History Main / WideEyedIdealist

Compare TheIdealist, BeingGoodSucks, ThePollyanna, the NaiveEverygirl, the LoveFreak, and TheIngenue. Contrast NarrowEyedCynic. If there are entire civilizations of Wide-Eyed Idealists waiting to be slaughtered, see also WeHaveBecomeComplacent and SugarApocalypse. See TurnTheOtherCheek and TheFarmerAndTheViper. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with [[GoodEyesEvilEyes using literal wide eyes to show that a character is idealistic]].

Compare TheIdealist, BeingGoodSucks, ThePollyanna, the NaiveEverygirl, the LoveFreak, and TheIngenue. If there are entire civilizations of Wide-Eyed Idealists waiting to be slaughtered, see also WeHaveBecomeComplacent and SugarApocalypse. See TurnTheOtherCheek and TheFarmerAndTheViper. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with [[GoodEyesEvilEyes using literal wide eyes to show that a character is idealistic]].

* Tenma and Nina from ''Anime/{{Monster}}'', despite being frequently subjected to [[BreakTheCutie horrific trauma]]. The fact that Tenma in particular absolutely refuses to become cynical about the human race drops him straight into BadassPacifist territory.

* Subverted in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', specifically in ''[[LightNovel Druge & the Dominoes]]'': turns out that even the [[TheIngenue widest-eyed]] of wide-eyed idealists can be provoked into [[BewareTheNiceOnes trying to blow your head off]] [[YouKilledMyFather if you push the right buttons]]. [[spoiler:The only thing that stopped her was the fact that [[NobleDemon Luck]] [[ShootTheDog got to him first]].]]

* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'':

* Téa from ''Fanfic/UltimateReImaginings'', right to the point of trying to brush off Joey's claims that his father was abusive, all the while he was sitting in a ''hospital bed''.
* ''Fanfic/SomeSemblanceOfMeaning'' (''Literature/TheHungerGames''):
** Vale, the heroine, has a prominent [[TheIngenue idealistic streak]]. Back in her home district, she used to [[MostWritersAreWriters make up stories full of idealism]], and even in the midst of the Hunger Games, she desperately wants to believe that there is good in everyone (despite what the "[[TheCynic pragmatic]] [[HearingVoices voice]]" in her mind says). She undergoes quite a bit of BreakTheCutie but never gives up her belief in the underlying potential for good in humanity. She eventually [[spoiler: dies defying the Capitol in the hopes that it will prove a point to those watching, and in fact, this action does plant the seeds for the rebellion that occurs thirty years later in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' canon]].
** Another example: District One's [[PrivilegedRival Obsidian]] is quite idealistic for a Career. For example: "Growing up and hearing stories of Hunger Games past, they had seemed like so much fun, adventures with fantastic, unimaginable riches and eternal fame as the victor's reward. A dream come true for a small, idealistic boy with a 'bright' future as a Career tribute lying ahead of him." However, in the arena, he experiences some BreakTheHaughty when the brutality of the Games come into conflict with his expectations and beliefs. He ends up [[spoiler: winning the Games after Vale's death]], but as a [[BrokenAce very broken]] shadow of the carefree Career he once was.

* ''Fanfic/YouCantTakeTheSkyAwayFromMe'': After his wide-eyed idealism and trust in the military is shattered when the military frames him as a spy and strips him of his position despite his attempts to be good, America bursts into tears.

* Mako in ''Fanfic/NaturalSelection'' comes across as this to the likes of Houka and Nonon. While she's under no illusions that she's working for a tyrant with the blood of countless people on her hands, her insistence that she can help Ryuko become a better person baffles the more cynical and worldly of the cast, who deride her as painfully naïve.

* ''Manga/ShoukokuNoAltair'': This is 17-year-old pacifist pasha Mahmut's FatalFlaw at the start of the story since while he's very clever, he has almost zero experience of the outside world. This leads to him being demoted, and spending months travelling the continent trying to gain more wisdom. However, even a year or two later his idealism still shows.

* Vale, the heroine of the ''[[Literature/TheHungerGames Hunger Games]]'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/SomeSemblanceOfMeaning'', has a prominent [[TheIngenue idealistic streak]]. Back in her home district, she used to [[MostWritersAreWriters make up stories full of idealism]], and even in the midst of the Hunger Games, she desperately wants to believe that there is good in everyone (despite what the "[[TheCynic pragmatic]] [[HearingVoices voice]]" in her mind says). She undergoes quite a bit of BreakTheCutie but never gives up her belief in the underlying potential for good in humanity. She eventually [[spoiler: dies defying the Capitol in the hopes that it will prove a point to those watching, and in fact, this action does plant the seeds for the rebellion that occurs thirty years later in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' canon]].

