History Main / SourOutsideSadInside

Compare with {{Tsundere}} and JerkWithAHeartOfGold, where characters have a harsh and abrasive personality that conceals a sweet or loving side. The StepfordSnarker is somewhat similar, hiding their sadness and insecurities under snarkiness, but not necessarily such a {{Jerkass}} about it. Being Sour Outside, Sad Inside is a fairly common trait of the MentorInSourArmor. In anime fandoms, this character is referred to as a ''tsunshun''.

In RealLife, frequent swings between angry/aggressive reactions and anxious/depressive ones is a hallmark of Borderline Personality Disorder. Pushing others away is also a common coping mechanism for people with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Therefore, TruthInTelevision.

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[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In the first arc of ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', [[BrokenBird Guts]] deliberately acts like a Jerkass to stop others from getting close to him. Not only is his normal fear of relationships heightened due to a recent [[BrokenPedestal betrayal by his master and closest friend]], but as a result of that betrayal, he is currently [[SupernaturallyDeliciousAndNutritious marked with a brand that attracts horrific monsters to him that aren't averse to killing or devouring anyone who gets in their way]]. It is only when he finds Casca, his former lover who has also been marked with the Brand, again that he begins to become less of an asshole, but because of his obsession with vengeance against his former mentor for what he did to him, her and the band he once led, he has to deal with a horrific EnemyWithin that represents his absolute worst side.

* Revy from ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' takes this to whole new extremes. Normally she just acts like TheLadette, in that she's slightly abrasive, but more or less congenial once you get used to her aggressive nature. However, if you start trying to get to know her on a personal level, she can very quickly become AxCrazy and will make a sincere effort to kill you. Luckily for her, a handful of people like Dutch and Rock have been to relate to her on some level, but even then she's still very defensive. [[spoiler:Due to a horrific childhood wherein she was abused by her caretaker, the police, and anyone else in authority, she has severe fears of feeling exposed and vulnerable, and she NEVER wants that to be hurt like that again. She developed an obsession with power, and she tends to be very tightlipped about her personal life to protect herself from betrayal. As such, whenever anyone gets too close to her, she often gets spooked, and reacts with violence.]]
* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'' has quite a few of these characters, but the one who really takes the cake is [[spoiler:[[StepfordSnarker Jun]], the bitter BigBrotherBully of the group who's actually tremendously lonely. His adoptive mother dying in childbirth left him resentful towards Kana, and he displays symptoms of depression from time to time: he's listless, always in a bad mood, sleeps a lot, and has trouble staying warm. When he learns his biological mother's identity and comes to terms with his issues, he rapidly matures into a wise and valiant boy who unhesitatingly gives his life for the sister he once hated.]]
* The mangaka of ''Manga/Brave10'', outright calls Nanakuma [[{{Tsundere}} tsuntsun]] in her {{doujinshi}}. He's arrogant and proud, but also very [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex insecure and desperate to prove himself]].
* Accelerator, from ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' and ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun''. [[spoiler: Being experimented on, forcing people away and being attacked on a constant basis]] because of his ability makes him more unbalanced than depressed, but he still uses his abrasive attitude to try to distance himself from others.
* In ''Anime/CuteHighEarthDefenseClubLove'', would-be [[TakeOverTheWorld World Dominator]] [[{{Tsundere}} Kinshiro]] is like this. He's not only given up on friendship personally, but he also wants to wipe it out of the world entirely, because of [[spoiler:his failed friendship with [[EvilFormerFriend Good Former Friend]] Atsushi that hurt him so badly]], which he mopes over at every opportunity.
* Kanda Yu from ''Manga/DGrayMan''. His DarkAndTroubledPast is a very good reason to hate the Order. He doesn't even make a secret out of it.
* A minor example is Matsuoka Rin from ''Anime/{{Free}}'' Much of his jerkassery and his obsession with beating Haruka stems from his [[spoiler: low self-esteem and self-loathing for failing to live his father's dream]]. [[{{CharacterDevelopment}} He gets better though]].
* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'':
** Kyo Sohma. Being the BlackSheep (cat) of the Zodiac has put immense pressure on his shoulders, which he covers up with his attitude. He gets over much of his negativity as the series goes on, mostly due to Tohru.
** Same with Rin. She began to act cold and distant to cope with her parents abandoning her as a child, to the point where she is incapable of expressing genuine feelings of concern for others. At several points she coldly tells Hiro and Tohru that they should butt out of her business and that "kind people should stay in their kind little worlds", only to later reflect that it came out much worse than she meant it to - she really just didn't want nice people to end up hurt and broken like she was.
* Ichiko Sakura of ''Manga/GoodLuckGirl'' seems to be your average pampered but sweet rich kid. Up close, however, she's quite a massive BitchInSheepsClothing who thinks [[{{Narcissist}} of nothing]] [[ItsAllAboutMe but herself]]. Behind ''that'', however, lies a [[BrokenBird sad, broken little girl]] who just yearns for the loving care of her parents, whom she hadn't seen since ''infancy'', not to mention the fact that [[spoiler:she is still being haunted by a horrible betrayal by a girl she once trusted]]. All that trauma ultimately turned her into the AlphaBitch she has become when the series started. It came to the point that even her SitcomArchnemesis, resident {{Jerkass God|s}}dess Momiji, slowly started to mellow out to her and even become her TricksterMentor, helping her reconnect with humanity and bring back the kindness she used to have.
