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{{trope|wppage=Social gadfly}}
{{quote|"You could say I'm trying to wake the clods out of their rigid mental sets by forcing them to deal with unconventional behavior... or you could say I just like jerking folks around. For that matter, you could say anything you damned well want to. I do."|'''Admiral Chee''', ''[[The League of Peoples Verse|Expendable]]''}}
 
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== Anime ==
* Albireo in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'', who seems to feel it is his job to get a rise out of Evangeline. He's described as her 'natural enemy.' {{spoiler|Zazie Rainyday}} appears to be following in his footsteps.
* Half the time when Koizumi and Kyon from ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]'' talk, Koizumi will explain some theory to explain Haruhi and Kyon will start getting very involved in the conversation and thinking about it deeply--atdeeply—at which point he says "Just kidding, I made the whole thing up." Annoying!
** A bad case of this comes from none other than {{spoiler|Ryoko Asakura, who decides it's her job to make Haruhi do something and tries to murder Kyon.}} Actions speak louder than words?
* Asuka Langley Soryuu, the [[Jerkass]] [[Tsundere]] from ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' does this due to her huge insecurities, so in her case it's basically a big cry for attention.
* Hikaru and Kaoru in ''[[Ouran High School Host Club]]'' generally amuse themselves by baiting Tamaki and Haruhi. Tamaki is a bit of a [[Butt Monkey]], but Haruhi can hold her own. Often unintentionally.
** The scary thing is that ''it runs in the family.''
* Nabiki often acts like this towards Akane and Ranma in ''[[Ranma ½ (Manga)|Ranma 1/2]]''
* By episode 12 of ''[[Bakemonogatari (Light Novel)|Bakemonogatari]]'', Senjogahara admits she likes to troll Koyomi.
* Konata in ''[[Lucky Star]]'' constantly pushes Kagami's buttons and giggles quietly at the [[Tsundere|explosive]] results.
* Similarly, Ritsu from ''[[K-On! (Manga)|K-On!]]'' loves pushing Mio's buttons, mainly to scare the crap out of her.
** When Mugi tried to simulate her {{spoiler|to get more popular}}, she came off as [[Jerkass]].
* Before either of these, Tomo from ''[[Azumanga Daioh (Manga)|Azumanga Daioh]]'' was doing this to [[Straight Man|Yomi]].
* Shin of ''[[ShinCrayon ChanShin-chan]]'' loves getting a rise out of Georgie.
* Kazuma of ''[[Kaze no Stigma (Light Novel)|Kaze no Stigma]]'' is a [[Deadpan Snarker]] with a hobby: [[Troll|Trolling]]ing his distant cousin Ayano.
* In practice, Kafuka Fuura of ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei-sensei]]'' comes across like this, as while she professes extreme optimism on every subject, she tends to create or encourage chaos by doing so, and we know that she's really [[Cute and Psycho]].
* Izaya Orihara of ''[[Durarara!!]]'' pushes ''everyone's''' buttons. It's not for nothing that [[Fan Nickname|fans call him]] "Trollzaya".
* Tsuyuri from ''[[Doujin Work]]'' is this through and through, causing most of the misunderstandings in the series.
* Raphael from ''[[Tenshi Nini Narumon]]'' is a mix of this and [[The Tease]] towards Mikael
* Prince Baka Ki=El-Dogra, also known as the Prince, in ''[[Level E]]'' is pretty much made out of this.
* In ''[[Kaichou wa Maid Sama-sama]]'', [[The Ace|Takumi]] [[Mr. Fanservice|Usui]] does this a lot to basically everyone, but his favorite victim is his [[Tsundere]] love interest [[Does Not Like Men|Misaki]] [[Belligerent Sexual Tension|Ayuzawa]].
* Mai from ''[[Nichijou (Manga)|Nichijou]]'' goes to great lengths in order to confuse her friends, going so far as to seemingly [[Schoolgirl Lesbians|confess to Yuko]] just to provoke a funny response. She'll even troll herself. Also, [[Uncatty Resemblance|her dogs]] are the same way.
** And one of said friends has an older sister, who is just as bad.
* Motoharu Tsuchimikado and Misaka {{spoiler|Worst}} from ''[[ToA AruCertain Majutsu noMagical Index]]''. The former is a [[Self -Proclaimed Liar]], the latter does her best trying to troll Accelerator.
* Haru Hozuki from ''[[Hozuki-san Chi no Aneki]]'' has nothing better to do than mess with her step-brother.
* Korone (Green) in ''[[Demon King Daimao]]'' loves yanking Akuto's chain.
* ''[[Code Geass|]]'': C.C.]] seems to come off as this trope, with [[Deadpan Snarker|snarking]] and [[Pretty Freeloaders|freeloading ]] the person she does it to as a bonus when pushing Lelouch's buttons.
 
