence...and a former Kryptonian soldier--complete with dog tags--who can nerve pinch most enemies into submission.
* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', the eponymous protagonist, is a "LabRat" (with an MD) who took "courses in advanced jujitsu". While he usually strikes by surprise, he was able to clash with a heavily muscled police sergeant who is ex-special forces, and able to best him while Dexter was handcuffed and the cop had a pistol drawn.
* Most of the ''Series/BabylonFive'' philosophical characters are capable of beating the living hell out of anyone given enough provocation. None of Delenn, Lennier, Sinclair or Sheridan appear to be particularly physically intimidating--until the moment they decide that the universe would be best served by beating someone into unconsciousness. This trope particularly fits the Minbari as a whole, who look like average-build humans in physique, but when sufficiently provoked will demonstrate that they're physically more powerful. In one scene, Lennier grabs Marcus by the lapel and lifts him off the ground, saying:
--> Lennier: Do not touch me in that fashion. We may sometimes look like you, but we are not you. Never forget that.
* ''Series/{{Sanctuary}}'': Helen Magnus is most often seen utilizing her abilities as an OmnidisciplinaryScientist and diplomat to solve problems and save the day, but her coworkers in the Sanctuary are always quick to point out that she can handle herself in a fight and she has shown the ability to do so many times. The entirety of "Monsoon" is basically Helen evading the bad guys and saving the {{innocent bystander}}s through a combination of wit, stealth, and hitting people in the face. The following exchange sums it up quite well, clearly with the trope in mind:
-->'''Charlotte''': What are you, a spy, an agent or something?
-->'''Magnus''': A doctor.
-->'''Charlotte''': Of asskicking!
** She spent an entire episode fighting with Adam and decisively kicked his ass despite his ability to {{teleport|ation}}.

* While Series/{{Castle}} is usually a NonActionGuy, as a civilian writer shadowing the NYPD, we are occasionally reminded that he can occasionally be angered enough to [[spoiler: punch a sniper out]] and that he is also a ''hell'' of a good shot.

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': Mack is a self-taught engineer (and a good one), but whenever things get hairy, he demonstrates exactly how he survived the HYDRA uprising. Eventually he becomes a front line agent full-time, but he would much rather be fixing the agency's cars and quinjets.
-->'''Mack's Brother:''' You're really good at this stuff, huh?\\
'''Mack:''' Reuben, I'm a mechanic. I ''hate'' "this stuff."
* Noah Kuttler, The Calculator, in ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' is a genius hacker. He's no match in combat for most of the show's other villains, but when Damien Darkh sends Brick and others after him, he proves skilled enough with a shotgun to hold out until he's rescued by Team Arrow.

* Every game with a level-based system gives the primarily trick or skill-based classes some combat prowess with level, just not as much as genuine combat-oriented classes. For instance, a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' wizard at high levels can still quite reliably land a hit with potential critical damage using a spear, which is quite devastating to the average mook, and has the defense to dodge many physical attacks even without magic.

* Liara T'Soni in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' claims to be a regular archaeologist, not even of the [[AdventurerArchaeologist adventurer type]]... then, with some training, becomes the single most powerful biotic in the game. All while retaining her rather timid personality.
** And in the sequel, she [[spoiler:becomes a KnowledgeBroker dedicated to getting revenge on the previous top player in that field, and has apparently done well enough by the time you meet her that she actually has said previous top player on the run. Also, she threatens to flay someone alive with her mind. [[BewareTheNiceOnes Not exactly all that timid anymore]]]].

** The Asari species as a whole. They are actually the galaxy's diplomats and mediators, and their military generally consists of semi-organized militia....but said militia are proficient in a vast array of killing and usually spend several centuries practicing their trade, and thus are the deadliest fighters in the galaxy.

*** While working in the Salarian [[CloakAndDagger Special Tasks Group]], Mordin once killed a Krogan while armed only with a ''pitchfork''.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' and its sequel both have Gordon Freeman. A [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]] with a [=PhD=], who is strong enough to [[ArmorIsUseless bludgeon armored Combine soldiers to death with a crowbar.]]

