History Main / PunchClockHero

* The Ravens in ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' fall into this category, being mercenaries, profit means everything in a CrapsackWorld.

* ComicBook/LukeCage and Comicbook/IronFist, ''ComicBook/HeroesForHire''! Cage is so dedicated to his job that he once shook down Dr. Doom himself for just $200 owed to him. Throughout the various other incarnations of the team, the dynamic has shifted a little now and then - to the point that in the latest version, "for hire" means "available to do a favor for Misty Knight".

* Paladin, a Marvel character usually found with ComicBook/{{Spider Man}} and/or ComicBook/SilverSable. Truly a mercenary, he's rarely willing to perform heroics unless there's profit involved. While Spidey often expresses disgust (privately) at such a policy, Paladin's attitude is, he does it to make a living. (And to his credit, he's almost always on the heroes' side, rather than against it.)

** Intended to be a {{Deconstruction}} of ''Comicbook/{{Superman}}''. He's so dispassionate that he responds to natural disasters by having a computer calculate who he rescues instead of deciding it himself. He explains that he can't decide who to save himself because he values everyone.

* ''Film/TheMask'' only wants to have fun, [[ChaoticNeutral no matter if someone gets hurt along the way,]] and will fight those who cause trouble to either The Mask and Stanley or the people they care about. (but not in [[Comicbook/TheMask the original comics]], where the title mask seemingly makes anyone who wears it AxCrazy and ultraviolent)

* ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}'': Local ComicBook/BlackLightning[=/=]Luke Cage {{Expy}} [[ElectricBlackGuy Volt]] was originally a superhero bounty hunter who would turn in supervillains and criminals for the reward money. When another superhero told him he shouldn't be performing heroics for money, he told them that his electromagnetic powers meant he couldn't go near electronics without destroying them, so it was basically impossible for him to hold down a civilian job.

* Booster Gold in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' started off as this, wanting to become rich and famous because he was unsuccessful in the 25th century where he came from.

** There are some heroes in the Hero Association registry who call themselves heroes but who don't really ''act'' like heroes. This is particularly prevalent among S-Class heroes, most of whom are drunk with their own power, care more about competing with each other than helping people, or have some serious KnightTemplar tendencies. One of those very heroes (Flashy Flash) outright states the Association chooses S-Class heroes not based on any "moral character", but on [[OneManArmy raw power]] that normal people just don't possess (and this is the main reason why S-Class came into being in the first place, as these powerful heroes went largely unnoticed in the rankings compared to the rest). [[ZigzaggedTrope however]] - despite their arrogancy and rude behaviour, many of the heroes are still [[HiddenHeartOfGold good people]] [[HumansAreFlawed deep down]] that put their lives on the line to protect the innocent from monsters and criminals, [[BreakTheHaughty sometimes experiencing tough lessons in life.]]

* In ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsImASupervillain'', Penny's parents imply that most supers on both sides are just in it for the brawl, rather than an actual desire to do good or evil. Lucyfar, especially, is noted to switch between hero and villain on the fly.

* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'': Kento Nanami is only a Jujutsu sorcerer because risking your life fighting dangerous monsters and dealing with [[TheGadfly Satoru Gojo]] every day is only marginally less shitty than working a boring office job. Nanami is this trope in a literal sense, as he vowed to himself to work for no more than 8 hours. If he hits "overtime", he gets a drastic power boost, ensuring that work gets done then and there.

* The titular character of ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' is like this initially. He doesn't go to defeat the dragon and save the princess out of heroism or duty, but because he cut a deal with Farquaad to move the ghetto for exiled magical creatures off his land.

* The whole ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' crew, most of the time. Illustrated well during an early scene in [[Anime/CowboyBebopKnockinOnHeavensDoor the movie]] when a robber holds an old woman at gunpoint. Spike's reaction? "Well, that's a real shame. But, we're not cops and we're not from some [[WeHelpTheHelpless charity organization]]. Sorry lady, we don't protect or serve. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney This is strictly business."]] (This distracts the robber -- and enrages the hostage -- sufficiently for him to get a clean shot off). Jet weakly protests "I know you don't mean that, Spike!" and whether or not the crew as a whole are good for the sake of goodness or just for the cash is left ambiguous throughout.

* ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'':
** Many adventurers pick quests that would earn them good money and fame. This results that many of the professionals only pick quests that not only pay well, but would would also improve their reputation. Due to this, low-level quests are mostly picked by beginners, by many of them die to their lack of experience. Goblin slaying quests are easy enough that beginners can still clear them, but they are also risky, and many of the professionals dismiss these quests because the payment is too low for its risk factor and doesn't increase their fame all at much. And since goblins are a recurring problem, a lot of villages are unable to help themselves against them. Goblin Slayer is the only professional who devotes himself to only goblin quests, due to his personal hatred against them. Since he witnessed firsthand how terrible they are, he has devoted all of his skills in killing goblins and nothing else. While he occasionally picks up quests when he needs some money, he ultimately doesn't care how much he's paid as long as he can kill goblins. However, Goblin Slayer doesn't care for any other quest that could threaten the world, simply by the logic that if he's not killing goblins, someone else might die because of goblins. It also should be pointed out that high-level quests involve much more stronger and more threatening monsters than goblins could hope to become, so it's not really a bad thing that the other professionals are picking exclusively those quests.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': A given since it's CyberPunk. The vast majority of the cast qualify, it's only Katsuya who has heroic aspirations… and he's a {{Satire}} of the StockShonenHero who serves as TheRival. Most of the cast are PrivateMilitaryContractors and OnlyInItForTheMoney a majority of the time, which includes the protagonist Akira whenever it's not a case of ItsPersonal. Despite how nice Elena and Sara seem, they still pull a highway robbery when asked for rescue by stranded hunters, for example. With Sheryl and her gang, it's about just surviving in a place where the weak are brutally weeded out.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'''s Solid Snake fights the good fight at first because he believes in his cause. Unfortunately, with each successive EvilPlan, ManBehindTheMan and [[BecauseDestinySaysSo Because The Patriots Say So]], his cynicism gets worse. In the first game, he's respectful of his opponents and their ideals. In the fourth game, after defeating enemies that were literally brainwashed into committing atrocities and being told their tragic backstories, he dismisses them as just excuses. He's only fighting because he has a mission, and ultimately cares very little for anything beyond the completion of that mission and his own personal revenge.
* The gist of Zero's [[Awesome/MegaManZero awesome]] NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech[=/=]ShutUpHannibal at the end of ''VideoGame/MegaManZero 4''.
-->I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero... I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** This is Vector the Crocodile's typical motivation in the series: His detective agency gets very few customers despite him having considerable sleuthing talent. It forces him to find anything that can even remotely earn him money to make ends meet, whether it's [[VideoGame/SonicColors traveling to another planet]] or [[VideoGame/SonicRiders competing in hoverboard races]]. He just happens to always find himself against whoever the villain of that game may be.
** He's more noble than your typical example, however. He won't get involved with anything dirty or illegal, no matter how much it pays, and he is known to help people who need it for free, such as finding lost children.
* You know ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'''s Sam Fisher is one when he remembers that he forgot to do the laundry in ''Chaos Theory''. He's a soldier with a mission, and he'll do it. On the other hand, by the time of ''Conviction'', he still has a mission, but it's one he's given himself... and he's ''much more dangerous'' for it.

* You know ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'''s Sam Fisher is one when he remembers that he forgot to do the laundry]] in ''Chaos Theory''. He's a soldier with a mission, and he'll do it. On the other hand, by the time of ''Conviction'', he still has a mission, but it's one he's given himself... and he's ''much more dangerous'' for it.

* VideoGame/{{Rayman}} is portrayed like this in his first game; after the narrator cries, "RAYMAN TO THE RESCUE!", Rayman is then shown lounging at a beach. He then lazily gives out a thumbs-up, saying, "No problem."

