History Main / MinoredInAsskicking

** Rarity is also an example. Unlike Applejack (rough and tumble cowgirl known for her athleticism) or Rainbow Dash (a BoisterousBruiser who's always the first into a fight) Rarity is a fashion designer, who hates getting dirty or sweaty. She's still proved herself to be one of the most effective fighters in the cast on several occasions, and is certainly not afraid to defend herself should she or her friends be threatened. She's the only one we've seen get into an actual fighting stance when it's time for hooficuffs. She thought nothing of attacking a manticore ''many'' times her size in the two-part premiere.

* Dutch from "Manga/{{Black Lagoon}}" does not get involved with combat as much as Revy does and is more focused on leading the Lagoon Company but he has a [[HandCannon .44 Magnum]] and he knows how to use it. When he gets more serious, he brings a [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter Remington 870]].

* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', the eponymous protagonist, is a "LabRat" (who almost got an MD) who took "courses in advanced jujitsu". While he usually strikes by surprise, he was able to clash with a heavily muscled police sergeant who is ex-special forces, and able to best him while Dexter was handcuffed and the cop had a pistol drawn.

* Like her canon counterpart, Zelda's greatest assets in ''Zelda and the Manacle of Cahla'' are her logic, book smarts, and puzzle solving skills. She only learned how to fight so her aunt would let her explore beyond their village's safe borders, but, with her years of training, Zelda is good with a sword, ''better'' [[ArcherArchetype with a bow]], and becomes an InstantExpert with a whip.

* While ''Series/{{Castle}}'' is usually a NonActionGuy, as a civilian writer shadowing the NYPD, we are occasionally reminded that he can occasionally be angered enough to [[spoiler: punch a sniper out]] and that he is also a ''hell'' of a good shot.

* Hank [=McCoy=], AKA [[Characters/XMenTheOriginalTeam Beast]] of the ComicBook/XMen has always been a [[GeniusBruiser capable fighter belying a brilliant mind]], regardless of the media portraying him. Yet his incarnation in ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen2009'' states early on that he's "a pacifist by nature." Push comes to shove, however, he'll knock you down.

->''"Trouble rather the tiger in his lair than the sage amongst his books. For to you kingdoms and armies are things mighty and enduring, but to him they are but toys of the moment, to be overturned by the flicking of a finger ..."''
-->-- ''[[Literature/ChildeCycle Tactics of Mistake]]'' by Creator/GordonRDickson

* Mr. Miyagi from ''Film/TheKarateKid'' fits this trope along with MartialPacifist. Despite being an Okinawan karate master and highly decorated U.S. UsefulNotes/WorldWarII veteran, Daniel finds him spending his old age working as the South Seas apartment complex's maintenance man while enjoying peaceful hobbies such as cultivating bonsai trees. He teaches Daniel karate in a way that heavily emphasizes restraint and self-control, and only fights on the vey rare occasions where self-defense is justified. Despite this, he can still fight so well that he wins using a minimum of force. He beats John Kreese without even really fighting him, basically letting the man beat himself up.

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s [[NobleDemon Luck Gandor]], as the social face and "strategy" of the [[TheMafia Gandor family]], prefers talking his way through situations, and reads poetry in his spare time. Having a philosophical bent doesn't mean that he's not capable of some [[DisproportionateRetribution remarkable]] [[AndThisIsFor feats of]] [[GrievousHarmWithABody badassery]] when [[TranquilFury properly]] [[PapaWolf motivated]], however.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Tsuchimikado Motoharu is primarily a wisecracking spy and onmyouji, but has the combat skills to beat the protagonist in hand-to-hand combat.[[note]]The protagonist is only special because of his hand's ability to cancel supernatural powers, he is otherwise completely normal and as well as completely untrained in combat.[[/note]]

* Yuki Nagato from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' is a perfect example of this. She appears to be nothing more than a waifish bookworm who rarely moves or says a word, but is capable of distorting reality, moving at impossible (for a human) speeds, and surviving otherwise fatal wounds without even wincing. When the fight's done, she just sits back down and continues reading silently.

* ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'': A bit of a throwaway scene in the anime has an elderly GadgeteerGenius and resident [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]] in the church anti-vamp squad beset by a dozen zombie vampire assassins who are like vampires, but much more powerful. We cut to other adventurers, and when we cut back they're all dead on the floor while he calmly lights a pipe.

** Gil. He's more or less constantly [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority underestimated]] by most of the cast, but trip his BerserkButton or threaten [[TheHero the woman he loves]] and you'll see [[WarriorPrince another]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge side]] [[MadScientist of]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes him]].

