History Main / NobleWolf

* ''VideoGame/{{Wolf}}'' generally tries to depict wolves realistically, but was made with the intent that seeing how they live would make people care about them. The information snippets are definitely written with a Noble Wolf in mind.

* In the {{furry|webcomics}} SpaceOpera ''Webcomic/LancerTheKnightsOfFenris'', Rolf Garret is an anthropomorphic wolf who is depicted as a brave, heroic mentor to the three young pilots under his command, one of whom is a former StreetUrchin who regards him as a ParentalSubstitute.

* In ''Manga/InuYasha'' there are two major wolf creatures: Rouyakan is a gentle forest guardian who has no interest in the Shikon Jewel -- a very rare thing given that most of the {{youkai}} the main characters come across are eager to get hold of the jewel to amplify their powers. Naraku has to force a jewel shard on him to brainwash him, and Kaede is shocked by the ferocious behavior that results.

* ''Anime/PrincessMononoke''. The wolves were portrayed both as noble creatures who just want to protect their own and even saved a little child abandoned by her parents but also as savage creatures that kill humans indiscriminately. The point of the movie is that neither the animal spirits nor the people of the Ironworks are any better or worse than the other.

* Wolf O'Donnell of the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' series. Originally presented as a generic "evil Star Fox", the later games showed him to be a gruff pilot with a sense of honor, teaming up with Star Fox in many an occasion.

* ''Anime/MonsterRancher'': Tiger of the Wind is (overly) proud and often rather ruthless yet brave and loyal to the point of death.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movies, TheBigBadWolf is [[AdaptationalHeroism a good guy]].

* ''Film/NeverCryWolf'': * NobleWolf: The wolf pack members prey mainly on rodents, show a sense of respect for the protagonist's space when he marks his territory as an experiment and are friendly towards each other.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolfwalkers}}'', the wolves are seen by the townsfolk and the Lord Protector as [[SavageWolves savage beasts]] that need to be wiped out. After Robyn meets Mebh, she discovers that wolves aren't as bad as she thought, especially when she becomes a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Wolfwalker]] herself. She eventually sides with Mebh and the wolves to protect the forest from destruction.

As wolves became less common in inhabited areas, people became less wary and more curious of them and started to look at their positive traits. No longer seen as simply destructive beasts, they were soon written as proud and admirable symbols of nature that were intelligent, dignified and reasonable. Though still dangerous, if a Noble Wolf is antagonistic, it's probably not just because it hates you or wants to eat you. Rather, an antagonist Noble Wolf will probably have been offended at your trespasses or your competition for resources.

Though leaning more towards neutrality, a Noble Wolf can easily be a heroic figure. With their intelligence, [[HeroesLoveDogs a doglike figure]] and social nature, it is easy to pick out good traits to emphasize. Any heroic wolf of this sort will be a force to be reckoned with as wolves are still taken very seriously today. Bonus points if the wolf is [[WhiteWolvesAreSpecial white]].

* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf'' is about a merchant who finds a wolf deity who then travels with him. She is haughty, self sufficient and can be cruel, but she's also wise, well-meaning and was once a village patron deity that helped bring good harvests.

* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf'' plays with this trope.
** The leading lady, Holo, is a wolf deity. Her true form is so big and scary that Lawrence (her LoveInterest) shat himself the first time he saw it; so does everyone else. On the other hand, she only takes this form in Lawrence's defence and proudly calls herself a 'wise wolf'.
** Another (nameless) wolf deity was much less friendly but still granted the duo safe passage through his forest [[spoiler: after Holo got on her knees and begged him to.]]

** Nymeria, who is Arya’s, protected her master when [[RoyalBrat Joffrey]] tried to kill her because she protected her friend from his cold-blooded amusement. Unfortunately, Arya had to force Nymeria to run away to protect her from [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Cersei’s]] [[MamaBear wrath]]. Nymeria is now the leader of an extremely large wolf pack in the Riverlands.

* In the state of Colorado, politically conservative pundits and radio talk show hosts such as Jon Caldara and Steffan Tubbs blamed this trope for the passage of Proposition 114 in 2020, a voter-approved measure which would reintroduce gray wolves to the western slope of the state by 2023.

* ''Series/TheHexer'': During his Trial of Mountains, young Geralt encountered a lone she-wolf. She initially was hostile towards him, while protecting her den with cubs in it. Slowly, Geralt won her favour by tending to her wounds and giving them some of his food, naming the wolf Zębata (Fangtooth). Near the end of test, she accepted Geralt as a part of her family.

