Line #4 Main/CowardlyLion


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7	%% Image replaced per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1474516697046098600
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10	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bravelooigi_5.png]]]]
11	[[caption-width-right:350:[[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} He ain't 'fraid of no ghost!]] …Well, actually, he ''is,'' but it ain't about to stop him!]]
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13	%% Caption selected per above IP thread. Please do not replace or remove without discussion here:
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16
17	->''"The fearless are merely without fear. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave."''
18	-->-- '''James A. Lafond-Lewis'''
19
20	Not all heroes are fearless. Alice, in fact, is noted for her nervousness, timidity, reluctance to go anywhere near danger -- all the hallmarks of a coward. Yet when push comes to shove, she will always step up, doing whatever it takes to accomplish her objective, save her friends, and get everyone out alive -- exactly ''unlike'' a DirtyCoward or an AccidentalHero.
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22	Unlike TookALevelInBadass, Alice doesn't put off her fearful ways after a single moment of glory. She remains nervous and/or insecure in her daily life despite the fact that she can kick major ass when put to it. But she doesn't seek praise: she will probably tell everyone to ThinkNothingOfIt, because she thinks a 'real' hero is never scared. Alice is likely to be a CombatPragmatist who gets the job done indirectly, not risking a straight-on fight which she'll probably lose. But however little Alice thinks of herself, her TrueCompanions value her for her courage.
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24	Usually, inverse of MilesGloriosus. Unlike TheSoCalledCoward, Alice does not need to be viewed by other characters as cowardly; it is her own opinion that matters. (And the so-called coward may be perfectly confident in his own courage.) Unlike the AccidentalHero, the examples in this trope are characters who deliberately set out to save the day, fears be damned.
25
26	Contrast the FearlessFool, who is ''never'' afraid and therefore is never brave. This character type is prone to HeroicSelfDeprecation and a FaceYourFears plot. See also LovableCoward. One possible way to describe a WeakButSkilled PaperTiger. Not unusual for this character to be a StoneWall. Compare HeroicNeutral.
27
28	One of the major subtropes of the ClassicalAntihero.
29
30	----
31	!!Example subpages
32
33	[[index]]
34	* CowardlyLion/AnimeAndManga
35	* CowardlyLion/ComicBooks
36	* CowardlyLion/{{Literature}}
37	* CowardlyLion/LiveActionTV
38	* CowardlyLion/VideoGames
39	* {{CowardlyLion/Webcomics}}
40	* CowardlyLion/WebOriginal
41	* CowardlyLion/WesternAnimation
42	[[/index]]
43
44	!!Other examples:
45
46	[[foldercontrol]]
47
48	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
49	* Dan Thompson's action-strip AffectionateParody ''Webcomic/RipHaywire'' features dog companion TNT who, despite being an abject coward, is always by Rip's side.
50	* Wade Duck in ''ComicStrip/USAcres''.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Fan Works]]
54	* ''Fanfic/BequeathedFromPaleEstates'': Like in canon, Samwell Tarly is this, although he shows this before he ever meets Jon or anyone so supporting. When a plague sweeps through Westeros and Essos and the inoculation method is derided by the Faith so that Randyll won't hear of it (to a point of beating the boy when he insists on it), Samwell runs off with his two younger sisters to Dorne to get them inoculated. Even Randyll has to respect this, as it saved the three of them while his wife, eldest daughter, and preferred son Dickon died of the plague, even if he still despises everything else about his bookish, plump son.
55	%%* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'': Hobbes is [[CharacterExaggeration exaggerated]] into this.
56	%%* ''Fanfic/CodeGeassPaladinsOfVoltron'': Shirley takes Hunk's place as this on the team.
57	* ''Fanfic/CodeLyokoEG'': Both [[BigBad X.A.N.A.]] and [[TheTeam the Lyoko-warriors]] are terrified of each other (or more accurately, X.A.N.A. is scared by Twilight), but will still keep on fighting and trying to stop each other regardless.
58	%%* ''Fanfic/FairyTalesAndHokum'': [[Film/TheMummyTrilogy Jonathan]], which Rick lampshades:%%Quotes aren't acceptable context. Explain how the example fits.
