History Main / BrilliantbutLazy

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Subverted by [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Peter Parker]], alias the Amazing Spider-Man. Peter is a brilliant scientist who's quite capable of acing his studies, but his constantly being forced to WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld as Spider-Man means that he can't dedicate as much time to his schoolwork as he wants. As a result, he's considered lazy, even though he actually isn't. [[{{Pun}} Ditko]], er, ditto for his skills as a photojournalist. Even J. Jonah Jameson admits it...grudgingly...when Peter's not in earshot.

* ''ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}}'': Tim has a reputation as a brilliant slacker because he does really well on tests but often doesn't complete his homework, sleeps in class and ditches often. This is because he is incredibly busy as Robin, and it doesn't help that he doesn't care for school and ends up dropping out rather than get his high school diploma.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Subverted by Peter Parker, alias the Amazing Spider-Man. Peter is a brilliant scientist who's quite capable of acing his studies, but his constantly being forced to WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld as Spider-Man means that he can't dedicate as much time to his schoolwork as he wants. As a result, he's considered lazy, even though he actually isn't. [[{{Pun}} Ditko]], er, ditto for his skills as a photojournalist. Even J. Jonah Jameson admits it...grudgingly...when Peter's not in earshot.

* From ''CelticMythology'', the Dagda. Also known as "the good god," not because of his moral fiber, but because he's ridiculously good at virtually everything he tries. On the rare occasions when he cares to try.

* Jughead Jones is frequently portrayed in this way in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''. He is second only to Dilton in intelligence. Sometimes he is not even lazy, as he wins awards for his great marks. Several stories have played with the idea that his intelligence is fueled by all of the food he eats.

* In ''ComicBook/TheBeano'', Roger the Dodger's gimmick is that he's often coming up with schemes to get out of doing work. Ironically, these schemes take much more effort than the work he's trying to get out of doing.
* Examples from the ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse:

* In ''ComicBook/{{Minimonster}}s'', Lupo is this, but it's subverted because [[spoiler: he's narcoleptic and he can't help if he falls asleep all the time]].

* In ''ComicBook/TheSecretService'', Jake believes this of Gary, but later feels that he just hasn't had the opportunity to make something of himself.
* Subverted by Peter Parker, alias [[Franchise/SpiderMan the Amazing Spider-Man]]. Peter is a brilliant scientist who's quite capable of acing his studies, but his constantly being forced to WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld as Spider-Man means that he can't dedicate as much time to his schoolwork as he wants. As a result, he's considered lazy, even though he actually isn't. [[{{Pun}} Ditko]], er, ditto for his skills as a photojournalist. Even J. Jonah Jameson admits it...grudgingly...when Peter's not in earshot.
* In ''ComicBook/Strange2022'', Clea is more than capable of taking on her husband's role as Sorcerer Supreme, but she's so fixated on trying to bring him back that she neglects many of the other responsibilities that Stephen left her, such as his obligations to the Avengers, constantly putting them off while she pursues her own ends.
* Michelangelo of the ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' wields the nunchaku, an extremely difficult weapon to master, while his brothers can't. Despite his natural talent, he would rather sit down and play video games.
* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', Rodimus would be a very skilled captain and a great hero if only he'd stop pretending to be dead to get out of answering difficult questions. He seems about to learn a lesson about this after "Remain in Light", keeps to it throughout ''ComicBook/TheTransformersDarkCybertron'', and then immediately gives up and goes back to napping on the job the moment he can offload the difficult bits to [[spoiler:Megatron]], who for all his faults at least has a functioning sense of responsibility.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'' villain Mojo is the ruler of the Spineless Ones, an extradimensional race of incredibly lazy creatures, proven by the fact that they spend all their time watching movies on television and have slaves (both the regular kind and genetically created ones) to wait on them hand and foot. As one might expect, filmmaking and slave trading are the two biggest industries in their dimension, and Mojo became their ruler not only by dominating both industries but combining them, having slaves genetically grown for the express function of acting. (Unfortunately for him, this led to the creation of [[Characters/XMenMojoverse Longshot]], who would eventually lead a [[SlaveLiberation slave rebellion]], which turned out to be no accident; the inventor of the technology had secretly planted a seed that would grow into a desire for freedom into their genetic make-up.)

* ''WebVideo/ScreenRantPitchMeetings'': Screenwriter Guy is capable of coming up with great story ideas when he applies himself -- his credits include the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogy, ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/DieHard'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' trilogy. But most of the time, he's content to half-assedly throw together whatever ideas pop into his head.