 
== Literature ==
* Discussed in [[Plato]]'s ''[[Apology of Socrates (LiteraturePlato)|Apology of Socrates]]'', the [[Trope Namer]], where [[Socrates]] compares his role for the Athenian democracy as that of a gadfly pestering a horse (for details, see the {{smallcapssmall-caps|Real Life}} folder below).
* In [[Robert Heinlein]]'s ''Rocket Ship Galileo'', Dr. Cargraves does this when debating with his three teenage apprentices, to get them to question their own assumptions and realize the importance of being able to prove their assertions. His contrary position is that the Moon might not have a "far side", because no one has ever seen it (the book was written before spacecraft were sent to photograph the far side).
* Admiral Chee of ''[[The League of Peoples Verse|Expendable]]'' sees himself as a social gadfly in the tradition of Socrates, contantly prodding people to deal with issues they'd rather ignore. Like Socrates, he ends up sentenced to execution because of it.
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== Film ==
* Loki in ''[[Dogma]]'', who convinces a nun that there is no God by spouting off [[Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory|nonsensical allegories]] about ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' and organized religion. By the way, he's the Angel of Death.
{{quote| '''Bartleby''': You know, here's what I don't get about you. You know for a ''fact'' that there is a God. You've been in His presence. He's spoken to you personally. Yet I just heard you claim to be an atheist.<br />
'''Loki''': I just like to fuck with the clergy, man. I just love it, I love to keep those guys on their toes. }}
* Stumpy from [[Out Cold]].
{{quote| '''Stumpy''': Did I ever tell you about the time I invented snowboarding?}}
* Done by, ''of all people, [[Nice Guy|Bruce]] [[The Incredible Hulk|Banner]]'' in [[The Avengers (Filmfilm)|The Avengers]]. He starts acting angry when [[Black Widow]] is talking to him, causing her to freak out and pull a gun on him. She calls off [[Just You and Me Andand My Guards|all of the SHIELD agents surrounding the building they're in]] after he says the following:
{{quote| '''Bruce''': I'm sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do.}}
 
 
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* [[Older Than Feudalism]]: [[Greek Mythology|Eris, goddess of strife]], as described by [[Hesiod]].
* [[Norse Mythology|Loki]] (see Film example above) . [[And I Must Scream|He got his comeuppance.]]
* [[Satan]] (yes, that one) from Abrahamic religions. Depending on which text you believe, he might just be [[Troll|Trolling]]ing the humans, or out-and-out [[Shaped Like Itself|devilish]].
* The original use of the term by Socrates was inspired by the story of Bellerophon, who killed the chimera while riding the flying horse Pegasus. A gadfly bit Pegasus, who, startled, threw Bellerophon. He fell to his death, fitting the previous declarations that no man could survive battle with the chimera.
 
