Badass Tropes

This index lists tropes for all sorts of characters (and other things) which can be considered "badass" in one way or another.

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Badass Tropes:

Main Topic:

• Badass

Badass Indexes

• Action Girl: She kicks ass and makes sure all the guys around her know it.
• Bravery Tropes: Any real badass is either literally and totally fearless, or at least so courageous that they'll never let their fears stop them from taking dangerous risks whenever necessary.
• Did You Just Index Cthulhu?: There's several different badass ways in which a mere mortal can gain an advantage over beings who are far more powerful than them.
• Harbinger of Asskicking: These tropes serve as a signal for when a very badass Fight Scene is about to begin.
• Hidden Badass: They may not look too impressive at first, but they are more than capable of kicking ass.
• Rule of Cool: An index for anything and everything that screams "awesome".
• Submissive Badass: Just because they follow someone else and take their orders doesn't mean they can't wipe the floor with their enemies.
• This Index Is Unstoppable: When a badass is just so damn powerful, for all intents and purposes they're (almost) invincible and undefeatable.

Singular Badasses

• The Ace: Being good at something hard makes you badass. Being the best? That's even more badass.
• Ace Pilot: A badass who personifies Improbable Piloting Skills.
• Action Dad: Your father kicks ass.
• Action Fashionista: The hero who has class out the ass, while kicking ass.
• Action Girlfriend: Your girlfriend kicks ass.
• Action Hero: They solve their problems by kicking ass.
• Action Mom: Your mother kicks ass.
• Action Pet: A domestic animal that can kick ass for their master.
• Action Politician: Politicians who prove their point with not just words, but also actions. And by "actions" we mean "kicking ass".
• Action Survivor: They don't kick ass, but they're staying alive in a situation where only a Badass could cope.
• Adaptational Badass: Maybe they weren't so badass in the manga or the TV show, but they really started cracking skulls in the anime and movies.
• Afro Asskicker: A badass who sports big, curly, poofy hair. Usually (though not always) a black guy (or black girl).
• All-Encompassing Mantle: An exaggeration of Badass Cape for the most elite of badasses.
• Ambadassador: They represent their hometown or home country, and they plan to export a beating to those who mess with them.
• Ambiguously Trained: A mundane character is implied to have been in an ass-kicking profession at one point.
• Agent Peacock: Rule of Glamorous meets Rule of Cool in an effeminate guy who kicks ass.
• Almighty Janitor: They get paid a hundredth of the CEO's salary and kicks 100 times more ass.
• American Kirby Is Hardcore: The person is Badass wherever they're shown in, it's just that certain regions play the person's "hardcore" image more intensely than others.
• Angry, Angry Hippos: Hippos have been labeled the most dangerous animals in Africa for a good reason.
• Ass-Kicking Pose: Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Kick enough asses and you can rule the rest.
• An Ass-Kicking Christmas: This year's Christmas Eve/Day is far more action-packed than usual. Probably because the good guys have to stop the bad guys from ruining it.
• Awesome Aussie: He's come to put yer arse on the barbie, mate.
• Badass Adorable: So cute. So capable of mopping the floor with you.
• Badass and Baby: They kick ass — one-handed, since there's an infant in the other.
• Badass and Child Duo: This badass is guarding a child (who may not even be related to them). Woe betide anyone who tries to target that kid.
• Badass Arm-Fold: A badass, imposing pose.
• Badass Back: A badass, imposing pose.
• Badass Bandolier: A utilitarian accessory worn so a badass can keep their tools of the trade handy.
• Badass Biker: A motorcycle is always a badass mode of transportation.
• Badass Boast: A badass talks high about how awesome they are.
• Badass Bookworm: Primarily intelligent but surprisingly capable in a fight.
• Badass Bureaucrat: Master of paper shuffling and the dreaded red tape. Capable of screwing with your life in many ways.
• Badass Bystander: Would have left you alone if you'd left them alone.
• Badass Cape: Long flowing capes are the traditional accessory of certain breeds of badasses.
• Badass Creed: A philosophy that espouses being badass as a central tenet.
• Badass Driver: Give them a vehicle and they'll do some hardcore stuff with it.
• Badasses Wear Bandanas: That one piece of headwear that screams "tough guy".
• Badass Finger Snap: So badass that you can make cool things happen just by snapping your fingers.
