Consummate Professional: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''"Feelings? Look mate, you know who has a lot of feelings? Blokes what bludgeon their wives to death with a golf trophy. [[Even Evil Has Standards|Professionals have standards]]. [[Affably Evil|Be polite]]. [[One-Hit Kill|Be efficient]]. [[Crazy Prepared|Have a plan to kill everyone you meet]]."''|'''The Sniper''', ''[[Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|Team Fortress 2]]''}}

{{quote|'''Gibbs:''' Her father left her to die in a desert.<br />

'''Vance:''' So it's a problem then?<br />

'''Gibbs:''' Would be for me, won't be for Ziva.|''[[NCIS (TV)|NCIS]]'', a discussion about Ziva's fitness as bodyguard.}}

The '''Consummate Professional''' is most often a [[The Stoic|very serious character]], and often involved in a profession that warrants violence or is on the shadier side of the law like a [[Hired Guns|soldier of fortune]], [[Spy Fiction|professional spy]], [[Courier|courier]], or [[Professional Killer|professional assassin]]. Regardless of precisely who employs them or what their actual job is, being a [[Consummate Professional]] is standard for [[The Men in Black|Men in Black]] types as well. Alternatively, he can also belong to a more conventional profession, but be ruthlessly dedicated to it, such as a profession in the legal system or a corporate position. He has a very strict code of conduct to which he adheres meticulously, and instantly dislikes anyone who implies he should lighten up. He also instantly dislikes anyone who's a little too friendly (after all, [[Being Personal Isn't Professional|being personal isn't professional]]). This attitude is most of the time justified: his line of work makes any personal connection or moral compunction a liability. This doesn't mean he's a complete cold fish, it just means he prefers ethics to morals. Morals are broad and prone to emotional interpretation, ethics are specific and more efficient. While he might be willing to have a softer disposition towards friends or family, any client is treated impersonally and no better than the job demands.

The Consummate Professional is also recognized for his [[The Gift|uncanny talent]] at his chosen profession. His no-nonsense attitude has allowed him to hone his skill to an almost supernatural degree, to the point his name (if actually known) becomes synonymous with excellence in his line of work. Be it playing the stock market, performing a military mission or killing a mark, he baffles others with his complete control and superlative skills. If he's on the shadier side of the law, [[Berserk Button|don't ever call him a criminal or compare him to common thugs]], that's a wonderful way to end up in traction. He is first and foremost a professional, he is by definition above such scum because of his code. And for pete's sake, [[Tempting Fate|don't invoke a]] [[Contract Onon the Hitman]]. As for a professional in a legitimate profession, he might be ruthless, but [[Even Evil Has Standards|he's never corrupt]]. He does not need to cheat or commit fraudulent actions; his skill places him beyond such petty strategies.

Do note of the more violently employed professionals, having a code is not the same as being a [[Hitman Withwith a Heart]]: not killing innocents might just be [[Pragmatic Villainy|a matter of convenience and avoiding unnecessary trouble]], not any kind of conscience talking. In fact, one trait that's almost universal to this kind of character is that every time he lets things get personal, it always comes back to bite him.

* ''[[Golgo 13]]'': Duke TogoTogo—Golgo -- Golgo 13 -- is13—is very much this trope. You pay him, he takes his target out. No questions, no strings attached, no target is off-bounds. If you choose to attach strings, he'll deny you his services or kill you for the trouble.

* Sousuke in ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]''. He also applies this level of professionalism to his cover identity as a high school student, with hilarious results.

* Played straight ''and'' subverted in the case of Kuroudou Akabane (a.k.a. Dr. Jackal) from ''[[Get BackersGetBackers]]''. He will take on any [[Courier]] job with no questions asked and carry it through to the end regardless of obstacles, is almost frighteningly competent at what he does and often describes himself as a consummate professional. But give him an opponent who he considers "worthy of his skills", and he'll decide to take certain...''liberties'' with his assignment.

* The ''[[Gungrave]]'' anime shows us that Brandon Heat was this with [[Undying Loyalty]] when he was a hitman for Millenion. It [[It Got Worse|causes problems]] with his best friend.

* Played straight and later averted with Mireille Bouquet of ''[[Noir]]''. She starts out as an ice-cold professional killer (perhaps even more so than her significantly more competent partner Kirika Yuumura; Kirika doesn't know how she learned to kill or why, while Mireille is fully cognizant of the ethical implications of her chosen career). It isn't until the last few episodes that she [[Defrosting Ice Queen|starts to develop a heart at all,]] but when she finally does, [[Mama Bear|look out.]]

