History Main / BadassDamsel

* [[DoctorWho Jo Grant]] is essentially this, lying in the middle between Damsel-in-Distress and Action Girl.

* Akima from ''TitanAE''. By the time the others break her out of prison, she had knocked out all the other cellmates.

[[AC: WebComics]]
* In ''HowIKilledYourMaster'', After [[spoiler:Fang Lin]] has been beaten senseless and dragged off by bandits, Wong recruits some interested third parties to help him locate where they would have gone and mount a rescue. The first clue they are getting close is when [[spoiler:one of the bandits is kicked through a wall right in front of them... by Fang Lin.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Lois Lane: Rescuing herself before {{Superman}} arrives since 1986.]]

* Nia Teppelin of ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' will tell you she's not going to die. To your face. [[BadassDamsel While you're shoving a pistol into her forehead. Or about to snap her in half with your claws. Or about to demateralize her.]] She may not be able to fight you, but she ''will'' tell you to fuck off ([[{{Keigo}} only very]] [[IFeelAngry politely]]), because Simon's on his way, and that's a wave of pain you don't want to happen.

--> -- [[ThePollyanna Colette Brunel]], ''TalesOfSymphonia''

* As of chapter 57 of ''{{Kuroshitsuji}}'', [[DistressedDamsel Elizabeth]] [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel Middleford]] turned out to be a [[BadassAdorable quintessential example]] of this trope, proving just how much she deserves the [[BadassFamily Middleford title]] [[spoiler:by initially trying to hide her badass side and doing a very good job of it due to the fact that she didn't want Ciel to see her [[CuteBruiser "uncute"]] side, and then finally when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up [[DistressedDude injured and unable to save her]] Elizabeth [[WaifFu leaps into the air]] and [[LittleMissBadass stabs down the zombies with [[DualWielding swords in both hands]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "This time, I will protect you!"]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Indeed]].]]

* As of chapter 57 of ''{{Kuroshitsuji}}'', [[DistressedDamsel Elizabeth]] [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel Middleford]] turned out to be a [[BadassAdorable quintessential example]] of this trope, proving just how much she deserves the [[BadassFamily Middleford title]] [[spoiler:by initially trying to hide her badass side and doing a very good job of it due to the fact that she didn't want Ciel to see her [[CuteBruiser "uncute"]] side, and then finally when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up [[DistressedDude injured and unable to save her]] Elizabeth [[WaifFu leaps into the air]] and [[LittleMissBadass stabs down the zombies with [[DualWielding swords in both hands]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "This time, I will protect you!"]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Indeed]].

* As of chapter 57 of ''{{Kuroshitsuji}}'', [[DistressedDamsel Elizabeth]] [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel Middleford]] turned out to be a [[BadassAdorable quintessential example]] of this trope, proving just how much she deserves the [[BadassFamily Middleford title]] [[spoiler:by initially trying to hide her badass side and doing a very good job of it due to the fact that she didn't want Ciel to see her [[CuteBruiser "uncute"]] side, and then finally when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up [[DistressedDude injured and unable to save her]] Elizabeth [[WaifFu leaps into the air]] and [[LittleMissBadass stabs down the zombies with [[DualWielding swords in both hands]]]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "This time, I will protect you!"]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Indeed]].
** [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/28/ Oh]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/31/ so]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/33/ much]].]]

* As of chapter 57 of ''{{Kuroshitsuji}}'', [[DistressedDamsel Elizabeth]] [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel Middleford]] turns out to be a quintessential example of this trope, proving just how much she deserves the [[BadassFamily Middleford title]] [[spoiler:by initially trying to hide her badass side and doing a very good job of it due to the fact that she didn't want Ciel to see her [[RealWomenNeverWearDresses "uncute"]] side, and then finally when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up [[DistressedDude injured and unable to save her]], Elizabeth subsequently leaps into the air and [[BadassDamsel takes down the zombies with swords in her own two hands]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "This time, I will protect you!"]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Indeed]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/28/ Oh]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/31/ so]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/33/ much]].]]

