History PlayingWith / JerkWithAHeartOfGold

** Alex cares for others, but the way he shows it is more of a case of being CruelToBeKind.

** The narrator [[ShowDontTell outright tells us]] that Alex [[InformedAttribute "seems mean, but has a soft side!"]] for every heinous act he commits, which includes theft, murder, and harassment. He has no soft side.

* '''Downplayed''': Alex is usually a NiceGuy, and his good qualities are somewhat obvious to those who know him, but he has a temper, or a massive ego or other such flaws that keep him from being a clean-cut nice guy.

** Alex acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, and doesn't want to show his soft side because he thinks it's a sign of weakness.

** Or Alex is not really a jerk after all.

** BitchInSheepsClothing With a Heart of Gold.

** Alex is mean to everyone he meets, is too proud to help or ever even waste a kind word on his "friends" (even if he [[{{Tsundere}} values them privately]]), but is too proud to ever acknowledge his feelings or to help said "friends" in any way, and refuses to so much as admit to emotional vulnerability. Whatever's going on "deep down", goodness is as goodness does; ergo, Bob is a {{Jerkass}}.

'''Basic Trope''': The {{Jerkass}} has hidden depths revealing that their really are a NicePerson after all.

'''Basic Trope''': The {{Jerkass}} has hidden depths revealing that he really is a nice guy after all.
* '''Straight''': Bob is mean to everyone on the outside, but is hiding that deep down, he really is a good person.

** Bob is a {{Jerkass}} in name only, and is really a very sensitive soul who will shed a tear over a lost puppy.

** Bob appears to be evil, but in reality, he's anything but.
** Bob is a villain but has rather unconvincing PetTheDog moments.
* '''Downplayed''': Bob is usually a NiceGuy, and his good qualities are somewhat obvious to those who know him, but he has a temper, or a massive ego or other such flaws that keep him from being a clean-cut nice guy.

** Bob acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, and doesn't want to show his soft side because he thinks it's a sign of weakness.
** Bob does care for others, but he's frequently shown to have a very good reason to act angry or annoyed, particularly if he's SurroundedByIdiots.
** Bob comes across as a jerk, but it appears that [[InnocentlyInsensitive he's too thick-headed to realize he is one]].
** Bob does care for others, but is too egotistical to express it.
** Bob cares for others, but the way he shows it is more of a case of being CruelToBeKind.

** Or Bob is not really a jerk after all.

** Bob is a jerk who appears to have a hidden nice side, but who turns out to be just a jerk, except for that deep down, he really feels bad about being a jerk and does want to be a nice guy.
** Bob was just pissed off that day.

** Bob makes fun of the heroes, puts everyone down, and steals lunch money, but whenever [[CutenessProximity a kitten comes his way]], he cannot help but hug it and sing to it.
** Bob is clearly set up as a Jerk up until a point where he does a [[TastesLikeDiabetes sickeningly sweet]] musical number where he sings about how much he loves kittens.

** Bob is a jerk but has a hidden nice side, which he only shows occasionally, and later goes back and forth between acting like a jerk and being nice.

** [[{{Jerkass}} Bob's just a jerk through and through, and everyone knows it]].
** Bob is your average NiceGuy without a hint of jerkiness.
* '''Enforced''': Bob is the most popular character on the show, and so it's revealed that he has a hidden heart of gold because that's how the [[DracoInLeatherPants audience prefers to see him]].

* '''Invoked''': "I know you think I'm a jerk, Alice, but I have a HiddenHeartOfGold. You just can't see it!"

** Bob tells everyone about how he's a nice person deep down so [[EasilyForgiven people can give him free passes for his bad behavior]].

** Bob decides that he will straight up be a jerkass and that's that.

** Bob acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, doesn't want to show his hidden soft side, and because of this everyone hates him and he ends up completely and utterly alone, becoming an even more hardened Jerkass as a result.
** Bob acts like a jerk to people on the surface, but although he genuinely does have a HiddenHeartOfGold, his {{jerkass}} behavior make those around him too put-off to discover it. As a result, Bob [[FriendlessBackground almost never makes friends]].

