Trope Talk: Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass

Everyone say hello to my favorite character archetype, which just narrowly edges out my second favorite, "crazy-prepared deadpan stoic badass with 37 knives hidden on their person at all times". The CMHB is an impossibly versatile writing tool wrapped up in a goofy, charming exterior, and I'd like to tell you all about its many literary uses today!
Who's your favorite CMHB, and what's your favorite scene with them? Gush about it in the comments!
(Part of this video was inspired in a big way by this excellent Every Frame A Painting video: • Jackie Chan - How to D... )
GENERAL EXAMPLES: Trigun, Rurouni Kenshin, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Elfen Lied, Deadman Wonderland, Bleach, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Brooklyn 99, Danny Phantom, Kim Possible, Kung Fu Panda, Dragon Ball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Berserk (Manga), Teen Titans, Storm Hawks, Cowboy Bebop, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, assorted Jackie Chan movies
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[@luckypeanut9943]

Never forget the time spider man lost his voice from a cold and all the villains surrendered cuz they were afraid of how silent he was

[@leahraji3244]

I need a link t o that comic. I have ben thinking about it and I can't find it online

[@PhoenixEnforcer101]

What issue?

[@elreywong]

The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (2014).

[@mariazapata1606]

I read the comic because of this comment and they didn't surrender they get their ass beaten because they waiting for him to crack a joke which I found that more hilarious

[@Center-For-I.E.D.Mismanagement]

@@mariazapata1606 That IS hilarious.

[@alwest4472]

I love iroh, his “moron” side is constantly doing wacky stuff, that on later thought turns out to be calculated and helpful. He’s just wonderful

[@NaviciaAbbot]

Uncle Iroh is the real Avatar in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

[@yiklongtay6029]

I'm curious. What should be the minimum frequency of switching between badass and moron for one to be considered a CMHB? Iroh was mostly a jokester and non-combatant in Season 1, a sincere and mentor character in Season 2, and a serious badass in Season 3. His moron badass ratio is different in every season and he doesn't switch very frequently in all 3.

[@DrBrangar]

@@yiklongtay6029 it is more the persona he has crafted around himself. Despite him having earned the title of Dragon, which means he supposedly killed a dragon alone, the entire nation sees him as a weak, senile, tea obsessed, old man, not the premier firebender he is. That sounds like a total CMHB to me, of the first flavour that Red mentioned. He likes to chill in his downtime, but puts on his serious pants when needed.

[@heuristix77]

When Zhao tries to backstab Zuko with lightning after Zuko beats him in Agni Kai, it's Iroh who reacts perfectly, grabs Zhao's hand, redirects the lightning harmlessly into the sky, and throws Zhao overboard. This was Book 1 Episode 3. They showed flashes of Hidden Badass in Iroh through the whole series.

[@DrBrangar]

@@heuristix77 minor correction: Zhao never did lightning, his was just a backstabbing kick. Azula's first fight with Zuko was the "he pops up and redirects her lightning" bit

[@galeg4021]

there's a great Jackie Chan outtake where he pops around the corner with a gun and says "CHEESE!" the crew starts giggling and he just "what?" and someone behind the camera says "it's freeze. Not cheese." and jackie laughs "Oh right! Freeze!"

[@leonardorolingstella8554]

He totally cheesed that line

[@seanbigay1042]

And they didn't throw that scene in? Lame!

[@guidomista3570]

I think my personal favorite CMHB is the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow. He pretends to be a bumbling idiot of a pirate when just under the surface he's a simultaneously brilliant and insane master escape artist that can figure out how he can get out of a situation with little more than a glance at a few things that he can use. The idiot act just helps him pull off his escapes from inescapable situations by making everyone else who doesn't know of him already underestimate his affinity for using wacky bullshit to get himself out of trouble.

[@herowither12354]

..pretends?

[@donanthebarbarian5177]

​@@herowither12354 depends on how drunk he is whether it's an act or not. When he's sufficiently drunk he stops being an idiot while he's doing something badass or stops doing badass things while saying/doing idiotic things. When he's fairly sober (for Jack Sparrow) he's doing a mix of both. Which makes it seem like he's either pretending to be an idiot or almost always too drunk to think things through completely.

[@yesmansam6686]

I don't think he's acting. I think he's eccentric in such a way that he looks stupid on the surface and that leads people to constantly underestimate him.

[@tonoornottono]

@@yesmansam6686 rewatch the first movie then. it’s really very obvious he’s putting on an act. the rest of the movies it’s harder to tell

[@yesmansam6686]

@@tonoornottono Gladly, I love pirates of the Caribbean.

[@sambarrett2711]

I would like to think I’m a crouching moron, hidden badass but in reality I’m more of a crouching moron, hidden even more of a moron

[@cosplayingchao]

This is when the straight-man says "I don't think it was very well hidden to begin with"

[@wooblydooblygod3857]

I'm so brutally moronic it comes so out of left field for my enemies it works, 'til they get used to it.

[@spino-ace]

SAME LMAO

[@cinnamonro3344]

holy shit lmao

[@discordiadingle3203]

I’m a crouching moron, hidden hot mess

[@dahla1919]

You talked about how it's annoying when CMHBs are constantly underestimated, and I agree with you, but I love when it's the inverse. Where the CMHB is rumored to be extremely powerful, then when met in person they just seem like a goofball with a bad rumor attached to them. Until later in the story when that rumor turns out to be true.

[@amam-hv2xr]

It is actually similar to Yoda's introduction in Star Wars, he is one of the examples that jumped into my head now

[@Ertwin123]

@@amam-hv2xr My first thought was Vash the Stampede, aka the Human Typhoon. Rumoured to wipe out entire towns, yet when anyone meets him, they completely dismiss the idea that he is who he says he is, because he's such an idiotic goofball. (Trigun)

[@booplesnoot1353]

Harry Potter... lowkey

[@dahla1919]

@@booplesnoot1353 my god you're right

[@booplesnoot1353]

@@dahla1919 Yeah! It's really interesting to think about. I also think this applies to Aang in Avatar the Last Airbender. Everyone thinks as the avatar as this powerful being, but then they see a literal child and think "oh never mind hes a stupid kid." And in some ways he is, but he also defeats the fire lord at the end

[@someguy4405]

She said badass *57 times* , in case you were wondering.

[@Bruceologist]

I wasn't, but I'm glad to know

[@jacobwilson8579]

Huh.... Neat

[@someguy4405]

I fucking went over the video and tallied it up.

[@anonymyus7007]

I was about to comment 'thats a lot of badasses' lol thx for actually counting them

[@virginiamooney4105]

Thank you, that was weighing on my mind

[@Jack-sy8mr]

Luthor’s plan Step 1. Become President Step 2. Kill Flash Step 3. Get killed by Superman Step 4....profit?

[@DDlambchop43]

yeah, I'm guessing he's the only one smart enough to understand the intricacies of the plan. Edit: After watching the series again, I noticed (spoiler) he never intended to be president; he went thru all that to discredit the heroes and "tick off superman". All while putting together a truly frightening plan.

[@metalsonic66]

Like the Gru plan meme lol

[@dumbdude3103]

"I may be an idiot, but I'm not stupid" is my favorite version. Highly booksmart and awesome but have little to know common sense. Like Sokka in ATLA, Spencer in iCarly, or Shawn in Psych.

[@potentpotassium5776]

That line sums me up in a single sentence.

[@sweett3253]

Little to know

[@cecilyheywood2675]

he he Shawn's great

[@CraftingGummi]

High Intelligence! Low Wisdom…

[@WakkaMadeInYevon]

"People like funnies and people like awesome, and I'm people" Preach

[@camdenthompson4307]

looks at myself: wait........

[@ryanpeterson1588]

That was funny to me too hit an inside kidney one of the 12

[@pinkajou656]

I died XD

[@Friki_gameplays]

-Noo you can just be badass and funny at the same time -Jackie Chan and Bollywood action scenes: observe

[@janosd4nuke]

What about Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill?

[@anitanielsen1061]

"Who decided that?"

[@Zerpderp0]

Nothing for more laughs and more fuck yeah from then the catapulted phalanx from bollywood

[@pendragon0905]

Jackie Chan 4Ever 👊

[@euclyptuseuphoria3759]

Arnold Schwartzanegger be like

[@chickencurry420]

"Weapons grade slapstick" is the best term I've ever heard to describe Jackie Chan

[@danielbeaney4407]

The Flash arc (and really the CHMB) reminds me of an old saying. There are 3 things all wise men fear a storm at sea, a night with no moon and the anger of a gentle man.

