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Ultimate Thread of Irrefutable Badassery (56k is for the weak!)
Professor Snugglesworth
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Talking about douchebag characters that piss you off can be fun, but now I want to focus on the opposite side of the spectrum and focus on those awesome characters that make you swoon and sway into a fanboyish stupor. The characters that live by the Rule of Cool, facing all adversity with chests puffed out in triumph, staring down enemies with eyes piercing with determination and courage, defying all odds to stare death in the face and proclaim:
"Who do you think I am!?"
List you favorite badass characters here. Give a short description why you find this character badass, and feel free to mention their most badass accomplishment.
Just one simple rule: No bad guys. We already had a villain thread a while back, so let's keep this focused on the good guys, although you are permitted to list neutral characters (chaotic, lawful, whatever) or seemingly bad characters that pull a Heel Face Turn.
I'm going to keep from naming the obvious nominations that'll get posted here, and focus on the lesser known badass characters. Well, with the exception of my first choice.
1. Auron (FFX)
He's got plenty of fans that are aware of his badassery, but I want to be the one to cement the fact here: Auron is still, to this day, the undisputed most badass character in the entire Final Fantasy series. Oh sure, the kids and fangirls love the ever dreamy Cloud and Squall, and they're quite known for their own badass moments, but Auron still has them beat.
Why him?
The moment Auron appears, he brings with him nothing but a huge sword, a bottle of sake, and a level of stone-piercing strength, while leaving all his emotional baggage behind. Auron never whines about his past, and never doubts his abilities. He speaks softly and carries a big sword, but when he does talk, he inspires.
Hell, when he initiates himself into the party, all the other characters go into fanboy and fangirl convulsions over him, fully aware of his awesomeness.
Also, he only holds his sword with one arm. When not scrounging for more evidence that Rinoa and Ultimecia are the same person, fans try to theorize why Auron keeps one arm tucked away in his sash. Is he limp in that arm? Is it a robot arm?
Hell no, he's just resting it there because shit, motherfuckers ain't worth using both hands. It doesn't matter who or what he's fighting, he'll just rest his arm comfortably because he's that confident.
Most Badass Moment:
A single quote:
See? He's chill under any circumstances.
2. Emeralda (Xenogears)
I really miss Xenogears. I miss Emeralda here even more, as she was one of the coolest characters ever in an RPG. Longtime fans will swear by Citan, who is indeed awesome, but will inevitably be mentioned by someone else, hence why I'm listing Emeralda instead.
Why her?
A variety of reasons. For one thing, she has one of the absolute best character designs I've ever seen. Not only is it lovely (green hair is quite an attraction. Just look at all the Rydia cosplayers and fanart), it tells a story. The sad looking eyes, the tattered clothes, the flowing scarf....and if you look closely at her face, you can make out features that she shares with both her parents (see spoiler).
But it's not just her character design that kicks ass, it's the fact that she is literally a living weapon. Made completely out of nanomachines, Emeralda can shape shift any part of her body, and doesn't lack the creativity to bust out a frantic array of moves that can decimate any opponent.
At 2:30
Turning her legs into a giant drill, puffing out her hair into a garden of spikes, even breaking her self down into tiny molecules and phasingthrough her opponent, there's nothing Emeralda can't do. And if you think she's purely an offense character, guess again; her magic spells (Ether) completely dwarf anyone else's, with all her element spells taking up the entire screen with tornados, volcanos, and even an entire mountain of water.
Not enough? How about the fact that she's pretty much immortal? She's lived for 4000 years and it was just a nap for her, and even if you break her down to a molecular level, she'll instantly heal right back up. You could probably dump her in some lava like the T-1000, but that's not a guarantee it'll do her in either. To this day, I wonder what Id (one of the game's many villains) was going to do with her, had he gotten the chance to apprehend her. Probably use her to help him annihilate the entire human race. With Emeralda by his side, he'd only need a week at the most.
Most Badass Moment:
What, still not enough? Okay, how about the fact that she is, after all the facts, also...
Only in Xenogears will you come across a plot point as batshit insane as that, and yet explained in such excruciating detail that it actually makes sense.
And finally, her theme song is really pretty.
3. Akira Kazama (Rival Schools)
If you're thinking of getting on my case that badass female characters should be deemed "Moe", know that I don't speak weeaboo and that I hate you.
