Butt Monkey: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:peanutsbuttmonkey.jpg|link=Peanuts|
{{quote|''You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's [[Trope Namer|butt-monkey]]!''|'''Xander Harris''', ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''}}
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Simply having a character go through hell once or twice (no matter how severely) is not enough to be the Butt Monkey. With primary and secondary characters, it must be a regular occurrence. With tertiary characters, it must be their sole purpose to exist. They don't do anything to earn the hell they go through, other than being an easy target. Sometimes it's all the writers can think of to do with the character.
The direct opposite of a [[Karma Houdini]] (although technically the definition applies to those who escape from karma regardless of whether it's good or bad) If carried too far, may result in [[Deus Angst Machina]]. This can be counteracted if you occasionally [[Throw the Dog
If the audience sympathizes with them, they become [[The Woobie]]. If, however, the character's suffering is [[Played for Laughs]] and the reason the audience loves them is ''because'' of all the crap they get put through, they're generally [[The Chew Toy]]. On the other hand, if the audience begins to resent the "unfair" treatment of the character, they can become the [[Designated Monkey]]. The joke can also be dragged too far in other ways - to make a character a Butt Monkey of fate is one thing; to have them constantly taking the punishment for the misdeeds of an unsympathetic cast is another.
If a female
If someone is [[Giving the Sword
In [[Yiddish as a Second Language|Yiddish]], this character type is called a ''Schlimazel''.
See also: [[Bumbling Sidekick]], [[The Unfavourite]], [[Guilt By Association Gag]], [[Humiliation Conga]], [[Iron Butt Monkey]]. Is nearly always on the receiving end of [[Comedic Sociopathy]].▼
{{examples|Examples go in subpages:}}▼
If a Butt Monkey gets [[Cosmic Plaything|pushed]] [[Break the Cutie|too]] [[Despair Event Horizon|far]], [[Rage Breaking Point|until]] (s)he [[Freak Out|snaps]] and goes on a [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]], that's an example of a [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]].
▲See also: [[Bumbling Sidekick]], [[The Unfavourite]], [[Guilt
{{noreallife|we'd be here all day. However, sports ''teams'' are [[Acceptable Targets]].}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Tropes of Legend]]
[[Category:Loser Archetype]]
[[Category:Dead Herring]]
[[Category:Plot Magnet]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
[[Category:
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