* Victorique, from ''LightNovel/{{Gosick}}''. At first [[EmotionlessGirl emotionless]] [[spoiler: due to being locked in a dungeon for several years and being forsaken by her father]], she warms up because of Kujo and [[spoiler: [[EarnYourHappyEnding they become happily married at the end]].]]
* Natsume, from ''Manga/HidamariSketch''. Her [[spoiler:[[LesYay feelings towards Sae]]]] cause her to overreact and act rudely towards her before stomping away. One of the chapters (the only one to not be in 4koma style) helps explain the reason for her attitude. Sae also acts this way, but only when she deals with her younger sister.
* Ririchiyo Shirakiin, from ''Manga/InuXBokuSS''. Being virtually ignored by her family in favor of her sister and the bullying she went through as a kid because she's rich leads her to be rather unsociable at first. This facade lasts only about five minutes, for Ririchiyo either walks away to sulk somewhere or actually opens up to you and shows her sweet side. She's also the TropeNamer for the term ''tsunshun'', as the term was coined InUniverse by Nobara Yukinokouji to describe Ririchiyo.
* Hachiman Hikigaya of ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'' is [[TheCynic cynical]], bitter and utterly loathes anything that involves social interaction. A childhood of bad experiences such as bullying and rejection have led him to believe that youth is nothing but a lie, constantly snarks towards those around him, and resolves social issues by [[SilentScapegoat making himself the primary aggressor]], much to the discontent of his peers. Despite all of the above issues, Hachiman sincerely wishes to have a genuine relationship with those around him.
* Asuka Langley Soryu from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. Her BrokenBird past, for example [[spoiler:(her mother Kyoko going insane and treating a doll as Asuka in place of the real deal, and then hanging the doll and herself)]] leads her to be rude to many people with some exceptions (Kaji, Hikari, Misato... even [[LoveInterest Shinji]]). However, when left to herself Asuka shows that she has almost no self-esteem and struggles to overcome it.
* Ryoko Ōkami, from ''LightNovel/OkamiSan''. Underneath the fierce {{Tsundere}} wolf act she puts up, there is a sad, lonely, emotionally fragile girl who doesn’t want to be betrayed again.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
** Kyouko initially seems to be a mean, selfish girl who believes that {{Magical Girl}}s should use their powers for their own purposes, and never to help others. But as the series progresses, it's revealed ''why'' she acts this way: [[spoiler: Her family fell into destitution after her preacher father was excommunicated and when he found out that his followers increased and came back was due to Kyoko's Magical Girl powers from her wish compelled by Kyubey and not from people actually believing in him, he killed his family and himself and only she survived]], which resulted in her inability to trust anyone. It is only when she learns about the {{Awful Truth}}s of being a Magical Girl and when she saves Sayaka from Homura that she starts to get over her sourness, [[spoiler:which culminates in her performing a MercyKill to witch!Sayaka and sacrificing herself so Sayaka wouldn't be alone.]]
** Homura is also this, for different reasons. For a while she seems to be an arrogant loner who wants to prevent Kyubey from contracting any new magical girls, so she will have less competition. That is until she suddenly breaks down in tears after narrowly averting one of Madoka's attempts to become a magical girl. Her backstory later explains that she really only cares about stopping Madoka, specifically, from making a contract because [[spoiler:she has experienced the horrific aftermath of that scenario [[GroundhogDayLoop many times]]. It often leads to the end of the world, and always leads to the end of Madoka; [[AlwaysSaveTheGirl the latter concerns Homura much more than the former]]. She very much [[IJustWantToHaveFriends wants to be friends with everyone]], but she drove them away after a few time-loops because they [[CassandraTruth didn't believe her warnings]] and because repeatedly getting close to them only to see them all die or become witches was too painful. She adopted her too-cool-for-you persona as a coping mechanism.]]
* Shiva, from ''AudioPlay/SaintBeast''. He's got all of the tsun which covers up his fears of inferiority and frustration at not getting what he wants.
* Nishigami from ''Manga/ShindereShoujoToKodokuNaShinigami'', who tells his class not to get close to him on his first day at school because he believes everyone he gets close to will die.
* Hinamori Amu from ''Anime/ShugoChara'' is known for being rough, blunt, and sometimes downright rude, with a fashion style that resembles punk. However, in the very first episode, she's revealed to be soft, intimidated, and girly deep down, and throughout the show, constantly regrets her rough attitude and rude comments. This is the basis of the show's premise.
* Taiga Aisaka, from ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'', a deconstruction of {{Tsundere}}. Also known as the "Palmtop Tiger" because of her fierce Tsun-ness. [[spoiler: Moved into an apartment when her parents got divorced because she could not get along with either her mother or her father and stepmother. Her father also makes promises that he has no intention to keep.]] As the series goes on, she becomes emotionally stronger and Ryuji and others help her stand on her own again, [[spoiler: culminating with both a TrueLovesKiss with Ryuuji and her decision to come back home, so she can mend her broken family life before marrying him.]]
* ''Anime/YuGiOh''
** Seto Kaiba is this. He acts like a complete [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkass]] towards everyone and drives people away, but deep inside he's deeply hurt by the abuse he suffered from his adoptive father, Gozaburo.
[[/folder]]

