Biography
The Dirty Coward is the slime of the earth, working exclusively for themselves and shamelessly retreating from harm's way even if that harm is about to hit the All-Loving Hero that just saved their life two seconds ago. They'll take every advantage, are not above using dishonorable tactics and dirty tricks, and they'll be more than happy to push someone (including their friend) at the danger just to save their own skin but they'll cry and moan every time the tables are turned and someone uses the same tactics against them, asks for a volunteer, or reminds them of that promise they made. Often full of vicious plans for anyone they dislike, as long as they aren't in need of that person's skills at the moment.
Though the Dirty Coward may be a sociopath (or a Social Darwinist), they're certainly not heroic or comedic. And if they're a bastard, they're certainly not meant to be magnificent. They're usually only marginally competent to start with, and even the cleverest of them tends to be short-sighted. Even when they know that breaking ranks will leave a hole in the defenses that will let the enemy in, leading to far more danger for them in the long term, they will generally run for it anyway (and get shot In the Back). Their allegiance almost always lies with whoever can cause them the most immediate harm, even if that threat isn't likely to last. They'll be happy to badmouth people to their faces when they can not immediately hurt them, only to attempt to curry favor when the roles reverse. Dirty Cowards are especially prone to suffering a Karmic Death, usually at the hands of whatever they were trying to run from, and are similarly likely to suffer a Villainous Breakdown. Dirty Cowards often flipflop from smugness to groveling depending on whether they have the advantage at the moment. An arrogant villain might beg for his life when the heroes have him at their mercy, only to take advantage of the heroes' lowered guard to escape or strike back, then mock them for their carelessness.
Usually a villain unless used comically, although they may sometimes be a certain type of civilian that gets in the way. When used as a villain, this is a cheap way to make the heroes look good in comparison, even if they're not everything they should be. Villainous Dirty Cowards tend to fall squarely into Neutral Evil, since they are first and foremost out for their own hides at the expense of others. One of the best ways to demean the Big Bad is by making them out to be a coward. It's doubly ironic if the one who brings fear into the hearts of others turns out to be a pathetic scaramouch who hypocritically makes others feel weak because they are really the weak one and try to hide it. After all, only The Bully can bring the "dirty" into the Dirty Coward trope.
It's tough to make a main character into one of these without them coming off as more slimy and irritating than funny. Unlike most villains, the dirty coward doesn't even have finesse, which can make them extremely annoying. The dirty coward may or may not have a horrific past to explain their actions, but it doesn't usually redeem them, at least not in the minds of the audience. When their backstory doesn't seem all that convincing, but convinces The Hero, it can be seen as a major cop-out.
The best way to make this character tolerable is to make them at least somewhat clever. Some enlightened self-interest can occasionally be mixed in, although too much of any trait other than cravenness tends to change the character into something else.
May be on the receiving end of a Cowardice Callout. May Level Grind in courage if they realize "My God, What Have I Done?".
The Dirty Coward is pretty much almost Always Male, for the dubious reason that women aren't expected to be brave in the first place, and are allowed to sacrifice others to save themselves. Fridge Logic may lead to the Neutral Female coming off as a Distaff Counterpart to the Dirty Coward.
May be the Miles Gloriosus, and even believe his own brags when out of danger. The Fearless Fool may invoke this to persuade his companions to act like idiots. Not to be confused with the Combat Pragmatist, who may employ tactics that can be considered dirty and cowardly but does so out of cold calculation rather than fear. Contrast the Lovable Coward, who numbers among the good guys and has foibles portrayed far more sympathetically, generally due to their not trying to pose as anything but a coward, and even then will often face their fears and ultimately still risk their lives if the chips are really down (as will the Cowardly Lion). The So-Called Coward is by definition mistaken for one of these; if they don't want to be, they'll say "Nobody Calls Me "Chicken"!." See also The Bully (characters who are brave enough when tormenting those weaker than they are, but showing their true colors in the face of those equal to or stronger than they are), Original Position Fallacy (where one holds a moral position on the assumption that they will recieve the benefits, without considering that they may be among the ones to suffer from said beliefs), Sore Loser (where someone isn't afraid of death or injury so much as they are of losing, though many Dirty Cowards are also Sore Losers) and Opportunistic Bastard. Does not apply when retreating really is the most practical option one has. Often overlaps with Screw This, I'm Outta Here, where someone enters a situation that they don’t want to be a part of, so they decide to just leave.
This Trope might apply to a Cowardly Boss, but it more often applies to a "Get Back Here!" Boss. Compare Villains Want Mercy. No Real Life Examples, Please!