* Danny, Hermione, and Ron in the ''Fanfic/PrincessOfTheBlacks'' series are at least as idealistic as canon despite the setting being DarkerAndEdgier. Notably, they're convinced that they can get Hagrid exonerated after he admits to kidnapping and smuggling a giant across international borders (both ''very'' serious crimes) to an auror. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Naturally, they fail]].
** The Order of the Phoenix in general and Dumbledore in particular are fully convinced the Death Eaters might redeem themselves and thus shouldn't be killed. Contrast Narcissa who openly laughs at the idea that Draco has made a HeelFaceTurn and claims Draco only told Dumbledore what he wanted to hear.

->''"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good, and the very gentle, and the very brave, impartially."''
-->-- '''Creator/ErnestHemingway''', ''Literature/AFarewellToArms''

[[folder: Web Animation]]

--> Inside of every demon is a rainbow,
--> Inside every sinner is a shiny smile!
--> Inside of every creepy hatchet-wielding maniac,
--> Is a jolly, happy, cupcake-loving child!

* Franchesca "Kid" Martines from ''Webcomic/{{Angels 2200}}'' is a textbook example. Not surprisingly, she almost gets booted off the squad when she can't bring herself to fire on an enemy fighter knowing she'd be taking someone else's life.

* Amelia in ''VideoGame/LoveAndPies'' usually remains hopeful throughout her investigations, but she suspects that Sebastian Corps, [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corrupt CEO]] of Global Megacorp, sabotaged the brakes of her great-aunt Esme's van. [[spoiler:Her suspicions fly out of the window when he tells her that he's her father, and she refuses to believe if he's actually the culprit. However, Esme warns her that she might be too optimistic for her won good because "[she] can't trust ANYONE. Everyone here has a secret."]]

* Amelia in ''VideoGame/LoveAndPies'' usually remains hopeful throughout her investigations, but she suspects that Sebastian Corps, [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corrupt CEO]] of Global Megacorp, sabotaged the brakes of her great-aunt Esme's van. [[spoiler:Her suspicions fly out of the window when he tells her that he's her father, and she refuses to believe that he's the culprit. However, Esme warns her that she might be too optimistic for her won good because "[she] can't trust ANYONE. Everyone here has a secret."]]

* ''VideoGame/GodzillaUnleashed'': Commander Tagaki wants to try and work together with the Kaiju to save the earth from the aliens.

* PJ in ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar''. Given ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' tries to use "WarIsHell" as AnAesop, [[{{Retirony}} and he mentions his ]] [[FatalFamilyPhoto girlfriend back at the base...]] [[spoiler:He dies.]]
* "Will / Ed" from ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars: Days of Ruin / Dark Conflict]]''. His idealism arguably pushes him dangerously close to being an IdiotHero, as he is often wildly optimistic and consequently sometimes fails to look at situations properly. However, his will and [[{{Determinator}} sheer determination]] in even the worst of situations often leads to at least one crowning moment of heartwarming. Case in point -- mission 16, which starts off with desperate music playing pushing ever closer to the DespairEventHorizon, when suddenly Will/Ed decides he's going to fight, and the music changes from desperate to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCD6ribbc-4 sheer awesome]].

* Flonne in ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' falls under this trope. She never ceases to be an overoptimistic idealist who believes that demons can love and that Seraph Lamington is a good guy. In the best ending [[spoiler:she's absolutely right]].

* Anduin Wrynn from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' displays the qualities associated with this trope. Despite the chaos in his past and his father's stubborn vehemence toward the Horde, Anduin firmly maintains that "both [his] people, and the Horde, are essentially good." His benevolence toward both the Alliance and the Horde is unchanged even by [[spoiler:his near-death at the hands of Garrosh Hellscream, the present Warchief of the Horde at the time]]. It is even implied during a vision from the draenei prophet Velen that [[spoiler: Anduin may lead the forces of Light during the final battle against the Burning Legion, placing him in direct contrast with Sargeras, who views the denizens of Azeroth- the Alliance and the Horde by extension- as corruptible and impure.]]
* Poor Sigurd from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar''. He charges into bandit territory to rescue his childhood friend, falls in love and marries a beautiful maiden, and some time later charges back into the fray to rescue another friend. Unfortunately, Augustria is ''way'' more political than Verdane, and Sigurd's actions aren't seen as quite so heroic. [[FromBadToWorse And that's just the tip of the iceberg]].

* ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' has several of these. The Amoebas, Sophons, and the human Pilgrims who have traits like this. Amoebas and Pilgrims believe in mutual understanding, the Sophons prefer to focus on exploration and science. That said they are all MartialPacifist, and they are not afraid to fight back if need be.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', Master Thief of the ThievesGuild, [[MeaningfulName Gentleman]] [[GentlemanThief Jim Stacey]] is one. His belief in the Bal Molagmer (JustLikeRobinHood thieves who practice [[KarmicThief Karmic Thievery]]) is entirely personal[[note]]it ''does'' make pragmatic sense as a propaganda move against the Camonna Tong by invoking a ''Dunmer'' good thief tradition, but Jim Stacey only cites moral reasons[[/note]], and the other Guild leaders don't practice it. Depending on how you play the game, he may also end up getting killed by the other local crime group and rivals to the Thieves Guild, the [[TheSyndicate Camonna Tong]].
* Kana Rua from ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity''. Most party members are world-weary, scarred sorts with various traumas. Kana Rua is a young idealist on a quest for a lost tablet written by a great scholar, hoping to find it and end his people's xenophobic age by proving the world is more united than they thought. Depending on how the game goes, this idealism can either [[BreakTheCutie end up shattered]] or [[EarnYourHappyEnding be tempered and strengthened]].

* This is occasionally implied to be the case with Batman in the [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries Arkham series]], such as one instance in ''[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins Origins]]'' where he encounters a homeless person being harassed by the police and tells him to go to a shelter. The homeless man tells him that the police ''find'' them at the shelters, and goes on to say that the teenage villain Anarky, who has a very simplistic worldview, still is able to understand some things about the poor's situation that Batman doesn't.
* Virginia Maxwell from ''VideoGame/WildArms3'' is idealistic to a fault as she heads out into the wasteland in search of justice. Her ideals get torn to shreds pretty early on with near-constant betrayals by [[SmugSnake Janus Cascade]] and being constantly berated by [[TheRival Maya Shroedinger]]. Even her own allies believe she has more heart than sense. However, later in the game she matures her ideals rather than abandoning them so they become more practical but still optimistic.

** Know who's the ''Trigun'' poster child for this trope? '''''Manga Knives.''''' He was all "our hearts are the same as people's, I'm sure if we try we can understand one another," and actually ''cried'' when the first human they met besides Rem accepted them. Then he [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Went Mad From The Revelation]] that HumansAreBastards, and resolved to KillEmAll.

* This is what makes Alice L. Malvin of ''Anime/PumpkinScissors'' stand out from many of the other nobles of the setting. She firmly believes in her cause to "eradicate evil" and that others will push for it too. This is what got [[TheSmartGuy Machis]] and [[TheBigGuy Oland]] to join in the first place.

Compare TheIdealist, BeingGoodSucks, ThePollyanna, the NaiveEverygirl, the LoveFreak, and TheIngenue. If there are entire civilizations of Wide-Eyed Idealists waiting to be slaughtered, see also WeHaveBecomeComplacent and SugarApocalypse. Contrast the GrumpyBear, the cynic in an idealistic setting. See TurnTheOtherCheek and TheFarmerAndTheViper. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with [[GoodEyesEvilEyes using literal wide eyes to show that a character is idealistic]].

* Anthony Hope in ''Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'' is as idealistic as [[GrumpyBear Sweeney]] is cynical. And then he gets [[BreakTheCutie bashed (literally, in some cases) down by Judge Turpin and the Beadle.]] And he is still idealistic, even though everyone -- even his er, bride, Johanna, tumbles down the SlidingScaleofIdealismVersusCynicism. And it can be viewed as [[SpannerInTheWorks all HIS fault]]. It should be noted, though, that Anthony Hope [[spoiler:is one of the few characters who is still alive]] at the end.

This character either becomes a victim of a TraumaCongaLine or a bad BreakTheCutie ordeal, [[TooDumbToLive dies horribly]] or [[JadeColoredGlasses acquires a coat of jade]] post-haste. In settings that are still [[WorldHalfFull somewhat idealistic]], they might get off with just becoming a KnightInSourArmor or the MoralityPet to one. In particularly {{anvilicious}} cases, expect deployment of DiabolusExMachina to deal with them.

* ''Manga/{{Area 88}}''

* Subverted in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', specifically in ''[[LightNovel Druge & the Dominoes]]'': turns out that even the [[TheIngenue widest-eyed]] of wide-eyed idealists can be provoked into [[BewareTheNiceOnes trying to blow your head off]] [[YouKilledMyFather if you push the right buttons]]. [[spoiler:The only thing that stopped her was the fact that [[NobleDemon Luck]] [[ShootTheDog got to him first]]]].

