Line #76 Main/ChildishVillainMatureHero


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6	[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/main_qimg_7dd3204f5c3e27ead0da44e016dfa7e6_lq.png]]]]
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8	Heroes and villains can be contrasted in many ways: [[BeautyEqualsGoodness beauty]] and [[UglyHeroGoodLookingVillain ugliness]], [[SensibleHeroesSkimpyVillains modesty and skimpiness]]/[[SexyVillainsChasteHeroes sexiness]], [[PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes politeness and rudeness]], among other things. In this dynamic, the hero is contrasted with the villain in terms of maturity levels.
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10	While some works present childishness as an [[ChildrenAreInnocent endearing trait]], in this dynamic the hero's lack of childishness is what makes them better than the villain. This makes sense to an extent; many [[ImmaturityTropes immature qualities]] such as [[NeverMyFault pushing the blame]], [[EntitledBastard entitlement]], [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centeredness]], [[LackOfEmpathy callousness]], [[EvilIsPetty pettiness]], [[SpoiledBrat acting spoiled]], etc. are almost always associated with villains and [[TheJerkIndex jerks]]. In contrast, [[MaturityTropes mature traits]] such as {{forgiveness}}, [[ItsAllMyFault taking responsibility for one's faults]], [[GracefulLoser losing gracefully]], [[HumilityTropes humility]], [[ResponsibilityTropes a sense of responsibility]], etc. tend to be related to heroes.
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12	This trope can manifest itself in a number of ways. If the hero and villain went to school together, expect the hero to have matured since then, while the villain [[SchoolYardBullyAllGrownUp hasn't grown up at all.]] If the hero and villain desire or have power, the hero tends to be [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility responsible with their power,]] while the villain values power purely for the privileges and scoffs at such silly ideas like "obligation." This dynamic doesn't even have to involve heroes and villains; a mature NiceGuy and an immature {{Jerkass}} work just as well.
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14	A common variation of this trope is to have a younger hero who shows more maturity than an older villain, with the hero displaying [[WiseBeyondTheirYears wisdom and maturity far beyond their age]], while the villain acts very [[PsychopathicManchild childish for their age]].
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16	Compare OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain, where the hero literally ''is'' older than the villain, which this can overlap with. Also compare SnarkyVillainEarnestHero, DiligentHeroSlothfulVillain, InsecureProtagonistArrogantAntagonist, GoodIsNotDumb, StupidEvil, NotGrowingUpSucks.
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18	Contrast DumbIsGood, GrowingUpSucks.
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20	----
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22	!!Examples
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24	[[foldercontrol]]
25
26	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
27	* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Used as one of the many aspects by which Guts and Griffith act as [[{{Foil}} foils]] to each other. Guts, for his faults, gradually begins to care about things beyond base survival, and even after the horror of the Eclipse, eventually the meaningless and destructiveness caused by his revenge quest as the Black Swordsman, moving past it to prioritize protecting those that he cares about and finding his own meaning in life. In contrast, Griffith, despite his WickedCultured exterior, is a PsychopathicManchild who refuses to ever move past his initial childish goal of achieving a kingdom even when it's flatly told to him this desire was deliberately inserted into him by the Godhand, is incapable of viewing people outside of their relation to him, and is willing to sacrifice anyone, even those he has grown to care about, in pursuit of it. And to drive the whole point home, as ArtEvolution progresses, Griffith is drawn to look increasingly child-like and cherubic despite the fact that he's at least 2 to 3 years older than Guts is, showing how childish Griffith is deep down.
28	* ''Manga/DeathNote'': VillainProtagonist [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] is a PsychopathicManchild with a [[AGodAmI god complex]], who uses the [[ArtifactOfDoom titular notebook]] to kill criminals in an attempt to remove all the bad people in the world, with his definition of "bad people" quickly slipping to include anyone who tries to stop or criticize him. His fellow Death Note users aren't much better in the maturity department, with Misa being a CuteButPsycho {{Yandere}} who is willing to kill anyone who criticizes Kira and Mikami being a KnightTemplar with an ''extreme'' case of BlackAndWhiteInsanity to the point that he kills people for being ''lazy.'' The Kira Task Force, led by HeroAntagonist L and including Light's father Soichiro Yagami, all understand how wrong it is to administer "justice" by killing wrongdoers without a second thought, and ''especially'' how wrong it is to kill people just for disagreeing with you. [[spoiler:Near, in his KirkSummation, explains that the only reason anyone would use a Death Note is to see if it worked as advertised or for their own self-interests.]]
29	* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': Despite [[BunnyEarsLawyer their respective quirks]], Tanjiro Kamado and most members of the Demon Slayer Corps are kind-hearted, responsible, and selfless individuals who are willing to put their own lives on the line to protect those around them. [[BigBad Muzan Kibutsuji]] meanwhile is extremely narcissistic, petty, selfish, cowardly, and incapable of taking any form of criticism regarding his plans, all of which [[HisOwnWorstEnemy has bitten him in the ass more than once]]. It has even been offhandedly mentioned several times as to how childish Muzan really is at his core, to the point where [[spoiler:his final form ends up being a literal giant, crying baby to avoid burning up in the sun]].
30	* ''Anime/GoblinSlayer'' has this dynamic with the ''[[AlwaysChaoticEvil entire]] [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblin race]]'': Goblin Slayer is a dour serious man who is ''extremely'' set on ensuring that [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar every single goblin is destroyed]] in order to ensure that the world is safe from their evil. Despite the sheer impossibility, hardship, and overall misery that his job entails, he is diligent in pursuing his enormous burden. The goblins, on the other hand, are an [[PlanetOfHats entire race]] of low-functioning [[TheSociopath sociopaths (with the occasional high functioning leader)]] who are motivated to do the most [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil horrendous]] [[ColdBloodedTorture acts]] of evil for no [[ForTheEvulz other reason]] than [[{{Sadist}} sadism]], [[GreenEyedMonster envy]], and [[HatesEveryoneEqually hatred towards both other goblins and the other races.]]
31	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'':
32	** Izuku Midoriya and Tomura Shigaraki are the series' most focal protagonist and antagonist respectively and are heavily contrasted by how they're mentored by the most powerful hero/villain of their time and are built up to be the symbol of peace and evil. Outside of their alignments, Midoriya is known for being a polite, humble, considerate, and mature boy for his age whereas Shigaraki is akin to a childish, petty brat, though this is because he suffered a tragic past that severely damaged his perspective on the world and his mental psyche, and nonetheless ends up developing into becoming a much more emotionally mature, more mentally sound and calculative individual.
33	** By extension, Midoriya and Shigaraki's predecessors, All Might and All for One are the symbols of peace and evil and the most powerful hero and villain of their time respectively. Most of Midoriya's personality traits are inspired by All Might, who is just as wise, compassionate, and level-headed. All for One initially appears to be a subversion, looking to be more mentally sound and calculative than his apprentice was [[DoubleSubversion until the end where it's revealed that All for One is even more immature, insane, and childish than Shigaraki could ever be shown to be]], being a petulant PsychopathicManchild whose ultimate motivation for being a supervillain stems from reading comic books when he was a child and being an extreme fanboy of its villains (especially the MaouTheDemonKing ones), so all he wants is to become one to show how this kind of villain would go in reality to the point where he outright rejects the fact that the villains lost, making him a childishly delusional {{chuunibyou}} of all things, and [[VillainousBreakdown throws destructive temper tantrums]] when things don't go his way. All of this comes to a head when Shigaraki [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out]] for using him and the League of Villains he's founded as disposable tools for accomplishing his childish goals before ripping his metaphysical vestige apart from the inside out, which alongside Lady Nagant turning on him, causes All For One to throw a ''massive'' tantrum like the pathetic child he really is.