Why her?
Yes, I'm also real fond of Akira's cute, ordinary girl character design, but under her shy demeanor lurks an unstoppable fighter that I happen to be the most adapt with in Rival Schools. Wearing a biker outfit to conceal the fact that she's a girl, Akira's got some crazy combos and moves that can prove punishing to anyone. But wait! You also have the option of using Akira without the disguise, and she's even more powerful. So the disguise isn't just to conceal her face, but her power as well.
With her wistful personality and introverted outlook, you could say Akira was created as part of the great Rei Ayanami boom of the '90s. Except, well, Akira is actually cool. As further homage, her teamup attack is an exact replica of Asuka and Shinji's synch ratio dance. Boo ya.
Most badass moment:
I guess that depends entirely on how someone handles the character during a VS match (the people at my college dorm weeped back in the day), but as far as canon goes, Akira once faced off against protagonist Batsu in the official manga.
A couple of punches later and she completely smashes his ribs. It wasn't enough to knock him out (the fight ended in a bit of a draw), but come on, look at her. To think she could do that to a big buff guy like Batsu is just insane. Batsu even had the hots for her in that same manga, having the sense to dump jailbait Hinata. Power is just too damn sexy.
4. Tifa (Final Fantasy VII)
If you're one of those jaded fans who thought she was either too romantically obsessed with Cloud, or that she played the damsel in distress card one too many times, or if you just couldn't take her seriously in her old outfit, it's still undeniable that Tifa kicks a lot of ass, and should be considered, at the very least, a closet badass.
Why her?
Tifa's dub actress (Rachel Leigh Cook) said it best in one interview: Tifa may be initially sweet and supportive, and plays a loving mother role to both Marlene and Denzel, the second some silver haired douchebag messes with her and hers, she wastes no time throwing a dizzying barrage of punches at kicks, then slamming the fucker's face into the pavement and then dragging him around the floor.
As improbable as it can be that she can bust stones with her fists and piledrive dragons as big as trucks, it's still impressive that Tifa can deal that kind of superhuman punishment without making any sacrifice to her femininity. Maybe it's the fact that she loves her friends so much that it fuels her strength. Whatever, it's cool, and she's cool.
And Cloud diehards need to remember that without Tifa to give him emotional support (either through tender romantic advances or a verbal bitchslap), Cloud would never get anything done. As Cid said in Barret's novel, "It's the women who wear the pants around here."
Most badass moment:
In the Nibelheim flashback, Tifa is just a 15 year old girl who's probably just stronger than average at this point. Yet despite losing her father to the newly psychotic Sephiroth, she musters enough courage to try and kill Sephiroth [URL="[IMG]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/Xngears/Final Fantasy/bscap156.jpg[/IMG]"]with his own sword[/URL] . Granted, her attempt didn't work so well, but you gotta love her sense of poetic justice.
Oh, and in an alternate universe rematch, she fights him again, but this time bare-handed.
This clip never gets old.
"Who do you think I am!?"
List you favorite badass characters here. Give a short description why you find this character badass, and feel free to mention their most badass accomplishment.
Just one simple rule: No bad guys. We already had a villain thread a while back, so let's keep this focused on the good guys, although you are permitted to list neutral characters (chaotic, lawful, whatever) or seemingly bad characters that pull a Heel Face Turn.
I'm going to keep from naming the obvious nominations that'll get posted here, and focus on the lesser known badass characters. Well, with the exception of my first choice.
1. Auron (FFX)
He's got plenty of fans that are aware of his badassery, but I want to be the one to cement the fact here: Auron is still, to this day, the undisputed most badass character in the entire Final Fantasy series. Oh sure, the kids and fangirls love the ever dreamy Cloud and Squall, and they're quite known for their own badass moments, but Auron still has them beat.
Why him?
The moment Auron appears, he brings with him nothing but a huge sword, a bottle of sake, and a level of stone-piercing strength, while leaving all his emotional baggage behind. Auron never whines about his past, and never doubts his abilities. He speaks softly and carries a big sword, but when he does talk, he inspires.
Hell, when he initiates himself into the party, all the other characters go into fanboy and fangirl convulsions over him, fully aware of his awesomeness.
Also, he only holds his sword with one arm. When not scrounging for more evidence that Rinoa and Ultimecia are the same person, fans try to theorize why Auron keeps one arm tucked away in his sash. Is he limp in that arm? Is it a robot arm?
