Top 10 Characters in the Butt-Monkey Trope

A butt-monkey or punching bag is a character who is always the subject of ridicule and abuse, taking some or most of the slapstick pain, sometimes for no reason, and often played for laughs. Meg Griffin and Squidward Tentacles are primary examples, with my favorite being Rocko (who gets more than Squidward).

Just because someone is a butt-monkey doesn't mean they are worthless or unlucky. They just get abused for ridiculous things or no reason. Some characters do have a rare chance of being in an episode without any unusual slapstick harm to them.

Mainly applies to cartoons, comics, and TV shows, so feel free to add some more from cartoons, comics, movies, TV shows, and even video games (must be about the character, not how yours is defeated).

The Top Ten

Squidward Tentacles (SpongeBob SquarePants)

Squidward Tentacles is a fictional character voiced by actor Rodger Bumpass in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants.
Squidward has a very abrasive attitude, often wanting to be left alone, and he displays a misanthropic nature. He prefers solitude and enjoys playing the... read more

Squidward Tentacles is your average man. He's grumpy at work and has to deal with the two most annoying people in the world but is happy when he gets to enjoy his hobbies and talents: art and jazz.
He is the anti-hero of the series and usually exemplifies the "butt-monkey" trope, with some cartoon logic and slapstick humor mixed in for laughs, unlike the more realistic portrayal of Meg Griffin. Even though he deals with SpongeBob and Patrick, he does care about them and even saves their lives at times.
Meg Griffin (Family Guy)

Megan "Meg" Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the teenage daughter of Peter and Lois Griffin and often portrayed as a social outcast. Meg was originally voiced by Rachael MacFarlane in the pilot, then by Lacey Chabert for the first season, and has... read more

Meg Griffin is an important example of the Butt-Monkey trope, with these types of moments becoming running gags in Family Guy.
For instance, I remember one clip where Stewie got shot in the arm and landed on Meg's head, killing her, while the rest of the family focused on Stewie instead of Meg. How ridiculous is that?
People say she's bullied, "she's not hot" (like, what?), and there's that one episode where Meg got out of jail. At least she doesn't get all the pain in every episode, even in some episodes in a row.
I don't know. I don't watch Family Guy much, other than sometimes watching some clips for fun.
Al Bundy (Married with Children)

Al Bundy is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American television series Married. . with Children, played by Ed O'Neill. He is a disgruntled shoe salesman who is often portrayed as cynical and bitter. The show aired from 1987 to 1997 and became a cult classic.
Charlie Brown (Peanuts)

Charlie Brown is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Peanuts comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz. The comic ran from 1950 to 2000 and is considered one of the most influential and popular comic strips of all time. Charlie Brown is known for his kind nature, persistent efforts,... read more

Charlie Brown tries to be confident but struggles to reach it. "Life is like a box of chocolates, y'know, you never know what you're gonna get" (just a pun for that).
Now, onto the butt-monkey moments. You remember them: Lucy wants Charlie Brown to kick the football, but whenever he tries, Lucy pulls it away, making him fall onto the ground, often among tree leaves.
In an unofficial revenge clip, Peter Griffin appears, beats up Lucy after she tricks Charlie Brown, and forces her to let him kick the ball. That was a crazy clip. Despite these things, Charlie Brown does experience happy moments, including the ending of A Charlie Brown Christmas. This means he has the fewest "punching bag" moments compared to the rest, but he's notable for the football moments.
Lincoln Loud (The Loud House)

Lincoln Loud is the main character in The Loud House, an animated series that premiered on Nickelodeon in 2016. He is the only boy among eleven siblings and often navigates the chaos of his large family through creative problem-solving. The show has been praised for its humor and representation of family... read more

Why does he get clumsy a lot, and why does he always get beat up, have black eyes, and torn clothes? Why did Chris Savino make it this way? I wish Chris Savino came back to the show. It makes no sense. There is no creator without him.
Uranus (Duckman)
Fluffy (Duckman)
Butters Stotch (South Park)

Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character from the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone and is loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough. Butters is known for his naive, cheerful personality and often finds himself in unfortunate or absurd situations... read more
Tom Cat (Tom and Jerry)

Thomas "Tom" Cat is a fictional character and one of the title characters in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's series of Tom and Jerry theatrical cartoon short films. He is known for his long-running rivalry with Jerry Mouse. The series began in 1940, and Tom and Jerry became one of the most famous cartoon duos... read more

Tom Cat is a very notable example, but he is not usually listed as a main butt-monkey. A Tom and Jerry short is supposed to revolve around the cat and mouse fighting their way to justice, which means Tom is often in an unlucky or punching bag situation, usually letting Jerry win and Tom lose.
Sometimes it gets reversed, but they can both achieve justice, even with Spike in a few episodes. You've just got to find out. Tom and Jerry always get into cartoony violent situations every five seconds, and that's what it's supposed to be.
Chris (Everybody Hates Chris)

Based on the childhood of iconic comedian Chris Rock, the show is set from 1982 to 1987, even though Rock was a teenager from 1978 to 1983.
Why is he a "butt-monkey" example? Well, read the show's title yourself and you'll get the answer. Does it mean "Everyone Hates Chris"? No, he is caring towards his family and friends, and they care about him too.
However, Chris often goes down the wrong path and learns his lesson but refuses to give up on life. Sure, in Chris' life, many people can hate or disrespect him for no reason, but he still treats them with respect. There will be people you may not like or who are rude to you, but just follow the right path. It's okay to make mistakes in life because that's part of being human.

