History Main / AlwaysSecondBest

->''"He's always willing to be second best, the perfect lodger, the perfect guest..."''
-->-- '''Music/BobSeger,''' "Beautiful Loser"

* The Rivals from the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games, especially Blue and Silver. They're all highly skilled trainers who manage to beat all eight Gym Leaders (and, in Blue's case, the Elite Four) yet always manage to lose to the player. The first two generations tied this into AnAesop about ThePowerOfLove, but in the third and fourth generations, you're just better than them.

* Alice in ''LightNovel/EvenThoughImAFormerNobleAndSingleMother'' is the empress of the Empire thanks to marrying Albert, the emperor, yet she's envious of her older sister Shirley. For starters, Shirley was once Albert's fiancée, with Alice needing to seduce Albert and frame Shirley for various crimes in order to achieve her current position. But after leaving the Empire, Shirley became a semi-immortal and even had two daughters (having been impregnated by Albert previously). This means Shirley retains her beauty even when she's in her thirties (whereas Alice needs to use makeup to cover up her signs of aging) and has two children with the blood of the imperial family (whereas Alice is unable to bear Albert any children due to a congenital illness).

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': Sugou Nobuyuki serves as this to Akihiko Kayaba. When Kayaba effortlessly overrides Sugou's control of ALO and grants Kirito admin privileges to turn the tide, Sugou's immediate response is to throw a temper tantrum, whining about how even in death, Kayaba's getting in his way and one-upping him.

* Deconstructed in ''[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-heroic-chronicles-of-a-young-man-youjo-senki-my-hero-academia.875316/#post-69645732 The Heroic Chronicles of a Young Man]]''. Both Tenya Deguchiya and his mother think him mediocre for never winning and having a less powerful Quirk than her. Everyone else points out how hypercompetent Tenya is based off the fact he's second place in ''everything'' he tries and that not only is his mother's Quirk ludicrously powerful, but that Tenya's is insanely versatile. Tenya's mother fires [[FingerFirearms laser beams from her fingers]] and generates more power in thirty minutes than all her coworkers combined can in a day. Tenya's "Mathmagician" essentially gives him the magic from ''LightNovel/SagaOfTanyaTheEvil'', allowing him to do pretty much anything that he can figure out the appropriate formula for, from flight to explosions to [[MundaneUtility removing staples]].

* This has become a defining character trait for Luigi from the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'' series from ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' and onward, though he rarely complains about it. This is especially prominent in the early games in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series, where Bowser can't even bother to remember his name, with him nearly snapping in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime''. Later games in the ''M&L'' series take pains to show him as an equal or even better to Mario, with ''Dream Team'' making Luigi a focal point of the game.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'': Apparently, Chick Hicks has been "chasing that tail fin" his entire career, always trying to beat The King. [[spoiler:He wins the big race, but the fans were so upset at [[UnnecessaryRoughness what he did to win]] that [[PyrrhicVictory the "victory" wasn't worth it]].]]

* Alan from ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' spent his life feeling like he was living in the shadow of his twin brother Geordo, who excelled in everything with ease while he always came up short (at least until he discovered he had a gift for music). As if to reflect this, Geordo has golden hair while Alan's is silver.

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', the #2 Level-5 Esper [[ImaginationBasedSuperpower Teitoku Kakine]] is obsessed with proving himself stronger than the #1 [[SuperpowerLottery Accelerator]], and it infuriates him to no end that Accelerator is both still #1 [[RedemptionDemotion despite receiving brain damage]] and [[UnknownRival doesn't really give a shit about him]]. [[spoiler:It doesn't end well for Kakine [[BrainInAJar either]] [[DeathOfPersonality time]] he fights Accelerator either, although technically the second time was due to [[SplitPersonalityTakeover outside interference]].]]

* [[http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider.php?id=168509 Raymond Poulidor]], a French cyclist known for always ranking second (or close to second) in the races he participated in, to the point that his name became a French expression: "X is the Poulidor of this game", meaning X always comes second. Poulidor would earn eight podiums at UsefulNotes/TourDeFrance, finishing second on three occasions and third on five occasions.

** In ''WesternAnimation/{{The Return of Jafar}}'', the tables were turned. Jafar was delighted enough to [[VillainSong sing a whole song taunting Genie]], "You're Only Second Rate". This turnabout was justified as being set free from the lamp reduced Genie's power level a bit while Jafar was at the same level of power that Genie was when bound to the lamp.

* Ugurbado from ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho''. A VillainOfTheWeek that killed more people than the rest combined. As Max puts it, "The most dangerous man I ever knew was the one, who always ended up second best." Ambitious young Ugrubado joined a magical Order, advanced in ranks, figured he'd never become the Supreme Magister there and defected to their enemies, bringing some secrets. [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Several times.]] He ended up in the Order of Water Crow, assuring the resident OmnicidalManiac Loiso to content himself with being second to the world's best. After TheGoodKing banned dangerous magic, disbanded all Orders, but one, and hunted Water Crow members to death, Ugurbado went searching for more power. He found "The Reverse Side of the World's Heart, which grants power not to everybody, but to everyone" and somehow survived the process. [[spoiler:He became immortal — coming back to life with the [[PowerCopying powers of whoever killed him]]]]. To celebrate his return, he started an epidemic of [[FateWorseThanDeath soul-killing disease Anavuaina]], to [[spoiler:get killed by someone powerful]] and get stronger. Fortunately, Secret Police was forewarned (a bit too late, but before [[spoiler:an [[RealityWarper Arbiter]] killed him again]]) and Max managed to [[spoiler:restrain Ugurbado and have Anavuaina victims kill him, dooming him to die; [[CruelTwistEnding unfortunately]], Max's wife got infected and killed herself]]. Ugurbado's last act was finding Loiso in his TailorMadePrison and begging him [[spoiler:to kill him]]. Loiso [[EvenEvilHasStandards refused]].

