History Main / CelibateHero

** The main games play this straight, as despite Aloy being a DudeMagnet ''[[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and]]'' a ChickMagnet, she never reciprocates any romantic feelings. She mostly ignores their propositions, except for one or two especially obvious ones, which she turns down without player input. It is implied that she might have feelings for one or two people, such as Varl, but by the end of the game [[spoiler:Varl views her as the Anointed child of the All-Mother, which makes her ''very'' uncomfortable and completely ruins any chance at romance]].
** In the expansion of ''VideoGame/HorizonForbiddenWest'', ''Burning Shores'', as Aloy ends up falling in love with [[spoiler:Seyka -- a similarly shunned Quen Warrioress -- and by the end, the player can either choose to have Aloy enter into a relationship with Seyka, even having a BigDamnKiss with her, subverting this trope, or play it straight and have Aloy reject her and admit that she is either not ready for a relationship, or doesn't have the time or freedom to enter one due to her mission and the state of the world.]]

* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'': Despite Aloy being a DudeMagnet ''[[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and]]'' a ChickMagnet, she never reciprocates any romantic feelings. She mostly ignores their propositions, except for one or two especially obvious ones, which she turns down without player input. It is implied that she might have feelings for one or two people, such as Varl, but by the end of the game [[spoiler:Varl views her as the Anointed child of the All-Mother, which makes her ''very'' uncomfortable and completely ruins any chance at romance]]. On the other hand though, Aloy also met a similarly shunned Quen Warrioress and if the player chooses, she can repriprocate her feelings with a kiss between them.

* One Feat offering in the ''Tabletopgame/DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Book of Exalted Deeds'' is Vow of Chastity, which gives a Player Character benefits, so long as he or she remains chaste. This Feat is a prerequisite for two Prestige Classes (one of which is female-only and involves gaining a unicorn as your companion, naturally).
* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' gives us the Chastity disadvantage, giving your Celibate Hero functional rules for what that entails. Humorous footnote: The Eunuch disadvantage was also available (to males) in earlier editions, but its value was dropped from 5 points to a 1-point 'quirk' because too many MinMaxing players were taking it.

* Space Marines in ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' generally live monklike lifestyles, but even the more BoisterousBruiser types like the Space Wolves, who spend their off time feasting, drinking and carousing rather than praying, don't appear to have any interest in sex. There are occasional mentions of some aspirants or neophytes having sex, for example one Space Wolf supposedly deflowered a dozen virgins the night before his initiation, but full Battle Brothers are completely celibate. According to some versions of the lore, this is either due to psychological conditioning, the process of converting a human into an Astartes making them asexual, or them being literal eunuchs.
* For the last 1,000 years the Church of Ulric in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' has demanded its priests (including, obviously, the warrior priests that can be fielded in some games) take a vow of celibacy. However, the church remembers why they do this -- because of some petty politics by a nobleman scared they would start a dynasty. As such many Ulricans do not take these vows particularly seriously.

* Rorschach in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' is depicted as having a total fear of anything sexual, which is implied to be the result of [[FreudianExcuse traumatic childhood experiences]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'': Parson would rather not be, but nobody he's interested in can consent in a way he considers meaningful thanks to power discrepancy. This raises some eyebrows in-universe since hooking up with attractive underlings whenever you want is generally considered one of the perks of command.

** Light Yagami, the VillainProtagonist doesn't seem to desire sex or romance (though he fits both "Love is a Distraction," given his obsession with the Death Note and "Love is Beneath Me," due to blatant narcissism), and treats his {{Love Interest|s}} [[SmittenTeenageGirl Misa]] quite coldly. He is ''fully'' aware of such matters, and uses the very ''idea'' of sexuality for his own benefit -- [[spoiler:pretending to read porn, supposedly unaware, in front of many security cameras designed to determine his likelihood of being Kira to ward off suspicion]]. Basically, Light only has sex if it benefits him. To him, [[TheCharmer his]] [[ChickMagnet sex]] [[TheCasanova appeal]] is a tactic -- he's quite possibly incapable of feeling 'love' or 'desire' in a romantic sense. Even when [[spoiler:Light plays a truly spectacular MemoryGambit and temporarily turns good]], his feelings for Misa are still unclear. He is clearly concerned for her safety and treats her much more warmly, but since this change applies to the way he treats everyone, it need not suggest real "love". Of course, even if he wanted to progress their relationship further, being [[spoiler:handcuffed to L 24/7 would make it somewhat difficult.]]

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Lelouch Lamperouge, who has many characters, such as Shirley, Kallen, and Milly vying for his affection, along with every girl in his school. Lelouch, however, is a Celibate Hero who doesn't have the time for romance. Instead, he focuses on [[BigBrotherInstinct winning a war for his little sister]]. The only reason we know he's not a ChasteHero is because of that one time he asked Kallen to "comfort" him.

* Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog is completely uninterested in the advances of [[ClingyJealousGirl Amy Rose]], or the flirtations of [[FemmeFataleSpy Rouge the Bat]]. He has shown a softer side around [[DefrostingIceQueen Blaze the Cat]], though that's more because he's trying to get her to open up to friendship rather than romance. Even his interactions with [[TheScrappy the fandom's worst nightmare]], [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Princess Elise]], don't go any further than {{starboarding}}. This is mandated by Creator/{{Sega}}: one of the series' rules is that Sonic can't date, with [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Archie Comics]] only getting away with it for so long due to a GrandfatherClause.

* [[Characters/TheOwlHouseLilithClawthorne Lilith Clawthorne]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' admits in a VoiceoverLetter to [[spoiler:Hooty]] that was featured in a charity livestream that while she feels joy for other people experiencing romance, she's never personally had any interest in it for herself. It's implied at the time (and later confirmed by her voice actress) that she's aromantic asexual but doesn't realize it.

