History Main / DeconstructedCharacterArchetype

** There is also a collection of tales called the lolfoundation canon. It is an alternate reality where several workers of the Foundation gained reality warping powers but now see the world ThroughTheEyesOfMadness. From their perspective, they are all too OP and everything is awesome and funny and nothing really bad ever happens, but in reality, they are unable to perceive any consequences of their actions, and those people who can properly perceive reality see them as a MadGod squad. When Dr. Clef realized what was going on, but was unable to do anything about it, being a poorly written character became AndIMustScream for him.

* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': Quigley is a brutal deconstruction of the CrusadingWidower. While he did murder those responsible for killing his wife and recover her life's work it was on a suicide mission he didn't plan to survive, and while he spends the rest of his life a miserable DeathSeeker whose only purpose is trying to preserve her work and son it turns out [[spoiler:no matter how much he now regrets it he's the one who turned her in to authorities out of fear for his own life and of torture]], leading to her being killed.

** ''DeconstructedCharacterArchetype/BlazBlue''
** ''DeconstructedCharacterArchetype/SpecOpsTheLine''
** ''DeconstructedCharacterArchetype/FireEmblem''

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'':

* ''Machinima/FreemansMind'' deconstructs the AlmightyJanitor through Gordon himself. ''Half-Life'' canon and Gordon's ramblings about managers imply that he's pretty low in the pecking order at Black Mesa, yet when disaster strikes he's the most competent person around and everyone ends up relying on him. But as the series goes on, Gordon grows increasingly frustrated with how the higher-ups and the G-Man throw him into more dangerous situations with no warning or context out of the expectation he'll survive and solve the problem, and lampshades how he doesn't ''want'' to be a OneManArmy but his only options in any given situation are "do everything [himself] or die".

* Tifa in ''Machinima/FinalFantasyVIIMachinabridged'' seems to be this for the AdaptationalJerkass common in most Abridged Series. In contrast to canon, Tifa is rude on a good day and [[KickTheDog needlessly cruel]] on a bad one. It is then later revealed that her AdaptationPersonalityChange was a coping mechanism for witnessing her father's death, which makes sense even in the context of canon.

* ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'':

