Quirky Good - TV Tropes

Here's an index of tropes that deal with good people being what is totally not expected of them, or at least not the typical behavior you'd expect of your average good guy. Expect a lot of Moral Guardians to complain about their morality.

Compare Hidden Evil and Reformed, but Not Tamed, the latter of which overlaps a lot with this. Contrast Index with a Heart of Gold, which is like this index, but seen from a different perspective.

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• On Actions And Results
  • Cruel to Be Kind: Are some acts of cruelty done for the good of the people involved?
  • Knight Templar: They really believe they're in the right, and they may even look like it. They're also quite wrong.
  • Necessarily Evil: How could an evil deed result in a greater good?
  • Shoot the Dog: Good guys doing morally grey actions because they have to be done.
  • Tough Love: Sometimes, to make your loved ones better people, you gotta treat 'em harshly.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Otherwise good guys who resort to extreme methods to achieve their good goals.
• On Criminals
  • Loveable Rogue: Why does everyone see that sneaky felon as a hero?
  • Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: Why are gangsters seen as heroic?
• On Darkness and Beings Thereof
  • Ascended Demon: How could a demonic being be accepted into the circle of the holy?
  • Benevolent Monsters: Would you believe that these potentially dangerous monsters wouldn't hurt a fly?
  • Dark Is Not Evil: Usually, goodness is aligned with light. Not with this character.
    • The Sacred Darkness: Is darkness actually a force for good?
  • Friendly Ghost: Depictions of ghosts being friendly and/or jovial instead of frightening.
  • Friendly Neighborhood Vampire: Vampires usually prey on people's blood, so how can they be anything but evil?
  • Sheep in Wolf's Clothing: Can a good guy stay a good guy even if they turn into a monster?
  • Token Heroic Orc: Can a supposedly Always Chaotic Evil being really be fighting for the side of good?
• On Heroes
  • Anti-Hero: How can they be good if they lack the usual qualities of a hero?
  • The Anti-Nihilist: It doesn't matter if the world is meaningless or not. Give it meaning.
  • Byronic Hero: Heroes should be humble and content, not selfish and brooding.
  • Classical Anti-Hero: Shouldn’t heroes be morally perfect instead of having gigantic flaws?
  • Creepy Good: There's something about the good guy that's...unnerving.
    • Unstable Horror Ally: When you're in a horror story, even your sidekick or helper can be scary. They might even be able to hurt you, though they probably don't mean to.
  • Designated Hero: Is this character really good?
  • Hero Antagonist: Isn't the antagonist expected to be the bad guy?
  • Hero with an F in Good: Shouldn't being a good guy be easy?
  • Knight in Sour Armor: Heroes aren't supposed to be jaded.
  • Mr. Vice Guy: Aren't good guys supposed to be squeaky-clean and flawless in personality?
  • Nominal Hero: How are they considered good if they don't have the right motivations?
  • Pragmatic Hero: Good guys who won't hesitate to resort to doing dirty jobs if it can help their good goal.
  • Punch-Clock Hero: Being good is only a job for them.
  • Sociopathic Hero: Why is a sociopath on the side of good?
  • Terror Hero: Isn't preying upon people's fears supposed to be a bad guy trait?
  • Underhanded Hero: How can someone who uses such nefarious tactics be a hero?
  • Unscrupulous Hero: These heroes are morally questionable, and are only "good" compared to the bad guys they fight.
  • Villain Killer: Should a hero have the blood of so many villains on their hands?
• On Honesty
  • Beware the Honest Ones: Honest people are harder to predict than dishonest people.
  • Brutal Honesty: Since telling the truth is seen as a good thing, why does it have to be cruel and unpleasant?
• On Intelligence
  • Brains Evil, Brawn Good: Are good people really supposed to solve problems by hitting things to be heroic?
  • Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Aren't good people supposed to have knowledge of how evil works?
  • Good Is Dumb: Good people are supposed to be wise.
• On Law
  • Chaotic Good: Aren't good guys supposed to follow the rules?
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: (Usually) good guys who go against the rules in order to reach a good goal.
• On Mannerisms
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Nice guys don't usually lose their temper.
  • Deathbringer the Adorable: How could a harmless creature have a threatening name?
  • Crazy Cat Lady: She's very loving towards her pets. Why couldn't she be the same to people?
  • Good Is Not Nice: Good guys aren't supposed to be Jerkasses.
    • Polite Villains, Rude Heroes: Not only that, the villain manages to be a nicer guy than the hero.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: They're a jerk and a nice guy. Really?
  • Loon with a Heart of Gold: Can a loon be really a good guy?
  • Naughty Is Good: Aren't good kids supposed to be nice and well-behaved?
  • The Snark Knight: Good guys should just try to live to their standards instead of belittling themselves or other people over it.
