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Author: Earnest

Sep 16th 2012 at 9:20:53 AM

The DataVampires keep deleting my update. Parking it here in the meantime.

New title: GracefulInTheirElement.

This character is much like a duck: they're awkward and clumsy on land, but put them in the water or in the air? Poetry in motion.

There's a lot of variation in this trope. Usually the character is TheKlutz (or a less unintentionally destructive MightyGlacier) on land, but if given a chance they're very GracefulInTheirElement. The variation comes in on what that more natural element might be. On the water they could be a champion swimmer, skier or sailor. Ice-wise they could be an angelic skater. In the air they might be an AcePilot. If machines are involved they'll be a BadassDriver with ImprobablePilotingSkills, and be able to turn a HumongousMecha into an ImpossiblyGracefulGiant. If fighting, dancing or ''both'' are involved, they may be a consummate DanceBattler.

This {{Hidden Depth|s}} is used either for humor or to add a level of dichotomy to a character. It can make them seem a bit otherworldly; they're helpless on land, but they're so graceful ''outside'' of it that it seems like they don't really belong in this world. This can be further reinforced if the awkwardness is due to a physical disability, so it becomes a case where putting someone in a new medium where they're on a level playing field with everyone else [[InspirationallyDisadvantaged lets them surpass their limitations.]]

To a certain extent this is TruthInTelevision. Moving in a different medium like asphalt, ice and zero-g vacuum requires an entirely new skill set that doesn't completely map out with bipedal terrestrial locomotion. While being naturally graceful and aware of kinesthetics makes learning skating or piloting easier, it's by no means a free pass.

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!!Examples:

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* In ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', while Akane doesn't know her own strength on land she is revealed to be a very gifted and graceful skater, unlike graceful-on-land Ranma.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* In the DCUniverse, this is the background of one of the Sea Devils.  He's a musclebound oaf on land, but he takes up diving and discovers he's a graceful swimmer.
* May apply to Awkwardman of the InferiorFive--none of their cases takes place underwater.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Philip, the protagonist of the novel ''OfHumanBondage'', was born with a club foot and walks with a limp, but is a strong swimmer.
* Victor Krum in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' is described as duck-like on land, but fantastically gifted on a broomstick.

[[AC:{{Film}} -- Animated]]
* Sid the sloth in ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' is hardly graceful on land, but a throwaway gag showed him as a skilled ice skater while Diego and Manny slip and fall. This came in useful towards the end when it turns out he's equally good at skiing.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* While he's not really clumsy, Wash in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' is an ace pilot.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* In ''TheTick'', the character Sewer Urchin becomes much less of a RainMan-like character when a case actually takes the group into the sewers. (The Tick and Arthur, conversely, begin to act the way Sewer Urchin does when he's above ground.)
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' Teo is a master pilot able to outperform Aang ''without'' being able to [[BlowYouAway Airbend]]. He's also [[InspirationallyDisadvantaged in a wheelchair.]]