History Main / IneffectualLoner

On the one hand, he’s badass. He has cool clothes. He makes a grand entrance. And does it in half the time the hero does.

On the other hand, he’s a little (or a lot) less idealistic than TheHero. Maybe he's a ByronicHero.

So, why is he a loner? Generally it turns out to be some kind of betrayal, or maybe [[DarkAndTroubledPast he’s been through some difficult times in his life]] and now he just wants to be alone.

Unfortunately, he'll win battles but never win the war. If he's lucky, he might not get killed by TheDragon. He's also obnoxiously condescending because all LonersAreFreaks, and, if written badly, has only an InformedAbility.

The Ineffectual Loner does not understand TeamSpirit, or just isn't concerned. The problem is this attitude makes someone pretty single-minded, and he's afraid to trust anyone as an ally or they'd be a [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies liability]]/distraction. He's also extremely susceptible (if not outright gullible) to villains who know how to think this way. He may catch on eventually, but he'll be a tool (in several senses of the word) for a bit.

An Ineffectual Loner usually starts to catch on to their role the first time they get their ass handed to them, and [[BigDamnHeroes the other heroes bail him out]]. This is often a [[SchmuckBait tempting trap]] laid by the villain, who knows the loner has no friends to warn him about the obvious danger.

[[AllLovingHero A forgiving lead hero]] will usually be sympathetic to his underlying issues, even if other characters regard him as an annoyance. Indeed, sometimes there's a specific character who does that intently -- sometimes [[WhiteMagicianGirl a little too much]].

In short, an isolationist GrumpyBear. If the story is on the idealistic side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, this character will generally only appear in any setting where ThePowerOfFriendship has significance. If he's lucky, he'll be [[LonerTurnedFriend upgraded]] to [[TheRival Rival]] or SixthRanger. If not, he gets served as a testimonial to going against the series [[AnAesop Aesop]]. Some writers take the middle ground to be more fair, but that usually results in them conveniently being PutOnABus until the writers need them again. In a more cynical story, they might be the [[AntiHero main character]].

In short, an isolationist GrumpyBear. If the story is on the idealistic side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, this character will generally only appear in any setting where ThePowerOfFriendship has significance. If he's lucky, he'll be [[LonerTurnedFriend upgraded]] to [[TheRival Rival]] or SixthRanger. If not, he gets served as a testimonial to going against the series {{Aesop}}. Some writers take the middle ground to be more fair, but that usually results in them conveniently being PutOnABus until the writers need them again. In a more cynical story, they might be the [[AntiHero main character]].

So, why is he a loner? Generally it turns out to be some kind of betrayal, or maybe [[FreudianExcuse he’s been through some difficult times in his life]] and now he just wants to be alone.

He's badass. He has cool clothes. He's a little less idealistic than the hero. Maybe he's a ByronicHero. He makes a grand entrance. And does it in half the time the hero does. Why's he a loner? Generally it turns out to be some kind of betrayal, or maybe he lost friends or family and now he just wants to be alone.

[[AllLovingHero A forgiving lead hero]] will usually be sympathetic to his intentions, even if other characters regarded him as an annoyance. Indeed, sometimes there's a specific character who does that intently -- sometimes [[WhiteMagicianGirl a little too much]].

* ''Anime/BakutenShootBeyblade'': Kai Hiwatari is this massively all the way through season 1 ("There's no Kai in team!", anyone?), is less obnoxiously so in ''V-Force'' (re. goes off to fight Jack's Scissorswing alone), reverts back to season 1 persona in ''G-Revolution''. And never beats Takao. Bless. Downplayed at the end of ''G-Revolution'', when he scares to death, defeats and drives into madness the apparently invincible [[PersonOfMassDestruction Brooklyn]] through [[TheDeterminator determination alone]].

* ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'': While Kobayashi isn't any ineffectual (in fact, it's quite the opposite as [[TheReliableOne it's her workforce that's reliant on her]] as she's the most capable one), her meeting Tohru made her realize how empty her life was before she met her. Played straight in the household when Tohru was taken back to the other world, forcing her to take care of Kanna by herself on top of working full time, leading to the house becoming messier, making her realize that she does need Tohru.

* ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'': Hikigaya Hachiman prefers to be left alone, but after his teacher forced him to join a club that helps other students with their problems he has situations where helps people alone [[spoiler:(even if almost the entire school hates him for it later on)]]

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Vaarsuvius, the elven wizard, is normally a functional, if [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] team player. In the fourth story arc, however, when the party has been split, they grow fed up with their half's inaction and eventually abandon Elan and Durkon. A DealWithTheDevil, several BreakTheHaughty moments, and a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown later, Vaarsuvius ''finally'' understands that [[VictoriousLoser a person doesn't need to win to be a valuable contributor]] and rejoins the rest of the party.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': [[TheRival Paul]] from the Sinnoh saga is an extremely harsh trainer with no comprehension of ThePowerOfFriendship, can't learn to love and respect his Pokemon, and doesn't take well to battling alongside others. This comes to bite him in the end when his Chimchar, now an Infernape, destroys his team at the end of the arc.

-->-- '''Batman''', ''[[Comicbook/BatmanNoMansLand No Man's Land]]''