* [[PhysicalGod Xadhoom]] from ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures: her role in the fall of her planet and her people (as well as the fact that she wasn't there during the event ) caused her to develop an insane amount of rage and guilt that she can only express by taking revenge on the aliens that attacked them. As such, she is very abrupt, callous, and rude toward practically everybody, only allowing herself '''very''' brief moments of friendship with Paperinik who, as herself admitted, is the only person she can count on in the whole universe.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': After their FirstKiss, Shinji and Asuka have a long talk and Shinji discovers Asuka may look harsh and tough but inwardly she is so sad, pained, and fragile as him.
* In the ''Fanfic/AvantasiaProtagAU'' series, Scarecrow often pushes his family away and acts unpleasant, but he really has depressive episodes and is mentally ill.
* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': Asuka's rage and viciousness is nothing but a shield she uses to hide her pain and push everyone away because she is frightened of them. If she is being really mad and rude it is a sign that she is breaking down.
-->'''Hikari:''' You know how she is. Always so arrogant and strong. But deep inside she's one of the most fragile people I know.
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm''
** The series implies on several occasions that Carol was like this, being abrasive, hot-tempered, defensive, touchy, sharp-tongued, and mistrustful. She segues into JerkWithAHeartOfGold around when she meets Harry. While she's [[ShipTease a softer touch around him]], she's repeatedly described as 'spiky', and with good reason. It transpires that a psychologically abusive father, an initially difficult relationship with her mother, and a fair amount of sexual harassment are to blame.
** Harry becomes like this after the [[TraumaCongaLine trauma]] of the ''[[DarkestHour Forever Red]]'' arc in the sequel. While he eventually [[TookALevelInKindness becomes kinder again]], he's still covered in mental scars, and a bit grumpier and more cynical than before.
* ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'': Surviving in a post-apocalyptic world had aggravated Asuka's mental scars. Outwardly she was harsher, angrier, and more jaded; inwardly she was utterly broken, depressed, and self-loathing.
* Asuka again (noticing a pattern here?) in ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime''. Having had quite some time to reflect upon just what an amazingly counterproductive coping mechanism this was, she throws herself into the [[PeggySue do-over]] with every intention of "using less ''tsun'' and more ''dere''" this time around.
* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': [[{{Tsundere}} Asuka]] initially came across as abrasive, rude, and arrogant, but in reality, she had very low self-esteem and little self-confidence, and she pushed people away because she was frightened of them.
* ''Fanfic/GhostsOfEvangelion'': Due to severe trauma and anger management issues, Asuka uses her anger to hide her hurt. If she is being mean it's because she's inwardly upset, nervous, or frightened.
-->'''Asuka:''' ''[nervously]'' Do you want me to help you?\\
'''Shinji:''' Why would you want to? You don't even like me.\\
'''Asuka:''' ''[frowning]'' That's not true. My mama asked me where I wanted to play, and I said here. I like being with you.\\
'''Shinji:''' But you're always mean to me.\\
'''Asuka:''' That doesn't mean I don't like you. I'm just afraid you'll go away, and it makes me nervous and upset. So I get mean even though I don't want to."
* ''Fanfic/{{HERZ}}'': The angrier and more hostile Asuka behaves the sadder and more awful she feels inward. When she was thinking of leaving Japan in the backstory and Shinji pleaded with her to stay with him, she berated him because she thought he could not possibly love her since she was an ugly, worthless freak and he was just mocking her.
* ''Fanfic/HigherLearning'': At the beginning of the story, Asuka pretends to be a tough, bold girl who does not need anybody. However, as the war goes on her traumas get worse and the mask shatters progressively until she shows herself as a depressed, sad girl who clings to Shinji desperately because she thinks she has nothing else.
* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': When Kaji says he is worried about Asuka Shinji answers she seems pretty hard-headed and capable to hold her own. Kaji warns him that she is not as strong as he thinks and she is in reality very fragile.
-->'''Kaji:''' How's Asuka doing?\\
'''Shinji:''' Fine, I guess. It's only been one day.\\
'''Kaji:''' I'm a little worried about her. She's not as strong as you think she is.\\
'''Shinji:''' She seems pretty hardheaded to me, [...] She held her own against some of the guys.\\
'''Kaji:''' Glass seems hard, [...] until you hit it the wrong way, or drop it, then it shatters.
* ''Fanfic/NeonGenesisEvangelionGenocide'': When Asuka opens up to Shinji, he realizes that she is and has always been very hurt and broken, but she's been hiding it since she was a child. Later on, he and Misato talk about her issues.
-->"She's been keeping all that inside of her for a very long time, I'd imagine," she said in her most tender voice. "She never has been the outgoing sort. Not with her feelings. I guess she was so hurt that all she could do was build a wall around her heart."
* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'': Although Shinji was not afraid of arguing with Asuka anymore he did his best to not hurt her pride because after going through Instrumentality he knew it was a mask and underneath she was a scared little girl who thought being a pilot was everything she had.
-->''"Then the Second Child had arrived, bringing with her conflict, friction, and more than a few painful contusions to his head as she continually let him know exactly what she thought of him as an Eva Pilot, a man, and a human."''\\
''All of it a giant lie to shield the four-year-old girl desperately hiding deep behind the moats, minefields, and electrified fences she had placed around her heart.''
* ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'': Shinji used to think Asuka was a brave, bold, self-assured girl to the point of being obnoxious although he had seen some glimpses showed Asuka was weaker than she looked. Then in chapter 6, she started tearing herself apart and he was shocked because she was so fragile and insecure and frightened as him.
* The source of Argus Filch's crankiness in ''Fanfic/TheParselmouthOfGryffindor'' seems to be his resentment at the way everyone treats him for being a Squib.
* ''Fanfic/TheRigelBlackChronicles'': It's not really surprising that Caelum Lestrange turned out this way from being raised by psychotic sadist Bellatrix Lestrange. He considers himself to be doing a public service by puncturing unwarranted optimism wherever he goes.
* ''Fanfic/ScarTissue'': Asuka displayed an abrasive behaviour to hide her traumatized, depressed real self. After having been defiled, eaten alive, and being forced to share her innermost thoughts and memories with literally ''everyone'', her temper became more volatile and uncontrollable. However, the more aggressive she got, the more awful she felt afterward.
* ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'': After returning to the past Asuka is depressed, worried, and pained the whole time because she and Shinji are forced to go through their worst trials again and worst of all [[spoiler:their daughter is missing]] but she has to keep pretending to be a brash, temperamental, hostile thirteen-years-old kid rather a mature woman in her twenties. She also wore a mask to hide her fragility the first time around but it is worst now because she is feeling more depressed and now she realizes how childish was her act.
* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': Asuka tries to pretend she is tough, angry, and bold so that nobody notices she is hurting inside and has many troubles, especially after [[spoiler:Arael's MindRape.]]
* ''Fanfic/ThousandShinji'': When he met Asuka Shinji quickly realized underneath her angry, jealous front there was a huge sadness, fear and she was more fragile than she looked and her soul had many scars.
-->''"Asuka glared up at him, and slowly the anger seeped out of her body... for now. Shinji could still feel it burning beneath the surface, ready to explode once the time was right, like how a burning room without flame could flashover when oxygen was introduced, producing a super hot fireball."''\\
''The smoke that covered up this fire, however, was sadness, the half-burned fuel for her frenzy. Peering into her soul, Shinji could feel a near-infinite well of sorrow hidden behind enough fortifications and trenches to make a World War One general wince at the thought of assaulting it.''\\
''She began to cry, and Shinji let go of her to allow her to regain her composure. She was more fragile than he had first thought. He would either have to repair her damaged heart or break her completely so as to rebuild her. If the situation continued, she could, and probably would, break in an undesirable fashion, most likely becoming useless.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/FyodorDostoevsky:
** Nastasya Filippovna from Dostoevsky's ''Literature/TheIdiot'' is an example from classic literature. Her public persona is that of a proud, arrogant FemmeFatale, but in reality, she takes on these characteristics to hide the pain and shame she feels about the abuse she suffered in her past. Interestingly enough, she is in a LoveTriangle with the more traditional {{Tsundere}} Aglaya Yepanchin for the favor of the [[IncorruptiblePurePureness saintly Prince Myshkin]], and [[spoiler: Myshkin's inability to choose between helping to overcome the problems of a 'shun' and returning the love of a 'dere' leads to his tragic downfall.]]
** Polina Alexandrovna from Dostoevsky's novella "The Gambler" has shades of this as well. Given Dostoevsky's interest in psychology and his tragic RealLife affair with the very Sour Outside Sad Inside Apollinaria Suslova, it is entirely possible [[AuthorAppeal that there is a reason for his use of this trope]].
* Angel in The Literature/CharlieParkerSeries, at least initially. As the series goes on, [[BreakTheCutie his facade cracks quite badly]].
* Patience, in ''{{Literature/Dinoverse}}''. She's deeply, antagonistically cynical, and exaggeratedly tough because she's convinced that if she ever relies on anyone, for so much as a moment, they'll leave.
* Severus Snape of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' floats easily between this and JerkWithAHeartOfGold once you learn his backStory [[spoiler: of [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend unrequited love]], ParentalNeglect and [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer near-constant bullying]]]].
* Peturabo, Primarch of the Iron Warriors from the ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' series. Beneath the sour, rage-filled mask hides a person really wishing for someone to appreciate his work.
* Haymitch Abernathy from ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' would qualify for this trope; [[spoiler: after all, the president had Haymitch's loved ones killed for defying him]]. On top of that, he's the official coach to the tributes from his district. For years he's been responsible for training kids for a fight to the death that, statistically, they have no hope of surviving, and there's not really anything he can do about it. It would only make sense that he would refuse to take in people.
* ''Literature/IAmNotASerialKiller'' has John, an active loner with anger issues that would impress Bruce Banner. He's a slightly unusual example in that he narrates the series, so his sad inside is apparent much faster. He himself notes that his tendency to self-sabotage relationships might keep him from being hurt, but it also prevents him from having a chance at a positive relationship.
* Lu, the main protagonist in ''Literature/{{Murderess}}'', was [[spoiler:[[MosesInTheBulrushes sent to Earth from Greywall'd in her infancy]]]] and grew up repeatedly switching schools and being betrayed by the friends she made, and having all of her questions about her heritage ignored. At the beginning of the book, while she might not be actively mean, she does give people {{Death Glare}}s to keep them at arm's length and is often fairly [[LittleMissSnarker snarky]].
* Chad from ''Literature/{{Rogue}}'' acts arrogant and abrasive, but he's actually miserable from being abused and forced to participate in criminal activities by his parents.
* Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, of Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire.
** Stannis Baratheon is strongly hinted to have the same problem.
* The titular raven for ''Literature/WhatTheRavenSaw''. To most people, he's the vicious old bird who won't let anyone else live in his churchyard; inside, he's deeply lonely and bitter with the world.
* The title character in Fredrik Backman's ''Literature/{{A Man Called Ove}}'' may be a Scandinavian embodiment of this trope. He's caustic, opinionated, and definitely not a people person. [[spoiler: However, as grouchy as Ove is, he's also deeply depressed and struggling with grief after his wife's death, and goes on to attempt suicide to be reunited with his wife.]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'': In the first season episode "Christmas Story," the apparently misanthropic businessman Ben Weaver is an example of this. After Ben makes everyone's lives miserable for the first part of the episode by insisting that the Sheriff enforce the letter of the law (such as by demanding that a moonshiner serve out his jail sentence, rather than getting a temporary leave of absence to spend Christmas with his family), he then embarks on a blatant spree of Christmas Eve misdemeanors. Sheriff Andy realizes that this is a purposeful attempt on Ben's part to get himself arrested so that he can join the jailhouse Christmas party that is underway rather than spending Christmas alone (To ensure that the audience does not miss this trope, in one scene Ben stands on a trash can behind the jail and wistfully watches through a barred window as those present at the Christmas party sing "Away in a Manger," with Andy leading on the guitar). Andy obliges in arresting him, allowing Ben to first go home to get some things that he'll need for his jail stay. Ben returns with an assortment of gifts for those present, which he pretends to have brought by accident.
* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': Piper came off this way for a while after [[spoiler:Prue's death]], throwing herself into demon-hunting, coldly brushes Paige off (when she's not outright dismissive), and won't let anyone talk to her about it. She eventually mellows out to her old self and comes to accept [[spoiler:Prue's death, and Paige's place in the family]]. This appears in ''Centennial Charmed'' when we see an alternate reality where Paige never met her; the Power of Three was never reconstituted, and she becomes a cluster of raw nerves and leather in her RoaringRampageOfRevenge for Prue's death.
* ''Series/CobraKai'': Hawk is a particularly sad example. He spent most of his life being bullied for his cleft palette scar. After joining Cobra Kai, his life gets better, but he's still incredibly insecure and hurting due to his past bullying so he responds to anyone who hurts him with UnstoppableRage which alienates those closest to him and allows him to be manipulated by [[BigBad Kreese]].
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Sandor "The Hound" Clegane's unpleasant personality is rooted in the traumatic incident from his youth that literally burned all the idealism out of him, as well as the lingering guilt for some of the things he has done in life. Tormund Giantsbane outright calls him this trope.
-->'''Tormund:''' I don't think you're really mean. You have sad eyes.\\
'''Sandor:''' You want to suck my dick, is that it?
* Peter Quinn from ''{{Series/Homeland}}'' is this. He's coolly hostile to his co-workers and was brought in specifically because he's good at not getting emotionally involved. Despite his bluntness, willingness to put people down, and inability to trust or be trusted, by season three it's clear the majority of his issues stem from constantly being on the move due to CIA work and being haunted by the number of people he's killed. Even though he claims and acts as if he dislikes the people he's working with, he finds excuses to be around them and manages a few conversations that are non-work related, during which he's about as nice as any of the main cast.
* ''{{Series/House}}'': The good doctor's constant snark and occasional callousness stem from his own deep-seated belief that he is worthless, despite being a ''genius'' level diagnostician.
%% * One could interpret Eric from Series/PowerRangersTimeForce as being this. Trip even scans him in one episode and finds that he's a good person but he's lonely.
* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Arnold Rimmer can best be described as a DirtyCoward, a {{Jerkass}} and in general, not a nice person to be around due to him being nasty to everyone else. However, it has also been shown that Rimmer is genuinely lonely and wants to be loved, and thanks to his upbringing, has a very warped sense of other people and believes himself to be worthless. "Better Than Life" (which has him unintentionally destroy everyone's fun) also shows that deep down, he doesn't believe that he deserves to be happy.
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Dr. Cox may have his good moments, but on an average day, he's mostly condescending towards everyone, dealing with a huge superiority complex, and thinking that people are bastard-coated bastards with a bastard filling. However, he's also repeatedly shown to genuinely care for his patients (and co-workers) even though even he isn't willing to admit it, and he absolutely breaks down when he knows he can't be the person some people expect him to be, or worse, when he loses a loved one.