[@OuchingTigerLimpingDragon]

Eyyyy, another Name of the Wind fan!

[@matthewcox4997]

That’s not an old saying 😂 But awesome quote I love that book series

[@matthewcox4997]

@Revan Ji maybe in another decade 😭

[@KezanzatheGreat]

"Demons run when a good man goes to war"

[@A1D3N_T13]

Wise words from wise people, not surprising

[@Chupacabra2012]

Dear Red: Can we get a mug/t-shirt that's says "I'm Magic, Ishtar loves me, and even the Queen of Hell thinks I'm hot."?

[@leohex8767]

YES! I want one!

[@callianr6980]

Pretty sure they already have both of those. They showed them off on Twitter a few weeks ago.

[@bambi3845]

Yeah, they do have that design for their T-Shirts, although I don't know if there is a mug to that same effect.

[@kristopherbarker3282]

I need one now

[@Chupacabra2012]

Oh gosh it's true! It does already exist! www.cafepress.com/overlysarcasticproducts.410900101

[@jetstreamjackie3437]

This trope is why the Ultra Instinct Shaggy meme works

[@literallyglados]

... i-... it is...

[@boldblues]

It just works.

[@christopherauzenne5023]

holy shit

[@shrishvellore1501]

A Mailman with a Gun is that a mojo reference

[@matthewmuir8884]

Too bad Shaggy gets easily stepped on by General Grievous...

[@skyhideaway]

It's amazing how Sokka is both the funny idiot and the genius strategist at the same time. A lot of his comedy actually comes from him being the only braincell in the group and constantly getting frustrated with the carelessness of the others, which is really clever. He's a great fighter but his strength lies in his brains, which is surprising for a "moronic" character (I mean, he's had his share of genuinely stupid stuff too, but still). It's a twist on the badass, with his main power being the smart guy, rather than being the awesome warrior.

[@fulviopontarollo2952]

It is also extremely funny that most times he tries to plan something with Aang (usually something related to other Gaang dynamics going on) their combined efforts concoct plans that are extremely silly and stupid

[@MasterIsabelle]

@@fulviopontarollo2952like when he tries to trick katara with a fake apology letter from toph

[@Door227]

@@fulviopontarollo2952whenever sokka gets in a duo with aang all of the brain cells go down the drain

[@angelkingsley5299]

God I love this show

[@Red-in-Green]

It’s especially good with his character development. He starts off as a squeaky sexist idiot whose only purpose is to be suspicious and get kicked off a ramp, but by the end he’s a skilled strategist and leader. And he dumps the entire crew of a blimp into the ocean by inviting them to a birthday party

[@bloopity4117]

The entirety of Assassination Classroom is filled with these character archetypes and its super entertaining

[@oscarvinicios]

ESPECIALLY nagisa

[@respectfulevil9022]

ABSOLUTELY

[@lilithstardust7359]

that show shouldn't have fucked me up as much as it did back when I watched it probably one of the first things that made me think "hey maybe I need therapy" lol

[@ritzexists2201]

the whole premise of the show is literally: people who take life way to seriously underestimate this class of kids and their mascot looking teacher and are proven wrong.

[@aclaymushroomwithaberet7084]

been wondering if I should watch it just seemed a little to ridiculous to me. Though hearing this makes me want to give it another try so... I'll come back when I finish season one!!!

[@JetZV]

Fullmetal Alchemist does a lot with this trope. You've got Ed himself as the "crouching short kid, hidden badass," Izumi Curtis is the "crouching housewife, hidden badass," Ling's got the market on "crouching foreign hobo, hidden badass," and Pride is the embodiment of "crouching first grader, hidden nightmare fuel." And then you have inversions like Armstrong, who acts as a "crouching badass, hidden sweetheart."

[@adrianjas284]

Also Maes Hughs who plays up his obsession with his daughter to fool people into underestimating him.

[@masterboa6321]

this is maes hughes erasure

[@luckyrobin]

Don’t call him short

[@yohumanfrisk]

@@adrianjas284 Oh no. . . No no no, don't mention Hughs. . . I didn't want today to be rainy. . .

[@marywren3998]

Roy also very deliberately plays up the whole "Playboy" thing so people underestimate him

[@sse2479]

"weapons grade slapstick" when talking about Jackie Chan. Best quote of the whole video.

[@enigmace9787]

Don't you mean "people like funny and people like awesome, and I'm people"?

[@sse2479]

@@enigmace9787 Don't you mean, "I've been abused by narcissists, so I like to point out when others express joy that they are doing it for their own benefit to some degree"

[@StarshadowMelody]

@@enigmace9787 Don't you mean **insert the video's entire script**

[@kyuven]

I think Saitama from One Punch Man is my favorite version of this trope. He's badass, COMPLETELY badass. But his badassitude is also the joke. He's so incomprehensibly strong that people assume he's just cheating. He lives in a world where a hero who can throw around cars like frisbees is only considered B-rank. His friend, who consistently loses VERY messily to the point it's almost a joke in and of itself, is an S rank. Saitama is stronger than all of these guys, without even really trying. He's also hilarious. Cuz he just wants to do hero stuff because it's the right thing to do. He only wants money for food and rent, and only goes along with the whole ranking system because of the money it provides that would allow him to not worry about it. He only really starts caring about his rank at all when he finds out C-ranks can get kicked out due to inactivity. And he's only C-rank because, as is typical for shonen heroes, he bombed the written portion. He's also more than willing to call villains out on their bullshit. That "OK..." meme with his face is his response to a villain's monologue carrying on a bit too long. He's a conflict killer, and the audience KNOWS he's a conflict killer. But he does it in such absurd ways that it's funny. Like punching a guy who shrugged off several S-rank heroes and straight up killed or dismembered several lower ranked heroes so hard that the sky clears. Then, when the crowds start thinking "Hey, why do we need heroes if they can't stand up to threats like this?!" he admits he "cheated," and engaged in so his fellow heroes' sacrifices wouldn't be glossed over just because he's so freakishly strong. And all this from the guy who got constantly assaulted by an annoying mosquito that he chased into a huge battle scene.

[@k.5425]

Yes. Saitama is just funny. And yh it's so ironic about his cyborg's "disciple" 's rank.

[@Tebrial]

Im not sure if I would really call Saitama a crouching moron, hidden badass to be honest. While everyone underestimates him, he never at any point hides his power level behind a facade personality(except for that one time with the deep sea king aftermath), and he isnt even exactly all that comedic. If anything, he's more like a "overdog posed as underdog" character type. Basically a character that the audience knows is badass, but the world, or setting of the series refuses to acknowledge that. Soma from Food Wars is a good example, along with Chivalry of a Failed Knight's Ikki.

[@jacobnorris8256]

He's really not "completely badass". He's not really a crouching "moron" either though, more of a "crouching normal dude, hidden badass". Though he has the same effect as a crouching moron. While say his obsession with sales isn't moronic, and just normal with a spice of silly, it's funny regardless exactly because he's so strong. He's so strong that the only things he still cares about are mundane things, and it's funny to see such a powerhouse act like the weekend sale is literally the most important thing ever. It's also made funnier by the fact that he often does these mundane things in the middle of badass situations. He's so damn strong that he doesn't need to care about the fact that the potential destroyer of the planet is standing right in front of him, so he thinks about something mundane instead. That makes it both badass and funny at the same time.

[@kingkasdin9767]

@@jacobnorris8256 badass normal

[@malarkeylaboratories3658]

@@jacobnorris8256 this may not be related but it reminded me of an interesting quirk of the mind and how it judges things. so if you have a character and they run from a monster you will think that the monster is much scarier that the person but if you have a person that doesn't bat an eye you will either think they are an idiot or much more of a threat than the monster (basically why lions aren't scared of mice and usually with similar scaling) and for an interesting way to show this is entities listening to them that really shouldn't based on what the audience knows for example why is this mob boss taking orders from this shopkeeper or why does this demon not smash this man to a pile of mush. this leads into the next way to show this off in a subtle way is if a character knows how the utterly terrifying cmhb can be when sufficiently riled and when they sense that it is happening they become agitated but that is what point I may or may not have had

[@sonicbelmont300]

*notices the missing illustration in the Venn diagram* : oh I wonder what that's gonna be *5 minutes later* : it's Jackie Chan

[@WreckinPoints11]

I think making comic relief characters as snipers or hackers is to keep them out of the direct line of fire so that they can focus more of their brain on being comedic, instead of being forced to worry about getting out of the way of dying.

