Line #23 Main/LoserArchetype


1	->''Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, "Why me?", then a voice answers "Nothing personal, your name just happened to come up."''
2	-->-- '''[[{{ComicStrip/Peanuts}} Charlie Brown]]'''
3
4	Some guys have all of the luck, while some have no luck at all. Why are they doomed to fail? We'll probably never know, but we love watching them stumble through life.
5
6	Contrast MasterOfTheIndex, for characters who excel in at least one craft.
7	----
8
9	[[index]]
10	!!Tropes about characters that explicitly are defined as losers:
11	* BasementDweller: Many people consider a grown man still living with his parents to be the epitome of a complete loser.
12	* BeadyEyedLoser
13	* BeleagueredAssistant
14	* BeleagueredBoss
15	* BornUnlucky: This character has suffered misfortune after misfortune for their entire life.
16	* BrokenWinLossStreak: The hero finally has their moment to shine.
17	* BullyMagnet: This character is target number one for just about every bully in school.
18	* ButtMonkey: A character whose purpose is to provide comedy by constantly suffering misfortunes.
19	* CasanovaWannabe: A character who wants to have a lot of sex, but fails to charm every woman he comes across.
20	* TheChewToy
21	* TheChosenZero
22	* ClassicalAntiHero
23	* CosmicPlaything
24	* DeathIsALoser: TheGrimReaper is portrayed as a pathetic and pitiful being.
25	* DesignatedMonkey: A character the creator dislikes is subjected to misfortune that the audience finds excessive or too severe.
26	* DeusAngstMachina
27	* TheDevilIsALoser: {{Satan}} is depicted as a loser.
28	* DoomMagnet
29	* DreadedKidsPartyEntertainerJob: People who work as entertainers for kids' parties are treated like crap.
30	* DreamSue
31	* DublinSkanger
32	* EmasculatedCuckold: A man is seen as a wimp because his wife cheats on him.
33	* ExtremeDoormat
34	* ExpectationLowerer
35	* FailureHero: A hero who seldom, if ever, succeeds in saving the day.
36	* FirstFriend
37	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: A member of a group who is openly disliked by the rest of the group.
38	* FutureLoser: A person is shown to become utterly pathetic in the future.
39	* GracefulLoser: A person who takes the loss with dignity rather than throwing tirades.
40	* HighHopesZeroTalent
41	* HighSchoolRejects: Not ''everyone'' made it big after graduating.
42	* {{Hikikomori}}
43	* IneffectualSympatheticVillain
44	* IneptMage: A magic user who is very poor at casting effective spells.
45	* IronButtmonkey: A character who constantly suffers misfortunes, but manages to go through it all unscathed.
46	* JadedWashout
47	* KarmicButtMonkey: A ButtMonkey who is a {{jerkass}} and therefore deserves every bad thing they experience.
48	* LittleJimmy
49	* LoserDeity
50	* LoserFriendPuzzlesOutsiders: A cool and successful character has a friend so lame that others are confused as to why the cool guy even bothers hanging with this dweeb.
51	* LoserProtagonist
52	* LoserSonOfLoserDad: A person is considered a loser just because their father was a pathetic person.
53	* LoserTeamMascot: School team mascots are seen as losers or otherwise portrayed in a negative light.
54	* LowerClassLout
55	* MasterOfNone
56	* MemeticLoser: A character is portrayed online as a complete wimp because of one humiliating defeat.
57	* {{Neet}}: '''N'''ot '''E'''mployed, in '''E'''ducation or under '''T'''raining.
58	* NoRespectGuy: A character who doesn't get any of the respect they deserve no matter what they do.
59	* PassingJudgment: Character does something embarrassing in public and gets stared at by appalled passengers of a vehicle.
60	* PolkaDork
61	* ThePoorlyChosenOne
62	* PoorMansSubstitute (when used InUniverse)
63	* TheSlacker: The character is a loser because of their own apathy.
64	* SoreLoser: The character doesn't take losing well and angrily complains about their loss by throwing tantrums.
65	* StereotypicalNerd
66	* StrawLoser: A loser that only exists to make someone else look cooler.
67	* SuperLoser: Has cool superpowers, but still a loser personality.
68	* ThisLoserIsYou: An unsuccessful character is intended to represent the audience.
69	* UnconvincinglyUnpopularCharacter
70	* UnlikelyHero
71	* UnluckyEverydude
72	* UnwantedSpouse
73	* WalkingDisasterArea
74	* TheWoobie: The character is so unsuccessful and unfortunate that the audience can't help but feel sorry for the character.
75
76	!!Tropes that are very closely related to losers and/or show up in almost every loser story:
77	* AchievementMockery
78	* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: The loser is considered an outcast and everyone looks down on them for being different.
79	* ApatheticClerk: These characters will usually be portrayed as stereotypical losers.
80	* AtrociousAlias: You know this character is pathetic when they can't even give themselves a halfway decent code name.
81	* BrownBagMask: A character deciding to wear a paper bag over their head is often done to indicate how ashamed they are of themselves.
82	* CannotTalkToWomen
83	* CircleOfShame
84	* CoolKidAndLoserFriendship
85	* CriticalFailure
86	* DisasterDominoes
87	* DisproportionateCelebration: Can apply when the character making a big deal out of a minor achievement is used to demonstrate how pathetic they are.
