| rdfs:comment | - Though the Dirty Coward may be a sociopath, he's not nearly as cool as the Sociopathic Hero (nor as funny as the Comedic Sociopath), and if he's a bastard, he's not magnificent. The Dirty Coward is the slime of the earth, working exclusively for himself and shamelessly removing himself from harm's way even if that harm was about to hit The Messiah that just saved his life two seconds ago. He'll take every advantage and use every dirty trick, but cry and moan every time the tables are turned. He's not above using dishonorable tactics and will face defeat like a coward. He is often full of vicious plans for anyone he dislikes, until someone asks Who Will Bell the Cat.
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| abstract | - Though the Dirty Coward may be a sociopath, he's not nearly as cool as the Sociopathic Hero (nor as funny as the Comedic Sociopath), and if he's a bastard, he's not magnificent. The Dirty Coward is the slime of the earth, working exclusively for himself and shamelessly removing himself from harm's way even if that harm was about to hit The Messiah that just saved his life two seconds ago. He'll take every advantage and use every dirty trick, but cry and moan every time the tables are turned. He's not above using dishonorable tactics and will face defeat like a coward. He is often full of vicious plans for anyone he dislikes, until someone asks Who Will Bell the Cat. Even the cleverest Dirty Coward tends to be short-sighted. Even knowing that if he breaks ranks, he will leave a hole in the defenses that will let the enemy in, leading to far more danger for him, he will generally run (and get shot In the Back). Or he will badmouth people to their faces, when they can not immediately hurt him, to curry favor with someone who can, even if the latter threat is obviously less in the long run. Dirty Cowards are especially prone to suffering a Karmic Death, usually at the hands of whatever he was trying to run from. Usually a villain unless used comically, although they may sometimes be a certain type of civilian that gets in the way, a Designated Hero, or a character that's supposed to be a loveable coward but comes off as more slimy than funny, the dirty coward may or may not have a horrific past to explain his actions, but it doesn't usually redeem him, at least not in the minds of the audience. When his story doesn't do it for the audience but convinces the hero, it causes a major cop-out. Unlike most villains, the dirty coward doesn't even have finesse, which can annoy the audience. The best way to make this character tolerable is to make him at least clever. Some enlightened self-interest can occasionally be mixed in, although much of it means that he's no longer the Dirty Coward. Often, when used as a villain, this is a cheap way to make the heroes look good in comparison, even if they're not everything they should be. Villainous Dirty Cowards tend to fall squarely into Neutral Evil, since they are first and foremost out for their own hides at the expense of others, though it's not too uncommon for certain villains of other evil alignments to display this streak when they come across someone who they cannot deal with by their usual tactics. The Dirty Coward is pretty much Always Male, for the dubious reason that women aren't expected to be brave in the first place, and are allowed to sacrifice others to save themselves. As Action Girls become increasingly unremarkable, this may start to change in the near future. May be the Miles Gloriosus, and even believe his own brags when out of danger. The Fearless Fool may invoke this to persuade his companions to act like idiots. Not to be confused with the Combat Pragmatist, who may employ tactics that can be considered dirty and cowardly but does so out of cold calculation rather than fear. Contrast the Lovable Coward, who numbers among the good guys and has foibles portrayed far more sympathetically. The So-Called Coward is by definition mistaken for one of these. Examples of Dirty Coward include:
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