In an unfamiliar timeline in Andromeda, Nietzschean Gaheris Rhade wins his Episode 1 fight with Dylan Hunt and then enters the future 300 years later and, finding that his people have utterly failed to live up to his expectations, sets about rebuilding the Systems Commonwealth…not at all happily but with sour, dogged, determination. Eventually, he decides he's not the man for the job, goes back 300 years, kills earlier self, and intentionally loses his fight with Cap. Hunt, creating the more familiar timeline.
Angel. Hell, the entire cast of that show could fall under this, especially Angel and Wesley. note We could say, the series' script was written by a DeKnight in Sour Armor. Angel's philosophy is stated by Angel himself in the Season 4 episode "Deep Down":
Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel but that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world were as it should be, show it what it can be. You're not a part of that yet. I hope you will be. I love you, Connor. Now get out of my house.
Summed up beautifully (it's the show's mission statement) in "Not Fade Away", when Gunn is helping Anne unload supplies for her teen homeless shelter from a truck on a day when the world might very well end:
Gunn: What if I told you that none of it mattered? That the world is controlled by forces much more powerful than we are, and that those forces will never, ever let things get better? What would you do then? Anne: I'd tell you to finish getting those supplies off that truck and take them inside.
Arrow: Sara Lance to a certain extent. Her family thought she was dead and she spent years away from her home trapped on an island, training, and being forced to kill. She considers herself the furthest thing in the world from a hero. Despite this, she's willing to risk her life to check on her family, protect women that she has never met from assault, and run into a burning building to save a baby.
Marcus Cole has one of the darkest wit of any characters on the show, knows his way around the station's criminal underworld, and yet acts like a knight of the round table. At one point he argues that the general crappiness and unfairness of the universe should be taken as a good thing. Imagine if everything were this bad because we all deserved it?!
Also Michael Garibaldi, a jaded cop who joins Sheridan's extremely idealistic rebellion unhesitatingly. It's worth noting, however, that he eventually leaves said rebellion specifically because he's cynical. And no, Bester didn't intend for him to do that.
What other characters call pessimism, Commander Susan Ivanova calls realism. All the same her very strong sense of duty means she refuses to back down no matter how badly the universe insists on mauling her. The Distant Finale reveals that this trait has lead to her becoming a decorated General decades later, who is if anything probably even more this trope than she started out as.
Lee Adama is this at times in a sort of contrast with the Honor Before Reason-driven Helo. Both believe in rules and the system, but Lee is more willing to bend the former to save the latter.
Lawyer Romo Lampkin is this way, as he has the cynicism of the disillusioned idealist. We never get to hear why he hated Lee's grandfather, a famous criminal defense attorney, so it's difficult to say. Lee's grandfather was revealed in Caprica to have gotten through law school funded by the Tauron mafia and in the very first episode bribes a judge to get off mobsters, among other things. He apparently got a lot better, but there were probably lots of reasons to dislike him.
Tigh, being a rough and gruff Drill Sergeant Nasty, is the most prominent example of this trope
As is Starbuck. He can be very cynical at times, especially when it comes to the law system. He also smokes, gambles and courts women on a daily basis when he's not in his Viper. When he is, he's most at home blasting away as many Cylons as he could. He does have moments of idealism, though, as shown when he protects a group of warrior kids from the Cylons while stranded on a planet in which nearly everyone else is wiped out.
Apollo can be this at times as well, especially towards the Council. Given that they were responsible for their long-time enemies blowing up all twelve of their homeworlds, it's not all that jarring.
Giles becomes one at some point in the show's run (certainly by the finale of season 5, when he kills Ben to kill Glory), probably around the time, the Watcher's Council fired him for refusing to endanger Buffy's life. Joss Whedon seems to enjoy the trope.
Chernobyl lays this out in the beginning of the second episode with the Russian poem being read over the radio. Translated, the speaker refers to the USSR as a "bitter land" full of suffering and pitiful villages, but which is nevertheless worth dying for. Legasov is rightly terrified of his own government, but he pushes through his fear when it counts to try and keep more lives from being lost when they try to sweep things under the rug. Khomyuk wants to quit after interviewing men dying of Acute Radiation Syndrome and getting arrested by the KGB, but she knows she isn't going to because finding the truth means preventing this from happening again. Shcherbina is gutted when he realizes that his superiors casually sent him to an early grave by putting him in charge of Chernobyl, but he gives a Rousing Speech calling for volunteers to drain the water beneath the reactor—yes, it is a Suicide Mission, but "every generation has its own suffering" and regardless of how gruelling it is or how bad the government is, it must be done for the millions of innocents who will die if it isn't.
