History Main / TheObiWannabe

* Zuko from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirBender'' gets shades of this. When he joins the heroes, he tries to pass on the wisdom he has learned through Iroh, but can't phrase it properly so it makes no sense.

** Gilderoy Lockhart is a SmallNameBigEgo FakeUltimateHero who makes the mistake of thinking Harry is as self-centered as he is. He thus gives Harry advice on how to keep his celebrity going, ignoring any insistence from Harry that he doesn't want more attention. It seems that Lockhart [[EvilCannotComprehendGood simply can't imagine that anyone who has fame wouldn't want more]].
** Later, Percy Weasley sincerely advises Ron to drop his best friend and start sucking up to Umbridge (unaware of ''quite'' how evil she is).

* Bethany in the ''[[Literature/JessicaDarling Jessica Darling's IT List]]'' series would like to think that she's a CoolBigSis dispensing sage advice for how to succeed in junior high. The problem is, the item on her epynomous "[=IT=] Lists" are not only of questionable value, but are also written as [[IceCreamKoan cutesy one-liners]] that could ''really'' use some explanation for what they're supposed to mean. Jessica actually [[GenreSavvy figures that out]] by the end of the first book, but she still decides to continue going along with the lists, because at least they make her life interesting.

* Many a {{Touhou}} comic puts Meiling (who has become a ditzy goof-off in fandom) in this role to Flan, and usually knifed by Sakuya for it.

* Gilderoy Lockhart from ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Lockhart is a SmallNameBigEgo FakeUltimateHero who makes the mistake of thinking Harry is as self-centered as he is. He thus gives Harry advice on how to keep his celebrity going, ignoring any insistence from Harry that he doesn't want more attention. It seems that Lockhart [[EvilCannotComprehendGood simply can't imagine that anyone who has fame wouldn't want more]]. Later, Percy Weasley sincerely advises Ron to drop his best friend and start sucking up to Umbridge (unaware of ''quite'' how evil she is).

* Headmaster Cross in ''VampireKnight'' does this to Zero, who usually either shrugs off his advice or [[DopeSlap Dope Slaps]] him.

* The spirit of the Harkonnen Cannon in ''{{Hellsing}}'' tries to give Seras his sagely advice. She chooses to ask if her string of bad luck will continue. His answer? "Yep". He revealed a second later that it was a joke.

* ''SchoolRumble'' has a scene in which Hanai is being trained by an old man, only for the old man to be escorted away by his grandaughter, who tells him "Grandpa! You know you can't go out alone!"

The most common subversion of TheObiWan, with whom he often forms OpposedMentors. Overlaps with KnowNothingKnowItAll and TheBlindLeadingTheBlind. Oftentimes invokes an IceCreamKoan. Compare MissionControlIsOffItsMeds.

* In ''Film/HotTubTimeMachine'', the mysterious repairman delivers lots of [[IceCreamKoan cryptic and ominous-sounding warning]], from which the gang infers that doing anything differently will screw up the timeline in unpredictable ways (like a vomit-covered squirrel changing the outcome of a pro-football game). [[spoiler:They end up defying him, and it turns out to be largely BS as Lou stays in the past to redo his life and makes his life infinitely better by the present day]].

* Athrun Zala can be seen as a more serious and tragic version of this in ''GundamSEEDDestiny''. The intent was probably to have him be the OlderAndWiser mentor to new protagonist Shinn, as happened with Char and Kamille in ''ZetaGundam''. The only problem is Athrun is still working on his own issues (which are [[AesopAmnesia suspiciously similar to the issues he'd worked through in the previous series]]), so most of his interaction with Shinn consists of punching him and calling him an idiot, which only makes Shinn's anger issues and hatred of authority even worse.

* In ''Film/HotTubTimeMachine'', the mysterious repairman delivers lots of [[IceCreamKoan cryptic and ominous-sounding warning]], from which the gang infers that doing anything differently will screw up the timeline in unpredictable ways (like a vomit-covered squirrel changing the outcome of a pro-football game). [[spoiler:They end up defying him, and it turns out to be largely BS as Lou stays in the past to redo his life and makes his life infinitely better by the the present day]].