• Badass in a Nice Suit: A Sharp-Dressed Man who will kick your ass without scuffing his bespoke shoes.
• Badass Israeli: An Israeli who's a badass.
• Badass Longcoat: When capes are out of style, certain breeds of badasses opt for an imposing overcoat.
• Badass Long Robe: The wizard version of the Badass Longcoat.
• Badass Native: A warrior from an aboriginal/indigenous tribe can kick ass.
• Badass Normal: A non-powered character fighting amongst (or against) a group of superhuman beings, who still manages to keep pace nevertheless.
• Badass Pacifist: Does not kill nor even fight. But when the time comes, they'll fearlessly confront hostility from those who mean harm, or even selflessly sacrifice their own lives to save others.
• Badass Preacher: A pious priest who defends his flock and will break you in half with his shepherd's crook if you think about harming them.
• Badass Santa: Saint Nick is gonna find out who's naughty... and kick their asses hard!
• Badass Teacher: If you take him on, you're going to get schooled.
• Badass Transplant: Lost an arm but gained something even cooler.
• Badass Unintentional: Didn't plan to be badass but comes out as badass anyway.
• Badbutt: This guy will kick as much a— er, butt as a kid-friendly show will allow.
• Bald Head of Toughness: A lack of hair does not diminish the badass at all.
• Bald of Evil: This villain doesn't need any hair to instill fear in you.
• Barbarian Longhair: Nothing screams badass like a guy with long, unkempt hair.
• Beard of Evil: The coolest villains will rock quite a wicked goatee.
• Bears Are Bad News: An angry bear can maul your face off. Just see if they do not.
• Beat Them at Their Own Element: When a badass beats you with your own element.
• Beat Them at Their Own Game: When a badass beats you with your own special move.
• The Berserker: A wild and uninhibited form of badass warrior.
• Beware the Nice Ones: This character is Responsible, Steadfast, Beneficent, Amicable, Mannerly, Solicitous, Amenable, Upbeat, Provident, Courageous, Immaculate, and Worshipful, to the point that some think it lessens their badass-hood... until you cross the line with them. Then, "No More Mr. Nice Guy" may be the last thing you ever hear.
• Beware the Quiet Ones: These characters don't have much to say; some come off shy, some reserved, some aloof. So quiet, you might even overlook them altogether... until you cross the line with them. Then you will learn that badass actions speak exponentially louder than words.
• Beware the Silly Ones: They don't seem to take anything seriously, and sometimes no one takes them seriously... which makes it a surprise when the action starts and they beat you silly.
• Big Badass Battle Sequence: A battle which is just large and awesome at same time, because it's the war.
• Big Badass Rig: A badass semi-trailer truck.
• Big Damn Heroes: When a badass arrives Just in Time.
• Black Cloak: A more sinister variety of Badass Cape, for those badasses inclined toward evil.
• Blind Weaponmaster: They may be blind, but this master of weapons can still sense you coming — and will lay quite a beatdown.
• Blood Knight: Enthusiastically badass; living for the challenge of a good fight, and the thrill of the kill.
• Bodyguarding a Badass: A badass has retainers, for reasons all their own. Some of them are badass in different ways; other times it's to keep the main badass's skills concealed. Or they just like the company.
• Boisterous Bruiser: Their loudness and brashness are as overwhelming as their asskicking prowess.
• Bond One-Liner: A badass quip after the opponent is dead.
• Boots of Toughness: These boots were made for walking... away from the asskicking they just delivered.
• Boss in Mook Clothing: A minor enemy that is much tougher than they appear to be.
• Born Winner: That automatically makes everyone else the loser.
• Brave Scot: A badass from Scotland.
• Brawn Hilda: Big, boisterous woman. Don't laugh or she'll break you over her knee.
• Brought Down to Badass: Had superpowers, lost them, but still badass.
• Bullying a Dragon: Taunting a known badass is usually a fatal mistake.
• The Brute: The big, tough, and badass minion of the forces of evil.
• Came Back Strong: A resurrected person is more powerful than they were before they died.
• Canis Major: A dog, fox or wolf several times larger than normal, and capable of kicking several times more ass.
• The Captain: Who has the balls to run the coolest Cool Ship or The Squad? This guy, of course.