** Rock also struggles with this in earlier arcs: His attempts to understand Revy make her angry at him, trying to "save" Gretel failed utterly, and his attempt towards Yukio backfires completely. It isn't until "Le Baile de la Muerte" [[JadeColouredGlasses he starts to understand that]] if he wants to save people he'll have to become a cynical rotten power-player like Chang and Balalaika.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': As a teenager, Ryuuken Ishida was willing to sacrifice his personal dreams and happiness for the chance to save the future of the Quincies. However, flashbacks reveal that Aizen accidentally shatters his idealism; it is implied that a further TraumaCongaLine then occurs between the [[HeroicBSOD flashback arc]] and the [[DespairEventHorizon main storyline]] to produce the [[JadeColouredGlasses bitter]], hypercritical DrJerk that his son Uryuu thinks he's familiar with.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''

-->'''Havoc:''' He's stupid! How can such a naive thing keep climbing up in this country?\\

* Ai Tanabe, the [[NaiveNewcomer newest member of Section 7]] in ''Anime/{{Planetes}}''. Her first name means "love," and it just picks up from there. She's taken to task for it countless times by [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold fellow Section 7 crewman Hachimaki]] and [[{{Jerkass}} Claire]], Hachi's former LoveInterest, the latter of which causes her to doubt her own ideals. And yet, although she's set up for a particularly cruel [[spoiler: DiabolusExMachina]], which she could avoid by betraying her convictions, she stands by them [[spoiler: to the absolute, [[HeroicSacrifice heart-wrenching end]], to Claire's shock]]. Given the nature of the series, [[spoiler:she's proven right at the end]].
* PlayedWith in ''Anime/PrincessTutu''. Duck JumpedAtTheCall to help [[PrinceCharming Mytho]] regain his heart, never stopping to consider that he might have had a very good reason to [[HeartTrauma shatter his heart]]. Her idealism slowly wears off throughout the series as she discovers how her thoughtless actions keep changing things for the worse. However, her initial optimism ''does'' have an effect on [[TheCynic Fakir]], who eventually returns the favor by giving her hope when she's on the brink of a DespairEventHorizon.

* Sayaka Miki of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. Naturally, the series being what it is, it doesn't end well at all. Madoka is also one of these, although the story [[BreakTheCutie seems to jump through hoops to discourage it]]. [[spoiler: She finally gets it to work at the very end, although it takes a CosmicRetcon to do so]].

* Judai of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' was once an IdiotHero [[TheAce Ace]] who believed life was one big game and the only thing worth caring about was having fun. His journey of [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructing]] TheAce [[DespairEventHorizon is not a pleasant one.]]
* Due to her intense loyalty to her older brother Kouen, her crush on Sinbad and friendship with Alibaba, Kougyoku in ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'' wants them to forget their differences and fight together, honestly believing that because [[EnemyMine they fought against a common enemy]] her wish was coming true when in reality, things are becoming more complicated and tense between everyone.
* On the anime adaptation of ''Manga/SailorMoon'', the titular character definitely fits this, considering that deciding to [[spoiler:spare the life of Hotaru almost killed her future daughter and brought TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.]] It's so blatant Sailor Uranus & Neptune try to incapacitate, sometimes even ''murder'' her for her idealism. However, it's worth noting that Uranus and Neptune's [[DidntThinkThisThrough actions]] contributed greatly, if not more, to the outcome of the event more than Sailor Moon's idealism did.
* ''Manga/ShoukokuNoAltair'': This is 17-year-old pacifist pasha Mahmut's FatalFlaw at the start of the story since while he's very clever, he has almost zero experience of the outside world. This leads to him being demoted, and spending months travelling the continent trying to gain more wisdom. However, even a year or two later his idealism still shows.
* ''Anime/ReCreators'': Of all the fictional characters that come to the real world, [[MagicalGirl Mamika Kirameki]] is the only one who comes from a children's TV show. Therefore, she believes everyone is basically good and they can all be friends. Unfortunately, the other characters do not share her sense of idealism, and her attempts to stop conflicts ultimately fall on deaf ears. Over time, she loses her naivety but remains as idealistic as ever. [[spoiler:[[KillTheCutie Unfortunately, this earns her a horrible death.]]]]

** Franchise/{{Superman}}. Even in the face of unquestionably dark odds, he still stands by his beliefs and ideals. He fully admits that the world isn't perfect, so he's not stupid, but he tries his damnedest to make it better.
** Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}: Pre-Crisis Kara Zor-El was an exceptionally innocent, trusting teenager. Her enemies often exploited her naivete and tried to earn her trust or seduce her so they could manipulate her and kill her or her cousin. Eventually she stopped being so gullible, but she kept believing that people are mostly naturally good-hearted. Post-Crisis Supergirl is less innocent (excepting some versions such as ''ComicBook/ElseworldsFinestSupergirlAndBatgirl'' Kara who was fooled by Comicbook/LexLuthor) but she still stands by his ideals and always tries to do the right thing and be a hero, no matter how dark her world is or what bad things happen to her.

