History Characters / WhiteCollar

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: This is who he is to Peter, and in a wya to the rest of Peter's team. He's constantly pulling wacky stunts that they ''can't'' approve of, but he's just so goddamn ''cute''.

* IAmWhatIAm: [[spoiler: in "Uncontrolled Variables" Neal instructs the girl who almost became a victim of his Pink Panther mission, to take ''credit'' for the theft of the computer disk, and subsequently offer her silence bought; with regards to the obvious security flaws, in exchange for a promotion. This works. It is entirely possible Neal tried something similar with a painting]]
%%** [[spoiler: the ultimate decision Neal makes for himself in the finale, [[https://www.tvguide.com/news/white-collar-series-finale-postmortem-1091167/ as made clear by Word of God.]]]]

* ParentalAbandonment: He never knew his father. Maybe [[spoiler:He's telling the truth on that one--dad was (apparently) a DirtyCop who murdered another officer, and Neal never had the chance to meet him.]] From the way he [[spoiler:cut Ellen off when she was about to mention his mother, there seems to be some mommy issues going on with him too]].

--> Mozzie (exasperated): [[ManChild You're like a child.]]

--> ''Peter'': "Really."\\
''Neal'': [[BlatantLies And who knows what else, because I have never even considered]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial smuggling gems in Burma.]]

->Played by: {{Creator/Tim DeKay}}

* AFatherToHisMen: Peter is very close the men and women under his command, and many characters point out that he treats Neal like a surrogate son. This is demonstrated in the series finale, where Peter is more content delivering coffee to his teams on stakeout rather than take a lucrative post in Washington D.C.

* ParentalSubstitute: He's either Neal's father or his big brother. They even play a game of catch[[note]]Between home plate and the pitcher's mound at Yankee Stadium. You're jealous[[/note]]. Neal told James that Peter had "been more of a father to him than [James] ever was". When an investigation calls for someone to play the father of Neal's cover, Jones immediately suggests Peter and comments that he's pretty much been Neal's father 'for years now.' Despite rejecting the implication that he's old enough to be Neal's father, Peter ends up doing it and proceeds to describe their exact relationship while pretending to be a father wanting better for his son.

* ToxicFriendInfluence: Not an outright malicious example, but he was the one who was constantly prodding Neal to just take the Nazi treasure and run.

* ButchLesbian: A DownplayedTrope example in that she's very beautiful but aggressive and confrontational.

* BrokenBird

* DamselOutOfDistress: On the one occasion it looked like she needed saving, [[spoiler:she reassured Neal, who was coming to her aid, and freed herself from her assailant by beating him with her baton]].

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:No one felt sorry for him after Peter shot him.]]

* EnemyMine: [[spoiler: in the final season.]]

* LeaveNoWitnesses. [[spoiler:Rebecca is not taking any chances, so she has in killed.]]

* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:Hagen hired her to help him force Neal to work for him. Eventually she turned on him and took over the role of BigBad.]]

* RaisedbyGrandparents: Or at least, very close to her grandfather.

* DaddyIssues: All of them. Like...ALL of them. Pick a subtrope. Father/surrogate conflict, abandonment, idolization, broken idolization, fears that he turned out like him, ALL OF THEM.
** Some MommyIssues on top of that, too, because, according to implication, she was nursing a psychological trauma and/or substance addiction and wasn't really on top of it. He doesn't like to talk about it, even to Mozzie.

* IAmWhatIAm: [[spoiler: the ultimate decision Neal makes for himself in the finale, [[https://www.tvguide.com/news/white-collar-series-finale-postmortem-1091167/ as made clear by Word of God.]]]]
** [[spoiler: in "Uncontrolled Variables" Neal instructs the girl who almost became a victim of his Pink Panther mission, to take ''credit'' for the theft of the computer disk, and subsequently offer her silence bought; with regards to the obvious security flaws, in exchange for a promotion. This works. It is entirely possible Neal tried something similar with a painting]]
* ILied: It's what he does.
** Except to Peter. He never outright lies to Peter. Although he does engage in some...er..."creative truth-telling".
*** He's taken to straight-up lying to Peter as of "Brass Tacks", [[ForYourOwnGood for his own good]], after having the fear of Elizabeth put into him.