34	* ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'': Obito, Madara, and Black Zetsu have different levels of immaturity, but they all serve as the childish villain to the mature heroes:
35	** Obito, as a result of witnessing Kakashi impale Rin because the [[HeroicSuicide latter took his attack to ensure she wouldn't be used to destroy Konoha]], sought to replace reality with an illusion [[IRejectYourReality because he couldn't accept a world with Rin dead and his team permenantly broken apart]]. The illusion he seeks to create is one where everyone can be happy and the good guys always win, but he's also willing to kill countless people for the sake of his goal, reasoning that they'll all just be brought back in the illusion. That being said, deep down he does regret his actions, but he didn't have his friends to serve as his moral compass and is trying to convince himself that he's committed to the plan. Naruto and Kakashi had all of their friends help them grow and mature to be better people, as well as to keep them from going down a dark path. Naruto would have succumbed to Obito's temptation after Neji's death if Hinata hadn't snapped him out of it, and Kakashi admits that while the system is flawed, Naruto's journey helped him to regain faith that things can get better. Because of this, both are able to reach out to Obito and convince him to regain his idealism and undergo a HeelFaceTurn.
36	** Madara Uchiha, despite his usual stoic demeanor, is also a SmugSuper and a self-pitying loser who wants to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi on the world partially because of an ego trip and a desire to see himself as the savior and ruler. Despite claiming that life is horrible, it's become clear that most of his problems were self-inflicted. [[{{Hypocrite}} Despite claiming to wish for peace]], [[BloodKnight he also takes a lot of pleasure in battle and treats his new powers and his battles as toys and games for him to play]]. Hashirama, Tobirama, and all who follow the Will of Fire on the other hand, for all their flaws, still take their responsibility to protect the village seriously, never blamed life for their problems, were able to keep moving forward despite their struggles because they still had friends and family to watch out for them, and fight for the sake of protecting their comrades. In the end, it takes being backstabbed by Black Zetsu and learning that he was an UnwittingPawn all along for Madara to realize that Hashirama's way was superior, allowing him to at least make peace with his former friend before dying.
37	** Black Zetsu, TheManInFrontOfTheMan to the Akatsuki, Obito, and even Madara, is revealed to have been seeking Kaguya's revival so he can be alongside her for all eternity, with everyone who suffers along the way being an afterthought as they're all just a part of his story to bring about the return of his mother. Naruto, despite having grown up without his parents to raise him and losing people he cares about throughout his life, is able to grow from his experiences and he never treated people as expendable in his goals. He even calls Black Zetsu a spoiled brat who still wants to cling to his mother's side and has no right to compare himself to the shinobi who left their marks on history.
38	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': This becomes the dynamic between Ash Ketchum and the [[TerribleTrio Team Rocket Trio]]. While Ash was immature and arrogant at the start of the series, he (and to lesser extents his traveling companions) display or [[CharacterDevelopment develop]] the maturity to [[KnowWhenToFoldEm stop when things aren't working]], [[GracefulLoser accept defeats with dignity]], and grow and learn from their experiences. Meanwhile the Trio [[SmugSnake remain arrogant]], [[NeverMyFault refused to admit their mistakes]] while [[IgnoredEpiphany any realizations don't stick]], and [[DetrimentalDetermination continue even when they'd be more successful with anything else]]. The final episode highlights the contrast: [[spoiler:Ash has grown to the point he's achieved his goal of becoming the world's best Pokémon trainer, and then accept that it didn't give him the satisfaction he'd expect and adopt a new goal. Meanwhile the Trio's failures in their goal to capture Pikachu reach the breaking point of destroying their friendship, only to get back together because they refuse to stop and change.]]
39	* This dynamic shows up a lot in ''Anime/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'':
40	** Malty and Naofumi: When it comes to their duties, Malty is a SpoiledBrat who focuses more on [[TheHedonist hedonistic thrills]] and scheming her way into easy money and power while avoiding any responsibility; Naofumi is a hardworking underdog who is diligent in his duties as the Shield Hero. As a teammate, Malty is [[MsRedInk a useless]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder disloyal]] [[TheLoad parasite]] who simply looks for a new host to leech off of when she [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness has no further use for someone]] and is utterly incapable of doing anything for herself; Naofumi is a useful, loyal man who will walk the ends of the earth for his loved ones, and while he is dependent on his team, he still does as much as he can to contribute.
41	** Naofumi and Motoyasu: While all of the [[ThePoorlyChosenOne Three Heroes]] are less mature than [[OnlySaneMan Naofumi]], [[HateSink Motoyasu]] takes the cake; out of all of the Four Heroes, Motoyasu is the laziest, least responsible of the lot, focusing more on [[HaremSeeker chasing and impressing girls]] than doing his job; Naofumi is the most diligent and most responsible of the Four Heroes and has enough self-control to focus on doing his job rather than chasing idle pleasures. When it comes to getting respect, [[TheBully Motoyasu]] prefers to throw his weight around and put other people down, whereas Naofumi prefers to let his deeds speak for him. Finally, when it comes to how they treat each other, Motoyasu is always the one who instigates conflicts, even when they're supposed to be cooperating, while Naofumi prefers to ignore Motoyasu whenever possible.
42	** Malty and Melty combine this trope with FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling; everything [[DisappointingOlderSibling Malty]] was mentioned as being above, Melty is not. Despite being [[MatureYoungerSibling the younger sibling]], Melty is diligent in her duties as princess, contributes to her party and kingdom, and returns loyalty to those who show it to her; it's no wonder why [[TheHighQueen their mother]] decided to make Melty the heir instead of Malty.
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45	[[folder:Comic Books]]
46	* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': Batman is usually TheStoic at all times, rarely ever showing emotion and treating his duties as Gotham's hero with the utmost respect and seriousness. By contrast, his ArchEnemy the Joker treats everything like one big joke, always laughing hysterically or using weapons and tools based on literal toys.
47	* ''ComicBook/LockeAndKey'': A key focus of the series involves Tyler and Kinsey Locke growing progressively more mature as they recover from the death of their father, with Kinsey learning to accept her own fear and grief and Tyler learning responsibility. By contrast, [[DemonicPossession Dodge]]'s immaturity becomes more pronounced, revealing his inner spite, selfishness, and petulance -- to the point that he openly admits that he can't stand being told "no." [[spoiler:He even ends up pulling a GrandTheftMe on [[CheerfulChild Bode Locke]] in order to escape death, conducting the final arc of the comic in the form of a child.]]
48	* Pictured above is Franchise/{{Superman}} standing next to [[GreatGazoo Mr. Myxzptlk]] as a way to contrast the two, with the former being a hero who treats his duties seriously and with the utmost responsibility and, while not afraid to crack a joke every now and then, uses his powers for doing good and dedicates his life to ensure the well-being of everyone around him. The latter, meanwhile, while nowhere near as malicious as other members of the Man of Steel's RoguesGallery, being a mischievous prankster more than anything else, is nonetheless rather childish and immature, being a MadGod who uses his powers to treat everything in his environment like one big playground.
