History BrokenBird / LiveActionTV

* Detective Kate Beckett in ''Series/{{Castle}}'', who has had to live with both her mother's brutal murder and, due to what she considers the lack of imagination of the investigating officers, the fact that her killer was never caught. [[spoiler:She gets better after the man who ordered the hit is finally brought to justice, and also with the help of her partner and love interest Richard Castle, with whom she finally ties the knot.]]

* ''Series/{{Revenge}}'':

** Emily's ArchEnemy Victoria Grayson. TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask, Victoria has suffered great heartache and loss, dating back to her childhood with her abusive mother Marion. Marion [[GoldDigger was more interested in scheming her way into wealth]], to the point when after shooting Tom, a wealthy man who she was seeing after he made it clear he had no interest in marrying, she made Victoria the scapegoat. Later, after reconciling with old husband Maxwell, the man is revealed to be a pedophile, and after being caught in Victoria's room, Victoria is blamed instead and kicked out of the house, though Marion believes she will land on her own feet with everything she taught her. Victoria shacks up with a man who treats her well at first but rapes and leaves her pregnant, leaving her the same cold, manipulative mess who ends up leaving her soon to be born child when she is accepted to an art institute in Paris, and later schemes and claws her way up the social ladder, ruling the social circles of the Hamptons as Conrad Grayson's wife. In the series finale, Victoria fully admits that she (figuratively) died years ago, long before Emily/Amanda was born, [[spoiler:and that her actual death is merely a formality]].

* Morgana from ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. If she had not been hurt, lied to, and ignored by the people she called friends, then she would not be where she is now. Deconstructed with her behavior with Gwen, a guard and innocent people only (played straight for everything else, mostly in Season 4), with which this trope is subverted. While [[spoiler: Morgana hurts the poor Gwen, her former best friend, because it is an easy way to attain her goal]], Gwen [[AllLovingHero is continuously generous to everyone]], and only betrays [[spoiler:Morgana after the latter tried to kill her (a thing she suspects because Morgana smiled when she was dragged to the cells where she should be imprisoned by Uther) to save her lover and her buddies]]. Gwen is tortured/looked down upon/neglected by everyone except Merlin ([[spoiler:who remains oblivious to her crush on him]]), Gaius (who keeps her out of the way as much as Morgana when serious matters concerning her arise that Merlin must resolve), Arthur ([[spoiler: who repeatedly breaks up with her because he thinks he must marry a princess and otherwise a noblewoman and thinks she cheated on him and banishes the poor innocent Gwen]]) and some minor characters, being lacking power because of her low social status. Yet, unlike initially kind and powerful Morgana, who arguably can only be furious and traumatized because of Merlin, Uther and (indirectly) Arthur, plus two minor characters and punishes poor [[spoiler: people who were indifferent/neutral in the conflict, and a guard who probably did horrible things, but was kind to her]], she insists that killing Uther would make her as bad as him, even [[spoiler: after he menaced to burn her at the stake and condemned her father to be imprisoned]].

%%* Irisa on ''{{Defiance}}''. Also EmotionlessGirl and ApocalypseMaiden.

** Emily's ArchEnemy Victoria Grayson, who is NotSoDifferent from Emily herself. TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask, Victoria has suffered great heartache and loss, dating back to her childhood with her abusive mother Marion. Marion [[GoldDigger was more interested in scheming her way into wealth]], to the point when after shooting Tom, a wealthy man who she was seeing after he made it clear he had no interest in marrying, she made Victoria the scapegoat. Later, after reconciling with old husband Maxwell, the man is revealed to be a pedophile, and after being caught in Victoria's room, Victoria is blamed instead and kicked out of the house, though Marion believes she will land on her own feet with everything she taught her. Victoria shacks up with a man who treats her well at first but rapes and leaves her pregnant, leaving her the same cold, manipulative mess who ends up leaving her soon to be born child when she is accepted to an art institute in Paris, and later schemes and claws her way up the social ladder, ruling the social circles of the Hamptons as Conrad Grayson's wife. In the series finale, Victoria fully admits that she (figuratively) died years ago, long before Emily/Amanda was born, [[spoiler:and that her actual death is merely a formality]].

