History Main / FatalFlaw

* Lord Grantham from ''Series/DowntonAbbey'' is a BenevolentBoss to his servants but this doesn't stop him from thinking them inferior and preferring the company and advice of his "peers". This comes to haunt him when bad advice from an aristocrat doctor over that of their regular physician Dr. Clarkson [[spoiler:causes the death of his daughter Sybil]].

* The ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' is populated with the likes of Arthas, Grom, Tyrande, Illidan and Kael'Thas [[WellIntentionedExtremist who use drastic but well-intentioned methods when dealing with a crisis]].

* [[UnstoppableRage Wrath]]

* {{Persona 4}} uses this as a major plot point, confronting most of the party (and at least one other character) with their {{Fatal Flaw}}s in the form of shadows that act as [[{{Flanderization}} gross caricatures]] of them (Shadow Chie becoming a dominatrix to represent Chie's need to control Yukiko to feel better about herself, Shadow Kanji being a CampGay stereotype to represent Kanji's [[RealMenWearPink insecurity about his girly hobbies]], etc.)

* The titular ''Literature/{{Julian}}'' has a deep craving for the mystical and incomprehensible. Relying on the insights of a [[LargeHam hammy]] soothsayer isn't wise, especially when your Emperor of Rome.

* ''FanFic/MassEffectTheEquestrianEquation'': the Equines are naturally trusting and cooperative, causing Reaper Indoctrination to wreck their defenses and cost them the war.

* Tommy DeVito and his HairTriggerTemper in ''Film/TheGoodfellas'' where he killed a made man lead him to be killed himself.

* ''Manga/DGrayMan's'' [[ChivalrousPervert Cross Marian's]] flaw seems to be women and girls. He loves the female gender, and has many lovers--and it's very well known by anyone familiar with him. He works for an organization known as the Dark Order. But he isn't really loyal to them, and says he hates going to HQ, and knocked out his student with a hammer and ran off to avoid going back with him. A crisis demands that the generals return to HQ, and teams are sent to find them. Komui puts Lenalee, a young girl on Cross' team. Cross ends up back at HQ, but promptly tries to escape. All that kept him there was Lenalee hugging him, and begging him not to run away. He stares down at her thinking about how cute she is that he can't refuse her. And that leads to him attending a meeting, being interrogated for his 4 year absence, investigated, demoted, and put under constant surveillance with guards stationed around him. His being at the Order in the first place made him easy to find when [[spoiler: someone comes to his room to attempt to assassinate him where upon he's shot in the head.]] The only reason he went through any of that at HQ is because he didn't run away when he had the chance, and the sole reason he didn't is because a cute girl asked him not to leave. And said girl wasn't even one of his lovers.

* ''Manga/DGrayMan's'' [[ChivalrousPervert Cross Marian's]] flaw seems to be women and girls. He loves the female gender, and has many lovers--and it's very well known by anyone familiar with him. He works for an organization known as the Dark Order. But he isn't really loyal to them, and says he hates going to HQ, and knocked out his student with a hammer and ran off to avoid going back with him. A crisis demands that the generals return to HQ, and teams are sent to find them. Komui puts Lenalee, a young girl on Cross' team. Cross ends up back at HQ, but promptly tries to escape. All that kept him there was Lenalee hugging him, and begging him not to run away. He has a deer caught in the head-lights look as he stares down at Lenalee thinking about how cute she is that he can't refuse her. And that leads to him attending a meeting, being interrogated for his 4 year absence, investigated, demoted to a desk job, and put under constant surveillance with guards stationed around him. And his being at the Order made him easy to find when someone comes to his room to attempt to assassinate him. The only reason he went through any of that at HQ is because he didn't run away when he had the chance, and the sole reason he didn't is because a cute girl asked him not to leave. And said girl wasn't even one of his lovers. And Allen--his apprentice, deduces that's the whole reason Lenalee was put on the Cross team.

* Luffy's wrath and selfishness in ''OnePiece''. His inability to control his volcanic-rage eventually lead to [[spoiler: Kuma attacking and scattering all the Straw Hats around the world.]] Luffy does what he wants, even if he knows there would be grave results. The above example had Hatchan making Luffy promise not to [[spoiler: cross paths with a World Noble, regardless what happens.]] But when [[spoiler: Camie and Hatchan]] are kidnapped and injured, Luffy went ahead and broke his promise and while he did apologize, he didn't show any regrets.
* In ''{{Bleach}}'', Aizen's god-complex and belief that he was above everyone else led him to discard strategy and cunningness (what had previously allowed him to outsmart and outplay his enemies). He relied too much on his unnatural power upgrades and became DrunkWithPower. Which would lead to [[spoiler: his defeat at the hands of both Ichigo and Urahara.]]

* Most incarnations of ''SonicTheHedgehog'' are presented as overly cocky and prone to acts of recklessness, a lot of which are exploited by foes or end up with him making a detrimental mistake. In the games alone, Eggman took advantage of an opening left by Sonic's arrogance in ''SonicUnleashed'', while in ''SonicLostWorld'' his over eagerness to swat away Eggman's new toy left another antagonist, the Deadly Six, free to bring havoc, an act which almost led to Earth being drained of it's life and Tails being transformed into a robot).

** Most incarnations of ''SonicTheHedgehog'' are presented as overly cocky and prone to acts of recklessness, a lot of which are exploited by foes or end up with him making a detrimental mistake. In the games alone, Eggman took advantage of an opening left by Sonic's arrogance in ''SonicUnleashed'', while in ''SonicLostWorld'' his over eagerness to swat away Eggman's new toy left another antagonist, the Deadly Six, free to bring havoc, an act which almost led to Earth being drained of it's life and Tails being transformed into a robot).

** Most incarnations of ''SonicTheHedgehog'' are presented as overly cocky and prone to acts of recklessness, a lot of which are exploited by foes or end up with him making a detrimental mistake. In the games alone, Eggman took advantage of an opening left by Sonic's arrogance in ''SonicUnleashed'', while his over eagerness to swat away Eggman's new toy left another antagonist, the Deadly Six, free to bring havoc, an act which almost led to Earth being drained of it's life and Tails being transformed into a robot).

** Theatre/{{Hamlet}} waited too long, and is [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation very likely crazy]]. And yet he is completely GenreSavvy about this:

* The animals of AnimalFarm were far too [[DumbIsGood trusting]]. Benjamin the donkey is too cynical and refuses to voice out his concerns about the Rebellion's aftermath.
* Gollum's obsession with [[ArtifactOfDoom the Ring]] in ''LordOfTheRings''.

* Both Ross and Rachel in ''{{Friends}}'' suffer from NeverMyFault, most likely stemming from when their parents spoiled them as children. This leads to their breakup since a major reason why their relationship failed is because both of them don't take responsibility for anything and are quick to blame others and each other for their mistakes.

* Though not fatal, [[MyFairLady Higgins']] superior attitude causes Elisa to leave him.

** Goku has one that rears its head on occassion: His love for a challenging battle. He projects this desire onto Gohan, who lacks said love, leading to Goku's death. Even after that, he still held back in his fight with Majin Vegeta so it would be more enjoyable, releasing Buu. And then he held back against Buu, who later became a threat to the entire universe.
*** Actually, Goku held back against Vegeta to save his feelings and he didn't fight Buu all out because he did not want his friends to depend on him, wanting someone else to save the world. His worst fatal flaw is being too nice; trying to spare Raditz and Frieza, and trying to spare Vegeta's feelings after he sold his soul.