History Characters / SpirouAndFantasioTheMainDuo

* CharacterCatchphrase: At first, there was "Mille bombes !" ("A thousand bombs!") "Mille tonnerres !" ("A thousand thunders''! "Thunderation"!) in the English version) , or "Mille millions !" ("A thousand billions!"), [[AbandonedCatchphrase but these tend to be abandoned]] since the TheSeventies.

** In ''Le voyageur du mésozoïque'', Fantasio catches a big cold in the very beginning, and it distracts him a lot. Despite he is seen, with the main cast, [[https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782800100159-couv-M700x1200.jpg on the cover watching with excitation the baby dinosaur breaking the shell of his egg]]; [[CoversAlwaysLie Fantasio was actually not present in story.]] In fact, he's the only character to never notice a giant beast that does impressive damage (despite him sitting on his tail once). In the end, when Spirou announces that the dinosaur's getaway was finally settled out, Fantasio answers: [[ComicallyMissingThePoint "The dinosaur? Which dinosaur?" ]]

* CharacterCatchphrase: At first, there was "Mille bombes !" ("A thousand bombs!") "Mille tonnerres !" ("A thousand thunders''!) , or "Mille millions !" ("A thousand billions!"), [[AbandonedCatchphrase but these tend to be abandoned]] since the TheSeventies.

* FieryRedhead: This last trait showed up essentially from the [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000's]] on, as Spirou used to be more prone to get angry in Morvan/Munuera and Yoann/Vehlmann runs. In the first run, he was by far [[HotBlooded the most violent]], daring to [[WouldHitAGirl punch a woman]], while his fights with bad guys resemble NoHoldsBarredBeatdown. In the second, he can get remarkably angry, notably in ''Alerte aux Zorkons'', when he yells a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to both Zorglub and Champignac, prompting the latter to remark: "The boy is certainly hot blooded".

** In [[Film/TheAdventuresOfSpirouAndFantasio the live-action movie]], he goes a lot against his own codes as well. In it, Spirou is a thief (despite usually honest), a loner who reject first Fantasio's friendship (despite his usual UndyingLoyalty to him), [[{{Greed}} greedy]] (while selfless originally), a DeadpanSnarker (while usually a NiceGuy), self-centered (while originally helpful), and he's running away from fights (despite usually courageous to the point of recklessness). [[spoiler: In the second part of the story, he TookALevelInKindness, yet deserts his job and tries to kill Zorglub despite his ThouShaltNotKill policy. These changes were not well-received and were certainly a major factor in the movie under performance.]]

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Fantasio is always depicted as (more or less) balding, and is described as such too. However, this usually affects men older than 45, and Fantasio does not seem to have reached this age yet. Fantasio may suffer precocious baldness (it can affect men as young as 20), and it won't be surprising given how unlucky he is.

* Characterization Marches On: Early in Franquin's run, Fantasio shifted from a total goofball to The ComicallySerious. With the obvious irony of later having to handle total goofball Gaston Lagaffe.

* TheMisophonic: Not only Fantasio once designed the "aspison", destined to make sounds disappear, but in fact, he seems to not bear the smallest, yet irritative sound. Like, in ''QRN sur Bretzelburg'', the sound of [[TortureTechnician Doktor Kilikil]] rubbing his beard the wrong way. Unfortunately for Fantasio, it inspire the latter into torture him by using sounds such as a the grinding sound of a chalk on a board, or of a fork on a plate.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: They usually live together with common possessions ( like cars). Sometimes girls enter their lives, but no matter if the stories with them go good or bad, [[StatusQuoIsGod they never last and the duo stay together alone.]]

** Zantafio used [[MindControlDevice zorglwaves]] to erase from Spirou and Fantasio's memories the fact that they had a Marsupilami as a pet, from ''Le faiseur d'or'' on in 1974. In ''La colère du marsupilami'' (2016) though, they finally recover their memories of him. Zantafio teased Spirou on the fact that he may have made him forget others persons and events, like if Spirou got married for instance. But as far as we know, it was indeed a joke.
** [[spoiler: TimeTravel shenanigans made Spirou forget the events of ''Paris sous-Seine'' and ''Aux sources du Z'' along with Miss Flanner's existence. [[RippleEffectProofMemory Fantasio is the only one to remember her]], presumably because he went back in time to {{Retcon}} those moments.]]

