Line #77 Main/BadassAndBaby


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Gwen_and_Baby_8484.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:If you [[BabyLanguage spoke baby]], you'd know Anwen is saying "This is so awesome!"]]
3
4	->''"You all know who I am. You know what I can do. But I'm holding a small child here. And if you make me do anything that could possibly endanger this baby... you will be very, very sorry. Forever."''
5	-->-- '''ComicBook/{{Batman}}''', ''[[ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures Batman: Gotham Adventures]]'' #26
6
7	TheHero is fighting in the middle of a [[CityOfAdventure bustling metropolis]]. Suddenly, a BabyCarriage rolls into the middle of the battleground. For whatever reason, he (and it's usually a man) can't return the baby to its mother or hand it to one of TheTeam to get it out of the way while he fights. Instead, he picks the baby up and continues the fight, casually picking off {{Mooks}} while cradling the infant in the crook of one arm.
8
9	If the baby is a little older, expect the hero to tell the youngster to [[HarmfulToMinors cover his or her eyes]] while he finishes the battle.
10
11	The baby or child doesn't have to be picked up before or during the fight. It can just as easily be the hero's kid, in which case there is optimal crossover between this and ActionMom / ActionDad. The important thing here is that the baby is held by the hero ''during'' the battle. If a baby is present, but not carried, then it's BabyCarriage. If one of the InnocentBystanders just so happens to be a baby, that is also not this trope. If the hero is fighting specifically to defend a child, then it's MamaBear or PapaWolf. If the hero and baby are together for the majority of the plot[=/=]plotline, it's BadassAndChildDuo.
12
13	This trope is useful for demonstrating the hero's sensitive side, as well as showing just how macho he is. Not only is he caring for an [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent]], but he's fighting one-handed, to boot. This can also be used to show that EvenEvilHasStandards, as some {{Mooks}} will refuse to fight until the baby is safely out of the way. It also adds a sense of additional danger and urgency to the scene, though ImprobableInfantSurvival is in full effect here.
14
15	Compare BadlyBatteredBabysitter, EscortMission, and BadassAndChildDuo. A PregnantBadass is, by definition, always doing this.
16
17	For the love of God, DoNotTryThisAtHome.
18
19	----
20	!!Examples:
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Anime & Manga ]]
25	* This is the main premise of ''Manga/LoneWolfAndCub'', the UrExample and TropeMaker.
26	* In ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'', Gintoki and 'Appo, the DoorstopBaby, implied to be his child [[spoiler: (he's not)]] from a one-night stand. At one point, Gin-chan needs both arms to fight so he throws the baby straight up into the air and catches him once the mooks are taken out.
27	* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', Kenpachi (a BloodKnight who attained the rank of Captain via a KlingonPromotion) took in his eventual lieutenant as a baby. A clearer example occurred in a filler arc where a sociopath zanpakuto acquired one as a Morality Pet for an episode.
28	* This is ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' in a nutshell.
29	* ''Anime/CarriedByTheWindTsukikageRan'' has a scene where Meow fights with a baby on her back. Then she punches out guards on her way to returning it.
30	* ''Anime/MichikoAndHatchin'': Young as she is, Hatchin is definitely the smarter of the two.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Comic Books]]
34	* ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'': In ''Batman: Gotham Adventures]]'' [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_daily/990722.html #26]], the parents of a baby who is being sought by all the world's criminal syndicates and intelligence agencies for his MacGuffin DNA ask Batman to protect him, and Batman ends up carrying the baby around all night while he foils robberies, rescues runaway buses, etc. At one point he gets a group of muggers to surrender simply by pointing out how unhappy he'll be if they insist on fighting and the baby gets hurt.
35	* ''ComicBook/{{Cable}}'': The whole point of the 2008 series [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/Cable-promo-image.jpg series]] is to protect the mutant messiah baby from Bishop, who thinks her existence will lead to a BadFuture.
36	* ''ComicBook/{{Nomad}}'': Jack Monroe, who picks up the baby Bucky in the first story arc of his solo series and carries her around through most of the series run.
37	** Averted in an issue where a shady Japanese executive coerces Nomad into going on some task for him -- and orders him to leave Bucky with him. Nomad is furious that the man would hold her hostage.
