History Main / ExtremeDoormat

* Constance Blackwood of ''Theatre/RideTheCyclone'' has won the "Nicest Girl in Town" award in her class three years in a row because she's kind and thoughtful and friendly, and abhors confrontation. Her official {{catchphrase}} is even "sorry!" Constance became Ocean O'Connell-Rosenberg's "best friend" because she was the only student at St. Cassian who would put up with Ocean's overbearing, self-centered personality and bossy style of "friendship."

* The titular character from the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' {{fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Quizzical}}''. Overcoming her tendency toward this, if only somewhat, is the point of the story.* ''Fanfic/SethInThePokecity'':

*** Kirumi Tojo has a personal motto of "duty before self", doing whatever anyone asks of her as the Ultimate Maid and [[TheStoic rarely showing emotion]]. She's shown to be [[HypercompetentSidekick incredibly good at anything she tries]], saying that she only does what she's told to the best of her ability, no matter the task. The only times Kirumi refuses to do something are when it's outright impossible (like "destroy a country"), or if it's anything sexual (the one opinion of her own she holds on to). In spite of this, [[spoiler:she's the killer in Chapter 2, as Kirumi was so competent when helping the Prime Minister of Japan that she effectively ''was'' the Prime Minister. She also shows that [[NotSoStoic her stoicism and doormat behaviors have limits]], being the only killer in the entire franchise that attempts to escape her own execution]].

A common plot for the Extreme Doormat is the discovery or growth of their own personality and [[GrewASpine backbone]]. Be it by having a true friend TeachHimAnger, [[DidYouThinkICantFeel confronting their (ab)user]] or being the subject of CharacterDevelopment or even a MookFaceTurn when the hero who treats them nicely encourages them to [[MookFaceTurn abandon]] a [[BadBoss boss who doesn't]], or a "lover" who [[AllTakeAndNoGive keeps them dependent]].

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'' has Pepe, who just wants to keep everyone happy, but is pressured and pushed into a situation where he must choose between his lover Linda and his family... because [[HoldingOutForAHero Linda refuses to do anything to solve her own problems]] and expects him to sweep her away from it all by eloping, regardless of how that would leave his family to deal with ''her'' family's debt. In the end, he cracks under the pressure and [[spoiler:decides to TakeAThirdOption by leaving town alone. This doesn't help, and ''everyone'', even the heroes, are pissed at this non-solution. All it does is cement everyone's unhappiness for years to come since nobody gets what they wanted, and theis decision ends up sowing the seeds for the town's eventual collapse]].

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'' has Pepe, who just wants to keep everyone happy, but is pressured and pushed into a situation where he 'must' choose between his lover Linda and his family... because [[HoldingOutForAHero Linda refuses to do anything to solve her own problems]] and expects him to sweep her away from it all by eloping, regardless of how that would leave his family to deal with ''her'' family's debt. In the end, he cracks under the pressure and [[spoiler:[[TakeAThirdOption leaves town alone]]]]. This doesn't help, and ''everyone'', even the heroes, are pissed at this non-solution.

Humble, [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[BlindObedience obedient]], [[TheStoic stoic]]; the Extreme Doormat is all of these virtues... and that's all they are. A doormat, for those who do not know the slang expression, is someone who lets other people walk all over them. They lack drive, ambition, boundaries, and in extreme cases even ''opinions''. Something about them just drives them to make ''everyone'' happy, even at the expense of their own happiness, and kowtow to every order and insult they're given, no matter how ridiculous or unfair it may be to them.

Humble, [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[BlindObedience obedient]], [[TheStoic stoic]]; the Extreme Doormat is all of these virtues... and that's all they are. A doormat, for those who do not know the slang expression, is someone who lets other people walk all over them. They lack drive, ambition, and even ''opinions''. Something about them just drives them to make ''everyone'' happy, even at the expense of their own happiness, and kowtow to every order and insult they're given, no matter how ridiculous or unfair it may be to them.