* One of Yuuto's two big flaws in ''VisualNovel/EienNoAselia'' is his inability to accept or ask for help. While he's competent and probably the strongest person on his side, he's just not good enough to do everything by himself. This does not just apply to fighting or being a general, however, as raising Kaori was far more difficult than it needed to be thanks to his stubborn refusal to accept any help after their parents died.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'': Played with. [[TheStoic Soldato-J]] doesn't fight alone, but he doesn't have the same kind of camaraderie with his partners that [[TheHero Guy]] and [[KidHero Mamoru]] have with [[TrueCompanions theirs]]. Despite this, he's actually better at his job than Guy is, at least at first, and makes his entrance by curbstomping a trio of {{Robeast}}s moments after they'd beaten Guy to a pulp. He goes on to be Guy's [[TheRival rival]] for the rest of the series before [[NotQuiteDead apparently]] going out in a blaze of glory at the end of the tv series. FINAL plays this a bit straighter; while he remains as badass as he's ever been, J is also completely unable to do anything against the Sol Masters until the heroes show up (to be fair, [[JustifiedTrope he was outnumbered eleven to one]]), and can't even challenge his own EvilCounterpart until he teams up with Renais and gains a new SuperMode / CombinationAttack with her.
* ''Anime/PrincessTutu'': Fakir starts off this way. As soon as the main heroine figures out he's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold not really that bad of a guy]] she tries to convince him to team up with her, but it takes until near the end of the season until he finally does, and even then it's reluctantly. In the second season he doesn't mind quite as much, but he still maintains a bad habit of trying to do things on his own.
* ''Anime/MyHime'':
** Nao Yuuki is mostly this, but not because she's ineffective. Rather, she's utterly disinterested in the battles the other [=HiME=] are involved in, preferring her own path of preying on creeps she lures to her via the internet. And when she works with the others to stop the [[spoiler:Sears Foundation's invasion of Fuka Academy]], she's just as effective there. However, almost immediately afterwards, she's [[spoiler:framed for attacking another [=HiME=] and loses her eye in the ensuing battle]], causing her naturally distrustful personality to blow into full on paranoia, leading her to take out her feelings of revenge on everyone she almost trusted until the events of the GrandFinale.
** Natsuki Kuga from the same series is a by the numbers case of this. Pretty much every solo action we see her undertake onscreen doesn't work, or blows up in her face. Her attempt to dissuade any Hime from showing up to Fuuka in the first episode really sets the stage for this. From there, there's her plan to deal with the [[spoiler:panty thief orphan]], her discovering and attacking [[spoiler:Alyssa Searrs]], and her attempts to deal with [[spoiler:the seemingly traitorous Nao]]. Ironically, this all leads up to her final confrontation with [[spoiler:Shizuru]], which she only wins because she acknowledges that she's not alone in the world, and thus [[spoiler:super-powers up Duran to the same level as Shizuru's Kiyohime]], allowing her to carry out her plan: [[spoiler:eliminate Shizuru (and by extension, herself) in order to give Mai a clear shot at ending the entire Festival, thus sacrificing herself for the good of others.]] Quite the full circle of CharacterDevelopment. Her special in the 25th episode even has her acknowledging the power of [[PowerOfFriendship friendship]] and [[PowerOfLove love]].
--->"The feelings Shizuru had for me and the feelings Mai and Tate had for each other made me realize people can't live alone. It might seem obvious to anyone else, but it was an important truth I discovered only recently."
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Former IdiotHero Judai chooses to fully embrace this role right before his token female love interest feels like making her move. No one said CharacterDevelopment was easy.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune have a consistently condescending view of many of the other characters, despite being surprisingly useless when combating actual [[TheDragon Dragons]] or {{Big Bad}}s.
%%* ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'': Caren. GoodIsDumb eventually gets her.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': In part 1, Sasuke Uchiha starts out as TheRival, but quickly descends to IneffectualLoner. He is introduced as a grim and solitary prodigy at the Ninja Academy with a special inherited power that should make him all but invincible. Other characters admire and are intimidated by his skill, while women [[{{Fangirl}} swoon]] over his [[{{Bishonen}} good looks]]. He then goes on to get bailed out of every major fight by Naruto. With the start of [[{{Timeskip}} part 2]], however, he has become something of a subversion - now that he really has split himself off from the protagonist he has become one of the most powerful ninja in the series, not through the power of friendship but through [[ConservationOfNinjutsu fighting alone]] (though [[SanitySlippage his sanity has taken a nosedive]]).
** He heads back towards being a straight example from about his fight with Itachi onwards, as he only got out of that because the fight was thrown, he goes back to being bailed out by his ''new'' team in his next fight [[spoiler:though he fought Danzo alone, it was mainly thanks to Karin continually supplying him information through the fight that he won]], and it generally seems as if he's never going to achieve anything he aims for.
** Except then he promptly ditches his team, and gets ''another'' [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands power upgrade]]. As with just about every other trope, Sasuke keeps us guessing on this one.
** Though literally every single fight Itachi takes part in goes exactly as planned, his ultimate goal fails completely due to his belief that he was the only one who needed to suffer the burden of the Uchiha Clan's darkness. Later on, he admits to Naruto that if he had been willing to share the pain and let others help him, especially Sasuke, things would have worked out much better than they did.

* ''Manga/ShamanKing'': The X-Laws are an entire team of ineffectual loners. [[spoiler:They are {{determinator}}s to the point that they refuse to work with ''anyone'' outside of their team and have a consistently condescending view on such people. [[InsaneTrollLogic They even go as far as to kill indiscriminately to try and stop Hao]]. Needless to say, [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all of this ends up making Hao obtain the Shaman King title far easier than otherwise]].]]
* ''Manga/{{Karneval}}'': Gareki fits the first paragraph to a T, although he's a main character and too badass to fail (so far; being rational and aware of his lacking strength next to a Circus fighter helps too). Also, he's a Type A {{Tsundere}}, which goes along charmingly with the personality trait (badass; it's kept him from being Ineffectual thusfar).
* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' generally has at least one of these per season, or at least an otherwise main character who decides for no apparent reason that they need to be a Loner. In the first season, Matt/Yamato can't be bothered by anyone but his younger brother, so he gets the Crest of Friendship to ''force'' him to be more powerful by working with others. Rika/Ruki in ''Anime/DigimonTamers'': in the beginning of the season she sees Digimon as soulless fighting machines, treats ''her own Digimon partner'' as such, and ''actively tries to destroy'' the Digimon belonging to the main character. She lightens up later, thanks to her mother and digimon partner. A lot of the loners are this way because of their BrokenBird origins.
* ''Manga/WeddingPeach'': Angel Salvia is this at first. Because of the nature of their powers and the enemies they fight, the four Love Angels aren't able to use the full power of the Saint Something Four until they all work together. Also, the part that made me think of this trope was where Salvia kept cutting a snow demon in her angry desire to get revenge, and even though cutting it was making the demon grow more each time, she wouldn't stop cutting it until Peach made her stop. Making that a rather literal example because her method (which she wanted to do by herself) was worse than just ineffectual, it was making the enemy stronger!

* ''Anime/BakutenShootBeyblade'': Kai Hiwatari is this massively all the way through season 1 ("There's no Kai in team!", anyone?), is less obnoxiously so in ''V-Force'' (re. goes off to fight Jack's Scissorswing alone), reverts back to season 1 persona in ''G-Revolution''. And never beats Takao. Bless. Downplayed at the end of ''G-Revolution'', when he scares to death, defeats and drives into madness the apparently invincible [[PersonOfMassDestruction Brooklyn]] through [[TheDeterminator determination alone]].
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** Played straight, subverted as part of CharacterDevelopment, and then sort of zig-zagged with Piccolo from ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. He ''always'' lives alone, constantly training himself mentally and physically. Even when he starts getting some concept of ThePowerOfFriendship, he still prefers to do things his own way. Often times being the only one who can even remotely stand up to the BigBad of the arc, up until around the time Cell finishes up becoming Perfect, but the only finishing blow he gets against a serious fighter requires a HeroicSacrifice by his then-WorthyOpponent. The zig-zag comes around because, even though he (eventually) openly admits that some threats are simply too big to fight alone, the only time he's shown spending any time with anyone else is when they're in the middle of training to combat said big threat.
** [[WorldsStrongestMan Jiren]] of Universe 11 from ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' is this due to his DarkAndTroubledPast [[spoiler:where his family, mentor and many friends were killed by a villain and the rest abandoned him, causing him to view friendship and trust as fleeting [[MightMakesRight and strength as the only true absolute in the universe]]]]. As a result, he's cold and aloof even to his fellow Pride Troopers [[spoiler:and in fact only views them as tools to help him achieve his goals]], and seeing ThePowerOfFriendship at work is one of his {{Berserk Button}}s, since it denies everything he's ever been or believed in. [[spoiler:He goes absolutely ''ballistic'' on Goku during their final battle when Goku states the reason he can still stand against him is because of the HeroicWillpower he gains from fighting for the sake of his friends and family, causing him to try and kill them to prove his ideals are right.]]
* ''Manga/MuhyoAndRoji'': George Schyuter has a FreudianExcuse that because his assistants ended up dying so often, he attracted a bad reputation and decided to avoid causing or being blamed for others' deaths by practicing Magical Law alone with a special sword and envoy. He initially obstructs Muhyo and Roji's efforts to deal with Vector by threatening to revoke their licenses if they interfere, before setting out to deal with him alone. This doesn't go very well, and he ends up being forced to pull a YouShallNotPass in order to buy time for Roji to wake up Muhyo, who proceeds to finish the fight with Vector.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': Jean-Pierre Polnareff starts out like this in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'', as he was mainly driven by vengeance against J. Geil, the man with two right hands who killed his sister. He insists to do it alone when the gang arrives in India, upon knowing that he is there. He grows out of this after [[spoiler:J. Geil and Hol Horse kill Avdol, and Kakyoin helps him track down J. Geil and give him the thrashing of his life]], and afterwards, ''he's'' the one who's preaching about working together in order to defeat Dio.
* Barnaby Brooks Jr. from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' begins the series as one of these. While he has a public front as being very friendly and charming, in reality he's entirely too wrapped up in seeking revenge to form any sort of relationship with other people. It takes [[AllLovingHero Kotetsu]] thirteen episodes [[spoiler:[[TakingTheBullet and a flamebolt to the chest]]]] to drag him out of it.

* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
** Captain, Zero, and Bakunetsumaru start out this way in ''Anime/SDGundamForce''. Captain shrugs off Shute's companionship at first because he has to mantain TheMasquerade, but rethinks this when he realizes that the Soul Drive runs on the PowerOfFriendship. Similarly, both Zero and Bakunetsumaru when they first appear are disdainful of the Gundam Force, but come to recognize them as warriors of worth, and decide to help them protect Neotopia as they would their own nations. [[DrillSergeantNasty Gunbike]] actually lampshades this trope;
--->"I know you, the proud, cocky type who likes to do things on his own, and gets the rest of his squad in trouble!"
** Despite ''being'' TheHero, Garrod Ran has this problem at the start of ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX''. Having lived most of his life as a lone salvager / thief with an inherent distrust of adults, there's a lot of friction when he joins the ''Freeden'', leading to his TenMinuteRetirement and even ''more'' problems when his inherent mistrust causes him to draw a gun on Ennil El.
* ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'': Hikigaya Hachiman prefers to be left alone, but after his teacher forced him to join a club that helps other students with their problems he has situations where helps people alone [[spoiler:(even if almost the entire school hates him for it later on)]]
* ''Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure'': [=MakoPi=]/Cure Sword originally prefers not to get involved in Mana's growing Pretty Cure team so that she can handle her own revenge for letting her home get destroyed. It isn't until all four Cures are trapped in [=MakoPi's=] world and seeing how big Mana's Balls of Steel are in mocking one of the QuirkyMiniBossSquad while powerless, she lets it drop.

* ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'': While Kobayashi isn't any ineffectual (in fact, it's quite the opposite as [[TheReliableOne it's her workforce that's reliant on her]] as she's the most capable one), her meeting Tohru made her realize how empty her life was before she met her. Played straight in the household when Tohru was taken back to the other world, forcing her to take care of Kanna by herself on top of working full time, leading to the house becoming messier, making her realize that she does need Tohru.
* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': Subverted with Kurapika. He starts out working with the others well enough, but his progress and effectiveness accelerate dramatically when the team splits up for a few months to pursue their own goals. This is ultimately what convinces him to shut the others out of his life.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Homura Akemi has been going through a GroundhogPeggySue loop in order to save Madoka and prevent her from forming a contract. After being subjected to a CynicismCatalyst, she stops trying to save the other Magical Girls in the series and, in every single loop, either Madoka dies or she makes a contract.
* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'': Heavily deconstructed ([[DeconstructorFleet like almost everything]]) by Ren Amaki. From the start, Naofumi compares him to MMORPG players who like to play solo and thus have difficulty to work with others, and he acts accordingly, preferring to train solo while leaving his party to their own devices. This translates in that he's not able to fight effectively with his own teammates or the other heroes because he acts on his own and expects others to know what he's doing, [[spoiler:which results in his party [[TotalPartyKill being completely wiped out]] when he and the Bow and Spear Heroes decide to unseal the Spirit Tortoise, thinking they can defeat it.]]

%%* ComicBook/ThePunisher and ComicBook/{{Blade}}, whenever they showed up alongside ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'' or other more idealistic [[SuperHero superheroes]]. (Note that, in their own series, their values were more [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism "realistic"]] than those they considered naive.)%%Explain how they fit.

* Arnie, in ''Literature/DrFranklinsIsland'', is more independent and contrary than his two companions, and insists on his own plans. But he usually has to go with what Miranda says anyway, since she's usually right and he needs that. His plans do not actually work out so well, anyway.
* Westley is an interesting variant in ''Literature/ThePrincessBride.'' Alone, he can outduel the world's greatest swordsman, outfight the world's strongest giant, and outthink the world's smartest criminal - and it's still not enough to keep Prince Humperdinck from reclaiming his bride and imprisoning Westley [[spoiler:and later killing him]]. It's only when he [[TheTeam teams up with Inigo and Fezzik]] that he has the opportunity to save the day.
** His status as a loner was really because this particular adventure was personal. He'd spent several years as part of a pirate crew and then as its captain.

* ''Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger'': Stinger/Sasori Oranger prefers to act on his own and mostly avoids his team unless neccessary. This bites him on the [[ScaryScorpions tail]] ''hard'' at quite a few turns, the best example being when he fights his [[CainAndAbel brother]] and nearly dies. He becomes more of team player afterwards, but still is probably the most aloof Kyuranger. Well, for [[NotSoAboveItAll most]] of the time.
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': Avon starts off with no choice in the matter, stuck on a spaceship and on the run from the Federation... but he somehow keeps finding reasons to ''not'' leave the ship and Blake, whom he professes to [[CannotStandThemCannotLiveWithoutThem despise]]. After [[spoiler:losing Blake]] he should have been free to go, but instead spends the remaining two years in command of the crew and ''[[spoiler:looking for Blake.]]''
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** Buffy falls into this, at least once a season, before coming back to her friends for support.
** The Slayers before Buffy would usually fall into this which tended to get them killed. Averting this trope is often lampshaded as the reason for Buffy's survival and success.
* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr'': Lord Bowler was an IneffectualLoner in the early episodes, before entering into a profitable partnership with the protagonist. He then evolved into a BadassLongcoat.

