History Main / OpportunisticBastard

** [[HiredGuns Bronn]] intends to rise in the world anyway he can, and attaches himself to anybody who can do that for him. Starting out as a simple sellsword, he first latches onto Catelyn Stark's revenue transporting Tyrion Lannister to the Vale, for the possibility of a reward. He then proceeds to quickly switch sides from Catelyn to Tyrion, championing him in a [[DuelToTheDeath Trial by Combat]], thus becoming the right-hand man of one of the richest and most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms. He stays on for a while, accumulating riches, titles and a knighthood, before eventually refusing Tyrion's request to [[spoiler:champion him again in the trial over Joffrey's murder]] because Cersei Lannister offered him a marriage into a powerful noble house with no risk to himself. Seizing any opportunity that came his way, Bronn went from an ordinary mercenary all the way to the Lord Protector of House Stokeworth.
** Lord Walder Frey, head of House Frey and Lord of the Crossing, only reacts to the plans of others and only openly aligns with anyone when he believes it will serve his best interests. In the backstory it's established he didn't join Robert's rebellion against the Targaryeans until it was all but confirmed Robert would be victorious, earning him the nickname "The Late Lord Frey." In ''Game of Thrones'' he only joins Robb's war with the Lannisters when Catelyn grants him generous enticements, including a marriage between Robb and one of his daughters. When [[spoiler:Robb breaks his marriage vow, Walder happily latches onto Tywin's side when he offers Walder the position of new Lord of Riverrun. Lord Walder then proceeded to butcher Robb and most of his bannermen when they were defenseless and assumed themselves safe under Lord Walder's roof]]; a pragmatic move that made Lord Walder one of the most powerful, and despised, men in all of Westeros.
** Brown Ben Plumm, the commander of the sellsword company, the Second Sons. Prior to his promotion, Ben first works for Yunkai as another mercenary defender. However, after Daenerys defeats his company and causes their leader, Mero, to disappear, Ben becomes the company's new leader and joins Daenerys against his former employers. He stays with her until she conquers Mereen at which point, believing she can't win against the newly reformed Yunkai forces and having found out she can't control her dragons, he abandons her and again allies himself with Yunkai. When he believes Daenerys is about to become a DragonRider, however, Ben plans to sell out Yunkai ''again'' and realign with Daenerys. He's also a man who notices golden opportunities when presented with them. At a slave auction, he tries to buy [[spoiler:Ser Jorah Mormont and Tyrion Lannister]]. The former he plans on killing and presenting as a "wedding present" in order to get back into Daenerys's good graces. The latter he plans on selling for the bounty on his head, which includes a lordship in Westeros. Eventually [[spoiler:Tyrion]] is able to talk Ben into allowing both him and [[spoiler:Jorah]] to join the company, but only after convincing him he can give Plumm vast more riches as [[spoiler:Lord of Casterly Rock]] than he can as a head on a pike. Ben is a man of no loyalties, who will backstab anyone if the odds aren't in their favor, and who is driven by a lust for riches and self-preservation above all else. Plumm believes that successful and long-lived sellswords like himself are opportunistic bastards at heart, and those that aren't tend not to be very long-lived.

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and doing so risked a civil war in Ferelden even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] to RapePillageAndBurn the country. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will also go through with political marriages, such as she will to a Noble Human Grey Warden, seeing him as a popular figure. She'd even go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her beloved, late husband]], the very same man she'd also [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through where she rules alone]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants and do as they ask in return. The one exception to this is [[spoiler:marrying whoever personally executes her father.]] [[DaddysGirl That is the one thing she will not do no matter the benefits.]]

* [[spoiler:Hans]] from ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' who admits to not having a real plan. He first intended to woo Elsa. When he realised she was an IceQueen, he turned his attentions to her sister, Ana, intending to arrange an accident for Elsa. Then Elsa reveals her powers and runs away, with Ana in pursuit, and he tries to ingratiate himself to the public while they are gone. Finally, when Ana comes home, he tries to have her killed, then tells the assembled nobles that they got married, making him king; when she and Elsa turn up alive he tries to kill them both to cover his tracks. At no point does he have a master plan; he's just aiming to be king through whatever means are available.

** Roose Bolton when Winterfell is taken over by the Ironborn under Theon Greyjoy, he sends his forces to sack it instead of liberating as he told Robb. When he saw that Robb could not win the war, he sides with the Lannisters and Freys, with Robbs army decimated in the Red Wedding, he becomes the new Warden of the North thanks to the Lannisters.

