Tall, Dark and Snarky: Difference between revisions

[[File:Snape_5313Snape 5313.png|link=Harry Potter|rightframe| Not even a yawning puppy will [[The Stoic|make him smile]]. He'll [[Deadpan Snarker|just howl back]], "[[Big "Shut Up!"|SILENCE!]]"]]

A variation on the [[Insufferable Genius]], this character is usually charismatic, incredibly good at what they do, and rather good-looking. Members of the same sex both admire and [[Green -Eyed Monster|envy]] them, while those of the opposite fall all over them (often forming an [[Instant Fanclub]]), and the only thing that saves them from being a [[Mary Sue|Mary Sue / Marty Stu]]/MartyStu is their overwhelming arrogance and constant annoyance at being [[Surrounded Byby Idiots|surrounded by people they see as idiots]]. They'll often make [[Deadpan Snarker|snarky comments]] on the current situation which show that they know much more about what's going on than anyone else, and answer any questions with the preface, "[[Ignored Expert|Are you so stupid you can't see it]]?"

[[Vitriolic Best Buds|Often paired]] or [[Foil|placed in contrast]] with an [[The Pollyanna|insufferably cheerful]], outgoing, nice, and/or [[The Messiah|idealistic character]], and may act as [[The Lancer]]. This character is usually responsible for teaching the [['''Tall, Dark and Snarky]]''' about [[The Power of Friendship]] or [[The Power of Love]], once he or she has enough skill to make the [['''Tall, Dark and Snarky]]''' actually respect their opinion. However, this can backfire, with the [['''Tall, Dark and Snarky]]''' feeling threatened by the character's newfound power and becoming [[The Rival]] instead or, worse, give the idealistic guy a pair of [[Jade -Colored Glasses]] to wear.

This archetype is also frequently used as a Mentor or [[Aloof Big Brother|older brother type]], used as a foil for the protagonist's optimistic and foolish nature. See also [[Tall, Dark and Handsome]] for the straight vanilla versions.

{{examples|Examples:}}

* Yu Kanda from ''[[D .Gray-man|D.Grayman]]'' and Tyki, who, in fact, pretty much matches the title [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]] ''literally''.

* Uchiha Sasuke from ''[[Naruto (Manga)|Naruto]]'', mainly in part one.

* Sebastian from ''[[Black Butler (Manga)|Black Butler]]'', in spades. William T. Spears certainly counts as well.

* Studio Ghibli's ''Whisper of the Heart'' has Tall, Dark, and Snarky Amasawa Seiji.

* Hijikata in ''[[Gintama (Manga)|Gintama]]'' fits this trope nicely. Dark hair? Check. Popular with ladies? Check. Snarky? Check. Strict? So much so that his nickname is the demonic vice commander.

** His subordinate Okita could also be part of this trope despite not having dark hair, as he is quite snarky (actually, his personality borders on terrible) and [[The Lancer|acts as a foil for Hijikata]]. He's also handsome enough that Gintoki once pointed out that, in comparison, Shinpachi was turtle poop.

** But it could be said that a lot of characters in this series could fit this trope, as they were tall and dark.

* Seto Kaiba from ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' and his [[Expy]], Kaiser Ryo Marufuji, in ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]]''. Edo Phoenix also comes off as this type in the dub: "Now whether you like me or not, there's one fact no one out there can dispute: I'm the best. I can't be beaten."

* Roger Smith from ''[[The Big O (Anime)|The Big O]]'' is better-behaved, but otherwise fits this trope perfectly. He may be too smooth to say how stupid people are being, but you can see it in his facial expressions.

* Reito Kanzaki from ''[[MaiMy-HiME]]'', to an extent. {{spoiler|His [[Enemy Within|inner]] [[Big Bad|Obsidian Lord]] [[Split Personality|persona]]}} is just as snarky and ''several'' times darker.

* To some degree, Synchro from ''[[Corrector Yui (Anime)|Corrector Yui]]''. He has dark ''skin'' and acts somewhat less aloof than the standard, but otherwise fits pretty well.

* Rei Otohata in ''[[Super GalsGALS!]]!''

* Minus the "tall" part, Kotoko from ''[[Chobits (Manga)|Chobits]]'' qualifies (she's like a little, pigtailed Dr. House!).

** Domon Kashuu from ''[[G Gundam]]''.

** Heero Yuy of ''[[Gundam Wing]]'' certainly fits the bill, again with less "tall". Also, Treize Kushrenada...only he is much more [[Magnificent Bastard|FABULOUS]]. Like Roger Smith from ''[[The Big O (Anime)|The Big O]]'', he rarely outright says that people are being idiots, but you can tell that that's exactly what he's thinking.