* In ''Film/HotTubTimeMachine'', the mysterious repairman delivers lots of [[IceCreamKoan cryptic and ominous-sounding warning]], from which the gang infers that doing anything differently will screw up the timeline in unpredictable ways (like a vomit-covered squirrel changing the outcome of a pro-football game). [[spoiler: They end up defying him, and it turns out to be largely BS as one character stays in the past to redo his life and makes his life infinitely better by the the present day]]

* In ''{{Mallrats}}'', Brodie gives advice to TS all the time, but when TS actually takes it... "You're listening to ''me''? To something ''I'' said? Jesus, man, hasn't it become abundantly clear during the tenure of our friendship that I don't know shit?"

* ''OutCold'':

* Mr. Blanket, Seven Seas High's guidance counselor from [[TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody The Suite Life On Deck]], is himself certifiably insane, distracts people when they examine his credentials, and despite having written a book on them, his methods are questionable at best.
* ''TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'': When Esteban unexpectedly becomes opulently wealthy, London gives him lessons how to be a snooty, condescending spendthrift. As a result, he finds himself back in the same old rut when his assets are frozen.

* Polonius from {{Hamlet}}: half his advice to his son contradicts the other half, and when you look at his actions toward the royal family it's clear he's just trying to ingratiate himself at Hamlet's expense.

* ''InfiniteRyvius'' actually has two examples, one is Zwei "leader" Lucson, who tries to take command and fails miserably. Heck, arguably every "leader" of the cast fits this to some degree, but a particular example should probably be Julii: Everyone expects her to be a great leader, but she turns out to be (and acknowledges that she is) really bad at it.

* In an episode of ''HannahMontana'', Hannah has found that kids will emulate just about everything she does, and is afraid to ever express her opinions or preferences on television. As such, Robbie Ray enlists Jackson to school her in the fine art of obfuscation. Of course, it backfires horribly, and Hannah ends up delivering the episode's {{Aesop}} about [[BeYourself being yourself]] instead.
* ''[[That70sShow That '70s Show]]'': [[MagnificentBastard Hyde]] has made a sport out of giving his friends faulty advice for the amusement of seeing them make jackasses of themselves. His favorite target is Kelso (who still listens because he's [[TheDitz so irremediably stupid]],) though he enjoys tormenting [[FunnyForeigner Fez]] almost as much.
* Colonel Rodney Crittendon from ''HogansHeroes''. This re-occuring character was in some ways the Allies answer to the German's Colonel Klink. This British officer would get captured frequently and sent to Stalag 13 with Hogan and his crack team of deep cover saboteurs. He was technically higher ranked then Colonel Hogan (by date of promotion, as Crittendon would frequently remind Hogan) and would often usurp Hogan's Authority. Crittendon was just too incompetent and genre-blind to be anything less then a complete hindrance, though the clever spies would occasionally manage to use his bumbling stupidity to their advantage. What makes him an Obi Wannabe is the endless string of bad ideas and plans he would concoct for the "escape" from the POW camp: Unbeknownst to Crittendon, Hogan and his team have no intention of escaping, as the very premise of the show consists in them using the fact that they were under the supervision of the incompetent Commandant Klink and the incredibly lazy and corruptible Sergeant Shultz to launch various sabotage and subterfuge operations from deep within Nazi territory.

* Peter Griffin from ''FamilyGuy''.
* Zuko from AvatarTheLastAirBender gets shades of this. When he joins the heroes, he tries to pass on the wisdom he has learned through Iroh, but can't phrase it properly so it makes no sense.

* Robert Stadler was John Galt and co's first mentor in college in ''AtlasShrugged'', but they abandoned him as he gradually abandoned everything he believed in because he concluded GoodIsImpotent. Despite his denial, the guilt tortures him the rest of his life until he has a VillainousBreakdown the last time he meets with Galt.