** ComicBook/{{Robin}}. All of them, except Damian, play against Batman's seriousness and the griminess of Gotham. [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick]] stayed happy and upbeat after his parents died in front of him and became the Boy Wonder, Jason too, until the world broke him in ''A Death In The Family'' and broke him again in ''Under The Hood'', [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim]]'s entire reasoning for becoming Robin was that Batman needed one to keep him off the edge, and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2009 Stephanie]]'s entire MO is to [[ThePollyanna stay upbeat about everything even in the worst situation]]. Barbara too, though that was decreasing when she retired as ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} and shattered after ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke''.
** Franchise/{{The Flash}}: The first four flashes are this. They believe in doing the right thing and will not compromise their morals even when doing so would be to their advantage.
** Ironically, Comicbook/{{X 23}} has become this despite all the hell she's lived through. In contrast to Comicbook/{{Wolverine}}'s pragmatic cynicism and willingness to compromise his beliefs, Laura has increasingly become an idealist seeking something noble to aspire to and is much much more uncompromising in her views of right and wrong (such as insisting on helping, rather than killing, Siphon once she discovered he was actually a ''victim'' of Paradise despite the extreme danger he presented when hungry [[spoiler: and it ''does'' eventually end up biting her on the ass]]). Laura notably went through a mini-FreakOut when she learned that, despite how bad things in her home reality are, the [[Comicbook/UltimateMarvel Ultimate Universe]] is ''[[CrapSackWorld even worse]]''.

* An interesting inversion of the DarkerAndEdgier creep described above is brought to us by ''ComicBook/XMen'' villain Exodus. A literal KnightTemplar who was turned into a SealedBadassInACan 800 years ago and revived in the modern-day, Exodus still holds true to the noble values of the knighthood and has no greater ambition than to protect and defend his people, even [[https://web.archive.org/web/20140901032741/http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_27305/subcat_115248/IMAG0859.JPG dressing like a classic Silver Age hero]]. Unfortunately, he also holds to the uncompromising black-and-white thinking of his era, turning him into an AntiVillain who clashes with the X-Men because he is unable to admit that not all mutants are good and not all humans are bad.

* ''ComicBook/GothamCityGarage'': [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara Gordon]] is happy-go-lucky, innocent, and optimistic in a post-apocalyptic world where the last city on Earth is ruled by a tyrant and the rest of the planet is a barren wasteland inhabited by bandits and scavengers. Big Barda thinks she'll have to break her cheerful idealism before it kills Kara... until they discover the "super-strong and invulnerable" thing.

* ''Fanfic/CodePrime'': As in canon, Suzaku is this. {{Deconstructed}} further than in canon, though, because his tendency to see only the best in people means that he fails to recognize just how monstrous Megatron is, which also blinds him to how evil the Decepticons are.

* ''Fanfic/XMenTheEarlyYears'': [[ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} Scott Summers]]' parole officer Carol is cheerful, optimistic and determined to help every troubled child. She freaks Scott out since he can't believe a public servant might be idealistic.

* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': {{Reconstructed}} with Anna. She's extremely idealistic by nature and naive. She thinks Hans is her One True Love after less than a day, only to find out he's a murderous, [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] GoldDigger. She also believes her sister Elsa is just [[NotEvilJustMisunderstood misunderstood]] when the latter freezes the whole kingdom, but turns out to be right. By the end of the movie, she's become more discerning and realistic but still retains her idealism. The casting call for the Broadway version even outright says "her greatest flaw – and her greatest strength – is her faith in love".

** Monarch are seen as this InUniverse by government and military authorities, but it's actually PlayedWith or {{averted}} by them.

* Amy Adams's characters in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' and ''Film/{{Doubt}}''.

* Horrendously deconstructed in ''Film/{{Europa}}'' by Creator/LarsVonTrier: Leopold Kessler, a naive German-American pacifist arrives in post-WII Germany to help his compatriots survive the aftermath of the war. He is repeatedly bullied and resented by his own uncle, gets involved in intrigues between the American military and Nazi resistance, the woman he loves and eventually marries [[spoiler:turns out to be a member of ''Werwolf'']], and after being betrayed and used by everyone, [[spoiler:he finally snaps and blows the train with himself and everyone else in the movie, and drowns. What is worth noting, that train was the one he just saved from being blown up by TheRemnant - and nobody is grateful to him.]]

