History Main / TheFagin

Sometimes, just sometimes, TheFagin may actually ''love'' the children who works for him like a father, and there are few things scarier than a ''PapaWolf Fagin'', who is ''not'' above using his extensive underworld connections to absolutely [[{{Understatement}} torture]] to death those who harm his children.

* Referenced in the ''{{Temps}}'' short story "Sortilege and Serendipity" by Brian Stableford when the hapless hero, whose job is testing Talented kids, is [[MistakenIdentity mistaken for]] the super criminal known as the Taxman, and finds himself spinning a yarn about being a Fagin-figure using his work to recruit powered youngsters into his gang. He briefly wonders why he's never actually done this, before remembering that all the kids he works with are [[BrattyHalfPint mouthy pains-in-the-neck]] with [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway useless powers]].

* RobinWilliams character in AugustRush.

* There was an episode of {{Futurama}} in which Bender played this role when he bought an entire orphanage. In typical fashion, he ends up loving the orphans much to his chagrin.

* Aristedes from JimButcher's ''[[TheDresdenFiles Ghost Story]]''. Harry even [[LampshadeHanging points it out]] and is surprised to find that one of the boys, Fitz, [[GenreSavy has actually read]] OliverTwist.

* Aristedes from JimButcher's ''[[TheDresdenFiles Ghost Story]]''.

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* Sergeant Rumpkin in BeyondTheWesternSea falls somewhere between the two versions. It's ambiguous how much he cares for the boys independent of the money they bring him; however, the worst thing we see him do is chide Toggs and [[spoiler: made vague threats about Fred, who betrays the gang.]]

* In "{{Leverage}}" Parker's mentor Archie Leech can be argued as one. He took Parker in and made her steal for him as well as trained her as his 'legacy'-the best thief in the world. He also displays some of the {{Papa Wolf}} tendencies, calling Parker 'kiddo' and even referring to himself as Parker's father. However, the last one is deconstructed: he never took the young Parker home to his white picket fence family, fearing she won't fit in, making the older Parker a sort of {{Emotionless Girl}}.

* FinalFantasyIX features the Tantalus gang, led by a boisterous, bearded demi-human named Baku. It's stated outright that he adopted the hero after finding him abandoned near the docks as a child, raised him and taught him to steal and perform on the stage; and it's implied that the rest of the gang may have been similarly recruited. Baku will [[ToughLove knock you cross-eyed]] if you betray him...but eidolons help anyone who tries to [[PapaWolf hurt his gang]].

Sometimes, just sometimes, TheFagin may actually ''love'' the children who works for him like a father, and there are few things scarier than a ''PapaWolf Fagin'', who is ''not'' above using his extensive underworld connections to absolutely [[{{Understatement}} torture]] those who harm his children (literally) to death.

* Sergeant Rumpkin in BeyondTheWesternSea falls somewhere between the two versions. It's ambiguous how much he cares for the boys independent of the money they bring him; however, the worst thing we see him do is chide Toggs and [[spoiler: made vague threats about Fred, who betrays the gang.]]

* Shredder from the 1990 ''{{Film/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}}'' movie essentially ran the Foot Clan this way. The Foot Clan was made up of teenage orphans and runaways who were trained in the art of ninjitsu and instigated a massive New York crime wave.

The trope is named after Fagin, a character from CharlesDickens' ''OliverTwist'' who is so associated with this trope that his name is actually next to it in the dictionary.

* Referenced in the ''{{Temps}}'' short story "Sortilege and Serendipity" by Brian Stableford when the hapless hero, whose job is testing Talented kids, is [[MistakenIdentity mistaken for]] the supercriminal known as the Taxman, and finds himself spinning a yarn about being a Fagin-figure using his work to recruit powered youngsters into his gang. He briefly wonders why he's never actually done this, before remembering that all the kids he works with are [[BrattyHalfPint mouthy pains-in-the-neck]] with [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway useless powers]].
* Subverted in one ''{{Batman}}'' short story: Batman ''thinks'' the Penguin is kidnapping kids from troubled backgrounds to lead them into a life of crime. He's actually giving them a decent education and a pleasant childhood so they can grow up to be outstanding members of society ... who owe him a huge favour.

Sometimes, just sometimes, TheFagin may actually ''love'' the children who works for him like a father, and there are few things scarier than a ''PapaWolf Fagin'', who is ''not'' above using his extensive underworld connections to absolutely [[{{Understatement}} torture]] those who harm his chilren (literally) to death.

Sometimes, just sometimes, one may actually ''love'' the children who works for him, and there are few things scarier than a ''PapaWolf Fagin'', who is ''not'' above using his extensive underworld connections to absolutely [[{{Understatement}} torture]] those who harm his chilren (literally) to death.

A crook who takes in children, usually [[StreetUrchin orphans]] and has them steal for him, usually through pickpocketing, the ShortCon or both. Like the original Dickens character, this trope is subject to two distinct interpretations. Sometimes, the character will be a LovableRogue and will be presented as essentially giving the children the best life possible. On the other hand, other versions of this are [[EvilMentor cruel exploiters]] and function similarly to the OrphanageOfFear.

* Referenced in the ''Temps'' short story "Sortilege and Serendipity" by Brian Stableford when the hapless hero, whose job is testing Talented kids, is [[MistakenIdentity mistaken for]] the supercriminal known as the Taxman, and finds himself spinning a yarn about being a Fagin-figure using his work to recruit powered youngsters into his gang. He briefly wonders why he's never actually done this, before remembering that all the kids he works with are [[BrattyHalfPint mouthy pains-in-the-neck]] with [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway useless powers]].
* Subverted in one ''Batman'' short story: Batman ''thinks'' the Penguin is kidnapping kids from troubled backgrounds to lead them into a life of crime. He's actually giving them a decent education and a pleasant childhood so they can grow up to be outstanding members of society ... who owe him a huge favour.