* LaResistance: Both are resistants in the real life résistance network "Comète", in stories set during WWII (''Le groom vert de gris'' and ''Hope against all odds''). They have, in both stories, the occasion to protect Jewish citizens, help lost British and American parachutists, and barely avoid imprisonment and executions. [[note]]In RealLife, the first editor in chief's magazine, Jean Doisy, was actually a resistant known as Le fureteur, and Spirou's magazine was suspended between 1943 and 1945 by the occupying forces for being too subversive. The first fan club of Spirou had then a code of honor that inspired some young readers, inciting them to be resistants as well. Two paid it of their life, like related in the comics ''Les amis de Spirou''. [[/note]] In ''QRN sur Bretzelburg'' and ''Des haricots partout'', Spirou and Fantasio join and help resistants of dictatorships in Bretzelburg and Catung, respectively.

* TheAce: He can defeat outnumbered bad guys, [[AcePilot can pilot planes, the fantacopter or mini submersibles ]], is skilled at boxing and diving, survived many perils ([[ItMakesSenseInContext including surfing on a tidal wave, with his hands tied behind his back]]) all while being intelligent, and a NiceGuy.

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Spirou usually helps those who need it, and can't suffer injustices committed in front of him. In ''QRN sur Bretzelburg'' , Marcellin Switch must refrain Spirou from intervening, and thus attract attention, after they witnessed an arbitrary arrest. In ''Dans les griffes de la Vipère'', Spirou is disguised and on the run, yet an old lady requires to be helped to cross the street. Spirou assisted her to do so, and it turned out that the lady actually needed to see him up close. Right after that, [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished she denounces him.]] In the [[{{Elseworld}} parallel series]] ''Hope against all odds'', Louis and Suzanne, two kids that Spirou happen to know, are arrested and [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust put in a train for deportation as they're jewish. ]] Spirou first witnesses it, tries to intervene, and when asked by guards if he's jewish, he answers that he does (it's a lie) in order to be deported with the children. [[spoiler: It could have ended badly if Spirou did not happen to have a knife, used it to open the train window and escape with the two kids.]]