* ''Film/BoilerRoom'': Like [[Film/WallStreet Bud Fox]] before him, Seth is [[NaiveNewcomer too naïve]] to realize that JT Marlin is actually a [[spoiler:[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin boiler room]] - it's a [[WhiteCollarCrime "pump and dump" scam]], where the price of stocks of expired or fake companies (as well as speculative penny stocks) are artificially inflated through fraudulent, bogus or misleading statements, in order to sell the cheaply purchased stock at a higher price. Once the operators of the scheme "dump" (aka sell) their overvalued shares, the price falls and the investors lose their money.]] The film revolves entirely around [[WellDoneSonGuy Seth trying to earn a legitimate career to impress his father]], [[spoiler:but this actually endangers his father's career as a federal judge when the FBI's Financial Crimes unit gets wind of it. His father even [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out for this]] once he finds more about JT Marlin.]]

* ''Film/{{Descendants}}'' Prince Ben pretty much hinged on the universe rewarding nobility and courage. His first scene in the movie is him telling his parents Belle and the Beast, he wants to give four children of villains a chance to become better people and invite them into the kingdom despite their parents being some of the most feared and hated villains in their history[[note]]Mal is the daughter of Maleficent, Evie is the daughter of the Evil Queen of ''Snow White'', Carlos de Vil is the son of Cruella de Vil, and Jay is the son of Jafar[[/note]]. Of special note is when he spent time with Mal, which revolved around the idea that Mal is a lost being who just needs good influences in her life, as opposed to the evil spawn of villains she and her friends are painted as. Of course, everyone heavily doubts his move to give the villain kids a chance, but Ben doesn't let that stop him.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''
** Sansa Stark, who bases her whole life around singers' tales, is a perfect little lady, gentle and trusting. [[spoiler:Until the person she is starry-eyed over cuts off her father's head in front of her.]] [[BreakTheHaughty And then MUCH]] [[BreakTheCutie misfortune followed]].
** Sansa's TricksterMentor, [[StepfordSmiler Littlefinger]] is implied to have been ''even more'' idealistic than her as a child, having had a mischievous, adorable, and optimistic nature before his own BreakTheCutie process. [[{{Yandere}} He hasn't]] [[DisproportionateRetribution handled it well...]] '''''[[DisproportionateRetribution at all!]]'''''
** Less drastic but still quite there examples also exist with her siblings: her younger brother Bran especially, who believed in the same songs and stories as she did. His BreakTheCutie process just happened faster.
** Quentyn Martell has the mindset of a heroic fantasy and sees himself as TheHero who will succeed. But he is in fact unskilled to the task given to him. He was sent to Meereen to marry Daenerys, but he is unable to woo her, as he just isn't manly enough. His next plan was to try to tame her dragons thinking it would impress her, but he ends up getting burnt to a crisp for his foolishness.
** Brienne of Tarth realized long ago that since no KnightInShiningArmor will sweep her off her feet, then she will be one. She quickly learns knighthood ain't what it's cracked up to be either.

* Cosima from ''Literature/ComradeDeath''. She flat-out refuses to see Sarek for what he really is. [[spoiler:He confesses to [[MurderTheHypotenuse abandoning her husband to die]], and later refuses to save her grandson from going to war, and both times she dismisses his spite as being concealed guilt and claims he would have helped if it had been in his power to do so]].

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''

* ''Literature/HarryPotter''

* Drizzt Do'Urden in ''Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy'': ''Homeland''; he gets mildly [[JadeColoredGlasses bitter]] during the later portion of the novel when he finds out that his favorite mentor Zak [[TechnicalPacifist kills clerics by the dozens]], [[spoiler:not that he always enjoys it...]].
* Moomin-"all I want is to grow potatoes and live in peace"-troll of ''Literature/TheMoomins''.
* Toglio in Norman Mailer's ''The Naked and the Dead''. Always thinking to himself about how he and his squad are "The good ol' boys", hard-working and patriotic. Then, of course, he gets his leg shot up to hell and sent home.
* Rinaldo in Creator/RobertEHoward's Literature/ConanTheBarbarian story "Literature/ThePhoenixOnTheSword," one of the conspirators of Ascalante's plot to overthrow Conan.
-->''"Alone of us all, Rinaldo has no personal ambition. He sees in Conan a red-handed, rough-footed barbarian who came out of the north to plunder a civilized land. He idealizes the king whom Conan killed to get the crown, remembering only that he occasionally patronized the arts, and forgetting the evils of his reign, and he is making the people forget. Already they openly sing ''The Lament for the King'' in which Rinaldo lauds the sainted villain and denounces Conan as 'that black-hearted savage from the abyss.' Conan laughs, but the people snarl."\\
"Why does he hate Conan?"\\
"Poets always hate those in power. To them perfection is always just behind the last corner, or beyond the next. They escape the present in dreams of the past and future. Rinaldo is a flaming torch of idealism, rising, as he thinks, to overthrow a tyrant and liberate the people."''