[@wjzav1971]

Hacker also makes sense, since the whacky chaotic guy can come up with some "unpredictable genius code" that no normal guy could have conceived off.

[@seanbigay1042]

This is why the Friendly Sniper trope is a thing. It's quite possible for someone to be the absolute life of the party, and at the same time to be the deadliest sniper of them all. Simo Hayha was actually a nice guy, but also such a lethal sniper that during Finaldn's 1941 war with Russia the Russians came to fear him as The White Death. They were so scared of him, they blasted whole swathes of forest with artillery in hopes of killing him. (They failed.)

[@charliefarmer4365]

Iroh is he perfect example. In the first couple episodes, he comes off as lazy, but in the third one, he starts acting wisely. He continues acting like a goof with a love for tea for the rest of the series, with plenty of wisdom, and some serious moments.

[@e4ehco21]

Have I ever told you why they call me the dragon of the west

[@Krahazik]

The trick with him is that there are people who know how much of a bad-ass he is capable of as he was a known bad-ass in his prime. A retired bad-ass who plays up the old gig so people assume he is no-longer capable of the bad-assery of his youth. Also most of the people he is dealing with are to young to have actually witnessed him at his prime so his bad-assery is more legend or story based not something tangible. Until he shows that he still got it.

[@LoneSilverW0lf]

I also read a few bits where he played up the goofball bit for Zuko. I can’t remember the whole of it, but someone mentioned that he was trying to say ‘it’s ok to be easygoing sometimes. Look at me, a living legend still able to kick ass, really loves tea and pai sho!’ He really loves that boy.

[@eggtarts286]

I'm not interested in another fuddy-duddy story, Uncle

[@Eddafred]

Delicious tea? Or D E A D L Y P O I S O N?

[@owenbillo5513]

I feel like Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy is a reverse CMHB. In normal situations he's overly serious, but in combat he's actually kinda useless.

[@whoknows7968]

I feel like Drax is another one of those unintended victims of the Worf Effect

[@amiaeams7522]

@@whoknows7968 what is the worf affect

[@whoknows7968]

@@amiaeams7522 Basically it's where a character the audience knows to be strong is soundly defeated by a villain to show just how powerful the villain is. If it happens to a character once that's not a problem but the worf effect is when it happens to the same character repeatedly. It ends up making a character that used to seem tough look like a weakling because they have gotten beaten up by literally everybody.

[@maxwellsimon4538]

Well Drax did get swallowed by crazy monsters and put through all other kinds of punishment without really getting a scratch on him. He's also had his fair share of victories too. He's less of a ruthless killer badass, more of an unkillable tank badass. Though I'd still say he's kind of useless, just not fully under the worf effect.

[@whoknows7968]

@@maxwellsimon4538 Another sign of a worf, name a character Drax beat in a one-on-one fight. Not a gune, a named character. If not, he's a worf through and through.

[@remembernovember9059]

Zenitsu, the guy who's first instinct when facing the demons he's supposed to fight is running away, but once he takes a power nap, turns into the living embodiment of the phrase, "Lightning never strikes twice."

[@raptorxrise5386]

okay what the fuck? How did i never make the connection to that saying? Ill just see myself out

[@nvk3435]

Too bad Zenitsu is fucking insufferable for a good 75% of the show. Man just won’t stop screaming like dude shut uuuuuup

[@victorvirgili4447]

Lightning never strikes twice. Because, when wielded by Zenitsu, it only needs to strike once.

[@kyrasoze516]

Lightning rods exist entirely to make lightning strike many times in the same place.

[@nvk3435]

@@kyrasoze516 thats why its a phrase and not a fact

[@Limrasson]

So what I learned from this: >Be Jackie Chan >??? >Profit.

[@Bizarrejoe]

basically, yes

[@peiranzhang4283]

Fun fact, he started in porn.

[@allyli1718]

@@peiranzhang4283 why you gotta do me like that?

[@peiranzhang4283]

@@allyli1718 Fun fact, he probably fucked all the actresses he shoot with, young girls jump at the opportunity to get famous with one movie. Good for him China don't have a me to movement, otherwise his going to get the death sentence for being a "serial rapist".

[@fabulousfloof3546]

Zenitsu from Demon Slayer: Braindamaged anime girl with amnesia who's only useful once he faints from pure fear.

[@prabhavsthapit653]

Yes!!!

[@Devils_Lair_Comics]

Isn't Zennitsu a dude?

[@hiimchrisj]

@@Devils_Lair_Comics Pretty sure he's just making a joke in reference to how she explains in the video that this is usually an anime GIRL thing whereas anime GUYS are usually the manchild type.

[@xanderstewart2965]

More anime, I think saitama sort of fits this but he's not actually a moron, he's super powerful and competent but everyone just assumed he's an idiot

[@pshalleck]

Zenitsu was conscious for his most useful moment: protecting the box.

[@bibbobella]

Sokka from Avatar: the last airebender is also a really good example of this (though going more towards the funny in non dangerous situations) He is without a doubt the most strategic and clever person on the team yet he is flawed and have a tendency of messing up and even make light of some pretty serious sitations. Not because he is trying to be silly..but because he is silly and don't always think everything through despite being amazing at coming up with plans. Several times he is actually the reason their plan gets either slightly messed up or end in a complete shitshow. The best example of this is when he is attempting to get off the boiling rock in season 3. The reason the first plan goes completly up in smoke is because he isn't careful enough when he tells the other's about his plan. It is even his fault that Zuko gets caught as well..Zuko...because he takes too long to talk to Suki in the cell. He also didn't have any idea about how to catch the warden after they had already begun their second attempt at getting away. The invasion of the fire kingdom is also an example but that is different. He isn't being silly or taking things likely at that specific time but instead gets provoked into using up previous time (It is such an amazing scene actually! Him first telling everyone that they need to focus on the main mision but then gets provoked by Azula's sharp tongue. It is such a welldone scene! We very rarely see Sokka get that emotional and the fact he is even fully aware of her plan yet still ends up falling into it is bloody amazing! It both shows Azula's amazing manipulation skills and quick thinking but also shows some of Sokka's best sides in the fact he is able to see through her plan before she has to start provoking him.)

[@angeljaceherondale]

Agreed. Also Aang himself could be included.

[@sebastianthegoat4265]

Sokka is so well written that he's one of my favorite characters aside from maybe Zuko or Iroh

[@vaughnjohnson8767]

It’s fire nation. Not fire kingdom. But I still like it

[@nkyfong]

It seems like his spiritual successor Callum, from the Dragon Prince, is also a CMHB.

[@ej-b7915]

Zuko: Crouching Badass, Hidden Moron

[@discordiadingle3203]

Ah yes, that one episode of black butler where we learn the background of the cook, maid, and gardener.

[@JaelinBezel]

You know shit’s gotten real when you can actually see the maid’s eyes.

[@Maria.Mirabella]

Shit always gets real when you finally see an anime character’s eyes

[@lonancavendish2172]

But in Black Butler, the best example of this is The Undertaker. NO ONE would take that fool seriously until that ship arc when he beated the protagonist. That is no small stuff. LOL

[@plantainsame2049]

Bard may-rin and finian

[@futtynucker5278]

You forgot the all powerful Crouching Cinnamon Roll, Hidden Monster.

[@Evielicious]

NATSUKI

[@Evielicious]

SAYORI

[@TheAymeric51]

DEKU

[@spachino7351]

OLAF

[@ShinigamiSparda]

Nezuko?

[@Brainflayer]

Something pointed out by Comics Explained during their X Men Vs Avengers videos, specifically about Spiderman, that can feed into the CMHB Trope is that cracking jokes or not taking a fight seriously can actually mess with opponents. Spiderman doesn't just wisecrack during fights because it's who he is, he does it in part because acting so blasé and casual about fights while the people he's fighting take it so seriously can mess with them on a psychological level.

[@jollygoodhissynoodle1722]

I think the opposite is much funnier. "Oh no it's the amazing, powerful, puppy OF DOOM." "Bork" "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES"

[@justas423]

I want to see a DnD character with garbage stats but has put everything into intimidation so everyone thinks they're powerful.

[@coolgreenbug7551]

It is the rabbit,

[@onomayonnaise]

Ever heard of King from One Punch Man?

[@futtynucker5278]

@@justas423 Check out the story of "Brolaire"

[@fluffyphoenix8082]

@@onomayonnaise dude I _love_ King When he was very first introduced/mentioned, I honestly wasn't expecting him to be such a wuss. It's great

[@sars910]

Yoda, when Luke Skywalker meets him for the first time, is also a Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass. His reveal has weight and meaning that stays with you and actually impacts the story as it goes along.