** In ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureauNotAlone'' and its sequel ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureauConquerTheStars'', the newfoals are able to get sad, scared, and even annoyed and frustrated, but they never really get angry or assert themselves. The natural-born ponies are revealed to be [[UncannyValley just as unsettled by this as the humans are]].

Contrast YamatoNadeshiko and SilkHidingSteel, both of which ''appear'' to be this trope but have a hidden backbone which ''will not'' bend, and HairTriggerTemper, who will ''overreact'' about anything. Compare and contrast LoveMartyr, which is, mostly, not this trope.

* [[Characters/X23LauraKinney X-23]], of all people, spent time as one when she was a prostitute under the violently controlling and abusive pimp, Zebra Daddy. She lets him walk all over and control her even though she could ''tear him to shreds'' if she wanted to. [[spoiler: And eventually she does.]] To a certain extent she was this when still under the control of the Facility, as well, allowing Rice to subject her to horrific amounts of physical and emotional abuse even though, like Daddy, she could kill him in seconds. [[spoiler: And once again, eventually she does. [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Though not in seconds...]]]]

* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Linus Van Pelt is another good example, due to being naturally introverted and to having a dictatorial big sister who is also physically stronger than him. (Actually, Lucy has this effect on lots of men, [[FetishizedAbuser including Schroeder]].) Linus finally reached his breaking point at the end of a story arc that started when he rashly promised his "blanket-hating" grandmother that he'd stop carrying around his blanket as soon as she stopped smoking, [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt thinking she was too much of an addict to ever quit]] -- and Grandma did just that! After demanding Linus fulfill his end of the bargain and forcibly taking the blanket from him, Lucy spent the next week or so [[KickTheDog taunting her brother]], who was already such a nervous wreck that he was fainting several times a day. Linus went so far as to hire a private detective [[NewJobAsThePlotDemands (Snoopy, who else?)]] to try to steal the blanket back, but no luck. Grandma finally relieved Linus of his promise after she admitted to him that she had sneaked a cigarette, only for Lucy to not only refuse to give the blanket back, but to claim that Linus had proved he could survive without his blanket and no longer needed it -- and that it was time for the blanket to be burned. With Linus following after her and fruitlessly pleading, Lucy took the blanket to a garbage bin (which she lied was actually a furnace) and performed a "liberation" ceremony that ended with her tossing the blanket right into the "furnace". Linus let out an unearthly scream, furiously fished his blanket out of the bin, and then [[Awesome/{{Peanuts}} let his bitchy sister have it with all the righteous anger at his disposal]].

* Caspar Milquetoast from the 1920's comic strip ''The Timid Soul''. His name went into the dictionary as a word for this trope.

* Orion Black from ''Fanfic/TheBlackSheepDogSeries'' is a weirdly zigzagged example. Being the acting head of a Noble Wizarding family, he is proud, bigoted and autocratic -- used to making orders and getting what he wants. But to the other members of his clan, he's considered soft-hearted, weak-willed and indulgent. He gets frequently chewed out by his [[WellDoneSonGuy father]] and his [[HenpeckedHusband wife]] for letting the others walk all over him, and rarely reacts when people insult him. He was also intimidated by his younger son after the latter became a Death Eater and proceeded to avoid Regulus until the latter almost died. He apparently sees himself as being "unneeded" and doesn't attempt to seek treatment for the [[SecretlyDying disease that's slowly killing him]] because he doesn't see much point of living anymore.

* In the latter parts of the ''Fanfic/Gensokyo20XX'' series , an age-regressed Reiimu is noted to take any sort of abuse coming to her and does so without hesitance, as cruelty is half of what she knows, thus she's learned to put up with it. However, she does have exceptions, particularly in the case of Baka, to whom she tricked and hit with her [=IV=] pole and Yume Ni, to whom she stabbed with a pair of scissors.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' as envisaged by Creator/AAPessimal, a classroom bully makes the error of thinking this about the youngest daughter of Ponder Stibbons. Just because Ruth Smith-Rhodes-Stibbons is quiet, shy, intellectual and physically takes after her father, people might make the mistake of thinking she is a doormat who won't fight back. Ruth warns the bully twice, mildly and gently. But the bully pushes it for a third time. [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12650047/42/Strandpiel Ruth then takes the classroom compasses and stabs the bully in the hand with them]], [[BewareTheQuietOnes pinning her hand to the table]]. [[note]]people tend not to immediately realise Ruth's mother is an Assassin[[/note]].