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''{{WesternAnimation/Brave}}'' deconstructs the RebelliousPrincess. Merida is one such princess who has no time for her mother's lessons and only wishes to spend her days doing riding and archery. She also decides to ScrewDestiny and rejects an ArrangedMarriage...only to nearly start a war with the families of the princes she rejected. And the war is prevented by Merida using the lessons her mother taught her in the first place.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen 2013}}:''
** Elsa is a deconstruction of the EmotionlessGirl. Her whole life she's been taught to suppress her emotions and "conceal, don't feel" to prevent her ice powers from getting the best of her. Eventually, she boils over, losing her temper and running away, which leads to her not realizing her PowerIncontinence is nearly destroying the kingdom. Only when she embraces her emotions does she truly learn how to handle her powers - and she's much happier for it.
** The movie also deconstructs ThinksLikeARomanceNovel with Anna. Anna was locked away at a young age and didn't get much socialization, to the point that she ended up turning to paintings for conversation, so her idea of love ends up rather storylike. She believes in FourthDateMarriage if it's "true love," which she thinks describes her relationship with Hans after one day. [[spoiler:He turns out to be a GoldDigger manipulating her so he can get closer to the throne, and Anna moves on to the more sincere Kristoff, who's proven himself true - and they take things more slowly.]]
** Anna and Elsa's parents also deconstruct OverprotectiveDad and MyBelovedSmother. Agdar and Iduna desire to protect their children, so they isolate them from anything that could hurt them, including each other. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Because of this]], the girls are denied the life experiences and skills that real people need to develop, and their separation causes the sisters' bond to rust up, especially since Anna is kept LockedOutOfTheLoop about Elsa's powers. The choices the King and Queen make also result in the above-stated issues for their daughters. As a result, it's easy to find AnAesop in the movie saying that it's justifiable to worry about your kids, but teaching them to be timid and fearful is not a good way to protect them.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'''s father is a HandicappedBadass and RetiredBadass who remains skilled with the sword but old age, his injured leg, and implied heart problems make him incapable of fighting like he used to for more than a minute. This influences Mulan's decision [[SweetPollyOliver to disguise herself as a man]] and takes his place in fighting the Huns when the law drafts a man from every family to fight in the war.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'':
** AlmightyMom manifests itself in Imelda as stubbornness, pride and inability to let go of past grudges and wind up being her FatalFlaw where this trope causes problems for her and her family. Her efforts to {{Unperson}} her husband and ban music cause endless trouble generations later for Miguel and unintentionally nearly cause [[spoiler: Héctor]] to undergo [[DeaderThanDead the final death]]. [[spoiler:And once it's revealed that Héctor didn't willingly abandon her and their daughter, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone she's horrified by her actions]].]]
** While it's common in many films for a MysteriousParent to not be present in the protagonist's life with little consequence, here the missing parent is a crucial point as it devastated the Rivera family and caused a ban on music that lasted for generations. The film explores the death of the parent, the consequences of their disappearance, and how the family coped with it, for better or for worse.
** Miguel Rivera deconstructs the KidHero. He's talented, plucky, StreetSmart, but he still needs a ''ton'' of help from the adult characters to get him by.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' deconstructs BenevolentGenie once the Genie ends up in the hands of [[BigBad Jafar]]. Though Genie does ''not'' want to help Jafar take over Agrabah, he's simply too nice of a person to try and be a LiteralGenie to Jafar, not to mention the rules he has to follow is a Genie. As a result, when Aladdin tries to convince him not to help Jafar, Genie can only apologize as he completes Jafar's orders.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'': The movie has a few.
** Esmeralda deconstructs the DudeMagnet. While all the men, including Quasimodo, are attracted to her, she also draws the [[VillainousCrush unwanted attention]] of the BigBad, Frollo. The different types of attraction run the gamut in the film to aid in the Deconstruction: the crowd in Paris find her attractive; Frollo is driven insane over his lust for her and is convinced that she's some kind of hellish temptress; Quasimodo sees her as a perfect "angel" (his love for her doesn't appear in the least bit sexual) because she was the first person in his life to show him kindness. Only Phoebus is willing to both acknowledge her beauty and recognize her as a human being, flaws and all; that's probably why she ends up with him in the end.
** Phoebus deconstructs the KnightInShiningArmor. While he is a noble knight (who wears golden armor), he is still a soldier first and foremost and serves the authority even when the authority orders him to arrest innocent people or let others suffer for things that aren't their fault. {{Reconstruction}}, however, when Frollo orders him to burn down a house with an innocent family inside, which Phoebus refuses to do. After escaping from Frollo's wrath, he joins the heroes and helps the people that he once aided in oppressing.
** The KnightTemplar and TheFundamentalist tropes are deconstructed through Judge Claude Frollo.
*** For TheFundamentalist: As far as he's concerned, Frollo thinks he's HolierThanThou than others, and so, ''anything'' he does, no matter how horrible it is, is justified by default. On top of this, he'll repeatedly use PsychologicalProjection to [[NeverMyFault blame]] others for all of his issues. Ironically, he's not the pious Christian he thinks he is, and repeated attention is drawn to his hypocrisy. Plus, add some creepy lust for Esmeralda and ''[[SanitySlippage things go downhill]]''.
*** It's important to note that his HolierThanThou attitude is the ''book definition'' of the Sin of Pride within Christianity. ''No'' human is truly virtuous or sinless, and to think otherwise is a good way to damn oneself since it prevents them from repentance.
*** For KnightTemplar: He believes that AllCrimesAreEqual, the punishment for every single one is dead, and [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain assumes]] the gypsies are an AlwaysChaoticEvil race who cloud people's minds with "unholy" thoughts. While the gypsies have committed crimes, they have not done anything to bring this kind of punishment down on them. He even torches a barn, even though its inhabitants didn't even know about the gypsies. It causes Phoebus to turn against him, and Frollo to try to kill him in return. Frollo demonstrates why a Knight Templar, logically and realistically, would be a horrible person, especially if they're an authority figure.
* ''WesternAnimation/ParaNorman'': This is a repeated theme with much of the main cast.