* Franchise/DragonBall:
** In Anime/DragonBallZ (DBZ) and Anime/DragonBallSuper (DBS), [[Characters/DragonBallVegeta Vegeta]] can be seen as an example of both a Punch-Clock Hero and a NominalHero. The reason why is because throughout the DBZ and DBS franchises (in both the manga and the anime) Vegeta has a HeelFaceTurn as he transforms from a villain into ''somewhat'' of good guy, but he's not an AllLovingHero like [[Characters/DragonBallSonGoku Goku]] and the rest of the Z Fighters. Vegeta only fights on the side of good because:

** Many adventurers pick quests that would earn them good money and fame. This results that many of the professionals only pick quests that not only pay well, but would would also improve their reputation. Due to this, low-level quests are mostly picked by beginners, by many of them die to their lack of experience. Goblin slaying quests are easy enough that beginners can still clear them, but they are also risky, and many of the professionals dismiss these quests because the payment is too low for its risk factor and doesn't increase their fame all at much. And since goblins are a recurring problem, a lot of villages are unable to help themselves against them. Goblin Slayer is the only professional who devotes himself to only goblin quests, due to his personal hatred against them. Since he witnessed first hand how terrible they are, he has devoted all of his skills in killing goblins and nothing else. While he occasionally picks up quests when he needs some money, he ultimately doesn't care how much he's paid as long as he can kill goblins. However, Goblin Slayer doesn't care for any other quest that could threaten the world, simply by the logic that if he's not killing goblins, someone else might die because of goblins. It also should be pointed out that the high-level quests involve much more stronger and more threatening monsters than goblins could hope to become, so it's not really a bad thing that the other professionals are picking exclusively those quests.

* When Terryman first appeared in ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'', he was charging money for defeating the monsters that threatened Japan. The Japanese government went along with it because the alternative was relying on [[IdiotHero Kin]] to do it. Terry got a swelled head, but after Kin gave him a slap for laughing at child offering chump change to save his father, changed his ways.
* Some heroes in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' are fighting for fame and money or revenge rather than justice. Those type of heroes are also the main targets of the HeroKiller Stain. Uraraka in particular notes that the money is a big part of why she became a hero and feels embarrassed about it. It's pointed out that her real motive (she wants to support her working class parents) is pretty sympathetic, and that the opinion of a crazy serial killer isn't one that should be taken seriously.

** Saitama is ostensibly just a hero as a hobby, something which sated his boredom before he became [[ComicallyInvincibleHero so strong he could defeat all his opponents in]] [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin one punch]]. He also joined the Hero Association purely for the pay. [[SubvertedTrope However]], he eventually he shows little to no care for his ranking in the Hero Association, often willingly being a scapegoat when other Heroes mess up in order to preserve their reputations, and while the pay is nice, he was doing the hero thing on his own anyway, so joining the Association and getting paid for his efforts was simply a nice bonus.
** There are some heroes in the Hero Association registry who call themselves heroes but who don't really ''act'' like heroes. This is particularly prevalent among Class S heroes, most of whom are drunk with their own power, care more about competing with each other than helping people, or have some serious KnightTemplar tendencies. One of those very heroes (Flashy Flash) outright states the Association chooses S-Class heroes not based on any "moral character", but on [[OneManArmy raw power]] that normal people just don't possess. ZigzaggedTrope however - despite their arrogancy and rude behaviour, many of the heroes are still [[HiddenHeartOfGold good people]] [[HumansAreFlawed deep down]], that put their lives on the line to protect the innocent from monsters and criminals, [[BreakTheHaughty sometimes experiencing tough lessons in life.]]

** This does get examined and, to an extent, deconstructed in the latter arcs of the manga; after [[spoiler:the Paranormal Liberation WarArc and the ''massive'' amounts of damge done to Japan during and after it]] many, ''many'' of the less committed heroes quit the career in droves to find a safer line of work; only those genuinely dedicated to saving lives stayed on, [[spoiler: including Uraraka AND heroes like [[HiddenDepths Mount Lady]]]].

** This does get examined and, to an extent, deconstructed in the latter arcs of the manga; after [[spoiler: the Paranormal Liberation WarArc and the ''massive'' amounts of damge done to Japan during and after it]] many, ''many'' of the less committed heroes quit the career in droves to find a safer line of work; only those genuinely dedicated to saving lives stayed on, [[spoiler: including Uraraka AND heroes like [[HiddenDepths Mount Lady]].

