Is there a word, phrase to describe a kind but corrupt person?
Context:
In the NBC television series Chicago P.D, the character Sergeant Hank Voight (played by Jason Beghe) is a dirty cop who is associated with shady, unsavory characters in the Chicago underworld, regularly breaks police protocol and takes bribes.
However, despite his ruthless, morally ambiguous methods, Voight is extremely dedicated to the victims of his cases. Furthermore,he goes out of his way to protect and help vulnerable young people, and does have his fellow cops' and Chicago's best interests at heart.
So in the above context, what positive, negative word or phrase can be used to describe a person like Sergeant Hank Voight who despite being corrupt is a kind person ? While researching, I came across the word Maverick in the thesaurus.Can the word Maverick be used in this context ?
Example Sentence :
Sergeant Hank Voight can be described as a ___________
So based on the context,in this sentence above, what word or phrase can be used ?
After searching through many nine alignment memes trustworthy sources, I've found that Seargeant Hank Voight could be compared to other fictional characters such as:
- Han Solo
- Robin Hood
- Batman
All these characters are not afraid of breaking the laws of the government but are also eager to help those in need.
These people could be described as heroic outlaws.
@thomj1332 Suggested that I add
Chaotic good, which I originally suggested as a joke since I thought it was only used in certain role-playing games, but it seems like these character tropes are also used on a wider scale.
Anti-hero (wiki)
An antihero, or antiheroine, is a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, or morality. These characters are usually considered "conspicuously contrary to an archetypal hero". Although antiheroes may sometimes do the "right thing", it is often for the "wrong reasons" and because it serves their self-interest rather than being driven by moral convictions.
From LiteraryDevices:
An anti-hero is usually given the most prominent role after the protagonist and is represented as an amalgamation of both good and evil. Instead of having two different people to represent two extremes, an anti-hero combines both into one person and thus shows the real human nature.
Specific example from ScreenSpy:
It’s more of a Breaking Bad replacement than a companion piece for Chicago Fire and we understand this from the moment we see our anti-hero Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) roughing up an informant. Read more at Review: NBC’s Chicago PD Is a Cop Show From Another Era | ScreenSpy
In film, these types of characters are also known as flawed heroes.
(See this article about The Flawed Hero).
All great (and even not so great) works of fiction have flawed characters. It is especially important that the narrative's protagonist be flawed. Without a character flaw, there is nothing for a character to overcome. As humans, we are all flawed creatures. Consequently, it is nearly impossible to identify with a character that is flawless. Character flaws can range from minor, to major, to tragic.