History Main / UnderestimatingBadassery

* Most video games, specifically [=RPGs=] and Sandbox games, have a disproportionately high number of [=NPCs=] who consistently underestimate the badassery of the player character. While it could be justified in the early portions of a game due to the player starting off either weak, underleveled, etc., [[TookALevelInBadass once the player progresses later]], you would think the [=NPCs=] could have shifted their way of thinking about the player character and know better by then; yet there are some individuals who still refuse to acknowledge the player as having proved themselves worthy of their respect. The ones who do acknowledge the player character's later levels of legitimate badassery are usually GenreSavvy and know well not to give a good reason to tick them off, while the ones who don't are either living under a rock, [[SmugSnake acting smug by thinking they're still better than the player]] even if, in some cases, [[SmallNameBigEgo the [=NPC=]'s ego is disproportionately inverse to the level of fame and/or badassery they have]], suffering from SuicidalOverconfidence, and/or TooDumbToLive.
* There are plenty of StopHavingFunGuys in the Fighting Game Community that frown upon supposedly [[CantCatchUp "low-tier"]] characters. That said, a good enough player can unleash the HiddenBadass within said allegedly bad characters. If you see a low-tier character in online play, don't assume an easy victory -- your opponent may be skilled enough to win despite a handicap.

*** [[Characters/MonsterVerseMarkRussell Mark Russell]] seems to think Madison is JustAKid who doesn't know what she's talking about when she goes to him with common-sensed points about Godzilla's rampage that he hasn't considered, and he dismisses everything she has to say; this despite her brave and world-saving actions in the previous film that have definitively proven that she is ''not'' some naive schoolgirl. {{Justified}} by protective fatherly instinct and the fact Mark isn't one of the most unbiased characters in the films.

** ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfLuthor'': After verifying that Supergirl is real, Luthor declares he will destroy her easily. By the end of the story, he has been bested -repeatedly-, humiliated and once again jailed.

-->''Student:''' "Jerry, c'mon; you think I'm gonna lose to some guy who enters the ring to Music/BarbraStreisand?"

* There are plenty of StopHavingFunGuys in the Fighting Game Community that frown upon supposedly [[CantCatchUp "low-tier"]] characters. That said, a good enough player can unleash the HiddenBadass within said allegedly bad characters. If you see a low-tier character in online play, don't let your guard down -- you'll never know if the player behind them is a novice or an expert who can still win with a handicap.

* ''ComicBook/AllStarSquadron:'' During ''Crisis on Earth-Prime'', Power Ring of Earth-Three defeats Hawkman and Johnny Quick, but completely leaves Huntress along, figuring since she has no powers she's not even worth attacking. She knocks him out with a single Batarang to the head.

--->'''Lord Satanis:''' "I have not forgotten your powers, Superman, but it seems that you underestimate mine! That is not your first mistake in dealing with me, my mortal friend. But I do promise it shall be your last!"

* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica really shouldn't have told Selene Gallo to get up, after he and Falcon knocked her on her ass. Steve's behavior was a bit odd given earlier she was TheDreaded for him and he mentioned that she had single-handedly crushed X-Men teams before. Underestimating her was a big mistake, as unknown to him - she beat his Hydra doppelganger in hand to hand before executing "Stevil". And she beat this Steve too by giving him a vicious combo of scratching, biting and a kick to the head.

* There are plenty of StopHavingFunGuys in the Fighting Game Community that frown upon supposedly [[CantCatchUp "low-tier"]] characters. That said, a good enough player can unleash the HiddenBadass within said allegedly bad characters.
** Though it should also be noted that it typically takes a massive disparity in skill between players for this to happen, meaning the badassery in such a situation is often coming solely from the player, not necessarily from the character.
** So if you're playing a game online and you see a low-tier character, don't breathe easy!

*** Averted on ''one'' occasion when s/he's StormingTheCastle by a pair of {{mooks}} who run away after they see you kill a lot of them. One of the possible answers to that is approximately:

** On the surface, Zuko's Uncle Iroh looks like a quirky old man who'd rather do little else besides sleep and drink tea. Of course, he's exactly that, but he's ''also'' the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Dragon of the West]] and ''will'' kick your ass six ways from Sunday if you give him a reason to. There's more than a few of his foes that don't seem to get that.

* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': In "[[Recap/HelluvaBossS2E3ExesAndOohs Exes and Oohs]]", Moxxie's father [[TheDon Crimson]] grows increasingly frustrated that his henchmen cannot kill [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend a rampaging Millie]], who [[OneWomanArmy effortlessly tears through the lot of them in a matter of minutes]] right in front of him as he repeatedly cries out that she's JustOneWoman. By the end of it all of Crimson's mooks are reduced to [[LudicrousGibs sushi]], forcing him to let Moxxie go if only to save his own skin.