* When Terryman first appeared in ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'', he was charging money for defeating the monsters that threatened Japan. The Japanese government went along with it because the alternative was relying on [[IdiotHero Kin]] to do it. Terry got a swelled head, but after Kin gave him an ArmorPiercingSlap for laughing at child offering chump change to save his father, changed his ways.

** This does get examined and, to an extent, deconstructed in the latter arcs of the manga; after [[spoiler: the Paranormal Liberation WarArc and the ''massive'' amounts of damge done to Japan during and after it]] many, ''many'' of the less committed heroes quit the career in droves to find a safer line of work; only those genuinely dedicated to saving lives stayed on, [[spoiler: including Uraraka]].

** There are some heroes in the Hero Association registry who call themselves heroes but who don't really ''act'' like heroes. This is particularly prevalent among Class S heroes, most of whom are drunk with their own power, care more about competing with each other than helping people, or have some serious KnightTemplar tendencies. One of those very heroes (Flashy Flash) outright states the Association chooses S-Class heroes not based on any "moral character", but on [[OneManArmy raw power]] that normal people just don't possess.

May overlap with IWasJustPassingThrough. When the heroes take it a step further and actually ''[[EngineeredHeroics cause]]'' the danger they're paid to neutralize, it becomes a MonsterProtectionRacket. Contrast PartTimeHero, who is ready and willing to do heroic actions without payment - though they might not say no to money if offered - so long as they're allowed a break here and there to live a civilian life.

* Naofumi from ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' is perfectly willing to help others... as long as he gets paid. He's far more flexible than expected, however, being willing to accept goods and services, and not demanding up-front payment when the prospective client clearly can't pay up on the spot. He's more of a traveling merchant/mercenary than an outright hero.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': The most literal example is also one of the oldest of these: Sam the Sheepdog and [[PunchClockVillain Ralph the Wolf]] are the stars in several classic Creator/ChuckJones cartoon shorts for Warner Brothers, starting 1953. From 9 to 5, Ralph tries ever-more-outlandish schemes to catch a sheep, and Sam thwarts Ralph with minimal effort and maximum punishment. But as soon as that 5 o'clock whistle blows, the two punch out and walk home together, ready to do it all over again tomorrow. Oh, and the lunch breaks! [[MidBattleTeaBreak That's right, they have lunch together]]. (Except when Ralph tried to impersonate a sheepdog and take over Sam's shift.) When Sam's shift ends, another sheepdog's shift starts.

* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', the title character finds herself dealing with three superheroes who are only helping others for the money. After Kim Possible proves herself to be better at heroics than they are, they decide to become non-profit.

** Shez, the protagonist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorThreeHopes'', is the SoleSurvivor of a mercenary group wiped out by [[TheDreaded the Ashen Demon]]. As such, Shez is a mercenary through-and-through at the start of the story, taking work wherever they can get and killing whoever they're sent against (with some exceptions as reputable mercs do have a code of honor, such as not killing regular people who can't fight, and not betraying their client should their opponent offer to pay them more). They freely admit that they're Only in It for the Money and it's only after getting to know the Lords for years that they start believing in fighting for something bigger than themselves.

* The titular character of ''WesternAnimation/Shrek'' is like this initially. He doesn't go to defeat the dragon and save the princess out of heroism or duty, but becayse he cut a deal with Farquaad to move the ghetto for exiled magical creatures off his land.

* ''Film/DanceOfTheDead'': The Gravedigger tries to put down zombies emerging from their graves not necessarily out of heroism, but due to wanting to keep his job at the cemetery.* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' are, well, an extermination (exorcism) ''company''. They bust ghosts because there's a profit in it. It's only in the final act when they realize that they might need to save the world.

