Line #38 Main/HalfheartedHenchman


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7	->'''Jack Slater:''' Sir, are you a henchman?\
8	'''Benedict:''' No, I only go as far as lackey.
9	-->-- ''Film/LastActionHero''
10
11	The opposing side is fleshed out by being given one or two one-off henchmen, not unlike the ones you usually fight, but having them slack off, have no motivation, and complain about it to their coworkers. Sometimes they honestly suck, but sometimes, they just don't care. All that matters is that [[PunchClockVillain it's their job]], and they're bad at it. Compare MinionWithAnFInEvil who are more enthusiastic, but also more clueless.
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13	Compare BumblingHenchmenDuo and MauveShirt, who are part of the main cast rather than one-off characters and who tend to be more dangerous and sometimes more dedicated. Compare PunchClockVillain, who is motivated by the paycheck and doesn't generally put in any effort above and beyond the job requirements. Contrast OverzealousUnderling, who is so motivated it often creates problems for his employer.
14	----
15	!!Examples
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Comic Books]]
20	* ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'': The two recurring rat creatures were supposed to go and kill the heroes. They bungled it rather badly in every attempt, to the point where the heroes deliberately let them live because they're too incompetent and unmotivated to pose a threat.
21	* ''ComicBook/LittleGloomy'': Boris, Simon von Simon's [[TheIgor hunchbacked lab assistant]]. Boris has literally no interest in Simon's plans, it's just that MadScientist lab assistant is the only job he can get.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
25	* ''Film/IronMan3'': After utilizing pieces of his suit to break free, Tony begins taking out the henchmen charged with keeping an eye on him until he draws his weapon on the last one, who immediately surrenders and informs him, "Honestly, I hate working here. They are so weird."
26	* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': Pintel and Ragetti from Barbossa's crew decline into this trope after their [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl first]] (energetically violent) appearance.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Literature]]
30	* In ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1'', Ford almost succeeds in convincing the Vogon guard that his job sucks so much that he shouldn't even bother throwing him and Arthur out an airlock. In the end, the guard admits he likes the shouting aspect too much to give it up, but he'll be sure to take a good long look at his life, once he throws them out the airlock.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Video Games]]
34	* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'': Most of the guards in [=McNeil's=] mansion. Depending on the guard, they can let you pass either after you bribe them, find their missing wallet or go beat up the guard dog so that it gets the blame instead of them.
35	* Biggs and Wedge from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' sit between this and BumblingHenchmenDuo. They're actually decently motivated, and really ''do'' try (well, at least Biggs does), but they always get beaten up and demoted, and then moan about it. At the end, when they've been assigned to guard the door to the boss lair, they see you coming -- and then just up and quit, walking off to find a better career.
36	* In ''VideoGame/IttleDew'', the first Jenny Frogs that are encountered guard the castle by each patrolling a small area which Ittle can't even reach due to spikes being in the way. The rest of them don't seem very passionate about their jobs, either.
37	* Demyx from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''... [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass until he actually decides to fight you]]. Ironically, he technically isn't even ''half''-hearted -- as a [[TheSoulless Nobody]], he has no heart at all. [[BerserkButton Don't tell him that, though.]]
38	* ''VideoGame/MegaManLegends'': This exists as a game mechanic in ''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne''. Going too long without using a specific [[MascotMook Servbot]] builds his laziness up, and if it filled out, he becomes this, "goofing off somewhere" and being unavailable for missions until you punish him via a MiniGame.
39	* Johnny Sasaki of ''VideoGame/MetalGear'', the poor ButtMonkey.
40	* Razorbeard's henchman in ''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape''.
41	* Late in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', one Support Reaper is found in the streets who was too lazy to go to the emergency meeting and skipped work that day. [[spoiler:As they were handing out one-way tickets to the AssimilationPlot that day, it's all the better for him.]]
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
45	* The fake sea captain from ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'', who's spent most of the voyage making false appeals to "International Sea Law" to justify not returning to port for supplies, surrenders immediately when the protagonist and Morgan physically threaten him.
46	-->'''Captain:''' I don't get paid enough for physical violence.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Web Animation]]
50	* One short of ''WebAnimation/RWBYChibi'' introduces Mike and Marty, a pair of Beowulf [[TheHeartless Creatures of Grimm]]. From their perspective, we see them as AffablyEvil who really aren't that enthused to be pulled into yet another of Cinder Fall's schemes, lamenting for some time off.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Webcomics]]
54	* In ''Webcomic/{{Henchmen for Hire}}'', this trope is played straight by two of the main characters; they don't think badly of the superhero community, and even refuse to fight superheroes if they can help it. It's subverted by the third member of their trio, who appears half-hearted [[TheMole but actually alerted a hero]] when the villain they signed up with went too far too fast.
55	* "Webcomic/TheMaskedHenchman" usually ends up as this, even becoming friends with various heroes.
56	* Jenn from ''Webcomic/SturgeonsLaw'' is this trope [[http://sturgeonslaw.net/comic/technical-knowledge/ in a nutshell]] (except on a team of {{Villain Protagonist}}s).
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	[[folder:Western Animation]]
60	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': EmotionlessGirl Mai fills this role. In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheDrill The Drill]]", Mai refuses to chase after the heroes after they jump into a pipe containing slurry, the mixture of water and rock created as a byproduct by the drill. In "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheCrossroadsOfDestiny The Crossroads of Destiny]]", when confronted by Toph and Sokka, she decides not to put up a fight at all.
61	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Shego, despite being TheDragon. She'd much rather lounge around painting her nails or reading magazines while [[DeadpanSnarker snarking]] at [[MadScientist Dr. Drakken]], though when she ''does'' get motivated (usually by [[WorthyOpponent Kim]]'s arrival), she can be quite the dangerous [[DarkActionGirl villain]]. She's also [[DragonInChief much more competent than Drakken himself]], and contents herself to be TheDragon because she (usually) is too unmotivated to become the BigBad in her own right. One BadFuture shows that it's a very bad thing when she ''gets'' motivated enough.
62	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'': Bebop and Rocksteady are very much this trope. At the orders of their boss Shredder, they fight the Turtles and seem to have fun doing this; Shredder also gives them other, more laborious duties that they don't enjoy as much; but to all appearances, what they really want to be doing is just playing around, like children. They are actually reflective enough to realize that their relationship with Shredder is that of a lazy slave to his master; but while they may feel a little uneasy with the lifestyle of a PunchClockVillain, [[HappinessInSlavery they rarely seem to have any kind of wish that they could quit and do something else with their lives]].
63	* Thundercracker from ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' has doubts about the Decepticon cause, which sometimes impede his effectiveness.
64	* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'': Basically every Monarch henchman, every time they talk. When the Flying Cocoon's engines failed mid-flight, none of them were willing to go into the engine room to fix it because "that place is ''spooky'', man." 21 and 24 are kind of borderline. 21, at least, is completely clueless to his costume's features (like functioning wings and night vision).
65	[[/folder]]

Context Main / HalfheartedHenchman