59	%%-->"''Sure, you tend to freak out, and you yell a lot, and you get startled, and your first instinct is to run away. Big deal. You know what I've noticed since I met you and Evy? Every time she ran into danger, you were never far behind. Same goes for Alex, and even me. So I'm telling you, if for some reason we get separated, don't worry about me and just'' go."
60	* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/1326589 Impromptu Midterms]]'': PlayedForLaughs. The teams are sent to eradicate a nest of Grimm cubs, and [[ButtMonkey Jaune]] ends up dragged into the middle of it. So while everyone else is fighting the cubs, they keep hearing his screams of terror...and then [[spoiler:they find him in the nest, alive and surrounded by the corpses of Grimm he just killed]].
61	-->'''Jaune:''' [[spoiler:What the ''hell'' took you guys so long?]]
62	%%* ''Fanfic/TheLionKingAdventures'': Tojo is a literal example.
63	* ''Fanfic/MyMiraculousAcademia'': While the Butterfly Miraculous makes Izuku more skittish than normal, this doesn't stop him from wanting to be a hero. According to Nooroo, this is how it is for ''all'' of their wielders.
64	* ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'': Despite his NighInvulnerability, SuperStrength, and other ComboPlatterPowers, Izuku is still a NervousWreck who is frequently intimidated by people who are physically incapable of hurting him. It doesn't stop him from running in when someone is actually in trouble, even offering to take on [[spoiler:the Ultra-Humanite]] alone after he watched the latter throw [[WorldsStrongestMan All Might]] into the ceiling.
65	* ''Fanfic/PokedexAdventures'' uses this for Rosa. Afraid of many things, including ghosts and [[AbsurdPhobia Sewaddles]], but she's still willing and able to fight Team Plasma if she has to.
66	* ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'': The version of Misty's Psyduck and Cynthia's Lucario (at least as a Riolu) are strong examples of this trope. Both are easily spooked and prefer not to fight, but will protect their trainers when push comes to shove.
67	* ''Fanfic/PrehistoricEarth'': Leon Gilbertson, resident animal expert of the [[ExtinctAnimalPark titular park's]] rescue team, tends to be fairly nervous in a variety of situations (especially in the event that spiders or any other invertebrate are involved). But when push comes to shove, he can always be trusted to get the job done. He similarly proves easily unnerved, yet still capable of getting the job done when the situation truly demands as much, in subsequent ContinuityReboot ''Fanfic/PrehistoricParkReimagined'' (where he actually gets even more chances to showcase this trait).
68	* ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'': Agent Lapis is fully aware that her first response to just about anything is to panic, which usually manifests as screaming in terror and diving for the nearest hiding place, and frequently [[SourSupporter believes in the worst-case scenario as far as the Duty is concerned]]. But as one unfortunate [[GodModeSue God-Mode Stu]] found out the hard way, if you hurt anybody she holds dear -- or even [[FireForgedFriends anybody whom she merely works with]] -- she will '''[[RoaringRampageOfRevenge END]]''' you.
69	* ''Fanfic/SomeSemblanceOfMeaning'': The heroine, Vale, is a [[NiceGirl kind-hearted]] ShrinkingViolet who is (understandably) terrified of going into the arena and [[ChildrenForcedToKill being forced to fight her fellow tributes to the death]]. However, when it comes to defending the people she cares about, [[BewareTheNiceOnes she is no pushover]].
70	* ''Fanfic/TheStoryOfTwilightGlow'': Twilight becomes [[EvilOverlord Nightmare Moon's]] de facto advisor. Despite being understandably nervous and fearful, she still manages to stand up, and even physically attack, Nightmare when she goes too far.
71	* ''Fanfic/TheUnfantasticAdventuresOfBizarroNo1'': Bizarro's a massively powerful being, but his first impulse after hearing about the menace of the [[ManOfKryptonite Blue-Kryptonite Men]] is to run away. Once he gets over his initial reaction, though, Bizarro rallies the Leaguers and cooks up a strategy to defeat the Blue-K Men.
72	* "[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/322786/unicornia Unicornia]]": Blueblood is a coward, but didn't stop him from helping the royal guard stop those terrorists at all.
73	* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': Spectra looks terrified in most of her illustrations, largely because she never actually signs up for her adventures and would gladly live an uneventful life if her warlock patron didn't have other plans. But she never lets her fear stop her from pressing forward and doing whatever she thinks is the right thing in whatever unpleasant situation she's found herself in.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
77	* ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians'': When helping the puppies escape Hell Hall, Sergeant Tibbs is plainly scared out of his wits 90% of the time, but he still protectively places himself in front of the puppies when the bad'uns try to stop them.
