History Main / SociopathicHero

* Myth/GreekMythology heroes. While some do have stronger moral compasses than others, Myth/GreekMythology doesn't ponder with such pesky concepts as "right" and "wrong" or "good" and "evil". The only concept of "sin" which the Myth/GreekMythology knows is ''hubris'', delusion of being as good as [[JerkassGod the deities]], -- which means, of course, that [[OmniscientMoralityLicense if you are a deity yourself, you are categorically incapable of sinning]].
** It doesn't even have to be delusion. Having the ''gall'' to actually ''be'' better than them, ''especially'' in their own domains, can get you in trouble. Just ask Arachne.

* Jake Fitzgerald, a supporting character in ''Series/{{Scream|TVSeries}}'' is one, as he has little motive for wanting the blackmail money, he shows NoSympathy when his friends end up dead, and he is perfectly willing to lie and manipulate Brooke into trusting him but hating Will. Still, he supports Brooke when her friend died and risks his life to save his friend. In the end, he is one of the good guys and not a SerialKiller, but still has his issues.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'': E-123 Omega was the last of Eggman's E-100 series, never even getting a chance to fight Sonic before Eggman began rolling out the E-1000 series. [[BetaTestBaddie And he's pretty pissed at Doctor Eggman for this]], and has made it his [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge sole purpose in life to destroy Eggman's creations to prove his superiority]]. By sole virtue of the fact that Eggman is a villain, [[NominalHero this makes him a hero.]]

* Gamma Jack, a hero mentioned in disc 2 of the DVD for ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' is indicated to have been one of these. His file reveals that he was a narcissistic womanizer who prioritized saving women over others ("tubby Joe Schmoe with a raygun pointed at his head might have to wait in line") and that he was perfectly willing to use lethal force against villains. He was also a SuperSupremacist.

** During the Namek saga, Vegeta becomes a TokenEvilTeammate for Krillin, Gohan, Bulma, Piccolo, and Goku, as he's only helping them so he can gain immortality. Even ''after'' the Namek arc, he's still a largely a self-centered[[TheSociopath sociopath]] due to his [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Saiyan tendencies]], and it's not until he pulls a HeroicSacrifice against Buu that he drops the "sociopath" part.

* [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Billy Butcher]] in ''ComicBook/TheBoys''. A [[EvilBrit violent, unstable, and manipulative]] {{expy}} of ComicBook/ThePunisher, as well as a deconstruction of thearchetype, showing how seriously messed up someone like this would actually be. He was all but stated to have high-functioning psychopathy, to the point that he would literally dissociate from his actions and go into an UnstoppableRage when pushed hard enough. He had a [[MoralSociopathy strong sense of honor and morality in spite of this]] and combining the two with his FantasticRacism against DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals easily put him on a slippery slope to HeWhoFightsMonsters. In his own words [[MoralityChain his wife Becky]] was the one thing preventing him from ending up a violent thug, and after she was gone he became a CrusadingWidow that was driven so far down the DespairEventHorizon he was willing to [[CruelAndUnusualDeath kill and torture]] every superhero he could get his hands on [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge all for the sake of his revenge]]. [[spoiler:In the final arc of the series, he goes JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope, as the true extent of his ManipulativeBastard tendencies are revealed when he becomes a TeamKiller [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the sake of]] his FinalSolution against Supes.]]

* [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Billy Butcher]] in ''ComicBook/TheBoys''. A [[EvilBrit violent, unstable, and manipulative]] {{expy}} of Punisher above as well as a deconstruction of this archetype, showing how seriously messed up someone would have to be to fit in this category. He was [[DiagnosedByTheAudience all but stated]] to have high-functioning psychopathy, to the point that he would literally dissociate from his actions and go into an UnstoppableRage when pushed hard enough. He had a [[MoralSociopathy strong sense of honor and morality in spite of this]] and combining the two with his FantasticRacism against DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals easily put him on a slippery slope to HeWhoFightsMonsters. In his own words [[MoralityChain his wife Becky]] was the one thing preventing him from ending up a violent thug, and after she was gone he became a CrusadingWidow that was driven so far down the DespairEventHorizon he was willing to [[CruelAndUnusualDeath kill and torture]] every superhero he could get his hands on [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge all for the sake of his revenge]]. [[spoiler:In the final arc of the series, he goes JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope, as the true extent of his ManipulativeBastard tendencies are revealed when he becomes a TeamKiller [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the sake of]] his FinalSolution against Supes.]]

** During the Namek saga, Vegeta becomes a TokenEvilTeammate for Krillin, Gohan, Bulma, Piccolo, and Goku, as he's only helping them so he can gain immortality. However, when that's thrown out the window, he fights to avenge his race. Even ''after'' the Namek arc, he's still a bit of a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] due to his [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Saiyan tendencies]], and it's not until he pulls a HeroicSacrifice against Buu that he drops the "sociopath" part.
** During the Cell Saga, ''Goku himself.'' Throughout the entire arc, his main focus is finding ever stronger opponents to test himself against, and at one point he even gives Cell a Senzu Bean so that he and Gohan can face off at full strength. Goku is ostensibly supposed to be stopping Cell to protect the world, but he justifies his actions with wanting his fights to be as satisfying and all-out as possible and because the Dragon Balls can be used to revive any victims of the conflict regardless of the suffering they'd go through beforehand. [[spoiler:It was a combination of realizing how insane this was as well as not wanting to attract any more attention from interstellar threats that made Goku decide to stay dead at the end of the saga.]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated]]

* [[EmpoweredBadassNormal Billy Butcher]] in ''ComicBook/TheBoys''. A [[EvilBrit violent, unstable, and manipulative]] {{expy}} of Punisher above as well as a deconstruction of this archetype, showing how seriously messed up someone would have to be to fit in this category. He was [[AmbiguousDisorder all but stated]] to have high-functioning psychopathy, to the point that he would literally dissociate from his actions and go into an UnstoppableRage when pushed hard enough. He had a [[MoralSociopathy strong sense of honor and morality in spite of this]] and combining the two with his FantasticRacism against DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals easily put him on a slippery slope to HeWhoFightsMonsters. In his own words [[MoralityChain his wife Becky]] was the one thing preventing him from ending up a violent thug, and after she was gone he became a CrusadingWidow that was driven so far down the DespairEventHorizon he was willing to [[CruelAndUnusualDeath kill and torture]] every superhero he could get his hands on [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge all for the sake of his revenge]]. [[spoiler:In the final arc of the series, he goes JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope, as the true extent of his ManipulativeBastard tendencies are revealed when he becomes a TeamKiller [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the sake of]] his FinalSolution against Supes.]]

