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1[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ben_franklin_vs__zeus_by_sharpwriter--cutout_491.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:320:Creator/BenjaminFranklin: Founding father of the U.S.A., inventor of a more efficient wood burning stove, and stone cold badass.\
3[-[[http://fav.me/d4hjp6a Image]] by [=SharpWriter=]-]]]
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5Popular culture, especially in the West, tends to [[NerdGlasses portray glasses as nerdy]] and as a sign of weakness. However, for some reason, if the one with the glasses isn't a meek NonActionGuy, they are surprisingly likely to be this.
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7This trope has only two requirements: you must be badass, and you must wear glasses while demonstrating your badassery. Often overlaps with BadassBookworm and GeniusBruiser, in which case the wearer is also likely to be TheStoic and frequently display AwesomenessByAnalysis. These, however, are merely common traits, not requirements. Also overlaps with SinisterShades, a much more villainous or antihero aspect.
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9Naturally, this trope sometimes goes hand-in-hand with ScaryShinyGlasses.
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11To qualify for this trope, the character in question must be badass while still wearing glasses, otherwise it's TheGlassesComeOff. Distinct from CoolShades in that these are actual, transparent glasses. Compare and Contrast StoicSpectacles, where the character is witty but not necessarily action oriented.
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13----
14!!Examples:
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16[[foldercontrol]]
17
18[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
19* George Ushiromiya during the fourth arc of ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'': He reveals some mad martial arts skills and even adjusts his glasses during a jump while he prepares for a finishing kick (in the anime adaption).
20* [[BadassBookworm Yukio]] [[TheGunslinger Okumura]] from ''Manga/BlueExorcist'' pulls this off, although he [[TookALevelInBadass wasn't always a tough fighter]], and [[NerdGlasses you still wouldn't guess it at a glance]].
21%%* [[StuffBlowingUp Nice Holystone]] from ''Literature/{{Baccano}}''. An interesting example that ''literally'' overlaps with EyepatchOfPower.
22* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
23** Uryuu fits this trope to a T. He is easily on par with Lieutenant-class {{Shinigami}} and has one-shotted a captain and his bankai with a single arrow. Post-{{timeskip}} he demonstrates himself to be an excellent fighter even without his [[EnergyBow Quincy Powers]]. ItRunsInTheFamily: his bespectacled father is even more powerful than he is.
24** Lisa Yadomaru has a rather slight build, but she turns out to be a GlacierWaif with a {{BFS}} (S in this case standing for spear).
25* Girge from ''Manga/BrokenBlade''. He handicapped ten golems, even killed some of it, and later, destroyed an elite troop of five with handicapped golem. He [[UnflinchingWalk threw it away]] right after, though.
26%%* Gilbert G.P. Guilford from ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
27%%* Misaki Kirihara from ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack''.
28* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' Von Hohenheim first appears as a brooding badass with numerous scenes of ScaryShinyGlasses to demonstrate him as a dark and mysterious figure.[[spoiler: Turns outs he's a mostly-pleasant fellow and the same glasses effect also emphasises how much of a dork he is]]
29** Maes Hughes, especially in the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003 First Anime]]
30* America from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' is awesome and has PurelyAestheticGlasses essentially because they too are awesome. And because they are Texas. Or something.
31* From ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', we have [[NoDoubtTheYearsHaveChangedMe Ryuuto]] [[HandicappedBadass Asamiya]] and [[{{Salaryman}} Tsutomu]] [[BadassBystander Tanaka]]. Miu, while capable of fighting with them on, subverts it twice; the glasses are [[BrainySpecs just for show]] and she always [[TheGlassesComeOff takes them off when she gets serious]].
32* At Kyon's request, [[EmotionlessGirl Yuki Nagato]] from ''[[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' stopped wearing glasses, but she got her first big moment while she was still a {{meganekko}}.
33* [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Kabuto]] from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is clearly a badass even before he [[spoiler:fuses with Orochimaru's flesh]]. ''After'' he does that, well... let's just say he's able to intimidate the apparent BigBad!
34* [[BadassTeacher Takahata]] from ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has no magical abilities, but is one helluva fighter. He's even nicknamed "Death Megane/Death Glasses".
35** Negi himself also qualifies [[TookALevelInBadass later in the series]], once he stops being a SquishyWizard.
36* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
37** Off duty, Tashigi from is a CuteClumsyGirl, but she's actually a very capable and effective officer.
38%%** Sengoku... just Sengoku.
39%%** Also Rayleigh.