• Car Fu: Using hurtling, multi-ton vehicles as weapons? Badass!
• Charles Atlas Superpower: A non-powered character after plenty of training can do things only superhumans are capable of.
• Chef of Iron: A chef who is just as good with his knives outside the kitchen.
• The Chessmaster: Their greatest strength is their high intelligence, and their ability to manipulate others to fulfill their complex plans.
• Chew Bubblegum: They're out to kick ass and chew bubblegum... and they're outta gum.
• Church Militant: A member of a religious military order that fight as soldiers in "holy wars" in their god's name.
• Coat Cape: If you don't have a Badass Cape or a Badass Longcoat, try the next best thing.
• The Coats Are Off: Sometimes you get even more badass when you take the coat off.
• Coin Walk Flexing: Badass characters will walk a coin or bullet across their fingers as a show of being cool.
• Colonel Badass: This military officer leads their troops in being badass by being one as well.
• Combat Medic: They might be a healer, but that just means they know where to cut.
• Comically Invincible Hero: A heroic badass is ridiculously unstoppable to the point of parody.
• Commanding Coolness: This naval officer leads their troops in being badass by being one as well.
• Cool Bike: This bike adds to its rider's awesomeness.
• Cool Car: The car is just as — if not more — badass as its driver.
• Cool Helmet: The kind of helmet worn by a badass, or a squad/army of them.
• Cool Mask: The better to mask your identity, look cool and intimidate people with.
• Cool Old Guy: Aging didn't diminish how tough and awesome this old man is...
• Cool Old Lady: Or this old woman, for that matter.
• Cool Plane: It makes the Ace Pilot better.
• Cool Shades: A traditional visual accessory of a badass.
• Cornered Rattlesnake: The kind of guy who would only show feats of badassery when their lives are on the line. They'd otherwise be lazy, or an airhead, or be busy with their hobbies, etc.
• Cowardly Lion: This guy is easily scared and afraid of everything, but if they find themselves unable to run away from a dangerous situation, they're left with no choice but to start kicking asses.
• Cowboy Cop: Badass with a badge who bends the rules to protect society.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: This person is usually an incompetent dumbass most of the time, but when things get bad enough, they'll suddenly become far more powerful than you'd expect from them.
• Cruel Elephant: You mess with the world's largest land mammal, and you get the tusks.
• Cultured Badass: Connoisseur of vintages, gourmand par excellence, cognoscenti in all of high culture, but happy to take time out from their aesthetic appreciation to administer a five-star posterior-kicking.
• Cultured Warrior: This soldier may be a hardened war veteran, but they still have time to appreciate the finer things about civilization.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: A badass wipes the floor with their opposition.
• Cute Bruiser: Badass whose small size makes their great strength that much more impressive.
• Damsel out of Distress: Thank you Mario, but our princess already broke out of her cell, single-handedly curb-stomped Bowser, and dragged his hide to her favorite shoemaker.
• Dare to Be Badass: A challenge to a potential badass to step up their game.
• Dark Action Girl: She's evil and she kicks ass.
• Dashing Hispanic: A suave person of Spanish or Latino origin who has mastered the art of asskicking.
• Deadly Doctor: Can cause the same hideous agony they usually cure.
• Death Glare: That look on his face means you have just earned an asskicking par excellence.
• Demonic Spiders: Video game enemies who are so badass, that they are feared by the players.
• Determinator: They do not give up — ever.
• Diagnosis from Dr. Badass: Will tell you in deep detail just how badly they're beating you while doing so.
• Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: This person is so bold that they dare to personally offend an extremely powerful being, and (maybe) get away with it.
• Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: This person is so badass that they can actually beat down extremely powerful beings who are way above their own weight class, and (maybe) get away with it. Bonus points if they're just a "mere mortal".
• Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: This person is so clever and cunning that they can fool an extremely powerful being into doing their bidding.
• Died Standing Up: Even in death, their body refuses to fall.
• Disability Superpower: What they lack in one physical ability that others take for granted, they make up for it with a cool superhuman power.
• Dragon Knight: Such that they're inspired by the badassery of dragons. Or they may even be one.
• Dragon Rider: People riding dragons are awesome.
• The Dreaded: This badass is defined by the fear others have for them.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: How a badass dies.
• Dynamic Entry: How a badass says hello.
• Ear Notch: Badasses with big ears have the scars to prove it.