* ''Fanfic/ThePokemonSquad'': Henry, June's much abused boyfriend.

* In ''Fanfic/WalkOnTheMoon'', Hinata Hyuga is one. Just how bad, and unhealthy, she has it becomes a major issue during the Forest Of Death training arc.

* Human!Twilight in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames'' doesn't get along with her extremely competitive and selfish classmates. She's constantly being pushed around, glared at and mocked. Sugarcoat outright calls her one after a combo of abuse.
-->'''Sugarcoat:'''You are kinda being a doormat right now.

* Elliot is one at the start of ''Film/ThirteenSins'', being completely subservient to the needs of his father, his brother and his boss. Only his fiancee does not take advantage of his obliging nature.

* In ''Film/Beast2017'', Moll starts out as one to her family, meekly doing whatever they ask of her, never standing up to them and dissolving into tears when her mother tells her off for going out alone without telling anyone (for reference, she's twenty-seven) but she [[SubvertedTrope quickly starts to rebel]] after she meets [[DatingWhatDaddyHates Pascal]].
* Creator/NicholasRay's ''Film/BiggerThanLife'' portrays a sympathetic and gut-wrenching depiction in Lou Avery (Barbara Rush), the 50s housewife who more or less has to enable, on account of social stigma and high expenses, her husband Ed's psychotic episodes, even if it involves subjecting herself to emotional and verbal abuse.

* ''Film/OneFootInHeaven'' has Hope Spence, Rev. William Spence's devoted wife. In 1941 when the film was released, she was no doubt meant to be an inspiring example of a virtuous wife who supports her husband. To a 21st century viewer, however, Mrs. Spence comes off as this. William makes her leave her family and come with him to the U.S., he tells her that she can't redecorate the dingy parsonage they move into, he tells her she can't dress nice because that might outshine the other ladies in the congregation, he tells her they have to go hungry because advertising for his wedding services is "too commercial", he refuses the much cushier posting in California that she wanted him to take, he disregards her wishes about naming their third child, and he forces her to leave for another crappy district just when things have been fixed up nicely in their Iowa home. At no point in the film does William ask her about any of these life choices; he tells her, and she obeys.

* Eileen in the ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresDoubleActs'' episode "The Rebel Alliance", who meekly accepts that she has to sit at the bottom table at her own daughter's wedding, won't be giving a speech, and doesn't question why the entire meal is seafood, when Yvonne, the mother of the other bride, knows she can't eat seafood. (There's a vegetarian option, but Yvonne said it should be saved for actual vegetarians.) Her tablemate Lizzie encourages her to stand up to Yvonne, but is slightly taken aback to realise [[spoiler: the reason Yvonne has it in for her is because she also wouldn't stand up to her husband when he opposed the wedding]].

* In ''Roleplay/WeAreOurAvatars'', modified Asimovian laws mean that a human simply has to give Yuzuki Miura from a command, which she is unable to resist.

* Dante Moro in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', who is left extremely impressionable after being knifed in the head. The guy who paid the thugs to attack him ([[MurderTheHypotenuse who secretly lusted after Moro's wife]]) is subsequently able to talk Dante into annulling his marriage, and even has the audacity to hire him as a bodyguard.

* Despite being one of the most opinionated and argumentative party members in the game, Fenris from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' is revealed to have been one of these, due to not only being a slave, but also having lost all memories prior to serving his master. If Hawke chooses to [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential sell him back to his previous master]] he will go without a fight.