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': E-123 Omega was the last of Eggman's E-100 series, never even getting a chance to fight Sonic before Eggman began rolling out the E-1000 series. [[BetaTestBaddie And he's pretty pissed at Doctor Eggman for this]], and has made it his [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge sole purpose in life to destroy Eggman's creations to prove his superiority]]. By sole virtue of the fact that Eggman is a villain, [[NominalHero this makes him a hero.]]

** Damme Creator/JudiDench’s [[IronLady M]] is a pretty big example of this in the Craig era, as she repeatedly invokes TheNeedsOfTheMany and treats Bond’s grief-sticken assurance that he’ll never trust again at the end of ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'' [[spoiler:after Vesper’s death]] as him having “learned his lesson”. {{Deconstructed}} in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' as M’s poor lack of compassion towards her own agents is driving force behind the BigBad Silva’s motivation to kill her after M abandoned him, with her “Regret is unprofessional” line understandably being a BerserkButton for him. [[spoiler:To her credit M by the end while dying in Bond’s arms is genuinely regretful of the choices she’s made in her career and glad for what humanity 007 still possess feeling she “did get something right”.]]

* ''Film/JamesBond'' might well be the most iconic example of this in film. While ''technically'' he is TheHero of the franchise and repeatedly saves the world on the behalf of [=MI6=] and England, anyone who barely mourns at loss of the woman he’s slept with before moving onto another one, brutally kills thousands of henchmen and happily throws villains in various death traps and heavy machinery [[BondOneLiner before cracking wise]] can easily classified as a sociopath something multiple of the actors who have portrayed him agree with. Worth noting this is a marked difference between the literary and film Bond, in the books Bond while very much of his time doesn’t actually like killing and does have the capacity for compassion and grief as seen with Vesper and Tracy. However Creator/SeanConnery’s portrayal (the most famous one) set standard for Bond being a cold-hearted cad so this trope got cemented with Bond.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': As the story progresses, Kyril Sutherland seems to be headed to this archetype due to him routinely dealing [[CruelAndUnusualDeath unusually cruel deaths]], utilising the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique, and [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing prisoners]] with a callousness that blots out any shred of mercy or guilt. Capped off with how absolutely driven Kyril is in ridding the country of traitor influence, even if it means brutally quashing a StagedPopulistUprising while disregarding the shock that accompanies it, it looks like he would become a "murdering psychopath", as per Claudia's words. Come Chapter 26, where Kyril proceeds to [[SubvertedTrope disprove that claim]] in his campaign to deal with the ArcVillain Grishom. Contrary to the expectation where he would impulsively strike out on his own and torture the target to death, Kyril conducts a plan with his company (whom he is on good terms with) to bring Grishom to custody (i.e., dealing with him legitimately instead of killing him at the spot, because he will eventually die, with or without Kyril's blade), indicating that this man isn't one for impulsivity, stimulation, or irresponsibility.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': As the story progresses, Kyril Sutherland seems to be headed to this archetype due to him routinely dealing [[CruelAndUnusualDeath unusually cruel deaths]], utilising the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique, and [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing prisoners]] with a callousness that blots out any shred of mercy or guilt. Capped off with how absolutely driven Kyril is in ridding the country of traitor influence, even if it means brutally quashing a StagedPopulistUprising while disregarding the shock that accompanies it, it looks like he would become a "murdering psychopath", as per Claudia's words. Come Chapter 26, where Kyril proceeds to [[SubvertedTrope disprove that claim]] in his campaign to deal with the ArcVillain Grishom. Contrary to the expectation where he would impulsively strike out on his own and torture the target to death, Kyril conducts a plan with his company (whom he is in good terms with) to bring Grishom to custody (i.e., dealing with him legitimately instead of killing him at the spot, because he will eventually die, with or without Kyril's blade), indicating that this man isn't one for impulsivity, stimulation, or irresponsibility.

[[folder:Theater]]
* [[DependingOnTheWriter Depending on the Director]], ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' can be played this way.
[[/folder]]

** And then there are the forces of Chaos, who are actually split into those who want to kill everything, those who want to rape everything, those who want to infect everything with hideous diseases, and those who betray their allies at the worst possible moment. Fortunately for the rest of the galaxy, they hate each other as much as they hate the rest, and thus will cheerfully turn on each other at the worst possible time.

** Damme Creator/JudiDench’s [[IronLady M]] is a pretty big example of this in the Craig era, as she repeatedly invokes TheNeedsOfTheMany and treats Bond’s grief-sticken assurance that he’ll never trust again at the end of ''Film/CasinoRoyale'' [[spoiler:after Vesper’s death]] as him having “learned his lesson”. {{Deconstructed}} in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' as M’s poor lack of compassion towards her own agents is driving force behind the BigBad Silva’s motivation to kill her after M abandoned him, with her “Regret is unprofessional” line understandably being a BerserkButton for him. [[spoiler:To her credit M by the end while dying in Bond’s arms is genuinely regretful of the choices she’s made in her career and glad for what humanity 007 still possess feeling she “did get something right”.]]

* The Korean drama ''I Remember You'' plays with this. In the first few episodes, we hear about this murderer, and seeing a flashback of the person assisting the case, we believe that he might be the killer until it becomes clear that this is just the dad's misunderstanding ([[spoiler:the older brother is an [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Guy]] and the apparently normal younger brother is actually the likely killer]]). To make matters worse, the dad -- fearful of his son becoming a killer -- locks one kid downstairs to try to teach him right and wrong, and neglects the other one.