** Bob acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, doesn't want to show his hidden soft side, and because of this everyone hates him and he ends up completely and utterly alone, until his hidden Heart of Gold is revealed and he and the people around him learn not to [[AnAesop judge others by their appearances]].
** While others find it hard to get past Bob's mean behavior, there are others (especially his friends) who are willing to outweigh his bad qualities with his good.

%%** AffablyEvil
** JerkassFacade
** GoodIsNotNice
** FaceOfAThug
** GoodAllAlong
** Or exaggerated differently: NobleDemon, MinionWithAnFInEvil, AntiVillain, and HeroWithAnFInGood

** Bob comes across as a jerk, but it appears that [[InnocentlyInsensitive he's too thick-headed to realize he is one.]]

** AffablyEvil
** BaitTheDog
** StepfordSmiler
** BewareTheNiceOnes
** GoodIsNotSoft

** JerkWithAHeartOfJerk

** TookALevelInJerkass

** BitchInSheepsClothing With a Heart of Gold

** [[{{Jerkass}} Bob's just a jerk through and through, and everyone knows it.]]

** Bob tells everyone about how he's a nice person deep down so [[EasilyForgiven people can give him free passes for his bad behavior.]]

** AffablyEvil

** Bob tells everyone about how he's a nice person deep down so people can give him free passes for his bad behavior.
* '''Defied''':

** Bob comes across as a jerk but he's frequently shown to have a very good reason to act angry or annoyed, particularly if he's SurroundedByIdiots.

** But it is also discovered that this is the [[VitriolicBestBuds basis of Bob's relationship with his friends and they don't mind putting up with his douchebag behavior]], especially if some of them are douchebags like Bob.
** While others find it hard to get past Bob's mean behavior, there are others who are willing to outweigh his bad with his good.

** Bob acts like a jerk to people on the surface, but although he genuinely does have a HiddenHeartOfGold, his {{jerkass}} behavior make those around him too put-off to discover it. As a result, Bob [[IneffectualLoner almost never makes friends]].

** While there are others that find it hard to get past Bob's mean behavior, there are others who are willing to outweigh his bad with the good.

** Bob does care for others, but has a bit of an ego to show it.

** Bob comes across as a jerk, but it appears that [[InnocentlyInsensitive he's too thick-headed to realize he's a jerk.]]
** Bob does care for others, but has a bit of an ego to hide it.

** Alternately, Bob comes across as a jerk but he's frequently shown to have a very good reason to act angry or annoyed, particularly if he's SurroundedByIdiots.

* '''Invoked''': "I know you think I'm a jerk, Alice, but I have a hidden heart of gold. You just can't see it!"

* '''Defied''': "I don't care what he's really like inside, that doesn't give him an excuse to act like a jerk!"

* '''Exploited''': JerkassFacade of course.

** But it is also discovered that this is the [[VitriolicBestBuds basis of Bob's relationship with his friends, who don't mind putting up with his douchebag behavior.]]

** Bob acts like a jerk to people on the surface, but although he genuinely does have a HiddenHeartOfGold, is {{jerkass}} behavior make those around him too put-off to discover it. As a result, Bob [[IneffectualLoner almost never makes friends]].
* '''Reconstructed''': Bob acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, doesn't want to show his hidden soft side, and because of this everyone hates him and he ends up completely and utterly alone, until his hidden Heart of Gold is revealed and he and the people around him learn not to [[AnAesop judge others by their appearances]].

* '''Downplayed''': Bob is usually a NiceGuy, and his good qualities are somewhat obvious to those who know him, but he has a temper, or a massive ego or other such flaws that keep him from being a clean-cut NiceGuy.

** BewareTheNiceOnes & GoodIsNotSoft

* '''Deconstructed''': Bob acts like a jerk because he's been hurt in the past, doesn't want to show his hidden soft side, and because of this everyone hates him and he ends up completely and utterly alone, becoming an even more hardened Jerkass as a result.