78	* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'' has Tiger. His personality almost seems based on the original Cowardly Lion from ''The Wizard of Oz''. Unfortunately, this trait gets {{Flanderiz\|ation}}ed in the TV show to the point where he [[DirtyCoward leaves his friends in danger to save himself.]]
79	* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieMariposa'': Willa may hate going into danger, but she will if it's to protect the kingdom, and she always comes through when it counts.
80	* ''WesternAnimation/TheGoodDinosaur'': Arlo. A major theme of the film is accepting that it's okay to be scared, and finding the courage needed to face your fears.
81	* ''WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook1967'': The vultures tremble before Shere Khan and flutter to the highest tree, when he threatens Mowgli and Baloo however, they quickly swoop in and take the fearsome tiger head on.
82	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': Scar is a villainous (not to mention literal) example of this trope. Although he's portrayed as your usual DirtyCoward, (i.e. running from conflict, begging for mercy when cornered) he [[CorneredRattlesnake actually puts up a pretty good fight against Simba]] in the film's climax.
83	%%* ''WesternAnimation/LionOfOz'': The TropeNamer reappears as the star.
84	* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers'' portrays WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck as this.
85	* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'': Bernard regards himself as a lowly janitor, but Miss Bianca has complete faith in his courage and skill and she is never disappointed in times of need. ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'' has a scene in which Bernard, the shy stuttering unlucky mouse janitor, is attacked by a razorback hog in the Australian outback. After running and hiding, Bernard realizes that Bianca, Jake, and Cody are all depending on him, turns around, ''thrashes the full-grown wild boar by its tusks'', and [[LetsGetDangerous forces it to carry him to the scene]].
86	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'':
87	** This sums up Mrs. Brisby quite well. She's just [[MamaBear far more scared for her children]] than she is for herself.
88	** Pretty much sums up [[CowardlySidekick Jeremy]] as well; he's an obvious wuss, but he goes out of his way to help Mrs. Brisby ([[TheKlutz even if it often causes]] [[UnwantedAssistance more problems than it prevents]]). In his defense though, he does protect her by attacking Dragon (who everyone, bravado or not, is fearful of).
89	* ''Franchise/ToyStory'' has Rex, a "cowardly" Tyrannosaurus rex.
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
93	* ''Film/{{Abominable}}:'' CJ has quite a few ScreamingWoman moments (one of which ruins Amanda's attempt to sneak away from the monster) and refuses to go into the woods to look for the missing Karen. However, she also delays her escape attempt to check on a hurt Amanda, and after the monster knocks her down, she defiantly curses him and sprays him with pepper spray.
94	* A DiscussedTrope in the movie ''Film/{{Angus}}'', where Grandpa explains to Angus that Franchise/{{Superman}} is most certainly a hero, but isn't ''brave'' because he's invincible and so he has nothing to truly fear. Bravery comes from knowing you can be beaten, perhaps even easily, but pushing forward anyway in spite of your fear.
95	* ''Film/{{Balibo}}'': Roger East is initially fairly reluctant to go to East Timor to cover the beginning of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor and he nearly abandons the country entirely after being nearly shot by an attack helicopter. However, he ultimately becomes invested in the country's fate and chooses to remain in East Timor so the world will know what happens to it. [[spoiler:Tragically, it leads to him being captured and executed during the invasion of Dili.]]
96	* ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer'': Malak is constantly suggesting that he stay behind whenever the party ventures into danger, but circumstances or his own guilt always prompt him to get involved in the heroics.
97	* John [=McClane=] in the original ''Film/DieHard''. When Hans Gruber's gang attacks and takes hostages, John reacts in a completely human way: he runs, hides and does everything he can to call for help while obviously almost scared out of his mind. Of course, when he finds that the PoliceAreUseless, he has to conquer his fears and take action.
98	* ''Film/DrugstoreCowboy'': Bob is pretty open about his neurosis and his reliance on drugs to keep the stresses of world away from him. The people around him are still awed by the acts of {{Magnificent Bastard}}ry he performs out of sheer panic.
