Line #87 TookALevelInBadass/ComicBooks


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6	->''"I'm sick of adventure -- and peril!! I just want to live a normal life! I want to set up housekeeping as Mrs. Reed Richards -- I want to be involved with super-markets -- instead of super-villains!"''
7	-->-- '''Sue Richards, Invisible Girl''' in the 1960s, ''ComicBook/FantasticFour''
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9	->''"[[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech You're pathetic]]. One of the best minds on the planet and you waste it for years, doing magic tricks -- then trying to best a man who'd never really harm you, despite your endless provocation. But that's the difference between my husband and me. He doesn't understand revenge. Me? I can't decide which of the many ways I can hurt you I'm going to use." ''
10	-->-- '''Sue Richards, Invisible ''[[MeaningfulRename Woman]]''''' in the 2000s, ''ComicBook/FantasticFour''
11	----
12	!!The following have their own pages:
13	[[index]]
14	* TookALevelInBadass/TheDCU
15	* TookALevelInBadass/MarvelUniverse
16	[[/index]]
17	----
18	!!Other Comic Books
19	* ''ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderSmokeAndShadow'': In ''Smoke and Shadow'', [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderPrincessAzula Princess Azula]] [[spoiler:regains her sanity and her skills become much improved. She's able to run circles around Aang and the Kyoshi Warriors and her lightning blasts are much faster than before. Not even Zuko's lightning re-direction is as effective this time as Azula also learned how to redirect lightning, able to resend the shot back at Zuko. She's even able to defeat Zuko at the end in a dagger-to-dagger duel and declares how she's really the one who's won by making him a more powerful (and ruthless) Fire Lord.]] Of course, seeing as [[spoiler:half her expressions still have WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises,]] the improvement in her [[spoiler:mental health state]] should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
20	* ''ComicBook/BlackHammer'': Abe Slamkowski was once a scrawny weakling unfit for military service, crushing his dreams of fighting Nazis. Then he hit the gym and learned how to box. When his personal trainer was murdered by the mob, Abe vowed to avenge him, and he started busting heads as the costumed crimefighter Abraham Slam.
21	* Quackerjack in the 2010 ''ComicBook/DarkwingDuck'' comic. In [[WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck the actual series]], he was a rather goofy, silly villain. Now he's blowing up buildings, ripping up robots for [[BerserkButton mentioning Negaduck]], and generally taking control of the Fearsome [[strike: Five]] Four.
22	** In the same vein, you also have Gosalyn and Launchpad. At the end of the first storyline, [[spoiler:Gosalyn has control of the Gizmoduck suit, becoming Gosmoduck, and Launchpad is given Quackwerks by Scrooge [=McDuck=], giving him a literal army of robots at his disposal.]]
23	* The 1st volume of French comic ''Dungeon'' revolves around initially helpless and cowardly lead character Herbert the duck Taking a Level in Badass over and over again. By the end, he has a magic sword he's one Great Deed away from being able to wield, that, if touched by another, will turn him into one of its previous bearers to defend itself -- unfortunately, not all of them are awesome, and it can be exploited by forcing him to cycle through forms too quickly to actually react -- can't be killed by normal means because [[SoulJar his heart was first removed, then eaten by a Bewmew]] -- granting it a soul, and the now-sapient... blob-thingy now acts as his loyal servant and bodyguard in thanks -- and is a master of the stick and the feather -- since he's a duck and ''covered'' with feathers, this means he can dismember and eviscerate opponents completely unarmed.
24	* In the first issue of ''[[ComicBook/GIJoeIDW G.I. Joe: Cobra]]'', we watch Chuckles gain Badass XP in a training sequence with Jinx.
25	** Chuckles has always been badass in the comics. He has consistently been shown as a competent combatant, and as a veteran undercover agent he's one of the most skilled intelligence analysts and operation planners in G.I. Joe. On top of that is the undercover work itself, where his NervesOfSteel show best. The problem is that most people take one look at him, and decide he's a joke based purely on appearance.
26	* In ''ComicBook/TheIncredibles'', Xander goes from a regular teenager to a self-made super that can keep up with Violet.