** Tieria Erde (pre-[[Character Development]]), Hallelujah Haptism, Lyle Dylandy, Lasse Aeon, Ali Al-Saachez(despite being a redhead), and Andrei Smirnov from [[Mobile Suit Gundam 00]].

* Kazuya Shibuya from ''[[Ghost Hunt (Manga)|Ghost Hunt]]''. Mai believes that he's so incredibly full of himself that she starts calling him "Naru" (shorthand for "narcissist") after she first meets him.

* Doumeki Shizuka from ''[[XXX Holic×××HOLiC]]''...although he's only really particularly snarky to Watanuki.

* Dr. [[Black Jack (Manga)|Black Jack]] -- [[Omnidisciplinary Scientist|absurdly hypercompetent]], dresses like draculaDracula most of the time, and has a [[Dr. Jerk|misanthropic streak]] the size of Tokyo.

* George from ''[[Paradise Kiss]]'' is a [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]] [[The Dandy|dandy]] with an [[Insufferable Genius|outstanding talent]] as a fashion designer. He's also a [[Bishonen]] and [[Chivalrous Pervert|knows it]].

* ...Tall, ''[[Death Note (Manga)|Light]]'', and Snarky?

* Ikuto from ''[[Shugo Chara]]''. Amplified by him being five years older than the rest of the cast, and the [[Power of Love]] bit with Amu isn't even subtle-- giantsubtle—giant, heart shaped [["I Know You Are're in There Somewhere" Fight]] attacks anybody?

* Tsume of ''[[WolfsWolf's Rain]]''.

* Izaya Orihara from ''[[Durarara!!]]'' is a bizarre cross between this and [[Magnificent Bastard]]. Clad all in black, [[Mr. Fanservice|oh-so appealing]] [[Draco in Leather Pants|to the fangirls]]...and an [[Jerkass|arrogant jerk to boot.]]

* Rare main character example: Nozomu "Mr. Despair" Itoshiki of ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei-sensei]]''.

* [[Villain Protagonist]] Alucard, [[Badass Bookworm]] Walter Dornez, and [[Jerk Withwith a Heart of Gold]] Pip Bernadotte of ''[[Hellsing]]''. Even [[Lady of War]] Integra Hellsing has her moments.

* Naoki Shinjyo in ''[[Future GPX Cyber Formula (Anime)|Future GPX Cyber Formula]]'', although he does soften up in the later OVAs.

* Edmond Dantes/Gankutsuou of ''[[Gankutsuou]]''.

** [[Tall, Dark and Handsome]] [[Magnificent Bastard]] Lelouch can be just as snarky. ''Especially'' when around her.

* Ban Mido from ''[[Get BackersGetBackers]]'' is quite an embodiment of the trope. While not particularly tall, he has dark hair, is a [[Insufferable Genius|"combat expert" very well-read on a number of obscure subjects]], and is the most arrogant, foul-mouthed member of the main cast. And a Type-A [[Tsundere|tsundere]], to boot.

* Guts from ''[[Berserk]]'' isn't just [[Tall, Dark and Handsome|handsome]], he has quite a bit of [[Deadpan Snarker|snark]] in him as well.

* [[Blood Knight|Shion Izumi]] from ''[[Gantz]]''. The most [[Ax Crazy|brutal fighter]] on the team and an incurable smartass,as well.

* ''[[Ranma One Half½]]'': in the manga, Ranma Saotome. What makes this a more unique example than others is that although he's an [[Insufferable Genius]] and a [[Deadpan Snarker]], he's also one of the most optimistic people in the cast. So much so that when he tries to learn an attack based on depression, he fails because he's just too much of a happy person. In essence, he fulfills both the optimistic [[Hero]] role and the sarcastic, untrusting [[Lancer]] role.

{{quote| '''Shampoo:''' This present for Ranma!<br />

* The ''[[Supreme Power]]'' version of Emil Burbank/Master Menace is both an [[Insufferable Genius]] ''and'' [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]]. The mentally challenged Shape is the closest thing he has to a "cheerful" foil; it really says something about the Supremeverse that ''[[Crapsack World|only a literal moron can be cheerful there]]''.

* Jackie Estacado, ''[[The Darkness]]'' - [[Comedic Sociopathy|highly amusing mafia hitman with demonic powers.]]

* The Shade, particularly after James Robinson's [[Starman (Comic Bookcomics)|Starman]] revamp.

{{quote| '''[[Demon Lords and Archdevils|Neron]]''': You'll rue the day you crossed me!<br />

* [[Doctor Strange]], at least in his backstory as Stephen Strange M.D., accomplished young neurosurgeon who [[Dr. Jerk|thought only of himself]].

* [[Mark Strong|Septimus]] from ''[[Stardust (Filmfilm)|Stardust]]''. He's tall, dark, a skilled assassin, and thinks he is surrounded by idiots.