** Emily's ArchEnemy Victoria Grayson, who is [[{{Foil not so different]] from Emily herself. TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask, Victoria has suffered great heartache and loss, dating back to her childhood with her abusive mother Marion. Marion [[GoldDigger was more interested in scheming her way into wealth]], to the point when after shooting Tom, a wealthy man who she was seeing after he made it clear he had no interest in marrying, she made Victoria the scapegoat. Later, after reconciling with old husband Maxwell, the man is revealed to be a pedophile, and after being caught in Victoria's room, Victoria is blamed instead and kicked out of the house, though Marion believes she will land on her own feet with everything she taught her. Victoria shacks up with a man who treats her well at first but rapes and leaves her pregnant, leaving her the same cold, manipulative mess who ends up leaving her soon to be born child when she is accepted to an art institute in Paris, and later schemes and claws her way up the social ladder, ruling the social circles of the Hamptons as Conrad Grayson's wife. In the series finale, Victoria fully admits that she (figuratively) died years ago, long before Emily/Amanda was born, [[spoiler:and that her actual death is merely a formality]].

** “They made their schoolgirl pact and sent me to hell, I’ll teach them what I learned there.”

* ''{{Series/Legion|2017}}'': Because Gabrielle is a Romani Holocaust survivor who had witnessed her entire family being slaughtered by Nazis and she was also a prisoner in a concentration camp, she is ''extremely'' pessimistic. Although she's not suicidal, her conversation with Syd strongly hints that she feels that she's merely existing (rather than truly living) because of a basic survival instinct, but otherwise she's not keen about life. Gabrielle loves her husband Charles and their infant son David, and Charles has provided them with a lovely mansion in a safe, idyllic suburb, yet her new comfortable environment cannot erase the horrors that she has endured, nor heal the psychological wounds that they've inflicted.

* ''{{Series/Legion|2017}}'': Because Gabrielle is a Romani Holocaust survivor who had witnessed her entire family being slaughtered by Nazis and she was also a prisoner in a concentration camp, she is ''extremely'' pessimistic. Although she's not suicidal, her conversation with Syd strongly hints that she feels that she's merely existing (rather than truly living) because of a basic survival instinct, but otherwise she's not keen about life. Gabrielle loves her husband Charles and their infant son David, and Charles has provided them with a lovely house in a safe, idyllic suburb, yet her new comfortable environment cannot erase the horrors that she has endured, nor heal the psychological wounds that they've inflicted.

'''Gabrielle''': Have you ever seen a mass grave? All people, with names, with families now just a pile. What's the meaning of that?\\

-->'''Gabrielle''': It bothers you, because you think you matter. That people matter.\\

* ''{{Series/Legion|2017}}'': Because Gabrielle is a Romani Holocaust survivor who had witnessed her entire family being slaughtered by Nazis and she was also a prisoner in a concentration camp, she is ''extremely'' pessimistic. Although she's not suicidal, her conversation with Syd strongly hints that she feels that she's merely existing (rather than truly living) because of a basic survival instinct, but otherwise she's not keen about life. Gabrielle loves her husband Charles and her infant son David, and Charles has provided them with a lovely house in a safe, idyllic suburb, yet her new comfortable environment cannot erase the horrors that she has endured, nor heal the psychological wounds that they've left behind.

** The demon Meg -- who hates emotionality and poetry, spent so long being tortured that she lost her humanity, and seems split between being wanting to hurt everybody else and wanting to be loyal -- is the key female example, but this is the trope that defines many of the show's female characters (for example, Amelia, Bela, and Ruby). And given how much the show likes to torture all its characters, this is an extremely common trope for males as well as females. Castiel, Bobby, and Benny also fit this trope to a tee. Especially Cas -- watching him get broken over and over again has been one of the show's key advertising draws.

%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order.