** Except for a short period in the Fournier's run where he would be in a civilian (yet mostly red) outfit, for the next 30 years, Spirou would wear the bottom of the uniform mixed with a civilian top (white pullover with a red jacket). This version ditched the gloves. He wore this in the first animated series too, except that the cap was dropped.
** [[TurnOfTheMillennium From the 2000's on]], he started to go full civilian. In the Morvan and Munuera's run, Spirou was usually in blue jeans, tennis shoes and a red top to keep the color scheme. It was the case too in the second animated series, except the pants were red.
** Yoann and Vehlmann's run subverted this. Normally, Spirou would wear civilian clothes in their stories too ( most often blue jeans, a red jacket, black shirts and tennis shoes). However, in each album, [[ReimaginingTheArtifact he ends in the full uniform for one reason or another]], from contractual obligation to be given nothing else to wear. In one -shots, he could wear the uniform or not DependingOnTheWriter.
* CostumeInertia: As said above, Spirou would wear his full uniform for 28 years after stopping being a bellboy (and partially for 30 more years) . In one-shots, he wears it or not depending on the context. In stories set in the past (like ''Hope against all odds'' and ''Le groom vert de gris''), it's justified as they focus on the period when Spirou still worked in a hotel. In other works, Spirou is still a bellboy (''Panique en Atlantique'' and ''Pacific hotel'') for some reason. In ''Panique en Atlantique'', he explains that he needs to pay his bills. Sometimes, [[AdaptationalExplanation there are in universe explanations]], such as in ''Hope against all odds'', where Spirou decided to wear his uniform at all times [[TheOneThatGotAway in remembrance of Kassandra]], who liked him in it. In the movie version of ''Le petit Spirou'', he decides to be an adventurer instead of a bellboy, yet he will keep on wearing the uniform. Once again his girlfriend liked it, but the costume pleased Spirou as well.
* CustomUniform: Between 1968 and 1998, Spirou would keep the pants, shoes and cap of his original uniform, but with a white pullover and a red jacket, and without the gloves.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Spirou's personality could fluctuate over years, still globally the same, but with preoccupations that could change a bit. During the Fournier and Yoan/Vehlman's runs, he had ecologist concerns (about the nuclear danger in the first run and sustainable development in the second). [[AuthorTract Of course, this reflected the author's own concerns.]] He's also more or less HotBlooded, and this last trait tended to show up recently. Morvan/ Munuera and Yoan/Vehlman's runs have the most of his BewareTheNiceOnes moments, where he can lose his temper completely. In the Yoan/Vehlman one, was also when he tended to [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] the most. In ''The dark face of the Z'', when asked about the utility of his [[SpaceBase moon base, ]] Zorglub answers that Earth pollution will sooner or later push humanity to relocate in space. Spirou sarcastically answered that his time would have been better used to decontaminate Earth first.
* {{Determinator}}: Did Spirou already searched for stolen car plans in [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles a rhinoceros horn, in the savanna? ]] Certainly. Did he follow for miles an inflated rubber mask, then tried to get it back (and a compromising briefcase) on a cliff? At the risk of falling when free climbing ([[spoiler: and he does fall, getting a three months EasyAmnesia in the process]]), all in order to [[ClearTheirName clear Fantasio's name]]? He did. Did Spirou try to get out of the valley of banished with Fantasio, who was under a HatePlague and actively [[FightingYourFriend tried to kill him]] ? You bet. Did Spirou, while 100 feet into the sea depths, try to get back to the surface to warn Fantasio that the guy with them on their boat was [[AloneWithThePsycho Vito Cortizone]], despite not having air anymore? He did that too. Did he try to get back a sucked up Spip into the dark immensity of the flooded Seine (and under hostile robots's attacks), having to renounce only when Fantasio dragged him away? It happened. Did Spirou try to find back the Marsupilami into the vast jungle, just because he did not want the latter to feel left behind? Once again he did, to the point that even Fantasio did not find that it was reasonable, [[spoiler: [[ForYourOwnGood and tried to get Spirou back to the civilisation after tied him up.]]]]
* FieryRedhead: This last trait showed up essentially from the [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000's]] on, as Spirou used to be more prone to get angry in Morvan/ Munuera and Yoan/Vehlman's runs. In the first run, he was by far [[HotBlooded the most violent]], daring to [[WouldHitAGirl punch a woman]], while his fights with bad guys resemble NoHoldsBarredBeatdown. In the second, he can get remarkably angry, notably in ''Alerte aux Zorkons'', when he yell a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to both Zorglub and Champignac, prompting the latter to remark: "The boy is certainly hot blooded".
* IconicOutfit: Spirou's uniform, [[TheArtifact that stayed on him for way more long time than justified by his functions. ]] The reason was, apart from the fact that red attracts attention, the distinctive costume was ideal as well to stay in memories.
* IdealHero: He has a strong sense of honor, [[ThouShaltNotKill pushing him to refuse to kill anyone]] and even goes as far as SaveTheVillain if necessary. A good example is in ''Dans les griffes de la Vipère'', where Spirou was literally bought by an evil MegaCorp. He tries to run away from it and take refuge in Champignac. However, as the corporation agents harass Fantasio, Seccotine, the Count and even Champignac 's inhabitants at large to get him back, [[HeroicSacrifice Spirou decides to give himself up to the agents]]. What matter to him, is [[PleaseIWillDoAnything the promise that his friends would be left alone]], despite his only fault was to neglect [[ReadTheFinePrint to read the fine prints on his contract.]]

* LastNameBasis: In some stories, it's hinted that "Spirou" is actually his last name. In ''Machine qui rêve'', Fantasio wonders why nobody ever addressed them by their first names, and what Spirou first name can be (jokingly suggesting old fashioned ones). In ''Le petit Spirou'', his parents and grandparents are referred to as "Mr/Mrs Spirou", hinting that it is this family's name.
* MistakenForServant: Throughout his story, it happened to Spirou [[RunningGag more than once]] because of his [[CostumeInertia uniform]]. Other people tended to either ask him to carry their luggage when they spotted Spirou into a hotel lounge, to press the lift button if they shared the same cage, or thought that the friends he was with had a servant in livery. A [[TheEighties 80's]] short story even [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] this, as Spirou is dragged by the doorman into a luxury hotel on Christmas 's night, while he happened to go by. The doorman mistook him for a local staff member, and since then, Spirou prefer to wear either a [[CustomUniform customized version of the uniform]] or civilian clothes (albeit the most often in [[ColorCodedCharacters red]]).[[note]][[https://ibb.co/hMY1GZh Franquin parodied it in a 1976 poster]], where Spirou arrives (in uniform) as a guest in a luxury hotel, and warns he'll kick the first one who'll call him a bellboy.[[/note]]

