Line #174 Main/IncompletelyTrained


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6	->''"You're all talk, [[Creator/MarkHamill Hamill]]! You never even finished Jedi school!"''
7	-->-- '''[[TheMafia Louie]]''' (to '''[[AsHimself Mark Hamill]]'''), ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''
8
9	In many works that revolve around martial arts, magical skills, or other powers that can be passed along by training, those arts or skills are portrayed as vastly powerful. If any main characters gained these talents and powers, they'd be unstoppable. They would have all the special skills or abilities they need to learn in order to win the final battle or achieve a central goal. But instead of completing this training ahead of embarking on their quest or fighting their enemy, something causes them to head out before their training is finished. Perhaps the villain attacked early, maybe [[OldMaster the mentor]] possessing the skill is incapacitated (or [[MentorOccupationalHazard worse]]) before the training can conclude, or maybe the character is simply too arrogant or undisciplined to finish their training. Whatever the reason, the character lacks a power or talent they ''should'' have.
10
11	Inevitably, the fact that this training was incomplete will become a plot point. Sometimes, especially when they're TheHero, the character [[TaughtByExperience develops this power on their own]] when they really, truly need it or becomes self-taught through reflection and experimentation. Alternately, many heroes turn out to be [[TheGift naturals at the whole thing]] and [[HardWorkHardlyWorks don't really need any training]], or they make a virtue of their indiscipline by adopting a form of ConfusionFu. Compared to people fully trained in the same technique, these guys are often UnskilledButStrong.
12
13	Sometimes, the ExtranormalInstitute where the hero gets his training has [[PowerAtAPrice expectations of its graduates]] that are too restrictive for his tastes. For example, the final step of the training may be to agree never to use his new power for his own ends. In these cases, the hero being half-trained means he has most of the skill of a fully trained practitioner, but [[TheUnfettered none of the responsibilities]] -- the CowboyCop foil to his colleagues' [[ByTheBookCop By-the-Book Cops]].
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15	On other occasions, the failure to finish training brings about a defeat. This is not always a [[HeroTropes Hero Trope]]: it's often part of the backstory for TheRival or the fate of the DeceptiveDisciple. The master refused to teach them this last skill, either because of their evilness or they were otherwise "unworthy" and it's this skill that enables the hero to triumph.
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17	Most often this trope is used to create suspense as heroic characters go off to fight battles for which they're ostensibly under-prepared. Sometimes the missing training becomes a kind of inversion of ChekhovsSkill, in which the fact that a particular skill is not available to a character comes back at a key moment in the plot. This is part of the hero's journey arc.
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19	This trope frequently turns up in martial arts movies, in the SwordAndSorcery genre, and occasionally in science fiction narratives. Related to TheCallHasBadReception, which is when a character misses out on critical information or powers because their training was garbled or entirely nonexistent.
20
21	See also APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil, when the training is interrupted by a FaceHeelTurn, and TheParagonAlwaysRebels. Often what happens with a {{Sabotutor}}. Contrast WellTrainedButInexperienced, a character that is well trained but still folds when faced with an actual combat situation.
22
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
30	** This happened with Ichigo twice. In the Soul Society arc, Urahara had a limited amount of time to train Ichigo in time for Rukia's rescue mission so he only knows the basics of his shinigami powers. In the Arrancar arc, he never completed his training with the Visoreds which meant he could only maintain his Hollow mask for a brief period of time.
31	** This trope was invoked on Kenpachi Zaraki. His training in swordsmanship was cut short ''intentionally'', as it was feared that if he'd ever been fully trained and decided to rebel, then he'd be unstoppable.
32	* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
33	** Zig-zagged in ''Manga/DragonBall''. The whole point of [[spoiler:Master Roshi participating in the World Martial Arts Tournament]] was to teach his students that even if he can't teach them anything else, for a martial artist, training is never completed. He tells them to always keep improving themselves as martial artists.
34	** ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
35	*** This is a large part of why Gohan struggles in some of the later arcs. Due to Chi-Chi's overprotectiveness and Goku's absence, he's never fully trained himself in the use of his natural abilities.
36	*** Goku himself is able to get by despite leaving in the middle of his training more than once because he manages to learn everything on his own anyway.
37	*** This is one of the biggest reasons why [[GodIsInept Shin isn't as good a Supreme Kai as one would hope]]. He was actually a ''junior'' Kai before Majin Buu killed all his co-workers and slapped him with YouAreInCommandNow, and he doesn't know a lot of things a Supreme Kai should, though thankfully the Old Kai has recently taken up mentoring him. The other reason is that [[TheGodsMustBeLazy Beerus is a lazy ass]] and doesn't destroy people he really ought to (for example, he should have destroyed Majin Buu prior to said murdering of all the Supreme Kais but Shin, but he was asleep through the whole thing).
38	*** Oolong and Puar both went to a school to learn VoluntaryShapeshifting, but Oolong was expelled in kindergarten after [[DirtyKid he stole the]] [[PantyThief teacher's panties]]. As a result, he never mastered the technique and can only shapeshift for five minutes at a time before he needs a break.
39	*** This is [[spoiler:[[Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF Frieza's biggest mistake post-resurrection]]. He went through TrainingFromHell in preparation for his revenge on Goku, even achieving a GoldenSuperMode that actually lets him overpower Goku, but he rushes to Earth the moment he gets it and before [[ClippedWingAngel he could fully master its power, thus leaving him with the same stamina issues that plagued his original 100% form]] and allowing Goku to win by attrition. To drive the point home, when he's ResurrectedForAJob in the Universal Survival arc of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', he spent that time in hell finally fully mastering the form's power, learns how to use it without the stamina issues, and can fight evenly with Goku despite the latter getting even stronger in the time since Frieza's death]].