The Newcomers

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Domino (Marvel)

During 2018-2021, Domino was Marvel's butt-monkey in the comics! It was very sad. She would just be minding her own business - maybe fighting a bad guy, or just hanging out with Deadpool and all her other friends - then something terrible would happen to her. She did nothing to deserve it each time!
It's like the comic writers had fun tormenting her. Her tormenting went from getting her house robbed and being thrown out of her bed at midnight while she was dead asleep to suffering hypothermia, nearly drowning, and literally being skinned alive like a prized pig. She did nothing to deserve any of this!
Thankfully, Marvel stopped torturing her.
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Fred Jones (Velma)

The Contenders

Kenny McCormick (South Park)

Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is one of the main characters in the animated adult television series South Park. He appears alongside his close friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. Known for his consistently muffled speech and frequent deaths in early seasons, Kenny has become one of the... read more

Kenny is a very good example of a "butt-monkey." He gets most of the pain out of all the characters. In every episode in the early seasons, he gets killed in the most violent ways you can imagine.
However, that doesn't happen as often as it did back then, but it still appears once or a few times per season today.
Greg Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

Greg Heffley is the main character and narrator of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series written by Jeff Kinney. He lives with his two brothers, Rodrick and Manny Heffley, and his parents, Susan and Frank Heffley. The series chronicles Greg's middle school life through his personal diary entries.

Greg Heffley is just an average middle school student trying to make his way through life, like everyone else, experiencing both successes and failures. He deals with Rodrick's antics, gets bad grades, faces sudden embarrassment, and even gets banned from Rowley's house for foolish behavior.
But sometimes, he gets lucky and achieves something. I don't know a lot about Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Oscar Proud (The Proud Family)
Timmy Turner (The Fairly OddParents)

Timothy "Timmy" Tiberius Turner is a ten-year-old boy who is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American animated series The Fairly OddParents, created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. He is known for having fairy godparents who grant his wishes, often leading to comedic and chaotic... read more
Howard Wolowitz (The Big Band Theory)

Howard Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng., is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Simon Helberg.
He's an aerospace engineer with a master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He's known for his flashy 1970s-style outfits and distinctive... read more

Compared to Leonard, Sheldon, and Raj, Howard does not have a doctoral degree, is short, and is often made fun of by Sheldon and everyone else. The best part is when his unseen Jewish mother yells at him from far away, not noticing that Howard is an adult, embarrassing him in front of his friends.
In one episode, his mother is concerned if his girlfriend is Jewish. I've been binge-watching The Big Bang Theory with my family, so I know a lot about it.
Milhouse Van Houten (The Simpsons)

Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Pamela Hayden and was created by Matt Groening. The character's name includes Mussolini as a joke and Milhouse, which was President Richard Nixon's middle name.
Andy Malloy (Freddy Got Fingered)
Olaf (Frozen)

Olaf is a friendly snowman character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019). He was inadvertently created by Queen Elsa's magical powers and serves as the story's comic relief and embodiment of childhood wonder. Olaf is voiced by Josh Gad and has become one... read more
Rocko (Rocko's Modern Life)

Rocko is the fictional main character from the cartoon Rocko's Modern Life and the comic book series of the same name. He is an Australian wallaby who immigrated to the United States and lives a modest life surrounded by quirky neighbors and friends.... read more

I remember Rocko's "butt-monkey" moments more than most characters because I've seen Rocko recently compared to SpongeBob, even though he's the main character.
Watch every episode and you can predict Rocko being beaten up like a punching bag, run over, or sent "up bombs away," among many other ways. Rocko is also known to be paranoid sometimes.
I think the only episode without any of these examples is "Rocko's Modern Christmas" or maybe that Thanksgiving episode I haven't seen. Rocko is my favorite out of everyone on the list, and I relate to his fondness for comic books.
Freddie Benson (iCarly)

Fredward "Freddie" Benson is a fictional character from the Nickelodeon television series iCarly. He serves as the technical producer of Carly's web show and is one of the main characters alongside Carly and Sam. Freddie is portrayed as intelligent and loyal, often using his technical skills to keep... read more
Rigby (Regular Show)

Rigby is a raccoon character from the Cartoon Network animated series Regular Show, created by J. G. Quintel. He is the best friend of Mordecai, a blue jay, and the two often engage in bizarre and humorous adventures. They both work as groundskeepers at a park, where their antics frequently put their... read more

Compared to Mordecai, Rigby is shorter, more immature, hyperactive, irresponsible, and more prone to bad habits. This is known for one of the show's running gags where Rigby gets punched by Mordecai (and punches him back in a few episodes).

He's sort of in the balance where he kind of deserves it but not quite.
Morty Smith (Rick and Morty)

Mortimer "Morty" Smith Sr. is a fictional character from the American animated television series Rick and Morty, which airs on Adult Swim. Morty is a 14-year-old boy who regularly travels on dangerous and bizarre adventures across the universe with his grandfather Rick Sanchez. The show is known for... read more
Sideshow Mel (The Simpsons)

Sideshow Mel is a character in The Simpsons. He serves as the sidekick to Krusty the Clown following Sideshow Bob's imprisonment. He first appears in the episode Itchy and Scratchy and Marge.
Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)

Ash Ketchum, known as Satoshi in Japan, was the main protagonist of the Pokémon anime for its first 25 seasons. He travels across regions, competes in Pokémon battles, and works toward becoming a Pokémon Master. Ash frequently thwarts Team Rocket's attempts to steal his partner, Pikachu.
Edd (Ed, Edd n Eddy)

Edd, mostly referred to by his nickname "Double D," is one of the three main characters in the Canadian-American animated television series Ed, Edd n Eddy. He is the most intelligent of the trio and often serves as the voice of reason. Despite being physically weaker than the other Eds, Edd is known... read more