* Cassie Hack of [[ComicBook/HackSlash Hack/Slash]] fame is the most literal example of this trope.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': As the story progresses, Kyril Sutherland seems to be headed to this archetype due to him routinely dealing [[CruelAndUnusualDeath unusually cruel deaths]], utilising the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique, and [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing prisoners]] with a callousness that blots out any shred of mercy or guilt. Capped off with how absolutely driven Kyril is in ridding the country of traitor influence, even if it means brutally quashing a StagedPopulistUprising while disregarding the shock that accompanies it, it looks like he would become a "murdering psychopath", as per Claudia's words. Come Chapter 26, where Kyril proceeds to [[SubvertedTrope disprove that claim]] in his campaign to deal with the ArcVillain Grishom. Contrary to the expectation where he would impulsively strike out on his own and torture the target to death, Kyril conducts a plan with his company (whom he is in good terms with) to bring Grishom to custody (i.e., dealing with him legitimately instead of killing him at the spot, because he will eventually die, with or without Kyril's blade), indicating that this man isn't one for impulse, stimulation, or irresponsibility.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': From Claudia's perspective, Kyril Sutherland is, in her own words, a "murderous psychopath". He treats traitors with utter contempt. He routinely [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique tortures]] and [[LeaveNoSurvivors gets rid of prisoners]] without a shred of mercy or guilt. He deals many a CruelAndUnusualDeath in battle, so many that he might as well be a walking {{Gorn}}-fest. He never doubts or backs down in his methods and his pursuit to win the war against the Black Dogs. He doesn't seem to concern himself with the needs and opinions of others. From these actions, it would be understandable for Kyril to be seen as sociopathic... if he ''[[SubvertedTrope were]]'' one in the first place. Setting aside the fact that the ever-frosty guy is far from a person who charms, misleads or manipulates others to achieve his objectives, his P.O.V. reveals that he doesn't revel or glorify bloodshed. His penchant for {{Gorn}} is due to a combination of his [[SuperStrength ridiculous physical strength]], him being ConditionedToAcceptHorror, and him ''[[TerrorHero wanting]]'' to be the [[TheDreaded feared, enigmatic figure]] everyone believes him to be. Furthermore, Kyril Sutherland, the man who [[TinMan professes to have forgotten empathy]], is [[{{Irony}} nonetheless]] capable of compassion, as seen with his interactions with his confidant, his apprentices, his colleagues, and even occasionally towards people he doesn't know. He also feels regret for being forced to [[MercyKill slaughter]] the remnants of Rad's citizens that [[WasOnceAMan have been turned into mutants]]. It's just that the Good Hunter [[TheStoic never lets these implicit feelings interfere his decision making]]. Last but not least, [[spoiler:if the fact that he has yet to go all out with his powers as a [[EldritchAbomination great one]] is any indication, Kyril Sutherland is not, in the end, as [[TheUnfettered ruthless]] as everyone thinks he is]].

* The quote supplier, the title character from ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'', admits he is this. Sherlock has all the classic signs of a fictional sociopath: a general lack of empathy; self-centered behavior; total disregard for laws; and regular use of fake charm, lies, and manipulation to achieve his goals. Ultimately subverted, however, since when push comes to shove [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Sherlock really does care about his friends]]. It's suggested that Sherlock has tried to mold his mind into sociopathic thought patterns in order to function better as a detective.
-->'''Sherlock:''' I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, [[InsistentTerminology I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research]].
** In "[[Recap/SherlockS03E03HisLastVow His Last Vow]]", this is averted in an IronicEcho:
--->'''Magnussen:''' No chance for you to be a hero this time, Mr. Holmes.\\
'''Sherlock:''' Oh, do your research. I'm not a hero, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. ''[[PreMortemOneLiner Merry Christmas!]]''
* The Korean drama ''I Remember You'' plays with this. In the first few episodes, we hear about this murderer, and seeing a flashback of the person assisting the case, we believe that he might be the killer until it becomes clear that this is just the dad's misunderstanding ([[spoiler:the older brother is an [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Guy]] and the apparently normal younger brother is actually the likely killer]]). To make matters worse, the dad -- fearful of his son becoming a killer -- locks one kid downstairs to try to teach him right and wrong, and neglects the other one.
* The main character of ''Series/{{Revenge}}''. She proves several times over that she is willing to steamroll innocents to get what she wants.

* In ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'', this applies to pretty much everyone in SAMCRO. Tig is the leading example in the early episodes, but he's overpaced by Happy. While the club watches an IRA member torture a traitor, most are shown to be either stoic or disturbed by the display. Happy is smiling.
* Damon in ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', when the mood strikes him.

* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' has a few.
** Most notably Sameen Shaw, an actual diagnosed sociopath (specifically, she has an Axis II personality disorder) who works with Team Machine, pretty much because she has nothing better to do. She still has a strong moral centre, however, and despite never expressing any genuine empathy at any time, still has a few tender moments and a soft spot for [[TeamPet Bear]].

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'': Depending on how you play with Arthur Morgan, and if you are sadistic enough to perform acts of senseless violence ala ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', Arthur may very well be the ''poster boy'' of this trope. He could even mention that he might be going AxCrazy and [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall feeling like he's not even in control of his own body anymore]].

* Raiden from the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series was a child soldier in Liberia since 1989. He seems to be harmless in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' but in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' has him going back to his sociopathic, more psychopathic persona as a major plot point later on. However [[WellIntentionedExtremist Raiden was hell-bent on saving the children from being forced into being killer cyborgs since he wants to prevent them from experiencing the same horrific childhood he had]].

