History Main / AuthorityInNameOnly

* In the season four finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Twilight Sparkle feels this way, being a princess with no actual royal duties. By the end of the finale, she gains her important duties.
* Although Patrick acted like a bigshot in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Rule of Dumb", after it was revealed he inherited a throne, everyone walks away wondering why they let themselves be talked into giving their stuff to Patrick once Squidward told them that Patrick had no real authority to demand tribute.

* This trope is played straight at the beginning of the second season of ''Series/DanForMayor''. Dan got elected to be mayor of Wessex on a fluke and everyone in the city government is trying their hardest to make sure that he has no real authority. When he figures this out, he tries to become relevant and HilarityEnsues.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', each kingdom is run by a council, which the headmasters of their respective academies are members of. Given that said headmasters are also members of the [[BenevolentConspiracy Oz's Circle]], how much power the other council members have is debatable. In the Vale Saga, the council depowers Headmaster Ozpin as head of the Vytal Festival's security...in favor of [[GeneralFailure General Ironwood]], ''another'' headmaster and conspiracy member. This becomes deconstructed when the plot takes to Atlas; In Atlas, Ironwood has two seats, giving him huge swing, and as commander of its military has the strength to put whatever act he wants into effect. When Salem pushes him [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope off the slippery slope]], he declares martial law and there's nothing the rest of the council can do to stop him; it takes Winter Scheen and Marrow Amin having a HeelRealization and turning on him for Ironwood to be de-powered.
-->'''Camilla:''' General, since the day you were appointed Headmaster, there have been Atlesians who are skeptical of one man holding two Council seats.\\
'''Ironwood:''' ''(Clearly grasping)'' Yes, which is exactly why we have checks and balances.\\

* Mikhail Kalinin was the Head of State of the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1946. Despite his long career as the official head of the largest communist state in history, Kalinin is seldom remembered in Russia or the world at large. This is because his position, though it did grant him many personal privileges, was largely a ceremonial one. De facto leadership lay in the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Joseph Stalin. In the end, Kalinin was the man who rubberstamped Stalin's decrees while having very little influence into the Soviet Union's policies.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', each kingdom is run by a council, which the headmasters of their respective academies are members of. Given that said headmasters are also members of the [[Oz's Circle BenevolentConspiracy]], how much power the other council members have is debatable. In the Vale Saga, the council depowers Headmaster Ozpin as head of the Vytal Festival's security...in favor of [[GeneralFailure General Ironwood]], ''another'' headmaster and conspiracy member. This becomes deconstructed when the plot takes to Atlas; In Atlas, Ironwood has two seats, giving him huge swing, and as commander of its military has the strength to put whatever act he wants into effect. When Salem pushes him [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope off the slippery slope]], he declares martial law and there's nothing the rest of the council can do to stop him; it takes Winter Scheen and Marrow Amin having a HeelRealization and turning on him for Ironwood to be de-powered.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Tar-Palantír's the King of Numenor, but being too ill to leave the bed, his authority is entirely symbolic to keep the peace in the kingdom, while Miriel rules as Queen Regent in his stead.

* In Music/HelloProject, the Leaders and especially Sub-Leaders of groups sometimes act as peacekeepers if there's a falling out between members of their group and on game show appearances they may pick who competes if appropriate. However they are just the FaceOfTheBand, if that, in regards to the actual music.

** ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'': The King of the Seven Kingdoms over Dorne, which in this era mantains some de-facto independence and has not yet submitted to the authority of the Targaryens, who in reality are ruling ''six'' kingdoms.

* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'': In the first season, Rip Hunter recruits a team of misfits in an attempt to defeat Vandal Savage, stop a BadFuture, and save Rip's family. While the team agrees with his goals, they also spend most of their time ignoring him and doing whatever they think is best. The only exception is Gideon, the ship's AI, who is hard-coded to obey him. After Rip disappears early in season 2, Sarah steps up as captain, and does a much better job corralling the team than Rip ever did.

** The Emperor of Japan is weird as it was a figurehead monarchy all the way back in 1192 CE. real central political power from 1192 through 1868, much of the real imperial power rested with the Shogun, who was dejur the Emperor's general, but defacto rulers (as they controlled the largest armies). The Shogun's power itself waxed and waned, going from having complete dictatorial power to barely being acknowledged by the various clans of the islands. The Emperor's power was briefly restored under the Meiji restoration, although gave up much of his formal power under the Meiji constitution, and all power (both real and even theoretical power of other monarchs) was removed after World War 2.

* In ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', Gob is installed as nominal president of the Bluth Company as Michael is suspected of being an accomplice to George Sr.'s "mild treason". He actually does have some power early on as he manages to charm the board of directors. However, his manifest incompetence and unwillingness to do any work, not to mention his extremely rude and abusive behaviour towards employees, means he quickly loses everyone's respect and becomes a meaningless figurehead; to the point that when he tries to fire Michael, security removes ''him'' instead.

* ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars'': Don Miguel may be the leader of The Rojos on paper, but his brother, Ramon Rojo is the BigBad and clearly the brains behind their operation. Ramon is even shown giving orders more often than Miguel.

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* In the ''Series/{{Heroes}}''/''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' crossover "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12045706/1/Dark-Days Dark Days]]", after the Volturi are devastated by an attack by an insane vampire infected with a variation of the Shanti virus, when Aro attempts to order that Peter be changed or killed when the Cullens come to help, Emmett bluntly points out that the Volturi don’t have the authority to enforce their laws any more considering that they’re down to about seven members, five of whom were cowering in a chamber and another two hidden in a tower after the rest were either killed by the infected vampires or fled the castle in fear.

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* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Oliver Munsee, Vice Principal of Mrs. Nestor's Private Elementary School. He's the brother of Winona Nestor and (later) [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute of Ruth Nestor]]. He has no authority, and, by his own admission, is the "most useless vice principal in the country".

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* Arguably, the ''entirety'' of the United States' Continental Congress, which was designed to have as little authority as possible. It lasted from September 5, 1774 to April 2, 1789 (by which time the new constitution had been ratified and UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington elected president). At its last meeting, only two people attended: member Philip Pell and the Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson. According to the last entry in the ''Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America'' (what the Continental Congress was called at the time, not ''that'' [[DeepSouth Confederate States Of America]]): "The hour of 2 o'clock having arrived, the Speaker announced that the House stood adjourned ''sine die''" (Latin for "without day", i.e. "indefinitely".) Washington was inaugurated the next month, and Thomson handed over the Great Seal and resigned as secretary that July, which officially ended the Continental Congress.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'': In the [[Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse novel]] "Probe" by the 23rd century the Emperor was a powerless figurehead. His legate also possessed no actual power. The actual power rested with the Praetor and the Senate.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Burgomeister Zurken of Mechanicsburg's only job is to be officially in charge in the eyes of the Baron and tourists. All real work involved in actually running the city is done by the Heliotrope family (now known as Von Mekkahn), hereditary seneschals to the Heterodyne family. This fake ruler arrangement is necessary because the Heliotropes officially died when the Other attacked Castle Heterodyne, and they don't want Baron Wulfenbach to learn otherwise.