This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
I am reversing the edits made by That Other 1 Dude where he deleted several examples for not describing characters that Just Want To Be Badass.
The trope exists both in-universe (the character themself wants to be badass) and on a meta-level (the work is affected in some way by the viewer wanting to be badass). He deleted examples that clearly counted as meta-level examples of the trope.
A trope is something that the audience expects. If the audience Wants To Be Badass, then examples of how the audience's desires are manipulated by a work are valid examples.
From YKTTW Working Title: I Just Want To Be Badass
thatother1dude: OK, but I'm getting rid of the Gears Of War and Wolverine things (because we should only list examples of playing with/subverting this because it's only an expectation if fulfilling it is the standard; it's like why there aren't straight examples in Instant Death Bullets, and it leads to excessive whining about "sucking up to stupid fanboy desires"), the parts about singling out Half Life and Bioshock as "aversions" (because that's just putting them on a pedestal above other things in a slightly veiled manner), and the God Of War thing (because it's a completely bullshit interpretation that has no basis on anything the developer have stated; Kratos just has a tragic story because most Greek/Roman legends do). Also, I'm moving the parts that aren't examples but general statements about the trope to the body of the.
