History Main / JerkassAtYourDiscretion

* In ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'', Ami Kawashima is a high-school model that seems very sweet and clumsy to everyone else in order to get accepted by her peers. Only her childhood friend Yuusaku Kitamura knows her real self: an arrogant girl who will not hesitate to use abusive language towards others and tries to make amends if someone sees her true personality because she is uncertain about her dual personality. This personality is shown early to Taiga Aisaka (who tried to break up the facade for everyone and became rivals), Ryuuji Takasu (who understands her and even got her to fall in love with him), and Minori Kushieda (who has a bigger facade than her and that pissed her off).

* ''LightNovel/{{Oresuki}}'':

* ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'': Princess Renner is considered The Golden Princess by her people and is a UniversallyBelovedLeader by the masses. But in reality, [[spoiler:she is a complete and utter sociopath without [[LackOfEmpathy a single ounce of empathy]]. Her only "redeeming" quality is that she is absolutely in love with her bodyguard, Climb, and will do ''anything'' to marry him and make him the father of her children. Her sole reason for putting on the act of a benevolent princess is that it makes Climb love her; in one scene, Climb turns away from her just long enough for us to see [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/villains/images/7/79/Sakbaks.png/revision/latest?cb=20191209093704 this face]].]]

* In ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'', Ami Kawashima is a high-school FashionModel that seems very sweet and clumsy to everyone else in order to get accepted by her peers. Only her childhood friend Yuusaku Kitamura knows her real self: an arrogant girl who will not hesitate to use abusive language towards others and tries to make amends if someone sees her true personality because she is uncertain about her dual personality. This personality is shown early to Taiga Aisaka (who tried to break up the facade for everyone and became rivals), Ryuuji Takasu (who understands her and even got her to fall in love with him), and Minori Kushieda (who has a bigger facade than her and that pissed her off).

[[caption-width-right:349:Looks like we'll have to deduct a point from her HundredPercentAdorationRating after all.]]

* ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'': Princess Renner is considered The Golden Princess by her people and has a OneHundredPercentAdorationRating by the masses. But in reality, [[spoiler:she is a complete and utter sociopath without [[LackOfEmpathy a single ounce of empathy]]. Her only "redeeming" quality is that she is absolutely in love with her bodyguard, Climb, and will do ''anything'' to marry him and make him the father of her children. Her sole reason for putting on the act of a benevolent princess is that it makes Climb love her; in one scene, Climb turns away from her just long enough for us to see [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/villains/images/7/79/Sakbaks.png/revision/latest?cb=20191209093704 this face]].]]

* Lila Rossi in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' is a ConsummateLiar and a [[TheSociopath sociopath]], being a much more toxic (and hauntingly realistic) influence to those around her unlike the ObliviouslyEvil Chloe or the [[EvilIsHammy over-the-top]] Hawk Moth. A recurring tell Lila has is when Lila drops her charming NiceGirl smile in favor of a contemptuous scowl whenever the person she is talking to turns their back on her.

The Jerkass at your Discretion relates is a specific kind of BitchInSheepsClothing that acts nice when certain people are within earshot, but instantly turn sour when they leave. These kinds of characters tend to come off as particularly mean, since their desire to hide their true nature implies that they're aware that their behavior would be considered socially unacceptable, but barring one or two exceptions, they simply do not care.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'', Ami Kawashima is a high-school FashionModel that seems very sweet and clumsy to everyone else in order to get accepted by her peers. Only her childhood friend Yuusaku Kitamura knows her real self: an arrogant girl who will not hesitate to use abusive language towards others, and tries to make amends if someone sees her true personality, because she is uncertain about her dual personality. This personality is shown early to Taiga Aisaka (who tried to break up the facade for everyone and became rivals), Ryuuji Takasu (who understands her and even got her to fall in love with him) and Minori Kushieda (who has a bigger facade than her and that pissed her off).

** Later, it's revealed that Joro's best friend, Sun-chan [[spoiler:holds an intense grudge against Joro for unknowingly "stealing" the affection of a girl Sun-chan used to like in middle school. Sun-chan thus deliberately attempted to (and for a brief time, succeeded to) ruin Joro's relationship with both Himawari and Cosmos as revenge. Ironically, though, Sun-chan is foiled when another girl he has interest in, "Pansy", is again in love with Joro and thus creates and EngineeredPublicConfession that outs Sun-chan's plan to Joro, Himawari and Cosmos. When he thinks no one's around, Sun-chan even threatens to ''rape'' Pansy for not returning his affection, until Joro appears and punches him out.]]