* The mysterious villain of the Creator/AnthonyHorowitz book ''[[Literature/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer I Know What You Did Last Wednesday]]'', [[spoiler:Captain Randle/Johnny Nadler]], came second in every subject and never really stood out of the group he was part of in school (which consisted of everybody who came first). He doesn't respond too well; [[spoiler:he lures everybody who bested him to a secluded island and kills them with cruel and ironic death traps which somehow relate to the subject they beat him in]].

* The mysterious villain of the Creator/AnthonyHorowitz book ''[[Literature/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer I Know What You Did Last Wednesday]]'', [[spoiler:Captain Randle/Johnny Nadler]], came second in every subject and never really stood out of the group he was part of in school (which consisted of everybody who came first). He doesn't respond too well; [[spoiler:he lures everybody who bested him to a secluded island and kills them with cruel and ironic death traps which somehow relate to the subject they beat him in]]. [[Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer As it turns out, the people on the island ran over his wife and sons and they didn't even realize it.]]

** Argentina has been always a contender for winning major international titles and won several under-20 trophies during the 90s and 2000s. In TheNewTens it's had a generation consisting of some of the most decorated football players in history, most notably Lionel Messi. Before the ''Albiceleste'' finally broke through with a Copa América win in 2021, the last time Argentina won a senior competition was in ''1993'', and had lost six finals (four Copa América, one Confederations Cup and a World Cup) during that drought.

** It's been the story of Vegeta's life, ever since he met Gok- we mean, "[[InsistentTerminology Kakarot]]." No matter how hard he tries, or ''[[TrainingFromHell how much HARDER]]'' [[{{Determinator}} he continues to push himself]], Goku's {{power level|s}} is always greater. Which endlessly frustrates the Saiyan Prince.

** As of ''Dragon Ball Super'', [[spoiler: Goku is always second to Beerus, the God of Destruction in his universe, who himself is second to Whis]].

** May, Dawn and Serena all share the same fate in their respective fields in Pokemon Contests (for May and Dawn) and Showcases (for Serena); [[spoiler:like Ash, they go only as far as second place. In their peak positions, May lost to Solidad in the Kanto Grand Festival, Dawn to Zoey in the Sinnoh Grand Festival, and Serena to Aria in the Showcase Master Class]].

** By 1981 Music/ForeignerBand scored five Top 10 hits in ''Billboard'', with "Double Vision" hitting #2. Then "Waiting For a Girl Like You" spent an agonizing ''ten weeks'' at #2, kept out of the top spot mainly by [[Music/OliviaNewtonJohn Olivia Newton-John's]] "Physical". They finally got to #1 with "I Want To Know What Love Is" in 1984.

** By 1981 {{Music/ForeignerBand scored five Top 10 hits in ''Billboard'', with "Double Vision" hitting #2. Then "Waiting For a Girl Like You" spent an agonizing ''ten weeks'' at #2, kept out of the top spot mainly by [[Music/OliviaNewtonJohn Olivia Newton-John's]] "Physical". They finally got to #1 with "I Want To Know What Love Is" in 1984.

* The Rivals from the Franchise/{{Pokemon}} games, especially Blue and Silver. They're all highly skilled trainers who manage to beat all eight Gym Leaders (and, in Blue's case, the Elite Four) yet always manage to lose to the player. The first two generations tied this into AnAesop about ThePowerOfLove, but in the third and fourth generations, you're just better than them.

* This has become a defining character trait for Luigi from the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'' series from ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' and onward, though he rarely complains about it. This is especially prominent in the early games in the ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' series, where Bowser can't even bother to remember his name, with him nearly snapping in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime''. Later games in the M&L series take pains to show him as an equal or even better to Mario, with ''Dream Team'' making Luigi a focal point of the game.

** In ''WesternAnimation/{{The Return of Jafar}}'', the tables were turned. Jafar was delighted enough to [[VillainSong sing a whole song taunting Genie]], "You're Only Second Rate".

** By 1981 {{Music/Foreigner}} scored five Top 10 hits in ''Billboard'', with "Double Vision" hitting #2. Then "Waiting For a Girl Like You" spent an agonizing ''ten weeks'' at #2, kept out of the top spot mainly by [[Music/OliviaNewtonJohn Olivia Newton-John's]] "Physical". They finally got to #1 with "I Want To Know What Love Is" in 1984.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'': Apparently, Chick Hicks has been "chasing that tail fin" his entire career, always trying to beat The King. [[spoiler:He wins the big race, but the fans were so upset at [[UnnecessaryRoughness what he did to win]] [[PyrrhicVillainy the "victory" wasn't worth it]].]]

** Riki sees himself as this -- not as strong as Masato, as strong-willed as Kengo, or as [[TheAce generally perfect]] as [[BigBrotherMentor Kyousuke]], or anything really all that special in general. It actually doesn't bother him, though, and he's content to just follow after his friends for his whole life.