40* From ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'', we have [[GeniusBruiser Hokuto]] [[OneWingedAngel Kaneshiro]], the BigBad of Season I. When they meet him again in Season II, the gap between him and [[TheHero Tsukune]] is wide enough that he can [[CurbStompBattle curb stomp]] him ''[[HandicappedBadass from his wheelchair]]''!
41* [[CoolBigSis Margery Daw]] from ''Literature/ShakuganNoShana'' has these as part of her HotLibrarian look.
42%%* Oxford, Kilik, Yumi and Stein from ''Manga/SoulEater''.
43%%** Yumi needing glasses is a funny example as she's a sniper. Well, technically she's an gun/crossbow-ish Empathic Weapon, but close enough.
44* Rin Asougi of ''Anime/{{Mnemosyne}}'' does a lot of badass things while wearing glasses, but they tend to end up lost or destroyed in the process, requiring her to frequently replace them.
45* Conan Edogawa of ''Manga/CaseClosed'' keeps his [[ScaryShinyGlasses specs]] in place whenever deploying [[HomemadeInventions gadgets]] or kicking a soccer ball into some poor criminal's teeth.
46%%* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'': Tezuka.
47* Kishou Arima, from ''Manga/TokyoGhoul''. A legendary [[HunterOfMonsters Ghoul Investigator]] known as the "God of Death", he never removes his glasses even while pulling off incredibly quick, acrobatic moves. Artwork frequently features bloodstains on his glasses, adding to his fearsome appearance.
48* Atsushi of ''Anime/CuteHighEarthDefenseClubLove'', who flings around [[CallingYourAttacks Gallant Hurricanes]] with his glasses on. This is notable in that Atsushi is in a [[MagicalGirl genre]] where characters normally [[TheGlassesComeOff lose their glasses for badass stunts]].
49* Munakata Reisi (the Blue King) and Fushimi Saruhiko (one of the strongest non-King fighters) from ''Anime/{{K}}''.
50* ''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'': Present Mic. He’s a pro hero who looks like a punk rocker, wears TriangleShade sunglasses that appear to be prescription since he’s also seen with them out of his hero costume and the guy can get downright *vicious* if you mess with him or Aizawa. The glasses seem to switch between transparent and not transparent.
51[[/folder]]
52
53[[folder:Comic Books]]
54* The ''Comicbook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'' has Scrooge [=McDuck=], [[Fiction500 gazillionaire]] [[NonIdleRich and intrepid adventurer]] always with his pince-nez glasses atop his beak.
55* ''ComicBook/MrBeaver'': The titular character wears a pair of eyeglasses. He's also a BadassInANiceSuit who will do whatever it takes to complete his mission.
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:Fan Works]]
59* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': Japan wore hexagonal glasses with his [[Anime/DeathNote Teru Mikami]] cosplay. He also could match [[DrillSergeantNasty Germany]] in combat during their [[CockFight cock fight]].
60* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', Harry still has his glasses, until chapter 58, and pulls off some thoroughly insane feats of badassery, usually through one IndyPloy or another.
61* ''Fanfic/TalesOfTheUndiscoveredSwords'' has Kiriha, shy wakizashi with huge round glasses, who is described by other swords as fairly capable [[spoiler:but it isn't until his confrontation with his entitled and deranged BigBrotherBully Ishida that he shows the [[BewareTheQuietOnes full extent]] of his badassery.]] [[spoiler:Later, we have Sasanoyuki who gains a pair of rectangular specs after his kiwame training. This being a kiwame sword on top of already having a reputation of [[AbsurdlySharpBlade impressive sharpness]] and a history of performing several mind-bending {{Iai|jutsuPractitioner}} feats, of course he isn't to be taken lightly.]]
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
65* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Mei manages to keep her glasses on throughout her fight with the {{Kaiju}}-sized [[spoiler:Ming]] despite it involving frequent AirDashing.
66[[/folder]]
67
68[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
69* [[Creator/TommyLeeJones Major Hank Marshall]] (pictured about to punch his creepy superior officer) in ''[[https://78.media.tumblr.com/a90ce179f32de1ea785954183c4cdbba/tumblr_p40y0iyDyA1r48qqvo1_1280.jpg Blue Sky]]'' - which makes it all the more heartbreaking that when he does take the glasses off, it's to wipe away tears.
70* In ''Film/TheIpcressFile'' and its sequels, there was Film/HarryPalmer, a Cockney spy in National Health Service specs, way back in the 1960s. At the time, this was a notable subversion of the suave upper-class British intelligence agent epitomized by Film/JamesBond.