40	* The Dragon Slayers from ''Manga/FairyTail''. Trained by dragons that mysteriously disappeared one day while they were children. While they know the basics of their magic, they're mostly TaughtByExperience. The difference between them and a fully trained one is staggering: seven present-day Dragon Slayers (two of them artificial) struggled against [[spoiler:seven Dragons]], while one fully trained Dragon Slayer in the distant past [[spoiler:slaughtered countless Dragons on his own, though quite a few of those kills came ''after'' he turned into one himself]].
41	* Jagi in ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' is a villainous example, since only one person at a time gets the complete training anyway. He compensates for his limited skills compared to Kenshiro by [[CombatPragmatist cheating]].
42	* In ''Anime/GundamBuildFightersTry'', it's revealed that Sekai's sister Mirai was also trained in the Jigen Haou School of martial arts, but had to stop to help take care of herself and Sekai. There was also Sekai's old friend Junya, who left the school when it didn't fit his desire of growing stronger. [[spoiler:His fight with Sekai ends up convincing him the idea of being stronger by taking other techniques wasn't worth it and he goes back to retrain.]]
43	* In ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' many characters on both sides are still in training and considered [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Disciples]], though a few are hit harder than most:
44	** The title character is behind everyone else because he ''started'' late: all other fighters have started martial arts training as children, while Kenichi entered his school's Karate Club, and later joined Ryozanpaku, only in high school, thus he has to constantly play catch up. Thankfully [[BunnyEarsLawyer the Masters at Ryozanpaku are as competent as they're insane]], and in the final battle he actually surpasses any other Disciple-class fighter by [[spoiler:achieving ''Ki no Shōaku'', a ''Master''-level skill]].
45	** Shinnosuke Tsuji is a particularly strong high school delinquent and mostly self-trained, and while he starts as a powerful opponent [[CantCatchUp he eventually falls behind]]. Notably, the one time he ''did'' get lessons from a wandering Master he made a gigantic leap in combat abilities, enough to hold his own against Kenichi after he became much stronger than the time he defeated him and even knock him out with a secret technique.
46	** Kisara, Thor and Ukita practice Taekwondo, Combat Sumo, and Judo, styles that don't have a Master that can teach them how to harness and use ki (Thor's style being even self-made from normal Sumo). Kisara manages to compensate through her sheer talent and [[AwesomenessByAnalysis by training and fighting with ki users and figuring out these skills on her own]] and Thor trains with a bojutsu (staff fighting) Master that can at least pass on him the ki-using skills, but Ukita trains normally and [[CantCatchUp eventually falls behind]].
47	** Siegfried's style is completely self-made, so he doesn't have a Master. Being [[Cloudcuckoolander quite crazy]], he figured out a way to still improve himself by [[BunnyEarsLawyer spinning in place for forty days straight imitating a Tibetan prayer wheel he had adopted as Master]].
48	** Berserker has no formal training, just [[TheGift insane talent and instinct for fighting]]. [[spoiler:He later gets trained by Ogata, who teaches him to use ki and harness his existing skills to have him create his own fighting style]].
49	* In the original ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' series, Fate Testarossa's combat mage training is revealed to have been rushed and, as a result, very fragmentary, which is why the absolute novice Nanoha is able to catch up with her so fast. Fate's training is only properly rounded up between the first and second seasons.
50	* In the ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Pokémon]]'' anime, Lt. Surge's Raichu had access to powerful Electric-type moves that Ash's Pikachu lacked, but because Lt. Surge had evolved it prematurely, it never learned speed-based moves like Quick Attack and Agility, which gave Ash's Pikachu a decisive edge in their rematch.
51	* ''Anime/PsychoPass'': On Akane's first day on the job, the more experienced Inspector tells her that he can't treat her like a newcomer (since they are understaffed), so she must learn a lot on the job.
52	* Kenshin from ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' left his training because he wanted to fight on the Meiji Revolution, and despite his incomplete training he was still a great warrior and even became the Legendary Hitokiri Battousai; however, fast forward to the Kyoto arc, and he needs to complete his training if he wants a chance to beat Shishio.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Comic Books]]
56	* ''ComicBook/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Zayne Carrick left the Jedi before being knighted, and was the worst in his class, so he was probably nowhere near graduating anyway. Of course, given that [[spoiler:he and his friends' masters [[EvilMentor turned out to be evil and killed them]]]], he probably wouldn't have made it anyway.
57	* This trope makes up the basic premise of Creator/MarvelComics team titles ''[[ComicBook/NewMutants The New Mutants]]'' and ''ComicBook/AvengersAcademy'', all of whom are young superhumans in training who end up in full-on super-battles anyway.
58	* The ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' also have this as a premise, fighting things like the demon lord Trigon or the assassin Deathstroke. The Titans are also somewhat notorious for having ''an incredibly high death rate'', which has some FridgeHorror regarding the attitude of the elder superhero community.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Fan Works]]
62	* In the ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'' novel, when the Psyche Master ends up sending Empath out of Psychelia upon his 150th birthday, Empath says that his training is not complete. The Psyche Master says he would not continue to train a Psyche whose mind is clouded with emotions. Although whether Empath is truly this trope or not is something that remains to be seen throughout the rest of the series.
63	* In ''Fanfic/TheNewManAnAdamSmasherSI'', the titular character knows only the most basic techniques of Panzerfaust (a martial art designed for [[FullConversionCyborg Fullborgs]]), as no master is willing to make him even more deadly than he already is, but he has sharply refined what moves he does know and is able to deal greater damage than even most masters thanks to the sheer mass and force of his augments.
64	* In ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', Ash's first opponent in the Indigo League is a girl named Pava Gilbane, who relies mostly on her Dragonair as her main battle asset. This is mostly due to the fact that she had to cut short her Pokémon journey when her father had an accident at work, forcing her to go back home to help, leaving her unable to properly train a full Pokémon team for the league. Despite her Dragonair evolving mid-battle to Dragonite, she still loses to Ash.
