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* Haru's friend Taku from ''Literature/AccelWorld'' is a friendly, smart, athletic...pretty much everything Haru wishes he was. All of this masks Taku's extreme resentment and jealousy of ''Haru''. Taku is horribly insecure about his relationship with his girlfriend Chiyu because he believes that Chiyu secretly loves Haru instead of him. In his eyes, Chiyu always looks happier hanging out with Haru than she does when she is with him. All of Taku's achievements -- athletics, academics -- were done for the sole purpose of making himself better boyfriend material than Haru. Taku even went so far as to use [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Acceleration]] to improve his performance -- he didn't actually achieve anything through effort alone. He also installed a virus in Chiyu's neuro-link so he can spy on her at any time, making him borderline StalkerWithACrush material. While Taku does turn over a new leaf after Haru forces him into a tie, it's later revealed that he was hazed during kendo practice when he was younger,with other students practicing thrusting techniques on his neck so much that he became suicidal at times, and given that a thrust attack {{trigger}}s him, he suspects he won't be able to do kendo in high school, since thrusting is legal in high school competitions. Subsequent arcs reveal that [[NotSoDifferentRemark he's ultimately just as capable of self-loathing as Haru is]], but doesn't deal with it in as constructive of a manner.
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* Haru's friend Taku from ''Literature/AccelWorld'' is a friendly, smart, athletic...pretty much everything Haru wishes he was. All of this masks Taku's extreme resentment and jealousy of ''Haru''. Taku is horribly insecure about his relationship with his girlfriend Chiyu because he believes that Chiyu secretly loves Haru instead of him. In his eyes, Chiyu always looks happier hanging out with Haru than she does when she is with him. All of Taku's achievements -- athletics, academics -- were done for the sole purpose of making himself better boyfriend material than Haru. Taku even went so far as to use [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Acceleration]] to improve his performance -- he didn't actually achieve anything through effort alone. He also installed a virus in Chiyu's neuro-link so he can spy on her at any time, making him borderline StalkerWithACrush material. While Taku does turn over a new leaf after Haru forces him into a tie, it's later revealed that he was hazed during kendo practice when he was younger,with other students practicing thrusting techniques on his neck so much that he became suicidal at times, and given that a thrust attack {{trigger}}s [[TraumaButton triggers]] him, he suspects he won't be able to do kendo in high school, since thrusting is legal in high school competitions. Subsequent arcs reveal that [[NotSoDifferentRemark he's ultimately just as capable of self-loathing as Haru is]], but doesn't deal with it in as constructive of a manner.
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* Vivian Hardwick in ''Literature/KnightsOfTheBorrowedDark'' is the revered and respected Malleus of the Dublin cadre, and one of the Order's greatest warriors. She's also an emotionally closed-off CrusadingWidow who lives for revenge, and has serious trouble forming a bond with [[spoiler:her estranged son]].
** Her friend Grey, a likeable, caring young MasterSwordsman, starts out already a StepfordSmiler with [[ShellShockedVeteran serious PTSD]], but is ruthlessly broken over the course of the first book, emerging a bitter, guilt-ridden shell of his former Ace self.
** Her friend Grey, a likeable, caring young MasterSwordsman, starts out already a StepfordSmiler with [[ShellShockedVeteran serious PTSD]], but is ruthlessly broken over the course of the first book, emerging a bitter, guilt-ridden shell of his former Ace self.
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* ''Literature/WizardingSchoolMysteries'': In "Tournament of Death", one of the front-runner participants in the [[TournamentArc Ultimate Wizard Battle tournament]] regularly hosted by the AAAM is Richard Rainsford, has been the champion of said tournament for four years running. However, the constant victory and the inability to impress his father has made it all hollow behind his cheery exterior, [[spoiler:which is what has led him to become part of the BigBadDuumvirate, with the intent of picking off every other wizard participating until he can find a WorthyOpponent. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor He gets what he wanted in the form of Margot trouncing him with Serena's help, but outs himself as the culprit behind the murders, leaving himself and his co-conspirator at the angry AAAM headmaster's mercy]]]].
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* ''Literature/WizardingSchoolMysteries'': In "Tournament of Death", one of the front-runner participants in the [[TournamentArc Ultimate Wizard Battle tournament]] regularly hosted by the AAAM is Richard Rainsford, has been the champion of said tournament for four years running. However, the constant victory and the inability to impress his father has made it all hollow behind his cheery exterior, [[spoiler:which is what has led him to become part of the BigBadDuumvirate, with the intent of picking off every other wizard participating until he can find a WorthyOpponent. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor He gets what he wanted in the form of Margot trouncing him with Serena's help, but outs himself at the cost of the Meddlesome Youths outing him as the culprit behind the murders, leaving himself and his co-conspirator at the angry AAAM headmaster's mercy]]]].
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* The ''Literature/NeroWolfe'' book ''Literature/WhereTheresAWill'' has Eugene Davis. A "brilliant" attorney who was considered the best in the city, and with the potential to make history before he fell in love with a GoldDigger who dumped him for a wealthier man, leaving Davis as a self-loathing [[TheAlcoholic alcoholic]] who can't find joy in anything anymore.
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* The ''Literature/NeroWolfe'' book ''Literature/WhereTheresAWill'' has Eugene Davis. A "brilliant" attorney who was considered the best in the city, and with the potential to make history before he fell in love with a GoldDigger who dumped him for a wealthier man, leaving Davis as a self-loathing [[TheAlcoholic alcoholic]] who can't find joy in anything anymore.anymore.
* ''Literature/WizardingSchoolMysteries'': In "Tournament of Death", one of the front-runner participants in the [[TournamentArc Ultimate Wizard Battle tournament]] regularly hosted by the AAAM is Richard Rainsford, has been the champion of said tournament for four years running. However, the constant victory and the inability to impress his father has made it all hollow behind his cheery exterior, [[spoiler:which is what has led him to become part of the BigBadDuumvirate, with the intent of picking off every other wizard participating until he can find a WorthyOpponent. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor He gets what he wanted in the form of Margot trouncing him with Serena's help, but outs himself as the culprit behind the murders, leaving himself and his co-conspirator at the angry AAAM headmaster's mercy]]]].
* ''Literature/WizardingSchoolMysteries'': In "Tournament of Death", one of the front-runner participants in the [[TournamentArc Ultimate Wizard Battle tournament]] regularly hosted by the AAAM is Richard Rainsford, has been the champion of said tournament for four years running. However, the constant victory and the inability to impress his father has made it all hollow behind his cheery exterior, [[spoiler:which is what has led him to become part of the BigBadDuumvirate, with the intent of picking off every other wizard participating until he can find a WorthyOpponent. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor He gets what he wanted in the form of Margot trouncing him with Serena's help, but outs himself as the culprit behind the murders, leaving himself and his co-conspirator at the angry AAAM headmaster's mercy]]]].
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* ''Literature/TheKeptManOfThePrincessKnight'': Arwin Mactarode, [[RedBaron the "Crimson Princess Knight"]], is the leader of Aegis, the top adventuring party in the city, and continues to hold the heroic public image of the WarriorPrincess FightingForAHomeland for her scattered subjects, but in truth had gone over the DespairEventHorizon from [[ShellShockedVeteran "dungeon sickness"]] long before title character Matthew met her, and had resorted to the FantasticDrug Release to ease her trauma. Matthew's companionship is all that's keeping her sane and healthy anymore.
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* Haru's friend Taku from ''Literature/AccelWorld'' is a friendly, smart, athletic...pretty much everything Haru wishes he was. All of this masks Taku's extreme resentment and jealousy of ''Haru''. Taku is horribly insecure about his relationship with his girlfriend Chiyu because he believes that Chiyu secretly loves Haru instead of him. In his eyes, Chiyu always looks happier hanging out with Haru than she does when she is with him. All of Taku's achievements -- athletics, academics -- were done for the sole purpose of making himself better boyfriend material than Haru. Taku even went so far as to use [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Acceleration]] to improve his performance -- he didn't actually achieve anything through effort alone. He also installed a virus in Chiyu's neuro-link so he can spy on her at any time, making him borderline StalkerWithACrush material. While Taku does turn over a new leaf after Haru forces him into a tie, it's later revealed that he was hazed during kendo practice when he was younger,with other students practicing thrusting techniques on his neck so much that he became suicidal at times, and given that a thrust attack {{trigger}}s him, he suspects he won't be able to do kendo in high school, since thrusting is legal in high school competitions. Subsequent arcs reveal that [[NotSoDifferentRemark he's ultimately just as capable of self-loathing as Haru is]], but doesn't deal with it in as constructive of a manner.
