History Main / LonersAreFreaks

** Although what they seemed to have the biggest problem with was that while everyone else dreamed of ''doing'' things, Flynn just dreamed of getting lots and lots of money.

* ''Film/Summerland2020'': The local children think Alice is a witch, because of her solitary and hermit-like behavior.

* As Creator/MarkEvanier notes in the ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'' piece linked above, this was a [[BrokenAesop common Aesop]] that consultants would foist on cartoons in the 1980s. One extreme example Evanier points to is the show: ''WesternAnimation/TheGetAlongGang'', where this was the ''only'' Aesop.

* Averted in ''Comicbook/{{Asterix}} and the Roman Agent''. While everyone else is bickering thanks to the titular spy's influence, the bard Cacofonix isn't, since he, besides being aphonic at the time, usually keeps to himself and thus keeps away from the agent's jealousy- and paranoia-inducing influence. This isn't necessarily a personal choice -- as per his name, Cacofonix is an enthusiastic but [[DreadfulMusician absolutely horrendous musician]].

** On the flip-side, ComicBook/TheJoker is one of the most extroverted villains in all of fiction. He usually has a gang, and a very large one, has a girlfriend in Harley Quinn, and is very fond of the VillainTeamUp both with regular Batman rogues and on the grander stage with guys like Comicbook/LexLuthor. Of course, he is a BadBoss to said gang and tends to kill members at random on a whim; his relationship with Harley Quinn is the {{Trope Namer|s}} for MadLove, and though he might like teaming up with other villains, the other villains are afraid to team up ''[[TheDreaded with him]]''. He's not a freaky loner; he's the freak you ''wish'' was a loner, because [[WithFriendsLikeThese With Friends Like Him...]]

* ComicBook/DoctorDoom regards friendship as a sign of weakness. He ''does'' have a handful of people he is relatively close to, but he refuses to call them "friends" because he imagines himself to be entirely self-reliant and superior to other men, and he keeps them at an emotional distance. Said "not-friends" are really his most trusted minions, anyway. He had a long-lost love called Valeria, but when he sacrificed her to a trio of demons for power, that kind of went out the window. He is not entirely asocial though and is AffablyEvil enough to [[NoMrBondIExpectYouToDine offer his female opponents a feast while their male teammates languish in the dungeons.]] Also, he has an annual dinner with the mercenary Comicbook/SilverSable in her role as ambassador for the neighbouring country- apparently, she looks forward to them as Doom is a very good host. He truly wants his own people to love and respect him and is relatively nice to them in return. Also, he has a very big soft spot for [[DeadGuyJunior Valeria]] Richards, his god-daughter who he helped deliver (she gets away with calling him "Uncle Doom"), and has placed her under his royal protection (you harm her, he makes you ''pay'').
* Comicbook/{{Thanos}} of Titan was born with the Deviant gene, meaning he was [[PhysicalGod an Eternal]] like the rest of his people but looked like a member of their historical mutant enemies / genetic cousins. He became a loner because of this and eventually killed nearly every other member of his race in a nuclear holocaust ForTheEvulz. He claims that the other Eternals treated him like an outcast, but his surviving brother says that Thanos imagined this and was just naturally reclusive and paranoid, and obsessed with Death, BlackMagic and other dark and grim subjects that didn't exactly invite company.

* ComicBook/{{X 23}} is already a withdrawn and quiet girl as a result of her DarkAndTroubledPast, but then she goes through phases where she isolates herself from others entirely. In ''NYX'' she rarely speaks and creeps out her companions, and in the beginning of her solo series, Laura mostly avoids the other younger mutants and has been spending most of her time alone after being pulled from Comicbook/XForce. The other students are quick to comment on this.

* FanFic/ShadowSnark after being in self-made isolation for a few years; he has NoSocialSkills.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'', Flynn even admits that his dream involves him being alone and has to be forced into participating in the {{Crowd Song}} and the DanceLine. One Snuggly Duckling tavern thug explicitly tells him that his dream is stupid before the CharacterDevelopment that led him to repudiate this.