38	--->'''Executive''' Don't be ridiculous. I have five daughters myself; the child will be much safer here.
39	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Ever since [[Characters/MarvelComicsMilesMorales Miles Morales]] got a baby sister in ''ComicBook/MilesMoralesSpiderMan2018'', the first thing that he does with her sister is rescue a guy trapped in the sewer and fight off a sewer alligator with her webbed to his chest in an impromptu baby sling.
40	* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'': The series has this with [[spoiler: Grimlock]] protecting [[ItMakesSenseInContext an organic baby with the spark of a Decepticon]]. He carries her around [[MisterSeahorse in his chest cavity]].
41	* ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'': In one arc, Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde are tasked with taking care of a robot baby for a human health class. The robot ends up worse for the wear.
42	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'': In ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'' the New 52's much more violent and warlike version of Wonder Woman ends up fighting PhysicalGods with baby Zeke strapped to her.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Fan Works]]
46	* In "Unpaid Internship", part of the ''Fanfic/SorrowfulAndImmaculateHearts'' series, Batman has to help the Justice League save the world while simultaneously looking after a toddler, whose provenance he resolutely refuses to discuss.
47	* In ''Fanfic/ClaireTheKind'', the first time Claire, Mary and Darci encounter Bular, Claire had picked up Enrique from her dad. Because of this, Enrique was caught up in the whole troll hunter problem and winds up going with them on their first trip to trollmarket after nearly getting killed by the gumm-gumm prince.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
51	* Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man and his daughter Mayday are this in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'', though Peter's badass qualities are downplayed here as he's constantly doting over her for most of his screen time.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
55	* Ogami Ito of ''Film/ShogunAssassin'' is the original badass with a baby.
56	* Tequila does this in perhaps one of the most iconic moments from the hospital shootout from Creator/JohnWoo's ''Film/HardBoiled''.
57	* ''Film/HellboyIITheGoldenArmy'': A baby is locked in a minivan during Hellboy's battle with the elemental, and, after pulling out the baby, Hellboy [[FridgeLogic runs into battle with it instead of getting it to Liz or Abe.]]
58	* Happens in Creator/JohnWoo's Chinese-language film ''Film/RedCliff'', which is an adaptation of part of the ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.
59	** For context, Liu Bei's most trusted lieutenant, Zhao Zi-long, is tasked with retrieving Liu's family from the invading army. Liu's wife had committed suicide, however, leaving behind her and Liu's infant son. With a legion of enemies dedicated to massacre Liu's entire family behind him, Zhao did what every loyal soldier would do, by strapping the baby to his back, and slicing an escape path across every opponent that got in his way. Its even more awesome when Zhao finally made it to Liu, barely alive, and Liu shows ''more concern for his most trusted lieutenant'' instead of his infant son.
60	* There is ''another'' movie based on the Three Kingdoms that came out the same year as ''Red Cliff'', titled ''Film/ThreeKingdomsResurrectionOfTheDragon'', where Zhao Zi-long (played by Andy Lau this time), does the same thing defending Liu Bei's baby from enemy soldiers.
61	* The whole plot of ''Film/ShootEmUp'' is about TheGunslinger Smith trying to keep the baby whose mother's murder he witnessed out of the villains' hands. It was conceived as the ''Film/HardBoiled'' scene expanded out to movie length. But even the director could not accept the [[ImprobableInfantSurvival improbability of the baby surviving all the gunfights]], so Smith eventually hides him and his wet nurse inside a tank before continuing to shoot people.
62	* Similarly, the entire plot of the film ''Film/RobinBHood'' centers on Jackie Chan's catburglar character protecting a baby he found.
63	* ''Film/SecretServiceOfTheImperialCourt'' has the protagonist, a DefectorFromDecadence, fleeing from enemy soldiers sent by his former employers while carrying his toddler son on his back. And when facing more than thirty mooks in a narrow path, he then proceeds to slice and dice through everyone that got in his way.
64	* In ''Film/UndercoverBlues'', Jeff beats up small-time street thug [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Morty]] (aka "[[InsistentTerminology Muerte]]"), using only kicks while holding his baby.
65	* Spoofed in ''Film/TropicThunder''. [[Creator/BenStiller Tugg Speedman]]'s big franchise seems to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZocvme6cYc rely on it heavily.]]