* As of chapter 57 of ''{{Kuroshitsuji}}'', [[DistressedDamsel Elizabeth]] [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel Middleford]] turns out to be a quintessential example of this trope, proving just how much she deserves the [[BadassFamily Middleford title]] [[spoiler:by initially trying to hide her badass side and doing a very good job of it due to the fact that she didn't want Ciel to see her [[RealWomenNeverWearDresses "uncute"]] side, and then finally when Ciel despite his best efforts ends up [[DistressedDude injured and unable to save her]] Elizabeth leaps into the air and [[BadassDamsel takes down the zombies with swords in her own two hands]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "This time, I will protect you!"]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Indeed]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/28/ Oh]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/31/ so]]. [[http://www.kuroshitsujimanga.com/57/33/ much]].]]

[[AC: Literature]]

** That whole spiel she delivers during said scene was just a [[MomentOfAwesome]]

* [[{{Firefly}} River Tam]] spends a significant amount of time in [[DamselInDistress serious danger]], between the villagers threatening to burn her alive, Feds putting guns to her head, and the [[ThoseTwobadGuys Hands of Blue]]. But then [[TookALevelInBadass she]] [[WaifFu learns]] [[SuperSoldier how]] [[PsychicPowers to]] [[OneManArmy fight back.]]

* Guinevere from ''{{Series/Merlin}}'' probably has the highest amount of kidnappings and captures on the show, but (as actress Angel Coulby has said in interviews) is also the strongest emotionally. The writers have also admitted that [[OnlySaneMan she's got the most]] [[CloserToEarth common sense.]]

* Lady Ribi from TheTwelveKingdoms is not an ActionGirl, and she knows it clearly. She's just an ambassador and a ReasonableAuthorityFigure in a very dangerous time marked by the intrigues of [[spoiler: Atsuyu and his disciple Kouya.]] Will that stop her? Nope. Ribi handles all of this very calmly, protects [[spoiler: the depowered Enki]] as much as she can, and in the end [[spoiler: she unlocks Enki's powers espite clearly knowing that taking his PowerLimiter off will produce a backlas that will kill her. She dies, yes, but she also manages to derail Atsuyu's XanatosGambit and help cause his fall.]]

Can overlap with RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap, if the girl in question was disliked by the fandom before her CMOA. Can also be a cross between ActionGirl and YamatoNadeshiko. Almost AlwaysFemale, and pretty much always a PluckyGirl.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Rarity is one of the most [[TheChick girly]] ponies on the show, a prissy fashion designer with an extreme dislike for physical work, dirt or getting her mane even slightly mussed. Put her in a fight however and she doesn't [[GuileHero handle herself too badly]]. This is best shown in the episode [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9PSHRfe1M "A Dog and Pony Show,"]] where she gets captured by a group of dogs who want her to dig up gems for them by hoof. She spends the rest of the episode driving her [[PityTheKidnapper ponynappers insane]] with constant nit-picking, complaining, and the [[MostAnnoyingSound worst whining sound you will ever hear.]] When our heroes finally reach the ponynappers, they are more than happy to let her go.

* In MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Rarity is one of the most [[TheChick girly]] ponies on the show (think about that for a second), a prissy fashion designer with an extreme dislike for physical work, dirt or getting her mane even slightly mussed. Put her in a fight however and she doesn't [[LadyOfWar handle herself too badly]], and if she's outmatched is easily the most adept at using good old charm, manipulation and keen intellect to get her way. This is best shown in the episode [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9PSHRfe1M "A Dog and Pony Show,"]] where she gets captured by a group of dogs who want her to find gems for them. This, of course, includes living in labyrinthine tunnels, hand (or hoof?) digging them up and pulling the cart they go in. She complains a good amount, but it really takes off when they tell her to stop whining. 30 of the most hilariously satisfying seconds later, she's sitting on a throne with an army of dogs digging up jewels, giving them to her, and begging the "rescue party" to take her with them just to shut her up. 13:30 or so is where the scene starts, and 16:30 is where the good stuff happens.

[[caption-width-right:350:Lois Lane: Rescuing herself before {{Superman}} arrives since [[strike: 1938]] 1986.]]