* Charon, a possible companion in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', has been brainwashed to unquestioningly obey whomever holds his employment contract. His doormat behavior doesn't extend to anyone else, though. Employers who antagonize him would be well advised not to fire him.
* Yes Man in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' is forced to be as helpful as possible due to his programming. However, he's also incredibly cheery about it. If the player [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential decides to kill him]][[note]]Don't worry, he'll upload himself to another Securitron[[/note]], all he can do is beg for mercy and say that he deserves it. Of course, he's actually instrumental if the player wants to be the sole ruler of Vegas and in the Independent Ending. He tries to avert this a bit where he states in the ending that he's found an upgrade that lets him be more "assertive". Players started forming theories that this meant he was planning on betraying you, but WordOfGod eventually clarified that the upgrade is meant to make it so that he'll only take orders from you, and not literally anyone who gives him one.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' has Mercedes who admits to Byleth in their A support that she has been following the whims of those above her, believing everything in her life was at [[YouCantFightFate the Goddess' will]]. However, during the timeskip, she decides to enter the war out of her own volition, defying her adopted father's wishes and later rejects the marriage proposal he sent to her.
* Namine in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' is this for the Organization until the end, where she defies Marluxia for Sora's sake. In ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]'', she's suddenly [[AesopAmnesia back to being an extreme doormat]] for [[AntiHero DiZ]]. For her few scenes in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', though, it's clear she's gotten past this phase at last and does things because she wants to, rather than because someone ordered her to. To be fair, ''358/2 Days'' takes place at least partly during/immediately after ''Chain Of Memories'', so it makes sense that that Namine's CharacterDevelopment might not be so clear.

* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', while he is no pushover, this happens to John who is often subjected to verbal abuse, insane rants, manipulation and unfair transactions from other characters. He puts up with it stoically because he needs to earn their favor in order to track his targets so he could save his family. It's best shown in the Nuevo Paraiso arc where John works for both the detestable Allende and the insufferable Reyes. The Mexican army missions are immoral with the occasional obvious setup while the rebel jobs tends to pit John against ''the entire army'' while Reyes takes all the credit for John's heroics. Both men string John along, forever promising information that never seems to come because they know John will leave Mexico as soon as he gets his targets and they will lose their best agent.

* Haruka in ''VideoGame/Yakuza5'' spends the vast majority of the game like this, despite her much younger self in previous games being strong enough to endure a whole lot of {{yakuza}} intrigue, to the point she even out and out slapped a patriarch across the face in ''VideoGame/Yakuza3''. However, as a sixteen year old in this installment, she never quite fights back against the idol group that's gratuitously bullying and harassing her (though, admittedly, she could've had the potential for negative publicity in mind should she retaliate in any meaningful way). She also desperately tries to gain the approval of her manager, a woman who made Haruka's long-term guardian/near father, Kiryu, disassociate himself from her due to the fact that his (severed) ties to the yakuza would be harmful to Haruka's career should they be found out. This manager then goes on to threaten to defund the orphanage Kiryu had been managing should Haruka fail to win a contest it's clear she's being overworked to prepare for in much too short of a time. Really, Haruka only regains a semblance of her prior spine once [[spoiler: her manager dies]].

** [[spoiler:Mukuro Ikusaba]]. While we don't get to see this part of her personality in ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' [[spoiler:due to dying while disguised as her sister Junko, who’s also the one she serves and the mastermind]], it becomes the central part of her personality in the light novel ''Literature/DanganronpaZero'' and the anime ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'', and in the alternate universe novel ''Literature/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavocIf'' we also get to see her actually break free from it. Her talent as the [[spoiler:Ultimate Soldier]] is the first hint at this. She's completely loyal, obeys orders without question and has absolutely no limit to what she's willing to do to follow those orders, including inflicting MindRape and torture as well as [[spoiler: [[Manga/KillerKiller slaughtering an entire classroom of children just to prove her obedience to Junko]].]] When [[spoiler:Junko]] insults her, she happily agrees with the insults. When [[spoiler:Junko]] tries to kill her, she [[NightmareFetishist gets excited]] by how much [[spoiler:Junko]] wants to kill her. She'll wait [[CeilingCling on the ceiling]] just for [[spoiler:Junko]] to set up a visual gag. She's complicit in [[spoiler:the murder of billions]] for [[spoiler:Junko's]] amusement. Between ''Zero'' and ''IF'', we actually get an explanation for this: love. When she loves someone, her entire goal is doing what they'd want (or at least her interpretation of it) and pleasing them, allowing for both LoveMakesYouEvil and, in the ending of ''IF'', [[spoiler: LoveRedeems]]. Fitting her dog-like nature, she has [[spoiler:a wolf tattoo from her time in the mercenary group Fenrir]]. [[spoiler:Junko clearly likes to collect these kind of people.]]