65	* In ''Fanfic/TheWitchOfTheEverfree'', as an alicorn, Cadance has a huge amount of magical power, but she barely knows any magic, so ends up much weaker in practice than either Sunset or Twilight.
66	* In ''Fanfic/VoyagesOfTheWildSeaHorse'', aspiring martial artist and swordsman Harumi Tsukuyomi was forced to train himself through a mixture of self-practice and spying on the lessons being given to accepted students. As a result, his techniques are noted to be full of holes that make him easy to counter, even though he has SuperSpeed on par with Ranma Saotome, and he lacks any special techniques, instead relying simply on slashing or punching.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
70	* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1'', where both TheHero and The {{Villain\|s}} suffer from different versions of this trope. Tai Lung is one of the greatest martial artists ever trained, but has no emotional discipline. He's a brute and remains in a [[TheBerserker blind rage]] throughout the whole fight, but his superior skill lets him keep Po on his toes. On the other hand, Po is a novice fighter who has to motivate himself with thoughts of food, but has enough [[{{Kevlard}} body fat]] to tank most of Tai Lung's attacks, is clever enough to [[ImprovFu use his surroundings in creative ways]], and has the emotional stability to stay calm during the fight as Tai Lung is consumed with rage.
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
74	* The BigBad [[Creator/ChristopherWalken Feng]] of ''Film/BallsOfFury'' is revealed to be a [[APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil former student]] of [[OldMaster Master Wong]]'s ping-pong school. During the final (and deadly) ping-pong battle between Randy and Feng, Wong reminds the losing Randy that Feng only completed half of his training, causing Randy to realize that [[spoiler:Feng can't do backhand shots]]. He uses that knowledge to put the ball in such a place where Feng can't get it with normal strikes.
75	* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'': Bruce has never completed his training with the League of Shadows that he started in ''[[Film/BatmanBegins Begins]]''. When his current lesson was to execute a man, he chose to flee and develop his skills as Batman on his own.
76	* ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'' has the titular superhero save the world after only having a couple months of training at most, while his partners and the main villain had years of experience over him. [[spoiler:After doing so, he immediately takes it upon himself to serve as the guardian of one of the two Sanctum Sanctorums left in the world while still undergoing self-taught training himself.]]
77	* ''Film/KillBill'': This is how the Bride wins her battles with [[spoiler:Elle Driver and Bill himself]], defeating both of them with techniques she learned from [[spoiler:Pai Mei]] which they didn't, having failed to complete their training with him successfully. [[spoiler:In Elle's case, it's because she killed Pai Mei after he [[EyeScream plucked her eye out]].]]
78	* Parodied in ''Film/KungPowEnterTheFist'':
79	-->"I must apologize for [[ButtMonkey Wimp Lo.]] He is an idiot. [[{{Sabotutor}} We have purposely trained him wrong]], as a joke."
80	* ''Franchise/TheMatrix'':
81	** In [[Film/TheMatrix the first film]] of the trilogy, Neo hasn't quite learned all the skills Morpheus was trying to teach him in most of his battles. Luckily, the EpiphanyComeback variation of this trope kicks in at the end before Agent Smith kills him, or technically... [[MessianicArchetype after Smith kills him]].
82	** Also in that series, a boy who idolizes Neo manages to save everyone using a suit of PoweredArmor despite never completing the training program. Captain Mifune, the Zion defense force officer in charge of the entire corps of PoweredArmor, spends his last breath admitting to that kid that he never finished it either.
83	* This trope is part of the premise of ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': The main cast have to take on their first villain before the end of their first year of training.
84	* Used in ''Film/SpaceCamp'' as the title's campers have to carry out a real space mission.
85	* ''Film/StarTrek2009'': It reboots the series with a plot that involves the original series characters piloting the ''Enterprise'' against a powerful foe that has decimated Starfleet while they are all still cadets.
86	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
87	** [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] by [[TheChosenOne Luke Skywalker]]. He abandons his training with Yoda in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', precipitating the cliffhanger ending of the film when he enters a fight he's not remotely ready to win. Interestingly, Luke never really does finish his training in the films with his skills in lightsaber combat being a [[TaughtByExperience mostly self-taught]] variant of his ArchnemesisDad's [[FantasticFightingStyle Form V]], although Yoda tells him in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' that he's learned enough to call himself a Knight during the year-long TimeSkip. In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' he works hard to overcome his shortcomings and manages to [[BigGood successfully train future generations of Jedi as the new Grand Master]] using his own [[InstantExpert natural aptitude with the Force]] and Jedi artifacts he recovered over the years.
88	** Anakin Skywalker's StartOfDarkness is partly related to this trope, since he never learned the emotional control that's part of Jedi training and was thus unusually vulnerable to the temptations of TheDarkSide.
89	** Happens with relative frequency among Sith, which the power boost granted by the Dark Side mitigates somewhat. Because of the ChronicBackstabbingDisorder encouraged by [[ReligionOfEvil the Sith religion]], they have the most dysfunctional student/teacher relationships in all of fiction with the two constantly plotting against each other. The RuleOfTwo was established to keep groups of incompletely-trained students from ganging up on their masters and poisoning others with their inexperience, but even after they still arrogantly try to off them before their training is even complete. As a direct result of this, Sith masters [[{{Sabotutor}} often keep some of what they know hidden as a trump card]] which screws over future generations if they end up getting killed anyway. As shown by Anakin and Dooku, [[TheParagonAlwaysRebels experienced fallen Jedi]] end up being the best Sith anyway since they have all the "[[TheCorruption benefits]]" of the Dark Side without the schizophrenic training program [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin setting them up to fail]].