* Jade Curtiss from ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' is a genuinely compelling example of this, being mentioned as killing animals for fun in his childhood, not being able to form significant emotional bonds, and being described by his own sister as having something "wrong" with the way he thinks. Despite what can be easily interpreted as a genuine lack of most emotions and {{moral|Sociopathy}}ity, he has come to be troubled by his lack of comprehension in those areas and still tries to consciously compensate for this by doing what he speculates others would see as the "right" thing. It manages to be deeply touching when near the end of the story Jade calmly tells Luke [[spoiler:that even though Luke is objectively the better choice to die, he is compelled to stop him because he considers Luke his friend]].
* Morrigan of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' is one of the StupidEvil variants: her answer to everything tends to be "Eh, we don't need to help them, let's just kill everyone." This has at least some justification since her only social interaction for most of her life came from her mother, who [[spoiler:might have intentionally crippled her emotionally in order to make her [[BodySurf easier to eventually possess]]]].
** The Warden can be played as such, which actually resonates with their entire order. Depersonalization is one of the reasons why the Wardens are such effective warriors, as we are often reminded the Grey Wardens can and will do ''[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans whatever it takes]]'' to defeat the Darkspawn. Even if it means razing a city to the ground to ''save'' the people within.
** The Legion of the Dead is also comprised at least partially of this. Exiles, criminals, murderers, and even rapists from Orzammar are accepted as members, who hold their own funerals when they join, consider themselves dead, and are willing to spend their last days waging guerrilla warfare and [[TheBerserker full head-on assaults]] against the Darkspawn horde.
* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': Kain really is a sociopathic hero, in that he was afflicted with some kind of mental illness seconds after he was born, making him megalomaniacal, anti-social (in the psychological sense of the term), and incapable of empathy. However, despite being a VillainProtagonist, he's the only real hope Nosgoth's got. [[spoiler: Him being afflicted by said mental illness was deliberately planned on the part of his adversaries, setting up so that the cause for said mental illness would occur just as Kain was born. What's more is that at the end of ''Defiance'', it is implied Kain was purified of it, and that he was now on the road to becoming a more traditional AntiHero - though due to the series being LeftHanging, it's left unanswered.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'':
** In the first game, it's clear that Caim is only after TheEmpire for his own revenge: That they happen to be the ones trying to summon Elder Evils from beyond the Veil to destroy reality itself is incidental to him. He kicks enough dogs during the events of the first game to fill a small cart, butchers his way through several armies (some of which contain ChildSoldiers) with a SlasherSmile on his face, and even his human-hating dragon companion finds his shenanigans a bit over-the-top.
** Averted in [[VideoGame/{{Drakengard 2}} the second game]]. Not because Caim has had a change of heart, just that the new main character Nowe is on the ''receiving'' end of his bad side.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** You can choose to play this way throughout the series. It actually takes effort to ''avoid'' becoming one of these by actively choosing not to steal or murder indiscriminately.
** From the series's backstory comes Pelinal Whitestrake, the [[LongDeadBadass legendary 1st Era hero]] of mankind/[[FantasticRacism racist]] [[TheBerserker berserker]]. Believed to have been a [[EternalHero Shezarrine]], [[GodInHumanForm physical incarnations]] of the spirit of the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] Lorkhan (known to the Imperials as "[[IHaveManyNames Shezarr]]"), Pelinal came to [[FounderOfTheKingdom St. Alessia]] to serve as her [[PhysicalGod divine champion]] in the war against the [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]]. Pelinal would fly into fits of UnstoppableRage (''mostly'' directed at the Ayleids) during which he [[BloodSplatteredWarrior would be stained with their blood]] and [[PaintTheTownRed left so much carnage in his wake]] that Kyne, one of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Divines]], would have to [[CueTheRain send in her rain]] to cleanse Ayleid forts and village before they could be used by Alessia's forces. Official Imperial dogma would [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade have you only remember his "heroic" traits]], [[WrittenByTheWinners glossing over (if mentioning at all)]] his sociopathy.
* Kratos from ''VideoGame/GodOfWar''. In some games he's a somewhat-tragic ByronicHero, in others he's just a rampaging deicide machine, but no matter what he's on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge and anyone in his way is going to be splattered on the walls, [[{{Gotterdammerung}} regardless of consequences]].
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has the BountyHunter and PunchClockHero mercenary Zaeed. While he doesn't exactly always propose MurderIsTheBestSolution, he probably wouldn't be against suggestions for it, though he makes clear at a few points that [[EvenEvilHasStandards he has standards nonetheless]]. The same game features Jack, a biotic TykeBomb who's been so abused and beaten that at this point the only pleasure she finds anymore is in killing. It helps that the men who trained her would torture her any time she showed mercy, and inject her with drugs to get her to associate pleasure with killing.
** Depending on how the player chooses, Shepard can also be this trope too, wielding InsaneTrollLogic and shooting people on a whim. That's what gives us the Website/YouTube videos [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy-eRfupYbA&feature=kp Commander Shepard is Such a Jerk]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PjTuSQNLI4 Commander Shepard is Still a Jerk.]] If you want to believe Shepard is a megalomaniacal paranoid schizophrenic who happens to have a fixation on a threat that, coincidentally, happens to exist, go right ahead.
* Alex Mercer from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' is a very complex case, but he ends up being well-intentioned in the end, saving New York from destruction. It doesn't prevent him from being an AxeCrazy PsychoPrototype who savagely kills his enemies, consumes people (though the player can choose whether to eat civilians or not), and has a hard backstory behind him. By the time the second game rolls around he's [[RogueProtagonist definitely no longer a hero]] - but no longer a sociopath, either.
* While the original Vault Hunters of ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' toed the line (especially Brick), most of the new Vault Hunters in the sequel qualify big time. Axton is a GloryHound who committed treason against his superiors and purposefully puts his allies in danger just so he can look like a badass, Salvador [[AxCrazy has way too much fun]] slaughtering his way across Pandora, and [=Zer0=] is a BloodKnight assassin who will kill ''anyone'' if the price and challenge is right. Even Maya and Gaige, easily the most moral of the new Vault Hunters, are more than willing to viciously taunt their enemies, making Maya a Type 2 {{antihero}}ine with hints of Type 3 and Gaige a Type 3.
** And then there's [[AxCrazy Krieg]]. If it weren't for the SplitPersonality reigning him in, he'd go from [[PayEvilUntoEvil slaughtering bandits and Hyperion personnel]] to [[OmnicidalManiac slaughtering everything in sight]].
** And most side characters count too. Tiny Tina is plainly stated to be a psychopath, Scooter murders all his mother's potential boyfriends, Moxxi runs underground fighting rings of the lethal variety for shits and giggles, and so on.
* Guybrush Threepwood, especially in ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'', where just about everything he does, from stealing to framing people to blatantly cheating at things, is a jerkass move.
* Interestingly, while ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}} IV'' is written with the clear expectation that you should be the diametric opposite of this, there is the fact that Virtues can't actually go below zero. So there's nothing stopping you from spending the first part of the game stealing, murdering city guards for money and experience, abusing the trust of blind herbalists by underpaying them for their services, and messing around with incredibly evil skulls... until you have a few levels under your belt, plenty of money, and reagents for your spells, at which point you turn into a living saint. Also, while giving money to beggars is Compassionate, doing so by giving one coin at a time (to maximise the reward) is questionable ethics.
* 60% of what makes ''VideoGame/{{Deponia}}'''s main protagonist Rufus unlikable is his jerkass personality. 40% is the fact that he solves half of his problems by blowing stuff up. Or setting up a domino effect. Or even killing people.

* [[PlayerCharacter The Boss]] from ''VideoGame/SaintsRow''. [[InsistentTerminology Although they prefer the term "puckish rogue"]].

