History Main / SlidingScaleOfLeadershipResponsibility

Sometimes, a villainous leader takes point not because they care about their subordinates, but simply because [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking they're the toughest warrior on their side]] and it would be tactically foolish (or seen as weak) to stay out of the fighting. They are unlikely to waste their troops' lives carelessly, but they won't hesitate to spend them either, and may be a nasty BadBoss to those [[YouHaveFailedMe who have failed them]]. On the other hand, [[VillainousValor no one can accuse them of lacking courage]].

** The Eldar value each of their kind's lives, but what others condemn as cowardice they see as preserving their lives (it helps that they can see the future, so if avoiding battle now means victory later they'll do it). However AuthorityEqualsAsskicking is the case more often than not, so they still win their share of battles.

This is the leader who takes a roughly equal share of the danger, consistently RiskingTheKing. If AsskickingEqualsAuthority, this is likely to inspire UndyingLoyalty. If the leader isn't as powerful as his troops, this may be seen as HonorBeforeReason or even {{Death Seek|er}}ing.

* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', the best leaders tend to be Theodens (who take an equal share in the danger and fight alongside their warriors) with the occasional [[HeroicSacrifice Superman moment]], which is to say that they sometimes take on the most dangerous tasks in order to spare their cats some unreasonable danger. Villains are always Xykons (sacrificing their cats left and right without a care) and Magnetos, who aren't quite as bad as Xykons, but still don't care that much about their followers.

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Previous films had established that Professor X is typically The Hammond on this scale, but during the FinalBattle, he moves up three steps and briefly becomes The Superman. When Apocalypse gives Charles a SadisticChoice--surrender, or Mystique and Quicksilver will die--Beast and Cyclops volunteer to rescue their teammates, but Xavier stops them because he would rather sacrifice himself than see anyone he cares about get hurt. This turns out to be an unacceptable option because Charles is the Earth's BarrierMaiden (and he obviously doesn't want to put billions of lives at risk), but he then challenges Apocalypse to a mind duel, which creates a much-needed distraction. [[spoiler:Xavier gets pummeled on the astral plane, and he only asks Jean Grey--whom he loves like a daughter and is naturally protective of her--to intervene when he knows he's dying.]]

* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', usually a good leader will take the Theoden position, as exemplified by...well, Theoden. Going down to Magneto or worse is a sign that you've slid down other scales as well, as with Denethor. On the other hand, when you reach the top of the power scale, this is reversed due to the series' {{Aesop}} about power. Gandalf is supposed to take a Hammond position because of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent his position]]. He's not allowed to fight Sauron by meeting power with power, and so he only fights on a couple of occasions - and then he ''doesn't'' fight as Superman. Sauron, by contrast, gladly led from the front when he had the power to do so, but as of the time of the series, he's forced to be OrcusOnHisThrone because he can't leave his tower without the Ring.

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Previous films had established that Professor X is typically The Hammond on this scale, but during the FinalBattle, he moves up three steps and briefly becomes The Superman. When Apocalypse gives Charles a SadisticChoice--surrender, or Mystique and Quicksilver will die--Beast and Cyclops volunteer to rescue their teammates, but Xavier stops them because he would rather sacrifice himself than see anyone he cares about get hurt. This turns out to be an unacceptable option because Charles is the Earth's BarrierMaiden (and he obviously doesn't want to put billions of lives at risk), but he then challenges Apocalypse to a mind duel, which creates a much-needed distraction. [[spoiler:Xavier gets pummeled on the astral plane, and he only asks Jean Grey--whom he loves like a daughter and is naturally protective of her--to intervene when he knows he's dying.]]
* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', the best leaders tend to be Theodens (who take an equal share in the danger and fight alongside their warriors) with the occasional [[HeroicSacrifice Superman moment]], which is to say that they sometimes take on the most dangerous tasks in order to spare their cats some unreasonable danger. Villains are always Xykons (sacrificing their cats left and right without a care) and Magnetos, who aren't quite as bad as Xykons, but still don't care that much about their followers.

** The Eldar value each of their kind's lives, but what others condemn as cowardice they see as preserving their lives (it helps that they can see the future, so if avoiding battle now means victory later they'll do it). However AuthorityEqualsAsskicking is the case more often than not, so they still win their share of battles.

Usually a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who gets out of the way of his men so that they can do their job. He stays back at MissionControl, where he may or may not do much during the mission. Still, if things go badly wrong, he's likely to [[GoingDownWithTheShip Go Down With His Ship]]. Likely to be an OfficerAndAGentleman. Most likely to suffer from TheChainsOfCommanding, though that can effect others as well. If he's significantly stronger than his underlings, this can turn into OrcusOnHisThrone.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': While every game requires at minimum a general and two units of troops, leadership varies among factions:

*** Imerial generals are stereotyped as incompetent DirtyCowards with no strategy beyond throwing more men and tanks at the problem while staying safely back. While this is by no means untrue, most named characters subvert it by being competent at strategy or by being a FrontlineGeneral (Commander Chenkov is one such officer who simply sends in more men every turn, but is always on the battlefield to "encourage" his troops forward and has actually earned each and every medal).

