| abstract | - The Four-Star Badass is a badass in a military hierarchy that also happens to be a flag officer. The Colonel Badass page explains that a Colonel is usually more Badass than a General because although a General has the higher rank (and may even be a certifiable Badass himself) they're usually relegated to desk duty and administrative tasks. This is also the reason why The Captain will always be the star of the show even if they don't have the same clout as a Commodore or Admiral. However, some fiction writers don't subscribe to this notion. They believe that in order to have reached a four-star rank you had to have done some serious asskicking once upon a time. While some writers feel Badassery is a muscle that grows weak with disuse, the writers who subscribe to this trope feel it's more like riding a bike; you never forget how to do it. Even after years of sitting behind a desk, filing reports, cashing fat checks, and being saluted by everybody. The important characteristic of Four-Star Badass is the BADASS. It's not enough for them to be The Brigadier or a Benevolent Boss (although they tend to share some of the same characteristics, like never saying "We Have Reserves" and being A Father To Their Men). They have to actually do something to earn the title. This usually involves rolling up their sleeves, ditching the desk, and mixing it up. This happens in a number of ways The Four-Star Badass is the star - The Hero of the story also happens to be a General or Admiral, ensuring that they have to get involved in the story's conflicts and adventures. Awesome Moment of Crowning, Business As Usual - The Captain or Colonel Badass gets promoted. But they're The Hero so they continue to be badass. The Future Badass route - If its a Speculative Fiction series, we may get an episode glimpse in which a protagonist, usually The Captain, is promoted, probably Twenty Minutes Into the Future. Ten Minute Promotion - They're promoted for a moment, but events (or themselves) conspire to demote them right back into a position where they're back in the field. Da Chief To The Rescue - The Cowboy Cop or Military Maverick has gotten themselves in a real jam. Da Chief takes it upon themselves to personally get involved in order to rescue their subordinate. They might say something like "Sure X is a loose cannon, but dammit, they're MY loose cannon and I'm gonna get them." Many examples of this trope will probably turn out to be Badass Grandpas and Grandmas, and sometimes Cool Old Guys and Cool Old Ladies. Often a contemporary of the Old Soldier. While the Four-star thing is in the title, this applies to any character holding any level of General or Admiral rank, including Commodores. Contrast General Ripper and General Failure. May have a Chest of Medals. Please no Real Life examples. With thousands of years of recorded history, there are enough of them to crash the entire wiki. Examples of Four-Star Badass include:
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