** One of the biggest reasons [[TheOathbreaker Jaime Lannister]] is so widely reviled by the people of Westeros is not only because he [[BodyguardBetrayal killed the king he swore to defend]], but because he did so when his father and his army were within the walls of King's Landing. As a result, it is thought that he only did it to further [[EvilOverlord Daddy's]] ambitions. [[NotWhatItLooksLike He]] [[WhatYouAreInTheDark didn't]].

** Roose Bolton when he saw that Robb could not win the war, he sides with the Lannisters and Freys, with Robbs army decimated in the Red Wedding, he becomes the new Warden of the North thanks to the Lannisters.

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Arguably, [[spoiler:Kyubey]]. While they do have a goal in mind, they are shown to exploit new circumstances [[spoiler:to try and manipulate girls into contracting (best example: he waits until Mami is literally ''dying'' in a car crash before offering her a contract; in her own words, "I didn't really have a choice.")]] and invoke ExactWords, LiteralGenie and YouDidntAsk to conveniently hide the (multiple) [[AwfulTruth uncomfortable facts]] of being a MagicalGirl. Also, [[spoiler:he tends to cut corners while granting wishes as a means of conserving energy; this is why the phrasing of each girl's wish has to be perfect, or else they'll end up screwed over]].

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Arguably, [[spoiler:Kyubey]]. While they do have a goal in mind ([[spoiler:preventing the death of the universe by Entropy by harvesting the emotional energy of teenage girls]]), they are shown to exploit new circumstances [[spoiler:to try and manipulate girls into contracting (best example: he waits until Mami is literally ''dying'' in a car crash before offering her a contract; in her own words, "I didn't really have a choice.")]] and invoke ExactWords, LiteralGenie and YouDidntAsk to conveniently hide the (multiple) [[AwfulTruth uncomfortable facts]] of being a MagicalGirl. Also, [[spoiler:he tends to cut corners while granting wishes as a means of conserving energy; this is why the phrasing of each girl's wish has to be perfect, or else they'll end up screwed over]].

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Arguably, [[spoiler:Kyubey]]. While they do have a goal in mind ([[spoiler:preventing the death of the universe by Entropy by harvesting the emotional energy of teenage girls]]), they are shown to exploit new circumstances and invoke ExactWords, LiteralGenie and YouDidntAsk to conveniently hide the (multiple) [[AwfulTruth uncomfortable facts]] of being a MagicalGirl. Also, [[spoiler:he takes every opportunity - ''every'' opportunity - to back Madoka into a contract]].

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Arguably, [[spoiler:Kyubey]]. While they do have a goal in mind ([[spoiler:preventing the death of the universe by Entropy by harvesting the emotional energy of teenage girls]]), they are shown to exploit new circumstances and invoke ExactWords, LiteralGenie and YouDidntAsk to conveniently hide the (multiple) [[AwfulTruths uncomfortable facts]] of being a MagicalGirl. Also, [[spoiler:he takes every opportunity - ''every'' opportunity - to back Madoka into a contract]].

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and doing so risked a civil war in Ferelden even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] to RapePillageAndBurn the country. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will also go through with political marriages, such as she will to a Noble Human Grey Warden, seeing him as a popular figure. She'd even go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her beloved, late husband]], the very same man she'd also [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through where she rules alone]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants and do as they ask in return.

** Brown Ben Plumm, the commander of the sellsword company, the Second Sons. Prior to his promotion, Ben first works for Yunkai as another mercenary defender. However, after Daenerys defeats his company and causes their leader, Mero, to disappear, Ben becomes the company's new leader and joins Daenerys against his former employers. He stays with her until she conquers Mereen at which point, believing she can't win against the newly reformed Yunkai forces and having found out she can't control her dragons, he abandons her and again allies himself with Yunkai. When he believes Daenerys is about to become a DragonRider, however, Ben plans to sell out Yunkai ''again'' and realign with Daenerys. He's also a man who notices golden opportunities when presented with them. At a slave auction, he tries to buy [[spoiler:Ser Jorah Mormont and Tyrion Lannister]]. The former he plans on killing and presenting as a "wedding present" in order to get back into Daenerys's good graces. The latter he plans on selling for the bounty on his head, which includes a lordship in Westeros. Eventually [[spoiler:Tyrion]] is able to talk Ben into allowing both him and [[spoiler:Jorah]] to join the company, but only after convincing him he can give Plumm vast more riches as [[spoiler:Lord of Casterly Rock]] than he can as a head on a pike. Ben is a man of no loyalties, who will backstab anyone if the odds aren't in their favor, and who is driven by a lust for riches and self-preservation above all else.