90	** In ''Film/TheForceAwakens,'' Kylo Ren is implied to be this when Supreme Leader Snoke has Ren brought to him to "complete his training."
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Gamebooks]]
94	* Literature/LoneWolf was only a half-trained initiate when the [[HeroAcademy Kai Monastery]] was destroyed. Unlike some of the other examples, not being fully-trained was a ''bad thing'' for Lone Wolf since the powers of a Kai Master are necessary to defeat the [[BigBad Darklords]]. A good chunk of the first two series involve him finding the material necessary to complete his training.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Literature]]
98	* ''Literature/OneHundredCupboards'' has Monmouth, a teenage Green Man who's been hiding his [[GreenThumb powers]] since they manifested and teaching himself in secret out of stolen books (attracting severe punishment whenever he was caught), and who tends to rely on DeviousDaggers rather than his powers in a fight. It's implied he receives some training between the second and third books, learning to [[MagicKnight infuse green magic into his knives]] and gaining greater control over the growing aspects of his power.
99	* ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'': Morgan and Duncan have the ability to heal. Unfortunately there are no trained Healers in Gwynedd to teach them, and the Camberian Council refuses to allow them full training anyway since they're "half-breeds".
100	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
101	** Rincewind had to drop out of the Unseen University because one of the Eight Spells of Creation lodged itself in his head and made it impossible to learn any other spells, for the same reason small fish don't hang around in a pike pool. An odd example, since he isn't that powerful and doesn't have any real goals beyond finding a nice warm barn to stay in for the night; he's just really good at [[DirtyCoward running away]].
102	** We're told that this is frequently an InvokedTrope among students of the Assassins' Guild. Because it's considered the best all-round private school education on the Disc, wealthy families from all over send their children to study there, only to withdraw them just before the infamous "[[DeadlyGraduation final exam]]" required to qualify as an Assassin.
103	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': While he didn't quite completely drop out, Harry Dresden had his mentorship cut short by his mentor turning out to be evil. This has left him UnskilledButStrong (especially compared to other wizards) and not too popular with some of the other wizards (after resorting to BlackMagic to protect himself from said mentor).
104	* Used in the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series, as Harry and his friends are perpetually clashing with much more experienced wizards and witches despite not having finished Wizarding School. It doesn't help that the training they ''do'' receive is rather spotty, especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts, where yutzes like [[TheMole Quirrell]], [[MilesGloriosus Lockhart]], and [[TyrantTakesTheHelm Umbridge]] don't even bother teaching them properly.
105	* Comes up a few times in the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series:
106	** In the ''Arrows'' trilogy, Herald Talia has powerful [[TheEmpath Empathy]] and controls it largely by instinct, since everyone she met in the Collegium assumed someone else had already trained her. When her self confidence is shattered, her control slips until her Gift goes entirely rogue.
107	** In the ''Literature/LastHeraldMageTrilogy'', Herald-trainee Tylendel has limited control over his Gift of Fetching, which manifests involuntarily and catastrophically in moments of extreme stress. It reflects his lack of emotional stability, and not even a Lifebond is enough to anchor him when his twin brother is murdered and he undergoes SanitySlippage as a result.
108	* ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'':
109	** Eragon, being an {{Expy}} of Luke Skywalker, falls victim to the same incomplete training as him. He is unable to complete his training with [[spoiler:Brom]] before the latter dies, and then in the next book he goes to the land of the elves to train with the other surviving DragonRider, Oromis. He learns a lot there, plus learning from ancient dragon rider writings, but still leaves early, and in the next book, [[spoiler:Oromis is killed as well]].
110	** Brom as well. Thanks to his dragon dying when Brom was young and the Riders being destroyed very soon afterwards, Brom never received or learned the full breadth of his abilities as a Rider.
111	* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': Eric fights an ordercrafter who did not complete his training due to personal arrogance and his impatience to start making money off it. He only had basic AntiMagic and the ability to craft a PowerNullifier. Because of this, he is easily defeated by someone more knowledgeable. In fact, Nayr tells him that if he ''had'' completed his training then he wouldn't have lost.
112	* The protagonist of ''Literature/TheLegendsOfEthshar'' novel ''With a Single Spell'', whose teacher died after teaching him the single spell of the title.
113	* The UrExample is Abhimanyu from the ancient Hindu epic ''Literature/{{Mahabharata}}''. The story goes that while Abhimanyu was just a fetus in his mother Subhadra’s womb, his father was explaining to her, the tactics involved in both penetrating and exfiltrating from a battle formation called the Chakravyuh or “wheel formation”. This talk actually bored Subhadra to the point where she fell asleep. Arjun noticed and stopped explaining. But unbeknownst to him, the fetus Abhimanyu was listening keenly. Unfortunately by the time Arjun stopped explaining, he had covered only the tactics required to penetrate the Chakravyuh. Abhimanyu grew up, knowing how to fight through a Chakravyuh but not how to escape from it. This results in his doom during the 12th day of the Kurukshetra war.
114	** Ashwathama is another example. He knew how to invoke and fire the Brahmastra super weapon, but he did not know how to retract it after firing it. When he fires a Brahmastra at the Pandavas and Arjun fires one back in response, the entire universe will be destroyed unless both of them retract their Brahmastras. Arjun knows how to retract his Brahmastra and does so. Ashwathama cannot retract his - so he targets it at the fetus of Arjun’s grandson. He is cursed with AFateWorseThanDeath as a result.
115	* Subverted in ''Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy''. [[RebelLeader Kelsier]] is [[MentorOccupationalHazard killed]] near the end of the first book, and his protégé [[ActionGirl Vin]], the trilogy's main character, thinks she's been left in this situation. However, this turns out to be largely down to her own, biased view of Kelsier as the greatest [[OurMagesAreDifferent allomancer]] in the world, which isn't true - by midway through the second book, Vin has started to realize that not only has she now had her powers for longer than Kelsier had his, but she's figured out things about allomancy that even ''he'' never knew. By the third book, it's increasingly obvious that Vin is more powerful and skilled than Kelsier ever was.