Most of the characters on Criminal Minds have been this at one point or another. (Except Garcia, and even she has her borderline moments.) Derek Morgan explicitly gave voice to it near the end of 4x25/26, "To Hell And Back." pointing out that however many unsubs they catch, the world always produces more. He wavered on whether to leave- except that he didn't, giving truth to the Trope. The exception being Jason Gideon, who seemed like one for a while, and then abandoned the team in 3x01 because the awfulness of the world had overwhelmed him.
After being on Degrassi enough seasons you either end up here or Jade-Colored Glasses, just a fact of life for teenagers. Best examples for this side of things would be Spinner, Darcy, Jimmy, Marco, Sav, Clare, Alli, and Jenna. The series is abundant with drama and cruelty for them, but they still believe no matter how the world sucks... it's what they have and it's worth it to not give up. But the world unquestionably sucks, they are all more than clear there.
The Doctor from Doctor Who qualifies for this in nearly all of their incarnations at one point or another, but a few stand out among the rest.
The First Doctor began it all; he was a cranky old man who still saved the universe often.
The Third Doctor was exiled to Earth, and to outsiders could be seen as moody, and he often butted heads with The Brigadier while facing alien threats.
After five regenerations, the Sixth Doctor reverted back to a brash, difficult individual, yet constantly facing foes and battling corruption throughout time and space.
The WarDoctor (Especially in the audios, comics and novel), is bitter, spiteful, condescending, hates himself, the Daleks and the Time-Lords, and wishes for nothing but to stop the Great Time-War at any cost. But still treasures life, and will do anything to defend the innocent.
The Ninth Doctor refers to Humans as "stupid apes," but saved Earth again and again.
After spending two regenerations as a young-looking and acting man, the Twelfth Doctor was once again a cranky old man. However, he very much wanted and strove to be a good man from the beginning, and was frustrated by having to be a Pragmatic Hero so often. He Took a Level in Kindness by the start of Series 9 (his second season). By the end of his tenure, he was perhaps the kindest, most empathetic Doctor of all...and in his Grand Finale it was the example he set to the First Doctor that allowed that original self to accept regenerating for the first time. As for his own regeneration, as much as he wanted to be released from his long lifespan and loneliness at last, he decided that helping others was Worth Living For (and worth a Loss of Identity) instead. His Final Speech, addressed to his successor, includes the admonition "Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind." A speech along similar lines from his penultimate episode can be found on this trope's Quotes page.
The third season and (to a lesser degree) the fourth season of Enterprise did this to Captain Archer. He's so upbeat, excited and optimistic about exploring the galaxy in the first two seasons, continuing to get blindsided by all the pre-federation bullies. When the Xindi Weapon devastates Earth he not only takes a level in badass but his attitude switches to be even colder throughout the entire third season. He mellows a bit in the fourth but still exhibits this when the going gets tough.
Mal Reynolds of Firefly. He lost his faith in God and humanity in one fell swoop, but when presented with the choice he goes out of his way to do the right thing.
Ser Loras Tyrell becomes this in Season 2 after his lover King Renly Baratheon is murdered. It's even shown symbolically, as his once spotless suit of armour (which practically made him look like a walking mirror in Season 1) is now somewhat tarnished.
The Hound, much like his book counterpart is hinted to be this beneath his Blood Knight exterior, especially after leaving King's Landing during the Battle of Blackwater Bay. After that, pretty much anyone he meets who talks about fighting in the war gets this line:
The Hound: "Fuck the king."
It becomes even more evident in season 6 and beyond. The Hound is as bad-tempered and cynical as ever, but he keeps fighting for a cause that's bigger than him because he understands precisely what is at stake.
Jaime Lannister is much closer to this as of Season 4. For a long time, he was scornful of the double standards of chivalry as far as how Westeros regards his "kingslaying" and how in their eyes, he's dishonored himself for all time. Despite this, Jaime does value the Kingsguard and does aspire to the example of the likes of Ser Barristan. He tells his father, Tywin, that while he has soured his honor for killing a king, he won't sour it by abandoning the Kingsguard altogether.
Serving kings that were either Ax-Crazy (Aerys) or a drunkard (Robert) greatly jaded Ser Barristan, but still does his duty with full dedication.