* ''Literature/AccidentalDetectives'': In ''Madness at Moonshiner's Bay'', Sheriff Leroy was a rising FBI star (and a pretty athletic-looking guy) before he was forced to arrest his own brother Clem for murdering his uncle -- although he was actually framed -- and also compromised his principles by hiding evidence in the case in a failed attempt to keep Clem from going to prison. When Clem was convicted anyway, he felt that he'd betrayed his principles for nothing, causing him to resign from the FBI and become an apathetic, rural sheriff [[FormerlyFit who doesn't watch his weight]].
* Kazuo Kiriyama from ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' can master almost any skill. Combined with his inability to feel emotion due to brain damage which [[CursedWithAwesome makes him the perfect killer]]. [[spoiler:It's only as he dies does he regain emotion and the first thing he feels is regret over everything he's done.]]
* ''Literature/BraveNewWorld'': Helmholtz Watson is intelligent and handsome, but he's also depressed because of his soul-crushing job that revolves around mindless propaganda. He needs to create something meaningful, but that's not an option in a society where everyone's a hedonist.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain''. Capable, intelligent, handsome -- and a compulsive liar desperately trying to hide what he sees as his own fundamental lack of courage and decency in a culture obsessed with martyrdom. It's fairly obvious in his memoirs that Ciaphas is ''incapable'' of giving himself credit for any achievement because he has to justify any noble act with ignoble intentions.
* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Rhysand is incredibly skilled but also very, very broken. Beyond the trauma of being a SexSlave, he's got a shockingly low sense of self-worth, feeling that he's never given enough for his people, and puts on so many masks because he's afraid no one will love what they see underneath.
* ''Literature/{{Deverry}}'': Rhodry ap Maelwaedd. A brilliant fighter and battle leader, he is very intelligent, willing to work past cultural and societal constraints and bias, successfully ruled a rhyn for many years, and can be very quick to notice small things and take advantage. Also severely prone to terrible bouts of depression called ''hiraedd'', often takes on far more responsibility then is remotely necessary, blames himself for things that are in no way his fault, is often subject to ''severe'' honor before reason [[spoiler:and becomes a Death Seeker, with only his honor keeping him from suicide]].
* In the ''Literature/DreambloodDuology'', [[TheAce Ehiru]] is introduced as Hananja's favourite and the best Gatherer currently alive. However, messing up only once eats almost all of his confidence away and his lauded incorruptibility and devotion to Hananja's Law make him susceptible to being manipulated, creating a downward spiral of insecurity about his abilities and worth.
* ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'':
** Seiji Yagiri. Handsome, smart...and huge {{Yandere}} [[ALoveToDismember for a girl's head]].
** Namie, as well. In the novels, she's always described as an [[AloofDarkHairedGirl incredibly stunning young woman]] and she has enough smarts to give ''Izaya'' a run for his money. She's also rich, as well as the [[spoiler:previous]] head of Yagiri pharmaceuticals. Oh, and did we mention she's a virtually emotionless {{Jerkass}} who's [[BrotherSisterIncest madly in love with her brother]]?
** Another example is Shizuo Heiwajima's younger brother, Kasuka. Rich, talented, brilliant, beautiful and...''off''. The fact that he [[spoiler:[[UnholyMatrimony hooked up with a serial killer]]]] should tell you just ''how'' off. Even [[spoiler:said SerialKiller]], Ruri, described him as being out of his mind.
** Izaya Orihara. Smart, rich, connected, {{Bishonen}}, good at fighting, and an incredibly awful [[TheSociopath sociopath]] underneath, who will go as far as tricking girls into making {{Suicide Pact}}s with him ForTheLulz and manipulate other people for the same reason. If not for [[spoiler:Shinra]], he'd be a downright monster.
* Ender Wiggin from ''Literature/EndersGame'' may be only 10, but he is one of these. Everyone in Battle School (with some exceptions) loves him. He is the best in the standings, his free-time practice sessions are attended by many people throughout the school, he has the best army in the school and is one of the best tacticians ever. But he feels isolated from his friends and unloved. This becomes very apparent in'' Ender's Shadow'', as Bean is really Ender's only confidant. He is a poor, lonely boy with the weight of the world on him.
* In ''Literature/FateZero'', practically every Ace among the Masters. Kiritsugu and his status as the number one competitor, along with everything ''else'', including Saber? [[spoiler:Horrible life prior to meeting Maya and Iri, emotional issues, has no choice but to sacrifice his family for his dream, has the worst compatibility with his Servant out of the seven Masters]]. Kayneth and his prestigious magical talent and status as a Lord? [[spoiler:Horrible luck, his fiancée is in love with his Servant, overwhelmingly arrogant]]. Kotomine and his superhuman abilities and immense talent for anything and everything he does? [[spoiler:None of it means anything to him because of his soul-afflicted emptiness]]. Tokiomi and his incredible magical skill and having the strongest Servant in the entire Nasuverse? [[spoiler:His Servant fully plans to betray him, and he tore apart his own family due to his misguided attempts to make his daughters "equals" while holding true to Magus philosophy]].
** Among the Servants, Lancer, Berserker, and Saber all qualify. Lancer is easily the most skillful combatant out of the lot, but he has terrible luck, bad compatibility with his Master, and [[spoiler:a curse that makes women fall in love with him, including said master's fiancée]]. Berserker is one of the strongest Servants in the Nasuverse, capable of giving even [[StoryBreakerPower Archer]] a hard time even while handicapped by a sickly Master, but he's insane, and so fixated on Saber that he tends to have tunnel vision and thus get blindsided whenever she's around [[spoiler:because of his intense guilt over betraying her and sleeping with Guinevere]]. Also, again, he's handicapped by his Master's frail condition. Saber is the best all-around combatant, and has the strongest overall abilities statwise, but she has the worst Master/Servant compatibility in the war ''bar none'', and is consistently a victim of circumstances, or her Master's underhanded tactics. In addition, [[spoiler:she's badly hampered by her guilt complex over her kingdom's fall, and her worry over Irisveil, who is literally dying in front of her with no way to stop it]]. And that's just how bad things are for them at the ''start'' of the conflict; by the end, everything is at least an entire order of magnitude worse for all three of them.
* The Saber of the related ''Literature/FateStrangeFake'' (aka [[spoiler:Richard the Lionheart]]) initially appears to be a handsome KnightInShiningArmor who is as clever, multiskilled, and charming as he is chivalrous and noble. However, many of the characteristics that made him likable as a person also made him [[TheCaligula an unstable and destructive ruler who bled his country dry and dragged it into war for thoughtless and ultimately pointless reasons]], and Saber himself readily admits that his eventual assassination was entirely deserved.
* Charles Dawson from ''Literature/TheFerrymanInstitute'' is revered as the best Ferryman the Institute has had in centuries, having an unbroken success-streak exceeding a century. The only problem is that that the constant work with death -- the various departed souls having to say goodbye to their friends and loved ones, as well as the trauma of their deaths -- combined with the constant workload that being the best entails, has left him with a sense of ennui and depression. Combined with him being too stubborn to ask for emotional support, this has caused Charles to retreat for days at a time without telling anyone, avoiding work whenever he could and only coming in at the barest minimum.
* "Boy" Staunton from ''Literature/FifthBusiness'', with a side of {{Manchild}} as his chosen name [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin indicates]].
* ''Literature/AFrozenHeart'', a half-PerspectiveFlip literary adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'', Hans is handsome, charming, and a prince. However, desperate hunger for recognition, severe DaddyIssues, and seeking glory [[spoiler:corrupt him.]] He's ignored and [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex overshadowed by his 12 older brothers]]. In the book, which gives him a more expansive backstory, most of his brothers constantly bully him, ranging from verbal abuse to ''throwing items at him'' for simply daydreaming. His mother loves him but is too weak to spend time with him, and [[DaddyIssues his father coldly regards him as a nuisance]] and sends him to do horrific tasks. Despite this, [[WellDoneSonGuy Hans often daydreams about having a loving and caring father, even as an adult]]. It's even heavily implied that he is a self-harmer. He ends up [[spoiler:becoming more and more power-hungry until he becomes cruel and willing to kill to fulfill his ambition]]. By the time the book ends, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Hans is starting to regret his actions]], but has done enough damage to be sent back to the Southern Isles to be humiliated and punished by his family.]]