** In his first apparition, Spirou was a {{Golem}} BornAsAnAdult from a PortalPicture. In his first strip, the director of the Moustic hotel searches for the best bellboy possible, [[TerribleIntervieweesMontage but applicants do not give him satisfaction]]. Instead, the director go straight to [[DirectLineToTheAuthor Luc Lafnet (co-creator with Rob-Vel)]] and ask the latter to draw such a bellhop.Then the artist sprinkle him with "eau de vie", [[ArtInitiatesLife making Spirou coming out of the picture.]] Currently, this version is mostly [[CanonDiscontinuity decanonized]], making the character fully human. In 1983, in the album ''La jeunesse de Spirou'', this story was dismissed as « pure fantasy ». In 2005, in ''L'homme qui ne voulait pas mourir'', Spirou tell the story of coming out from a PortalPicture to his psychiatrist as [[AllJustADream a recurring nightmare he has since his teenage years. ]]

** The movie adaptation of this series even stress the fact that everyone, from father to son, was a bellhop in Spirou's family. [[FollowInMyFootsteps He's expected to respect the tradition,]] and feel overwhelmed by the burden of the heritage, due to his desire to be an adventurer instead. In the album ''L'homme qui ne voulait pas mourir'', Spirou is invited by his psychiatrist to speak about his childhood. He then said he was getting along well with everybody, but his gymnastic teacher. It sounds exactly like Mr Mégot, being a first hint in the main series that adult Spirou did have the childhood described in ''Le petit Spirou''.

** In "Fondation Z", an {{Elseworld}} story RecycledInSpace, Spirou lives this time in a distant future, his parents work for the administration, [[RelatedInTheAdaptation Seccotine is his sister, and the Count of Champignac their grandfather.]] [[spoiler: This story turned out to have been a {{Prequel}} all along. With FakeMemories, Spirou is sent to a reproduction of Earth in TheSixties, along with similarly brainwashed Fantasio, Spip, Zantafio, Zorglub, Seccotine, and the Count. Spirou apparently forgot his blood ties with the latter two, and his parents entirely as they were not sent there. It explain his MysteriousPast for a good part.]]
* NeverBareheaded: From 1938 to 1998, as he would not wear his cap only when sleeping or bathing, and sometimes indoors. [[ExaggeratedTrope Exaggerated in ]] ''Le petit Spirou'', where Grand papy once assured that Spirou was born with his cap on. His parents were even worried at first when they did not spot the hat immediately! However, Grand papy is hinted to be an UnreliableNarrator.
* NiceGuy: Spirou is usually courteous and peaceful, as well as sensible, and nice in general. Many people thought [[WideEyedIdealist he is even too straight for his own good]]. In ''Hope against all odds'', Mieke mock him by calling Spirou "Mr. virtuous", while implying that you cannot stay pure during a war. In ''Paris sous Seine'', Miss Flanner affirm Spirou is a true nice guy rather than just too nice, still, he shall not [[ApologisesALot apologize to someone who just wronged him]], it could just become worse after.

The {{Deuteragonist}} and Spirou's best friend, always by his side since 1940. He's a fellow journalist and often plagued with bad luck.

* AdaptationalBadass: In the one-shot ''Fondation Z'' that has a RecycledInSpace setting, Fantasio was a [[TheGunslinger badass]], serious stealth agent with a strong inspiration from [[Franchise/StarWars Han Solo]]. According to him, his memory was erased because he was a criminal or a "deviant", then he was reprogrammed with a new, cold and implacable personality. Fantasio then goes on a quest to recover his old personality.[[spoiler: It fails as Fantasio is sent, after a second LaserGuidedAmnesia, and with FakeMemories, to a reproduction of Earth in the TheSixties. However, if his personality was left untouched this time, he has since recovered the real one, more of a unlucky goofball.]]
* AdaptationalWimp: In the LiveActionAdaptation, Fantasio is dragged outside a hotel by security guards and don't even resist, despite he's usually [[GoodOldFisticuffs skilled at fighting.]]