71%%* Egon Spengler from ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' and its {{Animated Adaptation}}s ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' and ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters''.
72* Peter Parker in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. The powers he gains don't improve his poor eyesight at all, so he keeps using glasses and contacts while swinging around the city and battling villains.
73* Besides coming up with the plan to take down UsefulNotes/AlCapone, Treasury Agent Oscar Wallace shows himself to be this in ''Film/TheUntouchables1987''. During the Canadian border battle, when his tommy gun jams, he charges one of the hoods and knocks him unconscious with the gun butt. [[spoiler: Sadly, after the battle his badassery will be short-lived.]]
74* In ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService'', all of the Kingsmen wear them. They double as heads-up displays when necessary and transmit information back to headquarters in a livestream. Awesome indeed.
75* Kevin in ''Film/SinCity'' (and the original graphic novels) is a very formidable antagonist to Marv [[spoiler: until he loses his head.]]
76[[/folder]]
77
78[[folder:Literature]]
79* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has quite a few capable and clever glasses-wearing wizards. Albus Dumbledore, Minerva [=McGonagall=], Luna Lovegood, Harry himself... his father James was apparently one of these, but [[InformedAbility we've never seen him duel, not even in flashbacks]].
80* In ''Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo'', when twentieth-century geek Jeff Higgins joins the army, the seventeenth-century brigands he glares at see him as a killer so cold-blooded that ''he wears spectacles to see his victims better.'' (And, to be fair, [[BadassBookworm they're not far wrong.]])
81* In ''Literature/TheGoblinEmperor'', Cala wears glasses. He is one of the emperor's four bodyguards [[BadassBookworm for a reason.]]
82[[/folder]]
83
84[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
85* The [[TheNthDoctor Tenth Doctor]] from ''Series/DoctorWho'' occasionally dons his PurelyAestheticGlasses to look more clever (remember, this is a guy who takes AwesomenessByAnalysis to the next level). Actor Creator/DavidTennant made this wardrobe choice so his Doctor would be a role model for kids with glasses (having been one himself).
86%%* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'':
87%%** [[PunnyName Hiro]]. His [[FutureBadass badass future self]] no longer wears glasses, though.
88%%** HRG, however, is most certainly this trope.
89* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Daniel Jackson definitely started out more bookworm than badass but even as he [[TookALevelInBadAss took several levels]] over the course of the show, he managed to avoid TheGlassesComeOff (except when he was doing the AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence thing).
90%%* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'':
91%%** Danny Messer during the first few seasons. However, for some reason, he has either quit wearing them nowadays or switched to contacts.
92%%** Mantle taken up in season 2 by M.E. Sid Hammerback with his click readers.
93* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'':
94** Commander [[spoiler:and later Admiral]] William Adama wears glass and kicks Cylon ass. You can't say that he's not awesome when he puts them on.
95** Laura Roslyn counts, too. The glasses don't come off just because someone's gotta be thrown out an airlock.
96* When Avery Brooks was on ''Series/TheArsenioHallShow'' he defined a hero as someone who fights a lot of bad guys and never loses his sunglasses. At the time he portrayed the enigmatic "Hawk" on ''Series/SpenserForHire'', who always wore sunglasses!
97* Billy the Blue Ranger from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. Ironically, David Yost had 20/20 vision and the stage glasses (specifically the ani-glare coating on the lenses) began to negatively effect his vision, which is why Billy made the off-screen change to wearing contact lenses.
98* Giles from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Guy could certainly think, but he wasn't a slouch in combat at all.
99[[/folder]]
100
101[[folder:Roleplay]]
102* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', [[BadassBookworm Richelieu]] wears glasses and is one of [[TheMagocracy Alent's]] most powerful mages who has beaten several strong enemies.
103[[/folder]]
104
105[[folder:Video Games]]
106* The Investigation Team from ''VideoGame/Persona4''. Wear them, and it's as if the supernatural fog in the TV World isn't there. {{Averted|Trope}} by [[TeamPet Teddie]], their creator, whose eyes themselves are lenses.
107%%* Gordon Freeman in ''VideoGame/HalfLife''.
108* TheMedic in VideoGame/TeamFortress2. Bonus points for pushing up his glasses in a very nerdy way before smirking and letting forth the very first Ubercharge in "Meet The Medic".
109* The eponymous VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}. Jeanne - who is as equally as badass - has these on her head but, [[spoiler:save for [[BookEnds disguising herself as a nun in the epilogue]],]] she never wears them.