* Seth Carl from Isobelle Carmody's ''Literature/TheGathering''. He's described by protagonist Nathaniel as "looking like one of those perfect guys from coke ads". He's popular, attractive, the son of a local police Sargent and almost everyone likes him. He's also a struggling abused teenage alcoholic who almost sells the group out to the titular Gathering.
* Lance from the ''Literature/{{Gone}}'' series. He is smart, athletic, handsome, and was popular before the poof. He also suffers from FantasticRacism.
* Crowley from ''Literature/GoodOmens''. He's a NobleDemon, with a confident, attractive facade (implied to even have an aggressively cool haircut that only looks good on someone like him) and a quick wit. He has a relentlessly stylish apartment full of fancy gadgets, he always seems to have the best of everything and drives the coolest of {{Cool Car}}s. However, in spite of the book's ensemble cast, he stands out as pretty much the main viewpoint character, whose thoughts we hear the most, and behind the painfully cool exterior, he's frightened, weary, and eventually very angry, which causes him to rebel against both Heaven and Hell. He's definitely not the slick bastard he appears to be on the outside, but unlike a lot of these characters it ends up making him stronger and extremely sympathetic.
* ''Carl Literature/{{Hamilton}}'' series is a famous, highly decorated SEAL-trained intelligence operative, independently wealthy, a gourmet chef and wine connoisseur and fluent in four languages. He is also crippled by a complete inability to handle romantic relationships, not being able to confide in anyone concerning his work, and increasingly guilty conscience about killing people for what later may turn out to be no good reason.
* ''Franchise/HannibalLecter'' takes on shades of this in the ''Hannibal Rising'' prequel novel, when his FreudianExcuse of horrific childhood ordeals is revealed. In his adulthood, he is quite happy where he is.
** Within the same series, the titular villain of ''Red Dragon'' sees himself as hideous due to a childhood of abuse from fellow children and parental figures for his then-severe cleft palate and inability to speak clearly. It's gradually revealed that--as an adult--he's grown into a handsome bodybuilder with a good career, a large estate, enough intelligence and technical know-how to elude top FBI agents for months, and only a small facial scar and slight lisp left of his initial deformation. Tragically, he's so emotionally damaged he remains mostly unable to benefit from all this, if not outright oblivious to it.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** The titular character excels in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch, and, to a lesser extent, other fields in magic. However, Harry develops major insecurities as a result of his abusive childhood and the pressures the wizarding world dumps on him.
** Albus Dumbledore is talented, powerful, and famous bordering on revered for defeating Grindelwald and leading the fight against Voldemort, both of whom are said to have only feared him out of all wizards. As the books go on, it becomes clear that he's also a deeply lonely man whose intelligence does not prevent him from making emotional mistakes. The "broken" part really kicks when his DarkAndTroubledPast is revealed in book seven.
** Tom Riddle was an example during his schooldays -- a prodigy, incredibly popular, disguising his true nature. In this case, he's an out-and-out murderous lunatic instead of just "messed up" or "morally ambiguous", driven by his fear of death.
** Severus Snape. Brilliant student who improved his potion textbook. But he was also a non-socialized CreepyChild, allegedly created ''many'' curses alongside his potions,[[note]]In actuality, it was several helpful spells and only a ''single'' Curse,[[/note]] destroyed his one chance of a happy life upon using a ''massive'' slur against his OnlyFriend, and is so bitter over his bullying at the hands of the hero's father and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his parents and everyone around him... that he takes up to use his position as a Hogwarts teacher to torment not only TheHero, but his friends, and ''especially'' an innocent boy named Neville Longbottom.
* The titular ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya''. Talented in pretty much everything she does (especially music and studies), bright, cheerful, charismatic -- and dangerously out of reality, as well as so spoiled and pushy that she treats other people like toys. (Poor Mikuru). [[spoiler:And then we have her massive RealityWarper powers]]. The series is about Kyon and the SOS Brigade attempting to keep her worst traits at bay.
* ''Literature/HoratioHornblower'' is a brilliant sea warrior whose men are devoted to him, who managed to make several women fall in love with him, and who managed to manipulate the French into two of their greatest military disasters in history (Trafalgar and Russia). He also absolutely hates himself.
* The Victors of ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. Everyone celebrates their triumph except... most of them.
* Tiberius from Robert Graves' ''Literature/IClaudius'' is portrayed this way -- he's immensely strong and healthy, one of Rome's greatest generals, an excellent administrator, and a student of philosophy. Unfortunately, he's cursed with moral weakness and a domineering mother, and he ends up becoming a reclusive, paranoid, murderous pervert.
* The protagonist of ''Literature/{{Imaro}}'' is the greatest fighter in the world, bigger and stronger than just about everyone, and seems to quickly become great at everything he puts his hand to. He wins every battle, however impossible. But all the pain and horror he has to go through wears him down more and more, as does the fact that he keeps getting rejected by everyone he seeks acceptance from -- and the mental scars just make him even more incapable of really reaching out to someone, leading to more rejection. At one point, his love interest knows that when he starts thrashing in his sleep she has to clamp her hand over his mouth because the ruthless mercenaries he leads ''must not know'' that their supposedly fearless leader suffers from nightmares that cause him to wake up screaming in terror.
* Kvothe from ''Literature/TheKingkillerChronicle'' is pretty, magically-gifted, superlative at everything he does, but poor, arrogant and a wreck in the present day.
* Raymond Shaw from ''Literature/TheManchurianCandidate'' is a war hero and a rising star in politics, but his issues with his mother allow him to become a brainwashed assassin.
* Attorney ''Literature/MickeyHaller'' from the Bosch series. Despite being a crack defense attorney with a well-known reputation for his veracity in defending his clients (especially in later books), he is full of self-loathing for defending the guilty and the strain his work puts on his relationship between his first ex-wife and their daughter. Doesn't help that his personal life is somewhat of a trainwreck -- something always seems to knock him down when things start to go well.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'':
** Mayor Madeleine is the most beloved man in town, but he's actually Jean Valjean, an ex-convict with a compulsion for self-sacrifice bordering on madness.
** His nemesis Inspector Javert is also an example of this. Javert is the most feared policeman in France. He is described as a [[https://www.google.com/search?q=%22monstrous+saint+michael%22&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS839US839&oq=%22monstrous+saint+michael%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.10031j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 "monstrous Saint Michael"]]. But his zealotry is motivated by the fact he is the bastard son of a convict and a fortune teller, which he is deeply ashamed of. He seems to have some sort of mental illness and suffers from BlackAndWhiteInsanity so bad that [[spoiler:when his worldview is destroyed]] he [[spoiler:kills himself rather than compromise any further]].
* Prince Geordo in ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' is skilled at absolutely everything, such as being more efficient in Catarina's farm than the girl herself, but his lack of struggles left him with an inability to understand those of others (especially Alan's), as well as being bored at everything since [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction all things come off as too easy for him]].
* Maxim from the first ''Literature/NightWatchSeries'' novel is good-looking, fairly intelligent, and a very successful businessman and he looks down at the less successful. While some of his murdering of Dark Others isn't his fault (he had DetectEvil ability and wasn't in on TheMasquerade), it's noted that he has no real comprehension of love -- pretty much, when given a choice between punishing evil and doing good, he chose the former.
* Lancelot in ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'', who falls in love with Arthur and becomes so obsessed with becoming the greatest knight in the world (so that Arthur will love him back) that he gives his entire childhood in the pursuit of this dream. Throughout the book, he is shown to be extremely uncomfortable in his own mind and is quite self-loathing. Guinevere mellows him out a bit, eventually.