* Lara Croft from ''Franchise/TombRaider'' is just searching for ancient artifacts, but if a T-rex, dark entity or [[OneWingedAngel Super-powered queen of an ancient civilization]] gets in her way, she ''will'' take it out.
* The Keepers of the ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' series. Sure, they may be stealthy and unfathomable {{Badass Bookworm}}s, but... why endanger themselves when they can beg [[ImpossibleThief Garrett]] to do their dirty work once in a while? At least they usually award him for the trouble he goes through.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'', Ghido the turtle sage mostly just provides exposition...but when the BigBad attacks him, he fights him off with surprising ease. "You think I sat around seven centuries [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles munching on pizza]]?"
* Canas of ''VideoGame/FireEmblem: Blazing Sword'' is an easily-missed, slightly klutzy and very calm shaman who spends his days studying and traveling to learn more about the dar- sorry, ''[[InsistentTerminology arcane]]'' arts. Recruit him and train him up, and he'll be able to take down the final boss in a turn or two on his own.
* [[SternTeacher Kuzuki Souichirou]] from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. He's the protagonist's homeroom teacher who dictates history and ethics classes. [[spoiler: He is also a retired assassin]].
* Rabbi Russell Stone, the protagonist of ''VideoGame/TheShivah'', manages to talk a knife-welding crook, send to kill him, into a fist-fight. The would-be assassin laughs at the challenge, thinking that the Rabbi is just a harmless, old Jew, until Stone's right fist hits his face, and the Rabbi reveals that he used to be in a boxing league before proceeding to completely beat up the crook.
* Franchise/ProfessorLayton usually doesn't need to fight, given that his adventures are predominately mysteries. But when he does have to fight, remember that he is an expert fencer [[AllSwordsAreTheSame with a broadsword]] [[ImprovisedWeapon or lead pipe]].
* ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' gives us the head of Arachnos, Lord Recluse, the game's BigBad. He mostly stays in his tower, outlines plans and creates nigh-perfect tactics and XanatosSpeedChess level counter-attacks for the forces of evil. If you actually manage to beat his four CoDragons, endanger a major operation or, heaven-help-you, actually bring the fight to him, he will leave said tower and proceed to beat the ever-loving-hell out of you himself, before going right back into his tower and calling one of his armies to come clean-up the mess.
** Lord Recluse's attendants [[BadassBureaucrat the Arachnos Arbiters]] take after their boss to a lesser degree. They are more or less law-enforcers for the ''City of Villains'' (because the few base-laws that do exist there are crucial to their society). To qualify as an Arbiter one must be a veteran soldier of Arachnos and submit to Arachnos brain-conditioning to be both a worthy enforcer and psychologically incapable of corruption. Almost none of the Arbiters ever need to resort to raising anything more heavy-duty than a pencil, which is because assaulting one prompts an army sized man-hunt. But when one is actually given kill orders you will see all those years as working up the military-chain put to terrifying effect.
* Throughout ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, the ThievesGuild [[EvenEvilHasStandards enforces]] that murder (and combat in general) is a last resort only. However, members are still expected to be capable of defending themselves. Thus, Guild services often include training in CloakAndDagger style combat skills, such as bladed weapons, light armor, and marksmanship.
* Mei from ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' is a climatologist first and a fighter never. Every other character in the game's roster has at least some reason to pursue a combative approach to a problem, but Mei only had to build her FreezeRay weapon out of necessity to survive her grim conditions down in Antarctica. She has no reason to use it in combat and freeze her enemies solid, yet she eagerly does so anyway.

* Gil from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. He's more or less constantly [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority underestimated]] by most of the cast, but trip his BerserkButton or threaten [[TheHero the woman he loves]] and you'll see [[WarriorPrince another]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge side]] [[MadScientist of]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes him]].
** Surprisingly, [[spoiler: Tarvek.]] Even his own bodyguard's mouth was hanging open when it turned out [[spoiler: he can match even with Gil]], to the point that they both just collapsed in exhaustion (and illness) at the end of a brawl that was ''supposed'' to just be a staged one.

