• The trope suffers from three major problems:
  • Misuse - contributors just pothole to this trope whenever someone slaps someone, ignoring Bitch Slap, which has almost ten times fewer wicks.
  • Bad description - it's convoluted and self contradicting. More on that bellow.
  • Misleading name - I personally like the way it sounds, but the name seems to be part of the problem. People either see it as a slap analogue of Armor-Piercing Question and Armor-Piercing Response (part of the description also suggests it, but another describes something else entirely) which deals with breaking one's phycological defenses, or compare it to Armor-Piercing Attack and use it as "a reeeeally strong slap".

Description

But then it's elaborated and things become confusing: next paragraph says being slapped by a loved one is humiliating, which has nothing to do with strengths. Then there're musings about the stronger character letting the weaker character hit him, because he's a decent person and/or feels guilty, or to prevent ruining the relationship. Double Standard is mentioned. And finally it concludes that: “What matters is that a weaker person is slapping, scolding, or otherwise humiliating a stronger person... and the stronger person is so stunned—or ashamed—that they can do nothing. ” - now it's not even about a slap anymore. It's about not protesting against being scolded.

And just to confuse things even more, the article adds, “But be careful now, it doesn't mean they won't hit back.”, even though it has just said the point of the trope is that they won't fight back.

Also, while it seemingly describes an unrealistic outcome (the implication seems to be that the strong character shouldn't be hurt by the slap, but they are), but ends with "Truth in Television, as anyone who interacts with young children on a regular basis can know.". IMO, if it includes Truth in Television, then it's chairs: "being slapped hurts" - who would've thought.

• In conclusion, the description seems to pack (at least) four different concepts into one trope:
  • A much weaker character slaps with an unexpected force that sends a nigh invulnerable character flying, or at least noticeably hurts them.
  • Being slapped has a profound psychological effect on a character, leaving them stunned. Related to Get A Hold Of Yourself Man, Armor-Piercing Question and Armor-Piercing Response.
  • A physically strong person doesn't defend themselves and doesn't respond in kind to being slapped by a weaker character due to their own morals or societal expectations. Compare Wouldn't Hit a Girl, but less gender specific.
  • A badass doesn't protest scolding and abuse from a weakling, because they believe the other person's wrath to be righteous and accept it. A variation of Submissive Badass, only where the submissiveness is momentary.

Wick Check

• Armor Piercing Wick Check
• Most of examples are either ZCE's or describe the reason for the punch, but not the consequences or the slappee's reaction (even though it seems to be the focus of this trope, whichever definition we apply). ^note I suspect, people often consider the disparity in power between characters to be self evident, so they don't bother including it in the example. I lumped them together, because the reason for the slap is not relevant to this trope.
  • ZCE, A slaps B for XYZ, or a character who likes to slap people. (31/50) 62%
  • A slaps B really hard (it's either unclear who's stronger, or the slapper is stronger). (8/50) 16%
  • A character is slapped and it emotionally affects them. (7/50) 14%
  • A weaker character slaps a stronger one and manages to hurt them physically. (2/50) 4%
  • A slap has no effect. (2/50) 4%

Possible solution:

• I guess, the most obvious one is to rewrite the description back to it's meaning of "a badass, who easily shrugs off powerful attacks from enemies, is physically hurt by a slap from a weakling". Cut all examples that don't fit. Rename. (incidentally, there is a redirect Girls Hit Harder Than The Villains, which describes the trope more aptly, but it's unnecessarily gendered, if you ask me.) I only worry that there are not enough examples supporting it.
• Or we can go with the flow and merge it with Bitch Slap?