*** A somewhat more lighthearted example is Ki-bo, who is treated as a nuisance by most of the other students (barring Kaede, Shuichi, Gonta and [[GadgeteerGenius Miu]]) and despite protesting about their treatment being "robophobic", he tends to end up doing what they tell him to do anyway, such as being forced to join the séance in the third chapter, then getting kicked out of the same séance when Shuichi shows up because the other characters don't think robots and the supernatural mix. [[spoiler:It's only when his RestrainingBolt gets knocked off that he finally decides to take matters into his own hands.]]
*** Himiko Yumeno, who tends to go along with what other people do because she's simply too apathetic to think for herself. She ''is'' capable of being stubborn when it comes to issues she deems important to her (like her magic), but unfortunately she often chooses to do so at the worst possible time, [[SkewedPriorities like during the second class trial when she refuses to explain how a trick works]], and then she often tires herself out so much that she'll just stop arguing her case because it's too much effort. It takes some serious CharacterDevelopment and BreakTheCutie to snap her out of it.

** Also Kuzuki, who weirds out Shirou with his complacence. Around the time [[spoiler:Archer kills him]], though, it seems like at least SOME of this is faked. [[spoiler:Continuing a fight to the death against someone you have no hope against just because he feels he ought to finish what he started? Suuuure, that has ''nothing'' to do with how said guy caused the death of your Servant and the one person that ever made you feel anything in your life]].

* ''VisualNovel/TheFruitOfGrisaia'': Sachi will do absolutely anything you ask her to. She has not refused a request once in the entire time she’s gone to Mihama. Even joking requests are taken absolutely seriously, which can even put her in danger. She actively shies away from making her own decisions or setting the goals or actions of the group. After awhile it's hinted that a really troublesome order will be interpreted in a convenient way if possible, but that's it.

* Kazuo of ''Webcomic/RedString'' fits this trope perfectly. His entire life is wrapped up in winning [[WellDoneSonGuy his Father's approval]]. From his job, to his major, to the girl he marries he'll do anything Kenta says. Shame Kenta sees Kazuo as worthless and nothing but a bargaining chip, [[spoiler:which finally [[DrivenToSuicide drives Kazuo to attempt suicide]]]].

* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': Siv is pessimistic about quite a few things, including her own capacity at defending her opinion about a given situation, which causes her to not put much effort in holding her ground.

* ''Webcomic/UnderTheOakTree'': Maximillian was abused as a child and has severe issues standing up for herself, or asserting her wants or needs. Under her husband's loving care she gradually begins to grow out of it, but it's a very slow process.

** The LizardFolk use communal decision making, so Hissy holds no strong opinions of her own. Human missionaries decided she should go to school, the school decided she should join the skirmish team. Her response to all of it is simply that she has no objection. As a background character, her Extreme Doormat status wasn't even apparent until she got some CharacterDevelopment.

* In ''WebVideo/SMPLive'', Schlatt implies Connor is one, talking about his "submissive nature" and telling him he needs to assert himself more, while reducing his share in the company. Connor briefly objects to this, but [[NotHelpingYourCase seems to give up on arguing almost immediately]].