  • Socially Awkward Hero: These heroes are more afraid of social situations than of actual dangers to life and limb.
• On Mercy
  • Cruel Mercy: Letting someone off the hook so they can suffer an even worse punishment.
  • Pay Evil unto Evil: Doing bad things to bad people makes you good.
• On Moral Principles
  • Being Good Sucks: Usually, doing good things is beneficial.
  • Good Flaws, Bad Flaws: A good guy should be morally spotless, right?
  • Good Needs Evil: Good guys are supposed to hate evil. Why would they need it?
  • Good Is Boring: Aren't good guys supposed to be cool?
  • Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Smoking is usually considered immoral.
  • Hero with Bad Publicity: Why aren't these good guys beloved and respected?
  • Protagonist-Centered Morality: How can this character remain good for doing the same things bad guys do?
  • Rightly Self-Righteous: Even if he's morally in the right, does he have to boast about it?
  • Smiting Evil Feels Good: Being bloodthirsty is only good when you do it to the bad guys. Right?
• On Physical Appearance
  • Face of a Thug: The character has an intimidating face, even though he/she is actually anything but.
  • Gentle Giant: The character is practically a Kaiju to everyone else, but they love and care for each other nonetheless.
  • Horrifying Hero: The main hero is creepy looking.
  • Ugly Hero, Good-Looking Villain: Evil Makes You Ugly doesn't apply to this trope.
• On Powers
  • Bad Powers, Good People: Aren't heroes supposed to have good-natured powers?
  • Destructive Saviour: Saving the day by causing a lot of destruction.
• On Prejudice
  • Noble Bigot: Good guys aren't supposed to act like bigots.
    • Noble Bigot with a Badge: Neither should cops.
  • Politically Incorrect Hero: This hero has screwed up beliefs.
• On Redemption
  • Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: Okay, you've forgiven this bad guy. Why are you still bitter on him?
  • Reformed, but Not Tamed: Okay, this bad guy has turned to the good side. Why is he still violent and bloodthirsty?
  • Reformed, but Rejected: Your attempt to join the good guys gets turned down.
    • Heel–Face Door-Slam: That guy was about to turn good. Why did they kill him?
• On Religion
  • Anti-Anti-Christ: This evil apocalypse bringer is our hero?
  • Dark Shepherd: Should this person inspire us to be good instead of scaring us?
  • Holy Is Not Safe: Aren't holy things supposed to be helpful instead of dangerous?
  • Nun Too Holy: Aren't nuns supposed to be virtuous?
    • Naughty Nuns: Aren't nuns supposed to be chaste?
  • Omniscient Morality License: How can a good divine being get the freedom of being a complete tool?
  • Satan Is Good: Satan isn't the ultimate evil after all?
  • Secular Hero: Aren't good people expected to be religious?
  • Scary Amoral Religion: How can a religion like that be considered good?
• On Settings
  • Beware the Superman: Being around a superhero should be safe, right?
  • Black-and-Gray Morality: Those bitter, bloodthirsty heroes are fighting for us?
  • Good Versus Good: Wait a minute, why are heroes fighting each other?
• On Sexuality
  • Ethical Slut: Aren't good people sexually pure?
    • Chivalrous Pervert and Handsome Lech: These deviants are our heroes?
    • Good Bad Girl and Hooker with a Heart of Gold: These whores are our heroines?
  • Good Adultery, Bad Adultery: When did adultery became a good thing?
  • Heroic Seductress: Why is someone this open about their sexuality a good guy?
• On Teammates
  • Aloof Ally: Good guys should be more open towards their teammates.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: There must be a good reason why their "friends" don't like him.
  • Friendly Rivalry: They’re friendly with each other, so why are they rivals?
  • Headbutting Heroes: Aren't good guys supposed to get along with each other?
  • Hero Harasses Helpers: Aren't good guys supposed to accept help without condition?
  • Psycho Supporter: Is it okay that a mentally-ill person supports the good guys? Just imagine the things they would do...
  • Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Good guys who individually seem out-there and don't look like they fit each other.
  • Sarcastic Devotee: A good teammate shouldn't mock and belittle their teammates.
  • Sour Supporter: A good teammate should've believed in the team's ability to survive and succeed.
  • Token Evil Teammate: Why is a clearly bad guy accepted on the good guy's side?
    • Boxed Crook: Is it because the heroes blackmailed/bribed him?
  • Token Good Teammate: Why is a good guy on the side of villains?
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Why would the good guys play pranks with and insult each other?
• On Violence
  • Exalted Torturer: How is torturing others considered good?
  • Good Is Not Soft: Aren't good guys supposed to solve conflicts with peace and mercy?
  • Guilt-Free Extermination War: Killing millions of people is presented as good?
  • Hitman with a Heart: How could someone so kind take a job of killing?
  • Technical Pacifist: Aren’t pacifists supposed to avoid hurting people instead of hurting them less?
  • War Crime Subverts Heroism: How is someone who commits a war crime a good guy?

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