History Main / TooQuirkyToLose

See also KarmaHoudini, which is the basic idea behind this trope, but applied to villains.

Ironically, this character does not necessarily have to be TheAce. In fact, they are sometimes a total loser (and not always even a CoolLoser) who triumphs through a fluke or dumb luck - or sometimes simply because they are simply [[AchievementsInIgnorance too stupid to realize defeat]].

** Somewhat unsurprisingly, [[TheDitz Ralph Wiggum]] got this treatment once on ''TheSimpsons''. In particular, one thinks of the episode in which he entered "Diorama-Rama" a contest for the second-graders at Springfield Elementary. He didn't even try to make a diorama (mostly because he didn't know what a diorama was), instead simply bringing in a box full of vintage ''Franchise/StarWars'' figures. Despite the fact that Ralph clearly didn't even qualify, Principal Skinner so enjoyed seeing the vintage action figures that he gave Ralph first prize anyway. Ralph gleefully [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] the trope, chanting: "I beat the smart kids! I beat the smart kids!" - until, that is, he fell on the box of figures and [[AccidentalInnuendo bent his Wookiee]].

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' titled "Top Of The Line" would have involved Gir, Mimi, Chip, and other sir units competing to be named the best model of Sir units, after certain circumstances all sirs other than the defective Gir are unable to continue and Gir wins.

** Somewhat unsurprisingly, [[TheDitz Ralph Wiggum]] got this treatment once on ''TheSimpsons''. In particular, one thinks of the episode in which he entered "Diorama-Rama" a contest for the second-graders at Springfield Elementary. He didn't even try to make a diorama (mostly because he didn't know what a diorama was), instead simply bringing in a box full of vintage ''StarWars'' figures. Despite the fact that Ralph clearly didn't even qualify, Principal Skinner so enjoyed seeing the vintage action figures that he gave Ralph first prize anyway. Ralph gleefully [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] the trope, chanting: "I beat the smart kids! I beat the smart kids!" - until, that is, he fell on the box of figures and [[AccidentalInnuendo bent his Wookiee]].

* The title character of ''Film/ForrestGump''.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Island'' was won by Owen. Owen, who wasn't physically fit, wasn't very smart, and often times was the load for his tribe, won the first season.

A participant in a contest of some sort is really not as good as some of the other participants, but wins first prize anyway thanks to a combination of various factors, but primarily sheer chutzpah.

This trope should be distinguished from PopularityPower, because the person in question usually isn't popular at all. It's also closely related to CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass and {{Determinator}}. The term [[EnsembleDarkhorse "dark horse"]] is a more charitable way of referring to a character with these attributes. Such a "dark horse" may win a DarkHorseVictory if two superior competitors ignore them while focusing their efforts on each other.

* The [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek]] myth of Arachne is...unclear on this. The basic elements of the story: Arachne was a young woman who was so talented at weaving that it drew comparisons to even Athena, who challenged her to a contest; when the dust has settled, Arachne has been turned into a spider (which is where the term "arachnids" comes from). The problem is that since many myths were passed on via OralTradition, the specifics vary wildly from telling to telling. Some of the time Arachne is a boastful {{Jerkass}} who brought the wrath of Olympus down on herself, while other times Athena is a JerkassGod who couldn't tolerate a mere mortal being anywhere near her level. Sometimes Arachne wins the contest and the transformation is Athena being spiteful, other times she loses and and the transformation is punishment for her pride, and still other times the transformation is seen as a good thing (such as the version where Arachne loses and [[DrivenToSuicide hangs herself]] and Athena changes her out of pity and as a tribute to her talents). So whether Arachne falls under this trope or not really depends on which version of the story one is reading.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' titled "Top Of The Line" would have involved Gir, Mimi, Chip and other sir units competing to be named the best model of Sir units, after certain circumstances all sirs other than the defective Gir are unable to continue and Gir wins.

* In the 2006 reality-TV competition ''Skating With Celebrities'', actress [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Kristy Swanson]] really wasn't as good an ice-skater as her chief rival, TV reporter Jillian Barberie. But the judges on that show were so impressed by the heroic effort put forth by Swanson and her partner (and future husband) Lloyd Eisler that in the end they awarded her the trophy anyway. (Of course, it helped that Barberie suffered a groin injury fairly early in the competition, which noticeably limited her ability to perform her most dazzling stunts.)