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': While every requires at minimum a general and two units of troops, leadership varies among factions:

* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', the best leaders tend to be Theodens (who take an equal share in the danger and fight alongside their warriors) with the occasional [[HeroicSacrifice Superman moment]], which is to say that they sometimes take on the most dangerous tasks in order to spare their cats some unreasonable danger. Villains are always Xykons (sacrificing their cats left and right without a care) and Magnetos, who aren't quite as bad as Xykons, but still don't care that much about their followers.

[[AC:The [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesMagneto Magneto]]]]

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Previous films had established that [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesProfessorCharlesXavier Professor X]] is typically The Hammond on this scale, but during the FinalBattle, he moves up three steps and briefly becomes The Superman. When Apocalypse gives Charles a SadisticChoice--surrender, or Mystique and Quicksilver will die--Beast and Cyclops volunteer to rescue their teammates, but Xavier stops them because he would rather sacrifice himself than see anyone he cares about get hurt. This turns out to be an unacceptable option because Charles is the Earth's BarrierMaiden (and he obviously doesn't want to put billions of lives at risk), but he then challenges Apocalypse to a mind duel, which creates a much-needed distraction. [[spoiler:Xavier gets pummeled on the astral plane, and he only asks Jean Grey--whom he loves like a daughter and is naturally protective of her--to intervene when he knows he's dying.]]

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Previous films had established that Professor X is typically The Hammond on this scale, but during the FinalBattle, he moves up two steps and briefly becomes The Superman. When Apocalypse gives Charles a SadisticChoice--surrender, or Mystique and Quicksilver will die--Beast and Cyclops volunteer to rescue their teammates, but Xavier stops them because he would rather sacrifice himself than see anyone he cares about get hurt. This turns out to be an unacceptable option because Charles is the Earth's BarrierMaiden (and he obviously doesn't want to put billions of lives at risk), but he then challenges Apocalypse to a mind duel, which creates a much-needed distraction. [[spoiler:Xavier gets pummeled on the astral plane, and he only asks Jean Grey--whom he loves like a daughter and is naturally protective of her--to intervene when he knows he's dying.]]

[[AC:The [[TheLordOfTheRings Théoden]]]]

* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', usually a good leader will take the Theoden position, as exemplified by...well, Theoden. Going down to Magneto or worse is a sign that you've slid down other scales as well, as with Denethor. On the other hand, when you reach the top of the power scale, this is reversed due to the series' {{Aesop}} about power. Gandalf is supposed to take a Hammond position because of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent his position]]. He's not allowed to fight Sauron by meeting power with power, and so he only fights on a couple of occasions - and then he ''doesn't'' fight as Superman. Sauron, by contrast, gladly led from the front when he had the power to do so - indeed, he was the Superman, but as of the time of the series, he's forced to be OrcusOnHisThrone because he can't leave his tower without the Ring.

* ''TheLordOfTheRings'' has a recurring {{Aesop}} that sliding down this scale will slide you down others. Gandalf vs Saruman. Théoden vs Denethor. And [[BigBad Sauron]], when things got tough, would personally step onto the battlefield (though now he can't leave his tower at all).

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Previous films had established that Professor X is typically The Hammond on this scale, but during the FinalBattle, he moves up two steps and briefly becomes The Superman. When Apocalypse gives Charles a SadisticChoice--surrender, or Mystique and Quicksilver will die--Beast and Cyclops volunteer to rescue their teammates, but Xavier stops them because he would rather sacrifice himself than see anyone he cares about get hurt. This turns out to be an unacceptable option because Charles is the Earth's BarrierMaiden (and he obviously doesn't want to put billions of lives at risk), but he then challenges Apocalypse to a mind duel, which creates a much-needed distraction. [[spoiler:Xavier gets pummeled on the astral plane, and he only asks Jean Grey--whom he loves like a daughter and is naturally protective of her--to intervene when he knows he's dying.]]

[[AC:The XMenFilmSeries/{{Magneto}}]]

Named after the [[Film/{{X-Men}} movie version]], not the [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} comic book]] version. This is the leader who [[WeHaveReserves has reserves]] and isn't reluctant to spend them. His men mean less to him than victory. Often a GloryHound, GeneralFailure or flat-out villain. In darker works, this can also be a good character who [[IDidWhatIHadToDo had to do]] it because the alternative was even worse. Such a character may later be found DrowningHisSorrows.

* LordOfTheRings has a recurring {{Aesop}} that sliding down this scale will slide you down others. Gandalf vs Saruman. Théoden vs Denethor. And [[BigBad Sauron]], when things got tough, would personally step onto the battlefield (though now he can't leave his tower at all).
* Redcloak's character development in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' is mostly sliding up and down this. He starts as The Hammond, degrades into The Magneto under Xykon's influence and his own bigotry, then has his MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment and jumps up to The Théoden -- all [[VillainousValor without losing his villain status]].