Troublemaker Hero



A troublemaker hero is a protagonist who is either mischievous, rebellious or unruly, but still commits acts of heroism.

Why This Trope Rocks

 * 1) Similar to tricksters, it grants the protagonist the opportunity to extend their curiosity about the world around them and gain new knowledge and wisdom in the process.
 * 2) This trope adds both comedy and badassery to the characters' personalities with their rowdiness, rebelliousness and quirks.
 * 3) * Their antics can be entertaining to watch.
 * 4) They reflect on the fact that we all make make mistakes. What matters is that we learn from them.
 * 5) They inspire the audience to stand out, question the ways of society and have the courage to stand up for what they believe in, even when it is not expected of them.
 * 6) Like anti-heroes and idiot heroes, the troublemaker hero can be easy to relate to, as some people don't enjoy conforming to the norm or following rules outside of their own, so they identify with the protagonist's desire to live a wild and free life.

The Only Bad Quality

 * 1) Sometimes, the troublemaker hero's antics can be annoying and unfunny.

Examples of well-written troublemaker heroes

 * Aladdin (Aladdin) [A former thief who gets by through trickery]
 * Alvin Seville (Alvin & the Chipmunks) [Being the leader who comes up with mischievous schemes]
 * Bart Simpson (Seasons 1-15, 31-present) (The Simpsons)
 * Bloo (Season 1) (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) [He was a jerk with a heart of gold during the first season]
 * Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)
 * The Cat in the Hat (The Cat in the Hat franchise except the 2003 live action film) [A fun cat who likes to have fun and cause trouble, but has a good heart for his friends and does clean up his messes and learn from his mistakes]
 * Curious George (Curious George) [A monkey who extends his curiousity through mischievous means, albeit unintentionally]
 * Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller) [A popular teen rebel who skips school to have adventures]
 * Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
 * Johnny Test (Johnny Test) [grew from a bland and generic spoiled brat into a more mature and likable kid who tries to be a hero, and while he still likes to cause trouble sometimes, it’s toned down from unacceptable to passable]
 * Kenan Rockmore and Kel Kimble (Kenan and Kel)
 * Kevin McCallister (Home Alone)
 * Louis Stevens (Even Stevens)
 * Max Keeble (Max Keeble's Big Move)
 * Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) [A pirate]
 * Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto) [Formerly a prankster]
 * Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog) [A hedgehog who is also a smart-alecky, thrill-seeking trickster]
 * Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho) [Being a juvenile delinquent]

Examples of poorly-written troublemaker heroes

 * Bloo (Seasons 2-6) (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends)
 * The Cat in the Hat (2003 version) (The Cat in the Hat (2003))
 * Junior Healy (Problem Child)