** Shez, the protagonist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroesThreeHopes'', is the SoleSurvivor of a mercenary group wiped out by [[TheDreaded the Ashen Demon]]. As such, Shez is a mercenary through-and-through at the start of the story, taking work wherever they can get and killing whoever they're sent against (with some exceptions as reputable mercs do have a code of honor, such as not killing regular people who can't fight, and not betraying their client should their opponent offer to pay them more). They freely admit that they're Only in It for the Money and it's only after getting to know the Lords for years that they start believing in fighting for something bigger than themselves.

* ''ComicBook/TheSentry'':
** Intended to be a {{Deconstruction}} of ''Comicbook/{{Superman}}''. He's so dispassionate that he responds to natural disasters by having a computer calculate who he rescues instead of deciding it himself. He explains that he can't decide who to save himself because he values everyone.
--->"There's fifty things going on in this city every second of the day that the Sentry could do something about. And that's just in ''this'' city. A bank robbery in Queens is less or more important than a hurricane in Louisiana? How can I choose? I can't. I can't always be where I'm most needed."
** To drive the point further one way to beat him is by hacking into said computer to tell him everything that's going on.
** The Sentry's case is made even more complicated by the fact that, for every life he saves or every bit of good he does, [[EnemyWithin bad things tend to happen]].
* Super Temp in ''ComicBook/{{Wildguard}}'', who's just doing this hero thing as a side job until his band gets their big break, man. [[spoiler:It actually ''does''.]]

* At different times ComicBook/BoosterGold was a member of both the Superbuddies and the Conglomerate. This is not a coincidence; originally, being a corporate hero was his big hook.
* Speaking of corporate heroes, ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' had Dollar Bill, who was a "costumed adventurer" hired by a bank to combat bank robbers during the Depression, as well as being the mascot of the bank. Hollis Mason mentions however that he was a friendly guy to be around in spite of his origins.
* The Post-Zero Hour ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes had the Workforce. Most of them eventually left to join the Legion, though.
* Done in ''ComicBook/DamageControl'' with the superheroes who work for the company, usually as cleanup crew. Members include Speedball (as an intern in his civilian identity), Hercules (community service), Goliath, Monstro, and Visioneer.
* ComicBook/LukeCage and Comicbook/IronFist, ''ComicBook/HeroesForHire''! Cage is so dedicated to his job that he once shook down Dr. Doom himself for just $200 owed to him. Throughout the various other incarnations of the team, the dynamic has shifted a little now and then - to the point that in the latest version, "for hire" means "available to do a favor for Misty Knight".
** Luke by himself has always been money-motivated (particularly back in the [[UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]]), but he's not actually greedy. One reason that he's usually broke is that he's lavish with charity for his impoverished neighbors. Reed Richards once hired him onto the ComicBook/FantasticFour to replace a depowered Thing and later revealed Cage donated almost all his earnings to charitable organizations.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'':
** Rather than maintain a secret identity and day job like his uncle, when ComicBook/WallyWest became The Flash, he tried to work out a means to make it a day job, such as taking a paycheck from Justice League Europe or trying to charge for his heroics. Though initially this was portrayed selfishly, especially when he was being money-hungry, he was influenced by his friend Pied Piper, a die-hard socialist who championed equal rights, to find a pragmatic but selfless approach. Wally was given a modest living wage from the city as compensation for his efforts protecting it, which meant he could spend ''more time'' doing it, rather than splitting his time working a day job. Wally was portrayed as something of a Working Class Hero, as he didn't earn too much from his heroics beyond basic living costs, and his status of having an open identity meant that people felt comfortable coming to him personally for help.
** During Messner-Loeb's run, this seemed to be a popular thread, as some of Wally's friends also got in on the 'heroics for hire' concept. The Kapitalist Kouriers, three Russian immigrants and Communist defectees with super-speed, they decided to embrace capitalist America by approaching their heroics like it was a start-up. Similarly, Captain Cold and Golden Glider, formerly supervillains, decided to reform after befriending Wally and used their skills as supervillains to set up a bounty hunting and recoveries business.

* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'': Much like how the bad guy characters are just actors playing a role, their good guy counterparts are just doing their jobs. However, at the very ''least'' we know that Felix is heroic in real life, and it's likely that many of the other good guy characters are the same.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Han Solo started out this way, though half the climax of the first movie was his overcoming this.
-->"Look, [[NotInThisForYourRevolution I ain't in this for your revolution]], and I'm not in it for you, princess. I expect to be well paid. [[OnlyInItForTheMoney I'm in it for the money.]]"
* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' are, well, an extermination (exorcism) ''company''. They bust ghosts because there's a profit in it. It's only in the final act when they realize that they might need to save the world.
* Most of the members of ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' are only in it because [[BoxedCrook they've been promised a full pardon for their past crimes and misdeeds]]. Only Quatermain, who wants to prevent world war from corrupting his beloved Africa, and Tom Sawyer, who wants vengeance for the murder of his best friend, have other agendas.

* ''Film/{{Insomnia}}'': When murderer Walter Finch tries claim some spiritual connection with Detective Will Dormer, the cop replies, "You don't get it do you, Finch? You're my job. You're what I'm paid to do. You're about as mysterious to me as a blocked toilet is to a fucking plumber."
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', where Thor describes the Hulk as "a friend from work."
* ''Film/DanceOfTheDead'': The Gravedigger tries to put down zombies emerging from their graves not necessarily out of heroism, but due to wanting to keep his job at the cemetery.

* Commissar ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!) repeatedly pulls some truly heroic stunts despite being, well, [[FakeUltimateHero himself]], not because he ''wants'' to do it, but because he ''has''. Either he doesn't want to [[SlaveToPR ruin his reputation]] and lose all the perks it gives him, or he has learned in a hard way that meeting the danger is actually ''safer'', or he might simply [[UnreliableNarrator not give a credit where it is due]]. His editor, Inquisitor Amberley Vail, certainly leans to the third option.
* Literature/TravisMcGee takes on new cases when he needs the money, and spends the rest of his time taking his retirement "in installments." If you do harm to or take from, or both, one of Travis' friends, though, he will apply his skills and talents to getting payback, and salvage some coin, too, if possible.
* Sergey Lukyanenko's ''Literature/NightWatchSeries'' quartet is ''full'' of a mixture of this and its direct opposite (people wanting to do something Good but not being allowed, because it'd let the other side do an equal amount of Evil...). However sometimes they manage to subvert it by working with evil on common goals. One minor example was about how a light mage was able to cure a group of children from a lethal illness with the help of a werewolf. First, a werewolf chose three children and bit them (making them werewolves and curing them in the process), then a light mage cured all the other children with magic. They both got away with it because the balance between dark and light stayed unchanged.

* The new Doctor Shade in "Literature/ColdSnap" by Creator/KimNewman seriously resents the fact he's a LegacyCharacter, and that [[Literature/DiogenesClub his dad's weird friends]] want him to save the world.

* The Nameless Bard from the Literature/ForgottenRealms ''Finder's Stone Trilogy''. He initially falls in with the heroes by default in order to (a) escape from the villains who were holding him prisoner, (b) revenge himself on said villains, and (c) rescue [[spoiler:his creation/daughter]] Alias. More generally, he doesn't mind helping people in need so long as it doesn't put him to great inconvenience, especially if furthers his real goals (fame and artistic immortality). But he is ultimately an amoral and highly narcissistic person who cares very little about matters of good versus evil. The heroes tend to forget this, given what a tremendous asset he is when he puts his mind to helping them. This is especially true for his erstwhile apprentice Olive, who idolizes him most of the time, only to be brutally reminded of his true nature whenever he decides that his own interests take priority over doing the right thing. He doesn't make a purely morally-based decision until the very end of the trilogy, [[spoiler: when he chooses to risk his own life to destroy the evil god Moander]].

* ''Literature/SecondApocalypse'': All the various Scalpoi are mercenaries who venture into the [[GrimUpNorth northern wastelands]] to hunt [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent sranc]] and turn in the scalps for the Holy Bounty. They don't care they're participating in the Great Ordeal or fighting for humanity's survival. They're unsavory vagabonds who are OnlyInItForTheMoney.
* Literature/NeroWolfe rarely has a personal stake in the mysteries he investigates, and usually only gets involved because he's been [[OnlyInItForTheMoney offered a huge pay-check]] once he solves it. He also rigidly maintains his schedules and leisure time during a case (unless circumstances strictly compel him to forego doing so), refusing to discuss business matters during meals and keeping his scheduled four hours a day with his orchids regardless of whether he's in the middle of a tricky investigation. He does have a strict code of honor, however, and can on occasion be prodded into working for free if he feels the matter at hand requires it.
* From ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' one of the few institutions of the Seven Kingdoms where those who serve in it aren't there for feudal ideas of loyalty, duty, land rights or because they screwed-up and have become banished is... The much-maligned, often neglected local city watch of King's Landing, the "gold cloaks". A militia/ police-force/ occasional politically active mercenary band, they are in it for 1) the pay packet and 2) because ''somebody'' has to keep the city functioning on a day-to-day basis; and, you can't ask petty lords and stuck-up knights to do their thankless job of manning the walls, doing the grunt-work and keeping the peace (although the Captain of the City Watch will often get knighted if they hold no other titles -- good luck on it being more than a curtesy, mate). And, hiring mercenaries from outside the Crownlands is just a recipe for disaster (and the tradesmen and guilds who contribute the bulk of their funding wouldn't stand for it, anyway): local lads it is. They're certainly not squeaky clean: bribery and corruption is a way of life in Westeros, and they will [[DirtyCop follow the money]], not the simply the orders of the Small Council of the Iron Throne (who ''technically'' doesn't actually employ them, anyway: although they certainly won't say no if their supposed organiser, the Master of Law or others like the Hand of the King and the Master of Coin coughs up what the guilds won't). Yet without them, King's Landing's roads and other trade links would grind to a halt or be knee-deep in revolts every thirty minutes. In fact, it could be argued that who actually controls the actions of the gold cloaks is the litmus test of how strong a regime either is or isn't. They generally won't side with a rival faction, unless their pay has been neglected or a much better, more solid offer has been made. And, anybody who doesn't make absolutely sure the capital's city guard is happy under their rule... gets what they flipping deserve.

* Harry Flashman, from the [[Literature/{{Flashman}} eponymous novel series]] by George [=MacDonald=] Fraser, started his career this way. He bought a British Army commission because it was a respectable, gentlemanly position that allowed plenty of time for racing horses and chasing women. He had no interest in fighting wars -- in fact, it clashed with his cowardly character. After getting dragged into several of the period's "Little Wars" and realizing that [[RefusalOfTheCall trying to avoid battle]] never worked, he adjusted his MO and sought out low-risk assignments whenever a new war loomed. Sadly for him (but luckily for readers), this usually failed to keep him out of trouble.

* VideoGame/{{Rayman}} is portrayed like this in his first game; after the narrator cries, "RAYMAN TO THE RESCUE!", Rayman is then shown lounging at a beach. He then lazily gives out a thumbs-up, saying, "No problem."
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'''s Solid Snake fights the good fight at first because he believes in his cause. Unfortunately, with each successive EvilPlan, ManBehindTheMan and [[BecauseDestinySaysSo Because The Patriots Say So]], his cynicism gets worse. In the first game, he's respectful of his opponents and their ideals. In the fourth game, after defeating enemies that were literally brainwashed into committing atrocities and being told their tragic backstories, he dismisses them as just excuses. He's only fighting because he has a mission, and ultimately cares very little for anything beyond the completion of that mission and his own personal revenge.
* The gist of Zero's [[Awesome/MegaManZero awesome]] NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech[=/=]ShutUpHannibal at the end of ''VideoGame/MegaManZero 4''.
-->I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero... I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!
* ''VideoGame/MadWorld'''s Jack Cayman doesn't give a crap about anything but his own vendettas. [[spoiler:At the end, rather than go through legal channels, he breaks his CODEC and leaves his MissionControl behind just so he can kill the ManBehindTheMan.]]
-->'''Jack:''' I don't save people. I kill them.
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'':
** Every member of Squad 7 is a member of a mandatory citizen militia. While some of them joined voluntarily, others were simply drafted in.
** ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIII'''s Squad 422 is even less than that: [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores it's either this, or the firing squad]].

* Sterling Granger from ''VideoGame/InThe1stDegree'' qualifies as this. He is a prosecutor prosecuting a man charged with murder and grand theft. There are hints dropped that he has a life outside of his job and that he has at least a working relationship with Inspector Looper and at least one member of the press.

* Dan Danger and EVO, Heroes for Hire from ''VideoGame/SpaceStationSiliconValley'' (pictured above). The only people able to save the world from a rogue space station, not to mention a steal for a mere 200 credz.
* You know ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'''s Sam Fisher is one when he remembers that he forgot to do the laundry]] in ''Chaos Theory''. He's a soldier with a mission, and he'll do it. On the other hand, by the time of ''Conviction'', he still has a mission, but it's one he's given himself... and he's ''much more dangerous'' for it.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'':
** When the Turks (normally villains) corner Don Corneo, the reason they worked with the heroes in order to get him is "Because it's our job".
** Depending on your opinion of how [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters "heroic"]] AVALANCHE is, Cloud himself was this during the Mako reactor raids at the beginning of the game, constantly telling Barret that he only cared about getting paid rather than the worsening condition of the planet Shinra Electric was causing. The only reason he stepped up to be a legitimate hero at first is because Sephiroth entered the picture.
* In ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', [[VideoGame/NamcoxCapcom Reiji Arisu]] says outright, "This is how I put bread on the table. I won't lose".
* The ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' franchise has the Vault Hunters, the main playable characters who (despite saving Pandora from several attempts to take over the world) are mainly in it for that nice looking weapons cache they saw on the way in, the [[BloodKnight thrill of the kill]], or the experience points and cash, but sometimes it's their definition of a [[ItAmusedMe Fun Saturday Night on Pandora]]
* Parodied with Rodrigo, the main character of neo/Rockstar Games title ''Rent-a-Hero'', who is a member of a guild of professional heroes. Rodrigo's speciality as hero for hire is saving princesses, which is unfortunately the helper level for heroes in game.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, this is sometimes a trait of members of the [[AdventureGuild Fighters Guild]], an organization of "[[HiredGuns warriors-for-hire]]". There have been several instances in the series of Fighters Guild members refusing a dangerous mission, though this isn't usually an option for the PlayerCharacter if he/she wants to advance in the Guild.
* In ''VideoGame/FableI'', the Player Character and other members of the [[AdventureGuild Heroes Guild]] might have any kind of personal motivations, but the one consistent point is that they earn cold hard cash for completing contracts. ''VideoGame/FableII'' reveals that, soon after firearms became widespread, the Guild was destroyed by commoners who'd gotten fed up with its disregard for their well-being.
* The [[PlayerCharacter Material Defender]] from the ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}'' games. Even in Descent 3 after the Red Acropolis people rescue him, he makes clear he's just in it for the money (and revenge on Dravis). That said, he does have some PetTheDog moments such as saving hostages in the first two games and saving a trapped medical frigate full of sick and hurt people in the third game.
* The Devil Hunters of the titular ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' shop are largely in it for the money, as evidenced by them having to wait for a client, or a customer's phone call and TrustPassword before accepting the job. In ''5'', Dante is also delighted at the prospect of a "cash-upfront" offer. However, it's also implied they do a lot of pro-bono jobs for people in need who don't have the cash, or if enough risk is at stake from letting a demon run loose.
* In ''VideoGame/Drakengard3'', Zero wants nothing more than to die, but the same EldritchAbomination going around brainwashing everyone also forcibly resurrected her [[AntiAntiChrist to serve as its lieutenant]]. It's made clear that this is the ''only'' time her goals align with humanity's: when Intoner prey aren't available, she gleefully murders and rapes people.

* The titular character from ''Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'' is definitely one.
* Dorian Halliward from "Webcomic/IronGate" certainly qualifies, he's only fighting supernatural evil as part of the secret organization to further his own goals, on top of being cynical about the whole experience.

* Everyone in ''Webcomic/GoneWithTheBlastwave''; inasmuch as there are any identifiable heroes, the war's been on so fuggin' long that no-one knows what's going on annymore.