116	* Even if the protagonist of ''Literature/SorcererStabberOrphen'' leaves the Tower of Fangs magic school before his education is finished, this doesn't appear to diminish his power; however, it is noteworthy that his spellcasting is ''very'' slow and verbose when compared with the elegant, efficient spellcasting of Childman and Hartia.
117	* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
118	** The ExpandedUniverse at times has Luke Skywalker desperately trying to get past this trope, searching for other Jedi or at least surviving documents about them. He's [[InstantExpert a natural]] at learning the Force, but that doesn't mean he knows ''how'' to pass on what he has learned. He does not find other trained Jedi for decades, but he does find a number of people who got around the same sketchy level of education that he did, and usually ends up filling in those gaps himself. Luke has to find a new way to train others in the ways of the Force, which is why Obi-Wan at one point said that Luke isn't the last of the old Jedi, but the first of the new.
119	** In ''Literature/JediQuest'', Anakin's fellow padawan [[spoiler:Ferus Olin]] quits the Jedi at the end after one of their classmates is killed. This ends up saving his life during Order 66, and in ''Literature/TheLastOfTheJedi'', he helps save other Jedi.
120	** In the novelization of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', Yoda and Obi-Wan intentionally decided not to train Luke and Leia in the traditional ways of the Force. The old Jedi failed miserably against the Sith, which Yoda saw as proof that their ways were flawed. Yoda believed it was best to let the Force guide Luke and Leia down their own paths.
121	** This hits Corran Horn during the fourth book of the ''Literature/XWingSeries''. In the previous book, Corran was confirmed to be Force-sensitive, explaining some of his past "hunches" and his subconscious ability to pull a JediMindTrick. Luke Skywalker offers to train him as a Jedi Knight, but Corran declines in order to continue serving as a pilot, and Luke takes the rejection amiably and sends Corran as much Jedi-related reading material as possible to provide guidance and tempt him to change his mind. So a few months later, during an insertion into an enemy planet, Corran is confident enough to consciously attempt another Jedi Mind Trick... only to fail spectacularly, and when he ignites his lightsaber and charges some Stormtrooper, Corran's form with the weapon is so poor that he nearly gets himself killed. Afterward, he is very careful to ''not'' think of himself as a Jedi, relying more on the skills learned over his career in law enforcement and the military, and when he uses his lightsaber it's mostly as a cutting tool. At least until ''[[Literature/JediAcademyTrilogy I, Jedi]]'' when he finally takes Luke up on his offer.
122	* Literature/{{Tarzan}} taught himself to read English using his birth parents' books, but he didn't learn how to ''speak'' English until a British expedition stumbled upon his home, and even then it took several months before they figured out the wild man they were spotting occasionally was the same Tarzan making the signs they kept finding.
123	* A source of tension in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' is that, while capable of most of the same feats, [[MutuallyExclusiveMagic male magic use is different enough from female]] that Rand cannot be taught magic by a woman any more than a fish can teach a bird to fly, and because of [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity the taint]], no one has practiced male magic openly in thousands of years. He has to get by on instinct and trial-and-error until he finds [[spoiler: and captures one of the male Forsaken and forces him]] to teach him, and even he admits that he's not much of a teacher by inclination. Near the end of the series when Rand fully integrates his memories of [[{{Reincarnation}} his past life]] in which he was a fully-trained magic-user, the reader sees [[TookALevelInBadass what a difference real training makes]] when Rand [[OneManArmy levels armies]] with little effort.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
127	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
128	** The Watchers' Council repeatedly tries to claim that Buffy hasn't finished her training, often using it as an excuse to deny her resources or cut her off entirely. As it turns out, the trope is [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when Buffy realizes her on-the-job training means that she doesn't need them anywhere nearly as much as they need her as an active agent.
129	** It's played straight with some of the potential Slayers in Season 7 because the senior scoobies can't give them a four year course before the Hellmouth ends the world.
130	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': During his absence in Season 5 and much of Season 6, Bran was being taught by the Three-Eyed-Raven how to control his visions and increase his warging abilities. However, after inadvertently revealing the location of the Raven's lair to the Night's King, the Raven is forced to upload all of his information into Bran's head, which causes him to experience visions even when he's not trying to induce them. Bran asks the Raven if he's ready for all of his power, to which the Raven replies with a [[BrutalHonesty "no"]] before doing it, anyways.
131	* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': Richard inherits wizard powers from Zed but must train to be able to use them. However, training takes too long for various reasons and his world is about to be destroyed. He quits, giving up his wizard powers. There's also the fact that the place where he's undergoing his training is of the YearOutsideHourInside variety, making it not a very good learning environment for someone trying to save the world.
132	* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'': In both ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'' and ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'', the three main rangers have to start their ranger duties while still training in their respective martial arts under a master, with Casey (''Jungle Fury'' Red) being a RookieRedRanger even by those standards. It is only in the final episode of both series that the Rangers become masters themselves.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
136	* At Ride/UniversalStudios:
137	** In ''Ride/MenInBlackAlienAttack'', guests are interrupted in the middle of their first time "training" due to a breakout of aliens happening in New York City, which Zed decides to send them out to fight in despite them just barely having trained.
138	** The NEST orientation that's being given to guests in ''Ride/TransformersTheRide'' is cut short when Megatron leads an all-out attack on Earth, and due to being short on staff, NEST decides to allow the new recruits to help the Autobot Evac evacuate the Allspark shard from the city.
