History Main / InadequateInheritor

** In the third season episode “King’s Ransom”, we learn that the previous King of the Royal Flush Gang thought that the current King (his son-in-law) would be inadequate. This turns out to be true: while the current King is cunning enough to concoct a plan that would benefit himself, he makes too many bad decisions which, along with his selfishness, leads to the HeelFaceTurn of Melanie, the arrest of his son, Jack, and in the end, the total ruin of the Royal Flush Gang.

* In ''Series/TheBoys'', ArcVillain & FishOutOfTemporalWater Soldier Boy looks down on his successor [[BigBad Homelander]] and mocks him for wearing a cape. [[spoiler:It only gets worse after he learns that [[LukeIAmYourFather Homelander is his son]], as he resented him for being "weak" and [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex needy]] to the point of attempting OffingTheOffspring.]]

* Shinji in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' is a [[SmugSnake total loser]] [[BigBadWannabe who thinks he's a genius.]] Except he really does recognize that he sucks and isn't even a magus. [[spoiler:That's why Zouken Matou adopted Sakura into the family. Nobody even bothered to tell Shinji that he was now entirely obsolete until a decade after she arrived.]] The fun part is that the inadequate inheritor and the inheritee? Lose ''[[KickTheSonOfABitch big time]]'' to the 'substitute magus.'

* A big part of Saber of Red's [[spoiler:([[Myth/ArthurianLegend Mordred]])]] insecurities come back around to this in her backstory in ''LightNovel/FateApocrypha''. [[spoiler:In the Nasuverse, Mordred was always a loyal knight to King Arthur (''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'''s Saber, aka [[GenderBender Artoria]]) even when [[GenderBender she]] learned the truth about her heritage from her scheming mother Morgan le Fay. However, when she went to Artoria and revealed herself in hopes of being recognized as her heir and "son," Artoria rejected her. While Artoria refused her on the grounds that Mordred simply lacked both the temperament and experience to be a proper king, [[PoorCommunicationKills her own detachment from her emotions made her come off as incredibly callous in this]], and Mordred, [[WellDoneSonGuy who was already pretty insecure about her standing with Artoria even before this point due to her relationship with her mother]], ended up taking the whole thing to mean her father saw her as worthless and unworthy for being the unholy spawn of a witch, and thus the entire rebellion and Battle of Camlann happened.]] Her goal in the present is to use the Grail to give herself the opportunity to prove her worth as an heir [[spoiler:by drawing the Sword in the Stone. Her CharacterDevelopment comes in realizing she didn't need to prove herself to her father to find self-worth and that what she really wanted was the opportunity to take Artoria's burdens onto herself and let her have peace of mind.]]

* In ''Literature/ShardsOfHonor'', terminally ill Emperor Ezar of Barrayar is aware that his only child Serg is so AxeCrazy that becoming a puppet of the aggressively expansionist political factions he favored upon taking the throne was the best case scenario. Fortunately for the Imperium and the Galaxy at large a healthy grandson and sane prospective regents meant that [[OffingTheOffspring there were ways to deal with such problems]].
* ''Literature/TheSixOfCrowsDuology'': Rich mercher Jan Van Eck considers his only child Wylan to be this, because he can't read. This leads him to take some very extreme measures to get a new successor. First he has [[spoiler:his wife comitted to an asylum, so that he can divorce her after which he convinces everyone she's dead]]. Then he marries a way younger woman. As soon as she is pregnant, he tries to have Wylan murdered, so that the new child can be his successor. [[spoiler:It doesn't work. Wylan survives and eventually manages to get his father arrested and inherits all his father's wealth anyway.]]

** As was implied in ''Fate/stay night'' and shown in ''LightNovel/FateZero'', all the Matou line after Zouken himself have been Inadequate Inheritors. Shinji is just the culmination of the trend, having no magic potential whatsoever. (His soul does have sort of vestigial remnants of magic circuits, but that turns out to be a really bad thing for him in the only route where it's relevant.)