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50
51	[[folder:Fan Works]]
52	* ''Fanfic/BetterToReignInHeaven'': VillainProtagonist Dr Stanislaus Braun is a spiteful little brat in an old man's body, playing sadistic games with his captives for centuries, throwing temper tantrums whenever things don't go his way, and depicting himself as a child in the simulation. By contrast, {{Hero Antagonist}}s Tessa Dithers and Mattie are both thoughtful, compassionate, and much more serious -- to the point that Mattie often wonders if he deserves to be called a hero. Indeed, Braun finds Mattie's maturity so boring that [[spoiler:he uses his control over the simulation to regress Mattie [[BackToTheWomb right back to the start of his life]] -- inflicting a horrific pregnancy on Tessa in the process -- in the hope that he can be raised and indoctrinated into a fellow PsychopathicManchild.]]
53	* In the ''Fanfic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic'' DeconstructionFic ''Fanfic/FallOfStarfleetRebirthOfFriendship'', the Elements of Harmony alongside the more sympathetic members of Starfleet have this relationship with Grand Ruler and Rhymey; whereas the former are [[HumbleHero humble]] and prefer to earn respect with their actions, the latter are {{Smug Snake}}s who believe that their [[FantasticRacism race]] and status entitle them to respect. In addition, the former are willing to change themselves for the better and accept that reality does not always turn out in their favor, the latter are {{Psychopathic Manchild}}ren who reject any form of self-reflection and expect reality to conform to their desires, [[spoiler:with Grand Ruler being willing to use [[RealityWarper a magical artifact]] to ''force'' the universe to conform to his wishes]].
54	* ''Fanfic/ForHisOwnSake'': Keitaro has this dynamic with most of the Hinata Girls; whereas Keitaro accepts responsibility for his actions, communicates and listens to people, and [[CharacterDevelopment grows as a person]] over the course of the story, most of the Hinata girls [[NeverMyFault blame others for their actions]], refuse to listen to anything that isn't what they want to hear, and actively refuse to grow as people.
55	* ''Fanfic/HowBadCanALittleGossipBe'': [[ThinSkinnedBully Mr Ricci]] and [[PapaWolf Massimo]], the former being a [[HairTriggerTemper short-tempered]] [[PsychopathicManChild schoolyard bully trapped in the body of a grown man]] and the latter a [[GoodParents hard-working and caring]] FamilyMan who uses his influence on Portorosso [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure in a wise and responsible manner]].
56	* ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'': [[JerkJock Dash Baxter]] is TheBully rather than a villain, but he can be considered an example. Like in the [[WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom source material]], Dash is open about the fact that he [[FutureLoser has no aspirations in life beyond high school popularity]], and as a result, is looked down upon by [[HateSink the narrative]] and by everyone else, [[CasanovaWannabe especially the girls]] [[AbhorrentAdmirer he hits on]]. Danny by contrast, is no longer obsessed with popularity and has ambitions beyond high school, traits that in addition to his [[NiceGuy kindness]], [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan make him quite]] [[ChickMagnet popular with the ladies.]]
57	* ''Webcomic/ScarletLady'': Scarlet Lady is a Childish ''NominalHero'' to Chat Noir and Marigold's Actual Heroes; while Scarlet Lady is a {{spoiled\|Brat}} AttentionWhore who [[HatesTheJobLovesTheLimelight became a superhero to get attention and puts little effort in actually being a superhero]]; Chat and Marigold take their duties as superheroes seriously, with Marigold even being a former HeroicBystander before she became a superheroine.
58	* ''Fanfic/TheStoryOfApolloDaphneAndLucaAnItalianTragedy'': [[BigJerkOnCampus Vincenzo]] is petty, hot-headed and is not above using dirty tricks to get what he wants, while [[GentlemanAndAScholar Luca]] is selfless, caring, kind-hearted and treats everyone with respect.
59	* ''Fanfic/TheUltimateBigBrother'': Monokuma, and by proxy [[spoiler: Junko Enoshima]], is a PsychopathicManchild taken to dangerous extremes: he has [[LackOfEmpathy no regard for others]], is easily excited by the prospect of mass murder and death, and is prone to temper tantrums and childish name calling should things not go his way. Charlotte Katakuri, by contrast, is far more composed and analytical, being TheStoic and, [[FaceOfAThug despite his off-putting appearance]], genuinely caring for others and holds a powerful BigBrotherInstinct to the class, working to save as many of them as he can.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Films — Animation]]
63	* ''WesternAnimation/TheBadGuys2022'' demonstrates this via the title VillainProtagonist group themselves, who are portrayed as swanky, petty {{Attention Whore}}s who try to gain infamy for themselves to deflect over their insecurities in life. This is lampshaded by the Governor and BigGood, Diane Foxington, a professional and insightful authority figure, [[spoiler:though, keeping with the trope, harbours a hidden schoolgirl boastfulness about her tenure as the Crimson Paw, a highly successful cat burglar. After Diane influences Mr. Wolf into turning good, he matures as himself becomes a PositiveFriendInfluence to the other Bad Guys, largely to unite them against Professor Marmalade, a VillainWithGoodPublicity who in reality is an egotistical PsychopathicManchild]].
64	* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus'': [[EvilSorcerer Wenlock]] is an entitled, egomanic PsychopathicManchild who abuses his power, [[ItsAllAboutMe thinks the world revolves around him]] and [[DisproportionateRetribution curse innocent people when they don't bend to his whims]], while [[PrettyPrincessPowerhouse Annika]], in spite of her flaws, is a caring and selfless young woman who ventures through dangerous places to find the Wand of Light in order to save her kingdom and takes responsibility for her mistakes, learning from them and becoming a wiser person.
65	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'': [[BigBad Syndrome]] and [[TheHero Mr. Incredible]] show this dynamic via their reactions to their life's setbacks. Mr. Incredible has gone through many hardships, from being forced into retiring from heroism after getting sued for saving a man's life, to losing his insurance job for trying to help someone; despite this, he ultimately remained a hard-working, responsible, and heroic person, both as a superhero and a father. Syndrome, by contrast, became a mass-murdering supervillain who chose to let one single misfortune (i.e., not getting to be Mr. Incredible's sidekick) define his entire life, with his EvilPlan being motivated to satisfy [[EvilIsPetty his ultimately petty grudge]].
66	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': At the beginning of the film, [[TheHero Simba]] as a cub thinks that being king means being able to do whatever he wants. His father [[TheGoodKing Mufasa]] explains to him that [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility being king isn't just about getting your way all the time]], a lesson Simba takes to heart as an adult. [[BigBad Scar]], by contrast, wanted to be king [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans purely for the power and privileges]] and when criticized by Sarabi ''[[IronicEcho outright states]]'', "[[TheCaligula I'm the king]], [[RoyalBrat I can do what I want]]", demonstrating that, for all of his boasts that he is "ten times the king Mufasa was," he is little more than [[PsychopathicManchild an entitled cub in a grown lion's body]].
67	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Luca}}'' pulls this off solely through comparison. Luca, Alberto, and Giulia are fairly normal thirteen-year-olds having a Coming-of-Age moment in their lives, while Ercole is a childish bully who lies about his age to enter and continue to dominate a contest for(mostly pre-pubescent) children despite being ''eighteen years old''.
68	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': Despite his love for theatrics, a belief that his only place in society is being a supervillain, and all his other quirks, the titular VillainProtagonist proves himself to be a lot more compassionate and self-aware than he lets on, as well as having a clear understanding of what it means to be a true hero. In contrast, Megamind's subject for creating a superhero who would fight him, Hal Stewart/Titan, is an immature idiot who thinks having superpowers entitles him to have anything or anyone he wants, as shown by his failed attempts to woo Roxanne and his BigBadSlippage shortly afterward because of Roxanne rejecting him for a disguised Megamind, who actually treats her as a person instead of an object.