-->'''Guinevere:''' Three years is a long time for a boy to spend in one room [the armory] if he only goes out of it to eat and sleep and to practice tilting in the field. It is even difficult to imagine a boy who would do it unless you realize from the start that Lancelot was not romantic and debonair. Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelites would have found it difficult to recognize this rather sullen and unsatisfactory child with the ugly face, who did not disclose to anybody that he was living on dreams and prayers. They might have wondered what store of ferocity he had against himself, that could set him to break his own body so young. They might have wondered why he was so strange.
* Besides ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'', Lancelot also qualifies in ''Literature/LeMorteDArthur'', where he does all his fantastic deeds just to win Guinevere's attention. It does not end well.
* Juan Cabrillo from Literature/TheOregonFiles is a talented ex-CIA agent, AFatherToHisMen who are themselves a BadassCrew of former military and government men and women, and captain of the ''MV Oregon,'' a high-tech spy ship [[WhatAPieceOfJunk disguised as a rusting tramp steamer.]] However, he is deeply troubled by his wife's death, which, while caused by her own alcoholism and driving under the influence, he believes himself responsible for due to being away on "business" with the CIA for extended periods of time, thus causing her to take up the bottle out of loneliness. On top of (and possibly due to) this is his severe case of ChronicHeroSyndrome to the point that he ''must'' help someone need, even if doing so would result in worse consequences down the road. He also grapples with ethical issues stemming from his heroic tendencies clashing with the morally ambiguous nature of being a mercenary, at one point musing that if he killed someone in cold blood, even if the person [[AssholeVictim deserved it,]] it could take away a part of his soul and take him down a path that would make him [[NotSoDifferentRemark no better]].
* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'':
** Luke Castellan is this trope all over. He's handsome, popular, talented, and a trusted authority figure. He's also a manipulative turncoat who's trying to overthrow the gods, and he seems increasingly scared and unhinged with each book. This is later revealed to be because [[spoiler:his mother was cursed and went completely insane when he was a baby and his father, Hermes, left him with her. Associating with an evil primordial entity who hurt him from the start probably didn't help.]]
** Percy himself becomes this by [[Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus the sequel series]], and even he admits his unhappiness [[NotSoDifferentRemark let him understand Luke better]]. Sure, he's powerful, handsome ([[CluelessChickMagnet albeit obliviously]]), and respected by pretty much everyone around him -- but it's because he's saved the world twice over, and [[ShellShockedVeteran that doesn't come cheap]]. It's made clear by the end of ''The Blood of Olympus'' that the events of the series have left him even more [[DeathSeeker depressed]], [[MomentOfWeakness angry]], and [[DesperatelyCravesAffection insecure]] than ever.
* Erik, aka ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', is a genius in nearly every field of science and art, and posseses [[BeautifulSingingVoice the most beautiful voice]] of anyone on the face of the earth. But due to his deformities, he is shunned by society, and holes up in the shadows and catacombs of Paris, becoming a psychopathic murderer.
* The entire point of the poem "[[http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/richard-cory/ Richard Cory]]". Richard Cory is a kind, rich gentleman who gets along with everyone he meets, regardless of their social station, has women dreaming of him, and men wanting to be him. And then he inexplicably commits suicide, and no one knows why.
-->...we thought that he was everything\\
To make us wish that we were in his place.\\
So on we worked, and waited for the light,\\
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;\\
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,\\
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
* Daylen in ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' due to having both [[RetiredMonster the experience of age]] and [[FountainOfYouth the vigor of youth]], excels at a number of things: [[MasterSwordsman swordsmanship]], [[TheEngineer engineering]], [[GoodWithNumbers mathematics]], [[GadgeteerGenius sunforging]], [[WrongContextMagic Lightbinding]], [[AcePilot flying]], and [[TheStrategist military tactics]]. He's also a former EvilOverlord whose [[TheEmpire empire]] collapsed when the entire world declared war against it, and who is currently ravaged by the [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone soul-crushing guilt]] at the epicenter of the story's DysfunctionJunction.
* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'':
** Melkor. The name means "He Who Arises in Might", and he is explicitly called the greatest of the Ainur. This goes to his head, and he eventually winds up getting a new name...Morgoth, the Dark Enemy.
** The Elf Prince Fëanor is possibly the greatest [[OurElvesAreDifferent Elf]] to have ever lived, "For Fëanor was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind: in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and subtlety alike: of all the Children of Ilúvatar, and a bright flame was in him." He's a great craftsman, charismatic enough to make most of the Noldor (one of the Elf tribes) follow him from Valinor to Middle-Earth and he has seven sons. He's also incredibly arrogant and a bit of a creep ([[IncestSubtext he was really touchy and possessive about his niece Galadriel]]), threatens his half-brother Fingolfin out of fear they will take the throne, and obsessed with the Silmarils he made, the three greatest jewels ever made. When [[GodOfEvil Morgoth]] steals the Silmarils Fëanor and his sons swear the Oath of Fëanor, to get the jewels back no matter what. This leads to Elves killing each other and many of the troubles over the next 600 years, even though Fëanor died soon after reaching Middle-Earth. His actions mean he will not reincarnate from the Halls of Mandos until the end of the world.
** ''All'' of his seven sons, but especially Maedhros and Maglor. They are valiant, noble warriors and Maglor perhaps the greatest musician of all Elves, but they are exhausted by the evil oath they have sworn and the atrocities they have committed. By the end of the First Age, Maglor is the only brother still alive, and wanders the shores of Middle Earth in self-imposed isolation and constant pain.
** Also Boromir from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. He's a proud and gallant warrior, greatly admired for this by his people (and his younger brother) but the pressure put on him by his position as heir to Gondor's ruler and his belief that Sauron could never be beaten fed his obsession with the Ring and made it easy for him to fall for the temptation.
** Túrin Turambar. He's one of the most badass heroes to have ever lived, killing Glaurung [[MonsterProgenitor Father of Dragons]]. However, his actions lead to a lot of suffering (though its unclear how much is Túrin's fault and how much is Morgoth [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane cursing his family]]) and [[spoiler:he ends up [[DrivenToSuicide killing himself]]]].
* Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant is the best detective the Irish Sanctuary (or possibly any sanctuary) has, is skilled with both magic and hand-to-hand combat, and was one of the best soldiers during the war, being part of a seven-man cell called the Dead Men who went on suicide missions but always survived. He's also [[DemBones a living skeleton]]. His friends and allies all warn his new protégé that he is horribly damaged by his family's murder and is renowned for his UnstoppableRage when people he cares about are in danger. This doesn't worry Valkyrie at all until she learns that [[spoiler:Skulduggery is so broken his [[DespairEventHorizon darker thoughts and desire for revenge]] turned him into [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Lord Vile]], the most infamous general of [[BigBad Mevolent]]'s armies, who was hell-bent on the annihilation of all life]]. Made worse because the [[AbusivePrecursors Faceless Ones]] spent a year torturing Skulduggery, making him a ''little'' bit more unhinged than normal (including threatening someone sent to keep an eye on him with a gun) [[spoiler:and separating the Lord Vile part of [[EnemyWithin Skulduggery's psyche]] into a separate AxCrazy entity]].
* ''Literature/SongAtDawn'': Dragonetz appears to be the perfect knight: strong, gallant, and handsome, but he's also bitter, disillusioned, and afraid of marriage because he thinks he'll screw it up.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''
** Robert Baratheon is remembered as a handsome, virile warrior but he degenerated physically and morally after becoming king. He understands how out of depth he is with running a kingdom and would have preferred a life of wandering.
** Eddard Stark is seen as the model of a liege lord, but he is plagued by feelings of inferiority and fears his family will pay for the things he allowed to happen during the rebellion against the Targaryens.
** Tywin Lannister is the most powerful and rich lord in Westeros but in reality, he's a man who still resents his father's past failings and remains broken by the death of his wife (and resents the son who whose birth caused her death).
** Jon Snow is easily [[TheAce the most talented swordsman around, one of the smartest recruits, honorable and dutiful]] but he's also [[ConflictingLoyalty conflicted]], with [[WellDoneSonGuy insecurity issues]] and [[KnightInSourArmor carries burdens]] [[AChildShallLeadThem he's probably too young for]].