27	* ''ComicBook/KickAss'':
28	** In Volume 1, Kick-Ass was absolutely pathetic in a fight. In Volume 2, he receives TrainingFromHell from Hit-Girl and learns how to actually fight. Heck, during his team-up with Doctor Gravity, he effortlessly beats the tar out of two hoods (something he couldn't do in the first issue of the series), and this is before Hit-Girl's training! In Volume 3, he holds his own against six thugs, two of whom were holding guns to his head at the start. Though he eventually loses, he points out his one mistake immediately after the fact, implying that he was ''capable'' of taking them on a good day.
29	** [[spoiler:Averted and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in Volume 2. Before killing Colonel Stars, Red Mist says [[Franchise/{{Batman}} he was going to travel the world and learn martial arts]]... until he remembered he was rich and could just ''[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney pay]]'' other people to do his fighting for him. That and his trainers were swindling him, with a 'task' ripped off ''Film/BatmanBegins'' because it looked cool]].
30	* Scrooge [=McDuck=] doesn't just gain ''one'' level during the course of his life in ''ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck'' -- he gains twelve. In fact, he gets so badass that people all over the globe have heard of him and his exploits; in fact, he scares away ''Wyatt Earp'', the legendary gunslinger, by simply standing beside him. Every Chapter has a third part in which the raw badassery of Scrooge shows just how he defeated his adversaries and became the richest duck in the world, including destroying an entire steamboat alone, unarmed, and ''while chained down''. [[BerserkButton Never mock Scrooge's family.]]
31	* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'': With a dose of ConservationOfNinjutsu; the rank-and-file changelings are a lot more competent this time around than they were in the show, ''especially'' in Issue #2.
32	** Issue #2 is the first time that the audience gets to see the changelings use something besides direct combat. They are '''much''' more dangerous outside of a melee, using indirect attacks to divide their enemies and turn them against each other, without them even realizing that the changelings are attacking them.
33	* At the beginning of the ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' series, Paperinik finds that his usual kit of goofy weapons and tools are largely useless against an invading armada of inter-stellar aliens. When he stumbles on the [=151st=] floor of Ducklair Tower, he finds that the resident AI, One, is more than willing to supply him with the necessary weapons and gear necessary to combat not only aliens, but also rogue time-travelers, [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt high-level space-time anomalies]], [[AIIsACrapshoot malevolent AIs]], suicide terrorists... in short, his competence level goes up significantly.
34	* Lawrence Dobson from ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' received a Level of Badass in the ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' comic books.
35	* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', Antoine D'Coolette used to oscillate between [[MilesGloriosus cowardly, uppity jerk]] and {{Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey\|s}}. Then about 45 issues in, he [[ThePowerOfLove fell in love with Bunnie Rabbot]]. He proceeded [[TheSoCalledCoward to grow a backbone]], becoming a competent swordsman, leading up to his survival in the Anti-Mobius dimension (from which Anti-Sonic, below, came). One can actually track each time he takes up a level in badass over the series, up to his current level. Now he's a respected leader and fighter, and [[BetaCouple Bunnie's husband]].
36	** There were signs of Antoine's improvement were as early as Issue 23, which both had the first hints at romance between him and Bunnie, and Antoine both showing bravery and generally behaving a lot better. His capability in combat was already starting to be established by this time, as in the very next number, not only does he fight as well as Patch/Evil Antoine, who didn't have the cowardly personality, he also easily dispatches Boomer/Evil Rotor.
37	*** Of course, far be it from Sonic to [[NeverLiveItDown let him live it down]]:[[note]]This exchange is from Sonic #204.[[/note]]
38	---->'''Sonic:''' Remember your old yellow streak?\
39	'''Antoine:''' Oui. I recall it all too well.\
40	'''Sonic:''' Because I totally could bring it up right now.\
41	'''Antoine:''' I know.\
42	'''Sonic:''' I've got a list.\
43	'''Antoine:''' Stop eet.
44	** Evil Sonic, Sonic's EvilTwin ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin duh]]), is nothing more than a minor pest, at best. He spends his time either playing underling for more powerful villains, or behaving like a glorified thug. However, when the new writer comes into the comic, Evil Sonic gets jacked up on chaos energy, gets a makeover, changes his name to "Scourge", and proceeds to kick his threat level up a notch. It doesn't stop there, however -- after a few "inspiring" words from Sonic, he returns to his home dimension, applies himself, and conquers his own version of "Moebius" in a matter of DAYS.
