Took a Level in Jerkass: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

When a character grows into a [[Jerkass]] over time (sometimes not much of it at all). Can be due to [[Flanderization]], a [[Face Heel Turn]], or just another regular but unfortunate [[Character Development]]. While a [[Jerkass]] growing into a [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] is a common phenomenon, especially in dramas, a reversal, resulting in this trope, is also common, especially in comedies.

See also: [[Took a Level in Badass]], [[Took a Level In Dumbass]]. The [[Counter Trope]] to [[Took a Level In Kindness]]. Contrast [[Bitch in Sheep's Clothing]], who was always a jerk. A character taking his/her level in jerkassitude was genuinely nice.

 

{{examples}}

 

* Batman to a ''huge'' extent in ''[[JLA: Act of God]]'', infamously.

 

* In [[Keepers of the Elements]], Courtney starts off as her usual bossy, [[Jerkass]] self, but then goes up [[Over Nine Thousand]] levels when she {{spoiler|[[Deal with the Devil|makes a deal]] with [[Big Bad|Radcliffe]] for powers of her own so she can get revenge on [[The Leader|Gwen]]}}

* In the Disgaea fanfic [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6984913/1/Disgaea_Jewel_of_the_gods Disgaea: Jewel of the gods] Laharl is a HUGE [[Jerkass]] to Adell, and Mao not even caring if they died, while in canon, he has a [[Hidden Heart of Gold]] for people.

** Well to be fair, [[Morality Chain|Flonne]] isn't there most of the time, making him a complete asshole to most people.

** He also REALLY hates Adell and Mao for being main characters in the sequels to Disgaea.

 

== Film ==

* King Orrin in the ''[[Inheritance Cycle]]''. He begins as a somewhat dissolute, but brave and intrepid young man and a vital component of the Varden (Orik even says that the Varden couldn't exist without his hard and dangerous work). However, stress, as well as feeling under-appreciated and overshadowed lead to a drinking problem in between ''Brisingr'' and ''Inheritance'', which leads to his taking a level in jerkass.

 

* Carrie from ''[[The King of Queens]]'', to the point of "[[What Does She See in Him?|What Does He See In Her?]]".

* Ryan was one of the more likable and sympathetic characters in the first few seasons of ''[[The Office]]'', but his sudden rise to power at Dunder-Mifflin coincided with a massive increase in the size of his ego. His humiliating, highly public fall from grace only seemed to make things worse.

 

== Web Comics ==

* Due to sleep deprivation, Jade Harley of ''[[Homestuck]]'' has gotten a lot grumpier - although it should be noted that she's only like that to the trolls, who have been picking on her for her entire life (with the exception of [[Dogged Nice Guy|Tavros]]).

* ''[[Bittersweet Candy Bowl]]'' sees Mike go from a [[Nice Guy]] to a bitter [[Jerkass]] as part of its [[Deconstruction]] of the [[Tsundere]] archetype. Turns out all those years of [[Abuse Is Okay When It Is Female On Male|getting punched around]] while his friends laughed have taken their toll. To make matters worse, by the time he finally snaps, Lucy has actually ''[[Character Development|improved]]'', and his newfound nastiness and need to vent all that pent-up frustration leave her [[Break the Cutie|more of a mess]].

 

== Web Original ==

* In a way, ''[[The Nostalgia Chick]]''. Back when she started, she was really just Lindsay with pigtails and a bowtie. She had a few moments of [[Not So Above It All]] but was still pretty quiet, nice and sane. Now, however, she fakes being nice and is willing to kill to get [[Kickassia|power]], has a [[Sex Slave]] robot who she abuses, and treats her best friend like shit. [[Tropes Are Not Bad|She's much more fun this way, though.]]

* Foamy The Squirrel of ''[[Neurotically Yours]]'' has become much more of a completely bitter ass over the course of the series. This contrasts with his [[Characterization Marches On|earlier portrayal as a hyper-active squirrel who makes sarcastic quips about things]].

 

== Western Animation ==

** Living in an [[Orphanage of Love]] might ironically have something to do with it. He wasn't used to having so much freedom before moving into Foster's, so it probably inflated his ego.

* [[Hates the Job, Loves the Limelight|Krusty the Clown]] from ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' went from being a slightly weary and cynical old showbiz figure, to a greedy, shameless sellout who doesn't care the slightest if his licensing products are crappy, or even downright dangerous.

** A large amount of the cast have evolved this way as the show has leaned into zanier more satirical territory. Even Marge and Lisa act rather mean spirited or outright unstable at times.

** The case can also be made for Courtney after her return to the show in season two. She went from being a slightly stuck-up and haughty girl who was still civil enough to be the [[Team Mom]], to a scheming, spoiled princess who uses her lawyers to cheat her way to numerous advantage on the show. She basically transformed from a significantly more good version of [[Rich Bitch|Heather]] to a straight up [[Expy]].

*** In ''World Tour'', both Geoff and Courtney (the latter at least in the first half of the season) are back to form, only for Cody, Gwen, and Duncan to get jerkier.