139	[[/folder]]
140
141	[[folder:Video Games]]
142	* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the player character has just joined the Grey Wardens when the Blight hits Ferelden. The only other Warden is Alistair, who is barely more than a recruit himself. Fortunately, it turns out that Wardens don't really get any special training, nor do they really need it since the Wardens only recruit people who are already badass. Their newcomer status only means that they don't know most of the Order's secrets, such as [[spoiler:why only Wardens can slay Archdemons, the locations of the Old Gods, and the existence of the original Darkspawn Magisters such as Corypheus]]. Even some of the senior Wardens don't know much about that last one.
143	* Master Arngeir of the Greybeards invokes this in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''. He'd much prefer to train the [[TheChosenOne Dragonborn]] properly in The Way of the Voice, but the dragons are causing trouble ''now'', so he compromises; Instead of teaching the Dragonborn every Word of Power the Greybeards know, he teaches them the bare minimum to reach the next stage of training, and any other Words the Dragonborn wishes to learn, Arngeir simply points it out on the map and essentially says "go fetch". The thinking here is that the challenges you face in the course of finding a Word should prove [[TaughtByExperience sufficient practical training]], while having to actually go out and ''earn'' the Words of Power will provide the discipline the Way of the Voice demands. The one exception is the Unrelenting Force Shout; He figures since you learned the first Word on your own, there's no harm in giving you the other two Words as rewards for completing tasks.
144	* Miyamoto Iori of ''VideoGame/FateSamuraiRemnant'' is this as his adoptive father and teacher, UsefulNotes/MiyamotoMusashi, died of lung cancer before his training could be completed. Despite this, he's still shown to be quite a capable swordsman in his own right, even able to hold his own (if briefly) against Servants. He later completes his training under [[Characters/FateGrandOrderSabersGToM the Servant version of his father]] and through the combat experience he gains in the Waxing Moon Ritual. [[spoiler:He also studied under Sasaki Kojiro and achieved Kojiro's Tsubame Gaeshi during the events of the story.]]
145	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
146	** Sabin's teacher was nearly killed when he was still training in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', halting his progess. Sabin can learn all of his teacher's Blitz techniques by levelling up and the final technique, "Phantom Rush", if you seek out his old teacher in the second half of the game. It will take until Level 70 if he does not, which is far higher than most players will get to in regular gameplay.
147	** Cloud never made it to the full rank of SOLDIER in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. In the same game, Tifa was not bequeathed her final lesson from her teacher Zangan, who leaves her the note to complete her skills in the replica of her old piano.
148	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'', the 14-year old Sora (whose combat experience consists of sparring matches on the beach) is given a magic key-sword and told to save the universe. [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Fast-forward a few games]] and we learn that Keyblade wielders used to be TheChosenMany, with years of training before they even started world-hopping. Thanks to the BigBad, all of them were incapacitated except King Mickey, who prefers to work [[MysteriousProtector from behind the scenes]]. The plot of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance 3D]]'' is kicked off by Yen Sid's decision to formally retrain Sora and Riku.
149	* Rauss in ''VideoGame/LegaiaIIDuelSaga'' left his master to practice a DangerousForbiddenTechnique, the Ultimate Fang, which corrupts the user. Lang, meanwhile, completes the "orthodox" training of the Sky Fang school and learns to use the Sleeping Dragon technique to defeat Rauss.
150	* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', Kaidan Alenko and Jack both got their [[GravityMaster biotic]] [[TrainingFromHell training]] shut down before it could be completed. When Kaidan enlisted, the Alliance offered to pick up where [=BAat=] left off, but Kaidan had enough residual trauma that he turned them down in favor of training as a technician and a medic. Jack didn't have anyone who could have helped finish training her biotics, so she taught herself how to use weapons instead. Thus, despite being [[PersonOfMassDestruction extremely powerful]] by human standards, neither is an Adept. [[spoiler: Providing she survived the second game, Jack ends taking a job in Grissom Academy as a biotic teacher, perfecting her abilities in the process.]]
151	* The above example from the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' anime also applies to the games as well. While evolved Pokémon learn moves at later levels than their base forms, stone-evolved Pokémon such as Raichu typically stop learning moves ''at all'', apart from those taught by [[PowersAsPrograms TMs/HMs]] and tutors. Prematurely using an evolution stone on such a Pokémon can therefore permanently lock that Pokémon out of learning their most powerful moves.
152	* The Hero of ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' in pretty much every instance: after completing a correspondence course on how to be a fighter/mage/thief, the Hero immediately travels to Spielburg Valley to answer their call of "Hero Wanted: No Experience Necessary". This gets upgraded for the Wizard in the second game: after passing the initiation test for the Wizard's Institute of Technocery, the Hero is required to turn down the offer to join the school, meaning they're never actually a full Wizard for the rest of the series, though it's acknowledged by the end of the series that the Hero is definitely a Wizard ''par excellence'' based on experience and deeds, if not actual title.
153	* During a few early missions of the Weapon Master Mode of ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur II]]'', you're attacked by bandits. Your mentor sighs and notes that few complete their training under him, going on to become bandits in the region surrounding his school during one.
154	* ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder'': Cal Kestis was left on his own as a Jedi Padawan after Order 66. It shows that he only half remembers his training after cutting himself off from the force for so long. It takes about half the game for him to be at the place where he left off, much less improve to be called a Jedi Knight. [[spoiler:That happens just before the final dungeon, as he is knighted by Cere Junda as she regains her connection to the force herself.]]
155	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
156	** [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Dan Hibiki]] is a JokeCharacter variant of this: His master Gouken (i.e. Ryu and Ken's sensei) told him that he had nothing further to teach him after learning that his main motivation was to avenge his father, which Dan took to mean that his training was complete. He gets his ass kicked constantly by the others as a result of this.
