History Main / NoBadassToHisValet

[-[[caption-width-right:257:"Save it for the criminals, Master Bruce."]]-]

* In the ''Literature/StarTrekExpandedUniverse'', Federation President Bacco and Bajoran First Minister Asarem both have secretaries who embody this trope, as did Worf during his stretch as Klingon ambassador.

** Ditto Cuddy. "What am I supposed to be afraid of? More yelling?"

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Most people are terrified of Ninokuru for his FaceOfAThug, but Matsuri fawned over how "cool" he is the instant they met, and Suzu [[InvisibleToNormals being able to see]] his {{familiar}} Ponosuke made them come off as "cute" to her (massively intimidating Ninokuru, because he CannotTalkToWomen). This is one reason Ninokuru ends up falling in love with both of them.

* Kyon does something like this for ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''. The latter is a RealityWarper (though she doesn't know it) and, as a result, incredibly self-centered and obnoxious. Hyper-advanced aliens and entire organizations of time-travellers/psychics are afraid to provoke her or not fulfill her every whim, lest she [[OmnicidalManiac destroy the universe]]. Kyon, a stubborn but otherwise RidiculouslyAverageGuy, increasingly refuses to put up with Haruhi's bullshit...and it ''works''. She actually listens to him and becomes much less of a danger to the universe thanks to his influence, partly because she has a crush on him.

** It may be justified, however. Bear in mind that the Enchantress cursed [[spoiler:Prince Adam]] by turning him into a beast and giving him a rose that would bloom until his 21st birthday; so he's only ''just'' hit legal drinking age, and his servants are definitely older than he is. But then you also need to keep in mind that, according to Lumiere, "10 years we've been rusting", meaning that it's possible that he was ''11'' when he was cursed- which is a bit of a harsh lesson to teach a spoiled brat at that age...

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** Christopher Nolan's trilogy has Alfred acting as a confrontational mentor to Bruce, even if Alfred Pennyworth in those films can hardly be described as a badass.
** Despite Batsy being beloved by Gotham and TheDreaded to its villains, in the Lego Batman Movie, Alfred has the gall to put Bruce in time out like a petulant child. Barbara Gordan is not cowed by him and wants to work with the Caped Crusader as an equal; after all, she went to Harvard For Police.

* ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': If there's someone who is always unfazed by the antics of Tony Stark, that's Edwin Jarvis. Tony usually directs some light insults at him, and Jarvis reacts as a ServileSnarker. This, however, was just a buddy game between them, [[spoiler:and Jarvis' death in ''Ultimates 22'' confirms that Stark genuinely cared about him]].

* This relationship develops between Belle and the Beast in ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast''. Out of a whole castle full of servants who alternately cringe in terror of his rages, and try to bring him up like he's still a child, Belle is the only one who talks to him like an equal. This is what starts him back on his road to recovery.

* ''Manga/ShokugekiNoSoma'':
** To most of the world, Jouichirou [[TheMaidenNameDebate Saiba[=/=]Yukihira]] is [[RedBaron "The Wandering Chef" or "The Asura of Cooking"]], a chef whose grasp of ''cuisine'' is such that it can restore the will to live to the terminally ill and cause priests to abandon their religion. The people who know him, and his son in particular, know that while his skills are pretty much head and shoulders above anyone else, he is also moody, whimsical, ill-disciplined, prone to goofing off and has a bizarre fascination for [[CordonBleughChef food combinations that Man Was Not Meant To Know]].
** Soma is often the Valet in this scenario. He is not one to be intimidated by his opponent's reputation or the shame of losing, and will happily battle anyone.

* Mr. Gar in ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'' is the subject of fearful respect around Lakewood Plaza Turbo. However, to Carol, he's still the same NervousWreck he was back when he was El Bow. In fact, whenever he tries interacting with Carol, he becomes a babbling wreck who can barely speak.

** Reformed GentlemanThief Moist Von Lipwig has his LoveInterest Adora Bell "Spike" Dearhart. Part of the reason he was attracted to her in the first place was [[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou because she wasn't fooled by him]]. In his [[Discworld/MakingMoney second book]], he's taken up needlessly dangerous pastimes to make up for the normality of his life, while she's away on an archaeological dig; Lord Veternari notes that it seems he doesn't need to do that when his fiancée is around.

** Bulma also becomes much more informal in her interactions to Beerus and Whis, the God of Destruction and his ([[spoiler:more powerful than him]]) attendant, through the course of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper''. So much so that she can complain to them (usually for [[WhatTheHellHero good reason]]) and treat them relatively rudely with impunity, despite Beerus having a notoriously short temper and Bulma having been afraid of him initially.