69	* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': "Big" Jack Horner is constrasted as the Childish Villain to both Puss in Boots (in a standard case of the trope) and Goldilocks (in a villain-to-villain variant).
70	** Puss is an outlaw AntiHero who, despite his pride and selfishness towards his allies, nobly fights for the people and is resourceful enough to outwit his foes. Meanwhile, Goldi is a wanted criminal who, while having a notorious criminal record, confronts her victims reasonably as long as they don't try to defy her, and cares for the Three Bears as her adoptive family (even if she [[spoiler:plans to separate herself from them because she thought she was the outcast among them]]). Both Puss and Goldi also give up on their respective wishes for using the Wishing Star upon learning the big picture by the time of the film's climax.
71	** Jack, on the other hand, is a spoiled PsychopathicManchild who, on top of having a front for his crimes, is {{driven by envy}} of fairy tale creatures, wants to have control of all the magic in the world (with no intention of sharing any of it), and doesn't care about who has to die (whether it be his enemies or underlings) to get his wish.
72	* ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973'': Robin is a highly intelligent, compassionate, capable individual, and a leader among men, going out of his way to help the oppressed people of Nottingham. Prince John, on the other hand, is a childish tyrant who doesn't care about his subjects except as his personal piggy bank, as well as [[GreenEyedMonster feeling jealous of his older brother Richard]], the legitimate king of England. His immaturity goes to the point that he [[StillSucksThumb sucks his thumb]] while [[IWantMyMommy crying for his mommy]], and even throws a literal tantrum when Robin gets the people to chant for Richard.
73	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'': Bowser is the Childish Villain to both Mario and Peach's Mature Heroes.
74	** Mario is a fairly grounded and humble guy who initially wasn't interested in becoming a hero, only agreeing to help Peach save the Mushroom Kingdom if it meant rescuing Luigi in the process. Peach, meanwhile, is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, as she is presented as an ideal ruler who loves and protects her subjects at all costs.
75	** On the other hand, Bowser is a tyrannical conqueror with the mentality of a {{spoiled brat}} who usually responds to criticism or rejection with violence, with his whole antagonism with Mario only happening because Bowser mistakenly believes he's stealing Peach from him.
76	* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'': Despite his role as the villain of his game and the needless disrespect he receives for it, Ralph is a friendly, humble, and down-to-Earth guy who up until the events of the movie never sought more than what his job entails and takes responsibility for all the damage he inadvertently causes. Meanwhile, Turbo AKA [[spoiler:King Candy]] is an AttentionWhore of the highest degree whose extreme pettiness makes him more than willing to alter and even destroy other games just to stay in the spotlight.
77	* WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove: Before his HeelFaceTurn, Kuzco was the Childish Villain to Pacha's Mature Hero. Effectively, Pacha is a wise and caring but serious man who loves his family, cares about his village and takes responsibility about being a village leader; on the other hand, Kuzco has been a tyrannical emperor whose mentality is that of a spoiled brat's, and he was a self-centered and arrogant person who only cared about himself and having fun.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
81	* ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'':
82	** The main human '''heroes''' on Team Godzilla and Team Kong are largely mature, intelligent and responsible people: especially Madison (a teenaged, WiseBeyondHerYears veteran of the war against King Ghidorah who takes it upon herself to resolve Godzilla’s mysterious rampage when she realizes no-one else will act effectively); and Jia (who is calm, dignified, intelligent, and more perceptive than even her adult peers despite her being barely into the double-digits). The only really immature hero is [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bernie Hayes]], and even this gets somewhat amended in the novelization, where he has very deep and personal reasons for wanting to bring the bad guys to justice.
83	** The grown '''villains''' on [[CorporateConspiracy Apex Cybernetics]], on the other hand, are very petulant and childish for all their corporate power. The [[EvilOldFolks late-middle-aged]] Walter Simmons is a self-absorbed, delusional, disaster-engineering PsychopathicManchild who sees the fate of the world as nothing more than a glory contest, cackling like an excited child or throwing sulky moods depending on his temperament; Ren Serizawa’s motives for being one of the bad guys, according to the novelization, are unresolved daddy issues which drive him to scream for his neglectful father’s attention in horrific ways long past the latter’s death; and Maia Simmons is a WellDoneDaughterGirl who has [[RichBitch all the manners of an entitled seven-year-old]] and ''[[TooDumbToLive half]]'' [[TooDumbToLive the brains to go with it]].
84	* In ''Film/KnivesOut'' and ''Film/GlassOnion'', Benoit Blanc is an eccentric, but otherwise intelligent, [[HowTheyTreatTheHelp amiable]], and composed GentlemanDetective, which serves to contrast him with the culprits of both movies.
85	** In ''Film/KnivesOut'', [[spoiler:Ransom Drysdale is a young, immature, SmugSnake JerkWithAHeartOfJerk who acts like a teenager even though he's in his 30s. And to top it off, his motive for killing his grandfather wasn't greed for his money, but that his pride wouldn't let a servant get his family inheritance]].
86	** In ''Film/GlassOnion'', [[spoiler:Miles Bron is a WickedPretentious InsufferableImbecile KnowNothingKnowItAll SmugSnake who likes to rub his wealth in other people's faces through grand gestures, and when his Glass Onion is blown up and ''The Mona Lisa'' torched at the end of the movie, his VillainousBreakdown is essentially a childish tantrum]].
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Literature]]
90	* ''Literature/EpithetErasedPrisonOfPlastic'': Ultimately subverted. While the core substance of the plot is, unambiguously, mature for her age hero Molly taking on her [[ChildishOlderSibling bratty, immature older sibling]], the narrative takes pains to point out that Molly's maturity isn't a positive trait in a ''twelve-year-old'' but an unfortunate result of Lorelai and [[ManChild their father Martin]] being such immature assholes, [[spoiler:and Molly's happy ending isn't a triumph for maturity as a concept but being taken away from her tarpit of a family by Giovanni and allowed to just be a kid again]].
91	* ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'': Matilda Wormwood is a book-loving ChildProdigy with a [[WiseBeyondHerYears maturity and a moral compass beyond her young age]], while her arch-nemesis, Principal Agatha Trunchbull, is a [[PsychopathicWomanchild playground bully trapped in the body of a grown woman]], treats her students like dirt out of [[ForTheEvulz sheer]] [[{{Sadist}} sadism]] and [[spoiler: murdered her brother-in-law Magnus so that she could abuse undisturbed her own niece, Miss Jennifer Honey]].
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
95	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryFreakShow'':
96	** Elsa Mars is a WhiteDwarfStarlet and AntiHero, but she's also a responsible businesswoman who [[AFatherToHisMen genuinely cares]] about the "freaks" in her Cabinet of Curiosities, treating them with respect and kindness even as she uses them to pursue her dreams of fame. Her opposite number, Stanley, works as an agent for another freak show, the Museum of Morbid Curiosities, but he's a petty, scheming man who sees freaks as toys to be collected rather than human beings, to the point where he's out to kill and stuff as many as possible just to make a quick buck. He also resorts to blackmail and mind games to get the freaks to work for him, while Elsa, though slightly underhanded, offers the freaks a good home and is transparent about her plans.