* [[James Bond (Filmfilm)|James Bond]], and most of the Bond girls, must notably [[GoldeneyeGoldenEye (Filmfilm)||Xenia Onatopp]], since Bond keeps screwing her over.

* Tons of examples of this in the plays of Shakespeare. Examples include Berowne in ''Love's Labour's Lost'', Benedick in ''Much Ado'', Mercutio in ''Romeo and Juliet'', and others.

** [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|And short]].

* [[Darkness Visible|William Marsh]] starts out mostly [[Tall, Dark and Handsome]], but being paired with [[Gentleman Snarker|Lewis]] causes him to slide ever further into this trope as the book progresses.

* This trope is one of the defining characteristics of House Lannister in ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'', in spite of their golden hair; Jaime and Tywin are solid examples, with Cersei being a female variant. There is also Theon Greyjoy who is described in his first appearance as being "a lean, dark youth of nineteen who found everything amusing." Petyr is very short, but also quite handsome, thoroughly immoral, and has a practiced wit.

* Rhett from ''[[Gone Withwith the Wind]]'' is another example.

* Nick Ryves from ''[[The DemonsDemon's Lexicon]]'' is a fairly extreme example.

* Crowley from ''[[Good Omens (Literature)|Good Omens]].''

* [[Flashman]] is an interesting subversion: actually [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]] as all hell, but appears to the world as a good-natured heroic naif.

** The same goes for his ''[[Warhammer 4000040,000]]'' [[Expy]] [[Ciaphas Cain]].

* To everyone else's confusion, Prof. Colette from ''[[The Princess 99]]'' is in love with the embodiment of this trope, {{spoiler|Prof. Marius}}.

* [[The Dresden Files (Literature)|Harry]] [[FirstpersonFirst-Person Smartass|Dresden]] is this trope incarnate.

* Childermass from [[Jonathan Strange and& Mr. Norrell]].

* Heathcliff from ''[[Wuthering Heights (Literaturenovel)|Wuthering Heights]]''.

* [[Jeeves and Wooster (Literaturenovel)|Jeeves]] is quieter and less outwardly arrogant than most examples of this trope, but he's [[The Ace]] and a [[Servile Snarker]] to boot. Bertie and his [[UpperclassUpper Class Twit]] friends worship the ground he walks on. In the [[Jeeves and Wooster (TV series)|TV series]], he's even more overtly snarky.

* [[The Spock|Mr. Spock]] from ''[[Star Trek]]''. [[The Kirk|Captain Kirk]] and [[The McCoy|Dr. McCoy]] show him [[The Power of Friendship]].

* Garrett from ''[[The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog (TV)|The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog]]''.

** And now Benedict Cumberbatch from the [[Sherlock (TV)|2010 BBC series]]. And Martin Freeman's Watson is ''utterly'' the "nice and/or idealistic Lancer" described above.

* ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]''. Both siblings, Justin and Alex Russo, are this, even though they're [[Different As Night and Day]] in all the other aspects.

* Kerr Avon from ''[[BlakesBlake's Seven (TV)|Blakes Seven7]]''. Not so big on the tall part, especially when compared with the likes of Blake or Gan, but he makes up for it with a triple helping of snark.

* ''[[Sanctuary]]'''s [[Nikola Tesla]] is quite good looking...and never hesitates to remind everyone that he's a [[Insufferable Genius|genius and they're not.]]

== Professional Wrestling ==

** [[Wrestler/Kane (wrestling)|Kane]].

* Sand from ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'' not only ([[The Napoleon|mostly]]) fits this trope, but improves on it by [[Can't Argue Withwith Elves|being an elf]].

** Gannayev-of-Dreams from the expansion would also ([[White -Haired Pretty Boy|mostly]]) fit, and ''he'' improves on it by being the only pretty hagspawn in the entire game. Snarking with/at him is the best way to gain influence.

* Jade Curtiss from ''[[Tales of the Abyss (Video Game)|Tales of the Abyss]]'' is the king of Snarking; friends, enemies, and random people on the street are not above his Whips of Wit!

** Judas from [[Tales of Destiny (Video Game)|Tales of Destiny]] 2 fits as well. Not so much the tall part, though, as an annoyed Loni points out that he [[Older Than They Look|looks younger than him.]]

** Don't forget Yuri from ''[[Tales of Vesperia (Video Game)|Tales of Vesperia]]'', who has been noted as "Jade 2.0" by fans.

* Shinon from ''[[Fire Emblem]] 9'' and its sequel.

* [[Jerkass|Jin Kisaragi]] of ''[[Blaz BlueBlazBlue]]'' doesn't really fulfill the "Dark" part of this trope, but he is tall, [[Bishonen|quite handsome]], has gaggles of fangirls both in real life and in-game, and is extremely snarky towards almost everyone he meets. His subordinate, Noel Vermillion, acts as something of a [[Foil]] to him, as she is unfailingly polite and timid towards almost everyone whom ''she'' encounters.