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== Video Games ==
* Jade Curtiss from ''[[Tales of the Abyss]]''. Jade routinely spars with the rest of the party verbally, and no one is entirely sure about his actual intentions. It doesn't help that his [[Deadpan Snarker]] nature means that he uses the same tone for nearly everything he says...
{{quote| '''Anise:''' Colonel, what's your secret for being so strong?<br />
'''Jade:''' Simple. I drink people's blood.<br />
'''Anise:''' Huh?!<br />
'''Jade:''' It's so difficult when people take me seriously... }}
* Kamikura Hiroki of ''[[Canvas 2]]'' enjoys picking on friends, love interests and students for fun. There are a few he won't mess with, but they are the exception rather than anything approaching the rule.
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** Isabella. Trolling is her way of saying she likes you.
* ''[[Silent Hill 3]]'' has Vincent, who's an asshole whichever way you see him... but a particular exchange he has with Heather in the final dungeon has been a source of debate among fans of the series ever since:
{{quote| '''Vincent:''' Don't stand there looking so smug! You're the worst person in this room! You come here, and... ENJOY spilling their blood! And... and listening to them... cry out! You feel EXCITED when you... step on them and... snuff out their lives!<br />
'''Heather:''' (''uncertainly'') Are you... talking about the monsters?<br />
'''Vincent:''' (''giving her an odd look and smiling'') Monsters? They looked like monsters to you?<br />
''Cue horrified reaction from Heather.''<br />
'''Vincent:''' (''waving his hands and smirking'') Don't worry! It's just a joke! }}
* Miakis in ''[[Suikoden V]]'' loves to [[Troll]] Lymsleia, and sometimes [[The Hero|the Prince]]. At least in the beginning.
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== Visual Novels ==
* Yuichi in ''[[Kanon (Visual Novel)|Kanon]]'' is fond of making bizarre and outrageous claims while maintaining a completely serious atmosphere in order to confuse all his love interests. Few manage to catch on and also recognize when he is and isn't serious. This works really well considering he's also a [[Deadpan Snarker]].
* ''[[Clannad (Visualvisual Novelnovel)|Clannad]]'s'' Tomoya is practically the personification of this trope. Generally, he's just having fun, but he also has difficulty being honest on occasion. It's most obvious in Tomoyo's route where the only reason he even gets to know her is specifically ''because'' he's doing this to Sunohara for shits and giggles.
** Naturally, this carried over into the [[Omake|anime]]. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaBNcYDnLRM It's a wonder that Sunohara listens to a word he says]. Tomoyo also [[Lampshade|lampshadeslampshade]]s this when she wonders if Sunohara is a masochist.
** Worth noting that Tomoya does [[Character Development|grow out of this as he matures.]]
* Tohsaka in ''[[Fate/stay Stay Nightnight]]'', who is also [[The Tease]].
** Her Servant Archer is an even greater example; not in the least because it's [[Deadpan Snarker|hard to tell when he's actually being serious and when he's just probing for a reaction]]. {{spoiler|And true to the origin of the term, Archer's verbal sparring is usually aimed with the goal of making the characters see their own flaws, such as Saber's wish and Shirou's blind adherence to the ideal of a 'hero'.}}
*** Lancer can also be very verbally provocative when he wants to be. Extra points for trolling Tohsaka.
**** Kotomine, as well.
* Karura in ''[[Utawarerumono]]'' thoroughly enjoys messing with Touka's head. Not that that's [[The Ditz|very difficult.]] Also Hakuoro, but she's nice enough to everyone else.
* Kenichi in ''[[Sharin no Kuni (Visual Novel)|Sharin no Kuni]]'' is like this depending on who he's talking to. He more or less leaves Natsumi alone, but Kyouko points out fairly early that he's going to keep messing with Touka as long as she keeps reacting. This trope probably also applies to Isono.
** Kenichi also hews closer to the original definition at times - he intentionally disrupts the lifestyles the girls have adopted to work around their "obligations", as well as bringing up uncomfortable topics for discussion, usually relating to some past event in somebody's life he's been clued in to, to help them get over it.
* Yuki picks up this role in ''[[G Senjou no Maou (Visual Novel)|G Senjou no Maou]]'' though she isn't as blatant about it as Kenichi and it's only really apparent in the Mizuha route. It's never stated outright and is at least partially unintentional since she's simply not good with people, but it's implied that this is frequently what Usami is doing in her sillier moments.
* Akira in ''[[Suika]]'' starts this way, especially in flashbacks. By the end, not so much.
* Taichi in ''[[Cross ChannelCROSS†CHANNEL]]'' adopts this as his default demeanor. {{spoiler|He has a hard time knowing where to draw the line and is often far more hurtful than he intends. It's also an act.}}
* Yamato in ''[[Maji Dede Watashi Nini Koi Shinasai (Visual Novel)!|Maji De Watashi Ni Koi Shinasai]]'' enjoys making up new traditional Japanese customs whenever Chris calls him out on something, which helps build up their [[Belligerent Sexual Tension]]. Momoyo isn't above screwing with people either, but is generally more of a [[The Tease|tease]].
* Mion Sonozaki in ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]'' towards Keiichi. And her twin sister Shion towards both Keiichi ''and'' her!
 
 
== [[Web Original]] ==
* In [[Red vs. Blue (Machinima)|Red vs. Blue]], Grif often works as a gadfly to Simmons, most notably when he lies to Sarge about seeing Sheila, just for the sake of making Simmons look crazy.
 
 
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* In ''[[Fated Feather]]'', Yote relentlessly teases friend and foe alike (even during moments of high drama), and the beginning of Chapter 7 suggests he does it just because he enjoys getting a rise out of people.
* Mike of ''[[Shortpacked (Webcomic)|Shortpacked]]'' ordinarily is a puppy-kicking [[Jerkass]], but occasionally he does or says horrible things to people that force them to acknowledge their own flaws.
* [[Master of Illusion|Jack Snipe]] of ''[[Erfworld]]'' seems to enjoy needling people, and has a particular talent for deconstructing their psychological weaknesses; particularly [[The Stoic|Wanda]].
* Black from [[Grey Is (Webcomic)...|Grey Is]] likes to make people angry because he loves the faces they make
 
 
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* This is [[Truth in Television]] on webforums and chatrooms... or to some extent, even here on [[TV Tropes]] itself.
* [[Harlan Ellison]]:
{{quote| I spend my life personally, and my work professionally, keeping the soup boiling. Gadfly is what they call you when you are no longer dangerous; I much prefer troublemaker, malcontent, desperado. I see myself as a combination of [[Zorro]] and [[Pinocchio|Jiminy Cricket]]. My stories go out from here and raise hell. From time to time some denigrator or critic with umbrage will say of my work, "He only wrote that to shock." I smile and nod. Precisely.}}
* The name comes from the term social gadfly. The trope namer, [[Socrates]], said that like a gadfly he could be easily swatted, but that a government who does such thing pays too heavy a price. The gadfly would help improve politics by raising unpopular, controversial viewpoints for discussion. This didn't work out so well for him. Now, the term generally refers to someone who simply causes trouble.
* This was the job of a court jester. [[Off Withwith His Head|Things didn't end too well for some of them.]]
* The concept of [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/:Devil%27s_advocate's advocate|Devil's Advocate]].
* [[Acceptable Targets|Advocates in general.]]
 
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