97	** The ultimate trio of heroes for the season--conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler, "lobster boy" Jimmy Darling, and Desiree Dupree--are mature, responsible people with dreams of building a better life outside of the freak show. They're also hard workers who take their jobs in the show seriously and help to protect the other freaks, especially those who can't help themselves. By contrast, BigBad Dandy Mott is the very definition of a PsychopathicManchild: he lives in a gigantic playroom full of toys, has a mother who [[SpoiledBrat endlessly pampers him]], and thinks that his money allows him to do whatever he wants without any consequences, including trying to buy Bette and Dot to be his personal girlfriends (apparently not realizing that you can't ''buy people'').
98	* ''Series/Charmed1998'': The Halliwell Sisters are a PowerTrio of [[HotWitch witches]] who, upon realizing their birthright as the Charmed Ones, willingly accept the [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility great responsibility]] of protecting innocent people from the forces of evil. While they occasionally slip up and succumb to the temptation of using their powers for personal gain, they always learn from their mistakes, admit their flaws, and try their best to improve their behavior. By contrast, most of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek villains of the week]] they face are demons, monsters, and mages who delight in screwing with humans [[ForTheEvulz because it's fun]] and are motivated by petty grudges and errors they [[NeverMyFault refuse to admit to]], instead blaming other people for their own bad choices.
99	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': David Tennant's Doctor and John Simm's Master in Season 3 are a unique example in that, while both can be of similar childish temperament, especially with authority figures, the Doctor ''does'' know when to shut up, drop the act, and get serious. The Master, by contrast, keeps on being goofy and childish to the point where it gets downright ''creepy.''
100	* Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration: This is the dynamic between [[TheCaptain Picard]] and [[RealityWarper Q]]. Under the guise of testing humanity's worthiness, Q puts the Enterprise crew through all manner of strange scenarios (such as making them reenact Robin Hood). Picard frequently calls him out on this and refuses to sink to Q's level.
101	* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'':
102	** The episode [[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S3E17OneMorePallbearer "One More Pallbearer"]] features Paul Radin, a PsychopathicManchild who, despite being extremely rich and powerful, harbors grudges against three people who he claims ruined his life: Mrs. Langsford, a high school teacher who caught him cheating, flunked him, and called him out in front of his classmates; Colonel Hawthorne, his military commanding officer who had Radin court-martialed for cowardice after he abandoned his men to save himself; and Reverend Hughes, a kindly preacher who learned that Radin drove a young woman to suicide and started a public scandal over the deed. Radin creates an elaborate underground bunker, rigs up a fake nuclear war (complete with official-sounding announcements and footage), and summons Langsford, Hawthorne, and Hughes to him, hoping that they'll [[KneelBeforeZod kneel before him]] and apologize profusely in exchange for getting to survive the supposed explosions. To his shock, the trio refuse to break and, with maturity and grace, take him to task for his pettiness and mutually agree to FaceDeathWithDignity rather than sacrifice their honor and dignity. Radin is so shocked at his failures that he [[VillainousBSOD breaks down completely]] and thinks that there really ''was'' a nuclear war, because he can't fathom the idea that anyone could be stronger or wiser than him.
103	** [[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S3E22APianoInTheHouse "A Piano in the House"]] features {{Jerkass}} Fitzgerald Fortune, a CausticCritic who treats everyone from shopkeepers to his butler to his wife Esther with contempt and cruel jokes. When he purchases the titular player piano for Esther as a birthday present, he discovers that it has [[MagicMusic magical powers]]: when a roll of music is placed inside it, someone in the vicinity will [[CannotTellALie share their deepest feelings and secrets]] without prompting. Fortune spends the whole day agonizing people with the piano, but ends up getting a [[LaserGuidedKarma taste of his own medicine]] when Esther secretly switches one roll with another that makes ''him'' start revealing his true nature as a spoiled, scared, frightened little boy who lashes out at the world because he can't understand things like love and kindness. Rather than get well-deserved revenge, everyone he's tormented instead handles the situation with tact and maturity, choosing to walk away from Fortune and his misery rather than stoop to his level.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Theatre]]
107	* ''Theatre/TwistedTheUntoldStoryOfARoyalVizier'': [[AdaptationalHeroism Jafar]] and [[AdaptationalVillainy Aladdin]] are polar opposites in both morality and maturity; Jafar is a hard-working, serious man who seeks to use the genie's magic to improve the kingdom for everyone. Aladdin is a [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]], [[LazyBum lazy]] PsychopathicManchild who steals [[spoiler:and [[SelfMadeOrphan murdered his own parents]]]] because he's too lazy to get a job and seeks to use the genie's magic to make his own life easier. Their relationships also further showcase this tendency: while Jafar is a rather [[HeroWithBadPublicity unpopular man]] who loved his late wife and appreciates any kindness he is shown, Aladdin is a [[TheCasanova womanizer]] who abandoned a woman he impregnated and is a parasite who has zero qualms about abandoning and abusing anyone who shows him kindness.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Video Games]]
111	* ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' has Handsome Jack as the Childish Villain to Roland's Mature Hero. Handsome Jack spends every other second harassing you and making up childish insults while treating Pandora as his own personal ant hill to burn with a magnifying glass, while Roland has grown out of his cocky Vault Hunter days and acts as a straight-laced BigGood trying to keep the innocents of Pandora safe.
112	* ''VideoGame/EvilWest'': [[VampireHunter Jesse Rentier]] is extremely serious, no-nonsense (except for some quipping while killing vampires), and willing to do anything to help his friends out, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold despite his abrasive exterior]]. [[TokenEvilTeammate James Harrow]], on the other hand, is a CorruptPolitician who constantly bosses the heroes around, expecting them to give him special privileges [[UngratefulBastard and never thanking them for any time they defend his life]], and he starts swearing, throwing tantrums and threatening them the moment he doesn't get what he wants, making him look less like a middle-aged man and more like a SpoiledBrat who never grew up, which makes him all the more aggravating to both the characters [[HateSink and the player]]. A sign of their contrasting maturity is this exchange when Jesse returns from a mission that was supposed to secure some vital documents that would help win the war, only to find out that Harrow just [[{{Greed}} wanted the money that came with them]]:
113	-->'''Jesse:''' "Turning the tides," ''my ass!'' More like ''lining your own pockets'', you ''[[PrecisionFStrike slimy shit]]''!\
114	'''Harrow:''' ''What the hell are you''-- Ah. [[NoHonorAmongThieves Biddle]]. [[SarcasmMode Oopsie daisy]].\
115	'''Jesse:''' You sent ''two dozen national guardsmen'' to their deaths, ''for a paycheck''. When [[UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland the President]] gets wind of this, ''you're a dead man!''\
116	'''Harrow:''' ''[EvilLaugh]'' I'm sorry, it's just that [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor the way the veins are throbbing in your forehead, it's so... comical]].
117	* VideoGame/FarCry6 there is Camila "La Espada" Montero and her arch-nemesis General Jose Castillo. Kamila, despite her thirst for battle and some insolence, is a responsible and noble person, trying to save as many innocent people as possible and protect her friends and family, while being able to forgive and understand, protecting her brother Alexander from the stigma of shame. José on the other hand is a spoiled, narcissistic child in an adult's body, throwing tantrums, treats killing people as a fun hobby and tries in every possible way to get praise or at least attract Anton's attention. José also despises Anton's own son Diego for being Anton's favorite, whining and complaining that a highway was named after him and wanting to repay him by acting like a petulant child jealous that another child gets more love than him.