• Empowered Badass Normal: An ordinary, already badass person gains superpowers.
• Epic Battle Boredom: Even something such as a hectic warfare won't stave this guy's boredom... because they just deal with them easily and casually.
• Everything's Better with Samurai: You can bet that samurai warriors will make the story cooler.
• Evil Genius: This villain knows how to use their superior intellect to terrorize and outwit their enemies.
• Evil Old Folks: Aging didn't diminish how powerfully terrifying this old bad guy is.
• Evil Sounds Deep: A villain with a deep voice will sound all the more fearsome and intimidating.
• Extremely Protective Child: A child (who may be an adult or a minor) is determined to protect their parent(s) by any means necessary.
• Eyepatch of Power: Too badass to need both eyes. Probably lost the eye in a badass way too (assuming that eye is actually missing).
• Fastest Gun in the West: The guy who can put hot lead in people faster than others.
• Fedora of Asskicking: A great hat to wear when kicking ass.
• Fighting Irish: A badass from Ireland.
• The Fighting Narcissist: A badass who knows that the world really does revolve around him.
• Fighting Panda: A panda could take you out with some simple kung-fu moves!
• Fights Like a Normal: Has superpowers but prefers to fight without them. Whatever reason they may have, it shows that they have the normal fighting skills down pat in addition to their powers.
• Final Girl: An Always Female version of the Action Survivor trope above in horror movies. She's the last survivor in the movie.
• Firing One-Handed: When someone successfully fires a long gun with just one hand without any recoil-related problem, you know you shouldn't mess with them.
• Four-Star Badass: Holds the rank of a general and has a long list of wrecked faces to their name.
• Full-Boar Action: This boar with big armour and big tusks is here to kick ass and chew swill. He's all out of swill.
• Future Badass: That goofy, gawky character from the present day? In the Bad Future, that character's a hardcore badass.
• Genius Bruiser: Primarily a fighter but surprisingly intelligent.
• Girly Bruiser: Dresses and acts girly, but also surprisingly tough as nails.
• Good Is Not Soft: Too firmly committed to heroism to be gentle with evildoers.
• Gratuitous Ninja: Nothing makes a show more awesome than ninjas, no matter what the setting is.
• Guile Hero: This guy is incredibly clever, street-smart, and knows how to plan their way out of problems.
• The Gunslinger: They can shoot down enemies with ease.
• Had to Be Sharp: These people needed to be badass just to survive this long.
• Handicapped Badass: They may be crippled, but they're not weak. They can still crush you with whatever limbs they still have.
• Heartbroken Badass: You killed their lover or family. They can and will do the same to you. Or worse.
• Hell-Bent for Leather: Nothing shows badassery quite like wearing tanned cow hide does.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Killing yourself for a greater cause is the height of bravery.
• Heroic Ambidexterity: The ability of great warriors to excel in combat with either hand.
• Heroic Dog: Dogs can be badass, especially when they protect those who are important to them.
• Heroic Dolphin: You won't have to worry about sharks when these Badass Adorable sea mammals are around.
• Hero Killer: When this bad guy gets involved, you might want to run.
• Hijacking Cthulhu: This person is somehow capable of directly taking control over an extremely powerful being for their own personal gain.
• Historical Badass Upgrade: A historical figure becomes much more badass in fiction than they were in real life.
• Hot-Blooded: A badass who does everything with overwhelming passion!
• Hunter of Monsters: A professional who knows how to fight and kill monsters. They can turn the tables on the Things That Go "Bump" in the Night and give these creepy ghoulies a good scare.
• Husky Russkie: A big, burly Russian guy with the strength and courage of a bear, who can easily break you in half with his bare hands.
• Implacable Man: There's no stopping this guy from coming to you, when you happen to be their target.
• Improbable Aiming Skills: Incredibly deadly accuracy.
• Improvisational Ingenuity: When a character in adverse circumstances uses their creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness to improvise a clever way of achieving their desired objective.
• Inexplicably Awesome: A character who is badass, bizarre, and never to be explained.
• Infernal Retaliation: You tried to Kill It with Fire. It works... in reverse.
• Injured Self-Drag: A gravely wounded character soldiers on and continues dragging to survive, or at least complete their mission before dying.
• Instakill Mook: A Mook so badass that it can kill the player in a single hit.
