Top 10 Characters in the Butt-Monkey Trope
A butt-monkey or punching bag is a characters 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 a episode without any unusual slapstick harm to them.Mainly applies to cartoons, comics and TV shows, so be 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).
Squidward Tentacles is a fictional character voiced by actor Rodger Bumpass in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Squidward Tentacles is your average man. He's at work, grumpy, and has to deal with the two most annoying people in the world, but is happy when he gets leisure on his own hobbies and talents: art and jazz. He is the anti-hero of the series, and usually has that "butt-monkey example", with some cartoon logic and slapstick humor mixed up for laughs, not like the more realistic of Meg Griffin. Even though dealing with SpongeBob and Patrick, he does care about them, and even saves their life at times.
Well, I never knew what the butt monkey trope was before now, so I guess I learned something new today!
Megan "Meg" Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, voiced initially by Lacey Chabert, thereafter by Mila Kunis. Meg Griffin is an important example for Butt-Monkey, which these types of moments becoming running gags for Family Guy. An example, is that I remember one clip where Stewie got shot in the arm and landed into Meg's head, killing her, with the rest of the family being focused on Stewie than Meg. How ridiculous is that? Ok, people say this, she's bullied, "she's not hot" (like, what?), and that one episode where Meg got out of jail, but 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 other than sometimes watching some clips for fun.
Al Bundy is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American television series Married... with Children, played by Ed O'Neill.
Charlie Brown, the one who tries to be confident, but depends on how he can reach it. "Life is like a box of chocolates, y'know, you never know what you're gonna get" (just a pun for that). And now to the butt-monkey moments. It's what you remember, Lucy wants Charlie Brown to kick the football, but whenever he kicks, Lucky reaches it away from him, rolling in the air and falling onto the ground (usually tree leaves). The unofficial revenge to this is to have Peter Griffin appear and beat up Lucy after doing the trick, forcing her to allow Charlie Brown to kick the ball, and yikes, that was a crazy clip. Despite these things, he can experience happy and joyful moments including the ending to A Charlie Brown Christmas, meaning he has the least punching bag moments out of the rest (he's on here because he is notable for the football moments).
Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone and loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough.
Why does he get clumsy a lot and why he always get beat up have black eyes and clothes rip and why did Chris savino made it this way. I wish Chris savino came back to show and make senses their is no creator without him
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. Tom Cat is a very notable example, but is not listed as a main butt-monkey usually. A Tom and Jerry short is suppose to revolve around the cat and mouse fighting their way to justice, which I mean for a character to be in a unlucky or punching bag situation, usually letting Jerry win and Tom lose. Sometimes it gets reverse, but they can both win to justice, even with Spike in a few episodes. You've just gotta find out. Tom and Jerry always gets into cartoony violent situations every 5 seconds, and that's what it's supposed to be.
Based on the childhood of iconic comedian Chris Rock, which sets place from 1982 to 1987, even though Rock was a teenager between 1978 and 1983. So, why is he a "butt-monkey" example? Well, read the show's title yourself and you'll get the answer, but does it mean "Everyone Hates Chris"? Naw, he is caring to his family and friends, and cares him back. But usually, Chris goes to the wrong path and learns his lesson, refusing to give up life. Sure in Chris' life, a bunch of people can hate or disrespect him sometimes for no reason, but still treats them with respect. There will be people that you may not like or be rude to you, but just follow the right path, and it's ok to make mistakes in life, because that's a part of being human.
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a main character in the animated adult television series South Park, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. A very good example of a "butt-monkey", Kenny gets most of the pain out of all the characters, which in every episode in the early seasons, he gets killed in the most violent ways you can imagine. However, that doesn't happen much often as it did back then, but does appear once or a few times per season today.
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. Just an average middle school student trying to make his way through life, like everyone else, who experience the incomes and outcomes, as the fact he's still in school with "a bunch of morons". He can have some unlucky moments, such as dealing with Rodrick's antics, getting a bad grade, getting into sudden embarrassment, and even these times when Greg would get banned from Rowley's house for foolish behavior. But at some times, he gets lucky and achievement for something, I don't know a lot about DOAWK.
Howard Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Simon Helberg. Compared to Leonard, Sheldon and Raj, he 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 far away, not noticing Howard is an adult, embarrassing him in front of his friends in some moments, being known as a "playdate". Even his mother is concerned if his girlfriend is Jewish in one episode. I've been binge-watching the Big Bang Theory with my family, so I know much about it.
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.
Rocko is the eponymous fictional character of the cartoon Rocko's Modern Life and the comic book series of the same name. He is an Australian anthropomorphic wallaby who immigrated to the United States. He works at a comic book store, lives next to annoying neighbors, and is friends with the gluttonous... read more I do remember Rocko's "butt-monkey" moments more than most of the characters because I have seen Rocko recently compared to SpongeBob, even though he's the main character. Watch every episode and you can predict Rocko beaten up like a punching bag, get ran over, go "up bombs away", and 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. Pretty sure Rocko is my favorite out of everyone in the list, and the fact I relate to his fond of comic books.
Rigby is a character from the cartoon Regular Show created by JG Quintel. He's best friends with Mordecai (A talking Blue Jay). Together they slack around and have fun in the park. A place where they work and have the risk of being fired from. Compared to Mordecai, Rigby is more shorter, immature, hyperactive, irresponsible, and more prone to bad habits than him. That is known for one of the show's running rags 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.
Olaf the Snowman is a character from the 2013 animated film Frozen, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Mortimer "Morty" Smith Sr. is a fictional character from the American animated television series Rick and Morty, aired on Adult Swim.
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden, and created by Matt Groening who named the character after President Richard Nixon's middle name.
Ash Ketchum, known as Satoshi in Japan, is a fictional main character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo. Ash is training to be a Pokemon Master, with his buddy Pikachu. Ash tries to stop the evil Team Rocket from stealing his Pikachu.
Edd, mostly referred to by his nickname "Double D," is one of the three protagonists in the Canadian-American animated comedy television series Ed, Edd n Eddy. He is the physically weakest but the most intelligent member of the Eds.