[@classarank7youtubeherokeyb63]

It also fits really well with the theme. Yoda really is weak and frail, but he is still enormously powerful because he has force powers. It doesn't matter if luke could punch way harder than Yoda, because only one of them could lift a huge spaceship out of the bog.

[@dapeach06]

Yeah, but she already showed Iroh, and Iroh is basically a better version of Yoda

[@javierpowell4705]

@@dapeach06 as a fan of both series that physically hurt to hear but, i agree , Yoda can be pretty damn stupid at time *cough* palpatine *cough* meanwhile Iroh has a very well developed emotional core that goes far beyond yoda

[@Alex_Rodd1526]

@@javierpowell4705 Well, Iroh had a whole series to develop, and was a main character, while Yoda originally only had the movies, and while didn't play a role as integral to the plot as Iroh.

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

I knew Yoda quite well and I don't think this trope applies to him. He was the variation Red spoke of where they initially seem unassuming but retain there awesomeness after it is revealed. You always respect Yoda after he lifts that X-Wing. Anytime we see him afterwords in the prequels and on his death bed we respect both his immense wisdom and power. He never plays the fool again.

[@cellochicita]

I just realized. This is Sans Undertale.

[@rinyaskyline]

Y E S

[@liladuter856]

First name: Sans Last name: Undertale

[@jimboanimations4041]

hello Man on the internet's wife, how is the going

[@cellochicita]

@@jimboanimations4041 I'm sorry what now?? XD

[@jimboanimations4041]

@@cellochicita R/woooosh with the crimge normy

[@NOnameNOnamehdhdhd]

I really like Rimiru from “That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime” as an example of a moronic badass. They fall under the “Acting stupid to gain an advantage over those who underestimate them” archetype. They often use the fact that they are “just a weak slime” to accomplish this on top of acting dumb as though they don’t understand the gravity of what’s happening most of the time, only breaking character when a villain pushes them too far. They let their opponent know this by literally telling them that they’re getting serious now. This is usually where Rimiru puts down their sword, and start using their actual powers, regrowing limbs, transforming into other creatures, using powerful magic, creating body doubles, kirbying the villain’s allies, etc.

[@timeshark8727]

Sounds about right. Lovable slime till that line is crossed, then he's either dissolving the opponent or "Megiddo"...

[@cameronjensen9397]

@@timeshark8727 Oh god that Megiddo scene, that was something truly terrifying as thousands of people are getting killed! Though it is funny when the head knight basically came up with the plan to save the king and the bishop, runs out of the tent, and instantly got headshoted. It is funny scene even if it's supposed to invoke terror in us, like it did with the king and bishop.

[@ScooterBug96]

@@cameronjensen9397 Ah yes Megiddo, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious.

[@cameronjensen9397]

@@ScooterBug96 Not to mention that we get to see a bunch of greedy morons get their just deserts. And it was funny when the king tried to boss around Rimiru like he had any ounce of power. Of course, I mean that it was funny in a pathetic sort of way.

[@AarturoSc]

Who are you kidding? Rimuru is the perfect definition of Gary Stu/Mary Sue. There’s absolutely no tension in that story due to how overpowered he is. It’s super boring.

[@321cheesedude96]

I think One Punch Man is another good example of comedy and badassery happening simultaneously. Simply due to the fact he is so overpowered he doesn't need to get serious at all to do incredibly badass stuff

[@alucard347]

I was thinking about saitama the entire video, just waiting for red to mention him. I was disappointed.

[@bigjavo36]

ALUCARD it’s because saitama is this because he’s a satire of shonen protagonists which are all basically goku so there is no need to bring up both so you talk about the OG.

[@anneaunyme]

I don't think Saitama fits the trope that well: sure he is funny, but usually he is not the one producing the comedy by his morroness.

[@debodatta7398]

Saitama is a parody character

[@Mernom]

@@anneaunyme The scene where he punches out a guy while freaking out about a sale window he missed comes to mind.

[@efrenyalung1348]

I’d really be interested in seeing a Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass as an antagonist

[@burritowyrm6530]

rat rumors kefka is an example but there are other better ones honestly

[@MdiPaol0]

Slayers' Xellos in some situations works as an antagonist. But he constantly changes sides tho

[@ahniandfriends123]

Does King Dedede count?

[@heretical_habits9512]

Buu?

[@nbucwa6621]

I think Marvel's Loki could count.

[@Valkyrie2702]

"This walking, talking force of nature thinks marriage is something you eat" describes one of my characters so well it HURTS.

[@burnttoast.2017]

Goku. Fucking Goku, man.

[@aokhoinguyenang3992]

You know what's funny there is a manga that combine the split personality & the pretender: Samurai deeper Kyo. When we fist met the protag: Mibu Kyoshiro , he has 2 personalities(Kyo the bad-ass & Kyoshiro the dumb-ass). But later on we found out that they're 2 different people: Kyoshiro defeated & seal Kyo soul in his body(because a powerful opponent want to kill Kyo but he's a hot head who would rather die than run away so Kyoshiro seal his soul, hide his body then ran away). They're constanly fighting for control-> as weak a a normal man until one relinquished control to the other

[@ScrawnyTreeDemon]

Incredible, tell your character I love them

[@seanwaddell2659]

“My name is Micheal J. Caboose, and I hate taxes!!!” “It’s Texas you idiot!” “Those too!”

[@sanityisrelative]

@@seanwaddell2659 I was thinking Tucker for this trope, but honestly all of the Reds and Blues fit. It's like an entire series of CMHB.

[@scientistsquid5675]

My favorite example of what you said right before you started about Jackie Chan and that’s the time spiderman lost his voice and all the villains where so scared they surrendered because they knew if spiderman was silent he was serious. They also knew he could hospitalize them when he was not serious so it was very threatening.

[@nimrodlabin8276]

There is another version: the saitama. He is so badass he just doesn’t need to care and as such he is a frequent source of comedy.

[@gormauslander]

This is very difficult to pull off without getting old, and I haven't seen it done outside one punch

[@PokeMultiverse]

@@gormauslander Honestly I think the reason it works is that the characters goal is tied to wanting a struggle yet he overqualified himself. His overall depression allows him to slip under the radar, which opens up a lot of the jokes, not to mention King's backstory being the epitome of using that fact for a joke. Also, the author juxtaposed him with mumen rider against the sea king perfectly. Saitama became a hero for fun yet he found himself so OP that he can't have any fun and not only that but he's so strong that others dont believe it and flame him. I think the way to pull it off is to make the internal goal actively hurt by the fact that theyre overpowered. I think that's also why early superman worked yet it's so narrow that a lot of remakes fail because they can't give him an internal conflict that cant be solved by being a badass.

[@jonc5467]

She showed the Trigun main character, which also fits this trope. He doesn't give 2 shits and is just trying to do stuff, but is actually a fucking savant at murdering people.

[@majesticm4808]

Saitama is also a gag character. His conflict is with his strength; he wants something to come along and challenge him. Any other character with different motives who just effortlessly glassed their opponents without casualties would be boring. Vash almost fits but he cares about casualties.

[@tehrik0020]

@@gormauslander It doesn't get old through OPM because while Saitama is the main character of the series, he's almost never the main character of the single episodes and shows up towards the end to clean eventual mess, for instance in Garou's arc the entirety of the focus has been mostly on Garou, Saitama intervening once in a blue moon. Besides, Saitama is a savant, as it's shown that in a multitude of different situations that do not involve combat he's kind of a loser, OPM also does a great job at making you wishing for Saitama to kick some ass, as everyone underestimates him for his unremarkability while Saitama himself does not get offended for it and does not retaliate until he feels like either the situation is escalating, or one of his "triggers" is pulled, namely making fun of his baldness. To name more examples, I'd say Henry Killinger in the Venture Bros can also be valid in this regard. Venture Bros also had perhaps one of the most iconic CMHB characters to ever exist in Henchman 21.

[@anonymousbub3410]

Percy Jackson kind of fits into the 0 confidence goofball.

[@arianamaria_]

In the first couple of books but by TLO and on he was aware of his powers, he was just Fucking Done™ with the gods and their bullshit and his sass filter started failing

[@jessya775]

@@arianamaria_ good thing he was still funny in his head

[@Pyranders]

@@jessya775 Let's just be happy Riordan sanitized Greek mythology a bit. I doubt "Chapter 7. I find out my uncle is a serial rapist." would be a terribly enjoyable experience.