157	** [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIII Sean]] is a somewhat more serious example, being Ken's disciple and only a year into his training. It kinda shows, especially in ''Third Strike'', where he's at least pretty close to JokeCharacter territory. He's got most of the basics down, but his overall moveset is visibly clumsy next to his master. For instance, compare Sean's [[https://i.imgur.com/CPkrnMw.gif reworked Dragon Smash]] to the [[https://i.imgur.com/1xeR8vT.gif Shoryuken]] that it's meant to be imitating. [[labelnote:However...]]It should be noted that, in ''New Generation'' and ''Second Impact'', the Dragon Smash was actually a Shoryuken [[MeteorMove followed-up by a downward punch]], likely meant to showcase the improvised nature of Sean's martial arts (as he mixes in his family's style Brazilian jiu-jitsu and [[IKnowMaddenKombat his own street basketball skills]] with what Ken's taught him). The original animation would serve as a possible victory pose in ''Third Strike''.[[/labelnote]] Sean's also the sole practitioner of [[{{Shotoclone}} the art]] to date who lacks a Hadoken or similar projectile as a special move, only being able to throw one out during his Hadou Burst Super Art.
158	** In a completely serious example, [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Guile]] was never taught how to completely pull off the Sonic Boom and Flash Kick that were created by his friend [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Charlie Nash]]. While Guile has his military training to make up the difference, comparing the moves themselves show that Guile is much stiffer and Charlie can use his skills with more variety. Later games would [[DownplayedTrope pull away from this]]: ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' sees Guile performing a Charlie-style Somersault Shell as part of his Flash Explosion Ultra Combo while ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' allows him to get more creative with his usual repertoire of moves (such as creating stationary Sonic Booms that can be used to enhance his regular ones, rapid-firing Sonic Booms in a manner similar to Charlie's Sonic Break, and firing projectiles with his Flash Kick). Though he still can't do everything [[TheAce Charlie]] can, and ''V'' reveals Charlie can use some of his thought-to-be-original techniques like the Sonic Hurricane, the gap in skill between them seems to have shortened by a significant margin.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
162	* ''Franchise/FateSeries'':
163	** ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'': Shirou Emiya is an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent who was taught a smattering of [[FunctionalMagic Magecraft]] by his adopted father before he died. In the {{Franchise/Nasuverse}}, where the indicator of a mage's power is determined by how many ''generations'' a bloodline has been dedicated to maniacally researching and enhancing their skills, "incompletely" trained doesn't even begin to describe a boy who's been practicing some half-assed pointers in his spare time. [[spoiler:Depending on the route of the story, and the epilogue, Shirou becomes a legendarily powerful warrior, either way.]]
164	** Something similar happens to the protagonist of ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder''; they're stated to not have ''any'' training in Magecraft prior to being hired by Chaldea and stranded by the [[ApocalypseHow Incineration Of Humanity]]. It becomes a plot point after Part 1 -- the Chaldea staff start suppressing your accomplishments to protect you because they know the Mages' Association won't take "ThePowerOfFriendship" for an answer.
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Webcomics]]
168	* Fighter from ''WebComic/EightBitTheater'' suffers from this... with the additional problem of hardly ever having listened to his teacher.
169	* Sebastian Jalek in ''Webcomic/TrueVillains'' is a famous FallenHero and a highly accomplished alchemist, which leaves him unpleasantly surprised when [[http://truevillains.com/comic-2011-02-25~N-Drink%20Me-jpg.htm a master alchemist]] shows him up.
170	[[/folder]]
171
172	[[folder:Western Animation]]
173	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' has a grandparent training him as the series goes along.
174	* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', this applies to most of the cast at various points.
175	** Aang may be a master Airbender, but he struggles to master the other three elements, and even at the end of the series it's noted he still could use some work in Earth- and Firebending. Also, he has little to no control over [[SuperMode the Avatar State]], and while he does train with a guru to help him master it, he leaves before the final step is complete to go save his friends from Azula.
176	** Katara is a ''talented'' Waterbender, but until she finds a master to teach her in the first season finale, she's only capable of basic bending. She gets to graduate as a master after Season 1. Though, even then her bending still has much room to improve as her bending evolves around Season 2. She's demonstrated as peaking at around the first episode of Season 3 where she uses her waterbending in a more tactical and grandiose fashion, such as summoning a wave to provide space, making a huge cloud of steam for cover, and freezing a huge hole in a hull to prevent a ship from sinking. By the time she masquerades as the Painted Lady, she's become so powerful that people confuse her for a spirit. This is not even taking into account the skill she learns from a certain old lady under the full moon.
177	** Zuko is borderline example. Despite being a gifted and fully trained Firebender when the series begins, compared to the other three members of his family we see, he's practically a novice at that point. But throughout the first season he's shown to ''continue'' his training under his Uncle (a true Master of the art with decades of experience) and is constantly practicing and drilling himself. By the third season, Zuko ''has'' essentially completed his training and become a Master in his own right, especially after he meets and learns from the Sun Warriors and the "original" Firebenders.
178	** Admiral Zhao is actually a better example. He never bothered to complete his firebending training, as he skipped the discipline part and relied on raw power and aggression. Aang, upon learning this from his former mentor, promptly uses this knowledge to bite Zhao in the ass during a fight.
179	** Sokka has ''no'' bending, and while he's skilled in using his club and boomerang, he says he feels useless compared to his bending friends. When he does eventually get training from a true master of swordplay, its very much an abridged course. He learns the fundamentals and principles, then is sent out to hone his technique and instincts through practice.
180	** The only real exception is Toph, who joins the group already a master Earthbender, and even invents a new form of bending down the line. (Though, comparing young Toph to the old ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra TLoK]]'' Toph in her earthbending, and the Metalbenders in ''Korra'', especially her children, it seems Toph still hasn't peaked.)