• Instant Awesome: Just Add Mecha!: This otherwise okay show suddenly becomes kickass when a Humongous Mecha appears.
• Intimidation Demonstration: For when the badass decides to show off their skills before combat.
• Invincible Boogeymen: A monster or villain that you have no hope of defeating in a straight fight. All you can really do is (maybe) run and hide from them.
• Invincible Hero: This good guy is such an incredible badass that the villains never really had much of a chance to beat them in the first place.
• Invincible Minor Minion: This bad guy isn't some mere mook who can be easily defeated. In fact, it's almost impossible to beat them in a straight fight.
• Invincible Villain: This bad guy is so incredibly powerful that the heroes are going to need to be blessed with godly luck to have any chance of beating them.
• Iron Lady: Iron by her personality, lady by her position of power/authority.
• Iron Woobie: Their life sucks, but instead of angsting too much and getting absorbed by their own self-pity, they refuse to be kept down and will just continue going their way.
• The Juggernaut: They're damn near invincible and unstoppable.
• Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: A lady being badass in the most elegant clothes.
• Killer Gorilla: Don't mess with this big ape; they'll rip off your arms and beat you into submission with them.
• Killer Rabbit: Small, cute animals that are dangerous as all hell.
• Killer Robot: Made from metal and just as tough.
• King of Beasts: There's a reason why lions are a symbol of power.
• Kung-Fu Jesus: When a Messianic Archetype decides to be badass.
• Kung-Fu Wizard: The opposite of Squishy Wizard. Able to kick your ass with Functional Magic but also with martial arts skills.
• Lady in a Power Suit: A badass woman with the badass suit to match.
• Lady of Black Magic: Elegant and calm as she destroys you with offensive magic.
• Lady of War: She is known for her grace and poise even while she's cutting you to pieces.
• Lantern Jaw of Justice: That square jaw is the calling card of the one who will make you understand the meaning of the words "You'll pay for your sins."
• Large and in Charge: Size does matter.
• Let's Get Dangerous!: This nobody decides that it's time to show off some badass feats. Watch out.
• Lightning Bruiser: Even for badasses, they're strong, tough, and incredibly quick when kicking ass.
• Little Miss Badass: Short of stature, but not of the ability to make you die horribly for underestimating her.
• Long-Dead Badass: This dead guy was one of the greatest badasses of their time.
• Macho Latino: Latinos aren't just dandy, they're also imposing.
• Macho Masochism: When a badass inflicts injury on themselves simply to demonstrate how hard they are.
• Magnificent Bastard: When The Chessmaster is so clever and awesome that we acknowledge them to be such out-of-universe.
• Major Injury Underreaction: You ripped off their arm, but they didn't even flinch.
• Majorly Awesome: Okay, they're not a Colonel Badass or Four-Star Badass, but don't mistake their relative lack of rank for a lack of ass-kicking.
• Mama Bear: If you mess with her kids, she'll make you suffer for it.
• Manly Facial Hair: His beard or mustache is shorthand for "Don't mess with me."
• Martial Pacifist: They won't start fights, but that doesn't mean they won't finish them.
• Master Archer: So badass he can snipe at you from a distance with a bow and arrow.
• Master of All: So badass, they're awesome at everything.
• Master Swordsman: So, you think you're badass with that rapier/katana/cutlass/other "ancient weapon", "hokey religion" notwithstanding? Go ahead, then — issue your challenge to this character. They'll cut you down to size.
• Mighty Lumberjack: He's a lumberjack and he's badass.
• Minored In Ass Kicking: An understated Badass Bookworm who dusts off the badass skills only when needed.
• More Deadly Than the Male: She makes up for her lack of strength by being more ruthless than you and her boyfriend combined.
• Mother Russia Makes You Strong: And it isn't a healthy environment for weaklings.
• Mugging the Monster: A thug tries to harass or attack someone they assume to be an easy target. But what a big mistake; their would-be "victim" easily turns the tables on them.
• My Name Is Inigo Montoya: A badass who'll make sure you know their name — the name of the guy who is about to kick your ass.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: When you hear that name, that implies someone you don't want to cross.
• Nerd Action Hero: They may be a dorky, geeky nerd, but that won't stop them from kicking ass.
• Nerves of Steel: Badass under pressure.