Hell no, he's just resting it there because shit, motherfuckers ain't worth using both hands. It doesn't matter who or what he's fighting, he'll just rest his arm comfortably because he's that confident.
Most Badass Moment:
A single quote:
"Being dead has its advantages."
See? He's chill under any circumstances.
2. Emeralda (Xenogears)
I really miss Xenogears. I miss Emeralda here even more, as she was one of the coolest characters ever in an RPG. Longtime fans will swear by Citan, who is indeed awesome, but will inevitably be mentioned by someone else, hence why I'm listing Emeralda instead.
Why her?
A variety of reasons. For one thing, she has one of the absolute best character designs I've ever seen. Not only is it lovely (green hair is quite an attraction. Just look at all the Rydia cosplayers and fanart), it tells a story. The sad looking eyes, the tattered clothes, the flowing scarf....and if you look closely at her face, you can make out features that she shares with both her parents (see spoiler).
But it's not just her character design that kicks ass, it's the fact that she is literally a living weapon. Made completely out of nanomachines, Emeralda can shape shift any part of her body, and doesn't lack the creativity to bust out a frantic array of moves that can decimate any opponent.
At 2:30
Turning her legs into a giant drill, puffing out her hair into a garden of spikes, even breaking her self down into tiny molecules and phasingthrough her opponent, there's nothing Emeralda can't do. And if you think she's purely an offense character, guess again; her magic spells (Ether) completely dwarf anyone else's, with all her element spells taking up the entire screen with tornados, volcanos, and even an entire mountain of water.
Not enough? How about the fact that she's pretty much immortal? She's lived for 4000 years and it was just a nap for her, and even if you break her down to a molecular level, she'll instantly heal right back up. You could probably dump her in some lava like the T-1000, but that's not a guarantee it'll do her in either. To this day, I wonder what Id (one of the game's many villains) was going to do with her, had he gotten the chance to apprehend her. Probably use her to help him annihilate the entire human race. With Emeralda by his side, he'd only need a week at the most.
Most Badass Moment:
What, still not enough? Okay, how about the fact that she is, after all the facts, also...
the daughter of main protagonists Fei and Elly...in a past life.
Only in Xenogears will you come across a plot point as batshit insane as that, and yet explained in such excruciating detail that it actually makes sense.
And finally, her theme song is really pretty.
3. Akira Kazama (Rival Schools)
If you're thinking of getting on my case that badass female characters should be deemed "Moe", know that I don't speak weeaboo and that I hate you.
Why her?
Yes, I'm also real fond of Akira's cute, ordinary girl character design, but under her shy demeanor lurks an unstoppable fighter that I happen to be the most adapt with in Rival Schools. Wearing a biker outfit to conceal the fact that she's a girl, Akira's got some crazy combos and moves that can prove punishing to anyone. But wait! You also have the option of using Akira without the disguise, and she's even more powerful. So the disguise isn't just to conceal her face, but her power as well.
With her wistful personality and introverted outlook, you could say Akira was created as part of the great Rei Ayanami boom of the '90s. Except, well, Akira is actually cool. As further homage, her teamup attack is an exact replica of Asuka and Shinji's synch ratio dance. Boo ya.
Most badass moment:
I guess that depends entirely on how someone handles the character during a VS match (the people at my college dorm weeped back in the day), but as far as canon goes, Akira once faced off against protagonist Batsu in the official manga.
A couple of punches later and she completely smashes his ribs. It wasn't enough to knock him out (the fight ended in a bit of a draw), but come on, look at her. To think she could do that to a big buff guy like Batsu is just insane. Batsu even had the hots for her in that same manga, having the sense to dump jailbait Hinata. Power is just too damn sexy.
4. Tifa (Final Fantasy VII)
If you're one of those jaded fans who thought she was either too romantically obsessed with Cloud, or that she played the damsel in distress card one too many times, or if you just couldn't take her seriously in her old outfit, it's still undeniable that Tifa kicks a lot of ass, and should be considered, at the very least, a closet badass.
Why her?
Tifa's dub actress (Rachel Leigh Cook) said it best in one interview: Tifa may be initially sweet and supportive, and plays a loving mother role to both Marlene and Denzel, the second some silver haired douchebag messes with her and hers, she wastes no time throwing a dizzying barrage of punches at kicks, then slamming the fucker's face into the pavement and then dragging him around the floor.