45	** Amy Rose went from a young, innocent DamselInDistress in the Sonic CD issue to a mallet-swinging [[TookALevelInBadass force to be reckoned with]] by the Sonic Adventure arc (which went hand-in-hand with similar development [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure in the game itself]]). While she was previously repeatedly rejected a Freedom Fighter status, she eventually proved herself after single-handedly turning the tide in a handful of battles and is now essentially in the same capability tier as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
46	** Thanks to [[CosmicRetcon the Super Genesis Wave]] from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogMegaManWorldsCollide'', ''all the Freedom Fighters'' have taken levels of badass. Sonic has obtained his grinding skills and his Homing Attack, him and Tails can perform the tag-team Spin Attack from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 Episode II'', Rotor's now a GeniusBruiser capable of flinging Badniks with ease, Antoine can now ''Spin Attack with his sword'' and Sally has [[BladeBelowTheShoulder energy blades on her gloves.]] Bunnie? Well, she got back her mechanical limbs, something she lost prior. Even Big the Cat has gotten a real boost up, not only getting a Spin Attack of his own, but also being declared ''the'' strongest character in the series, stopping Silver Sonic in Spin Attack mode with his bare hands and tossing him away and lifting a car and tossing it away as if you were just tossing a chair pillow to the side.
47	* Several characters gradually become stronger over the events of Fleetway's ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic''. Amy is the most obvious example, with her transition from girly DamselInDistress to a [[ImprobableAimingSkills crack shot]] AdaptationalBadass and [[NumberTwo second in command]] of the Freedom Fighters. Tails also undergoes development from whiny coward to active contributing member to the Freedom Fighters' efforts as well, most notably after Sonic gets stranded in the Special Zone. Additionally, Johnny Lightfoot and Porker Lewis start out as regular Mobian critters that are just there to be captured by Robotnik's forces, but formally join the team later in an active capacity.
48	* ''ComicBook/StarTrekIDW'': Several of the Away Team members, including Hendorff, Zahra and Kai turn out to be just as capable as the command crew. Notably in "The Khitomer Incident", Zahra and Kai beat up a squad of Klingon guards before freeing the crew. Kirk makes a point of referencing how they should be present on more Away missions in the future.
49	* The [[ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW IDW continuity]] of Franchise/{{Transformers}} had a number of characters take a few levels in their stories.
50	** [[spoiler: Shockwave, once a good-hearted but weak senator becomes one almost tragically when he is disfigured and his mind warped to become devoid of emotions, becoming the ruthlessly deadly cyclops we know and love.]]
51	** Devastator combines this with AdaptationalBadass. His debut in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersAllHailMegatron'' established him as powerful, but Omega Supreme took him down easily. After the Constructicons get an upgrade [[spoiler: and Prowl is brought in to forcibly replace the deceased Scrapper]] Devastator is even more powerful than ever defeating Superion and going toe-to-toe with Monstructor who's own debut had him tear Omega apart.
52	** Several Decepticons are upgraded in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise'' to make them bulkier and more powerful. Soundwave, Rumble and Ravage are some of the few along with the Constructicons. This is downplayed with Frenzy though, as while he's been given better armor and had his sonic scream upgraded, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome the atmosphere of Cybertron is thinner than earth]] so his main attack is less effective.
53	** Superion even takes one in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersCombinerWars''. Whilst he was originally made by Megatron's hasty combiner experiments, and was powerful, but none too smart. Though he put up a good fight, Devastator wasted him. However, after extensive repairs by Wheeljack and the Enigma of Combination (as well as Alpha Bravo brought on to replace a severely damaged member and Powerglide joining the team to serve as a weapon), Superion returns to form. He's smarter and better armored, with his debut fight against Menasor ending in a smash victory.
54	* In ''ComicBook/{{Violine}}'', an early villain, Muller, falls to his apparent death in a crocodile filled death trap, loses both arms while fighting them off, and becomes the series' bigger bad after taking a level, becoming a near unstoppable menace.

Context TookALevelInBadass / ComicBooks