[@Bet_On_Me]

@@arianamaria_ My favorite part is when he sees he is carrying Hera on a dream and just DROPS her

[@MalloonTarka]

@@Pyranders Or "I find out my dad is a serial rapist". Yeah, Greek mythology, pretty on the outside, all kinds of f**ked up underneath.

[@Autistic_Changeling]

One of my favorite examples is Equestria Girls Pinkie Pie. She has the power to cause sugar to explode. This has lead to my favorite scene in any fanfic where she fended off an entire government task force by lobbing them with exploding pastries. Moral of the story is, *don't face off against Pinkie in Sugar Cube Corner*.

[@alibekzholaman2923]

MLP fanfics really are absolutely ridiculous are they?

[@AishathFauzaaIbrahim]

This isn't cannon?!

[@gingermcgingin4106]

Causing sugar to explode isn't a power, ot does that naturally. Also makes for a really good firestarter, & in molten form can do a decent impression of lava.

[@clorbdorb1245]

My favorite version of this trope is a loveable idiot who just wants to live a carefree life indulging in the things that make them happy. Their badassery only appears when someone tries to take one of those things away from them. For example, CMHB is chasing butterflies. A threat appears trying to get them to engage in an epic battle. CMHB takes one whole second to obliterate this threat because THIS IS BUTTERFLY TIME, DAMMIT, WAIT YOUR TURN!

[@bardofvoid174]

Honestly reminds me of One Punch Man

[@theknightskyisi]

Mine from ascendance of a bookworm is this to some extent. The locals often seem to think of her as a cloud cookoolander or as a bunny-eared lawyer (if they recognize her brilliance) because her real-world memories make her react in ways they don't understand. But she can be kinda dumb when it comes to her main motivators: her family, friends and books as she prioritizes them over what most people there consider common sense. It's funny though that despite being the physically weakest human protagonist I can think of she's actually really dangerous for spoiler reasons i.e. having an overpowering wellspring of magic inside that threatens to kill you can become useful when emotions take over.

[@neroquin]

Someone give me examples of this. I love it but never know where to find it.

[@thehumanflintfun9666]

@@neroquin I think Joseph Joestar and Josuke Higashikata from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fit this trope. Can someone else confirm?

[@macomo9131]

Kirby

[@seherktheberserker2365]

I just realised that Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood can be grouped into CMHB!

[@intergalactic92]

Neville? Not really. He genuinely is a moron for the first few books but later grows into a badass. That’s called character growth. Luna, I would agree.

[@yiklongtay6029]

We should not only consider a character's ratio of comedian and badass but the frequency of the change between modes. Nevile was a comedic non-entity between 1 to 4 but a respectable wizard in 5-6 and a badass in the last one. He doesn't flip back and forth between the modes

[@emilygray2025]

the weasley twins much?

[@Hallows4]

One of my favorite JLU moments is when Superman is an inch away from going psycho on Cadmus, and Flash isn't amused in the slightest. In not so many words, he basically calls Supes out for letting his emotions interfere with his reason, and he's cognizant enough to realize that ripping Cadmus out root and stem wouldn't help the League's reputation or even necessarily solve the problem that Cadmus presents in the first place.

[@zyaicob]

I love when the closer to earth heroes call out the big guns on stuff like this. anytime Ollie did it, Flash 'trying to speak for Superman', it really made me critically engage with the media i was consuming, the stories i was being told, and the lessons inherent to them

[@DDlambchop43]

I think I know that scene. "Grammy flash used to say 'the problem with an eye for an eye is everybody ends up blind' "

[@TheBobby2legs]

Ah yes I’ll never forget that glorious moment where the flash showed Luther the terror of a man who can process and react in attoseconds.

[@restreven4455]

I understand heroes can’t kill people. But you’d think by now they would have accidentally killed someone.

[@isdrakon9802]

@@restreven4455 Its probably a good thing hero's give themselves a high moral code, I certainly wouldn't be the same

[@saucevc8353]

@@restreven4455 Maybe the reason they have secret identities is so they don't have to deal with all the lawsuits.

[@restreven4455]

@@saucevc8353 lol right. Also Bad Boys on Amazon answered my question.

[@Oddi0]

@@restreven4455 The Boys, not Bad Boys.

[@commonviewer2488]

One Punch Man has many examples of scenes that are both funny and awesome

[@stephenflint3640]

Saitama is practically the quintuple distilled vodka of this trope, with his moronic lackadaisical personality never stopping, even when other characters have brought out their S rank badassery, and still manages to outclass them by a margin of Superman against Darkseid compared to.... honestly I'm left thinking the Paw Patrol squad.

[@daedalus7286]

BaRgAiN dAY At tHe SuPErMaRkEeEeEEeeT!!!

[@mrtengu5303]

Even better is the character of King, who’s a perfect reversal of the CMHB. A stone cold badass who’s very presence is unnerving but is actually a pretty useless loser.

[@stephenflint3640]

@@mrtengu5303 isnt Kings whole reputation because he happened to be nearby, and consequentially looking badass, while Saitama was doing his own shit, before becoming a hero?

[@ZanathKariashi]

Basically yeah, BUT King is one of the most genuinely heroic characters in the series. Honestly only Licenceless Rider really out does him. Yeah he needed a pep-talk first to man up, but after that, he's been great.

[@geoisacat]

My favorite example of the CMHB trope is Soren from The Dragon Prince, He is fun and goofy and very much a moron sometimes, but he really gets serious, especially in season 3, when it's super important. Definitely one of my faves. I'm surprised I haven't seen many other people mention him

[@wjzav1971]

Not sure if Soren fits though. He is introduced as a capable fighter from the start, just not a very smart guy. And his later heroics don't come from being smarter than people thought but having more heart than people thought. We first see him as a classic jock who bullies the more nerdy Callum and takes evil orders without question. And later we do get to see that he actually does have a moral compass when he frees Esrin and when he turns his back on his father after he turns fully evil. I would say Soren more fits the "Are we the baddies?" trope.

[@starfyre59]

The crouching moron hidden badass trop saved Thor's character. Thank you Ragnorok.

[@toatahu2003]

Unfortunately, it also ruined the story of that movie... But at least it was good for a laugh...

[@starfyre59]

I respectfully disagree. I loved the movie@@toatahu2003

[@astrobookwormsinger]

@@toatahu2003 pretty much yeah

[@toatahu2003]

@@starfyre59 Don't misunderstand, it WAS a good movie. An excellent comedy. It accomplished exactly what it set out to do. It DID revitalize a stale character. However, all the drama and important character moments for these characters that have been built up over several movies... Absolutely spit upon... For the sake of a laugh. Thor lost his hammer, is hair, his honor, his father, his best friends, his home, and many of his people, an did any of that have any kind of impact on him or the audience? Nope. Because all that emotion was undercut with humor, even when it didn't need to be.

[@toatahu2003]

I'm very torn over the movie. I loved its humor, laughed at every joke, and it was what truly made me a fan of Thor, as I was pretty on the fence before. But... When I see everything that happens to the character, and how much great story they sacrificed... It's kinda painful to think about... It's like eating the best hamburger of your life, only to watch them grind up a delicious steak in order to make it...

[@aquapb893]

One of my favorite Spider-Man moments in the comics is Dare Devil warning Kingpin to not screw around when Dare Devil went to prison (long story) one of Kingpins crownies asks “or what?” It’s then revealed Spider-Man has been hiding in a corner of the ceiling dead silent and looking pissed EDIT: Daredevil Vol. 6 #23

[@OsmSkylandersCheats]

I'd like to hear you talk about the "Villainous Crush" trope. You know, where a villain has (one-sided) feelings for a hero.

[@adrienneczerni6516]

CSG is there one where the hero has one sided feelings for the villain

[@LowReedExpert1]

Shout-out to Frodo from Notre Dame

[@0Raik]

@@adrienneczerni6516 lot of webcomics but nothing major in mainstream media except the few were villain dies but not before confessing his love for the heroine and saying he did everything for her or lost because of her... This trope sucks in mainstream media.

[@animeotaku307]

@@LowReedExpert1 You mean Frollo. Frodo is from another work and, as far as I know, has no villainous crushes.