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* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'': Yuuno Scrya ''would'' be one of these, being both a very powerful BarrierWarrior and the chief librarian of the Infinity Library, but ''Nanoha'', [[ImprobablyFemaleCast being the kind of series it is]], doesn't give him too many opportunities to establish his badass credentials. To make it clear, he is capable of fighting on equal terms with the Wolkenritter through using Barrier Magic in unconventional ways. Despite being the only mage in the series to lack any form of [[ArtificialIntelligence artificially intelligent]] [[AmplifierArtifact Device]] to help him.
* ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'': A bit of a throwaway scene in the anime has an elderly GadgeteerGenius and resident [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]] in the church anti-vamp squad beset by a dozen zombie vampire assassins who are like vampires, but much more powerful. We cut to other adventurers, and when we cut back they're all dead on the floor while he calmly lights a pipe.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has a number of these but Albireo and Negi are probably the foremost examples.
* Son Gohan! ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' being [[FightingSeries the show that it is]], he doesn't get much of a chance to show off his intelligence, so he tends to hide more behind his pacifism.
** {{Filler}}s of the {{Anime}} and {{The Movie}}s do show his smart side, being able to read complex entomology book ''and'' building a sand-surfer/Nice Boat (with complex equations to calculate its dimensions and proportions) ''before turning 5''. Seriously, if he doesn't define ChildProdigy, who knows what does!
** In ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', its revealed that Gohan actually wrote and published a book explaining in great detail the principles of ''ki.'' This alongside Trunks and Goten's martial art school fending off an invasion was what led to the '''massive''' rise in ki-using martial artists in the setting of the game.

* Yuki Nagato from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' is a perfect example of this. She appears to be nothing more than a waifish bookworm who rarely moves or says a word, but is capable of distorting reality, moving at impossible (for a human) speeds, and surviving otherwise fatal wounds without even wincing. When the fight's done, she just sits back down and continues reading silently.
* From ''Manga/GoldenBoy'', Kintaro Oe is an everyman who can learn just about any skill in short order, from programming to swimming. Though he much prefers not to get into a fight, he is also more than capable of demonstrating that he learned some martial arts in his travels.
* Yoko, the poster girl for FanService in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', decides to retire halfway through the TimeSkip to become a teacher. In one memorable scene, she silences the classroom by throwing a piece of chalk so hard across the room, it embeds itself into the wall. [[ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask Without taking her eyes off of her book]]. When the students get attacked by a pair of rogue Beastmen in mechs, we quickly find out she hasn't lost her snipin' skillz.
--> '''Yoko''': Class dismissed. You fail! *[[StuffBlowingUp Mechs go BOOM]]*

* Isumi from ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'', a quiet YamatoNadeshiko CloudCuckooLander who can banish demon hoards without even breaking step.

* Akisame of ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', who spends his free time dabbling in sculpture, music, calligraphy, and just about every kind of artistic expression imaginable. It's implied that he's quite good at most of it too.
** During the arc where Ryozanpaku invades the American army base on Okinawa, [[spoiler:Akisame takes this trope learns how to hack a complex computer system ''on the spot'' by first asking for help from and then just copying Niijima]]. It's seriously scary how competent that man is.
* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Maka spends most of her time reading books and studying for exams. However if you call her on it, she and Soul will beat the ever-loving crap out of you (kinda subverted in that they do get beat up a bit until they TookALevelInBadass). Also, Kid counts - obsessed with perfection and generally thinks his way out of situations... however, he's a freaking {{Shinigami}}!

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Tsuchimikado Motoharu is primarily a wisecracking spy and onmyouji, but has the combat skills to beat the protagonist in hand-to-hand combat.[[note]]The protagonist is only special because of his hand's ability to cancel supernatural powers, he is otherwise completely normal and as well as completely untrained in combat.[[/note]]

* Compared to the rest of the ComicBook/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} is a "weak" BadassNormal. Most of the time he's the one who puts together the available information to figure out who the bad guys are, what their plan is, and how best to foil it... but when it comes time to fight, he's one of (if not ''the'') most dangerous leaguers to face. The White Martians found this out the hard way, even AFTER Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}} clued them in:

* Aleph from ''ComicBook/GlobalFrequency'' is the Frequency's VoiceWithAnInternetConnection and MissionControl. Her superpower is a brain that puts any quantum computer to shame when it comes to multitasking and general computational ability. But when her hacker lair is invaded she can effortlessly deal with the intruders.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Juxtapose}}'', Kensei and Megumi have no intention on becoming Pro Heroes, but train alongside Izuku and Hitoshi in support of their goals. By the Sports Festival, they're able to take on the Hero Course students in hand-to-hand combat.