* Miss Minchin in ''Literature/ALittlePrincess'' is this. She is very charming to Sarah's father when she believes he is rich and will give her school lots of money, but she turns against Sarah and treats her horribly when she believes Sarah's father has died penniless, and money she has spent on Sarah will not be repaid.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' features a variant of this trope with Charlotte, a Nohrian border guard who acts like a sweetheart when around most other people, but is her regular, much less pleasant self around her friend Benny. Unlike most of the other examples of this trope, Charlotte and Benny actually get along quite well, and she finds it relieving that there's someone she doesn't need to put up a front around. Part of her character arc throughout her supports has her either BecomingTheMask, or learning to embrace her true self.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "[[Recap/SpongebobSquarepantsS7E131KeepBikiniBottomBeautifulAPalForGary A Pal for Gary]]", [=SpongeBob=] buys an extremely cute pet from an old lady so that Gary isn't lonely, ignoring the lady's warnings that it shouldn't be near other pets. When he brings Puffy Fluffy home, it seizes every opportunity to terrorize Gary whenever [=SpongeBob=] isn't in the room. Each time [=SpongeBob=] comes back, Puffy plays innocent and poor Gary ends up taking the blame for whatever events transpired while he was out. And even when he finds out that Puffy Fluffy is indeed a hideous monster, [[UngratefulBastard he still chooses to blame Gary]].

Ah, the age-old trope of [[BitchInSheepsClothing someone not being as nice as they first appear to be]]. There are a smorgasbord of ways for such people to reveal their true colors. Sometimes, however, all it takes is for another character to not be nearby to witness their actions.

Ah, the age-old trope of [[BitchInSheepsClothing someone not being as nice as they first appear to be]]. There a smorgasbord of ways for such people to reveal their true colors. Sometimes, however, all it takes is for another character to not be nearby to witness their actions.

Contrast JerkassToOne, where a character genuinely is nice most of the time, and is only mean to one specific character, {{Tsundere}}, where a character acts mean to their love interest in an act of denial when talking to them up front, but secretly shows their true nicer feelings to them when they're usually away, and {{Yandere}}, where a character has an infatuation/obsession with someone they claim to love, but will threaten anyone who gets in the way of their desire ([[IfICantHaveYou the love interest]], if needs be). When a character maintains a facade despite being alone, see UndercoverWhenAlone. Related to TwoFacedAside when someone says one thing in front of someone and then expresses the opposite when out of their earshot, NiceCharacterMeanActor, when they act nice on camera but are mean when they're not rolling, and WhatYouAreInTheDark, when they only show their true colors when they're completely alone. Compare MoralityPet when a Jerkass acts ''genuinely'' nice due to a select person's influence. Compare TraitorShot.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jerkass_at_your_discretion_miraculousladybug.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Looks like we'll have to deduct a point from her HundredPercentAdorationRating after all.]]

Jerkass at your Discretion relates to a specific kind of BitchInSheepsClothing that acts nice when certain people are within earshot, but instantly turn sour when they leave. These kinds of characters tend to come off as particularly mean, since their desire to hide their true nature implies that they're aware that their behavior would be considered socially unacceptable, but barring one or two exceptions, they simply do not care.

This kind of character tends to be a fairly mundane VillainOfTheWeek, as the "only nice when X character is around" gimmick would get old pretty fast if it isn't resolved. Often a plot involving a Jerkass at your Discretion has the object(s) of their ire trying to warn others of their true nature, only to [[CassandraTruth get brushed off time and again]], usually ending with the person from whom the JAYD is trying to hide their true nature finding out one way or another, and subsequently severing ties. Expect the JAYD to thoroughly abuse the tried-and-true WoundedGazelleGambit and the FalseInnocenceTrick for all they're worth, taking every chance they can get to make the one person aware of their true nature look like ''they're'' the bully.

* ''WesternAnimation/GolanTheInsatiable'': In "I Can Smell That Cheap Clone From Here", Golan inadvertently [[MrSeahorse gives birth]] to a duplicate of himself which [[{{Jerkass}} unlike him]], is a KindheartedSimpleton who everyone loves. When nobody else is around, Clone Golan reveals that it's all an act to gain people's trust and he is actually just as evil as the original and even more intelligent and [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitious]], devising a plan for both of them to take over Earth. Golan [[EveryCarIsAPinto kills him]] after being told that he [[TheUnapologetic has to apologize]] to Dylan to build up his reputation in order for the plan to work.