** [[spoiler:Sara]] circa season two (and now again) is the epitome of this trope.

** Agent Seeley Booth, Brennan's eventual husband, grew up with his little brother, Jared, in an abusive home. One night, his mom got sick of her husband's abuse and ran out, leaving her children behind. Booth took the brunt of the abuse to protect his brother, and it was made worse by the fact that he remembered how his father was before becoming an alcoholic. They eventually escaped once their grandfather wised up about his son's behavior and took them away. He became an army sniper but was heavily traumatized, as he did not take claiming lives lightly. He had a son after leaving the service, but his child's mother wouldn't marry him and only gave him vague parental rights; he later struggled with gambling problems and needed professional help. If anything, it's only actually gotten worse over the seasons. [[spoiler:In season nine, he was thrown in jail after being framed by the government he was dedicated to protecting. After he is finally freed, he is treated with suspicion. Soon after, he is traumatized when a younger co-worker (who looked up to him and Brennan as both parental surrogates and adopted siblings)is murdered and dies in his arms.]] Following those traumas, he doubted his religious beliefs and had trouble trusting people for months and ends up [[spoiler:relapsing into gambling during an undercover investigation]] He eventually gets help and is able to reconcile with his family but [[spoiler:witnesses his brother being killed and is forced into hiding]]. Although, thanks to Brennan and his three kids, he seems to have become well adjusted.

* Julianne Simms from ''Series/BreakoutKings''. She is [[ShrinkingViolet extremely shy and awkward]], and although a large part of this is due of mental health issues like social anxiety, it is revealed in season 2 that [[spoiler:she still harbors guilt from her childhood, when she witnessed her cousin get kidnapped, presumably to be murdered, and couldn't do anything to stop it.]] It makes her character seem even more damaged than before.

** One of the many interpretations in the fandom of why Amy Pond acts how she does is that she's one of these. Though let's be fair, you'd be broken too if [[spoiler:your parents had been erased from existence and even from your memory, except you had a constant nagging in your head that you can't remember who they were or how you lost them. If Amy really was a Broken Bird, by the end of series 5, she's definitely fixed after having her parents restored.]] And then she was broken again in Season Six when [[spoiler:she was kidnapped by Madame Kovarian, tortured, separated from her newborn daughter and later discovered that she could no longer conceive the children she knew her husband wanted. In her mind, she was doing Rory a favour by divorcing him; he may have been the Boy Who Waited, but she was convinced by this time she wasn't worth the wait.]]

* Olivia Dunham in ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' for a good part of season 1. The pilot episode sums up why. There's also the experimental drug trials she participated in as a child, and the abusive stepfather she almost killed in self-defense when she was eight years old. She's back to being this as of the season 4 premiere. [[spoiler:That is, until the return of her memories from the previous timeline.]]

* Carrie Mathison from ''Series/{{Homeland}}''. Troubled past, due mostly to her mental illness, but also in part to what she went through in Iraq--check. Frighteningly badass, hypercompetent spy--check. Emotional detachment--check. She becomes ever more broken over the course of season one, to the point that, by the end of the season, her life has gone to pieces, even though she has also saved her country.
* ''Series/TheInspectorLynleyMysteries''' Barbara Havers had any semblance of optimism ground out of her with extreme prejudice after her little brother's death from cancer tore her family apart and her parents succumbed to mental illness and lung disease right before her eyes. When combined with the fact that she has NoSocialSkills (which have left her alone and misunderstood her entire life), a HairTriggerTemper (ditto), and massive class resentment issues, it's no wonder the poor thing was on the verge of being kicked off the force, [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bunny Ears Detective]] or not, before she teamed up with Thomas Lynley. Although the show proceeds to further BreakTheCutie (and also [[BreakTheHaughty the haughty]] - her partner isn't spared), she [[DefrostingIceQueen softens and blossoms]] when paired with the one man who refuses to give up on her no matter how much she tries to drive him away. The result is a far more likable - but still [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] - Havers, in a rare case of a show helping put the bird back together again.

** Starting in season 4, Grace van Pelt has taken a cynical turn following [[spoiler:having to kill her fiance, TheMole for [[BigBad Red John]], in self-defense]].