** Jin's brother, Ragna the Bloodedge, also qualifies as being [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]], [[Jerk Withwith a Heart of Gold|but is a good person at heart]].

* ''[[Valkyria Chronicles II (Video Game)|Valkyria Chronicles II]]'''s Zeri can be counted as this, though he mainly finds Avan to be the biggest annoyance. Also, Pete.

* Braig in ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep (Video Game)|Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep]]'', {{spoiler|before he gets his scars from Terra.}}

* Magus of [[Chrono Trigger (Video Game)|Chrono Trigger]].

* Frantz of ''[[Rusty Hearts (Video Game)|Rusty Hearts]]''.

* Jorge Garcia from ''Backyard Sports.''

* Cloud Strife of ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' affects a swaggery, mercantile version of this kind of personality because he hates his real one, and throughout the game minor characters tend to fall for it but major characters see straight through him. Inside, he's [[Shrinking Violet|shy, introverted]], kind-hearted and has a [[Heroic Self -Deprecation|staggering amount of barely repressed self-loathing]].

* ''[[Ace Attorney]]'''s [[Ensemble Darkhorse|Miles]] [[The Rival|Edge]][[The Comically Serious|worth]]. [[Determinator|Ruthless as a prosecutor]] ([[Character Development|at first]]), [[Bishonen|irresistable to the ladies]] (and yet [[Oblivious to Love|nigh oblivious]] [[Ambiguously Gay|to this]]), admired by the police force, and [[Deadpan Snarker|incredibly snarky]] ([[FirstpersonFirst-Person Smartass|especially so in]] [[Ace Attorney Investigations]], or in the case in ''Trials & Tribulations'' where {{spoiler|you play as him for a segment}}).

* Archer of ''[[Fate/stay Stay Nightnight]]''. Except for the [[White -Haired Pretty Boy|white hair]].

** Lord El-Melloi II, Rin's sponsor for study in London ({{spoiler|as well as one of the few surviving magi of the [[Fate /Zero|fourth Holy Grail War]]}}), doesn't let being a very skilled and well-liked lecturer of magic get in the way of also being a surly [[Mean Brit]].

* ''[[Under the Moon (Visual Novel)|Under the Moon]]'' has twin brothers Leni and Seizh; they express this trope in different ways. Leni does not suffer fools. Seizh does, but mostly for the chance to ridicule people.

* ''[[Girl Genius]]'''s Ardsley Wooster is increasingly this trope, what with being tall, dark, British, the [[Servile Snarker]] as Gil's manservant, and {{spoiler|spy for Her Undying Majesty's British government, prone to [[Badass]] stunts like foiling Dolokov's plan to sway the Jaegergenerals and departing with a [[Bond One -Liner]]. Out the window of an airship.}}

* [...]/Zombie from ''[[Hanna Is Not a BoysBoy's Name]]'' counts. He's one of the tallest of the cast, a gentle but still pronounced snarker, and not too bad-looking for a green-skinned reanimated corpse. {{spoiler|Especially in his living form.}}

* [[The Spoony Experiment (Web Video)|The Spoony One.]] [[Large Ham|And]] [[What Do You Mean ItsIt's Not Heinous?|how]].

* [[The Cinema Snob (Web Video)|The Cinema Snob]].

* Oblivion from ''[[Shadowhunter Peril]]'' is a villanous example. It was more apparent when he briefly joined the Resistance--heResistance—he would constantly made snide comments to EVERYONE''everyone'', and use his powers on them without warning for his own amusement. He is also incredibly attractive, and always clad in black. He has [[Red Eyes, Take Warning]], except they don't stop his fangirls. And the fact that he is now a villain just makes him more of a [[Draco in Leather Pants]]. His foil is Umbra--toUmbra—to an extent. Both of them have blonde hair and dress in black, and both are tall and muscular, but whereas Oblivion is selfish, consumed by anger, and is incapable of loving, Umbra can open his heart to anyone, and he cares more about others than himself.

* ''[[Batman Beyond (Animation)|Batman Beyond]]'' has Terry McGinnis. His mentor is [[Deadpan Snarker|Bruce Wayne]], after all.

* Mozenrath from ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]]'' is a pure evil take on this.

* Another female example is Mai from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]].'' Tall? Can look at her also [[Tall, Dark and Snarky]] boyfriend in the eye. Dark? Has beautiful shiny black hair and more often than not wears dark-colored dresses. Snarky? [[Crowning Moment of Funny|"We lost."]]

[[Category:Tall Dark And Snarky{{PAGENAME}}]]