** Jaime Lannister, who's renowned as the greatest swordsman in the kingdom and a member of TheBeautifulElite, but had his reputation permanently soiled in his youth by [[TheKingslayer one dishonourable act]] that he nonetheless regards as the finest thing he ever did, increasingly falling under ThenLetMeBeEvil as a result. And that's before his BreakTheHaughty ordeal that culminates in [[spoiler:him losing his sword hand, and hence the one ability he's always defined his self-worth by]].
** Robb Stark becomes this as the books progress, becoming a YoungConqueror at the age of 15 and [[LivingLegend gaining a fearsome reputation as 'The Young Wolf' who's never lost a battle]], but he frequently comes across as being overwhelmed by the pressure he's under. This worsens when despite all his success in the field, his own political errors cause the war to slip away from him. Perhaps the clearest illustration of this comes in ''Literature/AGameOfThrones'' when Robb, in a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, successfully earns the Greatjon's respect by [[DefeatMeansFriendship having his direwolf chew off two of the man's fingers for bearing steel against him]]... and later confides in his brother Bran [[BeneathTheMask that he was terrified throughout, that he's scared of a lot of his bannermen, and he wishes their father was still there.]]
** Oberyn Martell. A dashing Lothario, prince, peerless warrior, poet, scholar, and a whole bunch of other impressive talents. He is also ''utterly'' consumed with avenging his sister's death even 15 years later. [[spoiler:Said obsession with revenge costs him his life, even if his poisoned spear [[TakingYouWithMe finished off Gregor Clegane later on.]]]]
* In ''Literature/SpaceMarineBattles'', Cato Sicarius becomes this after ''Fall of Damnos''. He considers Damnos to be his greatest failure (it is, in fact, the first time he's ever lost as a Captain) and is tormented by the fact, has {{Past Experience Nightmare}}s about the [[HeroKiller Undying]] and believes that he'll be punished severely for what happened there. [[spoiler:He's not, and manages to dig out of his HeroicBSOD when the Ultramarines retake Damnos.]]
* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'':
** Kaladin is an interesting version of this trope. He starts out as an Ace, charismatic leader, excellent spearman, trained in medicine, pays bribes to protect his men and get new untrained boys into his squad where he can watch over them. But after he's betrayed he's definitely broken. The skills are all still there, but he has trouble finding the will to use them anymore.
** As it turns out, all of the Knights Radiant are this. Being broken is a prerequisite to being a surgebinder, as the "broken" bits are what allow [[BondCreature Spren]] in to form the bond that gives them abilities.
--->'''Kaladin:''' You want too much of me. I'm not some glorious knight of ancient days. I'm a broken man. Do you hear me, Syl? I'm ''broken''.\\
'''Syl:''' That's what they ''all'' were, silly.
* Of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'': Athos is outstanding for his looks, thorough education, martial prowess, and social graces. Unfortunately, he is also a somewhat misogynistic alcoholic with truly terrible luck. He is less misogynistic then horribly distrustful of women because he married the patron saint of BitchInSheepsClothing, Milady de Winter. Athos really achieves Broken Ace in the later books, when [[spoiler:his faith in Royalty is shattered when the king takes his son's fiancee as his mistress]].
* Wander, in ''{{Literature/Wander}}''. She's skilled enough to have survived since she was eleven, but it comes at the extent of nearly all her interpersonal skills. Dagger is ''horrified'' by how far she's willing to go at times, and it's outright stated that a part of the reason she decided to save him was that she hoped he could teach her to be around people again.
* Denth from ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'' is friendly, charming and good with words, despite being a mercenary. [[spoiler:He also happens to be obsessed with revenge, and will do anything to get it, including torturing and killing innocent people. He can't move past the issue that broke him in the first place, even when given the opportunity to heal]].
* ''Literature/WhenRabbitHowls'': Not so much a ''broken'' ace as a [[SplitPersonality fractured]] one. Truddi Chase is a successful real estate entrepreneur and talented artist, but the psychological aftermath of her [[RapeAsBackstory horrifically]] [[AbusiveParents abusive]] childhood has left her with paranoia, emotional distancing, and difficulty with relationships. Then there're the ninety-and-change multiple personalities.
* The ''Literature/NeroWolfe'' book ''Literature/WhereTheresAWill'' has Eugene Davis. A "brilliant" attorney who was considered the best in the city, and with the potential to make history before he fell in love with a GoldDigger who dumped him for a wealthier man, leaving Davis as a self-loathing [[TheAlcoholic alcoholic]] who can't find joy in anything anymore.
* ''Literature/AccidentalDetectives'': In ''Madness at Moonshiner's Bay'', Sheriff Leroy was a rising FBI star (and a pretty athletic-looking guy) before he was forced to arrest his own brother Clem for murdering his uncle -- although he was actually framed -- and also compromised his principles by hiding evidence in the case in a failed attempt to keep Clem from going to prison. When Clem was convicted anyway, he felt that he'd betrayed his principles for nothing, causing him to resign from the FBI and become an apathetic, rural sheriff [[FormerlyFit who doesn't watch his weight]].
* Kazuo Kiriyama from ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' can master almost any skill. Combined with his inability to feel emotion due to brain damage which [[CursedWithAwesome makes him the perfect killer]]. [[spoiler:It's only as he dies does he regain emotion and the first thing he feels is regret over everything he's done.]]
* ''Literature/BraveNewWorld'': Helmholtz Watson is intelligent and handsome, but he's also depressed because of his soul-crushing job that revolves around mindless propaganda. He needs to create something meaningful, but that's not an option in a society where everyone's a hedonist.
* ''Literature/CiaphasCain''. Capable, intelligent, handsome -- and a compulsive liar desperately trying to hide what he sees as his own fundamental lack of courage and decency in a culture obsessed with martyrdom. It's fairly obvious in his memoirs that Ciaphas is ''incapable'' of giving himself credit for any achievement because he has to justify any noble act with ignoble intentions.
* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Rhysand is incredibly skilled but also very, very broken. Beyond the trauma of being a SexSlave, he's got a shockingly low sense of self-worth, feeling that he's never given enough for his people, and puts on so many masks because he's afraid no one will love what they see underneath.
* ''Literature/{{Deverry}}'': Rhodry ap Maelwaedd. A brilliant fighter and battle leader, he is very intelligent, willing to work past cultural and societal constraints and bias, successfully ruled a rhyn for many years, and can be very quick to notice small things and take advantage. Also severely prone to terrible bouts of depression called ''hiraedd'', often takes on far more responsibility then is remotely necessary, blames himself for things that are in no way his fault, is often subject to ''severe'' honor before reason [[spoiler:and becomes a Death Seeker, with only his honor keeping him from suicide]].
* In the ''Literature/DreambloodDuology'', [[TheAce Ehiru]] is introduced as Hananja's favourite and the best Gatherer currently alive. However, messing up only once eats almost all of his confidence away and his lauded incorruptibility and devotion to Hananja's Law make him susceptible to being manipulated, creating a downward spiral of insecurity about his abilities and worth.
* ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'':
** Seiji Yagiri. Handsome, smart...and huge {{Yandere}} [[ALoveToDismember for a girl's head]].
** Namie, as well. In the novels, she's always described as an [[AloofDarkHairedGirl incredibly stunning young woman]] and she has enough smarts to give ''Izaya'' a run for his money. She's also rich, as well as the [[spoiler:previous]] head of Yagiri pharmaceuticals. Oh, and did we mention she's a virtually emotionless {{Jerkass}} who's [[BrotherSisterIncest madly in love with her brother]]?
** Another example is Shizuo Heiwajima's younger brother, Kasuka. Rich, talented, brilliant, beautiful and...''off''. The fact that he [[spoiler:[[UnholyMatrimony hooked up with a serial killer]]]] should tell you just ''how'' off. Even [[spoiler:said SerialKiller]], Ruri, described him as being out of his mind.
** Izaya Orihara. Smart, rich, connected, {{Bishonen}}, good at fighting, and an incredibly awful [[TheSociopath sociopath]] underneath, who will go as far as tricking girls into making {{Suicide Pact}}s with him ForTheLulz and manipulate other people for the same reason. If not for [[spoiler:Shinra]], he'd be a downright monster.