Gotham's Jim Gordon quickly becomes this, which isn't surprising considering the environment he's working in. Harvey Bullock has become this although in his case it's actually a step up from the cynicalCorrupt Cop he was when we first met him.
In Healer, both Min Ja and Young Jae. Min Ja is a former detective who refused to leave her post while her four-year-old son was dying in the hospital, only to be ordered to destroy the evidence and close the case. Young Jae was one of five True Companions who opposed the regime's media censorship by way of a pirate radio broadcast and went to prison for eleven years, only to find two of his former friends dead at, seemingly, the hand of the third. At one point in the series, they have a conversation in which they both admit that they are this trope—and that they both hope that the hero, still in the Knight in Shining Armor phase of his life, will succeed without becoming like them.
Methos from Highlander (at least in his more recent days). Even though he keeps claiming to only serve his own purposes and to do things just to save his own skin, in reality he frequently goes out of his way - often quite literally, and sometimes even to the point of risking his own life - to help and protect others. And as we see in his history as a medical doctor, that's probably not limited to his life after meeting Duncan MacLeod, despite his claims to the contrary...
Sir Hugh Hayden-Hoyle from The Honourable Woman, is a jaded and very cynical spy similar to many of the protagonists in Le Carre novels. He starts off completely apathetic to his work and the Middle East due to the senseless violence that he feels he can't do anything about but ends up striving to help both Nessa and Atika anyway.
In Jessica Jones (2015) on Netflix, this describes the title character to a tee. She's cynical to the core, often rude, sarcastic, pushes others away, and generally doesn't show much outward sympathy to others. She still does everything in her power to protect innocent lives, including (if there's no other way) giving Kilgrave, the one who traumatized her in the first place, what he asks for.
The show ran afoul of this in its earliest seasons with a cast that could almost be described as a cluster of rain clouds who live and breathe sarcasm and misanthropy. (Probably justified in a show focused on "especially heinous" assault and abuse cases.) Even the guest cast of suspects and crossover cast had nothing to add but more rain. Some episodes seemed to be a reminder how everyone hated life. In later seasons, the show started to get out of its funk.
The biggest example is former ADA Alex Cabot. Once, she was all about the law, incredibly strict to the point of undermining a case rather than cross ethical lines. After a long absence, Cabot returns in season 19's "Sunk Cost Fallacy" where she is now part of a group who help battered women and children escape their lives by faking their deaths. She's even willing to let a husband go to jail for the "murder" of his family. A fight with Liv has Cabot ranting on how Liv could have lied under oath as the "tell the whole truth" thing is just a load of crap to make people think the justice system gives a damn about them and her methods work much better.
Liv: What happened to you? Alex: I opened my eyes. I opened them wide, and I saw that for twelve years I was a cog in a "holier than thou" wheel and the wheel keeps spinning and tossing off bodies as it goes.
This is Eliot's bit in Leverage. He's continually grumpy with his coworkers (particularly Hardison but also Parker) and has a more gritty take on the work they do and the impact they can have, made cynical by what he's seen in his military service and then his years as as a "retrieval specialist." But, he always fights on their behalf anyway.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Galadriel might wear a shining armour, but she is as far as possible from an Ideal Hero. She's a jaded Broken Bird who lived things that deeply traumatized her. She tries to do good, but she is slowly consumed by her desire for revenge.
McGill, the protagonist of Man in a Suitcase, has been dealt a rough hand in life through no fault of his own. He has been rewarded for doing his old job well by being exiled in disgrace. He is under no illusions that Wide-Eyed Idealism will bring any rewards. Despite his cynical outlook, McGill still holds himself to a moral code. His loyalty to his clients is such that he will never accept a bribe to abandon a case, even if he is being offered more money than his client paid in the first place. And he will always do his best to keep the innocent out of harm's way.
The title character of Merlin, a Deadpan Snarker hero who nevertheless has a strong set of values and is determined to free his people.
Motherland: Fort Salem: In her heart Raelle's a kind and deeply compassionate person, but her unwanted fate of what's essentially military slavery gives her few opportunities to show her brighter side. Most of the time she's bitter and cynical, yet she can always be relied upon to do the right thing when it comes down to it. She does slowly grow warmer with her friends and her girlfriend though, genuinely believing in them.
