History Main / HeroWithAnFInGood

* In ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Bizarro thinks he's Superman, so goes around "saving" a building from what he didn't realize was a scheduled demolition, and "fixing" one of those bridges that opens, thinking it was broken, causing a ship to almost crash into it.

-->-- [[spoiler: '''Zuko''']], ''AvatarTheLastAirbender''

* [[MassEffect Renegade!Shepard]] is out to save the galaxy. Heaven help you if you get in his way.

* They often find that GoodIsBoring and just obeying the law and community decency standards can be difficult or trying at best.
* They may be a NightmareFetishist, CloudCuckoolander, etc., who 'just does not get the whole Good Versus Evil thing', because EvilFeelsGood. If the character has recently done a HeelFaceTurn, because EvilCannotComprehendGood, 'behaving themselves' is new to them, and it's hard to unlearn the old ways.
* The HeroWithAnFInGood tends to get themselves kicked out of the JusticeLeague, [[StarWars Rebel Alliance]], etc. for 'minor' offenses (theft / piracy, involvement in illegal trade, accidently destroying an abandoned skyscraper, etc.).

* NobleDemon: while the NobleDemon cultivates his 'bad' reputation, this character daydreams of being a hero. Can be the result of a NobleDemon doing a HeelFaceTurn and realizing they don't know a thing about being a hero.

In a more BlackAndGreyMorality / {{Dystopia}}n setting, this character often ends up being the one who TookALevelInBadass and joins the heroes anyway.

* Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent from {{Baccano}}! work on atoning for their previous (harmless) crimes by stealing large amounts of cash and goods from wealthy families JustLikeRobinHood.
** Half of this show's cast fits this as even the protagonists are often TheMafia, a NobleDemon, a liquor bootlegger etc. Also note Durarara's entry as well. The author, Ryhogo Narita, is in love with this trope.
* The Striker in You'reUnderArrest! the self proclaimed hero only causes more damage than good on anything.

* PlasticMan from the JusticeLeagueOfAmerica is frequently this, betrayed by his criminal background and frivolous, comedic personality.

*** Until about halfway through Return of the Jedi, that is.

** [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation He's actually not all that bad.]] WordofGod has it that Riddick used to be in the special forces of a military-corporation in charge of a planet called Sigma 3. When he uncovered rampant corruption and acts of wanton cruelty in said military he actively began collecting evidence against them. They promptly framed him for a crime he didn't commit and had him shipped off to space jail. Also, he more takes pride in the fact that he's so good at killing rather than taking any pleasure in the act itself. He mostly just doesn't like people and wants to be left alone. He still qualifies for this trope, though, given his acerbic nature, unyielding cynicism, and the number of people who've died just by the sheer bad luck of being on the same planet as him.

* For awhile, {{Artemis Fowl}}'s HeelFaceTurn was impeded by his love of {{XanatosGambit}}s, until he realized that a {{Chessmaster}} doesn't have to be a villain.
* ''TheOnceAndFutureKing'' describes Tristam as one of these. Basically, he's got the rough idea of the KnightInShiningArmor, but doesn't really understand ''why'' he should act like one--particularly when sex is involved.

* Yuffie from FinalFantasyVII tries to be good, but she just accidentally gets an entire [[WutaiTheft trope]] name after her inability to do so.
* Jowan of DragonAge is [[BloodMagic blood mage]] who, unlike the others you meet, is perfectly well-meaning and just wants to live a normal life and do some good. Unfortunately, his efforts at doing so all end in disaster.

* [[JackAttack Jack]] from MadWorld according to himself:
--> Jack: "I don't help people, I kill them."

--> '''Kareen Zalia''': "Great. Now ''you'' think she's some kind of SuperHero too!"
--> '''Feng''': "No way. A superhero wouldn't cut a living human being's ribs out one at a time out of curiosity."

* Bender from {{Futurama}}:
-->'''Fry:''' ''Now me and Leela are forming an awesome crime-fighting duo.''
-->'''Bender:''' '' Wow, crime-fighting. Cool. You say you're a duo? Yeah duos are good. Of course sometimes they're a little short handed. See ya. With two humans you'd think there'd be a robot in there... to balance things out. But, whatever. I have these three costumes you could use. But, I guess I'll just throw one away.''
-->'''Leela:''' ''We'd love to have you on the team Bender. But aren't you more on the supply side of crime?''

* Plastic Man in BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold. Recently redeemed and enthusiastic about being a hero, but frequently exasperates Batman with his difficulties being competent and not stealing stuff.

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* {{Riddick}}, '''''FULL STOP'''''. He is a full-grown SatisfiedStreetRat - a [[TheUnfettered vicious and remorseless]] human predator who has killed hundreds of people at torture range. What makes him a "hero" is that though he is a genuinely AxeCrazy KnifeNut who lives to tear people to shreds simply for the joy of it, he has no interest in killing those who cannot defend themselves, finds [[FriendToAllChildren children to be amusing distractions]](especially since [[ChildrenAreInnocent those feelings are usually returned]]), and treats those that ''do'' kill the defenseless as animals. He thus finds himself regularly rescuing loads and loads of people by accident despite never intending to.