118	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': [[BigBad Kuja]] is mentally a child pretending to be an adult, putting on exaggerated efforts to seem sophisticated and intelligent to assert his individuality, is very narcissistic and selfish, and is prone to quickly losing his temper when he doesn't get his way. Zidane on the other hand is a lovable rogue with a heart of gold, whose motto in life is "Do you need a reason to help anyone?" After finding out the AwfulTruth about themselves, Zidane becomes more responsible and thoughtful while Kuja becomes an OmnicidalManiac with a SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum. {{Justified\|Trope}}, as Kuja was BornAsAnAdult and thus could never develop past his initial thought process and truly change, whereas Zidane was created as a baby so he can mature and grow in order to develop the complex emotions needed to enter [[SuperMode Trance]].
119	* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'' has an example between {{Alternate Sel\|f}}ves in the form of Marni of the Four Hounds and Madeline of the Four Winds. Marni is a PsychopathicWomanchild with the demeanor of a SpoiledBrat who DesperatelyCravesAffection among Sombrom's cult, to the point she has no qualms with [[WellDoneSonGuy committing atrocities to earn Zephia's approval]]. Madeline on the other hand is a mature, humble, and polite young lady who looks out for her friends and other people. If they meet face-to-face in the main game, [[OtherMeAnnoysMe they naturally don't like each other]], with Madeline telling Marni that her desire for approval will only end in disappointment while Marni resorts to childish insults and accuses her of being jealous. The only positive thing that Madeline has to say about Marni is her bond with Mauvier. [[spoiler:That said, when Marni sacrifices herself to save Veyle, Madeline can't help but admit that she admires how her counterpart laid down her life for her lady like a true knight would.]]
120	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'': Kratos, who has now grown OlderAndWiser after taking revenge on the Greek Gods, ends up becoming the mature hero to the childish Stranger, [[spoiler:aka Baldur]]. The latter [[ShadowArchetype represents Kratos' past self]] as he seeks [[spoiler:revenge on his mother Freya the same way Kratos wanted revenge on his father Zeus]], but it's also apparent that beneath his godly exterior is an angry child lashing out at [[spoiler:his mother for giving him immortality without his consent at the [[BlessedWithSuck cost of]] [[SenseLossSadness taking away his sense of feeling]]. Even when he finally loses the immortality just as he wanted and regains his ability to feel again, he still wants revenge on his mother and will no longer listen to reason, forcing Kratos to MercyKill him after he refuses his LastSecondChance]]. Kratos, having already learned that VengeanceFeelsEmpty and is [[TheAtoner working to become a better person]], tries to dissuade [[spoiler:Baldur]] from his path, only fighting him in self-defense and killing him when it's clear he's beyond help at this point.
121	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
122	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'': This game's incarnation of Link is a stoic warrior who [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime already saved a kingdom]] and is willing to undergo {{Painful Transformation}}s with magic masks and other trials of courage to save Termina from a falling moon, all while still being a kid. The Skull Kid, in contrast, is an immature imp whose mean pranks got him ostracized, and upon wearing Majora's Mask starts playing even more dangerous pranks on people because it's fun.
123	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': This game's incarnation of Link is a humble farmhand with a noble heart, beloved as an older brother figure and role model by all the children of Ordon Village. The main antagonist is [[TheUsurper Zant]], a deranged PsychopathicManchild who [[spoiler:willingly struck a deal with [[HijackedByGanon Ganondorf]] in exchange for power]] after he was passed over for the throne in favor of [[spoiler:Princess Midna]].
124	* ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'': Primrose Azelhart is decidedly an [[AntiHero Anti-Heroine]] on a quest for revenge against three assassins who murdered her father when she was a child. However, she is still a [[NiceGirl kind and gentle person]] to those who aren't her targets. By contrast, her employer at the beginning of her tale, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Helgenish]], is a [[{{Narcissist}} narcissistic]] [[{{Jerkass}} jerk]] who [[ItsAllAboutMe believes that the entire world should revolve around him]], [[BadBoss routinely abuses his impoverished employees to the point of treating them like slaves]], and [[PsychopathicManchild throws temper tantrums the moment things don't go his way]].
125	-->''[After Helgenish [[spoiler:stabs Primrose's OnlyFriend to death]]]''\
126	'''Primrose:''' [[ObviouslyEvil I saw]] ''[[ObviouslyEvil you]]'' [[ObviouslyEvil for the foul swine you are the first time I laid eyes on you.]]\
127	'''Helgenish:''' You would take that tone with ''me''!? ''You're nothing but a stupid [[PrecisionFStrike whore]]''! [[EntitledBastard You would have]] ''[[EntitledBastard died]]'' [[EntitledBastard on the]] ''[[EntitledBastard street]]'' [[EntitledBastard if not for me!]]
128	* ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'' features Osvald and Harvey. Osvald is [[TheStoic quiet and serious]], and, while [[DeadpanSnarker a bit snarky]], he cares about the other travelers deep down. Meanwhile, [[ArcVillain Harvey]] is a PsychopathicManchild who's utterly ''obsessed'' with one-upping Osvald, to the point of constantly bragging about what he's done with Osvald's research and throwing a temper tantrum when it becomes clear he's losing the final battle. Osvald even points out that he's grown and changed while Harvey is the same as always.
129	* ''VideoGame/Persona4'' has two antagonists who contrast with the protagonists in their unwillingness to face reality.
130	** [[spoiler:Mitsuo Kubo, while a teenager like the protagonists]], is an AttentionWhore who lies and exaggerates about himself in order to make himself look great, and [[spoiler:resorts to murder when his claims of being the town's SerialKiller aren't believed. In addition, while the protagonists are able to accept their flaws and become better people as a result, Kubo stubbornly denies his flaws and insecurities to the end, ending up all the worse for it.]]
131	** The Culprit, [[spoiler:Tohru Adachi, despite being a [[PsychopathicManchild grown man]], has an [[EvilIsPetty extremely petty]] motivation: unlike the teenaged protagonists, he is bitter about the [[HardTruthAesop harsh but true]] reality that sometimes, HardWorkHardyWorks and that there will be people who are [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter better than you]] without really trying. He commits [[SerialKiller two murders]] and tries to bring [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the end of the world]] simply because he feels [[EntitledBastard the world owes him]] success and relationships because of his hard work, something the teenaged protagonists [[ShutUpHannibal call him out on]].]]
132	* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart'': [[BigBad Emperor Nefarious]] is contrasted as the Childish Villain to Ratchet, Clank, Rivet, and Kit (in a standard case of this trope) and his AlternateSelf Dr. Nefarious (in a villain-to-villain variant of this trope).
133	** Ratchet, Clank, Rivet, and Kit all have their personal flaws (Ratchet can be sarcastic and hot-blooded, Clank can be naive, Rivet has IWorkAlone tendencies and a FantasticRacism towards robots, and Kit [[spoiler:suffers from a GuiltComplex for taking away Rivet's arm]]), but they are still good people who do what's right in the end and help other people during their quests. Dr. Nefarious, while a childish villain himself, is still far more mature than Emperor Nefarious since he’s willing to accept and learn from his defeats, be happy with the victories he does get, and [[VillainousValor will also fight his enemies when the going gets tough]].