** Cleveland has had some Jerkass moments since he got [[The Cleveland Show|his own show]].

** Connie went from being the standard [[Alpha Bitch]] to a downright bitch, which was best demonstrated when she made fun of Meg shortly after the latter returned to school from being in prison for three months (to compensate [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown|she pays for this]], and a lot of her Jerkass moments, to dire extremes).

** Mr Krabs can border into [[Faux Affably Evil]] territory in some episodes.

** "The Card", revolves around SpongeBob getting a rare Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy card, and lending it to Patrick for a while. However, Patrick abuses the card in so many ways (using it as a lockpick, grilling it and eating it in a Krabby Patty, scratching his back with it) you'd think he's actually doing this all just to torture SpongeBob, who gets increasingly stressed and worried about the card. [[Sarcasm Mode|Surprisingly enough]], after doing much more dangerous things with it (such as potentially smashing it or setting it on fire), when [[SpongeBob]] warns him, Patrick just says, "You can't expect my usual brand of stupidity, SpongeBob. I like to mix it up. Keep you on your toes." And Patrick flimsily makes it up to the [[Too Dumb to Live]] [[SpongeBob]] by just giving him new cards. Most people would have ''at least'' demanded forgiveness for how he freaked out his friend.

** Conversely, Squidward and Plankton have become more sympathetic characters as the characters [[Designated Hero|we're (apparently) supposed to like]] have taken copious levels in jerkass.

* Although Lemongrab of ''[[Adventure Time]]'' was a [[Jerkass Woobie]] literally since the day he was born, a deleted scene showed a much more insensitive, even malicious side to him. He terrorized a small candy child and made the poor little kid cry. THIS was originally the reason Finn and Princess Bubblegum decided to make him leave- you can tell, from the storyboards, how disgusted and shocked they were at Lemongrab's actions towards the child. While he's a jerk throughout the whole episode, progressively being more of a jerk the more he is pranked, Lemongrab scaring the crap out of that kid really was the peak of his jerkassery.

** Daphne had one temporarily in Episode 6, becoming a Hex Girl and stating that her new name was Crush. She reverts back to normal at the end.

** {{spoiler|Also, it's speculated that she might go into this against Velma, due to Velma having not told them a ''very'' important secret that was partially the reason why the gang split up.}}

** Irony is he's a [[Draco in Leather Pants/Western Animation|Draco in Leather Pants]], so the fangirls who actually build up the ''X-Men Evolution'''s [[Fan Dumb]], interprets ''him'' as the only good member of the Brotherhood, despite the fact that, arguably, he's the most self-centred character the series. Apocalypse is a [[Knight Templar]] who wishes for the world to become a Mutant utopia, [[Magneto]] is a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] who wants to avoid another Holocaust, every other Brotherhood member has redeeming qualities (especially Avalanche), Colossus is an [[Anti-Villain]] under [[Blackmail]], Gambit is a hired Merc/thief who had some [[Pet the Dog]] Moments, Sabertooth and Pyro are just plain crazy... but Pietro is a calculating, selfish dick who serves only himself (and his father isn't a sufficient excuse for some of the shit he pulls).

* On ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'', Dr. Scientist was more-or-less neutral in the first season. However, in "Heads Will Roll" he becomes a full blown villain, tormenting Heloise. This could just be the result of not having a major role before then.

* Charmcaster in ''[[Ben 10]]'' used to treat her golems (or whatever they were) like they were pets. In ''[[Ben 10: Alien Force|Ben 10 Alien Force]]'', she can't go a few minutes without insulting the giant ones she has now for everything they do. Also, in the original series, while a troublemaking bitch, she wasn't murderous or out to take over the world. In ''Alien Force'', she does try to conquer the world, and expresses a gleeful desire to kill Gwen.

** Ben himself takes a massive level in Jerkass in the third season of ''Alien Force''.

'''Ed:''' [[The Woobie|Gee, if that's the way you *sniff* I mean if uh, all right then....]] }}

* Both ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' seemed to have done this when [[Chuck Jones]] started directing the shorts. Jerry would sometimes start their [[Escalating War]] without provocation—in "The Year of the Mouse" he and another mouse took on a role similar to [[Looney Tunes|Hubie and Bertie]], driving Tom insane purely for kicks. On the other hand, Tom's torture of Jerry was severely stepped up, particularly in "Of Feline Bondage", where the sadistic glee he took in tormenting him was rather... unsettling.

** In the same episode, Angel the Bunny, always a little bit of a brat, has become violently abusive and borderline sociopathic, making unreasonable demands regarding his breakfast, and then throwing Fluttershy's best effort away for being short one cherry and kicking her out of the house. The closest he comes to any kind of apology is an expression of gratitude after he realises [[I Do Not Like Green Eggs and Ham|he enjoys Fluttershy's cucumber slices]], but then, it was only because of [[Death Glare|the Stare]] that he was willing to try them in the first place.

*** Angel [[Took a Level In Kindness]] in a later episode, so it kind of evens out.

[[Category:The Jerk Index]]

[[Category:Character Derailment Tropes]]