** Also applies to Q from ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' onward. He has no problem chewing Bond out for not returning gadgets in one piece and doesn't think twice about snatching said weapons out of Bond's very deadly hands. Meanwhile, ProfessionalKiller Bond doesn't give him more than a raised eyebrow and grin of mild amusement.

** [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Mei]] is shown to have absolutely no fear of [[SerialKiller Scar.]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

** Keiko Yukimura is one of the few people who knows [[{{Delinquent}} Yusuke Urameshi]] and isn't scared of him, and she doesn't even allow his attitude to affect her. As a result, she often acts as his conscience, and isn't afraid to [[MegatonPunch knock him on his ass]] if he crosses the line.

** Also from ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', Kurama is pretty much the only one who can make fun of Hiei with no fear of vengeance whatsoever. Both because [[BewaretheNiceOnes he knows well what Kurama can do]], and because he is the closest thing Hiei has to a best friend.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' is TheDreaded to the WretchedHive of Gotham City, but there are a couple people who can personally revoke this staus.

** Comicbook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan doesn't take any fear mongering from Batman. While Batman wields fear as a weapon the Green Lanterns are all about defying it (the requirement for being selected as a Lantern is literally being "one without fear").

[[folder: Film ]]

*** PlayedWith. While testing out the guns, he is visibly surprised at James' skill with the gun before asking "What did you say you did for a living again?"; while he does view James like he always has, he seems uanware that James has become one of the most valuable and dangerous agents of Britain.

[[folder: Literature ]]
* In ''Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo'', nearly everyone is careful of Emperor Gustav's well-known volatile temper (his valets carry around extra chairs when he's campaigning, because they know he likes to smash chairs when he's angry) and his touchy nature when it comes to insults. Julie Simms isn't intimidated at all, and even once called him a fathead to his face. And got away with it, [[spoiler:if only because of a TactfulTranslation by Alex [=MacKay=]]].

* Ginny Weasley shows signs of this in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''. Everyone, even Ron and Hermione, have no idea how deal with Harry when his temper gets the better of him (namely, due to reaching his limit at everything that's going on.) Ginny though coolly and calmly defuses him. [[FridgeBrilliance Certainly adds a good depth to when they end up together.]]

* Tom Bombadil shows this somewhat in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. He isn't intimidated by ghostly Barrow Wights, he isn't affected by the [[ArtifactOfDoom One Ring]], and he seems complete unaware of [[BigBad Sauron]]'s impending assault on Middle-Earth. Even [[ShrugOfGod Tolkien himself didn't quite know who or what Tom was]].
** In ''Literature/{{The Silmarillion}}'', Melkor is the most powerful being ever created; of all the Valar, however, Tulkas has absolutely no fear of him, and is the only one of them who can defeat Melkor one-on-one.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Cersei Lannister and her twin brother Jaime learned everything they know about how to be scary and intimidating from their father, Lord Tywin Lannister. All three of them manage to successfully brow beat and intimidate scores of other characters. But none of them scare or intimidate their younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, who always seems to know just what to say to utterly gobstop his family and cause their intimidation techniques to look like childish tantrums.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

** The president's "Body Man", Charlie Young, was also quite immune to the president when the Chief Executive tried to be intimidating... except when it came to Charlie's dating the president's daughter. Of course, during ''those'' occasions he wasn't dealing with the president per se; during those occasions he was dealing with a father who didn't want his daughters to date until they were comfortably in their 30s.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' has Elise, the cheerful youngest royal of Nohr who not only brings out the softer sides of her badass older siblings, but manages to talk ''[[spoiler: Ryoma]]'' into making cute flower crowns with her in their supports. In the ''Revelation'' route, she manages to persuade [[FaceOfAThug Benny]] and [[GoldDigger Charlotte]] to join the Avatar's side by telling them how much she admires their positive qualities.

-->'''Snake:''' I'm gonna be spewing out poison soon enough, anyways. What's one more smoke gonna hurt?
-->'''Sunny:''' Uh uh! ''(grabs cigarette)'' This is a no smoking flight!

* Rean Schwarzer in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' at the end of the second game and beyond is referred to as the national hero of [[TheEmpire the Erebonian empire]], "[[RedBaron Ashen Chevalier]]". His friends however know that he's their dork, their teacher and school's gofer, and a very overprotective big brother to his sister.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

** Comicbook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan doesn't take any fear mongering from Batman. While Batman wields fear as a weapon the Green Lanterns are all about defying it.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Gert assumes this role after Nico becomes the team leader, never hesitating to call Nico out when she's about to make a bad decision. [[spoiler:Naturally, after Gert's death, Nico's decisions become increasingly poor.]]

* ''OnePiece''