* In ''{{Series/Smallville}}'', Oliver may be this, especially in [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks season nine]]. Chloe might be a mild example on her worst days, but with [[TraumaCongaLine what she has gone through]]...
* Derek Hale from ''Series/TeenWolf'' mainly communicates through aloofness and threats of bodily harm. Which makes a lot of sense when you remember he was [[spoiler: sexually manipulated as a kid. By a grown woman. Who then burned down his home with most of his family in it.]]
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' had Fitzgerald Fortune in the episode "A Piano in the House", where the titular player-piano could bring out the "true self" of someone whose "true" personality fit the music being played. He delights in using it to humiliate a heavyset, jovial woman named Marge at a dinner party, then wants to play something that would "call forth the devil" - except his wife swaps out the planned song for Brahms' "Lullaby". This song affects Fitzgerald himself, [[spoiler: revealing that, at his heart, he's actually a "[[https://youtu.be/ntfYJGf4cq8 small frightened boy, that only likes to hurt people]]", lashing out at anyone he feels envious of]].
* ''Series/{{Yellowjackets}}'' has Natalie Scatorccio. This trope is more evident in the 2021 storyline. Soon after her most recent stint at rehab, she relapses into alcohol and drug use to deal with the trauma from the 1996 plane crash and the things she and her fellow team members did to survive 19 months in the wilderness. Most of the time she is a PerpetualFrowner. By the end of Season 1, [[spoiler:the only thing that [[InterruptedSuicide stops her from taking her life]] is the people who break into her room and kidnap her]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* The titular character of ''Electra Heart'' album by Music/MarinaDiamandis definitely qualifies: she's a self-admitted AlphaBitch, (e.g. "Bubblegum Bitch") who's also a BrokenBird (e.g. "Living Dead")
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/BugFables'': For the first half of the game, Queen Elizant II is stern, frigid, and harsh, and has alienated a great many of her kingdom's allies and banned ladybugs with very few exceptions. More than a few bugs openly despise her for her attitude, Leif included. But it's revealed in Chapter 5 that under her cold exterior lies a sad bug with an inferiority complex who's trying too hard to be a strong ruler. Once she opens her heart to Team Snakemouth, she truly becomes the kind and fair ruler the Ant Kingdom needs and repairs relations with the people she pushed away.
* Mandy from ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' is the quintessential AlphaBitch, but it's eventually revealed that she just bullies people to compensate for her own insecurities.
* When Etna of ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' interacts with ''anyone'' she's normally a huge, unpleasant bitch, but reading her diary reveals she's surprisingly melancholic. Laharl is also a huge jerk (though not to Etna's degree), but losing his mother left a deep scar that shows him as a miserable person whenever he's alone.
* Marcy Long, a survivor of the Quincy Massacre in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' is an example. Her surly bitchy demeanor towards everyone is an armor to mask the grief of having lost her son Kyle. And unfortunately, she doesn't exactly get better.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** Squall Leonhart of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' puts an extraordinary amount of effort into being brusque, unsociable, and unsympathetic to others in order to keep anyone from getting too close to him. As the game progresses, it reveals that he does this because he's actually cripplingly insecure and desperately afraid of coming to care about and rely on others only to lose them, which he believes is inevitable.
** Lulu from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' is a milder example; she puts up a very cold, alienating front - being outright abrasive to Wakka, Tidus, and (very occasionally) Yuna - but is revealed to just be an exceptionally sad person inside as the game progresses, due to the loss of [[spoiler:her fiancé, Chappu, Lady Ginnem, her first Summoner [[MyGreatestFailure due to her own inability]] and the fact that Yuna will die too once they finish the pilgrimage]].
** Lightning qualifies as this in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', at least in the first few chapters of the game. She comes across as confrontational, aggressive, and outright cold with people she has just met. In reality, she's deeply concerned about her sister Serah and, considering that she herself was branded a L'Cie, had pretty firm justification for being under some heavy stress. She begins to open up to Hope and show more of her inner fragility as the plot advances.
* Xigbar from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. He's a sarcastic, abrasive jerk who condescendingly trolls everyone he meets... and the secret reports in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII III]]'' reveal that underneath all the verbal barbs is a lonely old man who's tired of it all and just wants to see his friends again. [[spoiler:Moreso in TheStinger where he's revealed to be [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX Luxu]], who had the unenviable position of having an as-of-yet-explained task placed upon him by the Master of Masters]].
* Jack, from ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', as a result of her horrific past. She [[AdoptTheDog gets better]] by ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' if she survives.
* [[spoiler: Adachi]], the SerialKiller in ''VideoGame/Persona4'' displayed this. A SourPrude and StrawNihilist who's shown to have deep-rooted apathy and depression whenever he's alone. For all his claims that [[ForTheEvulz he finds fun in the bedlam caused by the murders he had committed]], he can't even find satisfaction in his own sadism and depravity.
* Shane from ''VideoGame/StardewValley'' suffers from chronic depression and a SoulSuckingRetailJob. His coping mechanisms are [[DrowningMySorrows alcohol]], [[TheAlcoholic more alcohol]], and lashing out at anyone who so much as speaks to him. The more persistent you are trying to befriend him, the more abrasive he gets trying to push you away... until he snaps completely and [[spoiler: tries to throw himself off a cliff]].
-->[[EstablishingCharacterMoment Why are you talking to me? Go away]].\\
You're still trying to be friends with me? How rude do I have to be for you to take a hint?
* This characterization is often given to Waluigi from the ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Super Mario]]'' franchise. On the outside, the guy is an unrepentant {{Jerkass}} who does things [[{{Troll}} just to make people angry]] or [[ForTheEvulz because it's mean]]. On the inside, he knows he's never going to win, and that he's way out of his league.
* Kazuya from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series. Once, he was a kind and frail boy that was treated badly by his father[[spoiler:, who actually was very, ''very'' wary of him having inherited his mother's Devil Gene]], culminating in an attempt to kill him, causing Kazuya to [[DealWithTheDevil turn to help from a demon to achieve revenge]]. Because of this, Kazuya becomes merciless and cold and after defeating his father, he turned even more evil to rule his company. One day, though, a girl named Jun meets Kazuya and the two are attracted instantly. Jun is able to get close to Kazuya and she realizes that Kazuya isn't actually evil, but has a demon inside him and that his true nature is kind and good, [[LoveRedeems her powers suppress the demonic powers in Kazuya]], causing his good side to come out and fight the demon to free him. This causes Kazuya to weaken, [[KickTheDog which gave his father, Heihachi, the chance to retake his company and]] [[MoralEventHorizon throw Kazuya in a volcano]]. After he gets revived in the events of ''Tekken 4'', he completely abandons the "depression" part [[ThenLetMeBeEvil and goes full villain in order to get revenge on his father]]. [[spoiler:By the end of ''Tekken 7'''s story, he ''succeeds'' and becomes the next biggest threat to the world, [[GodzillaThreshold forcing his half-brother]] [[HeroicBastard Lars]] to convince Kazuya's son Jin (Who's currently ''[[WellIntentionedExtremist not any better than]] his father [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds by any stretch of imagination]]'', mind you) to end this.]]
* Jack van Burace from ''VideoGame/WildArms1'' has shades of this. He's often abrasive and rude, especially to Cecilia. [[spoiler: Beneath his exterior is a heavy dose of guilt due to him being the sole survivor of the demon attack on Arctica and being unable to protect those he cares about.]]
* Sylvanas Windrunner from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', so very much. Beneath all her cruelty she is mainly just filled with sorrow and loneliness, and always seems on the verge of a DespairEventHorizon.
[[/folder]]