* Dorden, TheMedic of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: Literature/GauntsGhosts'' has aspects of this, in trying to adhere to ThouShaltNotKill and preventing Gaunt from carrying out necessary ShootTheDog despite their WorldHalfEmpty.
* 300 adults decide to try to create the Just City from Plato's Republic by using 10,000 slave children in ''The Just City'', the first book of the ''Literature/{{Thessaly}}'' series by Creator/JoWalton. It works about as well as any utopian experiment ever tried, meaning the problems become rapidly apparent.
* Peeta Mellark from ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. At first. His idealism gradually erodes as the series goes on.
* Eustace Osgrey of ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg'' truly believes Daemon Blackfyre's cause was just and that his fellow rebels are heroes, no matter how much this has cost him.
* Kostya Saushkin in ''Literature/NightWatchSeries''. He goes to medical school to try to find a cure for vampirism. However, since vampirism isn't actually a disease in this setting (he's actually undead), he fails. He does, however, succeed in figuring out how to quickly boost himself to High Vampire status using a special blood cocktail he comes up with. Normally, such a thing requires completely draining about 50 humans. He genuinely believes that he would feel more normal is everyone in the world had magical powers. Everyone else understands how asinine that idea is. Most people are far too irresponsible to be entrusted with magic. The world would plunge into chaos. [[spoiler:He still tries to do it using the ''Fuaran'' spellbook, but attempting to open a portal to the ISS results in him missing by a mile and finding himself in orbit. The next book mentions that he burned up on re-entry.]]
* Jack Squarim, a character Rob has coffee with for one chapter in Asi Hart's ''Literature/UtopianMassacres'' is idealistic, from inexperience. He gets upset when the way of the world across the river is described to him.
* ''Literature/VillainsDontDateHeroes'': Fialux believes that criminals are pure evil and if they can all be stopped that the good people will be able to rise above their problems. It takes her a while to understand that Night Terror was doing more good for the city as the top villain than Fialux does as its top hero.

* Phil Coulson of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' and the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse is a very idealistic man who believes that people are fundamentally ''good''. His belief in heroes is seen as [[GoodIsOldFashioned slightly old-fashioned]] (his ''favorite'' hero being ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, who is definitely an idealist), but it's implied that this fundamental faith in human decency is why he's described as Nick Fury's "one good eye" [[spoiler: and why Fury is willing to go to such lengths to resurrect him]]. He's rather like the TokenGoodTeammate for the rest of SHIELD and, in an interesting example of PlayingWithATrope, his idealism seems to be highly valued by the more cynical agents he works for and with.

* ''Franchise/KamenRider''

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Edith Keeler in "The City on the Edge of Forever". [[spoiler:If she had lived, her peace movement would have delayed America's entry into UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and Hitler would have won]].

** Naive, gentle Tora Ziyal, despite growing up as a prisoner of the Breen, despite being rejected by Bajorans and Cardassians for her hybrid status, still remains trusting and hopeful that she can somehow help, with her art that resembles that of both cultures, in proving that the groups aren't so different after all. She knows her [[MagnificentBastard father]], Dukat's past, but loves him anyway, sincerely believing he's changed and keeps right on forgiving him. [[spoiler:Too bad that choosing saving her friends over staying with her father gets her shot by her father's [[TheDragon Dragon]] as a traitor. Dukat goes mad as a result]].

* New correspondent Kristin Schaal is currently playing this (along with TheWoobie) on ''Series/TheDailyShow''. It remains to be seen how long it will last, as she is [[ThisIsReality cruelly disillusioned]] in just about every appearance.

* King!Rin of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZOPlZTAPDs Death Should Not Have Taken Thee!]]'' believes steadfastly in the [[WrongGenreSavvy idealistic conventions]] of classic [=RPGs=], sending StraightMan Soldier!Len out to [[MediumAwareness gain EXP]], SaveThePrincess and defeat the FinalBoss. Len spends the song {{Lampshading}} this incessantly.

* ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful:'' Princesses of Mirrors will often fall under this trope, in contrast to TheIdealist Radiant Princesses. While the Radiants ''are'' idealists, they do acknowledge that they live in a WorldHalfFull and that they will need to EarnYourHappyEnding. Mirrors, on the other hand, teaches that there is no such thing as a no-win scenario, that hard choices only mean that you're not looking hard enough for the perfect answer, and that the Princess of Mirrors can fix everything by herself.