** [[ShrinkingViolet Mikan]] [[TheWoobie Tsumiki]] in ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' is a tragically severe example. She became the Ultimate Nurse by taking so much abuse as a child and having to treat her own injuries because nobody else would, and is almost constantly talked down to by everyone but the protagonist. In free-time events, she reveals that she used to let people write on her, throw things at her, burn her, saddle her with their debts, or force her to take off her clothes. She's grown so accustomed to abuse that she assumes that people who don't bully her must not care about her at all. [[spoiler:When she catches the Despair disease in Chapter 3, it turns out, unsurprisingly, that on some level she despises those around her for not even trying to help or protect her. Unfortunately, she also remembers her “love” who, in despair-warped perspective, did love and protect her, Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Despair, a woman who caused the apocalypse to amuse herself. When we finally get to see what it actually was like, she’s a brainwashed implied sex slave, but the despair brainwashing makes her love her own despair, seeing it as love.]]
*** From the same franchise, there’s also [[spoiler:Mukuro Ikusaba]]. While we don’t get to see this part of her personality in the visual novels [[spoiler:due to dying while disguised as her sister Junko, who’s also the one she serves and the mastermind]], it becomes the central part of her personality in the light novel ''Danganronpa Zero'' and the anime ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'', and in the alternate universe novel ''Danganronpa'' IF we also get to see her actually break free from it. Her talent as the [[spoiler:Ultimate Soldier]] is the first hint at this. She’s completely loyal, obeys orders without question and has absolutely no limit to what she’s willing to do to follow those orders, including inflicting MindRape and torture as well as [[spoiler: [[Manga/KillerKiller slaughtering an entire classroom of children just to prove her obedience to Junko]].]] When [[spoiler:Junko]] insults her, she happily agrees with the insults. When [[spoiler:Junko]] tries to kill her, she [[NightmareFetishist gets excited]] by how much [[spoiler:Junko]] wants to kill her. She’ll wait [[CeilingCling on the ceiling]] just for [[spoiler:Junko]] to set up a visual gag. She’s complicit in [[spoiler:the murder of billions]] for [[spoiler:Junko’s]] amusement. Between Zero and IF, we actually get an explanation for this: love. When she loves someone, her entire goal is doing what they’d want (or at least her interpretation of it) and pleasing them, allowing for both LoveMakesYouEvil and, in IF’s ending, [[spoiler: LoveRedeems]]. Fitting her dog-like nature, she has [[spoiler:a wolf tattoo from her time in the mercenary group Fenrir]]. [[spoiler:Junko clearly likes to collect these kind of people.]]

''[Lucy is [[ArmorPiercingSlap temporarily cowed into silence]]]''\\

* Poor Fix-It Felix Jr. from ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph''. He's so much of a NiceGuy, the bystanders he saves on a daily basis from Ralph (in-game) take advantage of his kindness to force him to keep Ralph out of his own ''30th anniversary party''. When you think about it, Felix is just as much TheWoobie as Ralph. Just in a different way.

* Gary from ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' allows himself to be beaten, kissed by his gay friend (who is well aware he's straight), prevented from having sex by the same person who said she would help him ''get'' sex, be used by multiple women for his skill at oral sex without getting so much a "thank you" in return, be talked into giving a blowjob to another man (again he's straight, although he finds a way to cheat with this one by blindfolding the man and using a grapefruit), and be pegged regularly by a woman with a strap-on (he eventually starts enjoying it, but was very unwilling at first). A dominatrix identified him as "the perfect sub", saying "it's like he has no will of his own".

* There's a line in the first ''Film/{{Austin Powers|International Man of Mystery}}'' movie that suggests Number Two sees himself as having behaved this way over the years. Of course, Dr. Evil [[BadBoss bullies and abuses all his henchmen pretty much equally]] [[PositiveDiscrimination (though not Frau Farbissine and Alotta Fagina, of course)]], but only Number Two is [[TheStarscream ambitious enough to believe himself the Doctor's equal]]. This is then followed by a DoubleSubversion: Dr. Evil initially appears remorseful for having made his right-hand man cry, and suddenly adopts a paternal stance, but then [[spoiler: he changes his mind and executes Number Two anyway]].