* ''WebComic/GirlGenius'': Klaus Wulfenbach is an EmperorScientist who rules large swathes of Europe with an iron fist (though pretty well), [[ToBeLawfulOrGood always chooses Lawful over Good]] and isn't afraid to PayEvilUntoEvil. Beneath is a man who had his idealism shot off in the war in a very spectacular way, who doesn't know if his best friends are alive or dead, who hasn't seen his wife in years, and who constantly worries about his son's safety, and in general just wishes people could be a little better so he didn't have to be an iron-fisted dictator and could spend more time on the scientific pursuits that are his real passion.
* ''Webcomic/TheManorsPrize'': The Chariot acts harshly towards everyone around her, and states that she doesn't want to make friends. However, after Hanged Man disappears crying, Chariot begins tearing up herself, blaming it on alcohol.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** Prince Zuko is short-tempered, arrogant, demanding, and selfish (though with enough PetTheDog moments to make it clear he's not all bad), [[spoiler:and even after his eventual HeelFaceTurn, he is noticeably more brooding and serious than the others.]] He is also deeply hurt inside, [[DarkAndTroubledPast and once his backstory is revealed in full, it's very easy to see why.]]
** Zuko's sister Azula as well. Daddy's favorite little girl is competent, ruthless, savage, and brutal, but then you see some different sides to her at "The Beach" and then repeated "betrayals" and blows to her psyche send her on an epic VillainousBreakdown that can elicit pity and sadness. Unlike Zuko where it's all spelled out for the viewer, Azula's story requires some homework from the viewer to figure out.
* ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'':
** [=BoJack=] is a bitter, sarcastic, heavy-drinking old washout who treats even his best friends like crap, but in reality, is experiencing very deep depression (resulting in substance abuse and anxiety attacks). In the first episode, his roommate Todd points out that [=BoJack=] must be a good person inside because he still hasn't kicked Todd out despite him living on his couch and not paying rent. As the series develops, it becomes apparent that just because [=BoJack=] is deeply depressed, [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse it doesn't justify or excuse his behavior.]]
--->'''[=BoJack=]:''' ''[holding his hand over a lit oven range]'' Nothing on the outside, nothing on the inside. Nothing on the outside, nothing on the inside.
** Used for Sarah Lynn in the same show. She's presented as an AttentionWhore, HardDrinkingPartyGirl, AddledAddict who has little to no respect for others. However, as more of her character is shown, it's presented as though she's what [=BoJack=] would be like if he were a human female, somewhere around two decades younger...who'd actually [[TeenIdol had further success]] after [[FormerChildStar ''Horsin' Around'']] stopped airing. In her very first appearance, she makes some comments that are very telling.
--->'''[=BoJack=]:''' ''[in response to her saying she'll just find another place to go on a bender]'' Well you... should not... do that...\\
'''Sarah Lynn:''' Oh, I know. I know, but I can, so I will. I'm at a point in my life where I never have to "grow as a person" or "rise to any occasions", so I can just keep surrounding myself with sycophants and enablers until [[HarsherInHindsight I die tragically young.]]\\
'''[=BoJack=]:''' Wh-what?\\
'''Sarah Lynn:''' Yeah, [[YouAreTooLate it's pretty much too late for me.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'', it's hinted on many occasions that the reason the titular character lashes out so much is that he never got over the death of his wife which he (accidentally) caused. [[spoiler:As revealed in the final episode, she was alive the entire time.]]
* [[spoiler: Eddy]] from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' is revealed to be this in TheMovie. He acts like a total bastard, treating everyone like crap (even his own friends) and doing everything to get as much money as he can. However, it's all a deliberate act and he only behaves like his older brother (who [[BigBrotherBully abused him]] physically and emotionally) to be popular and hiding his own pain and suffering. Everyone in the show found this in horror, and his admission and regret of all his mistakes lead him (and the other Eds) to be accepted by the other kids.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Stan Pines. He acts like a quintessential grumpy old codger who never thinks about anything beyond the next customer he's going to rip off, but his HarsherinHindsight past and WordofGod make it clear that underneath it all, he's a very sad, lonely man.
* In ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'', Helga Pataki is portrayed as this. She is as mean as possible to everyone on the outside, bullying, dictatorial, and unsympathetic, but a flashback to when she was three shows that she is simply putting the act on because she is scared that if she isn't a bully, people will bully her. Therefore, although she frequently shows her personality as a hopeless romantic with a lot of creativity when she's alone and does sometimes make sacrifices for those she cares about, she tries her hardest to keep those parts of herself hidden.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': Mr. Cat. In one episode, he actually admits to Kaeloo that he's actually hiding his vulnerable side by being a jerk to everyone, and after getting shot with TruthSerum in another episode he's actually on the verge of tears.
* William Murderface of ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}''. This is even lampshaded when a psychologist working for the series' OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness analyses him.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Babs Seed is a particularly nasty example of bully compared to the show's usual duo of {{Alpha Bitch}}es. Later, Applejack reveals to the Cutie Mark Crusaders (her victims) that Babs herself was picked on back in her hometown because of her mark-less flank. [[PoorCommunicationKills After things are explained among the five of them,]] everything goes for the better, and [[HeelFaceTurn Babs starts appearing in a far more positive light.]]
** Of a sorts, Discord is this. Before befriending the ponies, his more jerkass actions are usually because he feels jealous or left out. It has been theorized that this is a side effect of being raised poorly.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': Hunter acts cocky and sarcastic, but deep down is very insecure about his usefulness to the Emperor, to the point where Luz describes him as "a bad but sad boy". [[spoiler:This is further exemplified after he defects from the Emperor's Coven, and hides his terror about being arrested and killed behind snippy comments, {{Death Glare}}s, and general grumpy demeanor. He becomes significantly nicer after his HeelFaceTurn, but is still prone to picking petty fights when under stress.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': Mitchell's jerk facade? It's all an act to keep up appearances. Mitchell can be rude, sarcastic, and blunt, not to mention that he constantly pushes others away from him because he "doesn't do friends". But on the inside, he's a lonely kid who has a hard time making friends and fitting in. All he wants is to have friends and to be taken seriously as a detective, but he expresses these desires in rather unhealthy ways. With the help of Jet and his friends, Mitchell slowly but surely breaks out of his shell and becomes a trusted ally and friend of Team Propulsion.
* Yellow Diamond in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' is the most bitter and impatient of the Diamonds, but deep down truly loved Pink in spite of her cold attitude toward her and on the inside is grieving over her just as much as Blue Diamond.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'': In "Hector the Horrid", Hector was acting aggressive because he was scared to be filled with coal.
[[/folder]]