66	* In ''Film/TheFateOfTheFurious'', [[EnemyMine Deckard]] has to rescue [[spoiler: Dom's]] baby son from an enemy plane. He gives the kid headphones playing relaxing music, and proceeds to kill about a dozen mooks while keeping an eye on him.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* Famous example from the classic Chinese novel ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', where Zhao Yun, a hero in service of warlord Liu Bei, defeats some 50 warriors in service of rival warlord Cao Cao in single-combat while carrying his lord's infant heir.
71	* In the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' series, Irina Mladin makes a habit of keeping both her infant son and a parakeet with her on business. The thing is, Irina happens to be the strongest wizard on Earth; "business" for her could mean anything from stopping natural disasters to confronting [[{{Satan}} The Lone Power]] itself.
72	* In ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'', Queen Magrat, during one of her frequent BewareTheNiceOnes moments, rigs up a baby-sling so she can fight vampires without leaving Princess Esmeralda alone. Nanny Ogg claims the Nac Mac Feegle also take their babies into battle, [[GrievousHarmWithABody possibly for use as a weapon]].
73	[[/folder]]
74
75	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
76	* Spike does this briefly in the GrandFinale of ''Series/{{Angel}}''.
77	* Shows up in the finale of ''Series/BurnNotice''; if we may count Charlie Weston, who is about three years old, being carried by Jesse as he fights his way past the surviving gunmen after [[spoiler:Madeline Weston's HeroicSacrifice]].
78	* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Closing Time" features the baby Alfie (or '''Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All''') quite prominently, even as the characters fight off Cybermen and Cybermats. And even though the Doctor's most certainly a badass, that doesn't stop him from being delightfully awkward and sweet with the kid.
79	* ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'':
80	** Happens during a fight; at one point, Herc throws the baby up into the air so he can use both hands at once, then catches the baby after he's done.
81	** ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' also does this. During one episode, she has to protect a baby prophesied to take the throne of a kingdom from the king's corrupt agents who want to kill him. And yes, she does the same thing as Herc during one point of the episode.
82	* ''Series/IntoTheBadlands'' has lead character Sunny have a few fights while he is carrying his baby son Henry, to establish Sunny's ActionDad status. However, the show more commonly deliberately averted the trope with Sunny entrusting Henry to others to care for when he had to fight.
83	* ''Series/TheMandalorian'':
84	** The title character is a bounty hunter who spends most of the series protecting his former target, an infant who is the same species as Yoda. Due to the way the species ages The Child is actually [[OlderThanTheyLook 50 years old]] and already able to use The Force, making him just as badass as his protector.
85	** [[KillerRobot IG-11]] is no slouch either and ends up the baby's temporary handler while the Mandalorian and his allies are pinned down by Imperial remnants in the last two episodes of Season 1. Which doesn't prevent him at all from [[BigDamnHeroes bursting into town with a speeder bike and wreak havoc on the Imperials]] to save Mando and friends, all while carrying and protecting the little green wonder with his AbnormalLimbRotationRange. "Nurse and protect", indeed.
86	* In the pilot episode of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', PrinceCharming is forced to fight his way through an army of mooks all while he's holding and protecting his newborn daughter, Emma. It is as badass as it sounds.
87	* One episode of ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' has one of the Rangers holding a baby carriage in the middle of the fight. He ends up using it as a weapon while the baby is still inside (he ''doesn't'' know the baby is there before this.)
88	* In the ''Series/RobinHood'' episode Parent Hood Robin and his men find an abandoned baby just before the bad guys show up. While they're fighting them off, Robin deftly dispatches a mook, saying "Do you mind, I'm trying to get a baby to sleep!"
89	* In the first episode of ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'', [[ActionMom Gwen]] coolly fires on a helicopter full of men with machine guns while holding her baby daughter in one arm. The badassery of the scene pales in comparison to the way the baby has the most adorable smile during the battle.
