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So you're in charge. Especially in a dangerous environment. Are you going to take care of your people or sacrifice them to your convenience? Or something in between?
There's been a lot of fiction written about this. Here are some points along the scale and their associated tropes.
The Superman
This is the leader who makes sure to take the most dangerous or onerous duties on himself. Usually The Hero and often The Cape or a Knight in Shining Armor. More likely to lead a handful of True Companions than an army, as he hates the thought of getting thousands of people killed. If he does lead an army, he's likely to be a Four Star Badass, A Father to His Men and is certain to put The Men First.
The Theoden
This is the leader who takes a roughly equal share of the danger, consistently Risking The King. If Asskicking Equals Authority, this is likely to inspire Undying Loyalty. If the leader is just not as Bad Ass as his troops, this may be seen as Honor Before Reason or even Death Seeking.
The Hammond
Usually a Reasonable Authority Figure who gets out of the way of his men so that they can do their job. He stays back at Mission Control, where he may or may not do much during the mission. Still, if things go badly wrong, he's likely to Go Down With His Ship. Likely to be an Officer and a Gentleman. Most likely to suffer from The Chains of Commanding, though that can effect others as well. If he is significantly stronger than his underlings, this can turn into Orcus on His Throne.
The Magneto
Named after the movie version, not the comic book version. This is the leader who has reserves and isn't reluctant to spend them. His men mean less to him than victory. Often a Glory Hound, General Failure of flat-out Villain. In darker works, this can also be a good character who had to do it because the alternative was even worse. Such a character may later be found Drowning His Sorrows.
The Xykon
This is the extreme Bad Boss who sacrifices his Mooks any time they are No Longer Useful or simply For the Evulz. Always a villain.
Just the Tropes
(This index is sorted from most responsible to least responsible; please add new tropes accordingly.)
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