The Trickster: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
{{cleanup|Too many work names are potholed and thus not searchable. Worse, people not familiar with the works have no idea who these characters are or where to find them. These Zero-Context Examples needs to be fixed.}}
{{trope list needs context}}
[[File:Eris 1 7936.jpg|link=Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas|frame|Eris, the goddess of Discord, fits this trope like a glove.]]
{{quote|'''Aelius:''' I think that if someone tried to rob you in the street, you'd pick his pocket, sell him a better knife and probably offer him a job as a tax collector.
'''Basso:''' I choose to take that as a compliment.
|''The Folding Knife''}}
A trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. The Trickster openly questions and mocks authority, encourages impulse and enthusiasm, seeks out new ideas and experiences, destroys convention and complacency, and promotes chaos and unrest. At the same time, the trickster brings new knowledge, wisdom and many [[An Aesop]]. Even when punished horribly for his effrontery, his indomitable spirit (or plain sheer foolishness) keeps him coming back for more.
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In modern literature the trickster survives as a character archetype. Often too, the Trickster is distinct in a story by his acting as a sort of catalyst, in that his antics are the cause of other characters' discomfiture, but he himself is left untouched.
The Trickster is
Compare [[Messianic Archetype]] and [[The Fool]]. May overlap with [[Nominal Hero]], particularly if the trickster is doing it purely for fun.
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* The Hamburglar
* Mayhem, played by Dean Winters [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9eqj7xRzk0 as seen here].
== Anime and Manga ==
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* Satoko Houjou from ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]''.
* Many characters in ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]'', Haruhi herself included.
* ''[[
* ''[[Bleach]]'''s Gin Ichimaru. [[Dangerously Genre Savvy|Bonus points for]] [[Cunning Like a Fox|not one,]] [[Smug Snake|but two]] [[Tricksters|trickster]] [[Animal Motifs]].
* The unnamed female protagonist from ''[[Trickster]]'' by Aro Hiroshi.
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* In ''[[Mayo Chiki]]'', [[The Ojou|Kanade]] runs circles around most other characters. Or make them run circles around her, at any rate.
* Niou Masaharu from [[The Prince of Tennis]]. It's even his in-universe nickname.
== Comic Books ==
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* ''[[Sam and Max]]'''s titular duo functions as one of these - Max provides the impulsiveness, Sam provides the [[Aesop]] and they both contribute to the chaos.
* [[The Mighty Thor|Loki,]] Marvel's version of the Norse God of Mischief and Lies. Varies from out-and-out villain to anti-hero, depending on the writer and the incarnation (for example, de-aged Loki is a lot less malevolent than his previous, older self).
== Fan Works ==
* Toltiir, from the fan writings of Greg "Metroanime" Sharpe and the community of writers that orbited him in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Toltiir, who usually takes the form of a talking black cat, is a former [[Eldritch Abomination|embodiment of Chaos]] now taking it easy as the god of Mischief; he originated in a ''[[
== Film ==
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** [[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Bugs Bunny]], the former [[Trope Namer]], is claimed to be a cross between Br'er Rabbit and [[Marx Brothers|Groucho Marx]], himself an example.
* [[The Grinch]] and [[Cat in The Hat]] both fit this archetype to a t. And they do look almost quite similar in their live action incarnations.
* Merry and Pippin from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' are also [[Those Two Guys]].
* [[Discworld|Granny Weatherwax]]. You don't have to have a sense of humour to be a Trickster!
** Also, Moist von Lipwig.
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* Uncle Arthur from ''[[Bewitched]]''.
* Avon from ''[[Blakes 7]]''.
* Gaius Baltar from ''[[Battlestar Galactica
* Rumplestiltskin in ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]''. Very, very much so—and he's pulled his tricks on ''everyone''.
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** [[Mad God|Sheogorath]] has aspects of this as well.
* [[Pokémon Black and White]] introduces us to Zorua/Zoroark and Cottonee/Whimsicott. Cottonee has Prankster as one of its abilities, and Zorua can actually disguise itself as another Pokémon to trick its enemies.
* The protagonist of the science fiction parody game ''[[Under the Skin]]'' is an alien child who comes to Earth to play jokes on humans.
== Web Comics ==
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{{quote|'''Vish:''' ...Lady Luck. My Goddess. Yours now. Sanctifier of Journeys, Lady of Crossroads, Gallows-Girl of Thieves and the Courts of Night.}}
* Nudge from ''[[Wapsi Square]]'' is [http://wapsisquare.com/comic/trickster/ a classic trickster]. She eventually discovers that she is the kind of trickster who makes people want to punch her.
* In [[Strays]], the [[White-Haired Pretty Boy]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153516/http://www.straysonline.com/comic/151.htm Holland].
* Sam "Some of my people have even survived after uttering the phrase 'Watch This!'" Starfall, of ''[[Freefall]]''. (Also, his species.) Many other characters have elements of this as well; heroine Florence Ambrose is even [[Uplifted Animal|a relative of Coyote's]].
* In ''[[Thistil Mistil Kistil]]'', [http://tmkcomic.depleti.com/comic/ch02-pg22/ Loki, true to form.]
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*** On his website, Greg Weisman was once asked about including the Egyptian god Seth, and [http://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=7368 noted] that "He's basically a Trickster figure[...]and I already have four of those to play with."
* The entire Dingo family in ''[[Blinky Bill]]'', but mostly Danny and Daisy.
* Hexadecimal of ''[[
* Heloise of ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]''.
* [[Word of God]] describes [[The Spectacular Spider-Man]] versions of Spidey himself and the Green Goblin this way.
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* T.J. Detweiler from ''[[Recess]]''. King Bob was this as well before he became king of the playground.
* Loki, from Marvel's animated feature ''[[Thor: Tales of Asgard]]''.
* June from ''[[KaBlam!]]'' is
== Real Life ==
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{{reflist}}
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