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* One episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', aptly titled "Little Sister," introduces Rose's younger sister Holly. Rose admits ahead of time that she does not like her, and we soon see why. Holly acts perfectly polite and charming (to the point of overdoing it) when Rose is with Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia, but whenever the other girls try to arrange plans for them all to spend time together, Holly deliberately withholds the information from Rose and then claims that her sister simply doesn't want to spend time with her. Sadly, Dorothy and Blanche grab a firm hold of the JerkassBall in the episode and, despite seeing Rose as family, won't believe her when she says that Holly is deliberately manipulating the situation. Only Sophia is able to see what Holly is up to, but the others don't come around until she starts fooling around with Blanche's boyfriend, proving that her rotten character isn't limited to Rose alone.

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' features Mr. Bone's nephew Percy coming to town and acting like a royal jerk to everyone he meets--to the point that [[EvenEvilHasStandards even Roger thinks he's a complete monster.]] Percy covers up his nasty behavior whenever his uncle is around, though, so it's hard for him to get punished; it takes Roger [[EngineeredPublicConfession tricking Percy into bullying Doug when Mr. Bone is nearby]] to get justice.
* This trope is famously [[InvertedTrope inverted]] with [[{{Tsundere}} Helga Pataki]] of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' Helga acts like a complete jerkass whenever anyone, but especially Arnold, is within earshot. But as soon as she's alone, she reveals a poetic, romantic, and deeply wounded soul. Later episodes reveal that her [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusive and neglectful parents]] have created a FreudianExcuse for the ages--Helga feels that she ''must'' put up a tough veneer to keep people from seeing her as weak and helpless.

* This trope is famously [[InvertedTrope inverted]] with [[{{Tsundere}} Helga Pataki]] of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold.'' Helga acts like a complete jerkass whenever anyone, but especially Arnold, is within earshot. But as soon as she's alone, she reveals a poetic, romantic, and deeply wounded soul. Later episodes reveal that her [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusive and neglectful parents]] have created a FreudianExcuse for the ages--Helga feels that she ''must'' put up a tough veneer to keep people from seeing her as weak and helpless.

TruthInTelevision for most bullies and abusers. Many of them only act when they know they can get away with it; if the presence of others creates problems for them, they'll act nice until they and their victim are alone.

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* ''[[Series/ICarly iCarly]]'':

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Contrast JerkassToOne, where a character genuinely is nice most of the time, and is only mean to one specific character, {{Tsundere}}, where a character acts mean to their love interest in an act of denial when talking to them up front, but secretly shows their true nicer feelings to them when they're usually away, and {{Yandere}}, where a character has an infatuation/obsession with someone they claim to love, but will threaten anyone who gets in the way of their desire ([[IfICantHaveYou the love interest]], if needs be). When a character maintains a facade despite being alone, see UndercoverWhenAlone. Related to TwoFacedAside when someone says one thing in front of someone and then expresses the opposite when out of their earshot, NiceCharacterMeanActor, when they act nice on camera but are mean when they're not rolling, and WhatYouAreInTheDark, when they only show their true colors when they're completely alone. Compare MoralityPet when a Jerkass acts ''genuinely'' nice due to a select person's influence.

* In ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', Frasier Crane is proudly introducing Diane Chambers to his mother as his intended wife. When Frasier or other members of the core cast are present, Hester Crane is benevolent and loving towards her prospective daughter-in-law, and seemingly supportive and approving towards her. But in private, [[MyBelovedSmother Hester]] expresses her true emotions, and malevolently tells Diane she disapproves and intends to shoot her through the head and make it look like an accident. As Diane already has a reputation for being a self-centred drama queen, she knows she is going to be disbelieved if she complains.
* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': When [[spoiler:Patricia and Fabian]] both turn into Sinners, they continuously pull this trick to torment their chosen victims further. [[spoiler:Patricia]] revealed her true nature to KT, only to then act like the victim of KT's "evil" whenever the rest of Sibuna was around. [[spoiler:Fabian]], meanwhile, was as friendly as usual to KT, but whispered cruel things to further break an already hurt Joy, and then proceeded to reveal his evil nature only to mock Alfie's attempts at stopping him- all the while KT was none the wiser.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'': When Jazmine sells her lemonade stand to Ed Wuncler I for a pony, he acts perfectly reasonable about the arrangement... Until he sees her father Tom walk into the house. At that point, he begins rudely berating her for every minor slight, and soon forces sweatshop working conditions onto her. Tom catches on quickly and tries to stand up for his daughter, but is strong-armed into backing down when Wuncler threatens him with gang violence.