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': E-123 Omega was the last of Eggman's E-100 series, never even getting a chance to fight Sonic before Eggman began rolling out the E-1000 series. [[BetaTestBaddie And he's pretty pissed at Doctor Eggman for this]], and has made it his [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge sole purpose in life to destroy Eggman's creations to prove his superiority]]. By sole virtue of the fact that Eggman is a villain, [[NominalHero this makes him a hero.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{OFF}}'': You may think that [[spoiler:the Batter is doing the [=NPCs=] a favor by ridding the zones of the spectres they fear, but as the game progresses it becomes ever more clear just how little he cares for their existence]].
* The villains of ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'', Saturos and Menardi, just utterly revel in this trope. On one hand, they're on a quest to save their village and the entire world by igniting the four Elemental Lighthouses, but on the other hand, they are absolute sociopathic ''dicks''. Some of their antics include beating a pair of kids to near death for eavesdropping on them, not caring in the least that they destroyed the protagonist's hometown [[note]]They ''did'' save the lives of the presumed dead villagers, but only to blackmail Felix into helping them as they needed a Venus Adept[[/note]] kicking a tree into the river they know is actually a cursed ([[AndIMustScream and still conscious]]) human, beating everyone at Venus Lighthouse to near-death[[note]]True they were defending themselves from the guards who attacked them, but they also attacked the innocent scholars for the hell of it and it's implied they would have outright killed everyone had Kraden not stopped them[[/note]], and overall just thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. Saturos has at least some standards, as he maintains an air of [[AffablyEvil Affable Evil]] and even scolds Menardi for threatening Felix at one point, but Menardi is a complete bastard who's in it ForTheEvulz.
* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' has the Carja bandit hunter Nil. Why does he hunt bandits? Well, killing ordinary folk would get him sent to prison or executed, killing animals for fun instead of for food and other resources is frowned upon, and killing machines is not fun because they don't suffer. But he is straight-up ''commended'' for killing bandits, so that's what he does.

* ''Webcomic/LastRes0rt'' has Jason Spades, who considers himself a hero... y'know, except for that whole "[[AxeCrazy wanting to kill Daisy]]" thing.
* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' we have Belkar, an AxeCrazy [[{{Hobbits}} halfling]] that specializes in killing and dealing pain with two daggers. WordOfGod makes it VERY clear that Belkar is 100% ChaoticEvil. For most of his screen time, he fits better into HeroicComedicSociopath, though there have definitely been moments where his impulsive bloodlust causes drama and even setbacks for the rest of the team. For example, during [[LawfulGood Roy]]'s afterlife judgment, it's mentioned that Belkar would normally cause Roy a lot of karma demerits if the team weren't so good at directing Belkar's violence toward the villains. After coming to the conclusion that he needs to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0606.html fake character development]], Belkar has become more cooperative with the rest of the team. In other words, he's gone from being a sociopath to... being a slightly higher-functioning sociopath.
* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' has [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2666#comic the Iron Sociopath]] who fights crime because it gives him an opportunity to commit violence unpunished.
* The Scarecrow of ''Webcomic/GothOz'' has NoSocialSkills, casually aims a gun at his crush's head, and constantly tries to get to first base with her.

* Xanauzumaki's AlternateCharacterInterpretation of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'' Link. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlibaEfqwKE From the first episode of Majora's Mask]]: (To the tune of the Hokey-Pokey) ''"You push your blade back in, you pull your blade back out, you push your blade back in, and you twist it all about. You stab and disembowel them until they start to shout, that's what it's all about, Second Verse!"''
* Loophole of the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'' has slipped from the perfect southern belle into this as of ''A Cold Plate of Vengeance'' given what she does to an enemy who [[MindRape mind-raped her]]. And then doesn't see anything wrong with using a holographic projection of said rapist as the face for Loophole's [=AI=].

* Literature/{{Deviant}}: Insinuation, for a given value of "hero".

* Buttercup from ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''. While she is not evil, she has a massive LackOfEmpathy, [[BloodKnight a taste for fighting]], [[HairTriggerTemper a serious anger problem]], and is not above crippling the bad guys. "Makes Zen to Me", for example, has her brutally beating Fuzzy Lumpkins to the point of crippling him and leaving him in vegetable state, and although she had no knowledge of this, she willingly goes for a dinner without a hint of remorse. Yes she fights evil as much as her sisters but a disproportionately big part of it amounts to the pleasure that she gets from brutalising characters that she can get away with and still be classed as a hero, seeing as whenever she gets carried away even her teammates aren't safe from her bullying tendencies, especially Bubbles. And that's the people she actually cares about. She does seem however to also have a genuine dislike towards most villains (with the exception of Ace whom she considers following), so there is some sense of limits in her character.

* ''Anime/RedoOfHealer'': Keyaru defeats his enemies by revealing himself to be a SerialRapist who also indulges in ColdBloodedTorture and HeelFaceBrainwashing, all with an EvilLaugh. However, each of his enemies is a psychopath that deserves it, and Keyaru himself is loyal to his party as they follow him in their quest to save the world ... through gruesome vengeance!

* ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' is the comic book mascot of this trope. He was, by far, the most popular costumed "superhero" that kills his enemies rather than put them in jail. And he's been doing it way before the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age of Comics]].

* Rorschach of ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' to an extent. He is more than willing to torture and kill if he believes good will come of it. He is also the target of a large MisaimedFandom that admires his absolute dedication to his cause.
--> '''Rorschach:''' Lying. Do it again - break finger. Not joking.
** Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian also qualify to an extent, but the former more and more so over the course of the story.
** Ozymandias, as in order to save the world he was willing [[spoiler:to kill everyone in Manhattan.]]
* Griffin (the Invisible Man) and Mr. Hyde in ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen''. [[spoiler:Griffin commits a FaceHeelTurn. Hyde does not, and takes Griffin's betrayal... Poorly]].
* The Scarab, the source of ComicBook/BlueBeetle's powers, will default to lethal force for almost any situation. Thankfully, Jaime keeps it in check. It starts to get better with Jaime's influence.

* Marv from ''ComicBook/SinCity'' is the definition of sociopath, in fact on multiple occasions he describes himself as nothing more than a wild animal. On the other hand, Marv tends to over-exaggerate his foibles because no one ever told him otherwise. He is ugly; therefore he is dumb. He has a mental disorder; therefore he is a psychopath. While Marv relishes committing violence against those who deserve it, he has also come to the aid of innocents, such as a homeless man who was nearly immolated by a street punk.
* Five from ''ComicBook/TheUmbrellaAcademy'' almost makes Punisher look humane in this regard as apart saving the world from the apocalypse, he’s a cold blooded monster who barely reacts to the death of Pongo, happily reduces henchmen to LudicrousGibs and in epitome of this shoots his JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope sister Vanya in the back of head — to the shock of even TheCowl AntiHero of the team Diego (though she survives). The reason Five is like this is likely due the fact he time travelled to the BadFuture as a boy and was stuck there for many decades before becoming an assassin for the TimePolice so in a sense he’s never really grown up having never learned to grow past the cold arrogance he had as a child something symbolically reflected by the fact he gets stuck in his 10-year old body when returning to the present. The [[Series/TheUmbrellaAcademy Netflix adaptation]] however softens Five into a GoodIsNotNice character, who takes no pleasure in killing.
* In ''Bloodstrike'', the whole second Bloodstrike team is this. They save lives and fight tyranny and evil, but none of them are heroic. Deadlock, for instance, claims to hate himself, and hate everyone else even more.
* The Fixer from ''ComicBook/HolyTerror''. His preferred method of stopping someone? Killing them.
* Finesse from ''ComicBook/AvengersAcademy'' is specifically a sociopath [[note]]She considers that she might be autistic but rejects it because she has no other signs[[/note]], unable to comprehend other people's emotions or feel any of her own. Over the course of the series, she learns to decipher how people feel enough to take responsibility for her actions and has developed camaraderie, if not exactly an emotional bond, with her friends. The final issue shows [[spoiler:that she is genuinely upset by her inability to connect with others emotionally]].
* Similar to Damian, Sam 13 of Marvel's [[ComicBook/SpiderGwen Earth-65]] is the (cloned) descendant of his timeline's Captain America, and while he works for the good guys in S.H.I.E.L.D. as Cap's sidekick, his upbringing as a designer super-soldier didn't come with compassion or respect for human life.