* AnywhereButTheirLips: Fantasio being more into women, he's sometimes shown (especially in one-shots) going farer with them than Spirou. He's notably the only one of the duo implied to have sex (with Glu-Glu and [[spoiler: Ursula]]) in ''Le groom vert de gris'', or to get engaged ([[spoiler: not for long]]) in ''Fantasio se marie''. Still, Spirou kissed a woman first in 1995 (the titular character in ''Luna Fatale''). Meanwhile and paradoxally, for years, none of Fantasio's flirt/girlfriend/one night stand/bride kissed him for real. Only on the nose (by the assistant in ''Les géants pétrifiés'', or [[spoiler: Ursula]]) , on the cheek (Ororéa in ''Le gri-gri du Nikolo-Koba'' , and Glu-Glu, in ''Le groom vert de gris''), or the forehead (from an air hostess [[MindControlDevice under influence]], in ''L'ombre du Z''). In ''Le tombeau des Champignac'', Seccotine also used the zorglwave trick to get kisses from Fantasio, but on the cheek. [[spoiler: It would take as late as 2018 (more than a quarter of a century after Spirou), in [[Film/TheAdventuresOfSpirouAndFantasio the movie]], and its tie-in comics ''Le triomphe de Zorglub'', to see Seccotine giving Fantasio his first proper [[TheBigDamnKiss big damn kisses]] on the lips, in both stories. The authors of the comics even stated it was because they wanted the scene to go down in history.]]

* CharacterCatchphrase: At first, there was "Mille bombes"! ("A thousand bombs!") "Mille tonnerres" ("A thousand thunders''!) , or "Mille millions!" ("A thousand billions!"), [[AbandonedCatchphrase but these tend to be abandoned]] since the TheSeventies.
* TheChewtoy: DependingOnTheWriter, he could more or less be this, especially in Franquin and Tome&Janry 's runs. Those were the runs where he suffered the most AmusingInjuries. But in general, a lot of plots were launched on the basis "Bad things are happening to Fantasio", whether he's framed for theft, kidnapped, brainwashed ([[PretendToBeBrainwashed or must pretend to]]), etc.

* CompressedVice: In some runs, Fantasio sometimes display addictions he never had beforehand. In the album set in Tokyo, he's a total shopaholic, at least for manga related products. In the Yoann&Vehlman's run, he was a workaholic, to the point that he took his laptop computer in the deep jungle in ''La colère du Marsupilami'', in order to not miss emails.

* DependingOnTheWriter: To some authors (mostly, Franquin, Tome&Janry and Emile Bravo), he is a BumblingSidekick who slow down action with more or less important blunders, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero including provoking World War II by insulting a German diplomat in ''Hope against all odds'' ]], while [[AmusingInjuries hurting himself frequently]]. To others (notably Yoann&Vehlman), he's a borderline HyperCompetentSidekick. Spirou would likely be dead if, in their album ''Le groom de Sniper alley'', [[spoiler: Fantasio did not save him from a giant rolling metallic ball at the least second. Moments later, he have the EurekaMoment that lead them straight to the treasure.]] Plus he rarely displays [[TheKlutz clumsiness]] in this run, except in ''La colère du Marsupilami'' album, but because his antics have to coax the Marsupilami, like the first time they met.

* GadgeteerGenius: He was initially this, having notably the [[JetPack Fantacopter]] to his credit. In the ''Le groom vert-de-gris'' continuity, he made a car motor that worked with frying oil, precursor prototypes of a car radio and a computer, and a high pressure washer that projects paint. It tended to be forgotten over time, except first by Nic&Broca in their run. Fantasio will use discoveries made by three scientists to construct the "aspison" (which can absorb any sound), or a kind of flying saucer, the Fantabulle. Also in the run by Tome and Janry, as Fantasio invent shoes equipped with sucker pads on soles, to walk on ceilings in ''La frousse au trousses'', or repair a wrecked steam locomotive in ''Adventures down under'' with a plane motor. However , he's often a BunglingInventor, the Fantacopter nearly sets an attorney's office on fire, and emptying the aspison produces sounds as destructive as a bomb. Meanwhile, the sucker pads sometimes drop. Or Fantasio ruins a day of work repairing the castle of Champignac's roof, with those same suckers. It's likely, too, that Fantasio was [[OvershadowedByAwesome overshadowed]] over the years by others, even more prolific other gadgeteers such as the Count and Gaston Lagaffe. Still, Fantasio kept an interest in technology and collect gadgets such as miniature radio sets or [[ShoePhone cameras hidden in a wrist watch or a pipe.]]