** Norman's openness about his [[ISeeDeadPeople abilities]] leaves him [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer ostracized]] from the rest of the town, who think he's either lying for attention or genuinely crazy for talking to ghosts that no one else can see.
** Alvin is a pretty stereotypical example of TheBully. Unlike other examples where the bully is still popular regardless, everyone sees Alvin as a complete loser who's not much higher on the social ladder than Norman because of how rude he is to everyone. Even his ''victims'' think he's pathetic.
** Mitch is your standard popular DumbJock, but his popularity seems to come in part from being a [[LovableJock nice person]]. And rarely for the trope, he expresses fear and distrust of socially outcast groups, despite [[spoiler: being a member of [[StraightGay one such]] [[ManlyGay group]] himself]], showing that even members of socially discriminated groups can still be fearful and prejudiced against other groups.
** Judge Hopkins is a deconstruction of the HangingJudge, as he legitimately did [[IDidWhatIHadToDo what he thought was best]] and his decision wasn't motivated by sadism or cruelty, but by a values system that [[DeliberateValuesDissonance all the people of Blithe Hollow agreed with]]. He's also a deconstruction of the stereotypical zombie characters, as he and his fellow zombies have come to regret their actions over the [[FateWorseThanDeath hundreds of years]] they've been dead, and in the climax, it's ''[[{{Irony}} the zombies]]'' who flee in terror from the hordes of [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters bloodthirsty townspeople]].
** The Witch is not an evil old crone practicing black magic, [[spoiler:but a scared little girl with abilities neither she nor the townsfolk understood who was ''executed'' by the townspeople for something she had no control over, which is [[TruthInTelevision much closer]] to what the Salem Witch Trials were in real life]]. Moreover, while her FreudianExcuse is sympathetic, [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse it's still]] only an ''excuse'' -- [[spoiler:she's a scared, angry child lashing out in the only way she knows how, and Norman forces her to understand that her violent cursing of the town and its people is understandable, but still not justified or the right thing to do.]]
** The townspeople of Blithe Hollow are shown to be similar to the zombies, reacting to their appearance with extreme violence and aggression, and with shots of their attacks deliberately paralleling iconic zombie attack scenes. Thanks to modern technology and a massive numbers advantage, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome the townspeople pose far more of a threat to the slow-moving, shambling zombies than the zombies do to them]]. Their lynch-mob mentality gets so bad that they actively try to ''[[WouldHurtAChild kill]]'' Norman, who's only a child, just for being different -- [[HistoryRepeats exactly like]] the zombies when they were alive.
* Charles Muntz, the GentlemanAdventurer from ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'', is one for TheDeterminator. Sixty years ago, when he brought back the skeleton of a rare gigantic flightless bird from [[LostWorld Paradise Falls]], his academic peers accused him of making a fake skeleton, and the humiliated Muntz vowed to return to Paradise Falls and capture another such bird alive. By the time of the present day, such an unrelenting mindset has [[spoiler:turned Muntz into a murderously-obsessive paranoiac. He kills anyone who shows up at Paradise Falls, thinking they're after the bird as well. And once Carl and Russell learn about Muntz's darker side, Carl [[BrokenPedestal loses all respect for his childhood hero]], declaring him to be a madman. And Muntz only goes more insane as the film wears on since even after he captures the bird alive, he now seeks to ensure that it stays like that whatever happens. Even more jarring, Muntz's efforts prove to be AllForNothing: in the time he's spent living in Paradise Falls, all his detractors have died of old age, and no one remembers him. Ultimately, his obsession with capturing the bird costs Muntz his sanity, his respect, and finally [[DisneyVillainDeath his life]].]]
* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'': Whether or not it was intentional, Tai Lung is one for the traditional Kung-Fu Hero that is exiled or imprisoned by his enemies and returns to claim what is his. While Tai Lung was imprisoned by his father figure, it was for a good reason as Tai Lung would do anything to get the Dragon Scroll and attacked his mentor/father figure without mercy and showed he would go to [[ItsAllAboutMe extreme lengths to get what he wants.]] Tai Lung believed he was the chosen one due to his guardian raising him into becoming the best student from the temple. While in most Kung-Fu stories, he would be the chosen one, the [[ItWasWithYouAllAlong nature of the Dragon Scroll]] renders that belief meaningless and indeed, anathema to the purpose of Kung-Fu. Being raised to crave outside validation for accomplishments was detrimental to Tai Lung's personal growth, who instead needed to look to himself rather than others. While Tai Lung was very much TheAce and a prodigy, learning 1,000 scrolls worth of techniques, he only looked to the physical and technical aspects of Kung-Fu and never focused on spiritual enlightenment or peace within himself. Lastly, while Tai Lung was let down by Shifu for not supporting Tai Lung in the ways that mattered most, and for leaving him to rot in prison for 20 years without trying to reach out to his son or helping him in a way that could have given Tai Lung a chance at redemption, Tai Lung had become so bitter and selfish that even when Shifu admits his faults and apologizes, Tai Lung still ignores him and not only attacks Shifu but is also harming innocent people. [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse While Shifu was at fault for some of the wrongs that resulted]], Tai Lung became a cold and brutal beast willing to destroy anyone and anything to get what he wanted.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'':
** Hal Stewart is a deconstruction of an EndearinglyDorky DoggedNiceGuy. At first, Hal seems to be a genuinely lovable nerd who's trying his hardest to get the girl he likes to like back, only to be stonewalled every step of the way. As the film goes on, however, it becomes clear that Hal is a {{Yandere}} whose dorky nature covers up a PsychopathicManchild who [[EntitledToHaveYou can't take no for an answer]], [[NeverMyFault doesn't take responsibility for any of his mistakes]], and [[ConsummateLiar lies constantly to make himself look better]], all for a woman who [[AbhorrentAdmirer doesn't like him back]]. Once he gets his powers, this serves to make him a deconstructed AscendedFanboy as well: other dorky characters in comics would become ideal superheroes (ComicBook/SpiderMan is a standout example) but here Hal's sociopathic tendencies come to the forefront and he almost destroys the city in a superpowered temper tantrum.
** Megamind and Metro Man are both deconstructions of the nigh-invincible superhero and persistent supervillain deal. In addition to his powers, Metro Man grew up with every luxury imaginable, leaving him doubly unable to empathize with the populous he’s meant to be protecting because he’s that far above them in every category, leaving him with an ultimately fake and uncaring attitude. On Megamind’s end, he was ostracized as a child, at first because of his appearance and eventually for a few glitchy gadgets of his that were taken as being done out of malice, leading to a ThenLetMeBeEvil realization. Being totally invulnerable, Metro Man becomes bored and burned out on their little game, while Megamind remains overly invested in it because it’s the only sense of purpose he is ever likely to have. Megamind’s dependency on the status quo is ultimately what drives the main plot. In response to how the humans initially treated each of them, it also can’t be ignored that the favored alien, Metro Man, is a superficially pretty HumanAlien while Megamind seems to be an amalgamation of TheGreys and the Na’vi.
* Emmet from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie'' is a deconstructed BlankSlate; he has so little self-characterization that his peers have very little to say about him, let alone remember him by. One of the mini-figures who are interviewed about Emmet even name-drops the trope, and it's clear throughout the movie that he's genuinely upset whenever he's reminded of how average he is. However, it's later reconstructed as the blankness of Emmet's mind gives him the limitless potential to create ''anything'' he wants. It also helps him hide because his face is so nondescript that ''every'' possible face in the LEGO universe fits his profile.
* ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'': Poppy is this to WideEyedIdealist. She's convinced that all Trolls are the same deep down and that she can befriend the Rock Trolls and bring all the tribes together. Unfortunately, this viewpoint leads her to dismiss her friends' views to the contrary out of hand. The Funk Trolls' king even points out that their differences are what make the tribes what they are, with the implication that Poppy's belief in treating them all like they're the same is more insulting than inspiring.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}'':
** Isabela is a deconstructed version of TheAce. On the surface, she's, as Mirabel puts it, the golden child, with great looks, [[GreenThumb a useful gift]] and she's betrothed to the most handsome guy in town. However, under the surface, [[spoiler:Isabela ''resents'' the fact she has to be so perfect all the time as it causes her extreme amounts of stress and she's not actually in love with the guy she's supposed to marry, only doing it because that's what everyone expects from her. All of this has caused her to somewhat resent her gift as she can't do what she wants with it because everyone expects her to be perfect.]]
** Alma deconstructs BigGood and AlmightyMom. She tries to live up to the responsibility of being worthy of the miracle. She serves as the matriarch of her family who follow her without question and she maintains a tight hold on them to remind them to always use their gifts for the good of the community. However this takes a heavy toll on all the family members as Alma's toxic perfectionism creates expectations that none of them can meet.
*** She also deconstructs DotingGrandparent. She dotes especially on Isabella and she more than anyone else calls Isabella perfect. However, this attention causes [[spoiler: Isabella to feel a crushing responsibility to keep her grandmother happy above her own happiness.]] It also disturbs the balance of the household since the rest of the grandchildren all live under the shadow of the golden child. And as seen with Mirabel, prior to finding out that Mirabel did not receive a gift, Alma was just as loving towards Mirabel. But afterwards, she becomes Mirabel's harshest critic, making her love towards her granddaughter seem very conditional when Mirabel was unable to match Alma's high standards.
** TheUnFavourite is taken apart through two generations as between neglecting certain members and imposing increasingly high expectations on others is shown to slowly suffocate the family [[spoiler: to the point the miracle begins to leave]]. [[BlackSheep Bruno]]'s gift of getting visions of the future causes Alma to favor her two daughters as Bruno's visions were not taken well by the townspeople and often upset his own family. Her perfectionist attitude and harsh expectations led to [[spoiler: Bruno convincing himself that he will never be an asset to the family, leading to him to run away from home.]] Mirabel is the only member to not receive a gift, leading certain family members to follow Alma's example and distance themselves from her and not wanting her to participate in family events. Meanwhile, Mirabel is desperate to find some way to contribute to her family and she tends to make rash and impulsive decisions in order to do so.
* Princess Amber in the ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'' PilotMovie is a deconstruction of the Evil Stepsister. Amber has spent her whole life trying to live up to the image of the ideal princess, giving her deep-seated insecurities about being anything less than perfect which she [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex masks]] with a haughty AlphaBitch demeanor. She's instantly jealous of and threatened by Sofia when their parents get married, and feels the need to put Sofia down or embarrass her at every turn because everyone (including, she fears, her father and brother) likes Sofia more despite her not coming close to Amber's standards, not understanding that people like Sofia because she's nice and friendly and doesn't act like she's better than other people. She does eventually realise the error of her ways and accepts Sofia's offer of friendship when Sofia reaches out to her at her lowest moment.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBadGuys'': Mr. Wolf is somewhat of a deconstruction of the entire concept of [[{{EvilIsCool}} Evil Is Cool]]. Make no mistake, Wolf ''[[{{PlayedWith}} is]]'' a suave badass, a brilliant leader and a charming GentlemanThief, but he uses his exagerated skills and swagger to hide his deep [[BeingEvilSucks unhappiness]] in life. It's clear that, to him, being a cool villain is only the second best thing to being a good guy, an option that the world [[ThenLetMeBeEvil never gave him]]. Due to this, he goes out of his way to envoke Evil is Cool as much as possible with his stylish suits, smooth exterior and [[AttentionWhore flashy heists]], his want to live the awesome villain life sometimes making him go out of his way to [[SuicidalOverconfidence make things riskier for himself and his gang]]. Being a cool villain is all he has, so he's [[BerserkButton beyond enraged]] when Diane successfully and mercilessly [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech pinpoints the Bad Guys' hidden insecurities and flaws]], to the point where Wolf decides to steal the Golden Dolphin, pretty much a suicide mission for criminals, so as to prove Diane wrong and so his gang and him are seen as cool again. [[spoiler:Throughout the film, he understands that [[GoodFeelsGood being good]] feels much better than being a badass, but ultimately unhappy bad guy, and he quickly picks the good side once [[PositiveFriendInfluence Diane]] genuinely gives him the option for the first time in his life.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed''
** Ming is a deconstruction of MyBelovedSmother. Ming is a perfectionist and she forces this trait to her own daughter Mei, expecting Mei to be the person she wants her to be. While Ming has good intentions for Mei, her being a helicopter parent causes Ming to be a paranoid ControlFreak who over-reacts and thinks that everyone and everything is out to get Mei (for example, the clerk guy at the corner store and the idea of her going to the concert). This causes Mei to become sneaky and do things like lie to her mother and hide her personal interests and hobbies from her mom. [[spoiler:Mei eventually gets fed up and calls Ming out for smothering her so much]].
** Mei herself is a deconstruction of WellDoneDaughterGirl. Since she’s trying so hard to be Ming’s {perfect little Mei-Mei,” this causes her to have issues with setting boundaries with her mother. She has to constantly lie to her mother and sneak and do things behind her back. It even came to a head when Mei willingly threw her friends under the bus when Ming accuses her friends of doing the things that were actually Mei’s idea. This does eventually get reconstructed when Mei gets fed up and stands up to her mother later in the film.
* The titular character in ''WesternAnimation/{{Lightyear}}'' deconstructs the {{Determinator}}. Buzz is so determined to fix his mistake that left them stranded in the first place that he keeps testing rocket after rocket, not caring that he’s losing years each time thanks to time dilation. He watches his best friend move on with her life and she eventually dies from old age with him not even being there for her final moments, and when the new commander decides to simply make the new planet their permanent home he steals the ship for one last try. [[spoiler: This trait leads an alternate time line version of himself to become the BigBad Zurg, who’s determined to go back in time and fix his mistake, even if it erases everyone who was ever born as a result of said mistake.]]