* Oasis from ''SluggyFreelance'' does try, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy but she]] [[AxeCrazy gets]] [[PsychopathicManchild an F-]].

* Vinvent from ''Amya'' does his job because he needs to get paid - but when things start to go badly he doesn't hesitate to let his abductees loose.

* Vincent from ''Amya'' does his job because he needs to get paid - but when things start to go badly he doesn't hesitate to let his abductees loose.

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* Yusuke from YuYuHakusho.
* ''RosarioToVampire'': arguably, half the cast. Moreso in the anime, where the girls are much less {{Nakama}} with one another.
* Shinn Asuka in GundamSEEDDestiny. It becomes especially prominent after his CharacterDerailment where the guy just couldn't catch a break. His ReplacementScrappy status was probably worsened due to this and who [[BornWinner he]] [[GodModeSue was]] [[GundamSEED replacing]].

* Love Pheromone of ''AkahoriGedouHourRabuge'' are this big-time, even though Aimi's the one with the F in good. Kaoruko may qualify, but she's too dumbfounded by Aimi's actions to consider fighting alongside her against the "evil" of the week. That is, unless, she's pissed off at the "evil" alongside Aimi.

* Because of their symbiotes, {{Spider-Man}} characters Venom (Eddie Brock, it must be reminded) and his "Grandson" Toxin are this. Venom's "son" Carnage, on the other hand, is [[CompleteMonster good at being bad]]
** They seem to be getting better at this. Eddie's current tenure as Anti-Venom seems to be an attempt to play TheAtoner, while Pat is learning to control Toxin and let him do the right things.
* Groo the Wanderer. He means well, mostly...
* ''TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'': Most of The League are this, [[HeroicSociopath at]] [[VillainProtagonist best]].

* ScottPilgrim. Hero. Crummy Boyfriend. [[CharacterDevelopment He's growing out of the latter.]]

* Not sure if ''[[http://www.elvira.com/home_1.html Elvira, Mistress of the Dark]]'' fits this or not...

* Joxer in his first appearances on ''XenaWarriorPrincess''.
* Would Ben Linus from {{Lost}} count here?
** I don't know if he even tries being a good person!
** It Depends...

* I'm thinking Cordelia in ''{{Angel}}''...
** For starters anyway. Later on most of the qualities matching the trope drop off from her personality and others' perceptions about her.
** When she's not being a MinionWithAnFInEvil, Harmony is this.
*** How about Faith on ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}'' when she tries to join the Scoobies?
* Mal from ''{{Firefly}}'' is this.
* Vala from ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'' is this sometimes.
** In her first appearance, she was a bit of a DracoInLeatherPants. Later on, she became this trope, but CharacterDevelopment eventually lead to her joining the team and becoming TheSixthRanger.
* Pretty much the entire cast of ''{{Leverage}}'', especially Parker, who keeps stealing things on instinct.

* Pretty much every RPG PC with KleptomaniacHero tendencies could be considered a mild form of this.
* [[spoiler:Namatame]] in [[{{Persona4}} Persona 4]].
* [[spoiler:Sarevok]] becomes something like this in [[BaldursGate Throne of Bhaal]] when you manage to make [[spoiler:him]] do a HeelFaceTurn.

* {{Catwoman}} in BatmanTheAnimatedSeries, after her first arrest.
* There was an episode of TheSimpsons in which Mr. Burns unsuccessfully tried to be good.
-->'''Lisa:''' ''You haven't changed at all! You're still evil. And when you try to be good, you're even more evil!''
* Justice Gene from ''LeagueOfSuperEvil'', to the point where he gets fired from every "good guy" job he can find.

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<<|CharacterizationTropes|>>

* In ''SantaClausIsCominToTown'', [[spoiler: The Winter Wizard]] becomes this after a HeelFaceTurn but fortunately for him the heroes are willing to be patient.

* ScottPilgrim. Hero. Crummy Boyfriend.

* {{Riddick}}, '''''FULL STOP'''''. He is a full-grown SatisfiedStreetRat - a [[TheUnfettered vicious and remorseless]] human predator who has killed hundreds of people at torture range. What makes him a "hero" is that he hungers for the blood of human "wolves" who prey upon human "sheep" - he has no interest in killing those who cannot defend themselves, finds [[FriendToAllChildren children to be amusing distractions]](especially since [[ChildrenAreInnocent those feelings are usually returned]]), and treats those that ''do'' kill the defenseless as animals. He thus finds himself regularly rescuing loads and loads of people by accident despite never intending to.

* Anakin Skywalker in the ''StarWars'' prequel trilogy. He's brave and willing to risk himself for others, wants to do what's right, joins the foremost good guy organisation... But he's impatient, uncontrolled, unable to accept his place and constantly tempted to just go ahead and (to sum up all the various temptations) do whatever he damn well feels like at the moment. When he does, it ends badly for everyone.