• Never Mess with Granny: If you confuse her as just being some harmless old lady, it may be the last mistake you'll ever make.
• Never Smile at a Crocodile: While sharks prowl the seas, these armored reptiles fill the same niche in freshwater.
• Ninja: Badass assassins of Feudal Japan.
• Noble Bird of Prey: Eagles, hawks, falcons and harriers are at the top of their food chains for a reason.
• Noble Wolf: The power to kick ass is a key feature for wolves, especially the noble ones.
• Nonchalant Dodge: A more badass way of saying "try harder" is to evade an attack without breaking a sweat.
• No-Sell: An even more badass way of saying "try harder" than the Nonchalant Dodge is to take an attack to the vitals without even the slightest hint of injury.
• Not So Invincible After All: A seemingly invincible character proves not to be.
• Offhand Backhand: A badass punches someone without even looking at them.
• Officer and a Gentleman: A refined, honorable and badass military officeholder.
• Older and Wiser: The older the badass, the more experience they've got under their belt, allowing them to impart helpful advice for their younger colleagues.
• Old Master: This elderly fighter is a highly skilled expert with plenty experience of kicking asses.
• Old Soldier: This battle-hardened warrior can still kick ass on the front lines for decades longer than most of his contemporaries.
• Old Superhero: Silver Age superheroes with silver hair, who are still quite super-cool.
• Once Killed a Man with a Noodle Implement: Badass enough to kill someone with strange implements.
• One-Handed Zweihänder: When someone fights wielding a two-handed weapon with one hand, you know you shouldn't mess with them.
• One-Man Army: They don't need reinforcements. They are the reinforcements.
• One Riot, One Ranger: When the choice is to send in the army or send in one man, they send in one man — this man.
• Out of the Inferno: Did they just walk through fire? Well, you're screwed.
• Panthera Awesome: Cats are awesome, especially big ones.
• Papa Wolf: If you mess with his kids, he'll make you suffer for it.
• Person of Mass Destruction: They are the nuclear bomb.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: They may be small, but they pack quite a punch.
• Plucky Girl: An optimistic female Determinator.
• Pop-Cultured Badass: They generally speak at least three languages: pop song lyrics, movie/TV quotes, and asskicking.
• Power Loss Makes You Strong: Stronger as a Badass Normal after being de-powered.
• Powers Do the Fighting: This person is so badass they can defeat you with their arms folded. Their powers do all the fighting for them.
• Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: A badass quip to use when the fight is about to begin.
• Pregnant Badass: A mother-to-be kicks ass.
• Pre-Mortem One-Liner: A badass quip when you're about to kill an opponent.
• Pretty Princess Powerhouse: A royal female who looks delicate and has her own army, but fights for herself.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy: Warrior cultures have been known to produce many badasses in their day and this guy is one of them.
• Ragin' Cajun: What Cajuns become when your face needs wrecking.
• Rank Scales with Asskicking: The higher someone is in a hierarchy, the more badass they would be. Yes, even kings or generals.
• Real Men Love Jesus: A tough guy who takes his faith quite seriously.
• Real Men Wear Pink: Even big, tough, scary dudes can still enjoy things that aren't usually seen as being "manly". Just don't ever dare to mock them for it.
• Red Baron: Because every badass needs a nickname to go with the reputation.
• Redemption Promotion: When turning to the side of good makes you more badass.
• Religious Bruiser: A badass fighter who also happens to be very devoted to practicing their religion.
• Reluctant Warrior: They don't want to hurt you, but that doesn't mean they can't.
• Rescue Reversal: They don't need saving; they'll bail themselves out and save you while they're at it.
• Retired Badass: They hung up their asskicking credentials, but that doesn't mean they forgot how.
• Retired Gunfighter: The Gunslinger may have packed their weapons and ammo away, but they can still be very quick on the draw.
• Retired Monster: This bad guy may no longer be an active villain, but that doesn't mean they're no longer capable of being powerfully terrifying if you aggravate them enough.
• Retired Outlaw: A successful criminal who was able to get away with being one of The Most Wanted fugitives in their day.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Instead of just lounging around their palace like a lazy aristocrat, this member of the royalty prefers to take a far more active role in running political or military affairs.
• Rugged Scar: See that person with the scar? It's a proof that they have done something badass and lived to tell the tale.
