History DarthWiki / WhatAnIdiot

[[caption-width-right:350: Protip: Never sign your name on a ransom note.]]

* GreedMakesYouDumb: A character who does stupid things out of a desire to gain more money, power or whatever else they desire.

* FellAsleepDriving: A character falls asleep in the middle of driving, [[LethallyStupid with predictably]] [[TooDumbToLive disastrous results]].

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: A character that is in trouble has powers that could get them out of it or at least help a lot, but they don't think to use them.

* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: This character trusts someone that others suspect is not trustworthy (at best)[[labelnote:*]]for example, a LovableRogue might be [[ChaoticGood well-intentioned]], but they're still a ''rogue'' and you still shouldn't ''trust'' them, especially if you happen to fit the profile of their typical marks[[/labelnote]] and/or is ObviouslyEvil (at worst).

And please, as tempting as it is to defend your favorite work from forcing the IdiotBall into its characters' hands, refrain from making Administrivia/{{Justifying Edit}}s. With a CardCarryingVillain or IdiotHero, a few of these are to be expected. Also, ''[[Administrivia/TropesAreTools do not assume that something listed here automatically makes it a bad work]]''; it is usually more along the lines of "something else that is better could have been done". As explained on IdiotBall, characters being idiotic can often serve as a weakness to them and sometimes make them more-or-less well-developed. And, of course, some characters are ''supposed'' to be idiots (or outright naïve at best), in which case we probably don't need a full and complete list of every stupid thing they do; a brief summing up would be more helpful. Characters making foolish decisions can also result in [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments funny]] or [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] moments, and therefore add to the enjoyability of a work; so writers can and have invoked this trope intentionally.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: A character that is in trouble has powers that could get them out of it or at least help a lot, but they don't use them.

And please, as tempting as it is to defend your favorite work from forcing the IdiotBall into its characters' hands, refrain from making Administrivia/{{Justifying Edit}}s. With a CardCarryingVillain or IdiotHero, a few of these are to be expected. If the work as a whole has an IdiotPlot, it goes on that page instead. Also, ''[[Administrivia/TropesAreTools do not assume that something listed here automatically makes it a bad work]]''; it is usually more along the lines of "something else that is better could have been done". As explained on IdiotBall, characters being idiotic can often serve as a weakness to them and sometimes make them more-or-less well-developed. And, of course, some characters are ''supposed'' to be idiots (or outright naïve at best), in which case we probably don't need a full and complete list of every stupid thing they do; a brief summing up would be more helpful. Characters making foolish decisions can also result in [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments funny]] or [[RuleOfDrama dramatic]] moments, and therefore add to the enjoyability of a work; so writers can and have invoked this trope intentionally.

[[folder:Tropes commonly associated with "What an Idiot!"]]

* PaperThinDisguise: A (usually shady) character does such a poor job at disguising themselves that their identity is ''incredibly'' obvious to the audience, but the other characters don't recognize them.

* RevengeBeforeReason: This character has suffered a lot[[note]][[EvilIsPetty or perhaps not]][[/note]], but they allow the desire for {{Revenge}} against those who have hurt them to override their common sense, creating far more problems than it solves.

* LeeroyJenkins: An impulsive combatant decides to make a frontal assault when the situation doesn't call for one, ignoring orders and/or more pragmatic tactics.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: A character is in trouble has powers that could get them out of it or at least help a lot, but they don't use them.

* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: This character trusts someone that others suspect is not trustworthy and/or is ObviouslyEvil.

* PoorCommunicationKills: A character doesn't disclose--or worse, actively withholds--important information, with disastrous results.