* In the Creator/{{Disney}} comic books, Li'l Bad Wolf, the son of Zeke the Big Bad Wolf, finds himself in a dilemma between [[WellDoneSonGuy following in his pop's footsteps]] and doing the right thing. He usually tells Br'er Bear about his plans, receiving sympathetic treatment if he promises to be good, receiving help from either Practical Pig, a fairy, or someone else who helps Li'l Bad so that his good side prevails.
* ComicStrip/ThePhantom has Devil who is much more loyal and heroic than his name implies. In the [[Film/ThePhantom1943 1943 movie serial]] he was even played by the real-life Wonder Dog, Ace.

* The Wolfriders' wolves in ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' are definitely this. The elves' kinship with them is [[spoiler: more than metaphorical]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Aquila}}'': The guardian spirit of Rome is, of course, a wolf. She's actually a goddess who once took the form of a wolf bitch the size of Fenrir to watch over Romulus and Remus before the former of the two brothers slayed the other and began the city's martial era. She resides in the sewers of the city BeneathTheEarth with her followers.

* In ''Literature/TsarevitchIvanTheFireBirdAndTheGrayWolf'', the wolf introduces himself by eating Ivan's horse. After that, however, it serves as Ivan's steed and gives him advice on [[TheQuest his quest]]. (Even if Ivan [[IdiotHero can not be relied on to follow it]].)
* ''[[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/392.htm The Golden Mermaid]]'', has another wolf mount but there the prince ''offered'' it his horse for a meal.

* The Battle Wolf in ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'' -- one of its kind once averted global extinction by single-handedly killing the entire race of Death Gores that were causing it, not even allowing them one leaf of the forest in which it lived in (yes, the Death Gore is a Herbivore). And in an encounter with the [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Devil's Serpent]], a snake rumoured to have been the Battle Wolf's competitor in the ancient days... [[CurbStompBattle it only lasted three pages]]. On top of that, [[UpToEleven said Battle Wolf was just exhausted from giving birth, and nearing the end of its life]], having given all it had to give birth to its child. In the end, [[DiedStandingUp she died standing up, proud like the king it was cloned from, which was the same Battle Wolf mentioned earlier]].

** Summer, who is Bran's. Like the former two but taken UpToEleven; since Bran is TheBeastmaster, he can enter Summer's mind and control him at will. After a long time as a BondCreature, it's hard to distinguish where Bran's mind ends and Summer's begins.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', the sun goddess Amaterasu takes the form of a fluffy white wolf with red markings and RealityWarper powers, and goes around Nippon helping people, beating up evil demons and generally making the world bright and beautiful. While technically she is a goddess and not a real wolf, she behaves very much like a friendly, playful (and occasionally naughty) dog.
** The sequel ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'' stars her son, the adorable puppy protagonist Chibiterasu. He's not as dignified as Ammy but he makes up for it in cuteness.

** Taken further with ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''. [[spoiler:After you kill (or tranquilize) Crying Beauty, a wolf comes to her side and, after doing a HowlOfSorrow, lifts her onto it's back before walking into the night. This wolf is implied to be Sniper Wolf's spirit, come to take her fellow wolf to a final resting place.]]

* In the fanmade ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' novelization ''Fanfic/BreathOfTheWild'', the plot-point of Link transforming into a wolf in ''Videogame/TwilightPrincess'' is expanded into Link's AnimalMotif. He's very associated with wolves. [[spoiler: The Wolf Spirit is the full gathering of power from all prior incarnations of Link meant to be wielded by the current Link]]. Also, the Hero's Shade makes an appearance in Link's dreams in his gold wolf form, and is accompanied by other incarnations of Link, all of whom are in wolf form with MorphicResonance that makes it clear which Link they represent. For example, one [[Videogame/TheMinishCap wears a green cap with a beak]] and one [[Videogame/TheWindWaker carries a baton]].
* Bear is one of these in the ''Fanfic/CatalystVerse'', instead of the HeroicDog he is in ''Series/PersonOfInterest''.
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Freki and Geri, the wolves of Odin, who are a) the size of small ponies, b) possessed of at least human-level intelligence, c) like all things in Asgard, super-strong and bulletproof. They're fairly good-natured, however, and tend to act like over-sized friendly dogs, particularly when standing in as Harry's bodyguards - and since he's their master's grandson, they're dangerously protective of him.

A SisterTrope to HeroicDog. See also HeroicDolphin. Compare and contrast SavageWolves. This trope as it pertains to positive traits of male wolves is the origin of PapaWolf. Having a lupine ally or pet is another trope, i.e. CanineCompanion.

** Wolves in general are seen as threats by humans but Holo points out that [[NotSoDifferent humans are seen as threats by wolves]].

[[folder:Mythology]]