These characters are MoreThanMeetsTheEye. They are badasses but are lacking in traits typically associated with your average everyday Hollywood ActionHero so their true strength may come as a surprise to both the viewer and whoever is unlucky enough to piss them off.

They're the badass you least expect.

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!!This character is a badass, but [[UnderestimatingBadassery you wouldn't expect it because they are]]...

[[index]]
* ActionDad - a dad
* ActionFashionista - too obsessed with the latest trends.
* ActionGirlfriend - someone's girlfriend
* ActionPolitician - a politician
* ActionMom - a mom
* ActionSurvivor - someone who lacks the asskicking skills
* AdaptationalBadass - not a badass in the original
* AgentPeacock - too much of a girly male
* AlmightyJanitor - too blue-collar
* {{Ambadassador}} - an ambassador
* AmbiguouslyTrained - currently in a mundane profession
* AwakeningTheSleepingGiant - a neutral person/faction
* BadassAdorable - too cute
* BadassBookworm - too nerdy
* BadassBureaucrat - a paper-pusher
* BadassBystander - just some random passerby
* BadassNormal - a normal around a bunch of superhumans
* BadassOnPaper - unimpressive in person
* BadassPacifist - sincerely not gonna physically fight
* BadassPreacher - a preacher
* BadassSanta - Santa Claus himself
* BadassTeacher - just teaching his students until you threatened them and ItsPersonal
* BewareTheNiceOnes - too nice
* BewareTheQuietOnes - too [[TheQuietOne quiet]] or [[ShrinkingViolet shy]]
* BewareTheSillyOnes - Being the PluckyComicRelief
* BlindWeaponmaster - blind
* BodyguardingABadass - letting others fight for them
* BrilliantButLazy - [[LazyBum too]] [[TheSlacker lazy]]
* BroughtDownToBadass - BroughtDownToNormal
* BullyingADragon - not going to ''use'' their strength, right?
* CampyCombat - fights too flamboyantly
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower - a normal that can do superhuman feats after intensive training
* ChefOfIron - a cook
* ClarkKentOutfit - hiding it under their clothes
* CombatMedic - TheMedic
* CoolOldGuy - a man who is too elderly
* CorneredRattlesnake - weak and cornered
* CowardlyLion - [[LovableCoward too afraid]]
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass - [[TooDumbToLive too]] [[TheDitz stupid]], incompetent or ineffectual
* CuteBruiser - too cute
* DamselOutOfDistress - a [[DamselInDistress damsel]]
* DancingRoyalty - unskilled
* DeadlyDoctor - a doctor
* DeceptivelyCuteCritter - a cute little animal
* DorkKnight - too dorky
* EffortlessAmazonianLift - ''just'' a strong girl
* EmotionalBruiser - easily aroused emotionally
* FalseInnocenceTrick - just an InnocentBystander... right?
* FightingClown - too funny-looking or [[BewareTheSillyOnes -acting]]
* FluffyTheTerrible - given too cutesy a name
* GirlyBruiser - too girly
* GoodIsNotDumb - not that smart
* GoodIsNotSoft - a forgiving person
* GooGooGodlike - a baby
* HandicappedBadass - handicapped
* HeartbrokenBadass - too despondent
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower - [[BlessedWithSuck gifted with]] [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway a seemingly lame superpower]]
* HeroicNeutral - someone who'd otherwise mind their own business
* HypercompetentSidekick - a skilled sidekick
* IronWoobie - too sympathetic
* KickingAssInAllHerFinery - [[TemptingFate not gonna start a fight in that dress]]
* KillerRabbit - too cute and harmless-looking
* KungFuJesus - too [[MessianicArchetype Messianic]]
* LadyOfWar - too refined to get her hands dirty
* LethalHarmlessPowers - someone with primarily non-lethal powers
* LethalJokeCharacter - a JokeCharacter.
* LetsGetDangerous - not [[InformedAbility an actual threat]]...
* LittleMissAlmighty - a little girl, or [[OlderThanTheyLook looks like one]]
* LittleMissBadass - a little girl, or [[OlderThanTheyLook looks like one]]
* MamaBear - a mom (or a motherly person)
* MartialPacifist - a peace-loving person
* MoreDeadlyThanTheMale - a proper lady
* MinoredInAssKicking - so smart and sophisticated that they see ass-kicking as beneath them
* MuggingTheMonster - not going to hit ''back'', right?
* MuggleWithADegreeInMagic - an unpowered individual in the middle of powers
* MusclesAreMeaningless - too scrawny
* NerdActionHero - too nerdy
* NeverMessWithGranny - a little old lady
* NonPoweredCostumedHero - too ordinary
* NothingNiceAboutSugarAndSpice - too girly
* NotSoHarmlessVillain - a HarmlessVillain
* NotSoWeak - too meek to defend themselves
* ObfuscatingDisability - hiding it by being disabled
* ObfuscatingInsanity - hiding it by acting [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} insane]]
* ObfuscatingStupidity - hiding it by acting [[TheDitz stupid]]
* PapaWolf - a dad
* PintSizedPowerhouse - too small
* PopCulturedBadass - too nerdy
* PregnantBadass - pregnant
* PrettyPrincessPowerhouse - a dainty-looking princess
* RealMenWearPink - someone who has less than manly pastimes
* ReligiousBruiser - a religious person
* ReluctantWarrior - someone who'd rather not fight
* RetiredBadass - retired
* SavageSetpiece - just part of the background
* SilkHidingSteel - too quiet and refined
* TheSoCalledCoward - a supposed coward
* SpecsOfAwesome - wearing glasses
* StrongerThanTheyLook - weak-looking
* SubmissiveBadass - subservient to other people or principles
* SuccessThroughInsanity - too insane
* SuperStrongChild - a little child
* TookALevelInBadass - not a badass previously
* TranquilFury - too calm
* UnconsciousObjector - already losing consciousness
* UnskilledButStrong - lacking the skills to apply his strength
* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend - someone's girlfriend
* WaifFu - a petite female
* WeakButSkilled - lacking the strength to apply their skills
* WhosLaughingNow - originally a wimp
* WillNotBeAVictim - apparently already conquered
* {{Xenafication}} - previously not an ActionGirl

Then again, [[WorldOfBadass anyone might turn out to be a secret badass]]. [[BadassUnintentional Even if they never wanted to be in the first place.]]
[[/index]]
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