[[/folder]]

* Ming from ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' is a deconstruction of MyBelovedSmother. Ming is a perfectionist and she forces this trait to her own daughter Mei, expecting Mei to be the person she wants her to be. While Ming has good intentions for Mei, her being a helicopter parent causes Ming to be a paranoid ControlFreak who over-reacts and thinks that everyone and everything is out to get Mei (for example, the clerk guy at the corner store and the idea of her going to the concert). This causes Mei to become sneaky and do things like lie to her mother and hide her personal interests and hobbies from her mom. [[spoiler:Mei eventually gets fed up and calls Ming out for smothering her so much]].

** Agent Washington and Agent Carolina deconstruct the NinetiesAntiHero. Both of them are cold, bitter, and hostile, are on a single-minded quest to kill [[BigBad the Director]], and are prone to frequent acts of violence in a combat situation. The result is that at best, people find them to be jerks, and at worst terrifying, and their attitudes stem from legitimate mental problems.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': Hal Stewart is a deconstruction of an EndearinglyDorky DoggedNiceGuy. At first, Hal seems to be a genuinely lovable nerd who's trying his hardest to get the girl he likes to like back, only to be stonewalled every step of the way. As the film goes on, however, it becomes clear that Hal is a {{Yandere}} whose dorky nature covers up a PsychopathicManchild who [[EntitledToHaveYou can't take no for an answer]], [[NeverMyFault doesn't take responsibility for any of his mistakes]], and [[ConsummateLiar lies constantly to make himself look better]], all for a woman who [[AbhorrentAdmirer doesn't like him back]]. Once he gets his powers, this serves to make him a deconstructed AscendedFanboy as well: other dorky characters in comics would become ideal superheroes (ComicBook/SpiderMan is a standout example) but here Hal's sociopathic tendencies come to the forefront and he almost destroys the city in a superpowered temper tantrum.

