History Main / CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough

* CaptainAmerica occasionally features this during his WWII adventures, with the Sergeant usually being Sgt. NickFury, but his first mission featured Bucky as the Sergeant Rough as seen in WolverineOrigins.
* The comic version of {{300}} had a '''King Smooth and Captain Rough'''. Leonidas was usually very calm and stoic while his Captain was brutish and violent.

* As noted above, this trope is largely a holdover from the days before professional armies with an officer corps chosen from merit. In those days, most of the officers were from aristocratic families, while [=NCOs=] were generally low-born grunts who had survived previous campaigns long enough to learn the "tricks of the trade" through personal experience.
** Most officers are still specifically trained for command rather than promoted from the ranks, so this is in no way dead in real life.

* The [=US Army=] [[InvokedTrope intentionally selects COs and retains NCOs and trains them to uphold their respective images]]. If there's ever an inversion, it's rare and intentional.

Sometimes direct to the point of using their fists which no higher-up should do. This is to some degree TruthInTelevision. Not only is it a holdover from class differences, but it reflects the fundamental role between the two roles: The officer must concern himself with the big picture, providing direction to his unit in the form of plans and orders, while the NCO's business is in the details, enforcing discipline, maintaining the unit's proficiency, and personally directing his soldiers in battle. It can also be a useful psychological trick that bears relations with GoodCopBadCop.

Sometimes direct to the point of using their fists which no higher-up should do. This is to some degree TruthInTelevision. Not only is it a holdover from class differences, it can be a useful psychological trick that bears relations with GoodCopBadCop.

This is a type of ensemble, in which the top authority figure rules in a more refined way and the under boss in a more straightforward way. That is TheCaptain will be an OfficerAndAGentleman and AFatherToHisMen. When he needs to intimidate he will use subtle means like a DeathGlare. By contrast lower level bosses like a FatherNeptune, a SergeantRock or if the crew is unlucky, DrillSergeantNasty will be harsh and direct in their method of rule.

* Winters and Speirs on ''Series/BandOfBrothers'', kind of. Also TruthInTelevision.

* In ''RevoltingPeople'', the redcoats are represented by the polite and charming Captain Bradshaw and the obnoxious, cynical Sergeant [=McGurk=].

[[AC:Radio]]
* In ''Revolting People'', the redcoats are represented by the polite and charming Captain Bradshaw, and the obnoxious, cynical Sergeant [=McGurk=].

[[AC: Video Games]]

*The {{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/MonstrousRegiment'' has Lieutenant Blouse as the soft, inexperienced "Rupert" with Sargent Jackrum as the experienced, conniving, shouty NCO.

* Inverted in ''[[DadsArmy Dad's Army]]'' where Captain Mainwaring is a oafish but brave amateur and Sergeant Wilson is a suave aristocrat with extensive military experience. Mainwaring's (and Wilsons's) intense awareness of the class inversion was a comedy goldmine.

* In {{Pokémon Mystery Dungeon}} Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, Guild Leader Wigglytuff and his second-in-command Chatot work as this!