* Cassie Hack of [[ComicBook/HackSlash Hack/Slash]] fame is the most literal example of this trope.
* Dr. Niles "Chief" Caulder, founder of the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, is a genuinely altruistic man who wants to make the world a better place and help people. He's ''also'' a [[MoralSociopathy borderline sociopath]] who will do anything, no matter how ethically questionable, to accomplish his goals. This includes [[spoiler:purposefully causing the accidents that gave the team their powers and ruined their lives, so he could craft them into superheroes]].
* Luisa Bora in ''ComicBook/MercuryHeat'' is explicitly a high-functioning sociopath who is sociopathic enough not to have any problems with torturing and killing people, but still retains enough morality not to want to do it to the innocent. This is why she's on Mercury, as she grew up desperately wanting to be a cop, but her psych profile meant that she had no chance of joining a police force in the more regulated society of Earth.

* [[Literature/{{Slayers}} Xellos]] is portrayed this way in author Prime Minister's [[http://vejiitasei.anesidora.ca/slayers_fanfics.php epic series]] about the relationship between him and Lina Inverse. He shows no love or empathy towards others, except Lina [[spoiler:and the children they eventually have together]].

* Daisy describes Mario as a "sociopath" in ''Fanfic/AGameOfCastles''. He [[AllJustADream thinks that he's dreaming]], so he doesn't take anything seriously while out to SaveThePrincess.
* The ''Manga/SaintSeiya''/''Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' crossover ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12451409/1/The-Hero-Melromarc-Needs-and-Deserves The Hero Melromarc Needs and Deserves]]'' has [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Cancer Deathmask]] cast in Naofumi's place. Considering [[BloodKnight how]] [[CardCarryingVillain he]] [[BlackAndGrayMorality is]] in ''Saint Seiya'' and he was summoned from well before he received his slice of HumblePie, he becomes this simply by deciding to ''help''-while still considering killing everyone in Melromarc's capital if the king continues with his condescending attitude.
* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': From Claudia's perspective, Kyril Sutherland is, in her own words, a "murderous psychopath". He treats traitors with utter contempt. He routinely [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique tortures]] and [[LeaveNoSurvivors gets rid of prisoners]] without a shred of mercy or guilt. He deals many a CruelAndUnusualDeath in battle, so many that he might as well be a walking {{Gorn}}-fest. He never doubts or backs down in his methods and his pursuit to win the war against the Black Dogs. He doesn't seem to concern himself with the needs and opinions of others. From these actions, it would be understandable for Kyril to be seen as sociopathic... if he ''[[SubvertedTrope were]]'' one in the first place. Setting aside the fact that the ever-frosty guy is far from a person who charms, misleads or manipulates others to achieve his objectives, his P.O.V. reveals that he doesn't revel or glorify bloodshed. His penchant for {{Gorn}} is due to a combination of his [[SuperStrength ridiculous physical strength]], him being ConditionedToAcceptHorror, and him ''[[TerrorHero wanting]]'' to be the [[TheDreaded feared, enigmatic figure]] everyone believes him to be. Furthermore, Kyril Sutherland, the man who [[TinMan professes to have forgotten empathy]], is [[{{Irony}} nonetheless]] capable of compassion, as seen with his interactions with his confidant, his apprentices, his colleagues, and even occasionally towards people he doesn't know. He also feels regret for being forced to [[MercyKill slaughter]] the remnants of Rad's citizens that [[WasOnceAMan have been turned into mutants]]. It's just that the Good Hunter [[TheStoic never lets these implicit feelings interfere his decision making]]. Last but not least, [[spoiler:if the fact that he has yet to go all out with his powers as a [[EldritchAbomination great one]] is any indication, Kyril Sutherland is not, in the end, as [[TheUnfettered ruthless]] as everyone thinks he is]].

* ''Film/JamesBond'' might well be the most iconic example of this in film. While ''technically'' he is TheHero of the franchise and repeatedly saves the world on the behalf of [=MI6=] and England, anyone who barely mourns at loss of the woman he’s slept with before moving onto another one, brutally kills thousands of henchmen and happily throws villains in various death traps and heavy machinery [[BondOneLiner before cracking wise]] can easily classified as a sociopath something multiple of the actors who have portrayed him agree with. Worth noting this is a marked difference between the literary and film Bond, in the books Bond while very much of his time doesn’t actually like killing and does have the capacity for compassion and grief as seen with Vesper and Tracy. However Creator/SeanConnery’s portrayal (the most famous one) set standard for Bond being a cold-hearted cad so this trope got cemented with Bond.
** Subverted with Creator/GeorgeLazenby, Creator/TimothyDalton, Creator/PierceBrosnan and Creator/DanielCraig’s bond who are TruerToTheText in this regard. While still ruthless, their Bonds can still display genuine care for their loved ones and other humanising traits like the book version. The Craig version especially, although in many ways is the most violent and sociopathic Bond is the only one who’s been shown [[ManlyTears crying]] and by time of ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' has found something [[spoiler:a family]] that truly brings out humanity in him, though he’s bewildered and frightened by the prospect.
** Also downplayed with Sir Creator/RogerMoore’s Bond while largely emotionally unattached like Connery’s he was still [[LighterAndSofter significantly nicer and more gentlemanly]] which is why the edgier Timothy Dalton Bond was so jarring for audiences at the time.
** Damme Creator/JudiDench’s [[IronLady M]] is a pretty big example of this in the Craig era, as she repeatedly invokes TheNeedsOfTheMany and treats Bond’s grief-sticken assurance that he’ll never trust again at the end of ''Film/CasinoRoyale'' [[spoiler:after Vesper’s death]] as him having “learned his lesson”. {{Deconstructed}} in ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' as M’s poor lack of compassion towards her own agents is driving force behind the BigBad Silva’s motivation to kill her after M abandoned him, with her “Regret is unprofessional” line understandably being a BerserkButton for him. [[spoiler:To her credit M by the end while dying in Bond’s arms is genuinely regretful of the choices she’s made in her career and glad for what humanity 007 still possess feeling she “did get something right”.]]