• Samurai: The badass warrior-nobility of Feudal Japan.
• Samurai Shinobi: A mix of Ninja and Samurai for Rule of Cool.
• Savage Wolves: The power to kick ass is a key feature for wolves... especially the vicious, rapacious and predatory ones.
• Scarf of Asskicking: Scarves enhance your dramatic badassery.
• Scary Black Man: This big black guy looks like he can kick someone's ass. He can!
• Science Hero: A badass who uses their knowledge and expertise to defeat their enemies.
• Sealed Badass in a Can: When a badass of some type is temporarily put in some sort of stasis so they can later be unleashed. Gives another meaning of "opening a can of whoopass".
• Shut Up, Hannibal!: How a badass hero lets you know that you talk too much.
• Shut Up, Kirk!: The badass villain is no longer putting up with your crap.
• Silk Hiding Steel: She is cool, calm, collected. The perfect Proper Lady. Don't mess with her.
• Slaying Mantis: Small (usually) insects who has reputation similar to the Grim Reaper himself.
• The So-Called Coward: People think they're just a scared, weak little coward, but they'll think twice after the "coward" proves them wrong.
• The Soft-Hearted Warrior: A kind fighter.
• Soul Brotha: He's a black man who grooves, who sways, and kicks ass while talking slang.
• Specs of Awesome: A badass pair of glasses.
• Squash Match: The Professional Wrestling equivalent of a Curb-Stomp Battle.
• Staredown Faceoff: Two badasses sizing each other up and refusing to back down from inevitable conflict.
• Staring Down Cthulhu: This person is brave enough to confront an extremely powerful being without needing to fight, maybe even intimidating their mighty opponent in the process.
• Stiff Upper Lip: Englishmen with total and utter equanimity in the face of mortal danger; they'll finish their tea, complete The Times' Crossword Puzzle, and then hand you your rear end on a (sterling) silver platter.
• Stock Light-Novel Calamity Princess: A Light Novel heroine with prestigious beauty and destructive magic.
• Stoic Woobie: They're really hurting on the inside, but try to protect themselves with a cold, tough exterior to survive their harsh lives.
• Stronger with Age: Old age doesn't make them weaker with the ravages of time. In fact, it just makes them grow even more powerful!
• Talk to the Fist: A badass strikes their opponent while they latter is talking.
• Technical Pacifist: They won't kill you, but they'll whoop your ass so badly that you wish they did.
• Temperate Berserker: Wild and unrelentingly aggressive in a fight, yet intelligent and cognizant enough to know the time and place for such action.
• Testosterone Poisoning: Extreme manliness exaggerated to the point of parody.
• That One Boss: A Boss enemy proves to be one hell of a tough bastard to defeat.
• Threatening Shark: When sharks appear in the water, you know you're in trouble.
• Tired of Running: A character is tired of running away from danger, and decides to kick some ass.
• Took a Level in Badass: When a non-badass or a minor badass gets better at it.
• Training from Hell: It's not exactly easy learning how to become a badass.
• Tranquil Fury: Being badass while being angry in a calm, ice-cold way.
• Trenchcoat Warfare: When your longcoat hides badass things to be unleashed at whoever messes with you.
• Ultimate Blacksmith: This guy can turn the most useless junk into a weapon of asskicking.
• Unconscious Objector: When even a fainted guy can still move around and do awesome things for a few moments.
• Underestimating Badassery: When a badass is underestimated by those who should know better.
• Unflinching Walk: They won't even stop to look at how much they just wrecked you.
• Vigilante Man: When the Police Are Useless, this badass will just have to take the law into his own hands.
• Villain Killer: When this good guy gets involved, you might wanna run.
• Violently Protective Girlfriend: Your girlfriend kicks the ass of anyone who messes with you.
• Waif-Fu: Petite, yes, but that doesn't stop her from kicking your ass.
• Warrior Monk: They devote most of their time to studying theology, in-between kicking the crap out of their enemies.
• Warrior Poet: They'll gladly recount their harrowing experiences of the battlefield in verses.
• Warrior Prince: This heir to the throne shall lead his people to victory on the front lines.
• Warrior Therapist: A badass master of combat who also took a few psychology courses to round out their education.
• Weaponized Car: This vehicle has been customized for combat.