* ParentalAbandonment: He never knew his father. Maybe.
** [[spoiler:He's telling the truth on that one--dad was (apparently) a DirtyCop who murdered another officer, and Neal never had the chance to meet him.]]
** From the way he [[spoiler:cut Ellen off when she was about to mention his mother, there seems to be some mommy issues going on with him too]].
* PassiveAggressiveKombat: Neal basically ''lives'' this trope

* RealMenCook: They also brag about it a lot.
* RefugeInAudacity: Neal's life.

* ShirtlessScene: All the time. It's a good thing.

* ThatsWhatIWouldDo: How Neal helps the FBI.
** After Neal gives Peter a suspiciously well-informed explanation of what someone would need to smuggle gems in Burma:

* WellDoneSonGuy: Bitterly Lampshaded: [[spoiler:when he was younger, he wanted to be a cop like his DisappearedDad. Said dad was a DirtyCop, so, yes, he followed in his father's footsteps...being a crook]]. Working on being so averted it hurts.
** When he learns [[spoiler:his father ''isn't'' a dirty cop-killer]], Neal plays this trope much more straight, melting and glowing [[spoiler:when his father compliments his forgeries and urges him to be a real artist]]. Even without that, Neal naturall has his relationship with Peter pushing him to use his talents on the lawful side of ToBeLawfulOrGood.

** He repeatedly berates Neal for looking for Kate and assuming she was in danger. But when his wife is kidnapped, he loses all composure and immediately blames Neal for the entire ordeal.
*** Although this is rather understandable, since Kate a) broke up with Neal, b) evidence keeps piling up that she is ''not'' in danger, and c) Neal's single minded obsession is genuinely negatively effecting his life. Meanwhile, Peter and Elizabeth are HappilyMarried, she is genuinely kidnapped by a dangerous criminal who is explicitly threatening her life, and the situation ''was'' partially Neal's fault. Additionally, once he's gotten over the initial shock, he tells Mozzie — the main one responsible for taking the treasure and upsetting Keller — to remember that ''Keller'' kidnapped Elizabeth and not him.
** He also chastises Neal every time he makes a lie of omission or makes morally grey decisions for the greater good. Yet he himself is more than willing to do exactly the same things.
*** In a way, though it's rather endearing — it more rings of a father trying wanting his son to do better, and trying to make a better life for him by any means necessary. The 'do as I say, not as I do' way.
* IndyPloy: He likes a plan, but he's willing to run with it.
* MockMillionaire: As an undercover accountant.

* ParentalSubstitute: He's either Neal's father or his big brother. They even play a game of catch[[note]]Between home plate and the pitcher's mound at Yankee Stadium. You're jealous[[/note]]. Neal told James that Peter had "been more of a father to him than [James] ever was".
** When an investigation calls for someone to play the father of Neal's cover, Jones immediately suggests Peter and comments that he's pretty much been Neal's father 'for years now.' Despite rejecting the implication that he's old enough to be Neal's father, Peter ends up doing it and proceeds to describe their exact relationship while pretending to be a father wanting better for his son.

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Mozzie is in no way a moron, but he's generally not a physical presence. Then, in a tense moment he disarms a bad guy and holds him at gunpoint without flinching. That he nearly collapses afterward just shows how cool he was during the moment.
** He knows his appearance gives people a certain impression and [[ObfuscatingStupidity uses that]] to get them to underestimate how quickly and creatively he thinks.

* {{Flanderization}}: Mozzie's interest in conspiracy theories and distrust of the FBI are exaggerated midway through the second season. Which could be intentional on Mozzie's part.
** It's revealed to have been part of his coping mechanism; as a child he fantasized his parents were spies.

* ActionGirl: She likes to remind people she carries a gun.

* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: Whenever she needs to go undercover.
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Occasionally. Justified by her childhood in England.

** TheBusCameBack: She retuns in 1x14 to help Peter investigate Garrett Fowler, and rejoins Peter's team in season two.

* BornLucky: Peter feels Neal was this. Neal's back-story suggests otherwise (maybe). There's merit to Peter's view.
** Neal's not really all that lucky. Until the age of 18 he had absolutely no idea who he really was or who his father really was. That and while he does have his lucky moments, you take into account that the few people he gets close to [[DoomMagnet end up getting into deadly situations]] [[spoiler:even when it's not his fault, as proved with Ellen]].