* Ming from WesternAnimation/TurningRed is a deconstruction of MyBelovedSmother. Ming is a perfectionist and she forces this trait to her own daughter Mei, expecting Mei to be the person she wants her to be. While Ming has good intentions for Mei, her being a helicopter parent causes Ming to be a paranoid ControlFreak who over-reacts and thinks that everyone and everything is out to get Mei (for example, the clerk guy at the corner store and the idea of her going to the concert). This causes Mei to become sneaky and do things like lie to her mother and hide her personal interests and hobbies from her mom. [[spoiler:Mei eventually gets fed up and calls Ming out for smothering her so much]].

* The titular character in {{WesternAnimation/Lightyear}} deconstructs the {{Determinator}}. Buzz is so determined to fix his mistake that left them stranded in the first place that he keeps testing rocket after rocket, not caring that he’s losing years each time thanks to time dilation. He watches his best friend move on with her life and she eventually dies from old age with him not even being there for her final moments, and when the new commander decides to simply make the new planet their permanent home he steals the ship for one last try. [[spoiler: This trait leads an alternate time line version of himself to become the BigBad Zurg, who’s determined to go back in time and fix his mistake, even if it erases everyone who was ever born as a result of said mistake.]]

** Megamind and Metro Man are both deconstructions of the nigh-invincible superhero and persistent supervillain deal. In addition to his powers, Metro Man grew up with every luxury imaginable, leaving him doubly unable to empathize with the populous he’s meant to be protecting because he’s that far above them in every category, leaving him with an ultimately fake and uncaring attitude. On Megamind’s end, he was ostracized as a child, at first because of his appearance and eventually for a few glitchy gadgets of his that were taken as being done out of malice, leading to a ThenLetMeBeEvil realization. Being totally invulnerable, Metro Man becomes bored and burned out on their little game, while Megamind remains overly invested in it because it’s the only sense of purpose he is ever likely to have. Megamind’s dependency on the status quo is ultimately what drives the main plot. In response to how the humans initially treated each of them, it also can’t be ignored that the favored alien, Metro Man, is a superficially pretty HumanAlien while Megamind seems to be an amalgamation of TheGreys and the Na’vi from ''Film/Avatar''.