* HairTriggerTemper: [[CharacterDevelopment This latter trait showed up from Franquin's run on]]. Some people apparently infuriate him solely by their presence, like Seccotine and Gaston Lagaffe. But many things can go on his nerves due to being a NervousWreck. Fantasio is nearly constantly angry in the album ''L'heureuse famille'' due to being DraggedIntoDrag , which led others characters to suspect he's a man. And after being lost in the titular valley in ''La vallée des bannis'' , he was nearly already, due to the situation, in a state of UnstoppableRage even before the venom of a mosquito that infected him with HatePlague took effect.

* MarriedToTheJob: The apparent reason why Fantasio is single, in ''Vito la déveine'', he states that he's too often all over the earth, busy with journalism, to indulge into a relationship. In Yoann&Vehlmann's run, he's to the point he's a workaholic, unable to not consult professional mails, including in deep jungle.

* NervousWreck: In front of dangerous or overwhelming situations (and he faced a lot), Fantasio will ever lose his temper, calm, or will become straight depressive. Doktor Kilikil identifies him as a quite nervous person right after they met, and uses the information against him as stated above. In general, Fantasio can't stand SensoryAbuse, and it's used against him by everyone who knows this Achille's heel. In ''Spirou à Berlin'', he's imprisoned by Zantafio, and the violent lights of the cellar go on and off at irregular intervals. It soon makes Fantasio go crazy (he can't see what he's doing without lights, and [[SleepDeprivation can't sleep when they are on]]).

** In ''Le réveil du Z'' ("The awakening of Z"), Aurélien de Champignac teleport Spirou and Fantasio in 2062, while it was past bedtime and Fantasio was already in his pajamas.

* {{Paparazzi}}: Fantasio tendencies to GoingForTheBigScoop can go so far. In ''Les pirates du silence'', Fantasio visits Incognito city, where stars and billionaires live away from journalists. Taking photos is forbidden, but Fantasio carries on regardless thanks to [[GadgetWatches cameras hidden in his watch and pipe]]. In ''Diary of a naive young man'', he tries to infiltrate (including by being DisguisedInDrag) the Moustic hotel to take photos of a famous boxer and his fashion designer mistress. In ''Panique en atlantique'', he embarks on a cruise boat without a ticket, in order to take photos of the actress Marinella Cabotini, and her new boyfriend. In this story, [[SkewedPriorities Fantasio tends to value his camera more than his own life]].

* StayInTheKitchen : Fantasio can be a bit chauvinist when it comes to Seccotine (as women were rare in investigative journalism in the TheFifties, when she first appeared). In ''La corne du rhinocéros'', he even hoped that working as a reporter did not prevent her from learning how to cook. 50 years later, [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero Fantasio is still like this]], as in ''Paris sous Seine'', he and Spirou spot Seccotine who vainly tries to force a police barricade to investigate the flow. Spirou reminds him that they can, on their side, as they have an advantage. Fantasio answers that it is because they're men. Actually, Spirou meant that they have an amphibian vehicle.

* TheTeetotaler: Spirou never drink alcohol usually, to the point that he once dared to order orange juice in a saloon full of drunkards patrons in ''Les chapeaux noirs'', or milk in a russian bar (where it is vodka for everybody else). When he have to accept glasses to be polite, [[CantHoldHisLiquor it tend to go directly to his head.]] Like whisky in ''Le gorille a bonne mine'' (where Spirou states he not used to it), and vodka in ''Spirou chez les soviets'' where he must accept a glass [[DreadfulMusician under the menace of hearing a little girl playing violin.]] Or a homemade GargleBlaster in ''Alerte aux Zorkons'', which makes Spirou (but also Fantasio, to be fair) immediately drunk. He once gets drunk too in company of a captain in ''Vito la déveine'', but only by friendship for Fantasio. Spirou states on this occasion that he never drinks usually, as he can't stand alcohol.