* Yoda from ''Franchise/StarWars'' is the diminutive, centuries-old leader of the Jedi order. The original trilogy depicts him as a frail and peaceful hermit (with a dose of ObfuscatingStupidity) to whom Luke goes for training in the spiritual and supernatural aspects of the force. The prequel trilogy initially shows him as slightly younger and more active, but still mainly serving as the leader of the Jedi council and a revered teacher. Then, at the climax of ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'', he reveals his dormant warrior prowess by holding his own against Count Dooku in lightsaber combat, defending against Force lightning, and lifting colossal objects using the Force. He spends much of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' as an outright ActionHero, but fails to destroy Darth Sidious and is forced to go into hidden exile, eventually becoming the unassuming hermit whom Luke meets many years later.
* Franchise/IndianaJones: It may not seem like this trope because we only ever see the Badass parts of his life, but he has "professor" as his day job. From the perspective of his students (as well as others who meet him as the "professor" first), this trope is played straight:
-->'''Henry Jones Sr.:''' You call ''this'' archaeology?!\\
'''"Mutt" Williams:''' You're a... a ''teacher''?!
* Iguchi Seibei in ''Film/TheTwilightSamurai''. By the Bakumatsu era, most samurai were [[SalaryMan bureaucrats]], so fighting skill was not a foregone conclusion. Seibei, in particular, [[ActualPacifist prefers his drama-free existence]], and plans to become a farmer when the Shogunate is overturned. However, after he trounces his friend's abusive, alcoholic ex-husband in a duel armed with only a [[WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter bokuto]], the new daimyo wants Seibei's skill in settling a succession dispute.
* Dale Arden, from ''Film/{{Flash Gordon|1980}}''.
--> "Hey, I'm a UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity girl! I took karate at the Y!" (as she beats up a couple of Ming's mooks.)
* Minor character Shinobu Kojo, from ''[[Film/TheStreetfighter Sister Streetfighter]]'', may be a ballerina, but she's quick to aggressively defend those under her protection from any dangerous person or group of people, as seen when she and Tina Long, who had earlier shown up on a tip from the former's boyfriend, Sonny Hibachi, double-team on a group of Kaki's {{Mooks}}.

* Tej, in ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' movies is TheSmartGuy for Dom's team, noticeably smaller than the other men, and never attempts to fight any of the villains directly (though he does participate in car chases). Never the less, when a security guard corners him in the seventh film, Tej casually '''annihilates''' the guy in a matter of seconds with a series of blows so fast, the guard is unconscious before he hits the ground.

* A number of Creator/TamoraPierce characters.
** [[Literature/CircleOfMagic Tris]]: [[FieryRedhead Redheaded]] [[NerdGlasses glasses-wearing]] crosspatch bordering on genuine {{Jerkass}}, but is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold sweet heart]] underneath. Constantly reading, slightly overweight, brilliant, and always picked on. Has weather magic that can literally rip you to bits.
** [[Literature/TortallUniverse Numair]]: Veritable CloudCuckoolander and always lost in some scholarly pursuit. Someone doubted his prowess as a war mage and that someone is now a tree. (As a consequence, somewhere, a random tree is now a somebody.)
* The science-fiction version of Maturin is Adele Mundy in the Creator/DavidDrake ''Literature/{{RCN}}'' series. She'll always be clumsy on a starship, she's uncomfortable dealing with people rather than computers or books and she'd much prefer collating information to anything, but she's ''extremely'' protective of her TrueCompanions and a remarkably good shot with a pistol.

* [[SternTeacher Kuzuki Souichirou]] from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. He's the protagonist's homeroom teacher who dictates history and ethics classes. [[spoiler: He is also a retired assassin]].

** This is a hat of the Federation really, only ''one'' class of ships was ever designed for combat, yet most can rival any other races warships of equal or greater size, often winning.
** It's certainly a hat of their ships. The idea is to be CrazyPrepared for whatever may be out there, and it's evident that it's necessary seeing how many episodes end with the crew surviving only by the skin of their teeth. The original ''Enterprise'' could devastate an ''entire planet,'' and each ''Enterprise'' is more weapon-laden than the last. This is even more true after ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine [=DS9=]]]'' 's Dominion War, where every ship built during that time or after is either like the starships ''Enterprise'' (an exploration vessel or what-have-you that doubles as a superweapon) or like the ''Defiant'' and ''Prometheus'' (the Federation supposedly doesn't have warships so we'll ''call'' it something else, but its true purpose is to shove quantum torpedoes down the bad guys' throats with extreme prejudice[[note]]The ''Defiant'' class are officially "convoy escorts", and the designation for ''Prometheus'' is never stated.[[/note]]). Every ship that wasn't built that way is being brought up to that standard, as seen with the ''Lakota'' (one of a type of ship that really shouldn't be able to stand up to the ''Defiant,'' but was upgraded.)

