History Main / PapaWolf

!!Examples:

* Pop from ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' is usually [[BumblingDad really]] [[ParentalNeglect bad]] at being a father despite his good intentions, and actually gets his son killed more often than not. However, the few times he actually notices Cub is in danger, he will [[{{Determinator}} stop at nothing]] to save him. Feats achieved in this state include going over a waterfall in ''And The Kitchen Sink'' and successfully fending off a rabid dog in ''Doggone It''.

Paternal instinct can transform a BumblingDad into an ActionDad. If someone [[BerserkButton threatens his kids]] they will soon wish they'd never come within a mile of them. This is because fathers are expected to take care of their family and this naturally extends to keeping them safe. Such occasions serve as a way for a father to prove his worthiness. (See ARealManIsAKiller). Expect his children to have a newfound respect for their father and for them to brag that MyDadCanBeatUpYourDad. If their relationship was previously strained expect it to improve.

[[caption-width-right:300: [[BadassBoast I'm a soldier. I'm trained for everything.]]''' '''[[PromotedToParent Maybe even this.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[BadassBoast I'm a soldier. I'm trained for everything.]]''' '''[[PromotedToParent Maybe even this.]]''']]

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[BadassBoast I'm a soldier. I'm trained for everything. Maybe even this.]]''']]

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[ComicBook/{{Cable}} I'm a soldier. I'm trained for everything. Maybe even this.]]''']]

Remember when adding examples that this is a male only trope. The female equivalent is "MamaBear" so all {{Distaff Counterpart}}s should be placed there. When MamaBear and Papa Wolf team up, it's a BattleCouple and all pairs should be placed there. ParentsInDistress is the inversion, when Papa needs to be bailed out by the kids.

This is the SpearCounterpart to MamaBear. When MamaBear and Papa Wolf ''[[BattleCouple team up]]'', no force on earth can stop them.

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[[[ComicBook/{{Cable}} I'm a soldier. I'm trained for everything. Maybe even this.]]''']]

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[ComicBook/SupermanRebirth Get away from my son!]]''']]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': [[CoolUncle Qrow]] is Yang's maternal uncle but he loves Yang's half-sister Ruby just as much as Yang. Nothing stands between him and his nieces: he rescues Yang and Ruby from a hoard of Grimm when they were young children and he spends Volume 4 secretly following Ruby's group through the wilds of Anima, killing any Grimm that get too close. He only reveals his presence when Ruby's group find themselves fighting the vastly superior Tyrian, charging in to protect Ruby from being seriously injured. [[spoiler: When the fourteen-year old Oscar locates Qrow in Volume 5 to reveal he's [[LegacyCharacter Ozpin's new reincarnation]], it means that [[BigGood Ozpin's]] vast abilities are limited by Oscar's young, untrained body. When Hazel tries to kill Oscar for being the new host of the man he blames for his sister's death, Qrow's UndyingLoyalty to Ozpin combines with his instinct for protecting children, resulting in him throwing himself in harm's way over and over again to prevent Oscar's death until he's too badly injured to fight any more.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': [[CoolUncle Qrow]] is Yang's maternal uncle but he loves Yang's half-sister Ruby just as much as Yang. Nothing stands between him and his nieces: he rescues Yang and Ruby from a hoard of Grimm when they were young children and he spends Volume 4, secretly following Ruby's group through the wilds of Anima, killing any Grimm that get too close. He only reveals his presence when Ruby's group find themselves fighting the vastly superior Tyrian, charging in to protect Ruby from being seriously injured. [[spoiler: When the fourteen-year old Oscar locates Qrow in Volume 5 to reveal he's [[LegacyCharacter Ozpin's new reincarnation]], it means that [[BigGood Ozpin's]] vast abilities are limited by Oscar's young, untrained body. When Hazel tries to kill Oscar for being the new host of the man he blames for his sister's death, Qrow's UndyingLoyalty to Ozpin combines with his instinct for protecting children, resulting in him throwing himself in harm's way over and over again to prevent Oscar's death until he's too badly injured to fight any more.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Qrow is Yang's maternal uncle but he loves Yang's half-sister Ruby just as much as Yang. Nothing stands between him and his nieces: he rescues Yang and Ruby from a hoard of Grimm when they were young children and he spends Volume 4, secretly following Ruby's group through the wilds of Anima, killing any Grimm that get too close. He only reveals his presence when Ruby's group find themselves fighting the vastly superior Tyrian, charging in to protect Ruby from being seriously injured. [[spoiler: When the fourteen-year old Oscar locates Qrow in Volume 5 to reveal he's [[BigGood Ozpin's new reincarnation]], it means that Ozpin's vast abilities is limited by Oscar's young, untrained body. When Hazel tries to kill Oscar for being the new host of the man he blames for his sister's death, Qrow's UndyingLoyalty to Ozpin combines with his instinct for protecting children, resulting in him throwing himself in harm's way over and over again to prevent Oscar's death until he's too badly injured to fight any more.]]