* UndyingLoyalty:
** First, Spirou is loyal to his LoveInterests ([[FirstGirlWins the first girl he had a relationship with]]) when he has one. No matter if the girl is someone he met for a short period of time ( a few weeks for Kassandra in ''Hope against all odds'', [[ExaggeratedTrope five minutes]] for Audrey in ''Le groom vert de gris''), or only happen to learn her name after her departure in Kassandra's case. After that girl vanishes without a trace, no matter if others such as Mieke or Ursula hit on him, [[SingleTargetSexuality Spirou just won't care]]. [[spoiler: When they both come back with severe PTSD, needing time before indulging into a relationship, Spirou accepts to faithfully wait for them in both cases, despite it apparently take years.]]
** Same thing with his friends. Under a HatePlague, Fantasio is in a murderous rage in ''La vallée des bannis''. Others would left him behind (then maybe send help later), but Spirou persist into evacuate Fantasio at the same time than himself from the valley, [[FightingYourFriend despite the repeated attempts of Fantasio to kill him.]] And then there is the Marsupilami. Spirou and Fantasio learn years after that they sold him to a Palombian collector after being brainwashed into doing it. They check on site, and learn that the Marsupilami ran away and joined the jungle. And yet Spirou insists on finding him back, in order that the latter will be assured he was not abandoned willingly. [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles In front of the task's impossibility]], [[spoiler: Fantasio let Zantafio gives a shot of sleeping serum to Spirou, [[ForYourOwnGood then tie him up to bring him back home forcibly]].]]

** The short story ''La jeunesse de Spirou'' showed for the first time Spirou as a child, in a rather unique way. He still has a MysteriousPast, as he was abandoned as [[DoorstopBaby a baby in front of a luxury hotel]]. But a couple of bellhop workers adopted him, and Spirou goes to school with [[EveryoneWentToSchoolTogether all the friends and foes]] he had later. This past was later rewritten differently in ''Le petit Spirou'' , by Tome and Janry, the same authors than the present version, whose canonicity is now uncertain.

** In his first apparition, Spirou was a {{Golem}} BornAsAnAdult from a PortalPicture. In his first strip, the director of the Moustic hotel searches for the best bellboy possible, [[TerribleIntervieweesMontage but applicants do not give him satisfaction]]. Instead, the director go straight to [[DirectLineToTheAuthor Luc Lafnet (co-creator with Rob-Vel]] and ask the latter to draw such a bellhop.Then the artist sprinkle him with "eau de vie", [[ArtInitiatesLife making Spirou coming out of the picture.]] Currently, this version is mostly [[CanonDiscontinuity decanonized]], making the character fully human. In 1983, in the album ''La jeunesse de Spirou'', this story was dismissed as « pure fantasy ». In 2005, in ''L'homme qui ne voulait pas mourir'', Spirou tell the story of coming out from a PortalPicture to his psychiatrist as [[AllJustADream a recurring nightmare he has since his teenage years. ]]

** In his first apparition, Spirou was a {{Golem}} BornAsAnAdult from a PortalPicture. In his first strip, the director of the Moustic hotel searches for the best bellboy possible, [[TerribleIntervieweesMontage but applicants do not give him satisfaction]]. Instead, the director go straight to [[DirectLineToTheAuthor Rob-Vel]] and ask the latter to draw such a bellhop.Then the artist sprinkle him with "eau de vie", [[ArtInitiatesLife making Spirou coming out of the picture.]] Currently, this version is mostly [[CanonDiscontinuity decanonized]], making the character fully human. In 1983, in the album ''La jeunesse de Spirou'', this story was dismissed as « pure fantasy ». In 2005, in ''L'homme qui ne voulait pas mourir'', Spirou tell the story of coming out from a PortalPicture to his psychiatrist as [[AllJustADream a recurring nightmare he has since his teenage years. ]]

** In fact it often goes as far as SaveTheVillain when needed, and Fantasio only managed once to make him renounce it in ''Vito la déveine'', as Spirou worried that Chinese mafiosi may have been wounded by a bomb explosion. But Fantasio, depressed , convinces him to finally directly return to Papeete and let bandits deal with it.