This trope should be distinguished from PopularityPower, because the person in question usually isn't popular at all. It's also closely related to CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, CrazyAwesome, and {{Determinator}}. The term [[EnsembleDarkhorse "dark horse"]] is a more charitable way of referring to a character with these attributes. Such a "dark horse" may win a DarkHorseVictory if two superior competitors ignore them while focusing their efforts on each other.

* During [[VillainEpisode the unauthorized]] Wrestling/{{ROH}} BizarroEpisode ''A Night Of Hoopla'' Davey Richards won a "pants off dance off" despite keeping his pants on. Granted, the fans were adamant he leave them on when he started taking them off...

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'' was won by Owen. Owen, who wasn't physically fit, wasn't very smart, and often times was the load for his tribe, won the first season.

* The title character of ''ForrestGump''.

* Subverted in the [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek]] tale of Arachne. Arachne was a {{Jerkass}} weaver who claimed to be able to create more exquisite tapestries than even the goddesses of Olympus could. Unable to tolerate this boasting, the goddess Athena challenged this mortal girl to a weaving contest. Remarkably, despite being only a human, Arachne did outperform Athena at the loom - which even Athena herself had to admit. But, with [[TooDumbToLive fatal foolishness]], Arachne went the extra step of taunting Athena by including in her tapestry design an offensive caricature of her father, Zeus. Athena punished the girl by turning her into a spider - which is why eight-legged arthropods are to this day known as "arachnids."
** In a different version of the story, Arachne didn't mock Athena, who was a JerkassGod and turned her into a spider out of rage from losing.
** In another different version of the story, Athena's original punishment was to paralyze Arachne's hands, when Arachne begged Athena to have pity on her, Athena turned her into a spider so that she could continue to weave.
** And in yet another, Arachne ''hangs'' herself after the contest - Athena turns her dangling corpse into a spider on its silk.
** And in ''another'', Arachne ''[[AvertedTrope does lose]]'', and is turned into a spider as punishment for daring to challenge the gods.
** And in ''yet another'', Arachne loses, but the bet was that the loser wouldn't be allowed to use a spinning wheel anymore- Athena transforms her out of ''mercy''.

** He was also a Tag Team champion at one time. His partner: a straight-faced Russian stereotype, who he convinced to join in with his post-match trumpet mime celebrations when they won.
* In the summer of 2007, Mae Young won a Divas' Bikini Contest on ''Friday Night [=SmackDown=]!'' despite A) wearing a standard one-piece bathing suit instead of a bikini; and B) ''being 84 years old''. She did try to prove she deserved to win afterward by [[FanDisservice starting to strip off her swimsuit]], but thankfully the other Divas stopped her.

* ''TotalDramaIsland'' was won by Owen. Owen, who wasn't physically fit, wasn't very smart, and often times was the load for his tribe, won the first season.

[[folder:Live-Action Television]]

* Along the same lines, in StrictlyComeDancing (the British equivalent of DancingWithTheStars), John Sergeant's complete lack of dancing ability did not in any way affect his popularity with the viewing public. Despite routinely receiving awful scores from the judges the viewers kept voting for him to stay in since he was so likable and entertaining. He eventually pulled out after ten weeks as he felt it would be unfair if he actually won the competition.

* Subverted in the [[ClassicalMythology Greek]] tale of Arachne. Arachne was a {{Jerkass}} weaver who claimed to be able to create more exquisite tapestries than even the goddesses of Olympus could. Unable to tolerate this boasting, the goddess Athena challenged this mortal girl to a weaving contest. Remarkably, despite being only a human, Arachne did outperform Athena at the loom - which even Athena herself had to admit. But, with [[TooDumbToLive fatal foolishness]], Arachne went the extra step of taunting Athena by including in her tapestry design an offensive caricature of her father, Zeus. Athena punished the girl by turning her into a spider - which is why eight-legged arthropods are to this day known as "arachnids."

Ironically, this character does not necessarily have to be TheAce. In fact, he or she is sometimes a total loser (and not always even a CoolLoser) who triumphs through a fluke or dumb luck - or sometimes simply because he or she is simply [[AchievementsInIgnorance too stupid to realize defeat]].

This trope should be distinguished from PopularityPower, because the person in question usually isn't popular at all. It's also closely related to CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, CrazyAwesome, and {{Determinator}}. The term [[EnsembleDarkhorse "dark horse"]] is a more charitable way of referring to a character with these attributes. Such a "dark horse" may win a DarkHorseVictory if two superior competitors ignore him while focusing their efforts on each other.