* Sans from ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' is just a LazyBum who happens to be [[spoiler: RightHandMan to Asgore]], but is [[spoiler: the FinalBoss of the KillEmAll path. the BigBad Flowey who is the most powerful character in the game besides Sans, is scared of him and apparently [[OffscreenMomentofAwesome Sans caused Flowey to hit the Reset Button multiple times.]] Also he is a genius who figured out that the world was stuck in a GroundbogDayLoop ''without having RippleEffectProofMemory'']]. HiddenDepths ''indeed''.

* Compared to the rest of the Franchise/{{Justice League| of America}} Franchise/{{Batman}} is a "weak" BadassNormal. Most of the time he's the one who puts together the available information to figure out who the bad guys are, what their plan is, and how best to foil it... but when it comes time to fight, he's one of (if not ''the'') most dangerous leaguers to face. The White Martians found this out the hard way, even AFTER Franchise/{{Superman}} clued them in:

** Hell, the entire Bat family is made of this. Even in a wheelchair, ComicBook/{{Oracle}} [[HandicappedBadass is still more than capable of defending herself]]!

* ComicBook/LoisLane has a lot of this going on. Sure, she's nowhere near the level of Batman or other BadassNormal superheroes, but the sight of [[DamselOutOfDistress a skinny woman usually seen clutching a reporter's notepad busting herself out of her undercover position as the bride at a mobster's wedding with a machine gun she hid in the wedding cake]] isn't something that you really expect.
* ComicBook/{{Loki}} is often considered a GlassCannon or SquishyWizard by either Asgardian standards (though he has SuperStrength and amazing endurance [[NormalFishInATinyPond in comparison to mortals]]) and at other times just by ''Thor's'' standards. However, he has physically (or mostly physically) outfought several opponents, most recently the Dsir during the ComicBook/{{Siege}} event. He also changes weapons more than most ''Thor'' characters, his main ones being a whip, sword, or halberd.

* Iguchi Seibei in ''Film/TheTwilightSamurai''. By the Bakumatsu era, most samurai were [[SalaryMan bureaucrats]], so fighting skill was not a foregone conclusion. Seibei, in particular, [[ActualPacifist prefers his drama-free existence]], and plans to become a farmer when the Shogunate is overturned. However,after he trounces his friend's abusive, alcoholic ex-husband in a duel armed with only a [[WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter bokuto]], the new daimyo wants Seibei's skill in settling a succession dispute.

* In ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'', Kurda Smahlt is the one character like this in a mountain full of ProudWarriorRace vampires. He's a [[ActualPacifist pacifist]] and prefers not to fight unless he has to... and a vampire can't refuse a challenge during the Festival of the Undead.

* Hank [=McCoy=], AKA ComicBook/{{Beast|MarvelComics}} of the ComicBook/XMen has always been a [[GeniusBruiser capable fighter belying a brilliant mind]], regardless of the media portraying him. Yet his incarnation in ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen2009'' states early on that he's "a pacifist by nature." Push comes to shove, however, he'll knock you down.

[[folder: Toys]]

* A semi-example for Hattori Heiji in ''Manga/CaseClosed'': He is more hotheaded than the other high school detectives (a fact remarked upon in the series), but he always keeps using his brains, confronting armed killers with his logical conclusions rather than just knocking them out and calling the police. Attack him or his friends, though, and you'll find out just who can beat the entire police kendo club of Osaka. Or stop a sword with a ''cell phone''.

** Rhinox in '' WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' is head technician and pilot of the Maximals. His weapons are also [[FanNickname known as]] the Chainguns of Doom and when brainwashed into being evil he took over the Predacon army. By himself.

* A semi-example for Hattori Heiji in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'': He is more hotheaded than the other high school detectives (a fact remarked upon in the series), but he always keeps using his brains, confronting armed killers with his logical conclusions rather than just knocking them out and calling the police. Attack him or his friends, though, and you'll find out just who can beat the entire police kendo club of Osaka. Or stop a sword with a ''cell phone''.

* In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'', Galatea is primarily an [[GadgeteerGenius inventor]] and a schemer, but as Riboflavin [[https://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/424 painfully]] learned, given sufficient incentive she will prove that "There's a significant difference twixt [[FriendToAllLivingThings my sister]] and I. ''I'' understand how my ''[[CuteMonsterGirl claws]]'' work."