** Spirou has such a policy, evidenced in ''Luna Fatale''. The latter is TriggerHappy, and kills any Chinese mafiosi who shows up. Horrified (especially when he learns that she killed more than one guy), Spirou, stating that he'd rather have "the whole China on his back than blood on his hands", prevents Luna from shooting once again. Then he asks her to give him her revolver. Granted, a Triad member then taunts Spirou, assuring he won't dare to use it, but [[BulletDancing he shoots using angles that cannot wound the mafiosi]], forcing them to retreat.

* TheTeetotaler: Spirou never drink alcohol usually, to the point that he once dared to order orange juice in a saloon full of drunkards patrons in ''Les chapeaux noirs'', or milk in a russian bar (where it is vodka for everybody else). When he have to accept glasses to be polite, [[CantHoldHisLiquor it tend to go directly to his head.]] Like whisky in ''Le gorille a bonne mine'' (where Spirou states he not used to it), and vodka in ''Spirou chez les soviets'' where he must accept a glass [[DreadfulMusician under the menace of hearing a little girl playing violin.]] Or a homemade GargleBlaster in ''Alerte of Zorkons'', which makes Spirou (but also Fantasio, to be fair) immediately drunk. He once gets drunk too in company of a captain in ''Vito la déveine'', but only by friendship for Fantasio. Spirou states on this occasion that he never drinks usually, as he can't stand alcohol.

** The album ''Fantasio se marie'' presents a unique version of his past. In it, Spirou pretends to be orphaned, but his mother is actually alive. She's a RichBitch, and Spirou rebelled against his original environment. [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules He was ashamed]] about the way his grandfather made a fortune (by denouncing others people during WWII, then take their goods).[[DisownedParent It pushed Spirou to cut all ties]] , go and take a bellboy job while RejectingTheInheritance. If he must see his mother again, he wears his old uniform ("a lackey uniform", according to her) just to piss her off.

* BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: If ''ComicBook/LePetitSpirou'' is taken into account. As a child, Spirou was a DirtyKid (he provides the page image), and [[ThePrankster an unruly brat]] who made sometimes destructive practical jokes. Nothing of this remains when he's an adult, as he's since become a law-abiding ChasteHero.

* CostumeInertia: As said above, Spirou would wear his full uniform for 28 years after stopping being a bellboy (and partially for 30 more years) . In one-shots, he wears it or not depending on the context. In stories set in the past (like ''Hope against all odds'' and ''Le groom vert de gris''), it's justified as they focus on the period when Spirou still worked in a hotel. In other works, Spirou is still a bellboy (''Panique en Atlantique'' and ''Pacific hotel'') for some reason. In ''Panique en Atlantique'' , he explains that he needs to pay his bills. Sometimes, [[AdaptationalExplanation there are in universe explanations]], such as in ''Hope against all odds'', where Spirou decided to wear his uniform at all times [[TheOneThatGotAway in remembrance of Kassandra]], who liked him in it. In the movie version of ''Le petit Spirou'' , he decides to be an adventurer instead of a bellboy, yet he will keep on wearing the uniform. Once again his girlfriend liked it, but the costume pleased Spirou as well.

* BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: If ''ComicBook/LePetitSpirou'' is taken into account. As a child, Spirou was a DirtyKid (he provides the page image), and [[ThePrankster an unruly brat]] who made sometimes destructive practical jokes. Nothing of this remains when he's an adult, as he's since become a law-abiding Chastehero.

* TheMisophonic: Not only Fantasio once designed the ''aspison'', destined to make sounds disappear, but in fact, he seems to not bear the smallest, yet irritative sound. Like, in ''QRN sur Bretzelburg'', the sound of [[TortureTechnician Doktor Kilikil]] rubbing his beard the wrong way. Unfortunately for Fantasio, it inspire the latter into torture him by using sounds such as a the grinding sound of a chalk on a board, or of a fork on a plate.

** In "Le voyageur du mésozoïque", Fantasio catches a big cold in the very beginning, and it distracts him a lot. Despite he is seen, with the main cast, [[https://bdi.dlpdomain.com/album/9782800100159-couv-M700x1200.jpg on the cover watching with excitation the baby dinosaur breaking the shell of his egg]]; [[CoversAlwaysLie Fantasio was actually not present in story.]] In fact, he's the only character to never notice a giant beast that does impressive damage (despite him sitting on his tail once). In the end, when Spirou announces that the dinosaur's getaway was finally settled out, Fantasio answers: [[ComicallyMissingThePoint "The dinosaur? Which dinosaur?" ]]