A badass is someone who stands up for what is right even if it’s to their detriment, especially when nobody is looking. Ego was cast aside long ago, it’s a liability. You are not going to put up a front and fake anything around this person, they will sniff it out instantly. They don’t shoot from the hip, they take the time to assess the situation. They’re no longer afraid to die as it is an inevitability. They’re willing to let go of everything they care about and love as those are weaknesses that can be exploited. When they don’t have to give those things up, they cherish them. They’ll love a person for who they are and not what they are. They forgive, a lot. They admit it when they’re wrong and work to understand things better despite the inconveniences doing so may cause. You won’t know it with a cursory glance but they are unimaginably self-reliant. Adversity is an opportunity to level up for these people.
Status and achievements mean little without these qualities.