* Vash from ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' is. Especially in the manga. He fakes being passed out in order to avoid the "favors" of prostitutes, spends an inordinate amount of his free time thinking about his dead mother figure, doesn't want any woman to see his scars, and avoids any kind of romantic or sexual relationship, be it with Luida, Meryl or Jessica.

* Although Cole in ''{{Series/Tracker}}'' did have a wife and daughter who were murdered, he becomes this on Earth because although he was developing feelings for Mel, he feared they would distract him and get one or both of them injured. Hard telling if it would've continued if the show had gone on though.

* ''VideoGame/LonelyWolfTreat'': ** Trick is the sole protagonist who's not interested in being in a relationship, as they never had a crush before and don't really have a type.

* Lancelot du Lac in the early years of ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'' (in the Contemporary Arc he was studying to be a minister). Then the plot happened. Lancelot ceasing to be an example directly led to another one, Galahad. At one point, Morgan asks Galahad ''why'' the Christian God requires celibacy from his most devout followers, and he disproves her inclusion of "humorlessness" among the virtues he embodies by joking that maybe God doesn't want "[[SelfDeprecation self-righteous prigs]]" to reproduce.
* Howlett, TheHero in ''Webcomic/DailyGrind'', is madly in love with Jolene, the [[BigGuy Big Gal]] in the comic's FiveManBand, and she's madly in love with him. But they seem unlikely to ever consummate their relationship since: a) he's a snake and she's a squirrel and neither's quite sure how to make that work physically; b) he was her legal guardian till she turned 18, and even though he's only 5 years older than her, the suggestion of WifeHusbandry gives him the {{Squick}}; and c) Jo is violently UsefulNotes/{{asexual}} due to her various blood chemistry imbalances and her AbusiveParents.
* Kit in ''Webcomic/TheDreadful'' is an AntiHero example. As a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Devikin]] having to deal with FantasticRacism that causes many women of her race to resort to prostitution, she's sworn off of sex. She also tries to hold her sister, Poe, to the same standard, much to Poe's frustration.
* Nathan Hale is the Celibate Smart Guy in ''Webcomic/TheDreamer''.
* Gary from ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'', as explained by [[MrExposition Team Exposition]] on the whereabouts of the rest of the team:

* Parson from ''{{Webcomic/Erfworld}}'' would rather not be, but nobody he's interested in can consent in a way he considers meaningful thanks to power discrepancy. This raises some eyebrows in-universe since hooking up with attractive underlings whenever you want is generally considered one of the perks of command.
* Theo from ''Webcomic/GoldCoinComics'', who is a Monk.

* ''Webcomic/{{Nightvee}}'': Nightvee is oblivious to romance.

* The Reverend Theo of ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' is a literal version, since he took a vow of chastity. He eventually gets married, averted the trope but keeping true to his vow.
** Captain Tagon has been shown to be firmly in the "bad relationship experience in the past". That is to say, the last girlfriend he brought home [[spoiler:turned out to be an assassin, rigged with flesh-eating nanobots. The nanobots' first victim was his mother...and then it got worse until his father had to step in and KillItWithFire]].
* Jue Viole Grace from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', who obviously knows what sex is, yet has no intention of having it. This tends to piss a few women off.

** There are three goddesses who vowed eternal celibacy in most versions: [[LadyOfWar Athena/Minerva,]] [[ArcherArchetype Artemis/Diana,]] and [[AllLovingHero Hestia/Vesta.]] Remarkably, they're named in the Homeric Hymns as the ''only entities in the universe'' over whom [[LoveGoddess Aphrodite]] has no power. (For reference, Aphrodite can even control ''Zeus'' in this department.) A few other goddesses sometimes get added, although not consistently: [[DarkIsNotEvil Hecate/Trivia,]] for example, is sometimes a virgin goddess but sometimes described as having kids.

* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'': Despite Aloy being a DudeMagnet ''[[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and]]'' a ChickMagnet, she never reciprocates any romantic feelings. She mostly ignores their propositions, except for one or two especially obvious ones, which she turns down without player input. It is implied that she might have feelings for one or two people, such as Varl, but by the end of the game [[spoiler:Varl views her as the Anointed child of the All-Mother, which makes her ''very'' uncomfortable and completely ruins any chance at romance]].

* ''Fanfic/TriptychContinuum'': Zigzagged with Applejack, part of the world-saving Bearers. She ''is'' looking for a lover, but she has ''very'' specific tastes -- must be male, an earth pony, a hard worker, not too many years difference in age to her, capable of going with comparatively little sleep, strong and durable -- and this combined with her aggressive efforts in searching for Mr. Right and her usual tendency to look in winter and then "try them out" by having them work alongside her in the spring (on the Acres, for multiple shifts, at least twelve hours at a stretch) means she's had absolutely no luck in finding somepony just yet, or at least in finding somepony who won't gallop away from her on every subsequent meeting. The locals she's tried dating have formed the opinion that what she's looking for isn't so much a coltfriend or even a husband as it is a source of free live-in farm-labor added to complimentary stud service; this opinion is described as "unfair, and unkind, but ''not'' entirely inaccurate." Applejack isn't exactly looking to just find a decently healthy earth pony stallion to stud her and then raise the foals on her own -- but romance would pretty much have to fall on her head if it was going to get her attention, and with Apple Bloom seemingly on track for a non-farming mark and Big Mac impossible to herd into dating, her current top priority is to make sure the farm has a next generation.

[[caption-width-right:300:''Get. Off.'']]