* ''WebVideo/ScreenRantPitchMeetings'': Screenwriter Guy is capable of coming up with great story ideas when he applies himself -- his credits include the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogy, ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' trilogy. But most of the time, he's content to half-assedly throw together whatever ideas pop into his head.

* ''WebVideo/ScreenRantPitchMeetings'': Screenwriter Guy is capable of coming up with great story ideas when he applies himself -- his credits include the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogy, ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' trilogy. But most of the time, he's content to half-assedly throw together whatever ideas pop into his head.

* ''WebVideo/ScreenRantPitchMeetings'': Screenwriter Guy is capable of coming up with great story ideas when he applies himself -- his credits include the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogy, ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' trilogy. But most of the time, he's content to half-assedly throw together whatever ideas pop into his head.

* In [[https://notalwaysright.com/the-master-of-work-smarter-not-harder/214851/ this]] story from ''Website/NotAlwaysWorking'', a worker at a hotel takes every pain to skive off his regular work, but can instantly, effortlessly, solve every ImpossibleTask that comes up, whether it's an unpleasable customer, misplaced delivery, or management actively looking for an excuse to fire him, sometimes unaware that the task ''was'' impossible.

May overlap with the EruditeStoner, whose laziness comes from being under the influence, the AbsentMindedProfessor, who may seem lazy because his intellect distracts him from everyday tasks, JerkWithAHeartOfGold, and DeliberateUnderPerformance. Contrast DumbButDiligent, NerdsLoveToughSchoolwork, and HighHopesZeroTalent (one who doesn't slack but never really gets there). See also, HiddenDepths. Not to be confused with GeniusSlob.

** Wally may not actually be brilliant, but he's at least a case of ''Competent'', but Lazy. He could achieve a lot more if his immediate superior was someone other than the one and only PointyHairedBoss. The original Wally, in his very first appearance, is brilliant but trying to get fired to get a company severance package. Creator/ScottAdams has said this scenario was ''exactly'' based on real life . More than one time he has shown that his true ambition in life is to be ''useless'', not lazy; in fact, he tends to put more effort into creative new ways of avoiding anything resembling a task than any amount that could possibly be demanded by said task. He once joined golf to learn new ways of being useless.

* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': Loona, Blitzo's adoptive hellhound daughter, is terrible at her job as his receptionist. Her seeming lack of people skills and [[PhoneaholicTeenager always being on her phone]] give the impression of a lazy, bitter SassySecretary with no people skills. However, she's shown that she can be friendly and personable with the right motivations, is far more perceptive of her surroundings than her phone usage suggests, and is gifted at using powerful demon magic. And despite her lack of combat training, she's demonstrated to be [[OneManArmy the best fighter of the whole group]].

* Chet in The Escapist's new series "Game Dogs". According to his employee dossier, he's known for two things: his lacking work ethic and the attendant reprimands for tardiness and missed deadlines, and the unparalleled brilliance of his work and problem solving when he does produce something. As only the pilot has actually been aired, it remains to be seen whether or not this will turn out to be an InformedAbility.

* [[BlowYouAway Taffe]] [[MakeMeWannaShout Torbern]] in ''Webcomic/{{Pacificators}}''. According to WordOfGod, she is actually somewhat of a genius, but she has no motivation [[spoiler: because she never wanted to be a Pacificator,]] and tends to fall asleep when bored.

* Discussed in ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' strip [[http://xkcd.com/987/ 987]] with a good helping of BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor.

* BrilliantButLazy/RealLife

* In ''Webcomic/JupiterMen'', Quintin's PhotographicMemory should make it trivial for him to succeed in school. But he pays so little attention in class that he gets poor grades anyways. When he is paying attention, he's surprisingly gifted at making Indy Ploys and can memorize complex passcodes with a glance.

* In ''Radio/AbsolutePower'', Martin [=McCabe=] has a "first-class mind", but prefers leaving the work to Charles who hugely enjoys it. On several occasions he spends an entire episode flatly refusing to think about the project at all until Charles finds everything backfiring and Martin can solve it in five minutes. (He also has a conscience, unlike Charles, so sometimes he refuses to work on the project for that reason.)

Often a form of ObfuscatingStupidity. Can be associated with BookDumb. If they're also rich, they may be an UpperClassTwit. When they try to be TheSlacker, they usually turn into a ProfessionalSlacker. See also UnskilledButStrong, which a Brilliant But Lazy character can be if they have great power but don't bother working to improve on it. Alternatively, they can be WeakButSkilled, if they're very experienced yet lack the drive to put any effort into their raw power.