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An ultimately heroic or good character nonetheless associated with an obvious vice.
The Mc Duck avoids being an Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist in that while they have obvious greed, lust, etc. it never completely outweighs their good qualities or sense of morality. In some instances it weighs equally, and they feel justified making minor exploitations of their co-stars.
This is a common trope in anime, often associated with a clever and attractive girl who is always looking for ways to make cash.
An easy way to create an antagonist for this character is to create a character with the exact same vice, only without the morals that the Mc Duck has to keep it in check.
Compare Anti Hero, Fatal Flaw.
Examples:
- Naturally, Disney’s Scrooge McDuck, an industrious and fairly ruthless businessman who is tempered by affection for his family and his strong work ethic.
- It's essential to note that Scrooge is a saint compared to his rivals: Flintheart Glomgold, who's a cheating scoundrel, and John D. Rockerduck, who inherited all of his money. Except for one important instance as noted in The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, Scrooge worked hard for his money.
- The titular character in Darkwing Duck, the Ducktales spin-off, had his own obvious flaws, too, all stemming from a super-inflated ego (i.e. pride)—which, when he stops bragging and clowning around, is justified.
- Comic book example: Booster Gold, late of the Justice League, who fights crime, rights wrongs, and has multiple smokin' endorsement deals.
- Master Of Mosquiton's Inaho is an unrepetant obsessive treasure hunter who often puts her friends in danger. Nonetheless, one of her Catchphrases is "Life is more important than money." (Which she can always get more of later...)
- One Piece has Nami, who is a decent person despite being obsessed with treasure, even after she manages to save her hometown, and Usopp, who is both a coward and a braggart, but usually willing to stop fooling around and fight when the chips are down, even though he rarely does much but provide a distraction and a target.
- It was shown that her love of money was actually because she was trying to pay off a ridiculous ransom in order to free her hometown from pirate rule. Turns out she must have gotten addicted to it, since she's still just as money-hungry once the problem is taken care of.
- Lina Inverse of The Slayers invariably shakes down those she saves with her heroics, and even tries to cheat allies out of their property.
- Not to mention she's a glutton and tends to leave a wake of destruction in her path, which (to her credit) includes blowing up the bad guy as often as she can manage.
- I just wanted to note that her penchance for destruction eventually gets her wanted by the law, charged with simply: "Being Lina Inverse". Her friends, acting as her lawyers, are hard-pressed to deny her guilt.
- Rygel on Farscape. Gluttonous, greedy, prideful, lecherous, lazy, and when sufficiently provoked, more than capable of wrath. (A borderline case, as he does try to sell out the others on occasion in the early season, so he's not that heroic.) However, you will almost never find him envious—what's there to envy? He's perfect.
- Chiana, meanwhile, is Lusty McFuck.
- Order Of The Stick's self-proclaimed "Chaotic Good-ish" thief Hayley Starshine is sneaky and greedy, but ultimatly good-hearted and even prone to suprising moments of charity.
- It's been broadly hinted in the strip that the reason she glomps so fiercely onto money is that she needs to pay off some sort of enormous ransom to save a family member.
- Jossed by the Origin of P Cs book. She was greedy even before receiving the ransom note.
- Gwizdo of Dragon Hunters usually haggles with desperate villagers over the price of the Hunters' services or actually tries to swindle them. However, his schemes either go wrong or his good nature prevails, effectively preventing the team from getting rich and settling down.
- Rayne from Least I Could Do. One wouldn't think an arrogant womanizer could be such a likable character, but he pulls it off through a combination of sheer charisma and being a big softie on the inside.
- Rosette Christopher from Chrono Crusade is so Hot Blooded that she causes massive damage on her missions, is revealed to be quite fond of gambling, and one time got so drunk she knocked over a nearly priceless vase—and she's a nun living during Prohibition! But despite all this, she's kind-hearted, a genuinely good person and lives life to the fullest even knowing her Deal With The Devil will cause her to die a young death.
- Oskar Schindler, as least as he is depicted in Schindler's List. A glad handling, womanizing opportunist who went on to save over a thousand Jewish lives during World War II.
- Lemina Ausa in Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is always trying to swindle her own party members out of their money and even has a character portrait with dollar signs in her eyes. She's ultimately trying to get all the money to restore Vane to its former glory, but this seemingly altruistic motive is reduced when it comes out that Lemina is the only one in Vane that actually cares. This is balanced because she does genuinely want to help save the world, and she has good intentions. She's still a money-grubber though.
- Samantha Jones of Sex In The City. Lives life according to her many vices (most notably sex and fashion), unsentimental, and more than a little arrogant, yet comes through and supports her friends in the end.
- Dr Thaddeus Venture of The Venture Brothers, despite being mostly portrayed as a cynical, emotionally crippled, amoral slime ball, does occasionally show that deep down he is a decent human being, major examples including Stopping Brock from murdering his brother at the end of season one, refusing to become the super villain Dr. Killinger had been grooming him to become in season three, and again in season three when he decides to study the super powerful ORB rather than use it for his own personal gain.
- Captain Jack Harkness is definitely one of these. You can't help but love him even though he flirts with literally everyone he meets because he's just such a good guy.
- Calvin of Calvin And Hobbes, a selfish, irascible, arrogant powder keg that makes his parents and teachers reach for Maalox by the quart... but also intelligent, insightful, imaginative, and demonstrates a true love of animals and nature in his dear friend and Morality Pet Hobbes. Hobbes may also qualify, considering how he attempts to attack and anger Calvin, just as often as he demonstrates his friendship.
- Arguably, The Incredible Hulk. He's got Wrath down pat.
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