** Megamind and Metro Man are both deconstructions of the nigh-invincible superhero and persistent supervillain deal. In addition to his powers, Metro Man grew up with every luxury imaginable, leaving him doubly unable to empathize with the populous he’s meant to be protecting because he’s that far above them in every category, leaving him with an ultimately fake and uncaring attitude. On Megamind’s end, he was ostracized as a child, at first because of his appearance and eventually for a few glitchy gadgets of his that were taken as being done out of malice, leading to a ThenLetMeBeEvil realization. Being totally invulnerable, Metro Man becomes bored and burned out on their little game, while Megamind remains overly invested in it because it’s the only sense of purpose he is ever likely to have. Megamind’s dependency on the status quo is ultimately what drives the main plot. In response to how the humans initially treated each of them, it also can’t be ignored that the favored alien, Metro Man, is a superficially pretty HumanAlien while Megamind seems to be an amalgamation of TheGreys and the [[''Film/Avatar'' Na’vi]].

** Megamind and Metro Man are both deconstructions of the nigh-invincible superhero and persistent supervillain deal. In addition to his powers, Metro Man grew up with every luxury imaginable, leaving him doubly unable to empathize with the populous he’s meant to be protecting because he’s that far above them in every category, leaving him with an ultimately fake and uncaring attitude. On Megamind’s end, he was ostracized as a child, at first because of his appearance and eventually for a few glitchy gadgets of his that were taken as being done out of malice, leading to a ThenLetMeBeEvil realization. Being totally invulnerable, Metro Man becomes bored and burned out on their little game, while Megamind remains overly invested in it because it’s the only sense of purpose he is ever likely to have. Megamind’s dependency on the status quo is ultimately what drives the main plot. In response to how the humans initially treated each of them, it also can’t be ignored that the favored alien, Metro Man, is a superficially pretty HumanAlien while Megamind seems to be an amalgamation of TheGreys and the ''Film/Avatar Na’vi''.

** Megamind and Metro Man are both deconstructions of the nigh-invincible superhero and persistent supervillain deal. In addition to his powers, Metro Man grew up with every luxury imaginable, leaving him doubly unable to empathize with the populous he’s meant to be protecting because he’s that far above them in every category, leaving him with an ultimately fake and uncaring attitude. On Megamind’s end, he was ostracized as a child, at first because of his appearance and eventually for a few glitchy gadgets of his that were taken as being done out of malice, leading to a ThanLetMeBeEvil realization. Being totally invulnerable, Metro Man becomes bored and burned out on their little game, while Megamind remains overly invested in it because it’s the only sense of purpose he is ever likely to have. Megamind’s dependency on the status quo is ultimately what drives the main plot. In response to how the humans initially treated each of them, it also can’t be ignored that the favored alien, Metro Man, is a superficially pretty HumanAlien while Megamind seems to be an amalgamation of TheGreys and the [[Film/Avatar Na’vi]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': Hal Stewart is a deconstruction of an EndearinglyDorky DoggedNiceGuy. At first, Hal seems to be a genuinely lovable nerd who's trying his hardest to get the girl he likes to like back, only to be stonewalled every step of the way. As the film goes on, however, it becomes clear that Hal is a {{Yandere}} whose dorky nature covers up a PsychopathicManchild who [[EntitledToHaveYou can't take no for an answer]], [[NeverMyFault doesn't take responsibility for any of his mistakes]], and [[ConsummateLiar lies constantly to make himself look better]], all for a woman who [[AbhorrentAdmirer doesn't like him back]]. Once he gets his powers, this gets taken UpToEleven and serves to make him a deconstructed AscendedFanboy as well: other dorky characters in comics would become ideal superheroes (ComicBook/SpiderMan is a standout example) but here Hal's sociopathic tendencies come to the forefront and he almost destroys the city in a superpowered temper tantrum.

* The titular character in {{WesternAnimation/Lightyear}} deconstructs the {{Determinator}}. Buzz is so determined to fix his mistake that left them stranded in the first place that he keeps testing rocket after rocket, not caring that he’s losing years each time thanks to time dilation. He watches his best friend move on with her life and she eventually dies from old age with him not even being there for her final moments, and when the new commander decides to simply make the new planet their permanent home he steals the ship for one last try. [[spoiler: This trait leads an alternate time line version of himself to become the BigBad Zurg, who’s determined to go back in time and fix his mistake, even if it erases everyone who was ever born as s result of said mistake.]]