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': Grant Ward is a hyper-competent field agent who initially fights hard against being recruited onto Team Coulson, since he's both more comfortable and more effective working alone. It's actually taken to extremes in places, since he's apparently cut himself out of the loop so badly that he didn't realise S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top scientist and his new teammate Fitz-Simmons was [[TheDividual two people]] until he was introduced to them, despite the implication that ''everyone'' within the organisation knew them through their work by that point. He generally spends the first few episodes behaving as though having skilled back-up from the science and communications departments is hindering him as an operations agent, before DefrostingIceQueen kicks in. [[spoiler:Though midway through Season 1 it's [[TheReveal revealed]] that Ward was EvilAllAlong, and that his tough I-can-do-this-alone act was for show, to make himself into someone Coulson would want to take under his wing in order to "fix" his distrust of other people. Safe to say, ''everyone'' was fooled. In fact he's been a very effective team player the whole time, just for a different team.]]
* In ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Oliver has fallen into this way of thinking more than once, thinking his friends are better off without him. Then either they'll rescue him at the last minute or something will happen to one of them that he might have been able to prevent had he been around.

* ''VideoGame/WildArms3'': Jet is called out on this by Virginia when she asks him what he'd managed to accomplish on his lonesome. Considering that the four of them managed to save the world three times, and save villages and towns many times more than that, together, she has a point.
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'': Subverted. Through Nils Daerden and Marina Wulfstan, who actually get stat bonuses for being alone and penalties for being with others. In short, they actually DO work better alone. The latter is also considered by many to be the best sniper in the game.

* ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'': Neku, main character, wants to find his way out of the Game by himself, but the rules of the game make this extremely difficult if not impossible.
%%* ''VideoGame/ArcRiseFantasia'': L'Arc Bright Lagoon begins this way, but on his journey as "Child of Eesa" he embraces the Power of Friendship.

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': This is the ultimate FatalFlaw of the heroes, and is also the biggest reason for the villains being incredibly likely to succeed (on top of PoorCommunicationKills). Most of heroes constantly bicker and in-fight with each other and would rather mind their own businesses than realize the common threat and work with each other, which ends up leaving them surprisingly useless when dealing with people like [[{{Troll}} Terumi]] and [[MadScientist Relius]] because they tend to fight them alone. It's only after they start working with each other beginning with ''Chronophantasma'' than any meaningful progress is made.
* ''VideoGame/AtelierIrisEternalMana'': Arlin, the loner swordsman, leaves the party midgame to go hunting down his EvilCounterpart and BigBad Mull on his own because the party doesn't make a quick progress in finding him. It doesn't go well. [[spoiler:He's turned in a stone by his nemesis, and he can't be cured until you beat the game once.]]
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': [[spoiler:Magus]] is defeated twice'by Lavos before figuring out he needs to join Chrono's party to destroy it, although he never quite buys in to ThePowerOfFriendship.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce'': Solo, thanks to his FreudianExcuse, believes wholeheartedly that only weak people form groups and develop friendships. He maintains this belief despite a huge number of inconvenient facts, such as his homeland of Mu being destroyed because nobody trusted anyone else, or the way TheHero uses ThePowerOfFriendship to kick him around like a soccer ball on a regular basis.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[spoiler:Garrus Vakarian]] starts out this way, causing trouble to the gangs of Omega. [[spoiler:He worked with a team of 11 other people up until the gangs joined forces. The only reason Garrus is alone when you first meet him is because the rest of his team was killed. He's quite happy to join Shepard and, outside of a burning hatred for the man who sold out his team, is not bitter about the concept of teamwork.]]
* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** Knuckles starts out as one due being constrained in a solitary duty to guard the Master Emerald in Angel Island. After forging a friendship with Sonic and Tails, he has somewhat grown out of his shell, though he still sometimes has gruff and anti-social tendencies.
** Blaze in the ''VideoGame/SonicRushSeries'' also started as one. She rejects the help of Sonic and his friends in believing that she must find all of the Sol Emeralds by herself. By the end of the game, she begins to learn ThePowerOfFriendship and accepts the heroes as her friends.
** Shadow plays this straighter than the two above. He doesn't put a lot of value on teamwork and of the like when getting things done. It also doesn't help that he doesn't seem very fond of anyone's presence that much. However, he's also often seen in the company of Team Dark, made up of him, Rouge the Bat, and Omega, and actually works fairly well with them, even not minding their presence as much as he does anyone elses'.

* Ever the JerkAss, ever the ConMan, Nenshe from ''Webcomic/RumorsOfWar'' is an off-again, mostly-on-again IneffectualLoner.
* Antimony from ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' used to be self-sufficient. She's apt to become good pals with any beings from {{psychopomp}}s to the Minotaur to a {{trickster god}}, but didn't interact with living humans on her own initiative. Even Kat is her best friend only because she approached Annie first. From the chapter 19 or so she occasionally noticed the problem and tried to communicate. By 28 and 30 her failure to cooperate even with the teacher whose help she'd request when things gone wrong or fellow Mediums-in-training was an obvious crippling flaw.

* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': Killer is honestly pretty cool, but doesn't get along with others because of his BrilliantButLazy and snappy attitude.
* ''WebAnimation/{{Dreamscape}}'': Aseir's solitary nature often leaves him LockedOutOfTheLoop about things going on around him.
* Subverted with Paultin in ''WebVideo/DiceCameraAction'' because either [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Nate, his player, is absent doing his own thing]] in which case the GM has him drunk and/or brooding in a corner somewhere or, and he has a disturbing habit of this, he gets kidnapped and forced into someone else's agenda.

* Depth Charge from ''{{Transformers}}: WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' is this trope, but with enough firepower to back up most of his attitude.
** Same goes for Blurr in ''Anime/TransformersArmada''.
** And Prowl from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. He's skilled enough, but often screws up due to a tendency to try to take on things that would require the entire team.
*** Prowl rises out of this for a few episodes early in the first season, seeming to have no problems working with Bulkhead... but seems to have a case of AesopAmnesia, probably brought on by having to put up with Bumblebee.

%%* Raphael of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles, during his AchillesInHisTent moments.
* Peppermint Fizz from the 2002 ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' series. She generally only shows up when the [[AnAesop lesson of the day]] is something the nicer characters don't need to learn (like "don't be a xenophobe"), and is usually depicted as looking down on the others.

* ''WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts'': Wolf continually insists that she works alone, is a lone wolf, and isn't interested in friendship. But her facade is very easy to see through thanks to the fact that she passes up chance after chance to leave Kipo to her fate.

* This, as it turns out, is the Author's problem in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', best described in the {{Defictionalization}} of ''[[Literature/GravityFallsJournal3 Journal 3]]''; While he was ProperlyParanoid in regards to his dream-demon arch nemesis possessing people, his solution to keep ''everyone'' away created more problems than they solved. Not giving his assistant all the details on his research caused that assistant to leave him, and his attempt to use his estranged friend hide said research backfired with him [[spoiler:being trapped in another dimension for 30 years.]] As he admits in Journal 3, if he had opened his circle just a little bit more and gathered TheChosenMany, the BigBad would have been defeated, but instead he focused on launching a one-man assault that failed and led to his capture.
* [[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles Mr. Incredible]] mostly insisted on working alone. This partially lead to Syndrome StartOfDarkness (he was a HeroWorshipper for Mr. Incredible until Mr. Incredible snapped at him for trying to help apprehend a criminal- though to be fair, the guy ''was'' being TheLoad at the time). Interestingly enough, this seems to partially be a product of an InferioritySuperiorityComplex- the reason he gives for fighting [[spoiler:the Omnidroid]] alone in the FinalBattle is because he's "not strong enough" to protect his family (His wife's answer? "If we work together, you won't have to be").