Hierarchically they could be anyone from a minor character to TheBigBad himself. Compare/contrast TheChessmaster. See also ManipulativeBastard and XanatosSpeedChess. Can easily become a WildCard. Likely to be a DirtyCoward or to suffer from ChronicBackstabbingDisorder. Might belong to LesCollaborateurs or even become TheQuisling.

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and doing so risked a civil war in Fereldan even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] to their doorstep in an attempt to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her late husband]], the very same man she'd [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through where she rules alone]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants and do as they ask in return.

** Starting out as a simple sellsword, [[HiredGuns Bronn]] from first latches onto Catelyn Stark's revenue transporting Tyrion Lannister to the Vale, for the possibility of a reward. He then proceeds to quickly switch sides from Catelyn to Tyrion, championing him in a [[DuelToTheDeath Trial by Combat]], thus becoming the right-hand man of one of the richest and most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms. He stays on for a while, accumulating riches, titles and a knighthood, before eventually refusing Tyrion's request to [[spoiler:champion him again in the trial over Joffrey's murder]] because Cersei Lannister offered him a marriage into a powerful noble house with no risk to himself. Seizing any opportunity that came his way, Bronn went from an ordinary mercenary all the way to the Lord Protector of House Stokeworth.

** Season 5's Daryl Crowe Jr. is described as such by his right-hand man, Jean-Baptiste, who comments on Daryl's penchant for finding employ with someone else, and then making their business his. He did this to the Muchado family's sugar smuggling operation in Florida. After coming to Kentucky he first tries to take over his cousin Dewey's brothel, leading to conflict with Boyd Crowder, then hires himself out to Boyd as an enforcer. Most recently, while on a job for Boyd in Mexico, he and his brother Danny have sabotaged Boyd's operation for as yet unrevealed reasons.
** The same season gives us Mara Paxton and Sheriff Nick Moony, both of whom bounce back and forth between working for Boyd and working for Lee Paxton (Mara's husband) based on whoever seems strongest at the time, in an attempt at getting the best possible position for themselves. Moony had a history of this sort of behaviour long before Season 5, selling out Doyle Bennett to Boyd, Tillman Napier to Boyd, and then Boyd to Paxton, all based on who was offering the most at any given time.

!!Examples

* Char Aznable in the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' has the vague goal of "eliminate the Zabis" but no real plan for doing it. He hangs around with Garma Zabi, and is able to betray him, leading to his death in battle. He then just bounces around from commander to commander and mission to mission until the very end of the show when he's able to take a shot at Kycilia Zabi, who by then (no thanks to Char) is the only Zabi left. He spends most of ''[[MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta]]'' dodging responsibility, and hoping the AEUG will force the world to follow his father's philosophy without him having to lead it; when things go south, he abandons the cause after his defeat by Haman Khan. Even in ''[[CharsCounterattack CCA]]'', when he does take power in Neo-Zeon, it's not through planning--he just waits until everybody else with a claim to the throne (Haman Khan, Glemmy Toto, Mineva Zabi) is dead or in hiding, and declares himself leader.

* Lucius Malfoy of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is a SmugSnake of an opportunist, latching onto anything that will either help his ambition or help him save his own hide. In the backstory, he joins [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] for the power involved, and also because its [[ANaziByAnyOtherName racist cause]] adhered with his prejudiced mindset. After Voldemort's power is shattered and the Dark Lord disappears, Lucius abandons his master and pretends his deeds were because of brainwashing, allowing him to escape justice. Perhaps the best example of Lucius's "planning capabilities" is how he orchestrated the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. He simply [[spoiler:plopped Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny Weasely's lap, let Tom Riddle do all the work,]] and sat back, taking advantage of the chaos for his own ends. When Lord Voldemort returned to power in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', Lucius goes back to Voldemort to avoid incurring the Dark Lord's wrath, and once again carries out Voldemort's will. Throughout the series, Lucius only has one consistent loyalty and that's [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes to his family.]] Eventually, [[spoiler:when Voldemort's cause endangers his son's life, Lucius defects from the Death Eaters for Draco's safety]].

* Queen Anora from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' will [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstab]] anyone so long as it satisfies her two goals: remaining in power and [[DaddysGirl securing the physical safety of her father, Loghain.]] Being a choice-based game, there are a number of options for how Anora will react if certain decisions are made. Should the PlayerCharacter, the Warden, decide to back her at the Landsmeet, she will turn against her father, the regent, to secure power for herself. However, should the Warden decide to back [[spoiler:Alistair]] instead, she will betray the Warden and side with her father, despite the fact Loghain had arranged her husband's death, conducted numerous evil actions, and that by doing so she risked a civil war in Fereldan even as [[BigBad the Archdemon]] led [[TheHorde the Darkspawn]] in an attempt to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. In order to preserve her political power, Anora will go so far as to [[spoiler:marry Alistair, the bastard brother of her late husband]], the very same man she'd [[spoiler:order executed for being a threat to her in another possible play through]]. Anora has no master plan to get her way and few scruples, she'll simply latch on to anyone who is most likely to give her the power she wants.

