History Main / ActionDuo

* John Mason and Stanley Goodspeed in ''[[TheRock The Rock]]''

When both are paired they create an Action Duo similar to SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan and RedOniBlueOni; only these two will be practically opposites in just about every possible trait, most notably combat skill. The {{Badass}} is of course MadeOfIron, skilled at brawling and shooting, and (though maybe "getting too old for this shit") brave enough to wade through any firefight. However, he will often be saddled by the plot with baby-sitting the ActionSurvivor, who can [[NonActionGuy (at best)]] [[FragileSpeedster run and dodge extremely well]], through endless firefights that may be targeted at ''him''. If the NonActionGuy at least manages to compensate by being TheSmartGuy, you have BrainsAndBrawn. On the other hand, if the {{Badass}} [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining sacrificed a basic skill for their awesome training]], the Action Survivor will help [[UpbringingMakesTheHero round them out]]. Expect these disparities and constant action to make them VitriolicBestBuds.

* ''[[TomClancy Clear And Present Danger]]'' has Jack Ryan as the ActionSurvivor. Towards the end he teams up with a soldier who's more of an ActionHero.

* Jack Traven and Annie Porter in ''{{Speed}}''

* Col. Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson have some elements of this in the original ''{{Stargate}}'' movie. O'Neill spent most of the film just wanting to blow everything to hell, while Jackson was basically wondering ''what'' the hell was going on. They avert this in the series, however, when Daniel [[TookALevelInBadass took a level]].

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Zombieland-actionduo_4984.jpg]]

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ZombieLandResized_4652.jpg]]

----
<<|CharactersAsDevice|>>

* [[BadassPacifist Rock]] and [[DarkActionGirl Revy]] from {{Black Lagoon}}.

* Riff (ActionHero) and Torg (ActionSurvivor) in ''SluggyFreelance'', until Torg TookALevelInBadass in the "That Which Redeems" arc.

When both are paired they create an Action Duo similar to SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan and RedOniBlueOni; only these two will be practically opposites in just about every possible trait, most notably combat skill. The {{Badass}} is of course MadeOfIron, skilled at brawling and shooting, and (though maybe [[GettingTooOldForThis "getting too old for this shit"]]) brave enough to wade through any firefight. However, he will often be saddled by the plot with baby-sitting the ActionSurvivor, who can [[NonActionGuy (at best)]] [[FragileSpeedster run and dodge extremely well]], through endless firefights that may be targeted at ''him''. If the NonActionGuy at least manages to compensate by being TheSmartGuy, you have BrainsAndBrawn. On the other hand, if the {{Badass}} [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining sacrificed a basic skill for their awesome training]], the Action Survivor will help [[UpbringingMakesTheHero round them out]]. Expect these disparities and constant action to make them VitriolicBestBuds.

[[AC: LiveActionTv]]
* Weirdly, [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]] sometimes plays ActionSurvivor to more military-style companions such as TheBrigadier or Captain Jack Harkness. Other times, however, the Doctor and his companion will subvert the trope by being a GuileHero and Guile Survivor, respectively.

* John [=McClane=] and Matthew Farrell in ''[[DieHard Live Free or Die Hard]]''

* Col. Jack O'Neil and Dr. Daniel Jackson have some elements of this in the original ''{{Stargate}}'' movie. O'Neil spent most of the film just wanting to blow everything to hell, while Jackson was basically wondering ''what'' the hell was going on. They avert this in the series, however, when Daniel [[TookALevelInBadass took a level]].

Believe it or not, the ActionHero and ActionSurvivor are not so different that they can't share the spotlight in the same story together.

When both are paired they create an Action Duo similar to SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan and RedOniBlueOni; only these two will be practically opposites in just about every possible trait, most notably combat skill. The ActionHero is of course MadeOfIron, skilled at brawling and shooting, and (though maybe [[GettingTooOldForThis "getting too old for this shit"]]) brave enough to wade through any firefight. However, he will often be saddled by the plot with baby-sitting the ActionSurvivor, who can [[NonActionGuy (at best)]] [[FragileSpeedster run and dodge extremely well]], through endless firefights that may be targeted at ''him''. If the NonActionGuy at least manages to compensate by being TheSmartGuy, you have BrainsAndBrawn. On the other hand, if the ActionHero [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining sacrificed a basic skill for their awesome training]], the Action Survivor will help [[UpbringingMakesTheHero round them out]]. Expect these disparities and constant action to make them VitriolicBestBuds.

The plot usually requires the ActionHero either protect the ActionSurvivor as they try to escape a ClosedCircle, or with an EscortMission with the Survivor as a LivingMacGuffin. Occasionally, the Survivor takes up the role of SideKick and "sells" [[TheSmartGuy his skills]] as useful to the ActionHero on his mission. They usually form a working partnership, even becoming friends.

* In several of the [[VorkosiganSaga]] novels, Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan Vorpatril make up this team: Miles does the stratetic thinking while Ivan is dragooned into helping him and doing the physical stuff which the brittle-boned Miles can't.

* Tallahassee and Columbus in ''{{Zombieland}}''

* Weirdly, [[DoctorWho the Doctor]] sometimes plays ActionSurvivor to more military-style companions such as TheBrigadier or Captain Jack Harkness. Other times, however, the Doctor and his companion will subvert the trope by being a GuileHero and Guile Survivor, respectively.

* Edward and Bella during the action sequences in the ''{{Twilight}}'' movie.

* ''[[DieHard Live Free or Die Hard]]'': John [=McClane=] and Matthew Farrell
* Tallahassee and Columbus in ''Zombieland''
* ''TheRundown'': Beck and Travis Walker

* ''The Whole Nine Yards'' - Jimmy 'The Tulip' Tudeski and Nicholas 'Oz' Ozeransky
* ''[[TheRock The Rock]]'' - John Mason and Stanley Goodspeed
* ''[[KnightAndDay Knight and Day]]'' - Roy Miller and June Havens

* Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in ''{{Speed}}''.
* ''Live Free Or DieHard'': Bruce Willis and Justin Long.

* ''The Rundown'': The Rock and Sean William Scott.

* Col. Jack O'Neil(l?) and Dr. Daniel Jackson have some elements of this in the original ''{{Stargate}}'' movie. O'Neil spent most of the film just wanting to blow everything to hell, while Jackson was basically wondering ''what'' the hell was going on. They avert this in the series, however, when Daniel [[TookALevelInBadass took a level]].

* ''The Whole Nine Yards'' - Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry.
* ''[[TheRock The Rock]]'' - Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage.