History Main / JerkWithAHeartOfJerk

* ''Literature/EarthsChildren'': For one small moment in ''The Clan of the Cave Bear'', it seems that Broud might be able to let go of his IrrationalHatred of Ayla after he learns she saved his son's life, even expressing gratitude for it. But when he learns that Ayla saw him being chewed out by Zoug when she watched the hunters practicing to learn how to use a sling (which is how she was able to save him son), he swiftly loses any sliver of respect or goodwill he had started to feel towards her...in fact, he arguably hates her ''even more''.

* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': [[VillainProtagonist The Gang]] are a group of five utter scumbags who are entirely self-centered. Whenever they do something even ''remotely'' heroic, it is always for purely selfish reasons.

* ''WebAnimation/LetMeExplainStudios'': Rebecca's High School Drama Teacher, nicknamed [[MeaningfulName "Medusa"]]. [[note]] Becca points out that the title of "Medusa" ''[[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer really was the teacher's genuine nickname]]'', and she [[CardCarryingVillain wore it like a badge-of-honor]] [[/note]] Throughout Becca's time in High School, [[SadistTeacher Medusa]] had a [[ControlFreak tight grip]] on the theatre department; she was prone to mood-swings and often was verbally abusive towards several of her students, [[TeachersUnfavoriteStudent especially towards Rebecca]], whom she regularly overlooked in castings. But she always gave Becca Straight-A's for being a good student & actress. Then during Senior Year, when Rebecca was auditioning for the lead-role that she greatly desired in a play, was the most qualified for in the entire school, fit every necessary criteria, AND had senior-year student casting priority... Medusa still ''refused to cast her in ANY part'' out of sheer contempt for her, which she [[LackOfEmpathy casually]] [[HiddenDisdainReveal tells other students]]. Upon learning this, Rebecca quit her class then-&-there.

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Both {{Subverted|Trope}} and {{Played straight|Trope}} in the Manga. While Asuka Langley Soryu is an angry and temperamental {{Tsundere}}, who can come across as a {{Jerk with the Heart of a Jerk}} and {{Bitch In Sheeps Clothing}} there are slight moments that show her try to be [[JerkwithaheartofGold compassionate]] to Shinji; after her initial appearance in Volume 4. Unfortunately, neither of the two is able to open up to one another, leading to many angry confrontations between the two over his cowardice and her arrogance. This is {{Played straight|Trope}} completely in the Anime Asuka is not only an angry and temperamental {{Tsundere}}, but who is genuinely a {{Jerk with the heart of a Jerk}} and {{Bitch In Sheeps Clothing}}.

** Roger frequently teases a sympathetic depth to his usually sociopathic self, but the large majority of times it is complete lies (e.g. a convoluted scheme in which he claims to have a shy crush on a girl, this reverts to him being attracted to Hayley and Francine instead, leading to a violent feud, that Roger [[ItMakesSenseInContext tapes for a competition to get a free T-shirt]]). He does have genuine PetTheDog moments on rare occasions, however.
** "Ricky Spanish" applies this trope to one of Roger's fake personas. Ricky is a pariah because he has personally wronged nearly everyone in town. Steve decides to help redeem "Ricky" by helping him do good deeds for the people he harmed in the past. As soon as "Ricky's" reputation is rehabilitated, he teams up with a former partner in crime to perpetrate a heist and frame Steve for it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' episode "Vilgax Must Croak" Ben and his allies must protect Vilgax from Attea and her bounty hunters as they transfer him to a new prison for the sake of Vilgaxia. During the battle, Attea shoots at Ben, only for Vilgax to jump between them (Complete with slow-mo and BigNO). But by TakingTheBullet, Vilgax's manacles were damaged, allowing him to knock Ben out and escape.

** At the end of "Tiegs for Two", it appears Brian and [[SitcomArchnemesis Glen Quagmire]], who had previously announced his hatred for and nearly beat the former to death finally set aside their differences when the latter accepts the former's apology and offers a ride home... only to drive off and back up to run him over.

** Gabriel Agreste is both a [[WhenYouComingHomeDad neglectful parent]] and ControlFreak who does everything he can get away with to isolate his son Adrien from other people, trapping him in constant lessons and modeling jobs. However, on a very rare occasion, he shows that he does care for his son and it's strongly implied that he's just being overprotective. [[spoiler:Of course, since he is Hawk Moth, all of those "rare occasions" become incredibly suspect as ''he's'' the one who is endangering Paris. In the BadFuture of "Cat Blanc", his response to finding out that his son is Cat Noir is to [[MoralEventHorizon turn Adrien into another pawn in his plan]].]]
** Chloé Bourgeois is a total AlphaBitch and SpoiledBrat whose cruel behavior has caused multiple Akumazations throughout the series. In Season 2, her character is fleshed out a bit, showing her FreudianExcuse, and that, very rarely, she ''can'' do some good. She is even allowed to use a Miraculous once or twice to become Queen Bee. Unfortunately, in between those moments, she's still a relentless bitch. [[spoiler:Season 3 has Chloé benched from heroics because her identity is public, and therefore her family is endangered. Rather than understand and accept, Chloé grows resentful of Ladybug, and when Hawk Moth offers her the Bee Miraculous permanently in exchange for the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous, she accepts ''without being Akumatized''.]]

** Every time Shadow Weaver seems to be showing a moment of kindness, it's swiftly revealed that she's spinning a line of bullshit. As an example, in "Light Spinner", she seems to be reaching out to Catra, telling her former ward that she was only [[AbusiveParents so hard on her]] because they were similar, and she wanted Catra to be strong; this is shown, within minutes, to be a complete copper-bottomed lie, told to trick Catra into bringing Shadow Weaver a key tool for her escape. It's also shown in the same episode that her long-past mentorship of Micah was at least in part an attempt to use his vast magical talent in service to her hunger for power.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', whenever Mr. Burns shows any sign of a softer side, he almost always ends up [[StatusQuoIsGod reverting to form by the end of the episode]]. Homer notes, "I guess some people never change. Or they quickly change and then quickly change back." [[spoiler:However, ultimately subverted when he reforms for real -- [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor or at least for a longer period than usual]] -- after the death of his old girlfriend just as they are about to get back together, she had left him years ago when he told her he'd never give up being selfish for anyone, even her.]]

** [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain Cartman]] seems to always have an ulterior motive for any good actions, despite what he has led the audience or other characters to believe. In "Major Boobage", when he wants to save the town's cats from being taken away, it's so bizarrely and honestly charitable that it felt like a MetaTwist. Of course, Cartman does manage to rack up some jerk points when Kyle insinuates that Cartman is a hypocrite for wanting to keep cats hidden in his attic and yet sympathizing with the Nazis while they hunted down European Jews similarly hiding in attics -- and Cartman, who ''knows full well'' what Kyle means, gives a completely disingenuous response.

** In the episode "F.U.N.", [=SpongeBob=] tries to befriend him thinking that if he had at least one friend, Plankton wouldn't be so mean. Plankton goes along to try and get a Krabby Patty, but he appears to turn around and become friendlier. Then [=SpongeBob=] finds out about Plankton's plan and confronts him. Plankton tears up and confesses, adding that "then you showed me friendship, and I realized... that's all I ever really wanted."

** In "What Ever Happened to [=SpongeBob=]?", Squidward is the only member of the group who's happy that [=SpongeBob=] has run away from Bikini Bottom, and even fakes out missing him.

-->'''Dr. Clock:''' Oh, Dr. Kelso's all bluster. I bet underneath it all he's a sweetheart. \\
'''Dr. Cox:''' Oh no, underneath it all he is pure evil. \\
'''Dr. Clock:''' Perry, no one's pure evil, I mean yeah some people have a hard outer shell, but inside everybody has a creamy center. \\
'''Dr. Cox:''' There are plenty of people here, on this particular planet, who are hard on the outside and hard on the inside! \\

* The Governor in ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' was previously established as one of the most feared villains in the series, but after [[BreakTheHaughty losing to Rick and his group of heroes]] he becomes a broken man struggling to survive the ZombieApocalypse. When he runs into a family who opens up their hearts to him and forms a new group with him as the leader he... uses the new group to get revenge on Rick and his friends. He even kills one of the family members who took pity on him in front of everyone.

* King Candy from ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' tells Ralph that he keeps [[GlitchEntity Vanellope]] from racing to protect her. If she got to race and players saw her glitching, they would think the game was broken and it would get unplugged. As a glitch, she would not be able to leave her game, meaning [[CessationOfExistence she goes down with the ship]]. It's true that she'd go down, but that's not why he wants to keep her from racing. [[spoiler:It turns out that Vanellope isn’t a glitch, she’s the rightful main character of ''Sugar Rush''. King Candy is actually Turbo, the lead character from an older, unplugged game who snuck into Vanellope’s game, changed its code to usurped her, and hide everyone’s memories. If Vanellope manages to finish a race, then the game would reset and all of Turbo’s alterations would be undone.]]

* King Candy from ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' tells Ralph that he keeps [[GlitchEntity Vanellope]] from racing to protect her. If she got to race and players saw her glitching, they would think the game was broken and it would get unplugged. As a glitch, she would not be able to leave her game, meaning [[CessationOfExistence she goes down with the ship]]. It's true that she'd go down, but that's not why he wants to keep her from racing. [[spoiler:It turns out that Vanellope isn’t a glitch, she’s the rightful main character of ''Sugar Rush'' who had her memories erased after King Candy usurped her. If Vanellope manages to finish a race, then the game would reset and all of King Candy’s alterations would be undone.]]

* ''WebAnimation/LetMeExplainStudios'': Rebecca's High School Drama Teacher, nicknamed [[MeaningfulName "Medusa"]]. Throughout Becca's time in High School, [[SadistTeacher Medusa]] had a [[ControlFreak tight grip]] on the theatre department; she was prone to mood-swings and often was verbally abusive towards several of her students, [[TeachersUnfavoriteStudent especially towards Rebecca]], whom she regularly overlooked in castings. But she always gave Becca Straight-A's for being a good student & actress. Then during Senior Year, when Rebecca was auditioning for the lead-role that she greatly desired in a play, was the most qualified for in the entire school, fit every necessary criteria, AND had senior-year student casting priority... Medusa still ''refused to cast her in ANY part'' out of sheer contempt for her, which she [[LackOfEmpathy casually]] [[HiddenDisdainReveal tells other students]]. Upon learning this, Rebecca quit her class then-&-there.

* Near the end of ''Literature/{{Wonder|2012}}'', [[spoiler:Julian's friends seem to warm up to deformed August, and you'd think he would eventually too, but nope! He ends up being the only kid in the school to still resent August.]]

May also go hand in hand with GoodFlawsBadFlaws: a character may have a Good Flaw, then repent and apologize... only to turn out to have a Bad Flaw. This character taken to their logical extreme would then become a particularly tragic AntiVillain since such characters [[ObliviouslyEvil genuinely believe themselves reformed]]. In such cases, the character still fits this {{trope}} only if they're [[{{Hypocrite}} smug about their moral struggle]], rather than anguished. The most dangerous example is the KnightTemplar type, such as one who tries to reform their criminal past by murdering other criminals.

* ''WebAnimation/LetMeExplainStudios'': Rebecca's High School Drama Teacher, nicknamed [[MeaningfulName "Medusa"]]. Throughout Becca's time in High School, [[SadistTeacher Medusa]] had a [[ControlFreak tight grip]] on the theatre department; she was prone to mood-swings and often was verbally abusive towards several of her students and [[TeachersUnfavoriteStudent especially towards Rebecca]], regularly overlooking her in castings. But she always gave Becca Straight-A's for being a good student & actress. Then during Senior Year, when Rebecca was auditioning for the lead-role that she greatly desired in a play, was the most qualified for in the entire school, fit every necessary criteria, AND had senior-year student casting priority... Medusa still ''refused to cast her in ANY part'' out of sheer contempt for her, which she [[LackOfEmpathy casually]] [[HiddenDisdainReveal tells other students]]. Upon learning this, Rebecca quit her class then-&-there.

* ''WebAnimation/LetMeExplainStudios'': Rebecca's High School Drama Teacher, nicknamed [[MeaningfulName "Medusa"]]. Throughout Becca's time in High School, [[SadistTeacher Medusa]] had a [[ControlFreak tight grip]] on the theatre department; she was prone to mood-swings and often was verbally abusive towards several of her students and [[TeachersUnfavoriteStudent especially towards Rebecca]], regularly overlooking her in castings. But she always gave Becca Straight-A's for being a good student & actress. Then during Senior Year, when Rebecca was auditioning for the lead-role that she greatly desired in a play, was the most qualified for in the entire school and fit every necessary criteria... Medusa still ''refused to cast her in ANY part'' out of sheer contempt for her, which she [[LackOfEmpathy casually]] [[HiddenDisdainReveal tells other students]]. Upon learning this, Rebecca quit her class then-&-there.

* In ''Series/TheBoys'', ArcVillain and FakeUltimateHero [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Soldier Boy]] tries to convince [[NaiveNewcomer Hughie]] that [[AdaptationalVillainy he's not the monster everyone says he is]], but not too long after this [[ButForMeItWasTuesday he mocks M.M. over his role in his family's death]] before maiming multiple bystanders during his RoaringRampageOfRevenge. Things only get worse from there as [[spoiler:he's revealed to be an even worse {{narcissist}} than [[LukeIAmYourFather his son Homelander]] as he had a long line of physical and emotional abuse directed towards everyone in his life, before [[WouldHurtAChild attempting to kill his own grandson]]. WellIntentionedExtremist [[TheLeader Butcher]] in the end decides that his RoaringRampageOfRevenge against Homelander isn't worth letting a monster like him run loose anymore]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn_bLGhZCaY The Top Anime Guide to Tsundere]] and completely tears apart the character trope]] from the perspective of a [[DamnedByAFoolsPraise tsundere fan who awkwardly tries to defend them]]. He starts with the premise "[[NotEvilJustMisunderstood tsunderes are not bitches, they're just misunderstood]]." However, he misunderstood]]", yet describes them as lashing out for petty reasons, only to turn around and insist they are not so bad. He ends with by [[FreudianSlip slipping out]] "[[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk tsunderes are not misunderstood, they're bitches]]", and then goes back to defending them again.

* In ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' Captain Hammer, who Dr. Horrible/Billy's crush, Penny, thinks of as sweet on the inside, despite being [[SmugSuper a bit full of himself]]. The truth is Captain Hammer is only being nice to Penny to get in her pants and ''simultaneously'' piss off the eponymous character. Lampshaded when Penny states that he must have a deeper layer that's different from the one on the surface, Billy replies that he sometimes there's a third, even deeper level and that one's the same as the top surface level... like pie.
* ''WebVideo/EpicsGameshows'' had [=DevinWithDevin=], who was a relentless bully who showed no signs of kindness or an improved attitude as the season went on.
* ''WebVideo/{{Gigguk}}'' deconstructs the {{tsundere}} archetype by portraying them as deep down cruel and mean:
* The [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk "Tsundere"]] in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN-65xgI-bw&t=1m25s Your Waifu IS Real]] seems attracted but awkward to Gigguk, but when he points out she should be mean she shifts to calling him a pathetic nerd and hitting him. Her subsequent "It's not because I like you or anything" comes of as far more true than a typical tsundere.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn_bLGhZCaY com/watch?v=qxmFT6nFprs The Top Anime Guide to Tsundere]] and completely tears apart the character trope]] from the perspective of a [[DamnedByAFoolsPraise tsundere fan who awkwardly tries to defend them]]. He starts with the premise "[[NotEvilJustMisunderstood tsunderes are not bitches, they're just misunderstood]]." However, he misunderstood]]", yet describes them as lashing out for petty reasons, only to turn around and insist they are not so bad. He ends with by [[FreudianSlip slipping out]] "[[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk tsunderes are not misunderstood, they're bitches]]", and then goes back to defending them again.

* ''WebVideo/Gigguk'' deconstructs the {{tsundere}} archetype by portraying them as deep down cruel and mean:

* ''LightNovel/SoImASpiderSoWhat'': The self-proclaimed Evil God "D" enjoys watching Kumoko struggle and is more than willing to mete out fear and pain if slandered. Despite this, she was responsible for creating [[spoiler:the System meant to save the world]], hinting she's not that bad. And then it's revealed she could have just fixed the problem instantly. [[spoiler:The System]] was created solely to amuse "D" but she got ''bored'' and stopped paying attention, allowing multiple problems to grow out of control and result in the whole thing nearly collapsing.