• When Elders Attack: They may only look like ordinary, comically senile senior citizens; but when provoked, they're ready to whoop a foolish whippersnapper's ass.
• World's Best Warrior: This legendary fighter is perhaps the greatest badass who ever lived.
• World's Strongest Man: This guy is touted as being the strongest person in the world.
• Worthy Opponent: When someone is so impressive that they've earned the respect of their enemy or rival.
• Wowing Cthulhu: This person is able to surprise or even impress an extremely powerful being, which may earn them some respect from the mightier being.
• Wrestler of Beasts: Writers show their characters are awesome by having them fight (and sometimes even win against) ferocious animals in close quarters without relying on traps or ranged weaponry.
• Xenafication: A Damsel in Distress in the source work, a competent Action Girl in the adaptation.

Plural Badasses

• Action Duo: An Action Hero and an Action Survivor team up and kick ass.
• Amazon Brigade: A large fighting force of action girls.
• Back-to-Back Badasses: When two badass characters back each other up. Two badasses are better than one.
• Badass Army: An entire army of badasses. They can probably make quick work of their opponents.
• Badass Crew: An entire team of badasses.
• Badass Family: An entire family of badasses. Because awesomeness is hereditary.
• Badass Minds Think Alike: Two badasses go into battle together without any plans at all. They somehow survive.
• Bash Brothers: A pair of action heroes team up and kick ass.
• Battle Couple: Badass lovers.
• Battle Harem: A group of action girls who are all in love with the same guy.
• Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting: Many people are skilled martial artists.
• Everyone Is Armed: You can bet that everyone in this crowd is packing heat.
• Lovely Angels: A pair of action girls team up and kick ass.
• Retired Badass Roundup: The (formerly) retired badasses all team up again for one more mission.
• The Spartan Way: When a whole army is made through Training from Hell.
• Super Civil Services: When The Real Heroes are basically superheroes.
• Super Family Team: A family of superheroes.
• We Do the Impossible: They regularly accomplish impossible tasks.
• Wooden Ships and Iron Men: To sail aboard an old-fashioned Cool Boat in the navy, you have to be tougher than nails.
• World of Action Girls: Most of the women are tough as nails.
• World of Badass: The world is filled to the brim with awesome badasses.
• World of Muscle Men: Most of the men are big and ripped.

Played With

• Adaptational Wimp: In the original work, he's badass. In the adaptation, less so.
• Badass Decay: A badass becomes less so over time.
• Badass in Distress: When a badass is captured somehow. They either have to be rescued by someone else or be able to escape on their own later.
• Badass on Paper: They genuinely did something badass as people said... but it might be not so awesome when you actually witness it. They would agree.
• Boisterous Weakling: As loud as the Boisterous Bruiser, but weaker than you'd expect.
• Break the Badass: When even a badass breaks down sobbing upon meeting a particularly dangerous opponent/situation.
• Broken Ace: Becoming The Ace may break you in the process.
• Faux Action Girl: She's supposedly a female badass, but it's only an Informed Attribute.
• I Just Want to Be Badass: When a non-badass aspires to be one.
• Memetic Badass: While their actual badass credentials may or may not be justified, their reputation as a badass is considered Off the Scale.
• Mistaken for Badass: An incompetent character is mistakenly believed to be far more powerful than they actually are. The inverse of Hidden Badass.
• No Badass to His Valet: No matter how badass the character is, there is always one person who just isn't intimidated.
• Not Badass Enough for Fans: YMMV; when fans don't consider someone badass enough for the setting in question.
• Not-So-Badass Longcoat: Inverse of Badass Longcoat.
• Paper Tiger: As mighty and intimidating as they may seem at first glance, they're actually much weaker than they let on.
• Perilous Old Fool: A badass who may have been a very strong, tough fighter in their youth, but they're too arrogant to realize they're not really an Old Master who can still fight just as well despite their advanced age.
• Redemption Demotion: When turning to the side of good makes you less badass.
• Villain Decay: This bad guy seemed like quite a threat at first, but soon they became a joke.
• What a Piece of Junk: This mode of transport is badass, but you wouldn't know it at first glance.
• The Worf Barrage: Inverse of No-Sell to the attacker — a supposedly badass attack is stopped flat like it was nothing.
• The Worf Effect: They're supposedly as badass as the work says and yet gets their ass handed to them, sometimes multiple times.

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