110* In the ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' games, there's often at least one bespectacled member of the Elite Four: Shauntal, Lorelei, Lucian. There's also Roark and Cheren, the only Gym Leaders in the franchise who wear glasses. Gordie might count, but it's ambiguous whether they are athletic eyeglasses or goggles for protection.
111** Maxie's redesign from Omega Ruby gives him a pair of glasses that gives him a more intelligent, stoic look and also has the keystone used to [[SuperMode Mega Evolve his Camerupt]].
112* The final boss of ''Videogame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' [[spoiler: Senator Armstrong]] who proceeds to go toe to toe with the protagonist Raiden even after the latter had finished single-handedly slicing up [[HumongousMecha a massive metal gear]].
113* ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' has [[ColonelBadass Jade Curtiss]], although he does [[TheGlassesComeOff take them off]] for the very final battle - because they're a PowerLimiter.
114* Griff from ''VideoGame/RecettearAnItemShopsTale'' is a demon who fights with WolverineClaws and some kind of magic while giving smart, if often sarcastic and snarky, comments. He also happens to wear glasses all the time.
115* Iron Tager in the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' games never takes off his glasses but can fight evenly with the strongest people of his world. He is also a big muscular guy who resembles a demon; presumably, he keeps his glasses on to try ''not'' to look so threatening.
116[[/folder]]
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118%%[[folder:Web Animation]]
119%%* Shows up frequently in ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', with Professor Ozpin and Doctor Oobleck as the most obvious examples.
120%%[[/folder]]
121
122[[folder:Web Comics]]
123* Agatha and Tarvek of ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' are both wearing their specs while fighting slaver wasps and hive engines with woefully inadequate weaponry, repairing the broken trap filled Castle Heterodyne, and defending Mechanicsburg from an attack force of soldiers in powered armor, mad scientists, monsters, clanks, walking tanks, [[DrillTank drill tanks]], other tanks, dragons, and zombies many of which are armed with death ray variations.
124* Åland in ''Webcomic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld'' is a nerd complete with NerdGlasses, but that doesn't stop him from thoroughly earning his place [[http://satwcomic.com/the-badasses here]]. And the glasses never come off. Apart from that one time when [[http://satwcomic.com/just-another-morning that was what he was angry about]].
125* Ada from ''Webcomic/TheStoryOfAnima'' [[http://tapastic.com/episode/49771 wears glasses and can kick ass with ease]].
126[[/folder]]
127
128%%[[folder:Web Original]]
129%%* Taylor from ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' wears glasses, and attaches old lenses to her costume's goggles.
130%%[[/folder]]
131
132[[folder:Western Animation]]
133%%* The title character of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory''.
134%%* Gretchen Grundler and Gus Griswald from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.
135* Charles Foster Ofdensen, Deathklok's manager in ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}''. This fellow proves his badassery multiple times throughout the series, even [[spoiler:coming back from death itself]] at the precise time he's needed most.
136%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yqgoEAzDns Artie Levawitz]] (AKA, Myth/KingArthur) in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents''.
137* Jeremy Belpois from ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'', being the team's resident VoiceWithAnInternetConnection and BadassPacifist [[BadassBookworm Bookworm]].
138* FunnyAnimal example: Myra, the foxy AdventurerArchaeologist from the ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "In Search of Ancient Blunders". She explores an upside-down pyramid, drops a piano on a SkyPirate's head, and confronts a rampaging {{Mummy}} in an epic BewareTheNiceOnes moment--all while wearing glasses.
139* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfVoxMachina'' has Percy deRolo, brooding nobleman turned badass gunslinger.
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141[[/folder]]
142
143[[folder:Real Life]]
144* UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt, noted glasses-wearer, has a well earned reputation for badassery, extending well into [[MemeticBadass Memetic]] territory. See his page for further details.
145* The "DMC" part of Music/RunDMC. Darryl [=McDaniels=] is almost unrecognizable without his trademark specs.
146%%* Creator/HideoKojima,best known as the creative mind behind Creator/{{Konami}}'s ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series.
147* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Taylor Dennis Taylor]], a retired pro snooker player, was ranked as one of the top 15 players in the world for nearly 20 years ranging from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was known for his custom-made "upside-down" glasses, which reached much farther up his forehead than a normal pair would. They allowed him to see clearly when he was bent over the table and lining up a shot, instead of having to look over the top edges of the lenses.
148[[/folder]]

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