* In ''Film/{{Pixels}}'', Ludlow is a crazy ConspiracyTheorist with PerverseSexualLust for Lady Lisa, still living in his grandma's basement. Sam is his only friend, and calling them like that is quite an overstatement.

* From Toys/{{Bionicle}}: Toa Kopaka starts out as the most anti-social of the Toa, preferring to do things by himself. Unfortunately for him, completing their destiny requires that all six Toa work together, and a lot of his CharacterDevelopment revolves around him learning to accept this. By the Karda Nui Arc, he's even become deputy leader to Tahu, not that he's any less, well, [[IncrediblyLamePun cold]]. Unlike a lot of other examples, he ''does'' legitimately care about his teammates from the start (his OddFriendship with Pohatu of all Toa proves that), but he hides it under layers of snark and standoffishness.

** ...save the world from a cyborg-mutant overlord and his plans to turn humanity into a peaceful HiveMind of long-lived, super-intelligent beings...that would then be unable to procreate, resulting in inevitable extinction within a matter of centuries. (''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', which placed a lot less emphasis on the party than ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'')
*** ...mop the floor with the remnants of the American government, blowing up their main base, [[spoiler:Logic-bombing the freaking president]], racking up a surreal kill count and casually blowing up cities with nuke launchers, either becoming the new Messiah or Satan's offspring. Above all, he is even named 'The Lone Wanderer'. (''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'')
*** [[VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}} The Lone Wanderer]] and the [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas Courier]] are, in fact, the most lonesome of the Fallout protagonists. They are allowed a maximum head cap of 1 human and 1 [[NonHumanSidekick non-human]] per "party". As opposed to the older games, which allowed you a reasonable 5 man team. Depending on how you play, you may end up wandering the lonely wastes with naught but your [[MyMasterRightOrWrong faithful]] [[LoyalAnimalCompanion hound]] as your only company. Or with absolutely no company at all.

*** Fallout loves this Trope. [[spoiler:Fallout 1 makes the PC the person who is most adept to wander the "World Outside" in the first place and he/she ends up to be cast out by his superior. In Fallout 2 PC is descendant of the original PC who must be sent out to the Big World. In Fallout 3 you are child of a person who wasn't supposed to be there anyway. In New Vegas you are a courier, who was not meant to be there in the first place.]]

** ...defeat the risen Count Dracula and his legions of monsters, earning the [[strike:undying gratitude]] fear and hatred of the townsfolk. (''VideoGame/{{Castlevania I}}'')

*** Then ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' goes and turns the trope on its ear, setting Squall up in the same "brooding loner" role he occupied in [[Videogame/FinalFantasyVIII his own game]], only to then reveal that he chooses to [[IWorkAlone travel alone]] because he believes in the PowerOfTrust and feels he can support the others from a distance. His explanation of his reasons is enough to convince the [[TheCape Warrior of Light]]... not that it prevents everyone else from continuing to pick on him about it, even after he ends up joining forces with [[Videogame/FinalFantasyIX Zidane]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV Bartz]] after all.

** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' with Mitsuo Kubo, a creepy {{Gonk}} who decided [[spoiler:becoming a [[JackTheRipoff copycat murderer]] was the only way he could ever get attention. His own shadow represents the fact that his true pathetic self hides behind video games and that he's practically dead inside. After being defeated he is later sent to an asylum after the characters learn he wasn't the true murderer.]]
* In ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' and ''Platinum'', a woman in Sunyshore mentions that [[BigBad Cyrus]] used to prefer the company of machines to other people. Continued in Platinum where the player encounters Cyrus's grandfather, who tells you about how his grandson snapped at a young age due to parental pressure. Grandpa himself is quite a loner, holed up in a cabin in an eternal sandstorm that you have to pull off an impressive bike trick to even get to.
* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' features several characters noted for shunning most human (or monster) contact most of the time. How much they are portrayed as "freaks" for this varies widely, however.