A successful bigwig, be it in business, politics, magic or even world conquest, is growing old, and in preparation for an eventual retirement/death looks to their children to see who among them can [[TakeUpMySword take up]] [[TakingUpTheMantle their mantle]]... and is faced with incompetence, disinterest, or a CorruptCorporateExecutive in the making. These are by no means an exhaustive list of possible shortcomings, indeed just about anything that can make a parent ask "WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent" is grounds for this trope. Special mention should go to times when the Inadequate Inheritor is not good/heroic enough, [[EvilParentsWantGoodKids too evil]], or ''[[MinionWithAnFInEvil not evil enough.]]''

Whatever the case, the prospective retiree doesn't think they deserve their potential inheritance... at least, not as they currently are.

Cue an ImpossibleTask, search for a non standard heir from outside the family (who has a statistically abnormal chance to be an orphan/bastard child of the retiree), or otherwise trying to reform their potential heir or forcibly change them one way or another. Results vary: the heir may become worthy, rebel against their "benefactor" (which may be what they [[BatmanGambit always]] [[ManipulativeBastard wanted)]] or fail outright and prompt the retiree to switch to plan B, become [[{{Immortality}} immortal.]]

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin [[ThePeterPrinciple if a man as ruthless and ambitious as Dojima]] were to [[DrunkWithPower become the next Chairman]]. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and (since Kazama is too competent ''and'' well-respected among the Tojo Clan to just have killed) manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his [[CoDragons Lieutenants]] acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved in his schemes]].

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ADifferentDursleyFamily'', Vernon Dursley was expelled from Smeltings and attended a comprehensive ("public", in the US) school, where he learned to be open-minded. Unfortunately, his father didn't like it so he cut Vernon from the will.

* In the ''Series/GameOfThrones''/''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' crossover ''Fanfic/SonOfTheSevenKingdoms'', King Robert knows full well that Joffrey if far from an ideal inheritor to the throne. Which is why he makes his younger, but better brother William the heir instead.

* A recurring and profound issue in ''TabletopGame/BattleTech''. For every great leader bringing their House to an apex of greatness, there is eventualy a wholly incompetent one who squanders the efforts of their forebears. Perhaps most notable with the Davion family of the Federated Suns, whose prior luminaries included [[MagnificentBastard Hanse Davion]] or [[WarriorPrince Victor Steiner Davion]]. Unfortunately for House Davion, they ended up with the cowardly, wildly unethical, and actually psychotic (as in, he experiences severe untreated paranoid schizophrenia that manifests as an ImaginaryFriend who acts as a ToxicFriendInfluence to encourage all his worst urges. The previously dominant Federated Suns was invaded and nearly conquered (in fact losing its capital world of New Avalon) during Caleb's reign and it takes ''his'' successor Julian to just barely start pulling things back.

* This dynamic caused the collapse of the Assyrian and Mongol empires, and contributed quite a bit to the Ottoman Empire's stagnation as the "sick man of Europe". Other examples of this include Yaroslav the Wise, Suleiman the Lawgiver, Akbar the Great, [[OverlyLongGag Mansa Musa II, Asoka, Chandragupta II, Emperor Qin...]]

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin [[ThePeterPrinciple if a man as ruthless and ambitious as Dojima]] were to [[DrunkWithPower become the next Chairman]]. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his [[CoDragons Lieutenants]] acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved in his schemes]].

* After being trained by Ranma in the ''ASOIAF''/''Ranma'' crossover ''Fanfic/WildWolfAsoIaFVersion'' Tommem has grown atrong and independant enough that he seems like a real Baratheon. impressing his father enough to make him name his second son the crown prince over the coddled and cowardly Joffrey. [[spoiler: Joffrey of course sorts this out by having his younger brother poisoned at breakfast.]]

* Elhokar from ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' is considered this by many. His father, King Gavilar, united the feuding Alethi High Princes under his rule and was considered TheGoodKing by his subjects. However he was assassinated, and now the only the holding the kingdom together is the Vengeance Pact the Princes swore to avenge the previous king. Elhokar is a borderline ManChild that is constantly looking over his shoulder for assassins, real or otherwise and virtually everyone sees that he's not really up to the task of running the kingdom. He gets incredibly [[GreenEyedMonster jealous]] when he sees others (like his [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure uncle]]) do a better job than him.