In short, an isolationist GrumpyBear. If he's lucky, he'll be [[LonerTurnedFriend upgraded]] to [[TheRival Rival]] or SixthRanger. If not, he gets served as a testimonial to going against the series {{Aesop}}. Some writers take the middle ground to be more fair, but that usually results in conveniently being PutOnABus until the writers need them again.

On the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, these characters only appear in idealistic stories or any setting where ThePowerOfFriendship has significance. In a cynical story they might be the [[AntiHero main character]].

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': Jean-Pierre Polnareff starts out like this in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'', as he was mainly driven by vengeance against J. Geil, the man with two right hands who killed his sister. He insists to do it alone when the gang arrives in India, upon knowing that he is there. He grows out of this after [[spoiler:J. Geil and Hol Horse kill Avdol, and Kakyoin helps him track down J. Geil and give him the thrashing of his life]], and afterwards, ''he'' 's the one who's preaching about working together in order to defeat Dio.

* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'': By the end of the series, [[spoiler:Galen Tyrol]] has become this. But really, [[spoiler:after discovering that he was a Cylon and never really picking whether he was going to identify as a human or a Cylon]], then later finding out [[spoiler:his half-Cylon son wasn't actually half-Cylon or his at all]], then also [[spoiler:that his wife was actually killed by a fellow Cylon]], can you blame him for being disillusioned?
* The Doctor in ''Series/{{Doctor Who}}''. Especially in the New Series, the Doctor likes to get in this mode [[HeartbrokenBadass after losing a companion]]. For example, the Tenth Doctor after [[spoiler:he had to [[VictoryGuidedAmnesia wipe Donna's memory]] after she became the Doctor-Donna.]] Another example is the Eleventh Doctor [[spoiler:[[AchillesInHisTent when Amy and Rory are sent back in time]].]]
* Dr. Foreman on ''Series/{{House}}''. He's quit and gone to work for other hospitals, and attempted to run a drug trial, but pretty much always gets kicked back to working under House.
** Arguably, Dr. House himself, at least in recent seasons where the focus has been shifting from him getting away with crazy stunts to stick it to the man to him getting away with crazy stunts to distract from his crippling emotional issues, while failing in any actual attempt to resolve them.
* Eric Myers, the Quantum Ranger of ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' consistently thought himself superior to the other Rangers (and, on paper, he ''was'') and never actually joined the team in any real sense. He only actively works with the others in the finale, and then it's only by giving his powers to the Red Ranger, Wes, when he is incapacitated. (In ''Time Force'''s counterpart ''Series/MiraiSentaiTimeranger'', the equivalent character, Naoto Takizawa, actually experiences RedemptionEqualsDeath).

* Avon of ''Series/BlakesSeven''. He starts off with no choice in the matter, stuck on a spaceship and on the run from the Federation... but he somehow keeps finding reasons to ''not'' leave the ship and Blake, whom he professes to [[CannotStandThemCannotLiveWithoutThem despise]]. After [[spoiler:losing Blake]] he should have been free to go, but instead spends the remaining two years in command of the crew and ''[[spoiler:looking for Blake.]]''

* Grant Ward in ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' is a hyper-competent field agent who initially fights hard against being recruited onto Team Coulson, since he's both more comfortable and more effective working alone. It's actually taken to extremes in places, since he's apparently cut himself out of the loop so badly that he didn't realise S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top scientist and his new teammate Fitz-Simmons was [[TheDividual two people]] until he was introduced to them, despite the implication that ''everyone'' within the organisation knew them through their work by that point. He generally spends the first few episodes behaving as though having skilled back-up from the science and communications departments is hindering him as an operations agent, before DefrostingIceQueen kicks in. [[spoiler:Though midway through Season 1 it's [[TheReveal revealed]] that Ward was EvilAllAlong, and that his tough I-can-do-this-alone act was for show, to make himself into someone Coulson would want to take under his wing in order to "fix" his distrust of other people. Safe to say, ''everyone'' was fooled. In fact he's been a very effective team player the whole time, just for a different team.]]

* Wrestling/MercedesMartinez declaring open war on Wrestling/{{Daffney|Unger}}'s [[PowerStable All-Star Squad]] didn't workout so well for her. She could consistently beat most Squad members in one on one matches but any provocation beyond that lead to her facing them 2 on 1 or even ''4'' on 1. Them being a baby {{face}} stable was probably why they didn't gang up on her from the get go, [[{{Heel}} as Valkyrie did]] to solve their Martinez problem much quicker. After returning from that particular failure, Martinez picked a fight with four members of [=VALkyrie=], who backed off, [[ISurrenderSuckers then jumped Martinez from behind]]. After ''that'' Martinez joined with Wrestling/TheaTrinidad to fill in for the indisposed Wrestling/{{La Rosa|Negra}} in Wrestling/{{Ivelisse|Velez}}'s SHINE Sicarias, then for good measure, brought in Shayna Baszler, who she had already swept up with Nicole Savoy for her own Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}} Trifecta, to act as a bodyguard when the other Sicarias weren't around.[[/folder]]

->''"I need your help. I thought I could - I thought I ''needed'' to do this alone - a 'back to basics' approach. I was '''wrong'''. No '''one''' person can do this alone. No Man's Land is too big... too... '''dark'''. The only way to bring light back to Gotham is working together. All of us."''

* Played with in ''Anime/GaoGaiGar''. [[TheStoic Soldato-J]] doesn't fight alone, but he doesn't have the same kind of camaraderie with his partners that [[TheHero Guy]] and [[KidHero Mamoru]] have with [[TrueCompanions theirs]]. Despite this, he's actually better at his job than Guy is, at least at first, and makes his entrance by curbstomping a trio of {{Robeast}}s moments after they'd beaten Guy to a pulp. He goes on to be Guy's [[TheRival rival]] for the rest of the series before [[NotQuiteDead apparently]] going out in a blaze of glory at the end of the tv series. FINAL plays this a bit straighter; while he remains as badass as he's ever been, J is also completely unable to do anything against the Sol Masters until the heroes show up (to be fair, [[JustifiedTrope he was outnumbered eleven to one]]), and can't even challenge his own EvilCounterpart until he teams up with Renais and gains a new SuperMode / CombinationAttack with her.
* Fakir in ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' certainly starts off this way. As soon as the main heroine figures out he's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold not really that bad of a guy]] she tries to convince him to team up with her, but it takes until near the end of the season until he finally does, and even then it's reluctantly. In the second season he doesn't mind quite as much, but he still maintains a bad habit of trying to do things on his own.
* Nao Yuuki from ''Anime/MyHime'' is mostly this, but not because she's ineffective. Rather, she's utterly disinterested in the battles the other [=HiME=] are involved in, preferring her own path of preying on creeps she lures to her via the internet. And when she works with the others to stop the [[spoiler:Sears Foundation's invasion of Fuka Academy]], she's just as effective there. However, almost immediately afterwards, she's [[spoiler:framed for attacking another [=HiME=] and loses her eye in the ensuing battle]], causing her naturally distrustful personality to blow into full on paranoia, leading her to take out her feelings of revenge on everyone she almost trusted until the events of the GrandFinale.

* Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' have a consistently condescending view of many of the other characters, despite being surprisingly useless when combating actual [[TheDragon Dragons]] or {{Big Bad}}s.
* Caren in ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch''. GoodIsDumb eventually gets her.
* Jung Freud from ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'' is introduced early on as TheRival hot "foreign" mecha pilot. She hangs around the edges of the main two characters, never quite getting to be the big heroine, or to save the day. To her credit, she gives up her seat in ''Buster Machine'', to allow the classic pair to team for the final mission. She is left behind near the climax, not even allowed to make the HeroicSacrifice made by the two leads.
* Asuka Langley Soryuu from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' is introduced in a manner very similar to Jung Freud (same director, same company). However, instead of fading into the background after her first (slight) comeuppance, she is promoted to [[LoveInterest love interest]] (a ''much'' more dangerous position in a [[Creator/StudioGainax Gainax]] giant robot story) and then to central cast member. She still suffers like most ineffectual loners - it's just longer in coming and much nastier when it happens.

* In part 1, Sasuke Uchiha from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' starts out as TheRival, but quickly descends to IneffectualLoner. He is introduced as a grim and solitary prodigy at the Ninja Academy with a special inherited power that should make him all but invincible. Other characters admire and are intimidated by his skill, while women [[{{Fangirl}} swoon]] over his [[{{Bishonen}} good looks]]. He then goes on to get bailed out of every major fight by Naruto. With the start of [[{{Timeskip}} part 2]], however, he has become something of a subversion - now that he really has split himself off from the protagonist he has become one of the most powerful ninja in the series, not through the power of friendship but through [[ConservationOfNinjutsu fighting alone]] (though [[SanitySlippage his sanity has taken a nosedive]]).

* [[TheRival Paul]] from the Sinnoh saga of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' is an extremely harsh trainer with no comprehension of ThePowerOfFriendship, can't learn to love and respect his Pokemon, and doesn't take well to battling alongside others. This comes to bite him in the end when his Chimchar, now an Infernape, destroys his team at the end of the arc.
* The X-Laws from ''Manga/ShamanKing'' are an entire ''team'' of ineffectual loners. [[spoiler:They are {{determinator}}s to the point that they refuse to work with ''anyone'' outside of their team and have a consistently condescending view on such people. [[InsaneTrollLogic They even go as far as to kill indiscriminately to try and stop Hao]]. Needless to say, [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all of this ends up making Hao obtain the Shaman King title far easier than otherwise]].]]
* Gareki from ''Manga/{{Karneval}}'' fits the first paragraph to a T, although he's a main character and too badass to fail (so far; being rational and aware of his lacking strength next to a Circus fighter helps too). Also, he's a Type A {{Tsundere}}, which goes along charmingly with the personality trait (badass; it's kept him from being Ineffectual thusfar).
* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' generally has at least one of these per season, or at least an otherwise main character who decides for no apparent reason that they need to be a Loner. In the first season, Matt/Yamato can't be bothered by anyone but his younger brother, so he gets the Crest of Friendship to ''force'' him to be more powerful by working with others. Rika/Ruki in ''Anime/DigimonTamers'': in the beginning of the season she sees Digimon as soulless fighting machines, treats ''her own Digimon partner'' as such, and ''actively tries to destroy'' the Digimon belonging to the main character. She lightens up later, thanks to her mother and digimon partner.
** A lot of the loners are this way because of their BrokenBird origins.
* Angel Salvia from ''Manga/WeddingPeach'' is this at first. Because of the nature of their powers and the enemies they fight, the four Love Angels aren't able to use the full power of the Saint Something Four until they all work together. Also, the part that made me think of this trope was where Salvia kept cutting a snow demon in her angry desire to get revenge, and even though cutting it was making the demon grow more each time, she wouldn't stop cutting it until Peach made her stop. Making that a rather literal example because her method (which she wanted to do by herself) was worse than just ineffectual, it was making the enemy stronger!

* Kai Hiwatari from ''Anime/BakutenShootBeyblade'' is this massively all the way through season 1 ("There's no Kai in team!", anyone?), is less obnoxiously so in ''V-Force'' (re. goes off to fight Jack's Scissorswing alone), reverts back to season 1 persona in ''G-Revolution''. And never beats Takao. Bless.
** Partially subverted at the end of ''G-Revolution'', when he scares to death, defeats and drives into madness the apparently invincible [[PersonOfMassDestruction Brooklyn]] through [[TheDeterminator determination alone]].

* George Schyuter of ''Manga/MuhyoAndRoji'', quoted above, has a FreudianExcuse that because his assistants ended up dying so often, he attracted a bad reputation and decided to avoid causing or being blamed for others' deaths by practicing Magical Law alone with a special sword and envoy. He initially obstructs Muhyo and Roji's efforts to deal with Vector by threatening to revoke their licenses if they interfere, before setting out to deal with him alone. This doesn't go very well, and he ends up being forced to pull a YouShallNotPass in order to buy time for Roji to wake up Muhyo, who proceeds to finish the fight with Vector.
* Jean-Pierre Polnareff from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' started out like this in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'', as he was mainly driven by vengeance against J. Geil, the man with two right hands who killed his sister. He insists to do it alone when the gang arrives in India, upon knowing that he is there. He grows out of this after [[spoiler:J. Geil and Hol Horse kill Avdol, and Kakyoin helps him track down J. Geil and give him the thrashing of his life]], and afterwards, ''he'' 's the one who's preaching about working together in order to defeat Dio.

* Hikigaya Hachiman from ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'' prefers to be left alone, but after his teacher forced him to join a club that helps other students with their problems he has situations where helps people alone [[spoiler:(even if almost the entire school hates him for it later on)]]
* [=MakoPi=]/Cure Sword of ''Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure'' was this, preferring not to get involve in Mana's growing Pretty Cure team so she can handle her own revenge for letting her home get destroyed. It isn't until all four Cures are trapped in [=MakoPi's=] world and seeing how big Mana's Balls of Steel are in mocking one of the QuirkyMiniBossSquad while powerless, she lets it drop.
* The first chapters of ''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'' are essentially about beating ThePowerOfFriendship into [[TheHero Yuu]], who's afraid to get close to others after watching all of his loved ones be slaughtered (and ''that'' was after already going through the defrosting process once, due to a [[AbusiveParents bitter relationship with his parents]] before the incident). In fact, his commander makes 'making friends at school' a ''requirement'' before the kid can officially join the squad he wants to be a part of, knowing that an IneffectualLoner will only get himself killed.
* Kobayashi from ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid''. While she isn't any ineffectual (in fact, it's quite the opposite as [[TheReliableOne it's her workforce that's reliant on her]] as she's the most capable one), her meeting Tohru made her realize how empty her life was before she met her. Played straight in the household when Tohru was taken back to the other world, forcing her to take care of Kanna by herself on top of working full time, leading to the house becoming messier, making her realize that she does need Tohru.
* Subverted with Kurapika of ''Manga/HunterXHunter''. He starts out working with the others well enough, but his progress and effectiveness accelerate dramatically when the team splits up for a few months to pursue their own goals. This is ultimately what convinces him to shut the others out of his life.
* Homura Akemi, from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', has been going through a GroundhogPeggySue loop in order to save Madoka and prevent her from forming a contract. After being subjected to a CynicismCatalyst, she kind of stopped trying to save the other Magical Girls in the series. And every single loop, either Madoka died or she made a contract.
* Heavily deconstructed ([[DeconstructorFleet like almost everything]]) by Ren Amaki in ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero''. From the start, Naofumi compares him to MMORPG players who like to play solo and thus have difficulty to work with others, and he acts accordingly, preferring to train solo while leaving his party to their own devices. This translates in that he's not able to fight effectively with his own teammates or the other heroes because he acts on his own and expects others to know what he's doing, [[spoiler:which results in his party [[TotalPartyKill being completely wiped out]] when he and the Bow and Spear Heroes decide to unseal the Spirit Tortoise, thinking they can defeat it.]]