In Mr. Robot, Elliot is cynical and jaded but does try to help people and bring down those who are hurting others. Often he puts others' safety before himself. He ultimately decides to tip off police about Shayla's abusive boyfriend, who's a drug and weapons dealer, even if it means not being able to get his withdraw medication, though he was hesitant at first. He also dislikes any innocent people getting hurt, even if the end result is something he wants. This differs from Mr. Robot, who doesn't care who gets in the way of his goals, as he believes he's creating a better world.
NCIS: Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is emotionally withdrawn and borderline asocial, having almost committed suicide after his wife and daughter were murdered. He still fights tooth-and-nail to bring criminals to justice.
Nick in New Girl is filled with bitterness, anger, cynicism and self-loathing but is still a great friend and almost always does the right thing even as his life keeps getting progressively worse.
Emma Swan is tough and cynical and doesn't believe in the curse, but she still stays in Storybrooke and goes against Regina and Mr. Gold.
Post Heel–Face Turn, Regina Mills qualifies. She is snarky and cynical, and is the first to make biting remarks, but is firmly on 'Team Heroes' and will always do the right thing.
Joe Caputo, the prison administrator in Orange Is the New Black is sleazy, bitter, angry, and generally hard to like. But a lot of that comes from his noble but frustrated attempts to protect the inmates and guards from corruption, underfunding, and callous corporate interference. It remains to be seen whether he will remain any kind of knight after the season 3 finale, where he opts to sell out for a promotion.
Augustus Hill is deeply cynical and borders on nihilism at some points, but he's one of the only prisoners who are genuinely trying to atone for their crimes, and he frequently sticks his neck out to do the right thing.
Diane Wittlesey is bitter and world-weary, but she still does her damnedest to enforce order among the inmates without ever using the brutality of the other guards and being a Reasonable Authority Figure whenever possible.
Dr. Cox of Scrubs is a cynical, angry, egotistical man, who firmly believes everyone should get the best treatment possible and often tries to stop injustice in the system. Indeed, many a Dr. Jerk could be described as this. Why do you think they're doctors?
"Chicks, money, power, and chicks." As said by Cox in "My Bed Banter and Beyond". In the same breath, he admits that he doesn't get any of that.
Sirens (UK) has Stuart (and possibility Ash) who after years of dealing with drunks fighting every Saturday in the street and the general lowest ebb of the human condition are fed up with the world. But given half the chance they'll crawl through broken glass or climb the side of a building to help those that need it.
Dean is the series' prime example. He's cynical, pessimistic, and very blunt on the negative side of a life fighting evil. At one point he even concluded the world wanted to end. Not the most likely hero, but still cares about the lives of people and devotes his life to saving them.
Dean: I think the world's going to end bloody, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't fight. We do have choices. I chose to go down swingin'.
Castiel in seasons 4,5, and especially 6.
Colby from Survivor, who said the game he first played in 2000 was outdated and gone, being one of the few players (other than Coach and Rupert) who was Honor Before Reason.
Derek Hale in Teen Wolf is a prime example of this. He's even got the In-Series Nickname of being a "sourwolf" to add to the characterization.
Derek Reese from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. He's a miserable man who was once a young boy playing baseball, then suddenly, got thrust into the apocalypse. He will spend every last ounce of energy, and stop at absolutely nothing including murder, in order to fight the coming cybernetic invasion, simply because no matter how hopeless it gets, it's not just the right thing to do...it's the ONLY thing to do.
Rust Cohle from the first season of the HBO Anthology series True Detective is a straight up nihilist, thinking that human consciousness was a mistake and that humanity should voluntarily stop breeding and die out. He is also a tireless fighter for what's right no matter the personal cost.
Most people involved with the government in 24 seem to believe this. Despite their constant sacrifices to save America, even Redshirt agents seem to realize that their victories are Pyrrhic at best, and rarely make attempts to mask how jaded they are.
Prior to the first season, Jack Bauer probably was not. After Terri dies because of Jack's job and having to face down the reality that saving lives and Obstructive Bureaucrats do not mix, his armor gets mighty sour.
Max Black of 2 Broke Girls. She basically had to raise herself and her mother. If something needed to be done Max got it done. Her attitude fits this to a T. She is seen to be able to do the right thing when it all comes down to this.
Almost every single good cop in The Wire knows that their objective is ultimately a futile effort and that the city of Baltimore is in far more disarray than they could possibly hope to rectify. However, this sure as hell doesn't stop them from trying.