* Morgana from ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. If she had not been hurt, lied to, and ignored by the people she called friends, then she would not be where she is now. Deconstructed with her behavior with Gwen, a guard and innocent people only (played straight for everything else, mostly in season 4), with which this trope is subverted. While [[spoiler: Morgana hurts the poor Gwen, her former best friend, because it is an easy way to attain her goal]], Gwen [[AllLovingHero is continuously generous to everyone]], and only betrays [[spoiler:Morgana after the latter tried to kill her (a thing she suspects because Morgana smiled when she was dragged to the cells where she should be imprisoned by Uther) to save her lover and her buddies]]. Gwen is tortured/looked down upon/neglected by everyone except Merlin ([[spoiler:who remains oblivious to her crush on him]]), Gaius (who keeps her out of the way as much as Morgana when serious matters concerning her arise that Merlin must resolve), Arthur ([[spoiler: who repeatedly breaks up with her because he thinks he must marry a princess and otherwise a noblewoman and thinks she cheated on him and banishes the poor innocent Gwen]]) and some minor characters, being lacking power because of her low social status. Yet, unlike initially kind and powerful Morgana, who arguably can only be furious and traumatized because of Merlin, Uther and (indirectly) Arthur, plus two minor characters and punishes poor [[spoiler: people who were indifferent/neutral in the conflict, and a guard who probably did horrible things, but was kind to her]], she insists that killing Uther would make her as bad as him, even [[spoiler: after he menaced to burn her at the stake and condemned her father to be imprisoned]].

** Dean throughout seasons three and four particularly, where he is a DeathSeeker with little hope and less of the humor he started with. And no wonder, after learning he broke the first seal for the lead-up to the Apocalypse and being unable to protect his brother from himself. In season five, Dean was seriously considering accepting Michael and becoming a [[DestructiveSavior major force]] in the Apocalypse because he didn't trust Sam, Bobby was crippled and contemplating suicide every morning, Castiel was disillusioned with God and had lost his angelic powers, and Sam was operating under the guilt from giving in to the DarkSide above his brother for a chance to kill the BigBad that [[UnwittingPawn turned out to free Lucifer]] and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero start the Apocalypse]].

** The demon Meg - who hates emotionality and poetry, spent so long being tortured that she lost her humanity, and seems split between being wanting to hurt everybody else and wanting to be loyal- is the key female example, but this is the trope that defines many of the show's female characters (for example, Amelia, Bela, and Ruby). And given how much the show likes to torture all its characters, this is an extremely common trope for males as well as females. Castiel, Bobby, and Benny also fit this trope to a tee. Especially Cas- Watching him get broken over and over again has been one of the show's key advertising draws.

* ''Series/VeronicaMars'' is indisputably a Broken Bird, it being the key character point which defines her in the first series - she's cynical about the world and much older in her mind than her seventeen years because her life went to hell within the space of a few months less than a year before we meet the character (her best friend is murdered, her dad (the sheriff) loses his job and they lose their house, her mother leaves her and her father, she is drugged and raped at a party (and laughed at when she reports it), and becomes a social pariah (in a school where money makes the world go round). But she takes the new kid under her wing and maybe it will all work out?

* Lili in the 1984 miniseries ''Series/{{Lace}}''. She was conceived out of wedlock, was abandoned by her mother to foster care, was told that her mother would eventually come back for her but never did, was taunted at school for having no mother or father, saw her foster parents killed at 6, spent the next 10 years in a prison camp where she was groped and made to scrub toilets and floors, got pregnant at 16 shortly after escaping the prison camp, left by her boyfriend on the news of the pregnancy, forced to work as nude model to earn money to pay for a back-alley abortion, was thrown out on the streets while still trying to recover from the abortion, turned to prostitution to survive, and became a porn actress. On top of that, she unknowingly commits incest with her father (not revealed in the original miniseries but mentioned in the book and the sequel miniseries). She turns into a bitter, obnoxious brat hell-bent on seeking revenge against her mother and her friends, even after she becomes a successful international celebrity. “They made their schoolgirl pact and sent me to hell, I’ll teach them what I learned there.”

* Lili in the 1984 miniseries Lace. She was conceived out of wedlock, was abandoned by her mother to foster care, was told that her mother would eventually come back for her but never did, was taunted at school for having no mother or father, saw her foster parents killed at 6, spent the next 10 years in a prison camp where she was groped and made to scrub toilets and floors, got pregnant at 16 shortly after escaping the prison camp, left by her boyfriend on the news of the pregnancy, forced to work as nude model to earn money to pay for a back-alley abortion, was thrown out on the streets while still trying to recover from the abortion, turned to prostitution to survive, and became a porn actress. On top of that, she unknowingly commits incest with her father (not revealed in the original miniseries but mentioned in the book and the sequel miniseries). She turns into a bitter, obnoxious brat hell-bent on seeking revenge against her mother and her friends, even after she becomes a successful international celebrity. “They made their schoolgirl pact and sent me to hell, I’ll teach them what I learned there.”