** Fenthick in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', so much that he cannot comprehend evil. [[spoiler: This leads to tragedy when it's revealed that he was unknowingly helping TheMole the entire time. His fate? [[TheScapegoat Found guilty of "negligence", then publicly executed to appease angry citizens of the city]]]]. Linu is a lesser example.
** NPC rather than party member, but ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has Seamus Dumar. He's an outspoken opponent of the unthinking fear the qunari in Kirkwall inspire, and believes in bringing the two sides closer together (no easy task, since qunari aren't that approachable themselves). Too bad he lives in a WretchedHive and his father is a well-meaning SlaveToPR. [[spoiler: Mother Petrice has him murdered and tries to frame the qunari for it to spark a race war]].
* PJ in ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar''. Given ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' tries to use "WarIsHell" as AnAesop, [[{{Retirony}} and he mentions his ]] [[FatalFamilyPhoto girlfriend back at the base...]] [[spoiler:He dies]].

* In a world that is in effect suffering the final stages of a cancer, Solaire of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' fame is as cheery and upbeat as they come (and unlike a few others, doesn't try to kill you). Being essentially (as many pointed out) the cooperative type player archetype, he is always nice to you and is eager to help with a boss battle. [[spoiler: However, true to the tone, he undergoes a HeroicBSOD at his failings to find his purpose and if steps aren't taken, will be possessed by a Chaos Bug, forcing you to kill one of the nicest characters in a dying, bleak world]].

** In ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', David Sarif is this to an extent. In a world of high tech cybernetics, ruthless conspiracy, and corporate warfare — signs that would warn an individual that they're in a CyberPunk setting - Sarif believes that the best thing to do with augmentation technology is to remove all restrictions on it and that doing so will help the people of the world. Of course, despite the multiple endings, this is a prequel to ''Deus Ex'', so we know that all four endings will result in the exact same scenario a few decades down the line. [[spoiler:His belief that merging man and machine will create a better world is vindicated by the original game's Helios ending, where the hero merges with a benevolent AI]].

* Anduin Wrynn from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' displays the qualities associated with this trope. Despite the chaos in his past and his father's stubborn vehemence toward the Horde, Anduin firmly maintains that "both [his] people, and the Horde, are essentially good." His benevolence toward both the Alliance and the Horde is unchanged even by [[spoiler:his near-death at the hands of Garrosh Hellscream, the present Warchief of the Horde at the time.]]
** It is even implied during a vision from the draenei prophet Velen that [[spoiler: Anduin may lead the forces of Light during the final battle against the Burning Legion, placing him in direct contrast with Sargeras, who views the denizens of Azeroth- the Alliance and the Horde by extension- as corruptible and impure.]]

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Grace is this in all things including [[InnocentFanserviceGirl nudity]], and so was [[spoiler:Susan]] before [[spoiler:her MercyKill [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-05-31 of the aberration.]] Literally so -- her eyes change into her current half-droopy state when she looks down at his corpse, and while she still [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-07-11 has]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-01-22 wide]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-06-23 eyes]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2009-02-10 quite]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-06-30 often]], they do tend towards the "half-droopy". After the encounter of a weird kind with Jerry led to FreakOut, though, she now tends to have wide-open eyes more often than not.]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''

* ''Webcomic/{{Nebula}}''

* Three of the four kids who make of the Wyre Cats team in ''Webcomic/WeAreTheWyrecats'' neatly fall into this category in the flashbacks, but life has [[BreakTheCutie not been kind to them]].

* A toned-down version of Penny in ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog''. "...a generally nice person whose idealistic attempts at solving the problems of their world turn out to go ''horribly horribly'' awry..." Do I detect a bit of irony?

* ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest''

** Katara is this to some degree, at least in the earlier episodes. Her idealism is {{lampshaded}} by the portrayal of her by an actor in the Lampshade Extravaganza episode, The Ember Island Players:

* Wally from the ''Literature/WheresWally'' cartoon series fits this trope to a T but manages to avoid the horrible death part. He's too cheery for his own good and his dog Woof has more common sense than he does yet he always escapes unscathed from his dangerous journeys.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow'' is all about {{deconstructing}} the trope with Junior as when Rallo reveals he was being scammed by grifters, Junior turns into a cynic. Roberta spells it out for Rallo that Junior was better off being an idealist, prompting Rallo to try and change Junior back to a 'chump'.

* [[EnlightenedAntagonist Zaheer]] of SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' is a villainous example who merits inclusion here as well as under WellIntentionedExtremist - he plans to [[BombThrowingAnarchists topple the Avatar world's governments]] so a better world can rise from the ashes, but he seems to think that the world will naturally turn into a utopia as soon as those pesky authority figures are out of the way, with [[MissingStepsPlan no other steps required]]. Things don't quite work out that way, and his assassination of the Earth Queen only leads to [[PyrrhicVillainy an even worse and more restrictive regime taking the place of the old one]].

** Rotton the Wizard. Firmly believes that he's in a far, ''far'' more idealistic series. Only his CrazyPrepared-ness and association with a DragonLady KnifeNut and a [[ChainsawGood chainsaw-wielding]] body disposal expert keep him alive and kicking.