History Main / Badbutt

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Bart was conceived as a non-badbutt version of ComicStrip/{{Dennis the Menace|US}}, but {{follow|TheLeader}}ing [[BlackComedy edgier]] [[AnimatedShockComedy animated shows]] make him look like this trope by comparison. This was pointed out in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' Bart told Cartman he once [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E8TheTelltaleHead cut the head off a statue]], to which Cartman replied that he once [[Recap/SouthParkS5E4ScottTenormanMustDie tricked a boy into eating his parents]], and was used to great effect in the crossover episode with ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. Both Dennis and Bart show how Badbutt can overlap with MenaceDecay; both were legitimately pretty serious "bad kids" in their heyday, but ValuesDissonance means they just lost their impact over time.

Compare CluelessAesop, another trope where being kid-friendly can get in the way. RuleAbidingRebel is when a character doesn't even try to come off as this; FingerSnappingStreetGang, when the most intimidating thing a group of these characters ever does is snap their fingers in rhythmic unison; ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything, when a creator wants to depict a character with a badass profession, but never actually shows him or her doing anything related to said badass profession; RatedGForGangsta is when a genuinely edgy public figure turns themselves into one of these for marketing reasons. This character may also use ParentheticalSwearing and/or {{Unusual Euphemism}}s. See also DefangedHorrors.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* ''Film/{{Barbie|2005}}'': The "violence" in the beach battle of Kens with (mostly) unharmful beach toys as well as the showy "tough alpha guy" attitude of Beach Ken (Creator/RyanGosling) in that battle yet him never going to full physical blows against Rival Ken (Creator/SimuLiu) -- instead turning their rivalry into a dance number where they all hold hands at the end -- all give an extremely kid-friendly vibe on purpose (''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'' has never been a war/violence-oriented toy brand, after all). Mattel's CEO (Creator/WillFerrell) even mentions the absence of real weapons.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* For many crossovers involving family-friendly fare with even more DarkerAndEdgier titles, it's generally common to have cases with this.
[[/folder]]

** Moreover, the strip seems to have followed suit, culminating in the modern day where the very worst that can be said of Dennis is that he's... a [[MenaceDecay very mild annoyance,]] and frequently not even that.

* There is a Creator/DisneyXD sitcom called ''Series/ImInTheBand'' that is constructed entirely from this trope. It's kinda like Van Halen starring in ''Series/FullHouse''.

** Falco Lombardi is as hardcore as a fighter pilot in a game with an E rating can get. His favorite pastimes include kicking some tail and sarcastically calling you "Einstein." If he gets angry, he'll exclaim "Crud!"

** ''WebVideo/AvatarTheAbridgedSeries'' parodies Jet's status as this, where he makes the comment that he is so badass, that if the show weren't TV-Y7, instead of having a blade of grass in his mouth he'd [[SmokingIsCool have a cigarette.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/HighlanderTheAnimatedSeries.'' The kids version of a franchise about people chopping each others' heads off with swords for recreation. Only the BigBad and his henchman are ever allowed to kill anyone, and never fully on-screen.

** The Dark Hand itself. Supposedly an uber scary criminal syndicate with its hands in everything, and capable of giving the secret service organisation constant grief, they still don't use any guns and they'll only actually use weapons capable of drawing blood against Jackie who is capable of easily dodging them anyway. And this being a kids cartoon, the 3 most active henchmen resemble Film/TheThreeStooges more than professional criminal [=badasses=]. And of course they eventually hit massive VillainDecay, going from having a ton of members to just the three stooges henchmen, TheDragon (who went from nearly killing someone to being a strong yet bumbling opponent) and the leader who lost all his fighting skills and ended up a cowardly hobo.

* Whenever Creator/MarvelComics does a family-friendly book featuring ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} (such as ''Wolverine: First Class'') readers are treated to the sight of a berserker with foot-long, razor sharp, metal claws that never sheds any blood. This is usually accomplished by having him only use his claws on inanimate objects like doors and cars, and punching living creatures instead. How [[MechaMooks robots]] fare depends on how family-friendly the book is supposed to be -- i.e. "all ages" or "for kids only" -- and how [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman human-like]] the robots are. Having Wolverine constantly retract his claws during combat does have the side effect of allowing them to have Wolverine constantly ''extend'' his claws, which is his [[KineticClicking equivalent]] of [[DramaticGunCock dramatically cocking]] a [[ClickHello gun]]. Wolverine also never drinks or smokes in "family-friendly" books, though he rarely smokes in regular comics anymore these days either.
* ComicBook/{{Nova}} -- Sure, he can get quite violent with his powers (and there was that time he [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath killed Annihilus by reaching down his throat and ripping his internal organs out]]), but it's acknowledged and even lampshaded that he hates swearing and doesn't seem to like smoking or drinking either.

* Red Savarin of ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}'' is a friendly mercenary with a huge ego. He goes around with a StockFemurBone in his mouth, yelling "[[HoldYourHippogriffs Furballs!]]" and kicking butts with his custom made MiniMecha [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer by grabbing and throwing everything he see.]]

* * ''Series/DavyCrockett'': Mike Fink is both the most respected and most feared riverman in the territory. The first time his IAmGreatSong plays, people react with terror to him coming into their town for some business and carousing. Women are riding out of town and storekeepers are boarding up their windows to match with the lyrics in his song. However, the worst he does onscreen is make boasts, drink, lightly kick the ButtMonkey of his crew now and then, and get into bar fights that xan be destructive but don't live up to the level of terror he inspires.

* Jay and his group in ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'' were supposed to be the school's dangerous crowd of at-risk teens, but when the worst thing they did was break into a candy vending machine in the school...

* ''Literature/{{Pale}}'': Goblins tend to be extremely foul-mouthed, as they are embodiments of crudity, vulgarity, and generally being disgusting. Toadswallow is a goblin who tries to temper his language with somewhat more polite versions, because his particular business is working with Practitioner children who are being introduced to goblins. There's one scene where he's in the middle of singing a BawdySong but censors himself in the middle of a lyric because he noticed a child nearby. (This wasn't always the case with him. For instance, his name wasn't originally *Toad*swallow...)