[[folder:Comics]]
* ComicBook/ThePunisher and ComicBook/{{Blade}}, whenever they showed up alongside ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'' or other more idealistic [[SuperHero superheroes]]. (Note that, in their own series, their values were more [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism "realistic"]] than those they considered naive.)
* During the [[Comicbook/BatmanNoMansLand No Man's Land]] storyline, Franchise/{{Batman}} became this by cutting himself from [[BadassFamily all his allies]] and forbidding them to help. Finally, he realized this approach was counterproductive and recalled them all.
** It's [[AesopAmnesia a cycle he regularly goes through]]. Attempt to drive away all the people he cares about, go [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and grimmer]] than usual, then realize/give in to the fact that he needs them.
--->'''Batman''': I want to thank you all for coming on such short notice... and... Before we get into ''why'' you're here, I wanted to say... well, I just... I... I ''know'' that I'm not an ''easy person'' to know. That's all.
*** Short version: Batman is [[InformedLoner ineffectual at]] ''[[InformedLoner being]]'' [[InformedLoner a loner]].
* The titular [[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]] gives off the impression that he's quite the loner, but he's often got a lover or a raven to keep him company.
* Taken to an extreme with the original 70s team of ''ComicBook/XMen''; John Proudstar, the Native American mutant who was the first to take up the Thunderbird code-name, was a JerkAss who thought himself better than his teammates and actually was kind of racist against non-Native Americans. His attempts to be the badass solo warrior got him ''killed'' in his second outing with the X-Men, and he stayed dead for decades, reappearing only as one of Selene's undead slaves during the Necrosha arc in ''ComicBook/XForce''.

[[folder:FanWorks]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* Kopaka starts out like this in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}''. It doesn't last long, though because Destiny [[BecauseDestinySaysSo has other ideas]]. He's still TheStoic, but he's not as opposed to teamwork as he once was.

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'' is an exploration of this trope, as Batman realizes he ''needs'' Jim Gordon.
* ''VideoGame/WildArms3'': One of the best examples of this trope is Jet, not just because he is the Ineffectual Loner to a tee, but because Virginia calls him on it -- asking him what he'd managed to accomplish on his lonesome. Considering that the four of them managed to save the world three times, and save villages and towns many times more than that, together, she has a point.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles''. Through Nils Daerden and Marina Wulfstan, who actually get stat bonuses for being alone and penalties for being with others. In short, they actually DO work better alone. The latter is also considered by many to be the best sniper in the game.

** Squall Leonhart is a hero version in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and he never wanted to be the hero anyway.
** The trope is borne out normally in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', where Amarant is the IneffectualLoner, and Zidane tries to teach him ThePowerOfFriendship, or at least of discretion.
** Subverted in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' with the character Delita, who exhibits the philosophy and behavior of the IneffectualLoner, but proves not to be ineffectual at all. This can be attributed to the title's uncharacteristically (for Final Fantasy) heavy emphasis on the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism "cynical" end of the scale']] -- TheHero Ramza would be MessianicArchetype if he could, but in Ivalice, it just doesn't work that way.
*** But it could also be considered to be played straight anyways; [[spoiler:for all his effectiveness, Delita never really gets what he was looking for and ends up alone and unhappy, while Ramza gets what he was looking for and lives his life free, with his sister.]]
** Brandt of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyThe4HeroesOfLight'' tries this, ditching Yunita so he can turn himself into a badass lone hero after feeling inferior to [[TheAce Krinjh]]. It lasts exactly until he reaches Arbor, whereupon the town's defenses turn him into a plant. (Fortunately, the little white cat following him was really Aire, who found a way to turn him back... after a few steps.)
*** Argubaly, Jusqua and Aire (which is to say, ''every single main character'' except for Yunita, who keeps getting ditched by her teammates) also qualify. A big chunk of the game's plot revolves around the team's inability to work together. For the first half of the game, they spend more time bickering and blowing one another off than acting like proper heroes.
* Neku, main character of the video game ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''. He wants to find his way out of the Game by himself, however, the rules of the game make this extremely difficult if not impossible.
* L'Arc Bright Lagoon, main character of ''VideoGame/ArcRiseFantasia''. He begins this way, but on his journey as 'Child of Eesa' he embraces the Power of Friendship.
* Being a franchise centered on ThePowerOfFriendship, ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has a few. [[TheRival Silver]] from the [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver second generation]] and it's remakes is an abrasive, abusive, rather violent ArrogantKungFuGuy of a boy with a massive InferioritySuperiorityComplex who may have inspired Paul in the [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} TV show]] a decade or so after his debut. Another rival, Blue from the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue first generation]] isn't a loner per se, but he also still doesn't understand The Power of Friendship and can't learn to love and respect his Pokémon. A sound butt kicking from the player usually results.
* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'''s Fujiwara no Mokou fits perfectly into this type. Shortly after she killed Iwakasa and then tasted the [[ImmortalityInducer elixir of eternal life]], she spent the rest of her life in a form of solitude in a bamboo forest because she couldn't fit into society and [[WhoWantsToLiveForever couldn't die]]. Nowadays she spends her time taking on her rival's assassins and saving people's lives.
* In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'', that guy who wants a make a world where people can't interact with each other cause he doesn't believe in relying on people sure relies on you a lot for emotional support and dungeon crawling.
** [[spoiler:Actually, it was because of that, which is why he conceived of such a philosophy, as he was tired of being so dependent on the hero.]]
* This is the ultimate FatalFlaw of the heroes of ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', and is also the biggest reason for the villains being incredibly likely to succeed (on top of PoorCommunicationKills). Most of heroes constantly bicker and in-fight with each other and would rather mind their own businesses than realize the common threat and work with each other, which ends up leaving them surprisingly useless when dealing with people like [[{{Troll}} Terumi]] and [[MadScientist Relius]] because they tend to fight them alone. It's only after they start working with each other beginning with ''Chronophantasma'' than any meaningful progress is made.
* Arlin, the loner swordsman from ''VideoGame/AtelierIrisEternalMana'', leaves the party midgame to go hunting down his EvilCounterpart and BigBad Mull on his own because the party doesn't make a quick progress in finding him. It doesn't go well. [[spoiler:He's turned in a stone by his nemesis, and he can't be cured until you beat the game once.]]
* [[spoiler:Magus]] from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. He is defeated ''twice'' by Lavos before figuring out he needs to join Chrono's party to destroy it. Though he never quite buys in to ThePowerOfFriendship...
* Solo in the ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce'' games, thanks to his FreudianExcuse, believes wholeheartedly that only weak people form groups and develop friendships. He maintains this belief despite a huge number of inconvenient facts, such as his homeland of Mu being destroyed because nobody trusted anyone else, or the way TheHero uses ThePowerOfFriendship to kick him around like a soccer ball on a regular basis.