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
93	* In Shi'a and Sunni UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husain_ibn_Ali Imam Husayn ibn Ali]] entered the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Karbala Battle of Karbala]] carrying his infant son, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_al-Asghar_ibn_Husayn Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn,]] hoping that it would have a "MyGodWhatHaveIDone" effect. [[KickTheDog It didn't work out]]. It's up to you to decide whether it's RealLife or not.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
97	* Tepet Ejava of ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' started off as the Baby half of this trope - born on a battlefield where her mother was leading the legions of House Tepet. Ejava's mother didn't want to leave her in someone else's care, so had the newborn girl strapped to her chest, her armour modified to protect both mother and child, before going out onto the battlefield and putting her sword to use. It's no wonder, then, that Tepet Ejava has risen to be one of the most talented generals the Realm's ever seen.
98	* The Khaastas from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3rd Edition are a race of [[LizardFolk reptilian humanoids]] from the outer planes. Females battle alongside males while carrying their babies on their backs. And they don't seem too worried about the children though [[MamaBear they vicously protect them from danger]].
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Video Games]]
102	* If one of your female dwarfs in ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' is a part of your defense force and has children, she will often take her babies out onto the battlefield with her; sometimes even using them as '''''weapons'''''. Needless to say, [[{{Deconstruction}} this generally doesn't end well for the children.]]
103	* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 7''[='s=] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QjCKyD6x3g introduction]]
104	* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Kangaskhan is a mother who carries her baby in her pouch as she battles. As of ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', Kangaskhan can briefly become Mega Kangaskhan and shift this to a BadassAndChildDuo, as ''the baby'' gets a boost and joins its mama in fighting.
105	* In ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'', [[PlayerCharacter the Watcher]] can potentially end up carrying around a baby orlan, if they decide to [[spoiler:kidnap her after being asked to prevent her from being sacrificed]]. [[WhatTheHellHero Virtually everyone around you thinks this is an incredibly strange and awful idea]], and it ''does'' require a deliberate, irrational choice on the Watcher's part.
106	* Clementine from ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'' carries AJ in her arms through a snowstorm in season two.
107	* Sam Porter Bridges, the main character from ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'' carries a baby strapped to his chest on his quest to reconnect America.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Webcomics]]
111	* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Hilgya Firehelm carries her baby in a papoose with her at all times, including when battling vampires, and refuses to make other arrangements for the baby.
112	-->'''Hilgya:''' Okay, Kudzu, Mommy's going to cover your sweet little eyes while she burns it all down.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Western Animation]]
116	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Crook and Ladder", Marge's ''Smothering Mother'' magazine has one of these on the cover.
117	* A sort-of example in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "The Eggbaby". Terry is EggSitting and ends up fighting crime while still caring for his egg. And to top it off? He ended up getting the top grade in his class for the project, as, on top of being cared for physically, the "baby" got the mental stimulation from being brought along that none of Terry's other classmates had thought to provide.
118	* The last normal episode of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' is about this.
119	** A Flashback episode had a LawyerFriendlyCameo by Itto and Daigoro (see ''Manga/LoneWolfAndCub'' above), showing Itto as Jack's inspiration to learn to use the sword.
120	* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'' ''Invasion'' Cheshire and Red Arrow went to Tibet to [[spoiler: rescue the real Roy Harper]], Cheshire brought their baby with them who witnesses the asskicking the two do the local {{Mook}}s.
121	* In one episode of the ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'', an in-universe issue of the Crimson Chin has the Chin babysitting an infant, and having to bring it along on his crimefighting. "Justice makes it giggle!" Then that issue's villain gets the baby and remarks, "Evil makes it giggle!"
122	* A first season episode of ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' had two clone troopers discovering a small child hiding in a village after the rest of the residents were forced out. They realize that she knows secret passages that will help them ambush the Separatists. Obi-Wan Kenobi ends up spending part of the battle with her on his hip, and when he tries to cover her eyes she pulls his hands away.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Real Life]]
126	* A RealLife example: Sacajawea led Lewis and Clark (the Corps of Discovery) across North America while carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste, on her back. While her role as a guide was limited only to the regions where her Shoshone tribe lived, her presence as a mother with child along the more hostile parts of the expedition helped alleviate fears that the Corps was a war party.
127	* In 1206, a Norwegian party of rebels known as the Birkebeiner skied cross country while taking a two year old prince to safety. The prince would grow up to be Haakon IV. Norwegian painter Knud Larsen Bergslien captured the [[https://fineartamerica.com/featured/skiing-birchlegs-crossing-the-mountain-with-the-royal-child-knud-bergslien.html historic event on canvas.]]
128	[[/folder]]
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