* Obadiah Hakeswill, Richard Shape's ArchEnemy from the ''{{Literature/Sharpe}}'' series is a toadying sadist of a British drill sergeant with his only goals being his own profit and enjoyment. Hakeswill relishes bullying the men in his command, but throughout the India Trilogy, he is quick to desert the British whenever he thinks he has a better shot with the local rulers. he deserts and betrays the British no less than three separate times there and murders the colonel who could have exposed him. In the Napoleonic Wars in Spain, Hakeswill returns and continues attempting to weasel his way up in rank before he takes a chance to desert the British and captains a group of Bandits where he opts to RapePillageAndBurn for [[ForTheEvulz for fun]] with no greater goal in mind.

* Lucius Malfoy of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is a SmugSnake of an opportunist, latching onto anything that will either help his ambition or help him save his own hide. In the backstory, he joins [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] for the power involved, and also because its [[ANaziByAnyOtherName racist cause]] adhered with his prejudiced mindset. After Voldemort's power is shattered and the Dark Lord disappears, Lucius abandons his master and pretends his deeds were because of brainwashing, allowing him to escape justice. Perhaps the "best" example of Lucius's planning capabilities is how he orchestrated the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. He simply [[spoiler:plopped Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny Weasely's lap, let Tom Riddle do all the work,]] and sat back, taking advantage of the chaos for his own ends. When Lord Voldemort returned to power in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', Lucius goes back to Voldemort to avoid incurring the Dark Lord's wrath, and once again carries out Voldemort's will. Throughout the series, Lucius only has one consistent loyalty and that's [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes to his family.]] Eventually, [[spoiler:when Voldemort's cause endangers his son's life, Lucius defects from the Death Eaters for Draco's safety]].

* Lucius Malfoy of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is a SmugSnake of an opportunist, latching onto anything that will either help his ambition or help him save his own hide. In the backstory, he joins [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] for the power involved, and also because its [[ANaziByAnyOtherName racist cause]] adhered with his prejudiced mindset. After Voldemort's power is shattered and the Dark Lord disappears, Lucius abandons his master and pretends his deeds were because of brainwashing, allowing him to escape justice. Probably Lucius's "plan" that most exemplifies this trope is when he "orchestrates" the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, simply by [[spoiler:plopping Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny Weasely's lap. Tom Riddle]] does all the work while Lucius sits back and takes advantage of the ensuing chaos for his own ends, such as taking advantage of the situation to get Dumbledore temporarily fired. When Lord Voldemort returns to power in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', Lucius goes back to Voldemort to avoid incurring the Dark Lord's wrath, and once again carries out Voldemort's will. Throughout the series, Lucius only has one consistent loyalty and that's [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes to his family.]] Eventually, [[spoiler:when Voldemort's cause endangers his son's life, Lucius defects from the Death Eaters for Draco's safety]].

* Lucius Malfoy of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is a SmugSnake of an opportunist, latching onto anything that will either help his ambition or help him save his own hide. In the backstory, he joins [[BigBad Lord Voldemort]] for the power involved, and also because its [[ANaziByAnyOtherName racist cause]] adhered with his prejudiced mindset. After Voldemort's power is shattered and the Dark Lord disappears, Lucius abandons his master and pretends his deeds were because of brainwashing, allowing him to escape justice. Probably Lucius's "plan" that most exemplifies this trope is when he "orchestrates" the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, simply by [[spoiler:plopping Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny Weasely's lap]], then sits back and takes advantage of the ensuing chaos, such as using it to get Dumbledore temporarily fired. When Lord Voldemort returns to power in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', Lucius goes back to Voldemort to avoid incurring the Dark Lord's wrath, and once again carries out Voldemort's will. Throughout the series, Lucius only has one consistent loyalty: [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his love for his family.]] Eventually, [[spoiler:when Voldemort's cause endangers his son's life, Lucius defects the Death Eaters for Draco's safety]].

-> ''"You should have stuck to your original contract. Or your second plan. Or your third. You should, in fact, have stuck to ''something''. Anything. Your total self-interest did not make you strong, it made you a rag in the wind, anybody's to pick up."''
-->--Miles describing Cavilo, ''[[Literature/VorkosiganSaga The Vor Game]]''