Elderly Sensei: Difference between revisions

* The [[Discworld]] has Cohen the Barbarian, the greatest (and oldest) barbarian hero in the world. Those who underestimate him because of his age don't realize that living to be over seventy in a dangerous profession such as barbarian heroism means he's ''good'' at it. The book ''[[Discworld/Interesting Times|Interesting Times]]'' introduced the Silver Horde, a group consisting of Cohen and some of his fellow elderly barbarians, all of whom are still incredibly dangerous (despite one of them being in a wheelchair). The seven of them conquered a continent roughly analogous to China.

*** To be fair, while they did manage to conquer the Agatean Empire (aforementioned continent roughly analogous to China), often merely [[To the Pain|explaining]] this trope to them is enough to frighten most of the non-military types into submission. It became something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Exchanges usually went something like this:

... And Mr Saveloy could see ''it'' dawning in the fat man's eyes. }}

** There is also the previously mentioned Lu-Tze, who first appeared in ''[[Discworld/Small Gods|Small Gods]]'', but really got to strut his stuff in ''[[Discworld/Thief of Time|Thief of Time]]''. And Lu-Tze ''mastered'' the technique (mentioned with Cohen earlier) of letting his reputation precede him: particularly ''Rule #1''.

*** Because, although he rarely uses it, Lu-Tze has the capability to knock even {{spoiler|the personification of Time}} for a loop.

** On another branch is Granny Weatherwax. What she lacks in physical skills, she more than makes up for in her knowledge of Discworld psychology (or "headology", as she puts it). She is no less a master of reputation than Cohen or Lu-Tze, and reputation and psychology are her primary weapons. Like Lu-Tze, everyone questions whether she is a real witch, but she has shown the ability (if not the eagerness) to perform very powerful magic when she really needs it.

* [[The Vicar|Patera Silk]], the protagonist of [[Gene Wolfe]]'s [[Book of the Long Sun]], learns swordsmanship from Master Xiphias, who is very much one of these. His [[Meaningful Name|name]] is derived from a species of swordfish.

* ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' by [[Robert E. Howard]]: In "The Tower of Elephant" Conan meets Taurus, whom he has heard of as "the prince of thieves." Taurus, liking his spirit, takes him along and immediately instructs him.

"Said the novice to the master of the art. They will not change the guard until past midnight. Should any come searching for him now, and find his body, they would flee at once to Yara, bellowing the news, and give us time to escape. Were they not to find it, they'd go beating up the bushes and catch us like rats in a trap."'' }}

* Subverted in ''[[The Wise Man's Fear]]'' where Shehyn, the elderly teacher of an order of legendary fighters, battles one of her much younger students, the student much more energetic vs Shehyn's measured movements - and Shehyn loses. Kvothe wonders if this means the one who beat her is the leader now, which the member he's talking to finds amusing. Not only would it be ridiculous to base their leadership off of who wins a single fight, but Shehyn is very old. It's not realistic to expect her to always beat someone with much more energy. Of course, Shehyn is still extremely good.

* Dr. Sun Jen-djieh from ''[[Girl Genius]]''. When Baron Wulfenbach bypassed his medical order of staying in bed by building a bed into a Humongous Mecha, Dr. Sun '''destroyed''' that mecha. By hand.

* Master Fei of [[How I Killed Your Master]] certainly counts.

'''Master Fei:''' It's been ten years since anyone spoke of my fights because no-one has walked away from them in that time. }}

* Ten Winds of ''[[Keychain of Creation]]''. Ten's a Terrestrial Exalt, the weakest [[Exalted]] type - but he's badass enough to make other, nominally more powerful Exalted think twice about facing him.

* In ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'', this is invoked.

 

 

== Web Original ==

* [http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/File:MPost3226-0e6a2fa9.jpg This] RPG-[[Fauxtivational Poster]] invokes the genre conventions:

* The Old Man and Prof. Oak from Pokémon, according to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IsnAI5wAl0 this video].

 

== Western Animation ==

* Bruce Wayne from ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' is definitely an example of this trope. Stooped over and forced to rely on a cane to help him walk, he still stares daggers through anyone who would presume to show him his place, and is more than capable of beating the holy howling tar out of an entire motorcycle gang by himself, standing almost completely still, with [[Cane Fu|nothing but his cane]]. This plus his still-razor-sharp mind and the experience of his years makes him somehow ''more'' intimidating than when he was in his physical prime. This was proven in an episode where his younger self visited the future, forcing ''[[Batman]]'' to play ''[[Good Cop, Bad Cop|good cop]]'' to Old Man Wayne.

Cut to the gang member telling the Old Man ''everything'' up to and including that he wet the bed until he was a teenager. }}

** Another example in the DC Animated Universe, much earlier on, is Batman's own master; Yoru Sensei, who quickly immobilizes Kyodai Ken, just shortly after Kyodai beat Bruce Wayne in a sparring match. Given that Kyodai was less than half Yoru Sensei's age, and Yoru Sensei himself looks very much like the man in the example picture, he definitely qualifies.

* Spoofed in the ''[[George of the Jungle]]'' episode "Still Got It", in the form of Grouch-Mouth. He's an elderly tiger who gets picked on at first but," You're forgeting that Ol' Grouch-Mouth is the king of the pranks." He then gets in his scooter and goes on a pranking rampage, until the now-decrepit "Mighty Berment" (who originally defeated him) arrives. The two fight. While the fight was anticlimactic, {{spoiler|it turns out the two are old friends and join forces to show how pranks are really done. They go on an even bigger pranking rampage, which was a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]. George ends up sending Berments Wife, Mighty Mary, to save the day and the two pranksters leave.}}

* [[Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"|Uncle]] in ''[[Jackie Chan Adventures]]''. Not only is he an expert Martial Artist, but also one of the most powerful Chi Wizards in the world, helping his nephew save the world on a regular basis with his extensive magic.

* Played a bit in ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'' where Shifu is the old master to the Furious Five and Po, but he himself has more to learn from both his own mentor, Master Oogway, and from Po's own insight.

** Played completely straight with extremely pacifist and soft-spoken Oogway himself, to the point that he was originally able to take down the undefeatable [[Big Bad]] in less than a second.

* Master Panda of ''[[Skunk Fu!]]'' is a textbook example of this.

* In one ''[[Stargate Infinity]]'' episode, the crew met a race of squirrel people. To cross a bridge a kindly old man requests that one of the team fight him. When the [[Action Girl]] tries and gets her ass handed to her, the team leader quips:

* Scavenger in ''[[Transformers Armada]]''. Not only is he the kind of fighter badass enough to catch a blow from an unstoppably powerful sword ''with his arm'', but he {{spoiler|makes a pretty good double agent.}}

* Spoofed with Master Yo in ''[[Yin Yang Yo!|Yin Yang Yo]]''.