History Main / LawfulPushover

* ''{{Manga/Nichijou}}'': High-school English teacher Izumi Sakurai is a prime example of this, buckling in the face of any small adversity from students, or even from an [[DidntSeeThatComing unexpected reaction]]. Despite her numerous attempts to [[StandYourGround fight through the pressure]], the only student she has successfully chastized is [[spoiler:[[PromotionToParent her live-in younger brother]]...''once'']].

->''"Some president I am, right? I can't even confront my own club members properly... I just wish I was able to be a little more assertive sometimes."''

* ''Webcomic/IronVioletTheShyTitan'' chronicles the protagonist's evolution from this to AsskickingEqualsAuthority.

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[[quoteright:349:[[Manga/{{Nichijou}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1674.JPG]]]]

* ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons The Simpsons]]'': Seymour Skinner, principal of [[Characters/TheSimpsonsElementarySchool Springfield Elementary School]], is an ExtremeDoormat to many forces of humanity, and his school regularly reflects that. [[EvilGenius Evil schemers]] in need of a HomeBase? Principal Skinner turns a blind eye to [[SchoolForScheming it all]]. Insubordinates [[KidsAreCruel conquering]] and inappropriately [[NamingYourColonyWorld renaming]] parts of the institution? Expect him to [[AdultsAreUseless honor the name change]] with a wince. A teacher turning one of his top students into the target of a bullying campaign that has turned her life into a living hell? As long as the [[LoopholeAbuse bullying doesn't involve]] physical contact, he doesn't give a crap--otherwise, [[NotInThisForYourRevolution the Teachers' Union will be on his ass]].

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->"Some president I am, right? I can't even confront my own club members properly... I just wish I was able to be a little more assertive sometimes."

* On ''{{Series/MASH}}'', this is Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake’s defining trait. He lets his BunnyEarsLawyer doctors run riot and reveals that the army gave him, and him specifically, special instructions never to surrender without orders.

->"Some president I am, right?
->"I can't even confront my own club members properly...
-> "I just wish I was able to be a little more assertive sometimes."
-->-- '''Monika''', act II, ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub''

* Sheriff from ''WesternAnimation/{{Squidbillies}}. Even before Dan Halen replaced him with pliant clones, he was generally willing to look the other way in regards to Early's shenanigans. It generally takes only the slightest convincing to get him to look the other way in the face of blatantly criminal acts.

[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1674.JPG]]

* ''TabletopGames/DungeonsAndDragons'': In the module [=OA7=] ''Test of the Samurai,'' the player characters arrive in the mysterious realm of Qui, only to be immediately confronted by its current Officer -- [[spoiler:an [[ShrinkingViolet indecisive, panicky]] oriental unicorn named Chanii. She initially [[ThatsAnOrder orders them]] to leave, but when they insist on seeing Za-Jikku, she backs down and [[ReverseEscortMission leads them]] to see his statue]]. Should they return to Qui later, she will [[spoiler:[[BrokenRecord again ask]] them to leave; however, if they continue to press her, she will [[HereWeGoAgain let them stay]] for up to four hours]].

More developed Lawful Pushovers may also [[ApologisesALot apologize a lot]], or kick themselves afterward for not [[GrewASpine growing a spine]]. See also ShrinkingViolet; compare ExtremeDoormat, PoliceAreUseless. Contrast BotheringByTheBook and DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp.

* Monika in ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub''. Despite being the club president [[spoiler:(and a ManipulativeBitch)]], she cannot assert herself towards her club members. [[spoiler:This [[GrewASpine changes]] in the second half of act II, presumably from a combination of [[SanitySlippage frustration]] and a desire to [[TheWonka present herself to the player as]] the OnlySaneMan.]]

* ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons The Simpsons]]'': Seymour Skinner, principal of [[Characters/TheSimpsonsElementarySchool Springfield Elementary School]], is an ExtremeDoormat to many forces of humanity, and his school regularly reflects that. A bout of PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad, and he segregates the students by gender. [[EvilGenius Evil schemers]] in need of a HomeBase? Principal Skinner turns a blind eye to [[SchoolForScheming it all]]. Insubordinates [[KidsAreCruel conquering]] and inappropriately [[NamingYourColonyWorld renaming]] parts of the institution? Expect him to [[AdultsAreUseless honor the name change]] with a wince. A teacher turning one of his top students into the target of a bullying campaign that has turned her life into a living hell? As long as the [[LoopholeAbuse bullying doesn't involve]] physical contact, he doesn't give a crap--otherwise, [[NotInThisForYourRevolution the Teachers' Union will be on his ass]].

->'''Ms. Sakurai:''' ''[on stage]'' Please do not bring your goats to school!\\
'''Sasahara:''' Goats? What do you have against ''goats''?!... Arriving by goat... DOESN'T VIOLATE SCHOOL ''POLICYYYYY''!!!\\
'''Ms. Sakurai:''' What?[...]I--I--''I will allow goats!''
-->-- ''{{Anime/Nichijou}}'' (anime), Episode 1

Some voices of authority will break the rules [[ScrewThisIndexIHaveTropes to seek their own ends]]. Others will do it [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight for the perceived greater good]]. And then there's the '''Lawful Pushover''', who defies protocol [[ExtremeDoormat because some random layperson asked them to]].

* ''[[{{Manga/Nichijou}} Nichijou]]'': High-school English teacher Izumi Sakurai is a prime example of this, buckling in the face of any small adversity from students, or even from an [[DidntSeeThatComing unexpected reaction]]. Despite her numerous attempts to [[StandYourGround fight through the pressure]], the only student she has successfully chastized is [[spoiler:[[PromotionToParent her live-in younger brother]]...''once'']].

* ''[[TabletopGames/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'': In the module [=OA7=] ''Test of the Samurai,'' the player characters arrive in the mysterious realm of Qui, only to be immediately confronted by its current Officer -- [[spoiler:an [[ShrinkingViolet indecisive, panicky]] oriental unicorn named Chanii. She initially [[ThatsAnOrder orders them]] to leave, but when they insist on seeing Za-Jikku, she backs down and [[ReverseEscortMission leads them]] to see his statue]]. Should they return to Qui later, she will [[spoiler:[[BrokenRecord again ask]] them to leave; however, if they continue to press her, she will [[HereWeGoAgain let them stay]] for up to four hours]].

--> '''Susan:''' ''Your narcs don't have the guts!''
--> '''Security Woman:''' She's right; we don't.
--> '''Security Man:''' She's a scary lady!

-> '''Ms. Sakurai:''' ''[on stage]'' Please do not bring your goats to school!
-> '''Sasahara:''' Goats? What do you have against ''goats''?!...Arriving by goat...[[ChewingTheScenery DOESN'T VIOLATE SCHOOL]] ''[[ChewingTheScenery POLICYYYYY]]''!!!
-> '''Ms. Sakurai:''' What?[...]I--I-''I will allow goats!''
-->-- ''[[{{Anime/Nichijou}} Nichijou]]'' (anime), Episode 1

-> '''Ms. Sakurai:''' ''[sweating]'' What? Uh[...]I--I-''I will allow goats!''

-> '''Sasahara:''' Goats? What do you have against ''goats''?!...Arriving by goat...[[ChewingTheScenery DOESN'T VIOLATE SCHOOL]] ''[[ChewingTheScenery POLICYYYYY]]''!!!!!