[@LowReedExpert1]

@@animeotaku307 Yep, that's it. Never seen the name written, just memories of the sound

[@hannahmotley1863]

Food fighting and friendship Leo Valdez: wHo SuMmOnD mE

[@juliasnyder7284]

my MAN. this guy was AWESOME

[@abigailpulliam6996]

@McKayla Marille I now have a sudden craving, thank you. (No but seriously that sounds delicious and I now know what I'm making for dinnen)

[@sam_wilds]

Did not expect a Leo reference. I need to reread that series, but I especially remember the dynamic between him and Calypso

[@neveranalbatross9778]

All da lady's love leo

[@phoenixfire1074]

Clay: “Hey, wait for me!”

[@roseolivas08]

This is why Archer is one of my favorite characters of all time, he’s a complete man-child, but he is *actually* one of the best spies in the world. He compromises missions because he’s an idiot, but he has incredible skills and has a ridiculous amount of encyclopedic knowledge. It’s a perfect dichotomy.

[@DaniStarEngland]

Yes he is such a perfect example

[@atlantefou566]

Perfect example of man-child IMO !

[@seanwaddell2659]

Do you mean: Actually Satan?

[@Oke-lc8yg]

YES ARCHER IS AMAZING

[@blueSeele]

@@seanwaddell2659 different archer

[@seanbigay1042]

A lot of people talk about the Flash being their favorite CMHB, so let me just bring up one of my favorite JLU episodes, "Flash and Substance," where the Flash is absolutely chill as he deals with his Rogues Gallery in the company of two of the League's grumpiest sourpusses.

[@DDlambchop43]

yeah, I like that one too. He shows that you don't have to scare the living bleep out of criminals to disarm them.

[@seanbigay1042]

​@@DDlambchop43 Or break their bones. "Talk -- while you still have a jaw!" "Hey, hey, hey! Can we take things down a notch?"

[@seanbigay1042]

Orion: "I understand now. You play the clown to hide a warrior's pain." Flash: "Hey, we stopped the bad guys and nobody got hurt! Know what I call that? A really good day!"

[@michaelfort143]

I watched this right after reading The Heroes of Olympus and this is totally Leo

[@airesbattleblade732]

Yes yes he is.

[@dominut_is_art604]

He's also depressed

[@user-iz8rr1kt5w]

Also Percy, to a lesser extent

[@michaelfort143]

@@user-iz8rr1kt5w much lesser, his funny side doesn't really develop until Heroes of Olympus and most are aware by that point that Percy is extremely dangerous

[@WoodstockProd]

@@michaelfort143 what do you mean? Percy has always been a joker and a smart ass

[@arueshalaetablebuildingsociety]

You could also have a CMHV: Crouching Moron, Hidden Villain.

[@cybersketcher1130]

Darth Jar Jar

[@BintanginTaya]

@@cybersketcher1130 Who?

[@It-Will-All-Be-Okay-I-Promise]

Anime Lover have you heard the tale of Darth Jar Jar the wise?

[@BintanginTaya]

@@It-Will-All-Be-Okay-I-Promise No, I don't think so. I don't know who that is

[@It-Will-All-Be-Okay-I-Promise]

Anime Lover well if you want an actual explanation of the Darth Jar Jar joke, I’ll give it to you. The joke was spawned from a fan theory that Jar Jar Binks (a character from the Star Wars prequels saga) was a Sith Lord based on I think the comics or something.

[@casidelbowen2675]

So... would that make Drax the Destroyer a Crouching Badass, Hidden Moron?

[@bobjones2959]

He's pretty much just a moron tbh. He's there only for comic relief and I can't remember a single time where he was ever important to the plot.

[@theelike4302]

I gotta shout out Gintama for fusing funny and awesome together very well. Not every episode is perfect but there are some moments of pure gold in there.

[@fortello7219]

Literally was waiting for the Jackie Chan reveal. I knew it had to come. It was too perfect not to

[@FeyTheBin]

^This

[@Zagaroth]

I love how your first two 'Fakers' are exactly the first two characters who jumped to my mind with the trope. (Vash and Kenshin)

[@piahammes4601]

Watching this 10 minutes after i rewatched Kung fu panda ... food, fighting and friendship fits pretty well

[@ChevaliersEmeraude]

Funny. For me, I just discovered Brooklyn 99 least than a month ago, so seeing Red talk about the show was fun!

[@adrianarroyo937]

This trope has Dante written all over its face. I'm surprised she didn't even mentioned him once

[@akumasstorytime3910]

Dante the author or Dante the half demon.

[@darkagedrifter]

@@akumasstorytime3910 Why not both?

[@General_Kenobi1]

That's exactly what I was thinking!

[@akumasstorytime3910]

@@darkagedrifter ah Dante the half-demon author.

[@darkagedrifter]

@@akumasstorytime3910 "Sorry Nero, but I gotta finish this book. Break a leg, kid."

[@dabuff1319]

Half of the main cast from Brooklyn 99 is the perfect example of this with them all being extremely skilled at detective work or in Gina's case being an insane evil overlord but appear to be morons in comparison to more serious or down to earth characters.

[@restreven4455]

Lol the one with the Swedish detectives when they were cutting up a crate of fish

[@ItsHimBro]

@@restreven4455 Or that one when Amy was trying to insult a group of firefighters that were in their bar.

[@joyflameball]

The cast is full of badasses who could kill God who are also complete idiots

[@poe_slaw]

"The Faker CMHB" _Did you mean: _*_Darth Jar Jar_*_ ?_

[@anatolelaudet2183]

We never speak of him. It's a sacred covenant.

[@blindedjourneyman]

Best bud

[@HaydenX]

Meesa gonna make-a yousa talk, or yousa gonna die, Jedi!

[@neroquin]

420 likes baby

[@matthewmuir8884]

Or, if you want a villainous example that actually happened: Tobi from Naruto Shippuden. The seemingly bumbling goofball minion of the Akatsuki is actually secretly its boss.

[@pumpkinghead15]

My favorite CMHB has to be LORD ESCANOR from Seven Deadly Sins. I think he's a great example of how the Split Personality archetype can actually be done really well. The way the fight between Escanor and Estarossa is handled is just so immaculate. They punctuate the Leader and protagonist of the 5-man band being beaten to a pulp by this terrible powerful foe and then immediately the CMHB *exsists* and the foe evaporates. So satisfying and so impactful.

[@cylnder]

i'm still mad at the animation studio responsible for season 3

[@itsme2313]

10:53 What's the "That's Funny" "That's Amazing" combination? Edit: Oh, it's Jackie Chan

[@ryanweible9090]

whats funny is i was thinking of him as she was building up to that. also, Stephen chow (kung fu hustle, shaolin soccer, bunch of others i watched in subbed chinese and i have no idea what their English titles are)

[@KaiserzRul3]

Gojou and Todou from JJK are perfect examples of this, specifically the manchild variant. Both of them provide comic relief and badass moments, often at the same time without it ever feeling obtuse.

[@danielbatista8760]

Weebs approve this example 👍👍

[@dherrera7279]

Satorou is so terrifyingly powerful and silly it's great. Favorite character.

[@alettom]

Yuuji himself kinda is one too

[@jans.g6033]

How about Zenitsu from KNY?

[@ReblazeGaming]

@@jans.g6033 Yes that would be a version of the "split" variant.

[@tinytoychihuahua7306]

As soon as I saw this I thought of Ling Yao from FMA and then I watched the video and there he was as one of the examples!! Thank you for recognizing my favorite boy 10/10

[@aimbotarrow5981]

Gojo is truly a CMHB; he’s so badass that he can basically be goofy without end

[@seanbigay1042]

Who's Gojo?

[@Rosabella.Thorne7]

@@seanbigay1042 Gojo Satoru from the manga/anime series JJK

[@sain1536]

Which part of Hidden Badass did you not understand? Literally every cursed spirit and sorcerer and their mothers know of Gojo. nothing crouching, nothing hidden.

[@Mythicalslayer0]

The point of the archetype is to have the balance of goofy and badass, it doesnt necessarily need to include the hidden part, for example characters may be taken aback by his laidback nature but still understand hes a very powerful sorcerer

[@sharktos3218]

@@sain1536 And? Nobody would expect his badassery if they didn't already now him, because he is such a goof

[@jeremy1860]

You know, I think "oh no, plot is happening" might be my single favourite line from any OSP video 😊

[@typhoonzebra]

You even used an example from Avatar and it wasn't Sokka?

[@emilygillock3803]

But it was Iroh! No one expects anything from the old man that says weird things and drinks tea all day. Sokka is more of a ‘Badass Normal’- the only reason no one takes him seriously is because he has no bending.

[@typhoonzebra]

@@emilygillock3803 Sokka absolutely is a badass normal as well but the amount of times he says or does dumb shit only to reveal how smart he actually is later is staggering.