%%* Raven from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' at first.

* Prowl in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' is considered a bit of a weirdo for how much of a loner he is. Despite technically being part of a team, he's always saying he'd rather work alone, or that he only depends on himself. While that is (or was) certainly what his ''teammates'' think, his actual personality is something of a subversion as he's shown to be very peaceful with an [[FriendToAllLivingThings interest in nature]], he's just [[NotGoodWithPeople not good with other Autobots]].

** Simon is anti-social, moody, and off-putting, much of which can be attributed to his unwillingness to interact with others. He doesn't suffer fools lightly and prefers to be left alone. [[MeddlingParents His mother]] is working to change this, and encourages him to get involved in social situations whenever he can.

** This trope is one of the reasons many heroes are uncomfortable with him, being unaware that [[PapaWolf Batman]] has [[BadassFamily the biggest extended family of the DCU]]. Again, DependingOnTheWriter, as he is also one of the leaders of the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} and one of the most respected heroes in the community. Also, Bruce Wayne by day (when he's not running a benevolent multinational MegaCorp) is a popular playboy who often frequents parties and other social events, though this is of course at least partly just to make people think [[RichIdiotWithNoDayjob he couldn't possibly be Batman.]]

* In ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'', this is initially PlayedStraight for [[GoodIsNotNice Kyril Sutherland]], whose introversion, dislike of attention, and tendency to keep to himself like a closed clam is one of the many reasons why others are wary of him. Not that he cares in the slightest, for Kyril is used to being alone for the most parts of his life, and that he ''[[{{Masquerade}} really]]'' doesn't want others to know more about him, his [[DarkAndTroubledPast past]] (which involves ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow), and [[spoiler:his [[EldritchAbomination true nature]]]]. Gradually {{deconstructed}} in a [[LighterAndSofter nice]] way as he doesn't ''object'' to interacting with others in general: his moments as FourStarBadass where he has to communicate with his men prove exactly that. He's distant, yet polite, not some standoffish dude who keeps saying, "IWorkAlone, thank you very much". Last but not least, despite gaining people he genuinely appreciates and sees as "friend" other than his [[PlatonicLifePartners doll companion]], Kyril never becomes more sociable or touchy-feely, nor does he ever profess about how "friendship is cool". After all, he accepts that he shall walk a lonely, bitter path as a [[HunterOfMonsters Hunter of beasts]]. Plus, the man would rather let the others have their time, while he basks in the peace and quiet that solitude brings.

** In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' Neku's CharacterDevelopment a pure example of the first tendency.
*** Sho Minamimoto is the classic "evil (or at least crazy) loner that becomes an EnsembleDarkHorse".

** Averted in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne''. Nocturne's protagonist and his scattered friends all start the game proper alone, each doing their own thing. [[spoiler:Out of all of them, he's the only one who ends up more or less stable(depending on the player), even having the option of readily accepting a puzzle game challenge from a kid.]]
*** ''Nocturne'' deserves some expansion - [[spoiler: see, there's even a whole philosophy of existence you can embrace [[EndOfTheWorldSpecial to recreate the world]], Musubi. Its leader, one of said friends, is not only a {{Hypocrite}} of the first order, but will mercilessly use you and mock you for your dedication to Musubi as he succumbs to madness. Another philosophy, Yosuga, is a MightMakesRight world - albeit one with serious paranoia complexes, in which you can never cease looking over your shoulder, never rest, never relax. Yosuga's leader, another of your friends, also goes insane. Both of them lose their marbles and will die whatever you do. When the option to just go into absolute OmnicidalManiac mode and trigger a Z-Class ApocalypseHow starts looking good, you gotta reconsider whether being alone is worth it.]]

SuperTrope to CreepyLonerGirl. Compare BewareTheQuietOnes, TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong, IneffectualLoner, and perhaps IntelligenceEqualsIsolation. Contrast YouAreNotAlone. See also NoSocialSkills. Often subverted by combining it with a ThisLoserIsYou protagonist, in which case [[DarkIsNotEvil freaks are not evil]].

