Experienced Protagonist

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Most works have the protagonist be a Farm Boy, New Meat, an Ordinary High School Student or Rookie Red Ranger.

Well, This Is Not That Trope.

An Experienced Protagonist starts out the story already knowing what he's doing, whether through formal lessons or being Taught By Experience. He's done what he does for a while. He might be The Dreaded or Famed in Story or a Living Legend, or even a mentor to a genuine newbie. Any account of his Origin Story or early days will be shown in prequels, flashbacks or discussed, if it is ever depicted at all.

Despite this, such a character is not necessarily exempt from Mid-Season Upgrades, progression, and seeking out a mentor of his own. Perhaps he was a big fish in a small pond and the Big Bad's plot exposes him to a higher form of war that his past is So Last Season against. Perhaps some reason is contrived for him to Restart At Level One despite A Taste of Power. Whatever the case, "continuous learning" can be as much a truism for the well-established fictional character as it is in reality.

Examples of Experienced Protagonist include:

Anime and Manga

• Himura Kenshin of Rurouni Kenshin is already a war veteran, legendary assassin known as "Battōsai", and one of Japan's best swordsmen at series start. A number of antagonists come after him specifically because of his past deeds.
• Kousei Arima from Your Lie in April is a Famed in Story former Child Prodigy pianist who stopped playing two years ago after a breakdown following the trauma of his mother's death. Much of the early part of the series revolves around him regaining the will to play and how others in the scene react to his return.

Film

• Bryan Mills from Taken has "a very particular set of skills; skills ... acquired over a very long career." The kidnappers of his daughter laugh off his attempt at getting them to let her go. They don't live to regret doing so.
• Dredd: The eponymous Judge is a veteran lawman who is tasked with evaluating newbie Anderson.

Literature

• Outside of his juveniles, Robert A. Heinlein strongly favored competent, experienced people for his heroes. Male or female, they were usually proficient in multiple fields of endeavor, experts in their specialties, and often well-versed in many other fields as well.

Video Games

• Alpha Protocol: Four of the five default background choices for Mike Thorton have him with achievements and experience whether in the military, government service or as a globetrotting Freelancer that have drawn the attention of the eponymous agency. This experience is reflected in having higher base skill points right from chargen. The sole exception is "Recruit", but completing a run with that selected unlocks the Veteran background that takes this Up to Eleven with Mike being a member of a similar organization that sought Alpha Protocol out by himself and accordingly has even more starting points and some unique dialogue reflecting this greater experience.
• Many Grand Theft Auto protagonists are current or former criminals.
• The various player characters of the Halo series have been fighting the Covenant invasion - or, in the case of the Arbiter, fighting for them - for years to decades by the time of the first game they're playable in.
• Martin Walker of Spec Ops: The Line starts as a captain in Delta Force. Not that it helps much against what's waiting for him and his in Dubai.
• Kazuma Kiryu of the Yakuza series has already had a multi-year career as a gangster and renown as the "Dragon of Dojima" when the first game starts. Unfortunately, a 10-year stint in prison early on leaves him rusty and in need of regaining his strength.