[@andrewlaporte5477]

Maybe it's because Iroh was a good pretender/faker, while Sokka is always earnest. That was the portion Iroh appeared in, and he fit that better than Sokka, at least in my mind.

[@typhoonzebra]

@@andrewlaporte5477 Yeah for that subtype but Sokka fits into the man-child one. He never abandons his hijinks, even when he's doing something badass. "AIRSHIP SLICE!"

[@SantomPh]

Sokka was never a moron to begin with, he merely developed as a character and gained skills over time. A moron hidden badass would be Varrick, who was a cowardly villain in book 2 but became a somewhat courageous genius inventor in book 3.

[@erikmmccray]

Almost every Jackie Chain movie have great examples of this.

[@h0m3st4r]

Red’s point exactly.

[@mckayleepugmire9947]

Especially Forbidden Kingdom

[@oldcowbb]

even more so for Stephen chow (if you know who he is)

[@nasserfirelordarts6574]

Literally a movie called : crouching tiger, hidden dragon

[@ThrottleKitty]

... almost? Pretty sure he hits somewhere on this spectrum in every movie he's in, at least a little.

[@Hallows4]

This got me thinking about Deeks from NCIS Los Angeles. Pretty much from the beginning he was written to be a self-aware comedy relief character, and even though he’s a a fully capable agent, what sticks out more in my memory is his surprising emotional intelligence. When any member of the team - especially Kensi - is experiencing some kind of internal turmoil, he’s the one who can really pinpoint what’s going on, and even if he doesn’t fully understand, he doesn’t hesitate to offer an ear and sympathy.

[@stormdragonecho2283]

Anyone else thinking like this is half of the demigod population in PJO, Lance, Sokka, and Natsu?

[@salomekekelia1508]

Halfn the demigod population Hahaha You're not wrong 😂

[@starrise_]

Leo?

[@duyguecemertan8521]

Yes!

[@AlbertFingernoodle959]

I feel like Percy is often mis categorized as a cmhb in my opinion, he’s very intelligent, just not in the same way as Annabeth, so people often simplify him down to a cmhb

[@duyguecemertan8521]

@@AlbertFingernoodle959 He has practical smarts. He may not do books, but he knows what he's doing. His reckless actions are what put him in the category of "Dumbass".

[@kxexexaxixoxg3140]

Zenitsu from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba definitely qualifies as a Crouching Moron Hidden Badass

[@flyboy6392]

I would honestly argue he falls under the Split Personality archetype.

[@maxentirunos]

@@flyboy6392 Well, let's argue then. The real problem is that in anime, it's only when he simingly lost conciousness that he become hidden badass. Thing is, for anyone having read the manga, he isn't. In the manga, the guy is so severely trained that if he stop thinking about the situation and freaking out, for example remembering things instead, his body training take relay and obliterate enemies. Spoiler warning: His greatest moment in the manga is when he is actually 100% focused into actually fighting his opponent and show himself for who he really is : the next generation thunder pillar.

[@flyboy6392]

@@maxentirunosThat's fair, I mean, I'm just figuring off what I know that he's said archetype of CMHB ETA: Either Split Personality or the Goku archetypes

[@kingkasdin9767]

Yes

[@butt_slapper69]

well i mean is he really? coz they say in the manga he's different but when talking about the anime itself, he becomes badass when unconscious

[@cassiedevereaux-smith3890]

That Flash scene! Perfect example. As someone who was a fan of Mark Waid's run, and knows that when he's up to speed he can punch Superman to the moon and leave him in a crater, I wated to see what the DCAU Flash could do when he cut loose. This may not have been that, but good golly. Seeing him towering over Luthiac was the moment you could see what he could really do, and for the first time, you saw him deadly serious and holding nothing back. You knew it was over for the bad guys. They could not withstand his power.... you just didn't know what he was gonna do with it. He was so badass, and it was so satisflying to see.

[@DDlambchop43]

and in a later ep you see exactly how much he could do if he didn't hold when he got mind swapped with Lex (who else). He basically tore thru everybody without any interest in collateral damage.

[@SCARATNIGHT]

I read the title and me having dyslexia I thought it said "crouching Mormon"

[@richardproper8682]

Yugi/Yami: Split Personality Joey: Second Fiddle Stirling Archer: Manchild

[@KoltiraMemeweaver]

Nyehhhhhhhhhhh!

[@Jet-kn6eb]

Yugi wasn't really an idiot though he just let Yami be in charge because Yami was overprotective of him and his friends and enjoyed games. Yugi showed multiple times he was capable and could force control over his own body.

[@richardproper8682]

@@Jet-kn6eb I concede this point.

[@hedgededge1436]

@@Jet-kn6eb I would argue that yugi was two types of this trope at the same time. In the beginning, he was mostly the split personality, but rapidly showed himself to be the lack of confidence type. That is what, for me, made their final showdown so amazing. Yugi gained confidence from Yami, and Yami learned how to trust others and make friends/ allies from yugi. Watching Yugi finally beat him is utterly symbolic of this.

[@wjzav1971]

A great example is Iroh. He is a firebending master who could level an entire army and go head to head with anyone. He is incredibly wise, learned and level-headed, having studied different cultures. And he sees what must be done and does it with determination. Yet, he is also the kind a guy who makes tea from a flower he isn't 100% sure of, using firebending to heat cold tea in public when its paramount to remain undercover and takes a bath unguarded in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. He is a wise man, but also a relaxed man who enjoys the smaller things in life. Similar to Sokka. A good tactician and great strategist. Can make plans and find creative solutions. Buuut he will also drink some juice from a cactus he knows nothing about.

[@StephenGillie]

In car racing, the CMHB equivalent is the "sleeper car" - the unwashed, dented 2007 Prius that's strangely faster than every other car on the strip.

[@felixsubakti6907]

Or the beaten down corolla somehow fitted with a v8 because the owner just likes to fuck around with carframes

[@dabizinga]

I love this channel blue and red talk in a way that makes what there talking about sound so interesting i could wach an hour of them ranting about rock colors and not be bored for a second

[@miss.chievious471]

I love your analysis! So what you're saying is, the best CMHB's are the one's who make their awesome power funny or vice versa. Bards. What you're looking for is Bards.

[@TheSnakemanOfTheNorthwest]

Dob of the Oxventure crew is the best CMHB.

[@Dramoklos]

Scanlan shortholt of vox machina

[@youtubingjaguar5082]

I wound up making a dwarf bard after my tanky druid died due to bad death save rolls. ;)

[@BluesM18A1]

my favorite version of this has to be Trevor Belmont where he's normally a tired stumbling drunk but seems to wake up a little when it's time to use his dormant combat abilities and strategist skills.

[@mothiestman4995]

Just do something like what they did with Sokka, and you should be fine.

[@ztslovebird]

Galaxy Gemstones TBH, Avatar had a ton of Crouching Morons, Hidden Badasses. Sokka, Aang, Uncle Iroh, Ty Lee, King Bumi, etc.

[@screaminggecko7660]

@@ztslovebird and I love them all

[@NeostormXLMAX]

ztslovebird i think suko is like the opposite of this, as hes usually stoic and edgy but slowly he gets a comedic side

[@maiolus7607]

Zuko: crouching badass, hidden moron. I love him

[@Pajali]

“Let’s talk about Jackie Chan.” Me: *subscribes*

[@CapitalCLYDE]

Toph will play into this archetype in Avatar when it benefits her/ Team Avatar. I always find it enjoyable to watch her decimate leagues of other benders.

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

I think another variation of this can be seen not physically but with a character's words. Such a character would usually be a jokester and make funny comments but every now and then they have moments where they speak nothing but logical wisdom and intelligence that blows everyone else away. They demonstrate their awesomeness not physically but verbally. It can also work with a sarcastic character who is constantly making jokes but exposing flaws and complaining about real problems with those jokes. The best examples I can think of for this verbal variation would be your typical medieval Jester who plays the fool to the king but is often the smartest one in the room and uses jokes to reveal hidden truths. Jughead Jones from the Archie comics (not Riverdale) would also be an excellent example. If anyone else can think of examples I would love to hear them.

[@marbear]

Obi-Wan Kenobi +

[@nasserfirelordarts6574]

You really have the high ground over us all don't you...

[@maaxorus]

There's an Arthurian Knight like that. I don't know which one it was anymore, but I think it was Percival...

[@johnmooney5829]

Beast Boy from Teen Titans (not GO); although, he could be a bit of both.