* Ender Wiggin from ''Literature/EndersGame'' may be only 10, but he is one of these. Everyone in Battle School (with some exceptions) loves him. He is the best in the standings, his free-time practice sessions are attended by many people throughout the school, he has the best army in the school and is one of the best tacticians ever. But he feels isolated from his friends and unloved. This becomes very apparent in'' Ender's Shadow'', as Bean is really Ender's only confidant. He is a poor, lonely boy with the weight of the world on him.
* In ''Literature/FateZero'', practically every Ace among the Masters. Kiritsugu and his status as the number one competitor, along with everything ''else'', including Saber? [[spoiler:Horrible life prior to meeting Maya and Iri, emotional issues, has no choice but to sacrifice his family for his dream, has the worst compatibility with his Servant out of the seven Masters]]. Kayneth and his prestigious magical talent and status as a Lord? [[spoiler:Horrible luck, his fiancée is in love with his Servant, overwhelmingly arrogant]]. Kotomine and his superhuman abilities and immense talent for anything and everything he does? [[spoiler:None of it means anything to him because of his soul-afflicted emptiness]]. Tokiomi and his incredible magical skill and having the strongest Servant in the entire Nasuverse? [[spoiler:His Servant fully plans to betray him, and he tore apart his own family due to his misguided attempts to make his daughters "equals" while holding true to Magus philosophy]].
** Among the Servants, Lancer, Berserker, and Saber all qualify. Lancer is easily the most skillful combatant out of the lot, but he has terrible luck, bad compatibility with his Master, and [[spoiler:a curse that makes women fall in love with him, including said master's fiancée]]. Berserker is one of the strongest Servants in the Nasuverse, capable of giving even [[StoryBreakerPower Archer]] a hard time even while handicapped by a sickly Master, but he's insane, and so fixated on Saber that he tends to have tunnel vision and thus get blindsided whenever she's around [[spoiler:because of his intense guilt over betraying her and sleeping with Guinevere]]. Also, again, he's handicapped by his Master's frail condition. Saber is the best all-around combatant, and has the strongest overall abilities statwise, but she has the worst Master/Servant compatibility in the war ''bar none'', and is consistently a victim of circumstances, or her Master's underhanded tactics. In addition, [[spoiler:she's badly hampered by her guilt complex over her kingdom's fall, and her worry over Irisveil, who is literally dying in front of her with no way to stop it]]. And that's just how bad things are for them at the ''start'' of the conflict; by the end, everything is at least an entire order of magnitude worse for all three of them.
* The Saber of the related ''Literature/FateStrangeFake'' (aka [[spoiler:Richard the Lionheart]]) initially appears to be a handsome KnightInShiningArmor who is as clever, multiskilled, and charming as he is chivalrous and noble. However, many of the characteristics that made him likable as a person also made him [[TheCaligula an unstable and destructive ruler who bled his country dry and dragged it into war for thoughtless and ultimately pointless reasons]], and Saber himself readily admits that his eventual assassination was entirely deserved.
* Charles Dawson from ''Literature/TheFerrymanInstitute'' is revered as the best Ferryman the Institute has had in centuries, having an unbroken success-streak exceeding a century. The only problem is that that the constant work with death -- the various departed souls having to say goodbye to their friends and loved ones, as well as the trauma of their deaths -- combined with the constant workload that being the best entails, has left him with a sense of ennui and depression. Combined with him being too stubborn to ask for emotional support, this has caused Charles to retreat for days at a time without telling anyone, avoiding work whenever he could and only coming in at the barest minimum.
* "Boy" Staunton from ''Literature/FifthBusiness'', with a side of {{Manchild}} as his chosen name [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin indicates]].
* ''Literature/AFrozenHeart'', a half-PerspectiveFlip literary adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'', Hans is handsome, charming, and a prince. However, desperate hunger for recognition, severe DaddyIssues, and seeking glory [[spoiler:corrupt him.]] He's ignored and [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex overshadowed by his 12 older brothers]]. In the book, which gives him a more expansive backstory, most of his brothers constantly bully him, ranging from verbal abuse to ''throwing items at him'' for simply daydreaming. His mother loves him but is too weak to spend time with him, and [[DaddyIssues his father coldly regards him as a nuisance]] and sends him to do horrific tasks. Despite this, [[WellDoneSonGuy Hans often daydreams about having a loving and caring father, even as an adult]]. It's even heavily implied that he is a self-harmer. He ends up [[spoiler:becoming more and more power-hungry until he becomes cruel and willing to kill to fulfill his ambition]]. By the time the book ends, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Hans is starting to regret his actions]], but has done enough damage to be sent back to the Southern Isles to be humiliated and punished by his family.]]
* Seth Carl from Isobelle Carmody's ''Literature/TheGathering''. He's described by protagonist Nathaniel as "looking like one of those perfect guys from coke ads". He's popular, attractive, the son of a local police Sargent and almost everyone likes him. He's also a struggling abused teenage alcoholic who almost sells the group out to the titular Gathering.
* Lance from the ''Literature/{{Gone}}'' series. He is smart, athletic, handsome, and was popular before the poof. He also suffers from FantasticRacism.
* Crowley from ''Literature/GoodOmens''. He's a NobleDemon, with a confident, attractive facade (implied to even have an aggressively cool haircut that only looks good on someone like him) and a quick wit. He has a relentlessly stylish apartment full of fancy gadgets, he always seems to have the best of everything and drives the coolest of {{Cool Car}}s. However, in spite of the book's ensemble cast, he stands out as pretty much the main viewpoint character, whose thoughts we hear the most, and behind the painfully cool exterior, he's frightened, weary, and eventually very angry, which causes him to rebel against both Heaven and Hell. He's definitely not the slick bastard he appears to be on the outside, but unlike a lot of these characters it ends up making him stronger and extremely sympathetic.
* ''Carl Literature/{{Hamilton}}'' series is a famous, highly decorated SEAL-trained intelligence operative, independently wealthy, a gourmet chef and wine connoisseur and fluent in four languages. He is also crippled by a complete inability to handle romantic relationships, not being able to confide in anyone concerning his work, and increasingly guilty conscience about killing people for what later may turn out to be no good reason.
* ''Franchise/HannibalLecter'' takes on shades of this in the ''Hannibal Rising'' prequel novel, when his FreudianExcuse of horrific childhood ordeals is revealed. In his adulthood, he is quite happy where he is.
** Within the same series, the titular villain of ''Red Dragon'' sees himself as hideous due to a childhood of abuse from fellow children and parental figures for his then-severe cleft palate and inability to speak clearly. It's gradually revealed that--as an adult--he's grown into a handsome bodybuilder with a good career, a large estate, enough intelligence and technical know-how to elude top FBI agents for months, and only a small facial scar and slight lisp left of his initial deformation. Tragically, he's so emotionally damaged he remains mostly unable to benefit from all this, if not outright oblivious to it.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** The titular character excels in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch, and, to a lesser extent, other fields in magic. However, Harry develops major insecurities as a result of his abusive childhood and the pressures the wizarding world dumps on him.
** Albus Dumbledore is talented, powerful, and famous bordering on revered for defeating Grindelwald and leading the fight against Voldemort, both of whom are said to have only feared him out of all wizards. As the books go on, it becomes clear that he's also a deeply lonely man whose intelligence does not prevent him from making emotional mistakes. The "broken" part really kicks when his DarkAndTroubledPast is revealed in book seven.
** Tom Riddle was an example during his schooldays -- a prodigy, incredibly popular, disguising his true nature. In this case, he's an out-and-out murderous lunatic instead of just "messed up" or "morally ambiguous", driven by his fear of death.
** Severus Snape. Brilliant student who improved his potion textbook. But he was also a non-socialized CreepyChild, allegedly created ''many'' curses alongside his potions,[[note]]In actuality, it was several helpful spells and only a ''single'' Curse,[[/note]] destroyed his one chance of a happy life upon using a ''massive'' slur against his OnlyFriend, and is so bitter over his bullying at the hands of the hero's father and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his parents and everyone around him... that he takes up to use his position as a Hogwarts teacher to torment not only TheHero, but his friends, and ''especially'' an innocent boy named Neville Longbottom.
* The titular ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya''. Talented in pretty much everything she does (especially music and studies), bright, cheerful, charismatic -- and dangerously out of reality, as well as so spoiled and pushy that she treats other people like toys. (Poor Mikuru). [[spoiler:And then we have her massive RealityWarper powers]]. The series is about Kyon and the SOS Brigade attempting to keep her worst traits at bay.