* Knuckles from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' started out as one due being constrained in a solitary duty to guard the Master Emerald in Angel Island. After forging a friendship with Sonic and Tails, he has somewhat grown out of his shell, though he still sometimes has gruff and anti-social tendencies.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Vaarsuvius, the elven wizard, is normally a functional, if [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] team player. In the fourth story arc, however, when the party has been split, [[AmbiguousGender he/she]] grows fed up with his/her half's inaction and eventually abandons them. A DealWithTheDevil, several BreakTheHaughty moments, and a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown later, Vaarsuvius ''finally'' understands that [[VictoriousLoser a person doesn't need to win to be a valuable contributor]] and rejoins the rest of the party.

* Nao Yuuki from ''Anime/MaiHime'' is mostly this, but not because she's ineffective. Rather, she's utterly disinterested in the battles the other [=HiME=] are involved in, preferring her own path of preying on creeps she lures to her via the internet. And when she works with the others to stop the [[spoiler:Sears Foundation's invasion of Fuka Academy]], she's just as effective there. However, almost immediately afterwards, she's [[spoiler:framed for attacking another [=HiME=] and loses her eye in the ensuing battle]], causing her naturally distrustful personality to blow into full on paranoia, leading her to take out her feelings of revenge on everyone she almost trusted until the events of the GrandFinale.

* ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' has Kyoya Hibari, the ostentatious head of the Disciplinary Committee (Although he is only ever seen with one of its members at any given time), doesn't like groups. He hates groups, and people who group, to the point of beating them senseless with the only warning being a derogatory "I'll Bite You to Death." He's considered invincible by his peers in the manga (most of whom are afraid of getting on his bad side), and has only lost one battle total due to a cheap trick pulled by the resident ManipulativeBastard Mukuro Rokudo. Despite this completely ridiculous winning streak, when it comes to the appearance of the BigBad, he doesn't even try to pull a stunt, leaving it to the hero. (He is also the reference image for this page.)

* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}''

-->"I know you, the proud, cocky type who likes to do things on his own, and gets the rest of his squad in trouble!"

* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': Asuka had never been good at getting used to new people or working with other people. However, when she tried to work alone she often fumbled and screwed missions. When she tried to collaborate with her teammates she unleashed her potential.
* The ''Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}''/''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' crossover fic, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11772125/1/Metroid-Kamen-Rider-Generations-Full-Series Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations]]'' has Samus verge into this when she [[TimeTravelEscape settles in the present time]]. Her encounters with different Kamen Riders made her to earn their respect, as well as learning the value of teamwork; ends up with the company of [[Series/KamenRiderGaim Mitsuzane Kureshima (Kamen Rider Ryugen)]], who would later on became her LoveInterest, and [[Series/KamenRiderDrive Gou Shijima (Kamen Rider Mach)]], who is more of a [[TagalongKid Tagalong]] CameraFiend.
** DependingOnTheWriter, Micchy himself in that same fic is a zig-zagged example. Due to him having PTSD, {{survivor guilt}} and occasional depression, he could no longer reconnect to anyone he used to worked alongside with (save for Kouta and Zack) before he betrayed his friends. He got better since he has Gou and Samus behind him.

* ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMS 3}}'': One of the best examples of this trope is Jet, not just because he is the Ineffectual Loner to a tee, but because Virginia calls him on it -- asking him what he'd managed to accomplish on his lonesome. Considering that the four of them managed to save the world three times, and save villages and towns many times more than that, together, she has a point.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'''s Fujiwara no Mokou fits perfectly into this type. Shortly after she killed Iwakasa and then tasted the [[ImmortalityInducer elixir of eternal life]], she spent the rest of her life in a form of solitude in a bamboo forest because she couldn't fit into society and [[WhoWantsToLiveForever couldn't die]]. Nowadays she spends her time taking on her rival's assassins and saving people's lives.

Unfortunately, he'll win battles, but never win the war. If he's lucky, he might not get killed by TheDragon. He's also obnoxiously condescending because all LonersAreFreaks, and, if written badly, has only an InformedAbility.

The Ineffectual Loner does not understand ThePowerOfFriendship, or just isn't concerned. The problem is this attitude makes someone pretty single-minded, and he's afraid to trust anyone as an ally or they'd be a [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies liability]]/distraction. He's also extremely susceptible (if not outright gullible) to villains who know how to think this way. He may catch on eventually, but he'll be a tool (in several senses of the word) for a bit.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' with the character Delita, who exhibits the philosophy and behavior of the IneffectualLoner, but proves not to be ineffectual at all. This can be attributed to the title's uncharacteristically (for Final Fantasy) heavy emphasis on the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism "cynical" end of the scale']] -- TheHero Ramza would be MessianicArchetype if he could, but in Ivalice, it just doesn't work that way.
** But it could also be considered to be played straight anyways; [[spoiler:for all his effectiveness, Delita never really gets what he was looking for and ends up alone and unhappy, while Ramza gets what he was looking for and lives his life free, with his sister.]]
* Squall Leonhart is a hero version in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and he never wanted to be the hero anyway.
* The trope is borne out normally in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', where Amarant is the IneffectualLoner, and Zidane tries to teach him ThePowerOfFriendship, or at least of discretion.
* Brandt of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyThe4HeroesOfLight'' tries this, ditching Yunita so he can turn himself into a badass lone hero after feeling inferior to [[TheAce Krinjh]]. It lasts exactly until he reaches Arbor, whereupon the town's defenses turn him into a plant. (Fortunately, the little white cat following him was really Aire, who found a way to turn him back... after a few steps.)
** Argubaly, Jusqua and Aire (which is to say, ''every single main character'' except for Yunita, who keeps getting ditched by her teammates) also qualify. A big chunk of the game's plot revolves around the team's inability to work together. For the first half of the game, they spend more time bickering and blowing one another off than acting like proper heroes.

** This is a recurring element of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': The PowerOfTeamwork is a theme of the series, so those that push others out are often less likely to succeed in whatever they are doing;

* Discussed between Blake and Yang in ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''. When Yang asks Blake to stop running herself ragged in order to find Roman Torchwick, Blake cries "I'm the only one that can do this!", prompting Yang to shove Blake to prove that she was [[HeroicRROD in no condition]] to take Torchwick on by herself, and that she'd have to trust her team to help her fight Torchwick.