* When Etna of ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' interacts with ''anyone'' she's normally a huge, unpleasant bitch, but reading her diary reveals she's surprisingly melancholic.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': Hunter acts cocky and sarcastic, but deep down is very insecure about his usefulness to the Emperor. Luz describes him as "a bad but sad boy".

In RealLife, frequent swings between angry/aggressive reactions and anxious/depressive ones is a hallmark of Borderline Personality Disorder. Pushing others away is also a common coping mechanism for people with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Stan Pines. He acts like a quintessential grumpy old codger who never thinks about anything beyond the next customer he's going to rip off, but his [[HarsherinHindsight]] past and [[WordofGod]] make it clear that underneath it all, he's a very sad, lonely man.

** [=BoJack=] is a bitter, sarcastic, heavy-drinking old washout who treats even his best friends like crap, but in reality, is experiencing very deep depression (resulting in substance abuse and anxiety attacks). In the first episode, his roommate Todd points out that [=BoJack=] must be a good person inside because he still hasn't kicked Todd out despite him living on his couch and not paying rent. As the series develops, it becomes apparent that just because [=BoJack=] is deeply depressed, [[DeconstructedTrope it doesn't justify or excuse his behavior.]]

* Touko Fukawa from ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', due to never having friends in the past. [[spoiler:For worse, she has a SplitPersonality... the SerialKiller known as Genocider Syo.]]

* Hinamori Amu, from ''Anime/ShugoChara'' Amu is known for being rough, blunt, and sometimes downright rude, with a fashion style that resembles punk. However, in the very first episode, she's revealed to be soft, intimidated, and girly deep down, and throughout the show, constantly regrets her rough attitude and rude comments. This is the basis of the show's premise.

* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': [[{{Tsundere}} Asuka]] initially came across like abrasive, rude, and arrogant, but in reality, she had very low self-esteem and little self-confidence, and she pushed people away because she was frightened of them.

* ''Fanfic/{{HERZ}}'': The angrier and more hostile Asuka behaves the sadder and more awful she feels inward. When she was thinking of leaving Japan in the backstory and Shinji pleaded her staying with him she berated him because she thought he could not possibly love her since she was an ugly, worthless freak and he was just mocking her.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Sandor "The Hound" Clegane's unpleasant personality is rooted from the traumatic incident in his youth that literally burned all the idealism out of him, as well as the lingering guilt for some of the things he has done in life. Tormund Giantsbane outright calls him this trope.

* ''WebComic/GirlGenius'': Klaus Wulfenbach is an EmperorScientist who rules large swathes of Europe with an iron fist (though pretty well), [[ToBeLawfulOrGood always chooses Lawful over Good]] and isn't afraid to PayEvilUntoEvil. Beneath is a man who had his idealism shot off in the war in a very spectacular way, who doesn't know if his best friends are alive or dead, who hasn't seen his wife in years and who constantly worries about his son's safety, and in general just wishes people could be a little better so he didn't have to be an iron-fisted dictator and could spend more time on the scientific pursuits that are his real passion.

** Prince Zuko is short-tempered, arrogant, demanding, and selfish (though with enough PetTheDog moments to make it clear he's not all bad), [[spoiler:and even after his eventual HeelFaceTurn he is noticeably more brooding and serious than the others.]] He is also deeply hurt inside, [[DarkAndTroubledPast and once his backstory is revealed in full, it's very easy to see why.]]

* Ichiko Sakura of ''Manga/BinboGamiGa'' seems to be your average pampered but sweet rich kid. Up close, however, she's quite a massive BitchInSheepsClothing who thinks [[{{Narcissist}} of nothing]] [[ItsAllAboutMe but herself]]. Behind ''that'', however, lies a [[BrokenBird sad, broken little girl]] who just yearns for the loving care of her parents, whom she hadn't seen since ''infancy'', not to mention the fact that [[spoiler:she is still being haunted by a horrible betrayal by a girl she once trusted]]. All that trauma ultimately turned her into the AlphaBitch she has become when the series started. It came to the point that even her SitcomArchnemesis, resident {{Jerkass God|s}}dess Momiji, slowly started to mellow out to her and even become her TricksterMentor, helping her reconnect with humanity and bring back the kindness she used to have.

* Severus Snape of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' floats easily between this and JerkWithAHeartOfGold once you learn his BelatedBackStory [[spoiler: of [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend unrequited love]], ParentalNeglect and [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer near-constant bullying]]]].

* Ryoko Ōkami, from ''LightNovel/OkamiSan''.

%%* Ryoko Ōkami, from ''LightNovel/OkamiSan''.

-->''"Then the Second Child had arrived, bringing with her conflict, friction and more than a few painful contusions to his head as she continually let him know exactly what she thought of him as an Eva Pilot, a man, and a human."''\\
''All of it a giant lie to shield the four-year-old girl desperately hiding deep behind the moats, minefields and electrified fences she had placed around her heart.''

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': [[TheDragon Darth Vader]]. On the outside, a cruel, deceptive, power-hungry monster who would kill his officers for [[YouHaveFailedMe the simple crime of failing him]]. On the inside? A [[BrokenAce broken]] slave to his master and [[ManipulativeBastard "friend"]] Emperor Palpatine. In a twisted way, he tried to protect his son Luke even if it meant cutting his hand off and trying to push him to the DarkSide (rather than have Palpatine kill him). Luke's cries of pain are what lets him free himself from Palpatine's control.

* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': Piper came off this way for a while after [[spoiler:Prue's death]], throwing herself into demon-hunting, coldly brushes Paige off (when she's not outright dismissive) and won't let anyone talk to her about it. She eventually mellows out to her old self and comes to accept [[spoiler:Prue's death, and Paige's place in the family]]. This appears in ''Centennial Charmed'' when we see an alternate reality where Paige never met her; the Power of Three was never reconstituted, and she becomes a cluster of raw nerves and leather in her RoaringRampageOfRevenge for Prue's death.

* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Arnold Rimmer can best be described as a DirtyCoward, a {{Jerkass}} and in general, not a nice person to be around due to him being nasty to everyone else. However, it has also been shown that Rimmer is genuinely lonely and wants to be loved, and thanks to his upbringing, has a very warped sense of other people and beileves himself to be worthless. "Better Than Life" (which has him unintentionally destroy everyone's fun) also shows that deep down, he doesn't believe that he deserves to be happy.

* ''WebComic/CheckPlease'' has Jack Zimmermann, in the beginning, since he was kind of mean to Bittle even after everybody on the team receive him with open arms. His story is revealed early on in the comic, as a recovered addict with anxiety and a deep need for his father's approval(no matter the fact that his father is actually very caring and supporting). He gets better after that, especially after he and Bittle take classes together.

* [[spoiler: Eddy]] from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' is revealed to be this in TheMovie. He acts like a total bastard, treating everyone like crap (even his own friends) and doing everything to get as much money as he can. However, it's all a deliberate act and he only behaves like his older brother (who [[DomesticAbuse abused him]] physically and emotionally) to be popular and hiding his own pain and suffering. Everyone in the show found this in horror, and his admission and regret of all his mistakes lead him (and the other Eds) to be accepted by the other kids.

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Dr. Cox may have his good moments, but on an average day, he's mostly condescending towards everyone, dealing with a huge superiority complex, and thinking that people are bastard coated bastards with a bastard filling, however, he's also repeatedly shown to genuinely care for his patients (and co-workers) even though even he himself isn't willing to admit it, and absolutely breaks down knowing he can't be the person some people expect him to be, or worse, when he loses a loved one.