* ''Literature/HoratioHornblower'' is a brilliant sea warrior whose men are devoted to him, who managed to make several women fall in love with him, and who managed to manipulate the French into two of their greatest military disasters in history (Trafalgar and Russia). He also absolutely hates himself.
* The Victors of ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. Everyone celebrates their triumph except... most of them.
* Tiberius from Robert Graves' ''Literature/IClaudius'' is portrayed this way -- he's immensely strong and healthy, one of Rome's greatest generals, an excellent administrator, and a student of philosophy. Unfortunately, he's cursed with moral weakness and a domineering mother, and he ends up becoming a reclusive, paranoid, murderous pervert.
* The protagonist of ''Literature/{{Imaro}}'' is the greatest fighter in the world, bigger and stronger than just about everyone, and seems to quickly become great at everything he puts his hand to. He wins every battle, however impossible. But all the pain and horror he has to go through wears him down more and more, as does the fact that he keeps getting rejected by everyone he seeks acceptance from -- and the mental scars just make him even more incapable of really reaching out to someone, leading to more rejection. At one point, his love interest knows that when he starts thrashing in his sleep she has to clamp her hand over his mouth because the ruthless mercenaries he leads ''must not know'' that their supposedly fearless leader suffers from nightmares that cause him to wake up screaming in terror.
* Kvothe from ''Literature/TheKingkillerChronicle'' is pretty, magically-gifted, superlative at everything he does, but poor, arrogant and a wreck in the present day.
* Raymond Shaw from ''Literature/TheManchurianCandidate'' is a war hero and a rising star in politics, but his issues with his mother allow him to become a brainwashed assassin.
* Attorney ''Literature/MickeyHaller'' from the Bosch series. Despite being a crack defense attorney with a well-known reputation for his veracity in defending his clients (especially in later books), he is full of self-loathing for defending the guilty and the strain his work puts on his relationship between his first ex-wife and their daughter. Doesn't help that his personal life is somewhat of a trainwreck -- something always seems to knock him down when things start to go well.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables'':
** Mayor Madeleine is the most beloved man in town, but he's actually Jean Valjean, an ex-convict with a compulsion for self-sacrifice bordering on madness.
** His nemesis Inspector Javert is also an example of this. Javert is the most feared policeman in France. He is described as a [[https://www.google.com/search?q=%22monstrous+saint+michael%22&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS839US839&oq=%22monstrous+saint+michael%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.10031j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 "monstrous Saint Michael"]]. But his zealotry is motivated by the fact he is the bastard son of a convict and a fortune teller, which he is deeply ashamed of. He seems to have some sort of mental illness and suffers from BlackAndWhiteInsanity so bad that [[spoiler:when his worldview is destroyed]] he [[spoiler:kills himself rather than compromise any further]].
* Prince Geordo in ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' is skilled at absolutely everything, such as being more efficient in Catarina's farm than the girl herself, but his lack of struggles left him with an inability to understand those of others (especially Alan's), as well as being bored at everything since [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction all things come off as too easy for him]].
* Maxim from the first ''Literature/NightWatchSeries'' novel is good-looking, fairly intelligent, and a very successful businessman and he looks down at the less successful. While some of his murdering of Dark Others isn't his fault (he had DetectEvil ability and wasn't in on TheMasquerade), it's noted that he has no real comprehension of love -- pretty much, when given a choice between punishing evil and doing good, he chose the former.
* Lancelot in ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'', who falls in love with Arthur and becomes so obsessed with becoming the greatest knight in the world (so that Arthur will love him back) that he gives his entire childhood in the pursuit of this dream. Throughout the book, he is shown to be extremely uncomfortable in his own mind and is quite self-loathing. Guinevere mellows him out a bit, eventually.
-->'''Guinevere:''' Three years is a long time for a boy to spend in one room [the armory] if he only goes out of it to eat and sleep and to practice tilting in the field. It is even difficult to imagine a boy who would do it unless you realize from the start that Lancelot was not romantic and debonair. Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelites would have found it difficult to recognize this rather sullen and unsatisfactory child with the ugly face, who did not disclose to anybody that he was living on dreams and prayers. They might have wondered what store of ferocity he had against himself, that could set him to break his own body so young. They might have wondered why he was so strange.
* Besides ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'', Lancelot also qualifies in ''Literature/LeMorteDArthur'', where he does all his fantastic deeds just to win Guinevere's attention. It does not end well.
* Juan Cabrillo from Literature/TheOregonFiles is a talented ex-CIA agent, AFatherToHisMen who are themselves a BadassCrew of former military and government men and women, and captain of the ''MV Oregon,'' a high-tech spy ship [[WhatAPieceOfJunk disguised as a rusting tramp steamer.]] However, he is deeply troubled by his wife's death, which, while caused by her own alcoholism and driving under the influence, he believes himself responsible for due to being away on "business" with the CIA for extended periods of time, thus causing her to take up the bottle out of loneliness. On top of (and possibly due to) this is his severe case of ChronicHeroSyndrome to the point that he ''must'' help someone need, even if doing so would result in worse consequences down the road. He also grapples with ethical issues stemming from his heroic tendencies clashing with the morally ambiguous nature of being a mercenary, at one point musing that if he killed someone in cold blood, even if the person [[AssholeVictim deserved it,]] it could take away a part of his soul and take him down a path that would make him [[NotSoDifferentRemark no better]].
* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'':
** Luke Castellan is this trope all over. He's handsome, popular, talented, and a trusted authority figure. He's also a manipulative turncoat who's trying to overthrow the gods, and he seems increasingly scared and unhinged with each book. This is later revealed to be because [[spoiler:his mother was cursed and went completely insane when he was a baby and his father, Hermes, left him with her. Associating with an evil primordial entity who hurt him from the start probably didn't help.]]
** Percy himself becomes this by [[Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus the sequel series]], and even he admits his unhappiness [[NotSoDifferentRemark let him understand Luke better]]. Sure, he's powerful, handsome ([[CluelessChickMagnet albeit obliviously]]), and respected by pretty much everyone around him -- but it's because he's saved the world twice over, and [[ShellShockedVeteran that doesn't come cheap]]. It's made clear by the end of ''The Blood of Olympus'' that the events of the series have left him even more [[DeathSeeker depressed]], [[MomentOfWeakness angry]], and [[DesperatelyCravesAffection insecure]] than ever.
* Erik, aka ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', is a genius in nearly every field of science and art, and posseses [[BeautifulSingingVoice the most beautiful voice]] of anyone on the face of the earth. But due to his deformities, he is shunned by society, and holes up in the shadows and catacombs of Paris, becoming a psychopathic murderer.
* The entire point of the poem "[[http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/richard-cory/ Richard Cory]]". Richard Cory is a kind, rich gentleman who gets along with everyone he meets, regardless of their social station, has women dreaming of him, and men wanting to be him. And then he inexplicably commits suicide, and no one knows why.
-->...we thought that he was everything\\
To make us wish that we were in his place.\\
So on we worked, and waited for the light,\\
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;\\
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,\\
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
* Daylen in ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' due to having both [[RetiredMonster the experience of age]] and [[FountainOfYouth the vigor of youth]], excels at a number of things: [[MasterSwordsman swordsmanship]], [[TheEngineer engineering]], [[GoodWithNumbers mathematics]], [[GadgeteerGenius sunforging]], [[WrongContextMagic Lightbinding]], [[AcePilot flying]], and [[TheStrategist military tactics]]. He's also a former EvilOverlord whose [[TheEmpire empire]] collapsed when the entire world declared war against it, and who is currently ravaged by the [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone soul-crushing guilt]] at the epicenter of the story's DysfunctionJunction.
* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'':
** Melkor. The name means "He Who Arises in Might", and he is explicitly called the greatest of the Ainur. This goes to his head, and he eventually winds up getting a new name...Morgoth, the Dark Enemy.