* [[Lex Luthor]]'s [[Superman: theThe Animated Series|bodyguard, Mercy Graves]], is usually this, though she betrays herself sometimes with a smirk or a mischievous smile.

* [[Wolverine]] has served countless times in the military, and has picked up a great many habits and skills with the years. Interestingly enough, he's always shown to be VERY serious and professional in that role, contrary to his usual authority-sticking personality. In fact, unless explicitly screwed by the hierarchy, he shows utmost respect for the chain of command. [[Captain America (comics)]] is one soldier in particular he respects immensely.

* Agent Kay in ''[[Men in Black (Filmfilm)|Men in Black]]'', being a traditional [[The Men in Black|Man in Black]] in contrast with impulsive, wisecracking new recruit Agent Jay.

* ''[[Wild Target (Film)|Wild Target]]'': Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy), to a T. At least, until the [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl]] gets to him. Still, by the end he regained Consummate Professional status.

* Wayne Jarvis from ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''.

{{quote| '''Wayne Jarvis:''' Well, I'm a professional. I am serious, and I'm a professional.<br />

'''Michael:''' That's fantastic. So, how long have you been ...?<br />

'''Wayne Jarvis:''' I also don't like small talk... why should I be billing you for small talk when I'm enjoying it as much as you are?<br />

'''Michael:''' Then, this must be a freebie 'cause I'm having a ball.<br />

* ''[[Twenty Four24]]'': While situations try their damnedest to make him act otherwise, Jack Bauer always tries to be this, and shows surprising restraint in trying to keep his personal life and feelings out of his professional life.

* ''Everybody'' in ''[[Criminal Minds (TV)|Criminal Minds]]''. Unprofessional cops who let their emotions cloud their judgement are usually the biggest obstacle the heroes face. In some ways it's part of the popularity of the show - when a character carries the [[Idiot Ball]], the others notice.

* ''[[Breaking Bad]]''

* In the [[Old World of Darkness]]' ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade (Tabletop Game)|Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', the Path Of Honorable Accord is based around this trope. Knights, as they are called, reject emotion in favor of professionalism and cold adherence to their code to keep the [[Super-Powered Evil Side|Beast]] at bay.

* ''[[Feng Shui (Tabletop Game)|Feng Shui]]'': Not a few Killers, Spies and other characters in the game.

* ''[[Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|Team Fortress 2]]'': Although played for laughs, The Sniper invokes this trope, providing the page quote.

* Shelly DeKiller from ''[[Ace Attorney (Visual Novel)|Ace Attorney]]''. {{spoiler|This ends up used against the culprit in 2-4. When it turns out that his employer has been [[Blackmail|less than professional]] on his end of the assassin-client relationship, Shelly announces his intent to kill ''him''.}}

* The Courier from ''[[Fallout New Vegas|Fallout: New Vegas]]'' can be played this way.

** Of the [[NPC|NPCs]]s, Conrad Marburg embodies this trope. The quickest way to gain [[Worthy Opponent|his respect]] is by being just as stone-cold professional as him. Alan Parker and Albatross are close to this trope, but they each have a [[Morality Pet]] that bring out [[It's Personal]] if they get killed or hurt. However, it is possible to push Marburg off the edge with a casual and unprofessional approach topped with a [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]].

* Many characters in ''[[Deus Ex (Video Game)|Deus Ex]]'' are like this, but especially Walton Simons and [[The Men in Black]]. You can play JC Denton this way, too. The in-game written material in the FEMA HQ seems like a directed effort to get agents to think of themselves in these terms and thus avoid misgivings.

* ''[[LAL.A. Noire]]'': A quite benign example to be sure, but Mal Carruthers, [[The Coroner]] is very much this trope. He takes his job dead serious.

* The Master Chief from the ''[[Halo]]'' universe fits this. To quote Bungie artist Eddie Smith, John-117 is "pretty much the consummate professional. He does his job, walks off, doesn't even get the girl, he's that cool he doesn't need her." He is given an objective and ordered to "Win" and he will execute on that order to the best of his ability, pulling out a victory by any means necessary. He does so because he was raised to be one, along with all the other Spartan-IIs, and fights simply because that is who he is, rather than for any kind of profit or glory. In fact, he displays some discomfort at any media attention, prefering to conduct himself humbly but with absolute self-confidence.

* ''[[Gargoyles (Animation)|Gargoyles]]'': Owen Burnett, Xanatos's right hand man. {{spoiler|[[Subverted Trope|Subverted]] in that it's not his real face, he's actually a disguise for [[Trickster Archetype|Puck the Trickster]], who's the furthest thing from a Consummate Professional.}}

* ''[[Batman Beyond (Animation)|Batman Beyond]]'': The stand in for the League Of Assassins.

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