History PlayingWith / NonActionGuy

'''Basic Trope''': A male counterpart to a female adventurer that is a total wuss.

* '''Defied''': After a few adventures in which he only survives by the skin of his teeth, Bob decides to TakeALevelInBadass.

* '''Conversed''': "Do you notice those shows where the girl is {{Badass}} and the guy is totally useless?"

** Bob is TechnicalPacifist who only uses violence as last resort which is to say, only occasionally.

* '''Subverted''': Emperor Evulz kidnaps Alice and corners Bob. He's expecting a quick victory, but Bob [[LetsGetDangerous pummels the crap out of him]] with more force than Alice could ever muster.
* '''Double Subverted''': It is made explicitly clear that the asskicking was a one-time thing and was Bob's fight-or-flight response working.

* '''Downplayed''': Alice is the superior fighter, but Bob can hold his own in a pinch.

* '''Justified''': Bob has other skills whose values are not immediately visible. Or ''are'' immediately visible, but are unrelated to combat.
** Bob and Alice are in a relationship, and both enjoy the time together, whether Bob is of much use or not.

* '''Deconstructed''': Having to both save the world and rescue Bob all the time puts an undue amount of strain on her - this causes her to leave the hero business for good.
** Alternatively, Alice realizes that Bob is useless and abandons him at the first convenient opportunity.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice enjoys keeping Bob around because she's taken a shine to him, or he helps her [[MoralityPet keep a sense of perspective]].
** Bob can contribute in other ways.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Bob starts out as TheLoad, until Alice gets tired of him and leaves him. But then Bob returns after [[TookALevelInBadass becoming a better fighter,]] that is, until he suffers severely from TheWorfEffect, but Alice decides that she likes him anyway.

* '''Exploited''': The villain(s) constantly attack and kidnap Bob, knowing that he can't defend himself.

Back to NonActionGuy.

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* '''Zig Zagged''': Alice is the superior fighter, but Bob can hold his own in a pinch.

* '''Straight''': Bill frequently tags around [[ActionGirl Lily]] on her various adventures, but he's useless in a fight and seemingly has no reason to join Lily.
* '''Exaggerated''': Bill is a totally pathetic and useless guy who never helps Lily and [[TheLoad hinders her quests]] more than the ''villains.''
* '''Justified''': Bill has other skills whose values are not immediately visible. Or ''are'' immediately visible, but are unrelated to combat.
** Bill and Lily are in a relationship, and both enjoy the time together, whether Bill is of much use or not.
** Lily is Bill's bodyguard. If she wasn't more capable of protecting him than he was of protecting himself, it would defeat the entire point of ''having'' a bodyguard.
* '''Inverted''': Bil is a BadassBookworm adventurer who is constantly having to bail Lily, a FauxActionGirl, out of trouble.
* '''Subverted''': Emperor Evulz kidnaps Lily and corners Bill. He's expecting a quick victory, but Bill [[LetsGetDangerous beats the crap out of him]] with more force than Lily could ever muster.
* '''Double Subverted''': It is made explicitly clear that the asskicking was a one-time thing and was Bill's fight-or-flight response working.
* '''Parodied''': Bill is completely incapable of doing anything, and would lose a fight to a malnourished three-year old.
* '''Deconstructed''': Having to both save the world and rescue Bill all the time puts an undue amount of strain on Lily, causing her to leave the hero business for good.
** Alternatively, Lily realizes that Bill is useless and abandons him at the first convenient opportunity.
* '''Reconstructed''': Lily enjoys keeping Bill around because she's taken a shine to him, or he helps her [[MoralityPet keep a sense of perspective]].
* '''Zig Zagged''': Lily is the superior fighter, but Bill can hold his own in a pinch.
* '''Averted''': From the outset, Bill is established as having at least some fighting ability.

* '''Lampshaded''': "Lily, this is your new partner, Bill. He's...well, he does...ok, he does nothing."
* '''Invoked''': DaChief, seeing that Lily is heading towards CowboyCop territory, intentionally gives her a useless partner to rein her in.
* '''Defied''': After a few adventures in which he only survives by the skin of his teeth, Bill decides to TakeALevelInBadass.
* '''Discussed''': "As long as we take out Lily, we won't have to worry about anything -- Bill is worthless."
* '''Conversed''': "Yet another spy team with a capable, intelligent heroine, and a doofus male partner. How original."

* '''Straight''': Bob frequently tags around the ActionGirl Alice on her various adventures, but he's useless in a fight and seemingly has no reason to join Alice.
* '''Exaggerated''': Bob is a totally pathetic and useless guy who never helps Alice and [[TheLoad hinders her quests]] more than the ''villain(s).''
* '''Justified''': Bob has other skills whose values are not immediately visible. Or ''are'' immediately visible, but are unrelated to combat.
** Bob and Alice are in a relationship, and both enjoy the time together, whether Bob is of much use or not.
** Alice is Bob's bodyguard. If she wasn't more capable of protecting him than he was of protecting himself, it would defeat the entire point of ''having'' a bodyguard.
* '''Inverted''': Bob is a BadassBookworm adventurer who is constantly having to bail Alice, a FauxActionGirl, out of trouble.
* '''Subverted''': Emperor Evulz kidnaps Alice and corners Bob. He's expecting a quick victory, but Bob [[LetsGetDangerous pummels the crap out of him]] with more force than Alice could ever muster.
* '''Double Subverted''': It is made explicitly clear that the asskicking was a one-time thing and was Bob's fight-or-flight response working.
* '''Parodied''': Bob is completely incapable of doing anything, and would lose a fight to a malnourished three-year old.
* '''Deconstructed''': Having to both save the world and rescue Bob all the time puts an undue amount of strain on her - this causes her to leave the hero business for good.
** Alternatively, Alice realizes that Bob is useless and abandons him at the first convenient opportunity.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice enjoys keeping Bob around because she's taken a shine to him, or he helps her [[MoralityPet keep a sense of perspective]].
* '''Zig Zagged''': Alice is the superior fighter, but Bob can hold his own in a pinch.
* '''Averted''': From the outset, Bob is established as having at least some fighting ability.

* '''Lampshaded''': "Alice, this is your new partner, Bob. He's...well, he does...OK, he does nothing."
* '''Invoked''': DaChief, seeing that Alice is heading towards CowboyCop territory, intentionally gives her a useless partner to rein her in.
* '''Defied''': After a few adventures in which he only survives by the skin of his teeth, Bob decides to TakeALevelInBadass.
* '''Discussed''': "As long as we take out Alice, we won't have to worry about anything -- Bob is worthless."

* '''Justified''': Bob has other skillsets whose values are not immediately visible. Or ''are'' immediately visible, but are unrelated to combat.

* '''Reconstructed''': Alice enjoys keeping Bob around because she's taken a shine to him.

* '''Averted''': From the outset, Bob is established as having a useful skillset.

* '''Exaggerated''': Bob is a totally pathetic and useless guy who never helps Alice and hinders her quests more than the ''villain(s).''

* '''Inverted''': Bob is a BadAss adventurer who is constantly having to bail Alice, a FauxActionGirl, out of trouble.

* '''Parodied''': Alice asks, on multiple occasions, why Bob tags along with her.

* '''Exaggerated''': Bob is a totally pathetic and useless guy who never helps Alice and more than once ''hinders'' her quests.

* '''Justified''': Bob has other skillsets whose values are not immediately visible.