181	* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' series. Ben's training has been what his grandfather shows him, and figuring it out on the fly, even though other kids with Plumber-related abilities get to train properly at the Plumber Academy. This was eventually rectified in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'' as Ben, Gwen, and Kevin ended up receiving proper Plumber training and passing the courses.
182	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' has Ron Stoppable not completing his training due to lack of self-confidence and a phobia (the style is Monkey Kung fu, and Ron has a fear of monkeys). This keeps him at the BumblingSidekick level until the SeriesFinale, at which point Ron gets it and steps up ''monkey style''.
183	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'':
184	** Korra is a prodigy even by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]] standards who could bend three of the four elements as a mere child. Airbending gives her a lot of problems since it's the most spiritual element and she is not (at first) a very spiritual person. After this, she goes on to learn the ways and powers of the Spirit World.
185	** Zaheer is a enthusiastic scholar of airbending lore and a badass warrior, but he only manages to pick up a extremely limited amount of formal training in airbending (even using moves that are forbidden by Air Nomad teachings). As a result, though he's extremely innovative and powerful, his one fight against a master Airbender has him painfully outclassed due to the lack of finesse in his style, and Zaheer only wins because it's three on one.
186	** Apparently Lin and Suyin "never really got the hang of metalbending". Lin regularly uses her metalbending to emulate Spider-Man and catch criminals, while Suyin runs an entire ''city'' of Metalbenders and is the one who teaches the art to Korra. Of course, this is just according to their mother Toph, [[StrongerWithAge who is now so good at earthbending she no longer needs to use her hands to fight]].
187	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee'': Juniper Lee is in training with her grandmother. She has only recently become TheChosenOne so the series goes through her on-the-job training.
188	* It doesn't affect the plot to a large degree, but WordOfGod states that while Sunset Shimmer from the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' spin-offs is one of the powerful magic users in the show, her leaving [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic her home dimension]] before completing her studies (and thus lacking a way to even use magic as a result) means that she's nowhere in the league of Twilight Sparkle.
189	* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': The Daughters of Aku, despite their TrainingFromHell are actually this due to their insane mother keeping them sheltered for most of their lives. Thus they are unable to adapt to new enviroments and all but one are killed off.
190	* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'': Shadow Weaver used to be the apprentice of the good wizard Norwyn alongside Castaspella. Shadow Weaver became disillusioned with Norwyn and jealous of Castaspella, so she joined the Horde and cut a deal with Hordak to give her a massive power boost. But since she never completed her training, [[UnskilledButStrong skilled magic users like Norwyn and Castaspella can defeat her if they can get past her brute force applications of magic]].
191	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
192	** Parodied and [[DoubleSubversion double-subverted]] in an episode where Bart leads his peers to Shelbyville to recover a stolen lemon tree. A subject he ignores during school early in the episode -- Roman Numerals -- becomes critical to freeing him from the tiger cage at the Shelbyville zoo. Despite complaining, "They never even ''tried'' to teach us this in school!", he ends up using his knowledge of the ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' sequels' titles to deduce the answer anyway.
193	** It's played straight in another episode when a newly-sober Barney, still training on a helicopter, is forced to fly with Homer to save Bart and Lisa from a forest fire.
194	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'':
195	** Kanan is a former Padawan whose training was cut short by [[ThePurge Order 66]]. He takes on a Padawan out of necessity (since everyone else who could train him is dead or corrupted, or quit before being made a Jedi Knight in Ahsoka's case), and has more than a few insecurities about not being truly qualified. Fortunately, [[TaughtByExperience experience is the best teacher]] and he makes progress anyway, [[spoiler:leading to him eventually earning the rank of Jedi Knight, by the spirit of a dead Jedi]].
196	** On TheEmpire's side there were the [[HeroKiller Inquisitors]], who were personally trained in TheDarkSide by Vader himself in the early days of the Empire... i.e. [[TheBlindLeadingTheBlind when he was a novice in its usage itself]] and his inability to [[BloodKnight temper his bloodlust]] got him almost killed. Additionally, because of the RuleOfTwo he couldn't fully train them as Sith, and for these reasons the vast majority of them were expendable {{mooks}} who were only good for killing Padawans and lesser Knights. This is demonstrated when the Seventh Sister and the Fifth Brother can overpower both Kanan and Ezra, but [[CurbStompBattle Ahsoka Tano (a former Jedi with years of experience fighting foes several levels above the Inquisitors) easily kicks their asses]]. Even Palpatine was embarrassed by them and [[SurroundedByIdiots rants about their incompetence]] in the ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Book of Sith]]''.
197	* In the fifth season of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', the Turtles are forcibly chosen to be students of the Ninja Tribunal. Just when they're finally hitting their stride in their mystic training, the Tribunal is [[spoiler:allegedly]] destroyed by the Tengu Shredder's heralds. Despite their training being unfinished, they managed to [[FightingSpirit manifest their dragon spirit avatars]] to fight the Shredder.
198	* This is part of the characterization of Prowl in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. As a Cyber Ninja, he starts the series with more combat skills than [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits most of the team]], but it later comes out that he never ''completed'' his training. Season three reveals why: [[spoiler: his master was murdered by a former student.]]
199	* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': Aqualad never finished his training in using [[MakingASplash Hydrokinesis]] at the {{Atlantis}} Magic Academy before he was recruited to becomes ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s {{Sidekick}}. [[note]]In this continuity, the Atlantean ability to control water is done via magic rather than any natural ability.[[/note]] This is noticeable in the Season 1 episode, "Downtime", when he visits Atlantis and reunites with his friends, Garth and Tula. Both of whom showcase better proficiency in Hydrokinesis than Kalder when the three of them have to help defend the city from an attack by Black Manta. Aqualad is able to makes up for his lack of training with other skills he has learned, such as tactical acumen and hand to hand combat expertise.
200	[[/folder]]
201

Context Main / IncompletelyTrained