99	* In ''Film/KingKong2005'', Bruce Baxter abandons the rescue mission, claiming that they're going to die and all but calling himself a coward. This doesn't prevent him from returning JustInTime to rescue the rescuers, in a BigDamnHeroes moment that would give Han Solo a run for his money.
100	* ''Film/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle'': Spencer Gilpin is a easily-scared, socially awkward nerd even when placed in the body of [[TheAce Smolder Bravestone]], where he is packed with a HeroicBuild, SuperStrength, [[SuperSpeed speed]] and [[SuperReflexes reflexes]]. Despite all these advantages, he is easily frightened and his first reaction to danger is start running. His CharacterDevelopment is learning to be braver than he originally was.
101	* ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1990'': Judy is a ScreamingWoman, but she does try to help press against the doors as the zombies break through them, and volunteers to drive a truck through the horde.
102	* In ''Film/TheRaid1954'', Capt. Lionel Foster regards himself as a coward; having deliberately gotten himself injured in order to removed from the front lines. However, he stages a heroic one-man LastStand against the raiders: killing several of them despite [[HandicappedBadass only have one hand]].
103	* ''Film/SleepyHollow'': Ichabod Crane is terrified throughout the entire course of the investigation, often to the point of fainting. Nonetheless, he pursues the case relentlessly despite his fear, going so far as to engage the Headless Horseman in physical combat -- twice!
104	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
105	** Admiral Piett in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' have seen Vader choke imperials for their failures first hand and is visibly terrified that this might happen to him. He manages to hold himself together and isn't killed by Vader in the end.
106	** Unlike [[AcePilot his]] [[TheChosenOne friends]], Finn in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is just trying to get as far as humanly possible away from the First Order. But whenever he's actually put on the spot, after venting his dismay he doesn't hesitate to kick ass to help them out.
107	* ''Film/ThisLandIsMine'': Albert Lory lives in an unnamed country under Nazi occupation and, literally, runs home to his aged mother any time there is an allied air strike. He eventually makes a HeroicSacrifice because he's more terrified of seeing his friends picked off one by one than actually dying.
108	* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'': A major characteristic of the [[TropeNamer Cowardly Lion]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment is cowardice]]. This doesn't prevent him from joining Scarecrow and Tin Man to rescue Dorothy when she's captured by the Wicked Witch of the West.
109	-->'''Cowardly Lion:''' All right, I'll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart! I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there! There's only one thing I want you fellows to do.\
110	'''Tin Man and Scarecrow:''' What's that?\
111	'''Cowardly Lion:''' Talk me out of it!
112	* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': [[LoveInterest Steve]] [[BadassNormal Trevor]] is normally a suave, unflappable spy in the service of the Allies during the [[UsefulNotes/WW1 Great War]], and his moxie is shown in his flashback to the job that led him to stumble onto Themiscyra. However, under the effects of the [[TruthSerum Lasso of Truth]], he reveals how truly terrified he is of the whole travesty of the war. [[spoiler: This is even evident in his HeroicSacrifice as he's clearly scared and doesn't want to die. It takes a moment for him to hype himself up but he still manages to go out with a smile]].
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
116	* World Wrestling League reporter Stefano tends to shy away from wrestlers at the slightest hint they might get physical with him, panics when they start to approach him without warning even when it often turns out they don't have hostile intentions and makes no effort to fight back when attacked. This all obscures the fact that he is competent in the ring, having a successful career in IWA Puerto Rico and in fact became on third of the promotions first Trio title holders with Noel Rodriguez and Dennis Rivera, two of the wrestlers he was unreasonably afraid of.
117	* Ricardo Rodriguez in Wrestling/{{WWE}}. Those familiar with even his developmental FCW time would know he was a pretty good wrestler but on the main roster, his {{dirty coward}}ice and submission to Wrestling/AlbertoDelRio made him a VeryPunchableMan. When forced to wrestle Wrestling/BigShow though, he did a fairly good job in spite of the size differential being far against him.
118	* Wrestling/VedaScott was initially known as a lawyer and reporter for Wrestling/RingOfHonor who was also on the bottom of Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}'s totem pole, tending to cower near its established contenders. After she was kidnapped by SCUM though she joined the rest of the ROH locker roomed in clearing them out of ''Supercard of Honor VII''.
119	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / CowardlyLion