* Comicbook/{{Thanos}} of Titan was born with the Deviant gene, meaning he was [[PhysicalGod an Eternal]] like the rest of his people but looked like a member of their historical mutant enemies / genetic cousins. He became a loner because of this and eventually [[KillEmAll killed nearly every other member of his race in a nuclear holocaust]] ForTheEvulz. He claims that the other Eternals treated him like an outcast, but his surviving brother says that Thanos imagined this and was just naturally reclusive and paranoid, and obsessed with Death, BlackMagic and other dark and grim subjects that didn't exactly invite company.

* In ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'', this is initially PlayedStraight for [[GoodIsNotNice Kyril Sutherland]], whose introversion, dislike of attention, and tendency to keep to himself like a closed clam is one of the many reason why others are wary of him. Not that he cares in the slightest, for Kyril is used to being alone for the most parts of his life, and that he ''[[{{Masquerade}} really]]'' doesn't want others to know more about him, his [[DarkAndTroubledPast past]] (which involves ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow), and [[spoiler:his [[EldritchAbomination true nature]]]]. Gradually {{deconstructed}} in a [[LighterAndSofter nice]] way as he doesn't ''object'' to interacting with others in general: his moments as FourStarBadass where he has to communicate with his men prove exactly that. He's distant, yet polite, not some standoffish dude who keeps saying, "IWorkAlone, thank you very much". Last but not least, despite gaining people he genuinely appreciates and sees as "friend" other than his [[PlatonicLifePartners doll companion]], Kyril never becomes more sociable or touchy-feely, nor does he ever profess about how "friendship is cool". After all, he accepts that he shall walk a lonely, bitter path as a [[HunterOfMonsters Hunter of beasts]]. Plus, the man would rather let the others have their time, while he basks in the peace and quiet that solitude brings.

* [[Characters/RickAndMortyRickSanchez Rick Sanchez]] of ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' doesn't even get along with alternate dimension versions of himself! One episode features an inter-dimensional "Council of Ricks" who have labeled our Rick a dangerous rogue. [[spoiler: He says in the same episode that Ricks use Mortys as camouflage to stay alone and undetected from the many enemies they make.]] He claims that [[TheSociopath his total inability to connect with people]] makes him "the Rick-est Rick of them all".

** Alice Margatroid, who lives in much the same situation as Marisa (even living in the same woods), however, is portrayed as an anti-social freak, or even a StalkerWithACrush of Marisa's.

* [[MadScientist Rick Sanchez]] of ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' doesn't even get along with alternate dimension versions of himself! One episode features an inter-dimensional "Council of Ricks" who have labeled our Rick a dangerous rogue. [[spoiler: He says in the same episode that Ricks use Mortys as camouflage to stay alone and undetected from the many enemies they make.]] He claims that [[TheSociopath his total inability to connect with people]] makes him "the Rick-est Rick of them all".

** Averted with Rachel. She has highly conventional and respectable goals, and her isolation is the natural result of being driven toward those goals.
** Exaggerated with Dennis. He’s a HollywoodNerd who is a very threatening kind of freak.

*** Weighted Companion Cube: "I thought we were friends... T^T "
*** The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak. In the event that the Weighted Companion Cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice.

Friends are great. Which is why having friends is often what separates the hero from the villain. An unfortunate and inevitable side-effect of ThePowerOfFriendship is that [[FriendlessBackground if you don't have friends]], there's something wrong with you, since being a loner is not "natural".

Of course, this trope could just be the inversion of the idea that nobody could like a freak, so freaks are loners. [[ConverseError This doesn't logically translate to]] ''[[ConverseError all]]'' [[ConverseError loners are freaks,]] [[LogicalFallacies but a lot of fiction doesn't follow logic.]]

* It is noted in ''Film/July22'' that Anders had a very isolated life, with the only other person he talked to outside of the internet being his mother. It's implied that this isolation led him to carry out the attack as a bid for people to pay attention to him.