* Jane Doe from ''Webcomic/NobodyScores'' has actually attended [[http://nobodyscores.loosenutstudio.com/index.php?id=71 "The Courtney Love School of Just Hauling Off on a Motherfucker."]]
* In ''[[Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob,]]'' Galatea is primarily an [[GadgeteerGenius inventor]] and a schemer, but as Riboflavin [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101026.html painfully]] learned, given sufficient incentive she will prove that "There's a significant difference twixt [[FriendToAllLivingThings my sister]] and I. ''I'' understand how my ''[[CuteMonsterGirl claws]]'' work."

* Headmistress Elizabeth Carson of [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]] in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse. She was the head of the English department before she became the acting headmistress. It turns out there's a reason she's the headmistress of a school that has around 600 superpowered mutants: she's really Lady Astarte. She's the greatest superheroine of the 90's. And under a different codename she was also the greatest superheroine of the 80's... and the 70's... and the 60's... and the 50's... and... At Halloween, she flexes her muscles and takes on the most deadly killer in the Whateley Universe, and the army he brought with him, convincingly demonstrating why you don't mess with her.

* Master Splinter in many incarnations of ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''. He usually leaves the fighting to his sons, because of his age and that his sons need to fight their own battles. When pressed, however, he demonstrates just exactly ''who'' taught the turtles to be tough ninja warriors in the first place.

* Rhinox in '' WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' is head technician and pilot of the Maximals. His weapons are also [[FanNickname known as]] the Chainguns of Doom and when brainwashed into being evil he took over the Predacon army. By himself.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon "By Word of Mouse" the professor mouse is able to fend off WesternAnimation/{{Sylvester|TheCatAndTweetyBird}}.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers'', Walter "Doc" Hartford is usually the PluckyComicRelief, GentlemanSnarker, or DeadpanSnarker compared to his more frighteningly-enhanced teammates. His {{Technopath}} Series 5 ability is utterly useless in combat. However, "Heart of Tarkon" revealed that he learned acrobatics and fencing from "Miss Abercrombie's Charm School." Considering he has used the stuff he learned in "charm school" to break out of a dungeon, hand an EvilChancellor his ass, take down one of the most frightening villains on the show ''single-handedly'' and impress the local princess? Yeah, Doc. [[MysteriousPast That's some "charm school."]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Twilight Sparkle is a student and a librarian and a immensely powerful mage.
** Rarity is also an example. Unlike Applejack (rough and tumble cowgirl known for her athleticism) or Rainbow Dash (a BoisterousBruiser who's always the first into a fight) Rarity is a fashion designer, who hates getting dirty or sweaty. She's still proved herself to be one of the most effective fighters in the cast on several occasions, and is certainly not afraid to defend herself should she or her friends be threatened. She's the only one we've seen get into an actual fighting stance when it's time for hooficuffs. She thought nothing of attacking a manticore ''many'' times her size in the two-part premiere.

* In ''[[Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob,]]'' Galatea is primarily an [[GadgeteerGenius inventor]] and a schemer, but as Riboflavin [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101026.html painfully]] learned, given sufficient incentive she will prove that "There's a significant difference twixt [[FriendToAllLivingThings my sister]] and I. ''I'' understand how my ''claws'' work."

* In ''[[Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob,]]'' Galatea is primarily an [[GadgeteerGenius inventor]] and a schemer, but as Riboflavin [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101026.html painfully]] learned, given sufficient incentive and she will prove that "There's a significant difference twixt [[FriendToAllLivingThings my sister]] and I. ''I'' understand how my ''claws'' work."

* In ''[[Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob,]]'' Galatea is primarily an [[GadgeteerGenius inventor]] and a schemer, but as Riboflavin [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20101026.html painfully]] learned, given sufficient incentive and she will prove that (as she puts it), "There's a significant difference twixt [[FriendToAllLivingThings my sister]] and I. ''I'' understand how my ''claws'' work."