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin [[ThePeterPrinciple if a man as ruthless and ambitious as Dojima]] were to [[DrunkWithPower become the next Chairman]]. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his Lieutenants acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved in his schemes]].

* " Richard Cromwell, son of Oliver Cromwell, was an amiable and conscientious guy who really tried his best during his short period as Lord Protector, but lacked the political nous and drive of his father. His nickname of "Tumbledown Dick" is a little unfair to him, but his good-natured acceptance of King Charles's restoration (although he was very strong in pointing out that he must not be blamed for what his father did) is a good sidelight on Richard's character. Later, King Charles himself said "If I thought I could trust him, I would have him as one of my advisors in a moment. He is competent and calm, but he likes his rural life, so would not accept such a role anyway". Not a bad endorsement for a man whose father killed the others father!

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin [[ThePeterPrinciple if a man as ruthless and ambitious as Dojima]] were to [[DrunkWithPower become the next Chairman]]. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his Lieutenants acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved in his schemes]].

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin [[ThePeterPrinciple if a man as ruthless and ambitious as Dojima]] were to [[DrunkWithPower become the next Chairman]]. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his Lieutenants acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved.

* In ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'', [[TheDon Sohei Dojima]] sets his sights on becoming the next [[NumberTwo Captain]] of the [[TheSyndicate Tojo Clan]], and then become the next Chairman when Acting Second Chairman Takashi Nihara retires. Dojima's own Captain, Shintaro Kazama, and Masaru Sera of the Nikkyo Consortium work together to make sure he doesn't, both men agreeing that the Tojo Clan would be brought to ruin if Dojima were to become the next Chairman. Dojima catches on to Kazama plotting behind his back and manipulates events to have him sent to prison so that he can't interfere while he has his Lieutenants acquire the Empty Lot for him in order to secure his Captaincy, setting off the events of the game when Kazuma Kiryu becomes involved.

* Discussed in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', in which Edelgard plans on averting this trope when the time comes for someone to inherit her throne by handpicking her successor based on their talents and merits, and may not even be related to her at all. Considering she plans to turn her country into a meritocracy and abolish the nobility, this keeps in line with her goal.

*** Princess Zelda was considered to be this by her people due to her not being able to awaken the powers that slept within her soul. Along with the pressure her father had already put on her to awaken those powers, hearing the public make fun of her behind her back only made Zelda more tense. [[spoiler: Only when Link was on the brink of death was Zelda able to awaken her powers. By that point, Calamity Ganon had already destroyed most of Hyrule.]]

* In the backstory of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', Zepheniah Mann, seeing his sons [[MeaningfulName Blutarch and Redmond]] as idiotic and incompetent, gives them both half of his (worthless) empire to squabble over (minus his company, Mann Co, which he gave to [[TestosteronePoisoning Saxton Hale]]'s grand(?)father). The two proceed to go to war with each other via an army of mercenaries, a war that lasted from 1850 to 1970.

* ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'' has this with Alenia, a Queen's Knight who is given one of the three treasures of Falena, [[ThePowerOfTheSun the Twilight Rune]]. However, the Rune does not allow Alenia to wield its power effectively, and when she tries, the rune nearly goes berserk and needs to be subdued. The rune is removed, and given to LadyOfBlackMagic Sialeeds Falenas, who can wield the full power of the Rune. However, Sialeeds has her own agenda and uses the rune to destroy an ambush set for the player. Alenia, when finding out that Sialeeds failed, accuses her of treason. However, Sialeeds invokes the trope and points out that Alenia knows just how hard it is to invoke the Rune's power. This fools her.

* In the first ''Literature/JoesWorld'' novel, the world's richest businessman decides that his children are unfit to inherit his fortune, so he has them all murdered. Then he does the same thing with all of his grandchildren. One of his great-grandchildren does prove himself suitable, by putting a hit on his great-grandfather. [[spoiler:This whole thing turns out to be for naught, as the heir is murdered by one of his cousins, and the entire estate gets spent on death taxes, hiring assassins to kill rival heirs, and legal fees. In the end, all that's left is one bottle of brandy, which is given to the butler.]]