* ''Series/RedDwarf'': Arnold Rimmer can best be described as a DirtyCoward, a {{Jerkass}} and in general, not a nice person to be around due to him being nasty to everyone else. However, it has also been shown that Rimmer is genuinely lonely and wants to be loved, and thanks to his upbringing, has a very warped sense of other people. "Better Than Life" (which has him unintentionally destroy everyone's fun) shows that deep down, he doesn't believe that he deserves to be happy.

* "Series/{{TheAndyGriffithShow}}": In the first season episode "Christmas Story," the apparently misanthropic businessman Ben Weaver is an example of this. After Ben makes everyone's lives miserable for the first part of the episode by insisting that the Sheriff enforce the letter of the law (such as by demanding that a moonshiner serve out his jail sentence, rather than getting a temporary leave of absence to spend Christmas with his family), he then embarks on a blatant spree of Christmas Eve misdemeanors. Sheriff Andy realizes that this is a purposeful attempt on Ben's part to get himself arrested so that he can join the jailhouse Christmas party that is underway rather than spending Christmas alone (To ensure that the audience does not miss this trope, in one scene Ben stands on a trash can behind the jail and wistfully watches through a barred window as those present at the Christmas party sing "Away in a Manger," with Andy leading on the guitar). Andy obliges in arresting him, allowing Ben to first go home to get some things that he'll need for his jail stay. Ben returns with an assortment of gifts for those present, which he pretends to have brought by accident.

* Hachiman Hikigaya of ''LightNovel/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'' is [[TheCynic cynical]], bitter and utterly loathes anything that involves social interaction. A childhood of bad experiences such as bullying and rejection have led him to belief that youth is nothing but a lie, constantly snarks towards those around him and resolves social issues by [[SilentScapegoat making himself the primary aggressor]], much to the discontent of his peers. Despite all of the above issues, Hachiman sincerely wishes to have a genuine relationship with those around him.

* Taiga Aisaka, from ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'', a deconstruction of {{Tsundere}}. Also known as the "Palmtop Tiger" because of her fierce Tsun-ness. [[spoiler: Moved into an apartment when her parents got divorced because she could not get along with either her mother nor her father and stepmother. Her father also makes promises that he has no intention to keep.]] As the series goes on, she becomes emotionally stronger and Ryuji and others help her stand on her own again, [[spoiler: culminating with both a TrueLovesKiss with Ryuuji and her decision to come back home, so she can mend her broken family life before marrying him.]]

* [[PhysicalGod Xadhoom]] from ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures: her role in the fall of her planet and her people ( as well as the fact that she wasn't there during the event ) caused her to develop an insane amount of rage and guilt that she can only express by taking revenge on the aliens that attacked them. As such, she is very abrupt, callous and rude toward pratically everybody, only allowing herself '''very''' brief moments of friendship with Paperinik who, as herself admitted, is the only person she can count on in the whole universe.

* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': After their FirstKiss Shinji and Asuka have a long talk and Shinji discovers Asuka may look harsh and tough but inwardly she is so sad, pained and fragile as him.

* ''Fanfic/HigherLearning'': At the beginning of the history Asuka pretends to be a tough, bold girl does not need anybody. However, as the war goes on her traumas get worse and the mask shatters progressively until she shows herself as a depressed, sad girl clings to Shinji desperately because she thinks she has nothing else.

* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'': Although Shinji was not afraid of arguing with Asuka anymore he did his best to not hurt her pride because after going through Instrumentality he knew it a mask and underneath she was a scared little girl thought being a pilot was everything she had.

* ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'': After returning to the past Asuka is depressed, worried and pained the whole time because she and Shinji are forced to go through their worst trials again and worst of all [[spoiler:their daughter is missing]] but she has to keep pretending to be a brash, temperamental, hostile thirteen-years-old kid rather a mature woman in her twenties. She also wore a mask to hide her fragility the first time around but it is worst now because she is feeling more depressed and now she realizes how childish was her act.
* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': Asuka tries to pretend she is tough, angry and bold so that nobody notices she is hurting inside and has many troubles, especially after [[spoiler:Arael's MindRape.]]

* ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'': Karin is rigid, unfriendly and looks pissed off most of the time, but she is actually deeply unhappy with her life to the point of feeling suicidal.

* Patience, in ''{{Literature/Dinoverse}}''. She's deeply, antagonistically cynical and exaggeratedly tough because she's convinced that if she ever relies on anyone, for so much as a moment, they'll leave.

* ''{{Series/House}}'': The good doctor's constant's snark and occasional callousness stem for his own deep-seated belief that he is worthless, despite being a ''genius'' level diagnostician.

** Lulu from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' is a milder example; she puts up a very cold, alienating front - being outright abrasive to Wakka, Tidus and (very occasionally) Yuna - but is revealed to just be an exceptionally sad person inside as the game progresses, due to the loss of [[spoiler:her fiancé, Chappu, Lady Ginnem, her first Summoner [[MyGreatestFailure due to her own inability]] and the fact that Yuna will die too once they finish the pilgrimage]].

* Jack van Burace from ''VideoGame/WildArms1'' has shades of this. He's often abrasive and rude, especially to Cecilia. [[spoiler: Beneath his exterior is heavy dose of guilt due to him being the sole survivor of the demon attack on Arctica and being unable to protect those he cares about.]]

* ''WebComic/CheckPlease'' has Jack Zimmermann, in the beginning, since he was kind of mean to Bittle even after everybody on the team receive him with open arms. His story his revealed early on in the comic, as a recovered addict with anxiety and a deep need for his father's approval(no matter the fact that his father is actually very caring and supporting). He gets better after that, especially after he and Bittle take classes together.

** Prince Zuko is short-tempered, arrogant, demanding and selfish (though with enough PetTheDog moments to make it clear he's not all bad), [[spoiler:and even after his eventual HeelFaceTurn he is noticeably more brooding and serious than the others.]] He is also deeply hurt inside, [[DarkAndTroubledPast and once his backstory is revealed in full, it's very easy to see why.]]
** Zuko's sister, Azula as well. Daddy's favorite little girl is competent, ruthless, savage and brutal, but then you see some different sides to her at "The Beach" and then repeated "betrayals" and blows to her psyche send her on an epic VillainousBreakdown that can elicit pity and sadness. Unlike Zuko where it's all spelled out for the viewer, Azula's story requires some homework from the viewer to figure out.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'', it's hinted on many occasions that the reason he titular character lashes out so much is that he never got over the death of his wife which he (accidentally) caused. [[spoiler:As revealed in the final episode, she was alive the entire time.]]

** Babs Seed is a particularly nasty example of bully compared to the show's usual duo of {{Alpha Bitch}}es. Later, Applejack reveals to the Cutie Mark Crusaders (her victims) that Babs herself was picked on back on her home town because of her mark-less flank. [[PoorCommunicationKills After things are explained among the five of them,]] everything goes for the better, and [[HeelFaceTurn Babs starts appearing in a far more positive light.]]