* Billy the Kid in ''Film/YoungGuns'' consistently behaves like one. He is excited every time there is bloodshed, and kills perhaps more people than any of his companions, often ignoring the original plan they agreed on just so he can kill more opponents.
* Richard Chance from ''Film/ToLiveAndDieInLA'' could count. He is impulsive, treats his CI/friend with benefits Ruth like crap, and [[spoiler:robs an undercover FBI agent to finance his own sting against Rick Masters]].
* [[FaceHeelRevolvingDoor Even when saving the Earth]], Franchise/{{Godzilla}} has shown himself to be very ruthless and brutal in his methods, though he subverts the trope in that he actually has some altruistic qualities.
* To an extent, The Bride from ''Film/KillBill''. When she's under a truth serum from Bill, she admits that she genuinely enjoys killing and maiming people. In fact, what stops her from being a downright VillainProtagonist "in the present" (she was after all a contract killer for most of her life so she used to be killing people for money) is the relative HeelFaceTurn she went through upon [[spoiler:finding out she was pregnant]], and her very deserved revenge.

* [[PsychoSidekick Mouse]] from ''Film/DevilInABlueDress'' is an [[AxCrazy unhinged]] and murderous thug whose go-to response to any sort of threat or backtalk is to shoot whoever pissed him off. He's only helping to fight the villains because his best friend [[TheHero Easy]] needs help, even as Easy desperately tries to stop him from indiscriminately torturing or killing anyone in their way.

* This is how Literature/TakeshiKovacs views himself. Several times, he describes the traits needed to qualify for Envoy training as "psychopathic tendencies and a sense of team spirit", at least one of which he had instilled during his time in the military. While he has enough of a conscience to PetTheDog for those who he feels to be the victims, he has no problem with [[KilledOffForReal permakilling]] or [[ColdBloodedTorture torturing]] anyone who interferes with his goals.

* Like his television version, Literature/{{Dexter}} Morgan in ''Darkly Dreaming Dexter'' and subsequent novels self-identifies as a violent sociopath. His foster father trained him to kill other violent criminals in order to channel use of violent urges in a "positive" manner.

* ''Literature/PeterPan'': Peter spends an awful lot of his time killing off pirates, and often is willing to put his friends in danger simply because it would be interesting or even funny. This is because of the basic nature of his character; being a child forever, he's inherently selfish and often amoral. It is mentioned that during the fights between the Lost Boys and the pirates, if the pirates seem to be at a disadvantage, Peter will join their side to even things out. That's right, he will happily fight and ''kill'' his friends just because it's more of a challenge. Evidently, Lost Boys come and go, and Peter doesn't have any real interest in keeping track of them.
* Okonkwo from ''Literature/ThingsFallApart'' is more sociopathic than hero at times. He executes his adopted son and gets convicted for murder and arson, the arson being for burning down a church (Which was a stand against colonialism, but still...)

* ''Literature/TheDogStars'': AfterTheEnd, the main character Higs has a partnership with Bangley, a sociopathic gun-nut who lives for nothing besides killing. Higs does all the practical work, while Bangley protects them.
* This was part of Ayn Rand's SignatureStyle:
** John Galt of ''Literature/AtlasShrugged'' -- the man who has never experienced "fear or pain or guilt". This is supposed to be a good thing.
** Howard Roark of ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' blows up an apartment building because his designs weren't followed to the letter. Both of these characters are portrayed positively.
* Joy Phim is a perfect example of this trope in the ''Literature/NeverAgain'' series. When we first meet her, she mentions her skill with weapons and lovingly describes how swiftly she can kill someone with her martial arts. When training [[ActionSurvivor John]] in their use, she says that it's actually best to kill one's enemy instead of incapacitating them, even though this goes against the code of nearly every martial artist. If one still had any doubts as to her nature, she sulks in her room whenever John hires a criminal syndicate to do their dirty work instead of letting Joy kill their targets herself -- that's right, she throws a tantrum if she doesn't get to kill someone. The only reason John and the Society even put up with her is that their enemies are [[BlackAndGrayMorality the worst dictators of the twentieth century]].
* ''Literature/HowToBeASuperhero'' offers several examples and recommendations, most notably The Castrator, a man in spiked body armor who wields a bloody chainsaw.

* Kullervo from Literature/TheKalevala is one of the best examples. His EvilUncle Untamo kills Kullervo's tribe and failing to kill Kullervo due to his magic, raises him badly, leaving Kullervo impulsive, cruel, and mentally ill. For example, when his Uncle tells him to look after a baby, he tortures and kills the child for no reason. When he avenges the murder of his tribe he apparently kills Untamo's entire tribe. Kullervo ends up DrivenToSuicide after finding his family dead.
* "The Power and the Passion": the viewpoint character in this Pat Cadigan short story is a violent, criminal sociopath who liked doing terrible things to people and is fine with doing them to vampires instead. Among his gifts for this task is — he claims — that one monster has an easy time recognising another on sight.

* Wyre in ''Literature/DarkHeart'' is a powerful and skilled bodyguard, but also a ruthless sadist who enjoys killing. This eventually becomes a problem for the other protagonists.
* Lord Asriel from ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials'' truly wishes to bring freedom to all worlds and defeat the Authority, but [[MoralSociopathy he’s utterly ruthless and willing to destroy anything and anyone to accomplish his goals]], to the point that for much of the series, [[AntiVillain he’s a villain in his own right]]. As far as he’s concerned, [[TautologicalTemplar no price or crime is off the table when it comes to freedom, and everything he does in freedom’s name is justified]]. Even when he and the heroes end up working together, [[TheFriendNobodyLikes none of them like or trust him]].
* Zack State, the main character of ''Literature/TheMentalState'', is this from a certain perspective. Despite having the emotionlessness, ruthlessness, deviousness, and manipulative guile one would expect from a sociopath, he also has a specific moral code that means he can only inflict misery on people he judges as being worthy of it. His brutality manifests as either tough love or karmic punishment. He uses cunning and manipulation to turn the prison into his own version of a dictatorship. Luckily, he has an extremely liberal approach to handling prisoners and even succeeds in causing many of them to reform. It is hard to tell whether his actions are motivated by his sense of morality or just another means of improving his position. However, there are subtle hints that he genuinely cares for the other inmates on some level and is even [[spoiler:cured of his sociopathy at the end of the story]].
* Amos Burton, from ''Literature/TheExpanse''. He's well aware that he's not right in the head, but he doesn't quite understand ''why'', so he tries to find someone with a conscience and use them as a guide. In ''Nemesis Games'', when he's separated from the rest of his crew, he starts slipping back into full-blown sociopathy.