->''When M[a]eglin saw this he [[WouldHurtAChild would stab Eärendil]] with a short knife he had; but ... the mail of the small coat turned the blade aside; and thereupon Tuor was upon him and his wrath was terrible to see. He seized M[a]eglin by that hand that held the knife and broke the arm with the wrench, and then taking him by the middle leapt with him upon the walls, and [[DisneyVillainDeath flung him far out]]''.
-->--'''''[[Literature/TheHistoryOfMiddleEarth The Fall of Gondolin]]'''''

* Qrow in ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' may be only Yang's maternal uncle but he loves Ruby just as much as Yang and nothing would stand between him and his nieces. He rescued the child Yang and Ruby from a hoard of Grimm in the past and in Volume 4, he performed a BigDamnHeroes, protecting Ruby from being seriously injured by Tyrian, having secretly watching and protecting Team JNRR from afar for months.

->''When M[a]eglin saw this he [[WouldHurtAChild would stab Eärendil]] with a short knife he had; but ... the mail of the small coat turned the blade aside; and thereupon Tuor was upon him and his wrath was terrible to see. He seized M[a]eglin by that hand that held the knife and broke the arm with the wrench, and then taking him by the middle leapt with him upon the walls, and [[DisneyVillainDeath flung him far out]].

->''When M[a]eglin saw this he [[WouldHurtAChild would stap Eärendil]] with a short knife he had; but ... the mail of the small coat turned the blade aside; and thereupon Tuor was upon him and his wrath was terrible to see. He seized M[a]eglin by that hand that held the knife and broke the arm with the wrench, and then taking him by the middle leapt with him upon the walls, and [[DisneyVillainDeath flung him far out]].

Often Papa Wolf incidents serve as a way to reveal that a NonActionGuy is really a RetiredBadass or a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass. In contrast to an OverprotectiveDad (who sometimes ''thinks'' he's this; there is no overlap between them), a Papa Wolf is always portrayed heroically because the latter is defending their kids from genuine threats instead of imagined ones.

Also, note that this is ''not'' the trope for being protective of one's friends, unless of course it is something like an IntergenerationalFriendship. In that case. it is okay. Otherwise, don't do it.

Subtrope of BewareTheNiceOnes. See also AFatherToHisMen and FamilyMan. Combining this with DisproportionateRetribution can lead to a KnightTemplarParent. If the guy is a teacher instead, he's a BadassTeacher. If the guy doing this is a sibling/cousin, you get BigBrotherInstinct. Inversely, see ParentsInDistress for the kids rescuing the dad. Evil characters can use this too; after all, EvenEvilHasLovedOnes. A subtrope of the Papa Wolf is the BadassAndChildDuo, where an adult male badass takes it upon himself to protect an orphaned, unrelated young child.

[[caption-width-right:300: '''[[ComicBook/SupermanRebirth Get away from my son!]]'''

[[caption-width-right:300: [[Film/{{Aliens}} Get away from her, you]] '''[[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch BITCH!]]]]'''