The Office: 9 Times Pam Was The Biggest Badass At Dunder Mifflin

Pam Beesly is known for her soft-spoken nature and kind personality. Initially, she rarely spoke her feelings on The Office or felt valued in the workspace as many of them disrespected her for her interests or talent. However, as time went on, Pam found her voice, growing so much in confidence that she became the heart of the Scranton Branch.

While Pam was on her way to becoming the person she is in season 9, she had some incredible badass moments at Dunder Mifflin that deserve recognition. Pam’s character arc over the years was inspiring for viewers and the time she stood up for herself were some of her best moments in the series.

9 Pam Defended Her Artwork Against A Hater

In the ninth season, Nellie appointed Pam to work on a special project: a mural of Dunder Mifflin for the warehouse. As a lover of art, Pam was thrilled to take on the project, but not everyone was thrilled about her work. After warehouse worker Frank defaced her mural, she vandalized his beloved truck with safe paint — all with Dwight’s help.

Considering fans have seen several office workers and other characters criticize Pam’s work in the past, fans were delighted to see her stand her ground this time as it showed that she wouldn’t allow anyone to sabotage her dreams anymore.

8 Her Speech On Beach Games Was The Start Of It All

Pam’s inner badass came out to shine in season 3. After being pushed around by Michael all day and watching Jim and Karen’s relationship flourish, she had enough.

Just as Michael opted out of the coal walk, Pam used her courage and did it herself. This action brought a sense of empowerment and she used it as a chance to talk to the group. Pam’s reluctance to speak her feelings had been a pet peeve for The Office fans in the past, so this was a big moment. She called out everyone for skipping her art show, but she also pointed out Jim and how their relationship had changed drastically and that she missed it. As Pam said, it was a “good day” after she did this.

7 She Took Control And Sold The Halperts Family Home

The relationship between Jim and Pam is one of the show’s best storylines. They had been through so much as friends that a relationship was inevitable. However, their relationship wasn’t perfect. Pam suffered in the later seasons when Jim bought a house and took a job without telling her, spending half his week in Philadelphia while she was home alone with the kids. But in the series finale, Pam gained control of the situation and called the shots.

Without Jim knowing, Pam sold their family home in hopes of a new future in Austin, Texas — the new location for Jim’s business. For Pam, this was a badass, empowering moment as she was able to actually make a decision for herself rather than having been forced to go along with it. She knew that Jim wanted to be in Athleap, so she knew making this decision wouldn’t be seen as a problem. All Pam wanted was to be let in on the major decisions, and by the season 9 finale, she got the opportunity to do so.

6 She Changed Her Position Without Telling Anyone

Pam has a history of quitting things on The Office. She quit art school, she quit her job as a receptionist, and she later quit her job as a saleswoman when she realized how hard it was.  Instead of working another job that she hated, Pam did something out of character — she created a new, made-up role so she could continue working with her colleagues.

With the merge of Dunder Mifflin and Sabre in season 6 and 7, Pam told Gabe that she was the new office administrator but the paperwork must have gotten lost during the transition. She made up her tasks, her salary, and she was so convincing that Gabe bought it. Just like that, Pam created a better position for herself out of thin air. It was certainly something season 1 Pam would have never tried, so the fact that she did this proved her confidence was growing.

5 Pam Quit Her Job On The Spot For Hopes Of A New Future

Back in season 4, Pam quit her job as a receptionist without much thought as Michael had convinced Pam of a promising business venture called Michael Scott Paper Company. She left the job she was comfortable with for a new opportunity.

No one else was brave enough to do something so daring, but Pam did. She finally broke the mold after years of being unhappy. And while her time with the Michael Scott Paper Company was a bumpy ride, it turned out to be exactly what she needed for a fresh start.

4 She Stood Up To Michael When He Dated Her Mom

The Office fans felt sad for Michael when he was single and lonely. He had been through such a tough relationship with Jan that everyone just wanted him in a healthy relationship. The only problem was that the woman he chose to be in a healthy relationship with was Pam’s mom.

When Pam found out that Michael was dating her mother behind her back in season 6, she lost her composure. Instead of allowing Michael to date her mother because she pitied him, she stood up for herself and reminded him that he crossed a boundary. She called him out in front of the office and held her ground. Then, when Michael and her mother finally broke up, she defended her mother once more. If fans had to describe Pam in one word, loyal should certainly be among their vocabulary.

3 Lying To A Salesman To Save Her Job

In one of The Office’s many cold opens in season 5, Pam was sitting at her desk when an unknown salesman came by the office. He asked her if could speak with Michael Scott because he kept trying to get in touch with him but Michael always seemed to be out of the office.

Pam told the cameras that the man in question was trying to sell a new software for phones that would take up 95% of her job. Without transferring calls and taking messages, Pam would be out of work. Instead of introducing the man to Michael, she pretended that Jim was actually Michael and that Michael was Jim. Pam could have rolled over and given up when the man came to the office but she instead fought for her position.

2 She Was One Of The Few To Stand Up Against Ryan

Ryan Howard arc didn’t make the most sense when he was working at Dunder Mifflin. He went from a serious business student and temp to someone who floated around the office, trying to get by with the help of Kelly. He also began acting superior than others, including Pam.

In the past, Pam wouldn’t have reacted strongly to one of Ryan’s insults. But as time went on, she stood up for herself and her friends. In one scene, she stood up for Kelly after she witnessed him mistreat her for years. In another, she refused to let him hinder her dreams because he only viewed her as a receptionist. She was tired of Ryan making fun of her in front of everyone and finally did something about it.

1 Pam Stood Her Ground Against The Dirty Microwave

In season 4, Pam proved that she refused to let any more people walk over her when she discovered that her colleagues had left a messy microwave. With the kitchen and breakroom being a communal area in the workplace, Pam wrote an anonymous note to the office regarding this, requesting that people clean up after themselves when they were done.

Other people should chip in since they frequently used it to heat up their dinners and meals. It became clear that Pam wrote the letter by the end of the workday but it was badass of her to call out the office for taking advantage of her kindness.

About The Author

Lynn Gibbs
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Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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