* ''Fanfic/{{Checkmate}}'' by Creator/AnlaShok features Wolfe, a District 2 Victor (their second to join the Rebellion) who is actually selected to be a tribute by Mags and Lyme due to the hope that someone of his nature (egotistical, gloating, and a largely remorseless killer) winning the Hunger Games after such a long string of Career victories will embitter the outer Districts and make them more eager to rebel. He does show some CharacterDevelopment during his Games, coming to care about some of the other tributes. He works dutifully with the Rebellion partially due to liking the sense of importance, partially out of loyalty to Lyme, and partially because ItsPersonal after what went down in his games. He retains the killer's mentality that saw him through the Hunger Games and has a limited appreciation for the better world they're trying to achieve. [[spoiler: Even after surviving the war, [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty he elaborately murders several Capitol citizens involved in using Victors as]] {{Sex Slave}}s and kidnaps Katniss largely just as an "audition" to the security forces so that they'll be convinced to give him a job as a BoxedCrook and give him something meaningful and stimulating to do]].

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8852698/1/Checkmate Checkmate]]'' by Creator/AnlaShok features Wolfe, a District 2 Victor (their second to join the Rebellion) who is actually selected to be a tribute by Mags and Lyme due to the hope that someone of his nature (egotistical, gloating, and a largely remorseless killer) winning the Hunger Games after such a long string of Career victories will embitter the outer Districts and make them more eager to rebel. He does show some CharacterDevelopment during his Games, coming to care about some of the other tributes. He works dutifully with the Rebellion partially due to liking the sense of importance, partially out of loyalty to Lyme, and partially because ItsPersonal after what went down in his games. He retains the killer's mentality that saw him through the Hunger Games and has a limited appreciation for the better world they're trying to achieve. [[spoiler: Even after surviving the war, [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty he elaborately murders several Capitol citizens involved in using Victors as]] {{Sex Slave}}s and kidnaps Katniss largely just as an "audition" to the security forces so that they'll be convinced to give him a job as a BoxedCrook and give him something meaningful and stimulating to do]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* PlayedForDrama in ''Manga/ChainsawMan''. While Denji cares for the people around him and tries to keep civilians out of harm's way, the horrific situation the {{yakuza}} put him through proves to have [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror greatly desensitized him]] to the horrors of the world and [[DemonSlaying the job he performs]] (him being OnlyInItForTheMoney also as a result of their abuse) while hurting his ability to empathize with others, something which he struggles with towards the tail end of part one, worried that something's wrong with him. In Part 2 he allows several civilians to die [[spoiler:to save a cat simply because it reminded him of [[LikeBrotherAndSister Power]]]].
* The ''Franchise/DragonBall'' franchise has quite a few of these:
** We have Piccolo during the Saiyan saga. The original reason he decides to help against Vegeta and Nappa is that if they [[EvilVersusOblivion destroy the Earth, he won't be able to rule it]]. However, at the end of said arc, Piccolo pulls a full HeelFaceTurn and sacrifices himself for Gohan.

** During the Cell Saga, we get ''Goku himself.'' Throughout the entire arc, his main focus is finding ever stronger opponents to test himself against, and at one point he even give Cell a Senzu Bean so that they can face off at full strength. Goku is ostensibly supposed to be stopping Cell to protect the world, but he justifies his actions with wanting his fights to be as satisfying and all-out as possible and because the Dragon Balls can be used to revive any victims of the conflict regardless of the suffering they'd go through beforehand. [[spoiler:It was a combination of realizing how insane this was as well as not wanting to attract any more attention from interstellar threats that made Goku decide to stay dead at the end of the saga.]]

They may solve their problems in much the same way that a villain would -- ruthlessly manipulating and killing their way to their goal. They may routinely torture, murder, and/or commit evil acts nearly as bad as the BigBad. [[TheUnfettered They'll do whatever it takes to win]]. The people they fight beside are shocked with their behavior, but try to tell themselves, "[[GladHesOnOurSide At least they're on our side]]." Even that may not be true in the end, where it may be suggested that [[HeWhoFightsMonsters this "hero" has become as evil as the monsters they vanquished]]. And God help you if [[FaceHeelTurn they decide to turn against you...]]

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': From Claudia's perspective, Kyril Sutherland is, in her own words, a "murderous psychopath". He treats traitors with utter contempt. He routinely [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique tortures]] and [[LeaveNoSurvivors gets rid of prisoners]] without a shred of mercy or guilt. He deals many a CruelAndUnusualDeath in battle, so many that he might as well be a walking {{Gorn}}-fest. He never doubts or backs down in his methods and his pursuit to win the war against the Black Dogs. He doesn't seem to concern himself with the needs and opinions of others. From these actions, it would be understandable for Kyril to be seen as sociopathic... if he ''[[SubvertedTrope were]]'' one in the first place. Reading Kyril's P.O.V., we see the guy doesn't revel or glorify bloodshed. His penchant for {{Gorn}} is due to a combination of his [[SuperStrength ridiculous physical strength]], him being ConditionedToAcceptHorror, and him ''[[TerrorHero wanting]]'' to be the [[TheDreaded feared, enigmatic figure]] everyone believes him to be. Furthermore, Kyril Sutherland, the man who [[TinMan professes to have forgotten empathy]], is [[{{Irony}} nonetheless]] capable of compassion, as seen with his interactions with his confidant, his apprentices, his colleagues, and even occasionally towards people he doesn't know. He also feels regret for being forced to [[MercyKill slaughter]] the remnants of Rad's citizens that [[WasOnceAMan have been turned into mutants]]. It's just that the Good Hunter [[TheStoic never lets these implicit feelings interfere his decision making]]. Last but not least, [[spoiler:if the fact that he has yet to go all out with his powers as a [[EldritchAbomination great one]] is any indication, Kyril Sutherland is not, in the end, as [[TheUnfettered ruthless]] as everyone thinks he is]].