88	* DIYDisaster
89	* DodgeballIsHell
90	* DomesticApplianceDisaster
91	* DunceCap: A child in school gets punished for misbehavior and/or getting an answer wrong by having to sit in the corner while wearing a pointy cap.
92	* EatingLunchAlone: You know this person is a social outcast when no one ever sits near them during lunchtime.
93	* EjectTheLoser
94	* EmbarrassedByAChild
95	* EmbarrassingNickname
96	* EpicFail: Someone manages to fail at something in a way that just isn't possible, which is often done to underscore what a loser they are.
97	* EvenTheDogIsAshamed: The character has screwed up so badly that even their loyal animal companion is ashamed to be associated with them.
98	* FMinusMinus: A character has done so poorly in school that they somehow receive a grade that goes even lower than what the education system would allow in real life.
99	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: This character will never succeed in their goals no matter what they do.
100	* FailureMontage
101	* FailuresOnIce
102	* FakeMuscles
103	* FlexingThoseNonBiceps
104	* TheFreelanceShameSquad: A bunch of characters who show up solely to point and laugh at someone's misfortune.
105	* FriendlessBackground
106	* FromBadToWorse
107	* FutureMeScaresMe
108	* GeekPhysiques
109	* GiveGeeksAChance: The nerd ends up getting a love interest.
110	* GymClassHell
111	* HardWorkHardlyWorks
112	* HumiliationConga: A character ends up going through a long string of humiliating misfortunes.
113	* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe
114	* IfIWereARichMan
115	* IJustWantToBeBadass
116	* IJustWantToBeSpecial
117	* IJustWantToHaveFriends
118	* InternalizedCategorism
119	* KafkaComedy: A form of BlackComedy where the dark humor revolves around misery and misfortune.
120	* LosingHorns
121	* LousyLoversAreLosers: Being bad in bed is portrayed as a major character flaw.
122	* MiseryLit
123	* MiseryPoker: A character complains about how rough they have it and the person they're talking to argues that their problems are even worse.
124	* MisfortuneCookie: A character gets a fortune from their fortune cookie promising them that misfortune and disaster will come their way.
125	* MuscleAngst (type A)
126	* MyCarHatesMe: A character's car never starts when they need it to.
127	* NerdsAreVirgins: Geeky characters tend to be portrayed as having never had sex in addition to it being unlikely that they ever will have sex.
128	* NoSocialSkills: The loser doesn't know how to properly communicate and interact with others.
129	* NotOnTheList
130	* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: There are few ways to indicate that a character has rotten luck and little hope of turning their life around that are as effective as establishing that the character did something embarrassing or stupid that everyone else constantly reminds them about.
131	* PatheticallyWeak: The character is incredibly feeble and weak compared to other characters to a downright ridiculous degree, such as not even being able to lift a stuffed animal without straining themselves.
132	* PerpetualPoverty
133	* PickedLast: Being the last person picked to join a team is a very good indicator that a person isn't very popular.
134	* PitySex: Having sex with someone solely out of pity towards how rough they have it.
135	* PlagueOfGoodFortune: A character suddenly has things go well for them in spite of not wanting good fortune.
136	* PlethoraOfMistakes: An attempted plan ends up failing miserably because of a ton of stuff going wrong.
137	* PokeThePoodle: The bad guy boasts about doing an "evil deed" that's really nothing more than a harmless prank.
138	* PoorMansPorn: This loser is desperate enough to placate their sexual urges that they're willing to wack off to any non-pornographic material that happens to contain remotely suggestive content.
139	* PowerFantasy: The loser fantasizes on what they'd do if they had the power to stand up to those picking on them.
140	* RevengeOfTheNerd
141	* TheSchlubPubSeductionDeduction
142	* SoulSuckingRetailJob
143	* StuffedIntoALocker
144	* StuffedIntoATrashcan: Someone has the misfortune of being shoved into a garbage can.
145	* SuckinessIsPainful
146	* {{Swirlie}}
147	* TeasingTheSubstituteTeacher
148	* TeenyWeenie: A character gets humiliated because he has a small penis.
149	* ThrowTheDogABone: The unlucky character finally gets a chance at happiness.
150	* TraumaCongaLine
151	* TreatedWorseThanThePet: Someone's status in their family is so low that even animals are treated better or valued more than they are.
152	* TrianglesAreTheWorstInstrument: If a character on a school band or orchestra plays a triangle, you know they are a loser.
153	* VaudevilleHook: A character performing onstage has a hook appear to drag them away when their performance sucks.
154	* VengefulVendingMachine: Someone has the misfortune of having to deal with an uncooperative vending machine.
155	* ViewersAreMorons (when used InUniverse)
156	* WannabeLine
157	* WhatTheFuAreYouDoing
158	* WimpFight: Two combatants fight each other in an ineffectual way.
159	* TheWorldMocksYourLoss
160	* YankTheDogsChain: Right when it looks like the unfortunate character will have things go right for them for once, their chance is ruined at the last minute.
161	* YouAreWhatYouHate
162	* {{Zonk}}
163	[[/index]]

Context Main / LoserArchetype