* This is Noelle's FatalFlaw in ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}''. She's shy, sweet, and accommodating to a fault, and will fold like a house of cards the second anyone tries to contradict her. This means her "[[WithFriendsLikeThese friend]]" Berdly walks all over her, and she ends up getting dragged into assisting Chapter Two's ArcVillain because she lacks the willpower to stand up for herself or do more than trying to passively avoid actually helping. Her character arc in that Chapter sees her [[GrewASpine grow out of it]]. [[spoiler:If you choose to take the hidden [[KillEmAll Snowgrave route]], this is PlayedForDrama. [[YouBastard You]], through Kris, order her to murder every person she comes across, and because of her lack of self-confidence and hatred of conflict, Noelle will ignore her discomfort and do as she's told. By the end of that route, she's become an emotionally distant SerialKiller, and it doesn't feel out of character because she's just ''that'' submissive.]]

** Shirou Emiya was inspired by the man who saved his life; he dreams of being a superhero who can create a world where nobody ever has to suffer. ...But before the plot kicks in, he's basically just a high schooler whose war on suffering takes the form of doing various chores and repairs for his classmates, all of whom routinely dump work on him. Some of them are polite and grateful about it... and some of them, such as [[{{Jerkass}} Shinji Matou]], don't even bother to pretend that they're not taking advantage of him. That said, if you actually [[BerserkButton hurt anyone in front of him]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes his more heroic side will emerge]].

Contrast YamatoNadeshiko and SilkHidingSteel, both of which ''appear'' to be this trope but have a hidden, ironclad backbone, and HairTriggerTemper, who will ''overreact'' about anything. Compare and contrast LoveMartyr, which is, mostly, not this trope.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Linus Van Pelt is another good example, due to being naturally introverted and to having a dictatorial big sister who is also physically stronger than him. (Actually, Lucy has this effect on lots of men, [[BastardGirlfriend including Schroeder]].) Linus finally reached his breaking point at the end of a story arc that started when he rashly promised his "blanket-hating" grandmother that he'd stop carrying around his blanket as soon as she stopped smoking, [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt thinking she was too much of an addict to ever quit]] -- and Grandma did just that! After demanding Linus fulfill his end of the bargain and forcibly taking the blanket from him, Lucy spent the next week or so [[KickTheDog taunting her brother]], who was already such a nervous wreck that he was fainting several times a day. Linus went so far as to hire a private detective [[NewJobAsThePlotDemands (Snoopy, who else?)]] to try to steal the blanket back, but no luck. Grandma finally relieved Linus of his promise after she admitted to him that she had sneaked a cigarette, only for Lucy to not only refuse to give the blanket back, but to claim that Linus had proved he could survive without his blanket and no longer needed it -- and that it was time for the blanket to be burned. With Linus following after her and fruitlessly pleading, Lucy took the blanket to a garbage bin (which she lied was actually a furnace) and performed a "liberation" ceremony that ended with her tossing the blanket right into the "furnace". Linus let out an unearthly scream, furiously fished his blanket out of the bin, and then [[Awesome/{{Peanuts}} let his bitchy sister have it with all the righteous anger at his disposal]].

* Eileen in the ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'' episode "The Rebel Alliance", who meekly accepts that she has to sit at the bottom table at her own daughter's wedding, won't be giving a speech, and doesn't question why the entire meal is seafood, when Yvonne, the mother of the other bride, knows she can't eat seafood. (There's a vegetarian option, but Yvonne said it should be saved for actual vegetarians.) Her tablemate Lizzie encourages her to stand up to Yvonne, but is slightly taken aback to realise [[spoiler: the reason Yvonne has it in for her is because she also wouldn't stand up to her husband when he opposed the wedding]].

* Edward from ''Webcomic/{{Life}}'' [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname isn't actually named Edward]]. "Edward" is just the name Felicia called him, and he never cared enough to correct her.

* Slave Mentality in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' turns your character into this towards his owner only. If ordered to "make them give you the money and don't take any gruff", a Slave Mentality character will not hesitate to stand up against the most physically and socially intimidating person.