As improbable as it can be that she can bust stones with her fists and piledrive dragons as big as trucks, it's still impressive that Tifa can deal that kind of superhuman punishment without making any sacrifice to her femininity. Maybe it's the fact that she loves her friends so much that it fuels her strength. Whatever, it's cool, and she's cool.
And Cloud diehards need to remember that without Tifa to give him emotional support (either through tender romantic advances or a verbal bitchslap), Cloud would never get anything done. As Cid said in Barret's novel, "It's the women who wear the pants around here."
Most badass moment:
In the Nibelheim flashback, Tifa is just a 15 year old girl who's probably just stronger than average at this point. Yet despite losing her father to the newly psychotic Sephiroth, she musters enough courage to try and kill Sephiroth [URL="[IMG]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/Xngears/Final Fantasy/bscap156.jpg[/IMG]"]with his own sword[/URL] . Granted, her attempt didn't work so well, but you gotta love her sense of poetic justice.
Oh, and in an alternate universe rematch, she fights him again, but this time bare-handed.
This clip never gets old.
![http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/Xngears/Final Fantasy/bscap156.jpg[/IMG]"]with](http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/Xngears/Final%20Fantasy/bscap156.jpg[/IMG]"]with){kind=link}
Professor Snugglesworth on
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Posts
Gordon Freeman
Single handily defeats an alien invasion and helps start a revolution against a totalitarian government with his degree in theoretical physics, a whole bunch of guns, and a crowbar.
Also, all of MGS4. Jesus, they throw everything at the guy.
I think Nathan Drake is pretty badass, too, in a cocky Malcolm Reynolds-meets-Indiana Jones way. He lays the smackdown on those pirates and
without any of that fancy military combat training. All he needs is a handgun and a half-tucked shirt.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
Travis Touchdown is one of the rarities the fully deserves to be in this thread, along with the douchebag thread.
The Tifa fight in the church in Advent Children is definitely one of my favorite parts of the movie.
To kill this guy, not only do you have to ambush him, but you have to fill him full of arrows and then ambush him....with two full parties of six. Also, he's completely out of his freaking mind. He's not badass in a completely insane world-destroying demigod kind of way, but in an all-too-realistic simply bloodthirsty way.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SGv5w3kCVHc&
Needs more AMERICA
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
Hahn: ...Ah...Er...Alys?
Alys: I'll keep it to 1000 meseta.
Hahn: ...M...my wedding fund...
Every word out of her mouth is dipped in badass.
MAYOR MIKE HAGGAR
He's the 46 year old mayor of Metro City. And when the Mad Gear gang kidnaps his daughter what does he do? Run to the cops? Give into their demands? NO. He goes out into the street and pildrives, clotheslines and flying kicks every single scumbag, punk and crazed gang member in the city until he finds his daughter. He systematically cleans up the city by beating the snot out of every criminal he can find, now THAT is what you call a policy on crime.
See, Gideon watches as his home planet is destroyed, wiping out almost the entirety of the human race. He and a few other survivors escape with a group of friendly aliens, who teach him to kick ass.
Now, why is he the ultimate badass? You start off with all the cool guns. Assault Rifles? Check. Pistols? Check. Rocket Launchers? Check.
Dual-wielding rocket launchers? Check.
Once you're on board with the aliens, things change. Weapons are for pussies. This man uses telekinesis to throw aliens into the void of space, shoots energy from his hands, creates mobile shields to block incoming attacks, and steals enemies' weapons from afar (using weapons is for babies. Stealing the other bastard's weapon and shooting him in the face with it is awesome). He can even warp space and time, teleporting to enemies to assault them in melee range, or slowing their movements down to a crawl.
Also, the good aliens? They revere humans as gods, and Gideon as the ultimate badass god of all time. They have better technology - who are you to dispute that?
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
Jade
Yeah, she's not conventionally bad-ass. I mean, it's not like she goes up against a corrupt government and an evil alien race with almost no support or assistance.
No, wait. She does that.
Well, it's not like she takes down heavily armed and armored guards and the aforementioned aliens with a dai-jo staff and a camera.
No, wait. She does that also.
The defense rests.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Seconded.
With a vengeance.