134	** Emperor Nefarious, on the surface seems like everything Dr. Nefarious wanted to be as a successful villain and conqueror, but ultimately turns out to be a [[TheBully bully]] with a fragile ego that [[OtherMeAnnoysMe Dr. Nefarious can't stand at all once he gets to know him]]. He also believes in winning above all else, which Dr. Nefarious [[VictoryIsBoring points out has left him miserable because he equates happiness with success]] and [[AndThenWhat achieving absolute victory has left him without a purpose now that he's conquered his entire dimension]]. Instead of taking the time to consider that he should stock happiness in more than just conquest, he concludes that he hasn't conquered all dimensions and thus hasn't truly won. While Dr. Nefarious is so used to defeat that he's satisfied to get at least one victory, Emperor Nefarious is so used to winning that he can't even consider the possibility he could lose and undergoes a VillainousBreakdown and SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum when he finally suffers his first true defeat. And while Dr. Nefarious is determined and willing to get his hands dirty when the situation calls for it, Emperor Nefarious is a DirtyCoward who will only fight battles he thinks he can win, and when he's finally being dragged down by a Kraken, [[AintTooProudToBeg he shamelessly and pathetically begs his counterpart to save him]], with [[TheDogBitesBack Dr. Nefarious refusing to help him]].
135	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Dr. Eggman is this to Miles "Tails" Prower. The former is a PsychopathicManchild who is prone to temper tantrums when he loses or things don't go his way, and is full of hubris. The latter, by contrast, is WiseBeyondHisYears, often acts as the mediator between Sonic's friends, and is a HumbleHero.
136	* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'': The BigBad, [[spoiler:Mithos]] Yggdrasil, initially acts as the [[MaskOfSanity composed and calm leader]] of Cruxis, but it's later revealed that the death of his [[spoiler:sister, Martel]] has driven him over the edge that for all of his power and intelligence, he never grew up mentally. He [[DetrimentalDetermination becomes so determined]] to bring [[spoiler:Martel]] back to life that he'll cross any lines to get her back. [[spoiler:When Martel finally intervenes and calls out Mithos for his actions, pointing out that this goes against everything they fought for, Mithos [[IRejectYourReality refuses to accept her words]] and goes LaughingMad, and then deliberately misinterprets her last request to restore the world to the way it was by taking her soul and the Great Seed to Derris-Kharlan just to be with his sister forever, [[MotiveDecay no longer caring about the world]]. When he's finally put down, [[IRegretNothing he states that he doesn't regret any of his actions and he would do them all over again if he could]]]]. [[TheHero Lloyd Irving]] on the other hand, while his ideals also clash with the way the world works, is willing to yield when it's clear he's in the wrong and actually learn from his mistakes, allowing him to undergo CharacterDevelopment and become an AllLovingHero. Lloyd's party members also share some of Yggdrasil's insecurities, but they are able to overcome them by choosing not to go with the [[EvilIsEasy easy solution like he has]].
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
140	* ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'': [[spoiler:[[HopeCrusher Junko Enoshima]]]]'s overall goal is to [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans create a world of despair]] out of a combination of simple [[ForTheEvulz boredom]] and her belief that despair is something that one should wallow in rather than try to overcome. Her beliefs are contradictory, she hates being argued with, [[MoodSwinger changes personalities on a dime]], and is an overall [[PsychopathicManchild childish]] individual. [[HopeBringer Makoto Naegi]], by contrast, while optimistic, is the OnlySaneMan of the group, is willing to engage in logical debates and understands despair as a fact of life to be dealt with rather than some insurmountable obstacle.
141	[[/folder]]
142
143	[[folder:Web Animation]]
144	* ''WebAnimation/{{Monirobo}}'': [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXCmsTZnt0&pp=ygUOTW9uaXJvYm8gYnVsbHk%3D Naoya and Kakeru]] were old classmates in high school who later began working at an IT company. Naoya often acted as a gofer for Kakeru, who was the typical BigJerkOnCampus; [[ChickMagnet popular with girls]], a [[JerkJock star athlete]], and a cocky attitude. Naoya, while unpopular in high school, managed to rise through the ranks at his company through hard work and maturity. Kakeru, as an adult, is a perfect example of someone who [[SchoolyardBullyAllGrownUp peaked in]] [[{{Manchild}} high school]]: acting like he's a big shot because he was popular as a teenager, looking down on his former victim Naoya, ''who is now his boss'', [[InsaneTrollLogic on the "logic" that Naoya was a gofer in high school]], trying ([[CasanovaWannabe and failing]]) to seduce his ''adult'', female coworkers by bragging about his highschool accomplishments, and overall being [[HateSink insufferable]], [[SmallNameBigEgo arrogant]] and immature.
145	* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': While the Blood Gulch Crew are guilty of indulging in childish antics when not involved in some form of galaxy-threatening plot, they prove themselves to be surprisingly mature and responsible fighters when the situation calls for it, even their more oddball members like [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Caboose]]. Meanwhile, three of their greatest foes, Felix, Temple, and Genkins, are varying levels of PsychopathicManchild who are willing to go out of their way to commit crimes out of things like petty spite, boredom, etc. or constantly behave in theatrically over the top CardCarryingVillain manners.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:Web Videos]]
149	* Many of the protagonists and antagonists in ''WebVideo/AppleTexts'' have this dynamic; the protagonists are typically hardworking, responsible, loyal adults who manage to overcome life's setbacks in order to make something of themselves. The antagonists, by contrast, tend to be [[LazyBum lazy]], [[NeverMyFault irresponsible]], [[FairWeatherFriend fickle]] {{Manchild}}ren who are incapable of dealing with even the smallest setbacks, often [[EntitledBastard expecting the protagonists who are mistreated to help them escape the consequences of their actions]].
150	[[/folder]]
151
152	[[folder:Western Animation]]
153	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': Jesus as portrayed in "[[Recap/AmericanDadS6E9RapturesDelight Rapture's Delight]]" is a typical ActionHero who effectively performs his duties as a demon slayer and doesn't have much of a sense of humour. His nemesis, the Anti-Christ, is his opposite in every way, being an immature, flamboyant supervillain who keeps cracking unfunny jokes for his own amusement.
154	* In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'':
155	** Scrooge and Glomgold's rivalry takes this form. Scrooge is a mature, frugal, HonestCorporateExecutive who prefers to focus on running and expanding his business over satisfying petty grudges and rivalries. Glomgold on the other hand, is a [[HotBlooded hot-headed]], wasteful, and dishonest duck who [[ComplexityAddiction puts more energy into trying to kill, one-up, and annoy Scrooge than he does running his company]]. Their reactions to their life's setbacks push them further into the trope; whereas Scrooge used his misfortunes [[MiseryBuildsCharacter to shape himself into the great man he is]], Glomgold sees his mishaps as an excuse to stay a bitter, miserable PsychopathicManchild.
156	** Mark Beaks is a joint ShadowArchetype to Scrooge, Huey, Dewey and Louie with his immaturity.
157	*** Unlike Scrooge, who is hard-working, prefers to let his actions speak for him, and cares little for fame, Beaks is a LazyBum who [[AttentionWhore chases fame]] and would rather focus on looking good than being good.
158	*** Whereas Huey is orderly and selfless, Beaks is a selfish ControlFreak who becomes furious when things don't go his way.
159	*** Dewey is HotBlooded and insecure, yet willing to overcome these flaws. Beaks, on the other hand, allows his emotions and insecurities to consume him.
160	*** Even Louie, who is similar to Beaks in his desire to become rich without work, eventually [[CharacterDevelopment grows out of this behavior]], while Beaks keeps trying to take the easy way out.
