History Main / WeakBossStrongUnderlings

** Dawn Belwether is a tiny, non-threatening sheep who happens to be BigBad of the story and establishes an anti-predator conspiracy - she also employs a number of large rams as her goons.

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Supertrope to MisterBig; can overlap with EvilCripple and/or DarkLordOnLifeSupport, but the boss doesn't have to be disabled or even all that weak, just physically less intimidating than who they have at their command. Contrast BodyguardingABadass. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] HardLevelsEasyBosses, though the two can occasionally overlap.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug:'' Though Hawkmoth does have the baseline powers of a Miraculous Bearer (super-strength, boosted reflexes, and a magic SwordCane and indestructible suit), just about any one of his akumatized minions would be more than a match for him in a fight. The one time he actually gets into a fight, he is exhausted after just a few minutes.

* Ryo Aoki/Masato Arakawa of ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'' is a CorruptPolitician and former WheelchairWoobie out to gut the Japanese criminal underworld and rebuild it in his own image. His chosen instrument for this is the Omi Alliance yakuza, and notably Masato's boss battle is much easier than the preceding one against [[TheDragon Yosuke]] [[MarathonBoss Tendo]], a former boxer built like a truck and about as hard-hitting as one to boot.

** [[IronicName Mr. Big]], a tiny Arctic shrew who happens to be a mob boss who employs a gang of polar bears.

* ''Anime/DragonBall'' has Babidi. While he himself is very weak, what makes him a threat is that he can easily mind control very powerful fighters, which he ends up doing to [[TheRival Vegeta]].
* ''Anime/OnePiece'' has Spandam, leader of the secret government agency Cipher Pol 9. While his subordinates are all trained assassins and spies with superpowers, he himself is weaker than even a common low-rank Marine troop; he does have the "elephant sword" Funkfreed, but what should be a potentially powerful weapon is little more than trash in his hands, which Franky demonstrates.

* In ''{{Disney/Zootopia}}'', Dawn Belwether is a tiny, non-threatening sheep who happens to be BigBad of the story and establishes an anti-predator conspiracy - she also employs a number of large rams as her goons.
** There's also [[IronicName Mr. Big]], a tiny Arctic shrew who happens to be a mob boss who employs a gang of polar bears.

* In the ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'', Sam Vimes is first seen as a hopeless alcoholic shunted sideways into commanding the Night Watch, a laughable RagtagBunchOfMisfits in the City Guard. Vimes ends up [[TookALevelInBadass taking several levels in badass]], but not before he recruits the terrifying troll Detritus and the very keen Constable Carrot, a man who can knock out a troll in a fist fight. When Vimes is menaced by two of the much more reputable Palace Guards, he considers and says "You're right. This is not a scary uniform."

Supertrope to MisterBig; can overlap with EvilCripple and/or DarkLordOnLifeSupport, but the boss doesn't have to be disabled or even all that weak, just physically less intimidating than who they have at their command. Contrast BodyguardingABadass.

* ''Anime/OnePiece'' has Spandam, leader of the secret government agency Cipher Pol 9. While his subordinates are all trained assassins and spies with superpowers, he himself is weaker than even a common low-rank Marine troop; he does have the "elephant sword" Funkfreed but what should be a potentially powerful weapon is little more than trash on his hands, which Franky demonstrates.

* ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'''s "Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep" DLC features a sidequest that is acknowledged in universe as a shout out to the ''Borderlands'' equivalent of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', featuring an {{expy}} in the form of "Prince Jeffery." Jeffery taunts you from his iron throne made of guns while his [[DualBoss two bodyguards fight you]]. After you finish them off, Tina (the DM) admits that she [[InfantImmortality can't allow you to kill a minor]], but your character can go up and smack Jeffery around and reduce him to a quivering mess with a melee hit. You can do it as many times as you desire, but Tina eventually states that she can't think of any more dialogue for the character to say.

* In ''{{Disney/Zootopia}}'', Mister Big is a tiny, non-threatening shrew who happens to be the most feared mafia boss in the entire city - largely thanks to his gigantic [[BearsAreBadNews polar bear]] goons.

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Supertrope to MisterBig; can overlap with EvilCripple and/or DarkLordOnLifeSupport, but the boss doesn't have to be disabled, just physically unintimidating in comparison to who they have at their command. Contrast BodyguardingABadass.

* Mr. Burns in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' may struggle to crush a paper cup, but is still widely feared because he has a private army of security guards, hired goons, and [[ArmyofLawyers lawyers]] in his personal retinue.

* Mr. Burns in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' may struggle to crush a paper cup, but is still widely feared because he has a private army of security guards, hired goons, and [[ArmyofLawyers lawyers]] in his personal retinue.

Supertrope to MisterBig; can overlap with EvilCripple and/or DarkLordOnLifeSupport, but the boss doesn't have to be disabled, just physically unintimidating in comparison to who they have at their command.

Supertrope to MisterBig; can overlap with EvilCripple and/or DarkLordOnLifeSupport, but the boss doesn't have to be disabled, just physically unintimidating.

* ''{{Anime/OnePiece}}'' has Spandam, leader of the secret government agency Cipher Pol 9. While his subordinates are all trained assassins and spies with superpowers, he himself is weaker than even a common low-rank Marine troop; he does have the "elephant sword" Funkfreed but what should be a potentially powerful weapon is little more than trash on his hands, which Franky demonstrates.

* In the ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'', in ''Literature/GuardsGuards'', Sam Vimes is first seen as a hopeless alcoholic shunted sideways into commanding a rag-tag of misfits, oddballs, incompetents and "those who nobody in their right mind would ever take seriously". The seedy-looking alcoholic regaining his purpose and sense of dignity is menaced by two of the real hard men in City service, the guards on the palace gates. Vimes stands back, considers, and says "You're right. This is not a scary uniform." he then beckons forard the young, keen and very large Constable Carrot - a man who has previously knocked out a ''troll'' in a fist-fight.

-->This, on the other hand, ''is'' a scary uniform.

Later on in the series the troll Detritus becomes another frightening subordinate to Vimes.