* ''LifeWithDerek'': Derek Venturi is constantly misguiding his younger brother Edwin, encouraging Edwin to be a delinquent like him, giving him faulty social advice, and sometimes intentionally misleading Edwin for his own amusement.
* ''SpinCity'': At the beginning of the season after Mike left, Paul imparted some his wisdom on how to live a celibate lifestyle to Caitlin. Inevitably, she gave up and hopped on a plane to get back with Mike. A later scene where Paul overhears a conversation between [[TheCasanova Charlie]] and one of his conquests shows that Paul himself is barely hanging on.

* Probably every single piece of advice given on ''StrangersWithCandy'' was bad, [[CrossesTheLineTwice often spectacularly so]], but art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck is the character specifically representing people like this: he desperately wants to be a PsychologistTeacher and is always trying to get his students to confide in him, but he's transparently a clueless narcissist and none of them like him.

* ''Film/TrojanWar'': Seth is training Josh in the ways of seducing women. Unfortunately, his advice consists mostly of idiotic pickup lines. After trying them for himself, Josh [[LampshadeHanging calls him out]], quite aptly stating [[KnowNothingKnowItAll "You know]] ''[[KnowNothingKnowItAll nothing!]]''"

* ''TrojanWar'': Seth is training Josh in the ways of seducing women. Unfortunately, his advice consists mostly of idiotic pickup lines. After trying them for himself, Josh [[LampshadeHanging calls him out]], quite aptly stating [[KnowNothingKnowItAll "You know]] ''[[KnowNothingKnowItAll nothing!]]''"

[[folder: {{Film}}]]
* Loren's friend Trish in ''Film/ThisMeansWar''.

* ''Trojan War'': Seth is training Josh in the ways of seducing women. Unfortunately, his advice consists mostly of idiotic pickup lines. After trying them for himself, Josh [[LampshadeHanging calls him out]], quite aptly stating [[KnowNothingKnowItAll "You know]] ''[[KnowNothingKnowItAll nothing!]]''"

* Dad on ''WesternAnimation/TheBrakShow.'' Brak is the only character who takes his advice seriously at all.
* Owl from ''Disney/{{Bambi}}''. The advice he gives Bambi and his friends is terrible advice to give young animals. Fortunately nature takes over and they ignore his advice.

* Gilderoy Lockhart from ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Lockhart is a SmallNameBigEgo FakeUltimateHero who makes the mistake of thinking Harry is as self-centered as he is. He thus gives Harry advice on how to keep his celebrity going, ignoring any insistence from Harry that he doesn't want more attention. It seems that Lockhart [[EvilCannotComprehendGood simply can't imagine that anyone who has fame wouldn't want more]]. Later, Percy Weasley to Ron.

Sometimes he's just clueless, but other times, he's intentionally misleading his protege.

The most common subversion of TheObiWan. Overlaps with KnowNothingKnowItAll and TheBlindLeadingTheBlind. Oftentimes invokes an IceCreamKoan. Compare MissionControlIsOffItsMeds.

* Gilderoy Lockhart from ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Lockhart is a SmallNameBigEgo FakeUltimateHero who makes the mistake of thinking Harry is as self-centered as he is. He thus gives Harry advice on how to keep his celebrity going, ignoring any insistence from Harry that he doesn't want more attention. It seems that Lockhart [[EvilCannotComprehendGood simply can't imagine that anyone who has fame wouldn't want more]].
** Later, Percy Weasley to Ron.
* The title character in ''Literature/ThePrimeOfMissJeanBrodie''. She urges one of her "set" into an affair because she (the girl) is beautiful, berates the most intelligent of the girls as being too prosaic, and -- an ardent fan of the fascist Franco -- romanticizes another's brother's involvement in the Spanish Civil War. [[spoiler: Influenced by Brodie's fiery speeches, the girl runs away to join her brother, and is killed. And since the brother was fighting for the government, not Franco, the girl was ''heading for the wrong side'' when she died.]] Keep this woman away from impressionable youth!