161	* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': Used in Book 3 as part of [[spoiler: Simon and Grace's wildly diverging character arcs.]] [[spoiler: Grace]] is responsible for [[spoiler: Simon]] turning into the person they are in the first place along with found The Apex to begin with, but when confronted on the [[spoiler: the truth about the train, and the humanity of the "nulls", realizes how horrifying her actions are and tries to make amends for them and care for the children under her wing.]] In contrast, [[spoiler: Simon]] is so emotionally dependent on both [[spoiler: Grace]] and the narrative that's been fed to them that they deny blatant reality when confronted with their horrible actions, [[spoiler: attempt to kill Grace multiple times, and take over the apex while posing as an edgelord fantasy villain before being horribly melted to death by a Ghom while incoherently laughing and crying from a mixture of shock, grief and terror like the small, scared little boy that he ultimately was.]]
162	* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': [[TheHero Marinette]] and [[AlphaBitch Chloé]] are opposites in many ways, with maturity being one of them. Whereas Marinette is responsible, hard-working, and is willing to put others' wants and needs before her own, Chloé is [[NeverMyFault irresponsible]], expects things [[SpoiledBrat to be handed to her with no work on her part]], and thinks the world [[ItsAllAboutMe revolves around her.]] [[JustifiedTrope Given their upbringings]], it makes ''perfect'' sense that they turned out this way; [[GoodParents Marinette's parents]] are loving, yet willing to be stern with her, whereas [[PushoverParents Chloé's father]] simply gives her whatever she wants while her mother is [[AbusiveParents outright emotionally abusive]]. This contrast even extends to their superhero identities: whereas Ladybug is a no-nonsense hero who views her superhero duties as a responsibility, Chloé thinks of being a superhero as an opportunity for fame and popularity, to the point she once ''[[EngineeredHeroics derailed a train in order to receive praise for stopping it]].''
163	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'':
164	** Season 4 introduces [[ArcVillain Master Chen]], the [[EvilTeacher former sensei of Garmadon]] who despite being a master manipulator often acts like a bratty child who throws tantrums when things don't go his way. This is in contrast to his ex-student and the ninja, who are usually level-headed, humble, responsible, and diligent in their duties to protect those around them.
165	** Season 8 introduces The Quiet One, aka [[spoiler:[[LoveInterestTraitor Harumi]]]]. Once Lloyd discovers her true nature, she reveals her demeanor to be that of a bratty child who throws tantrums when things don't go her way and gloats about her victories, real or presumed. [[spoiler:It's revealed that Harumi was originally a fan of the Ninja until the Great Devourer's attack on Ninjago robbed her of her parents and she blamed the Ninja for failing to save them, while idolizing Lord Garmadon for being the one to kill the Devourer. This led her to secretly become founder of the Sons of Garmadon so she can resurrect him as a being of evil and stand at his side taking over Ninjago.]] Despite calling the Ninja "kids playing dress-up" because Ninjago nearly fell under their watch, [[spoiler:Harumi]] fails to [[{{Hypocrite}} see her own immaturity and realize that her own actions will cause the same pain and trauma she suffered to befall onto other people]]. The Ninja, while not perfect, still do their best to protect Ninjago, and while they each suffered a painful experience, are able to learn from these experiences and keep moving forward rather than remain stuck in the past. Notably, while Lloyd matured and grew up loving his father for the good man he was, [[spoiler:Harumi]] grew up only valuing the evil Lord Garmadon like a little kid indulging in an evil fantasy.
166	* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'':
167	** The episode, "Watching and Dreaming", contrasts Luz and the Collector, particularly the difference in their maturity. The Collector is a powerful RealityWarper, but also [[GooGooGodlike effectively a small child]] who can barely grasp the severe consequences of their actions, [[ObliviouslyEvil putting numerous lives at risk with their idea of a game]]. Luz, on the other hand, also entered the Boiling Isles under the belief that she could live out her fantasies but ultimately learned and matured as a person thanks to her friends and the challenges she faced. [[spoiler:This enables Luz to help the entity make a HeelFaceTurn by showing him how what she, Eda, and King overcame shaped them]].
168	** Luz can also be contrasted in the BigBad, Emperor Belos. [[spoiler:Belos, or rather Philip Wittebane, fantasized of being a [[TheWitchHunter Witch Hunter]] who sought to destroy the forces of evil, similarly to how Luz wanted to be a good witch fighting evildoers. However, whereas Luz was able to live in her fantasies in a way that allowed her to mature and find friends who accept her for who she is, Philip refused to let go of his belief that all witches and demons are inherently evil despite being on the Boiling Isles for centuries, to the point that he was even willing to murder his own brother just for falling in love with a witch and create countless Grimwalkers in an vain attempt to make his [[LovingAShadow idea of his brother a reality]]. Because of this, Philip had no real friends to bring him down to reality and he remained an immature, self-centered, and inculpable KnightTemplar who became so lost in his witch hunter fantasy that he refuses to grasp the possibility that human values might change over the centuries.]]
169	* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'': Although [[KidHero the titular girls]] and Princess Morbucks are both kindergarteners, the Powerpuff Girls, for all of their flaws and naivety, are ultimately good-natured and hard-working children who view being heroes as an [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility important responsibility]]; while they do try to exploit their powers in some episodes, they always regret such actions upon realization. Princess, by contrast, is a SpoiledBrat who whines to her father whenever she wants something, thinks being a hero (as a former LoonyFan of the Powerpuff Girls who initially wished to join them) [[EvilCannotComprehendGood is all about the status and popularity]], abuses her wealth at every opportunity, and doesn't grow an inch in terms of character over the course of the series.
170	* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': Samurai Jack is a humble, kind-hearted, honorable, and selfless man driven to help others out of a sense of responsibility. His patience, while not limitless, is also legendary. In contrast, Aku is petty, immature, callous, and selfish, only wanting to conquer the universe [[ForTheEvulz for the sheer fun of it]], has a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]], and tends to get bored and irritated easily. The episode, "Jack vs. Aku", examines Aku's immaturity further by showing that while Jack believes that fighting Aku is his life's mission and treats it with the utmost seriousness, Aku considers every battle with Jack to be [[ButForMeItWasTuesday some kind of game]] (one that is [[StatusQuoIsGod too long and repetitive]] for him). In Season 5, when Aku destroys every time portal only to discover that Jack can no longer age as a side-effect of his time travel spell, his inability to kill Jack leaves him depressed, but he comes off acting like a teenager or young adult who's simply become bored and confused about what to do with his life. Jack's depression, on the other hand, is seen as more justified, due to his life being full of tragic events (both before and during the series' events).
171	* ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'': The titular spies are this compared to almost every villain they face. While Alex, Sam, and Clover are teenage girls who often act just as immature as their age, they're otherwise decent people who are willing to mature and move on from any the misfortunes that they face. The villains, [[PsychopathicManchild despite mostly consisting of adults]], often resort to their evil acts and plans (including kidnapping, large amounts of property damage and mass murder, to name a few) over extremely [[EvilIsPetty petty grudges and desires]] (such as getting dumped by their romantic partner, being fired from their job, being rejected on social media, etc.).
172	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'': Optimus Prime is the compassionate, selfless Autobot commander who leads with dignity and wisdom, and acts like a father to his troops and human sidekicks Spike and Carly. In contrast, his ArchEnemy Megatron is an ill-tempered BadBoss who constantly gets into childish bickering with his treacherous second-in-command Starscream (himself a whiny incompetent who shrieks OnceAnEpisode about [[TheStarscream his desire to be in charge]]) and [[NeverMyFault frequently refuses]] to take responsibility whenever his EvilPlan of the episode fails. This continues in season 3, where Rodimus Prime tries his best to be a good leader despite his insecurities over replacing Optimus and Galvatron is a PsychopathicManchild who's even more insane than his past self Megatron ever was.
173	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ChildishVillainMatureHero