%%* WickedCultured: Though not evil.

* TurnOutLikeHisFather: As a kid, he really wanted to. These days, it scares him to think he will or already has.

%%* FoolForLove: For Kate.

%%* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Mozzie.

* ManipulativeBastard: Veers between this, and guile hero, depending on how sympathetic his motives for manipulating people are at any given moment.

* MasterForger: Neal is capable of forging paintings, sculptures, banknotes and even rare whiskey. A number of episodes have him and the FBI go up against other master forgers or people dealing in fake artefacts. In one instance Neal and fellow forger Mozzie create a perfect forgery of a painting and then deliberately add minor flaws so the FBI lab can expose it as a fake and thus stop investigating what happened to the original.

%%* VitriolicBestBuds: Duh.

%%* GuileHero:

* OfficialCouple: With his wife.

** When an investigation calls for someone to play the father of Neal's cover, Jones immediately suggests Peter and comments that he's pretty much been Neal's father 'for years now.' Despite defying the implication that he's old enough to be Neal's father, Peter ends up doing it and proceeds to describe their exact relationship while pretending to be a father wanting better for his son.
* PornStache: His OldShame.

%%* VitriolicBestBuds: Again with the duh.

* HiddenDepths: June shows herself to be an excellent actress during [[spoiler:Neal's commutation hearing]].
* LikeASonToMe: June says these exact words about Neal [[spoiler:during his commutation hearing, complete with tears. It's not clear whether she truly meant it though, since she was putting on her best act to help Neal go free. It's probably true to some extent]].
* WidowWoman: Her husband died prior to the series.

* PoisonousFriend: In the season 5 premiere, he tries his hand at [[spoiler:FramingTheGuiltyParty]] to get Peter [[spoiler:out of prison]]. The implications are explored.

* PoisonousFriend: Not an outright malicious example, but he was the one who was constantly prodding Neal to just take the Nazi treasure and run.

* MsFanservice: Her entire wardrobe seems to consists of very fancy & form-fitting outfits that show off her figure, in particular her [[ShesGotLegs legs]].

* NiceHat: Neal's signature trilby, which he often wears at a rakish angle a la Music/FrankSinatra.

** He repeatedly berates Neal for looking for Kate and assuming she was in danger, and never apologizes to Neal for his part in [[spoiler: her death]]. But when his wife is kidnapped, he loses all composure and immediately blames Neal for the entire ordeal.

* PutOnABus: Disappears from the series after Season One without so much as a word.

%%* GuileHero: A LawfulGood version.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Neal refuses to make untraceable fake identities, since the only way to make them needs a dead infant's birth certificate.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Neal tries to invoke this by pointing out that Keller wouldn't want to destroy a Rafael. Turns out, he would.

* NewJobAsThePlotDemands: He is pretty much Neal's go to guy for any job. He is his Lawyer, Cleaner, Fordger and anything else that suits what is needed.

* NotSoDifferent: Neal and some of the criminals he helps put away. Particularly Keller.

* NotSoDifferent: From Burke. There, but for the tragedy, go I.

* NotSoDifferent: Or so he insists. Neal doesn't buy it.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: His first scene in the pilot involves him breaking out of prison dressed as a guard. He shaves his face, fixes his hair, puts on the guard uniform, and casually walks out the door like he owns the place, successfully fooling prisoners and guards alike. Ladies and gentlemen, Neal Caffrey, con artist.

* MoralityPet: To many of the criminals in New York. [[spoiler: When the forgers found out they are asked to make a faked ID with a trackable name, they nearly walked out. Until they found out said person was the one that shot Mozzie, then they fully offered their services.]]

* {{Adorkable}}: Peter plays video games (well, ''VideoGame/AngryBirds'' at least) and fist bumps (with explosion) with Elizabeth. And you should see him flirt. Well, '''try''' to flirt.

* {{Adorkable}}: It really helps that he's played by Willie Garson. But then they give him lines like "Mi casa es suit casa", followed by a dorky little grin.