[@bananasinfrench]

Gregor Hartway from Thrilling Intent is a really good example

[@brandondavidson4085]

My favorite example of this is when the "moron" isn't surprised by his secret power. Like in Steven Universe where he goes "Yeah I've always had super strength".

[@_CinnamonKitty]

I'm dyslexic and I read this as, "Crouching Mormon, Hidden Badass".

[@victormirandakoepke8352]

as i read through the comments section, i read your reading as "Crouching Mormon, Hidden Bass", and now i am stuck thinking of a Fishmormon

[@buboniccraig896]

We need more "crouching badass, hidden moron" characters.

[@Kuwagumo]

I can only think of Blake the twin spears from the yuusha ga shinda! Manga series. Most people think he's a baddass, but hes simply stupid.

[@user-unos111]

That would be the "paper tiger" trope

[@kylienielsen6975]

​@@user-unos111no they would still be badass but that can be an absolutely moron sometimes. A himbo who stands there dramatically

[@rasaecnai]

This is quite possibly the most badass video on youtube. It got everything a simple man like me desires. Trigun. Yu Yu Hakusho. Dragon Balls. Ron Stoppable. Jackie Chan. Red is the patron saint of awesome.

[@gogetablue942]

*Ron Stoppable

[@rasaecnai]

@@gogetablue942 ty for the correction dude

[@minttea7819]

i feel like this really fits sans from undertale. he puts on the mask of a chill comic relief guy, then ends up knowing more than almost any other character and being notoriously difficult to beat in a fight.

[@studf4172]

yes

[@adowi139]

Sand understory

[@teslagamer24]

There’s this really cool show Disney made called Lab Rats in which it is explicitly told that one of the characters has CMHB but the episodes related to this is literally just the other characters triggering it on purpose to get stuff

[@lilysiandaza4296]

Adam right?

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@lilysiandaza4296 Random, i know, but: KZbin does have Issues, like easy-to-find P0rn, open Racism (also easy to find) and what-not-else. AND it has a Reportbutton... soooo... ? ?

[@digilici951]

@@loturzelrestaurant exactly what did this contribute to this discussion

[@themaddoctor5304]

Adam is the strong goofy one but has definitely shown signs of badassness when his family is in danger. He's not afraid to go all out when the time calls for it. No jokes at all.

[@draconic1802]

@@lilysiandaza4296 nah, they mean Chase, and by proxy: Spike, though the comparison is somewhat lacking, as Chase isn’t a moron, or an especially comedic character, Adam or post-Bionics Leo would probably be a better example

[@StephenGillie]

Goku: *wins* Goku: "Here, have some power and let's keep fighting on this destroyed planet." Dangit, Goku!

[@rogerogue7226]

Except that's not what he did? When he beat Frieza, Frieza asked him to spare him. Goku then gave him enough energy to fly away and avoid the explosion, telling him to do so. When Frieza tried to keep fighting instead, Goku crushed him in 0.2 seconds.

[@izzieweitman2338]

My favorite is Columbo, the detective. He’s always the smartest dude in the room but he looks like a homeless man wandered onto a crime scene.

[@popisdeadisagoodsong9997]

"... And just one more question."

[@B_A-tr]

Monk is also one. Really good at being a detective, not good at anything else

[@Muncible]

"My name is Michael J. Caboose. And I. Hate. Taxes."

[@WardOfSouls]

It's been years since I cared about RvB, but that line is always a winner!

[@GT-wj3gl]

That was actually a good example lol

[@clutchedbyanangel]

TEXAS, Caboose!

[@MrMagbrant]

I hate Mexico. How do I hurt it? Dan Vs anyone?

[@Muncible]

That too!

[@nathanjereb9944]

A somewhat related character trope: "somone that has god-like powers but with a mind and/or body of a child" Ex: The Collecter from The Owl House

[@andrew10022]

This reminds me of Neo from Roosterteeth's RWBY. Her way of fighting it amazing to me. They are all brief but she always fights in a way that's demeaning to the other party. She fights with her legs when the enemy shoots or punches at her, she'll fight with her umbrella, after a clash she dash back to a crate and sit on it tauntingly. I loved that whenever she fought, it was very arrogant and it made me smile watching a 4"10' girl kick ass.

[@theowl1735]

andrew10022 and she showed the “oh no!” Part when Raven showed up, and when she went after Cinder in volume 6

[@yami8479]

I thought this trope was more defining Qrow as opposed to Neo.

[@handsoaphandsoap]

I would say Penny is the most emblematic of the trope in RWBY, outside of battle she’s weird and quirky but as soon as she starts fighting we see her for the badass she can be. It also works well with the twist regarding her at the beginning of season 2. However, I think there are too many characters that display qualities of this trope and it’s kind of becoming a problem. Ruby, Yang, Penny, Qrow, Jaune, Nora, and to a lesser extent Velvet, Neo, Maria and Neon (to mention a few). It’s a little lazy when more than 10 characters portray the same trope and some of them are heavily suffering from badass fatigue (Qrow in particular imo, his semblence should’ve been a reason to write him out of the story yet he’s still there for no good reason other than he’s a fan favorite and it feels like his semblence has no effect anymore and no challenge the squad faces from now on would be all that challenging since they have a fully fledged huntsman with them at all times).

[@theowl1735]

BikkeBane well I think a lot of the characters in RWBY do this trope justice... and the nuances of difference between their degrees of moronic innocence makes them feel very different. And I would argue that Qrow is not an example of this trope... he’s jaded and only really acts like an idiot around his nieces. Also he’s kind of important, as he’s really the only adult left who has any clue what Ozpin May be thinking... and he remains to watch over Yang and Ruby, something he’s always done; he’s just a lot more overt in his overwatch of them. And in terms of challenge, Salem is IMO about to make a personal appearance sooooo... yeah not sure how having a fully trained huntsman is going to change her difficulty from “insane” to “beginner” just by participating in the fight.

[@ravenfrancis1476]

Neo isn't really a "Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass" though. She's very badass, don't get me wrong, but she's not exactly a moron or a goofball. A character that is underestimated doesn't automatically make them a CMHB.

[@RayPoreon]

I think another subtype could be crouching moron, hidden underdog. The gist is the character isn't actually a badass, they're weak compared to other characters. This means that when they manage to turn the tables on other more powerful characters the action is also the joke, usually by it's timing. I an example, Reigen from Mob Psycho 100(spoilers ofc). At the end of the first season by using power that he got from Mob he took down half of the Scars on his own. Though that was with Mobs power, which means it was played a bit like a normal CMHB, since he wasn't weak. In the secon season, his hidden underdog came out more. He took down a few psychic goons with some of the sleeping gas that he took from the scars. Then, when the scars(reformed) were getting their asses handed to them by a teleporting psychic, he took advantage of him being distracted by Mob's aura to just walk up and punch him. This is played as both a joke and badassery at the same time, since a normal guy managed to beat the guy that was mopping the floor with powerful psychics.

[@technomancermagus8357]

I think that's a version of the Over-Underdog. The character that is considered to be weak or have a power that makes them sucky, but in reality the way they use it makes them stupidly over powered when needed. Naruto sort of reminds me of that. At least during the first part of the show. Everybody talks about he's a failure and doesn't expect anything of him and when he manages to succeed we and everybody in the universe are shocked that this guy managed it. Then we find out he had so many stacked advantages because of his parents and the like that it was no shock and in reality he should have been owning everybody from the start.

[@David-rt2oo]

TechnoMancer Magus Luffy reminds me of this with his gomu gomu no mi (rubber rubber fruit)

[@N.Traveler]

Sokka is also a great example of this!

[@kreeesqeeel]

Oh man I remember laughing so hard for a solid 5 minutes when Reigen punched the psychic dude. My mom actually came into the room and was concerned if there was something wrong with me.

[@fluffyphoenix8082]

isn't that kinda the opposite of "crouching moron" though? Because the character puts on a front of being awesome and powerful, when in reality they aren't what they make themselves out to be. I don't know. Man I _love_ Reigen though

[@lsedge7280]

I have a D&D character whom I suppose is 'The Manchild' because they've grown up in a weird, somewhat goofy, and utterly relatively alien culture (aka the Feywild) and so socially to everyone else they seem kind of goofy. They aren't self-aware of their silliness, or at least that it is silliness, most of the time, albeit they know they are different. They are objectively powerful, and even kind of perceptive, but just naive and kind of stupid. They will kill the monsters hiding in the tavern basement, and then proceed to try and sell the barrels of wine back to the owner.