History Main / SeeminglyProfoundFool

Often, the most brilliant [[MistakenForSpecialGuest visiting expert]], or most beloved substitute teacher, or most canny enemy agent is really TheFool. He's usually either a harmless imbecile or mental patient, who, simply because he has the [[DumberThanTheyLook right appearance]] and is at the right place at the right time, is assumed to be someone other than he actually is. Because everyone assumes that he's a genius, [[WordSaladPhilosophy their odd meanderings and banalities]] [[IceCreamKoan are taken for profundities.]] Oddly enough, his advice is almost always spot on, because the real problems are actually very simple -- [[TooDumbToFool so simple that everyone has been overlooking the answers all along]].

* In ''Literature/Overlord2010'', Momonga/Ainz Ooal Gown is thought by all of his subordinates, and many opponents, to be a master strategist able to craft intricate {{Xanatos Gambit}}s with so many layers even {{Evil Genius}}es such as Demiurge struggle to comprehend the full extent of Ainz-sama's plan. The truth, of course, is that Ainz is just an ordinary office worker TrappedInAnotherWorld as his game character, and while he's not necessarily a fool, most of his successes hinge on a combination of [[VictoryThroughIntimidation intimidating presence]], [[StoryBreakerPower hideous power]] and [[BornLucky dumb luck]]. Unusually for this trope, Ainz is very much aware of this perception of himself and exploits it for all it's worth to reinforces the mystique around himself as much as possible, mostly because he's afraid his servants (formerly just game [=NPCs=]) would betray him if they knew the truth.

** In the sequel ''Professor Arc II: Headmaster Arc'', this trope continues to snowball and cause Jaune issues. [[spoiler: This trope becomes so heavily invoked that, in the minds of Cinder Fall, Winter Shnee, James Ironwood, and other major characters, any and all apparent idiocy is, infact, part of an unimagineably complex, manipulative, and strategic plan. This couldn't be further from the truth]].

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Played with. On several occasions Ash is asked to speak to aspiring trainers based on his legitimate successes. He is almost always muddled and confusing when he tries to give out profound advice -- sometimes he fools them, usually he doesn't. However, he is always much more profound when he drops the pretense and can just talk about his friendship with his pokemon.

* In ''Series/TheOffice'', new company CEO Robert California divides the employees of the Scranton branch into "winners" and "losers". To everyone's shock he marks out Kevin, the most incompetent employee and a man who can barely function as an adult, as a winner. It's revealed that he mistakes Kevin's asinine ramblings as profound metaphorical statements on business, much like Chance the Gardener. California is mortified when Oscar helps him understand that Kevin is just a man-child talking about cookies.

* In ''LightNovel/Overlord2010'', Momonga/Ainz Ooal Gown is thought by all of his subordinates, and many opponents, to be a master strategist able to craft intricate {{Xanatos Gambit}}s with so many layers even {{Evil Genius}}es such as Demiurge struggle to comprehend the full extent of Ainz-sama's plan. The truth, of course, is that Ainz is just an ordinary office worker TrappedInAnotherWorld as his game character, and while he's not necessarily a fool, most of his successes hinge on a combination of [[VictoryThroughIntimidation intimidating presence]], [[StoryBreakerPower hideous power]] and [[BornLucky dumb luck]]. Unusually for this trope, Ainz is very much aware of this perception of himself and exploits it for all it's worth to reinforces the mystique around himself as much as possible, mostly because he's afraid his servants (formerly just game [=NPCs=]) would betray him if they knew the truth.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'', Momonga/Ainz Ooal Gown is thought by all of his subordinates, and many opponents, to be a master strategist able to craft intricate {{Xanatos Gambit}}s with so many layers even {{Evil Genius}}es such as Demiurge struggle to comprehend the full extent of Ainz-sama's plan. The truth, of course, is that Ainz is just an ordinary office worker TrappedInAnotherWorld as his game character, and while he's not necessarily a fool, most of his successes hinge on a combination of [[VictoryThroughIntimidation intimidating presence]], [[StoryBreakerPower hideous power]] and [[BornLucky dumb luck]]. Unusually for this trope, Ainz is very much aware of this perception of himself and exploits it for all it's worth to reinforces the mystique around himself as much as possible, mostly because he's afraid his servants (formerly just game [=NPCs=]) would betray him if they knew the truth.

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* In Thuryl's {{Lets Play}}s of the ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'' games, Noah/Lutz's characterization is expanded into this, assuming NoSocialSkills from secluding himself in a cave for an indeterminate length of time. When Rolf asks for advice in the second game, Lutz is only able to draw on his own experiences (i.e. the events of the first game) and relays them literally, but Rolf finds meaningful advice by filtering them through his own situation.
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* In ''Series/TheTenthKingdom'', the dog impersonating Prince Wendell is asked a number of tricky questions to test whether he was worthy of being king. First, his bravery is challenged, and he describes tearing the troll king's throat out with his teeth. Next, he is asked for wisdom, and he describes finding a hundred bones and burying most of them, which the audience takes as a metaphor for conserving precious resources. Finally, Cinderella asks if he's really Wendell White. He breaks down, admits he's unworthy of the name, describes himself as not a leader but rather a "retriever," and says he will never be as great as Snow White and should not be named king. Cinderella thus pronounces that he has passed the test by showing humility.

* From ''Website/TheOnion'': [[http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/machiavellian_white_house Machiavellian White House Groundskeeper Gaining Influence Among West Wing Staff]]

* In ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', This is the reason why Smith thinks [[LethallyStupid Captain Caboose]] is at all fit to be a leader

Often, the most brilliant [[MistakenForSpecialGuest visiting expert]], or most beloved substitute teacher, or most canny enemy agent is really TheFool. He's usually either a harmless imbecile or mental patient, who, simply because he has the right appearance and is at the right place at the right time, is assumed to be someone other than he actually is. Because everyone assumes that he's a genius, [[WordSaladPhilosophy their odd meanderings and banalities]] [[IceCreamKoan are taken for profundities.]] Oddly enough, his advice is almost always spot on, because the real problems are actually very simple -- [[TooDumbToFool so simple that everyone has been overlooking the answers all along]].

* In ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', while not really an idiot Saitama is still quite simpleminded, yet his Disciple Genos take almost everything he says as amazingly profound advice.

* The manner in which Largo of ''Webcomic/MegaTokyo'' gets his teaching job in Japan despite not even speaking Japanese. He ''does'' get found out when the new English teacher he was mistaken for shows up, but is brought back by popular demand. Apparently, speaking [=l33t=] in the classroom, teaching students how to customize their home computers, and dragging them on a "field trip" to the arcade to [[IKnowMortalKombat learn to battle]] the impending [[ZombieApocalypse zombie invasion]] makes "Great Teacher Largo" the most beloved instructor in the school.