** The Elf Prince Fëanor is possibly the greatest [[OurElvesAreDifferent Elf]] to have ever lived, "For Fëanor was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind: in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and subtlety alike: of all the Children of Ilúvatar, and a bright flame was in him." He's a great craftsman, charismatic enough to make most of the Noldor (one of the Elf tribes) follow him from Valinor to Middle-Earth and he has seven sons. He's also incredibly arrogant and a bit of a creep ([[IncestSubtext he was really touchy and possessive about his niece Galadriel]]), threatens his half-brother Fingolfin out of fear they will take the throne, and obsessed with the Silmarils he made, the three greatest jewels ever made. When [[GodOfEvil Morgoth]] steals the Silmarils Fëanor and his sons swear the Oath of Fëanor, to get the jewels back no matter what. This leads to Elves killing each other and many of the troubles over the next 600 years, even though Fëanor died soon after reaching Middle-Earth. His actions mean he will not reincarnate from the Halls of Mandos until the end of the world.
** ''All'' of his seven sons, but especially Maedhros and Maglor. They are valiant, noble warriors and Maglor perhaps the greatest musician of all Elves, but they are exhausted by the evil oath they have sworn and the atrocities they have committed. By the end of the First Age, Maglor is the only brother still alive, and wanders the shores of Middle Earth in self-imposed isolation and constant pain.
** Also Boromir from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. He's a proud and gallant warrior, greatly admired for this by his people (and his younger brother) but the pressure put on him by his position as heir to Gondor's ruler and his belief that Sauron could never be beaten fed his obsession with the Ring and made it easy for him to fall for the temptation.
** Túrin Turambar. He's one of the most badass heroes to have ever lived, killing Glaurung [[MonsterProgenitor Father of Dragons]]. However, his actions lead to a lot of suffering (though its unclear how much is Túrin's fault and how much is Morgoth [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane cursing his family]]) and [[spoiler:he ends up [[DrivenToSuicide killing himself]]]].
* Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant is the best detective the Irish Sanctuary (or possibly any sanctuary) has, is skilled with both magic and hand-to-hand combat, and was one of the best soldiers during the war, being part of a seven-man cell called the Dead Men who went on suicide missions but always survived. He's also [[DemBones a living skeleton]]. His friends and allies all warn his new protégé that he is horribly damaged by his family's murder and is renowned for his UnstoppableRage when people he cares about are in danger. This doesn't worry Valkyrie at all until she learns that [[spoiler:Skulduggery is so broken his [[DespairEventHorizon darker thoughts and desire for revenge]] turned him into [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Lord Vile]], the most infamous general of [[BigBad Mevolent]]'s armies, who was hell-bent on the annihilation of all life]]. Made worse because the [[AbusivePrecursors Faceless Ones]] spent a year torturing Skulduggery, making him a ''little'' bit more unhinged than normal (including threatening someone sent to keep an eye on him with a gun) [[spoiler:and separating the Lord Vile part of [[EnemyWithin Skulduggery's psyche]] into a separate AxCrazy entity]].
* ''Literature/SongAtDawn'': Dragonetz appears to be the perfect knight: strong, gallant, and handsome, but he's also bitter, disillusioned, and afraid of marriage because he thinks he'll screw it up.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''
** Robert Baratheon is remembered as a handsome, virile warrior but he degenerated physically and morally after becoming king. He understands how out of depth he is with running a kingdom and would have preferred a life of wandering.
** Eddard Stark is seen as the model of a liege lord, but he is plagued by feelings of inferiority and fears his family will pay for the things he allowed to happen during the rebellion against the Targaryens.
** Tywin Lannister is the most powerful and rich lord in Westeros but in reality, he's a man who still resents his father's past failings and remains broken by the death of his wife (and resents the son who whose birth caused her death).
** Jon Snow is easily [[TheAce the most talented swordsman around, one of the smartest recruits, honorable and dutiful]] but he's also [[ConflictingLoyalty conflicted]], with [[WellDoneSonGuy insecurity issues]] and [[KnightInSourArmor carries burdens]] [[AChildShallLeadThem he's probably too young for]].
** Jaime Lannister, who's renowned as the greatest swordsman in the kingdom and a member of TheBeautifulElite, but had his reputation permanently soiled in his youth by [[TheKingslayer one dishonourable act]] that he nonetheless regards as the finest thing he ever did, increasingly falling under ThenLetMeBeEvil as a result. And that's before his BreakTheHaughty ordeal that culminates in [[spoiler:him losing his sword hand, and hence the one ability he's always defined his self-worth by]].
** Robb Stark becomes this as the books progress, becoming a YoungConqueror at the age of 15 and [[LivingLegend gaining a fearsome reputation as 'The Young Wolf' who's never lost a battle]], but he frequently comes across as being overwhelmed by the pressure he's under. This worsens when despite all his success in the field, his own political errors cause the war to slip away from him. Perhaps the clearest illustration of this comes in ''Literature/AGameOfThrones'' when Robb, in a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, successfully earns the Greatjon's respect by [[DefeatMeansFriendship having his direwolf chew off two of the man's fingers for bearing steel against him]]... and later confides in his brother Bran [[BeneathTheMask that he was terrified throughout, that he's scared of a lot of his bannermen, and he wishes their father was still there.]]
** Oberyn Martell. A dashing Lothario, prince, peerless warrior, poet, scholar, and a whole bunch of other impressive talents. He is also ''utterly'' consumed with avenging his sister's death even 15 years later. [[spoiler:Said obsession with revenge costs him his life, even if his poisoned spear [[TakingYouWithMe finished off Gregor Clegane later on.]]]]
* In ''Literature/SpaceMarineBattles'', Cato Sicarius becomes this after ''Fall of Damnos''. He considers Damnos to be his greatest failure (it is, in fact, the first time he's ever lost as a Captain) and is tormented by the fact, has {{Past Experience Nightmare}}s about the [[HeroKiller Undying]] and believes that he'll be punished severely for what happened there. [[spoiler:He's not, and manages to dig out of his HeroicBSOD when the Ultramarines retake Damnos.]]
* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'':
** Kaladin is an interesting version of this trope. He starts out as an Ace, charismatic leader, excellent spearman, trained in medicine, pays bribes to protect his men and get new untrained boys into his squad where he can watch over them. But after he's betrayed he's definitely broken. The skills are all still there, but he has trouble finding the will to use them anymore.
** As it turns out, all of the Knights Radiant are this. Being broken is a prerequisite to being a surgebinder, as the "broken" bits are what allow [[BondCreature Spren]] in to form the bond that gives them abilities.
--->'''Kaladin:''' You want too much of me. I'm not some glorious knight of ancient days. I'm a broken man. Do you hear me, Syl? I'm ''broken''.\\
'''Syl:''' That's what they ''all'' were, silly.
* Of ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'': Athos is outstanding for his looks, thorough education, martial prowess, and social graces. Unfortunately, he is also a somewhat misogynistic alcoholic with truly terrible luck. He is less misogynistic then horribly distrustful of women because he married the patron saint of BitchInSheepsClothing, Milady de Winter. Athos really achieves Broken Ace in the later books, when [[spoiler:his faith in Royalty is shattered when the king takes his son's fiancee as his mistress]].
* Wander, in ''{{Literature/Wander}}''. She's skilled enough to have survived since she was eleven, but it comes at the extent of nearly all her interpersonal skills. Dagger is ''horrified'' by how far she's willing to go at times, and it's outright stated that a part of the reason she decided to save him was that she hoped he could teach her to be around people again.
* Denth from ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'' is friendly, charming and good with words, despite being a mercenary. [[spoiler:He also happens to be obsessed with revenge, and will do anything to get it, including torturing and killing innocent people. He can't move past the issue that broke him in the first place, even when given the opportunity to heal]].
* ''Literature/WhenRabbitHowls'': Not so much a ''broken'' ace as a [[SplitPersonality fractured]] one. Truddi Chase is a successful real estate entrepreneur and talented artist, but the psychological aftermath of her [[RapeAsBackstory horrifically]] [[AbusiveParents abusive]] childhood has left her with paranoia, emotional distancing, and difficulty with relationships. Then there're the ninety-and-change multiple personalities.
* The ''Literature/NeroWolfe'' book ''Literature/WhereTheresAWill'' has Eugene Davis. A "brilliant" attorney who was considered the best in the city, and with the potential to make history before he fell in love with a GoldDigger who dumped him for a wealthier man, leaving Davis as a self-loathing [[TheAlcoholic alcoholic]] who can't find joy in anything anymore.
