True Neutral

"I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side"

-Treebeard

True Neutral characters are those who prefer to just "stay out of it". That is to say that in big conflicts between good and evil True Neutral characters try to remain well, neutral, as much as possible. That said they are NOT completely ambivalent and uncaring. True Neutral characters WILL pick a side if they are forced to, and usually side with good over evil (since the average person would rather have a good person looking after them than an evil one). But they do not set out to do good the way a good character does, nor do they set out to be cruel or callous the way an evil character does. In essence True Neutral characters are a more mild and innocent Neutral Evil in that they are chiefly self-interested, but not to a ruthless, cruel, or well, evil degree. They're out for their own and do not like to get involved if at all possible with either good or evil, but again will usually side with the former if forced.

List items

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  1. Treebeard

  Source of the page quote, though having said that he ultimately makes the transition to Neutral Good after seeing what Saruman has done and finally deciding to take action.

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  2. Dr. Manhattan

  An individual who is completely apathetic and ambivalent to the greater world and only gets involved because his girlfriend asked him to. Outside of that he prefers to keep to himself and be alone.

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  3. Strider Hiryu

  Left the Strider program and chose retirement and seclusion. He comes out of retirement every so often to face an unambiguous crisis, but beyond that he prefers to keep to himself. Kind of in-between this and Neutral Good.

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  4. Aliens (Xenomorphs)

  While most see them as villains and they can definitely qualify as such it should be remembered that the Xenomorphs are really just animals who are trying to keep their species alive, which just so happens to require killing people. But it's not because they're malevolent: rather they are again animals trying to preserve themselves, and are largely incapable of telling right from wrong, at least in the original movies. I don't fault the humans for killing them mind you, but it's more a case of people vs. hostile wildlife than a true good vs. evil affair.

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  5. Kaminoan

  A race that is pretty far removed from the rest of the galaxy and most concerned with turning a profit for themselves. They're not particularly malevolent, but they ain't helping the Republic for any idealistic reasons either.

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  6. Jawas

  Like the Kaminoans they are a primarily self-interested and largely loyal-less species that are not all that good or evil.

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  7. Watto

  By the time Anakin runs into him again in Attack of the Clones he's become this. It's also worth mentioning that shortly after Anakin won his freedom he gave Shimi hers. So clearly losing that podrace was good for his conscience.

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  8. C-3PO

  While he certainly has his heroic moments by and large C-3PO is very neurotic and not at all interested in involving himself in dangerous and chaotic conflicts. Really he'd much rather prefer to just be simulating etiquette.

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  9. Han Solo

  Prior to his Character Development Han Solo is a thoroughly self-interested smuggler who does not at all like the idea of getting involved in a conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire (and says as much to Leia) and only does get involved for the monetary reward. Obviously this doesn't stick and Han eventually makes the transition to Chaotic Good.

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  10. Dash Rendar

  Dash essentially shows what Han Solo was pre character development, being a smuggler who is by no means evil but is also not terribly interested in being good either. He helps the Rebel Alliance around the time of Empire Strikes Back, but more for money than ideology. He does also help fight against Prince Xizor, but even there I'd say more because he and Han Solo are old friends. Like C-3PO and Strider Hiryu above, he's in-between this and Good and like his friend Han ultimately starts to inch more into Chaotic Good territory.

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  11. Starkiller Clone

  The clone is barely interested in the rebellion anymore than he is in the Empire and is most concerned with finding Juno Eclipse and coming to better terms with who he is. But outside of that he is chiefly out for his own and is very resistant to joining either the Rebellion or Darth Vader. That and he's also stressed as being kind of a blank slate who can choose to be either good or evil.

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  12. Visas Marr

  Initially pretty submissive and subservient to first Darth Nihilus and then the player. Really she comes off as someone who's just content to go with the flow, attaching herself to whoever she feels is most deserving of her loyalty.

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  13. Asajj Ventress

  After abandoning Dooku and the Separatists and undergoing some Character Development into a still selfish but nowhere near as malevolent bounty hunter.

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  14. Mara Jade

  During that period in her life when she was beginning to throw off Palpatine's influence but hadn't yet embraced the ways of the Jedi Order.

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  15. Cade Skywalker

  Much like Han Solo and Dash Rendar before him, Cade Skywalker pre-Character Development is a fairly self-centered and selfish individual, also being a bounty hunter. I wouldn't go as far as to say he starts out evil though, making him more this alignment.

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  16. Gardener

  From what little I've seen him, he just wants to be left alone and attend to his garden.

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  17. In-Betweener

  Well this is a guy who needs to maintain a constant state of balance after all.

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  18. Eternity

  Per being an incredibly powerful cosmic entity, Eternity generally prefers to stay out of the affairs of the rest of the universe altogether, and only gets involved in the absolute most dire of circumstances that he feels require his attention. But outside of that he doesn't really do all that much.

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  19. Galactus

  A lot of people consider Galactus to be this, arguing that he's just doing what he needs to do to survive and is thus no more evil than a predator in the jungle. I personally don't come from that school of thought, but it's an argument I can sympathize with at least, so I'll ultimately judge Galactus to be in-between this and Neutral Evil.

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  20. Guardians of the Galaxy

  With the exception of Gamora, all of the members of the team start out as this in the movie before Character Development sets in.

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  21. Rocket Raccoon

  The MCU version is either this or Chaotic Neutral

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  22. Star-Lord

  Same as Rocket, at least again, before Character Development sets in.

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  23. Groot

  Groot too.

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  24. Drax the Destroyer

  Ditto

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  25. Hulk

  The Jade Green Giant sometimes transitions into this, as after all "he just wants to be left alone". Really, the Hulk's been several different alignments over the years.

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  26. Luke Cage

  Luke tried to be this early in his career, fashioning himself as the "Hero for Hire" who would do good only if you paid him and would keep to himself otherwise. Thing is though, Cage found that his conscience more often than not didn't allow him to act that way and he ultimately became more Neutral Good/Chaotic Good, including as a member of the New Avengers.

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  27. Bucky Barnes

  The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the character seems to have settled into this by the end of the movie.

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  28. Paladin

  Definitely a bit of a jerk in that Paladin is clearly self-interested and goes where the money goes. As such he has frequently antagonized and opposed various superheroes, but has also sometimes worked with them. Again, he goes where there's money to be made, classic mercenary style.

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  29. Eddie Brock

  Though he's always been seen as one of Spider-Man's greatest foes, it should be noted that Eddie Brock is often in fact an anti-hero who outside of his vendetta with Spider-Man actually considers himself a protector of society and to his credit does know how to play the part fairly well. In fact, it is only because of his ongoing feud with Spider-Man that I'm listing him as this and not Chaotic Good.

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  30. Lizard

  Obviously not the Lizard himself, but Curt Connors tends to be either this or Neutral Good.

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  31. Randy Robertson

  Given that he's depicted as being an anti-establishment radical in some of the older Spider-Man comics, I could argue his being Chaotic Neutral. But the version of him in the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon I see as being more this due to just being so mellow and disinclined to make himself the center of attention.

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  32. Glory Grant

  Her chipper nature and demeanor would normally put her more in the direction of good, but she did try to kill Spider-Man just because she was in love with one of his enemies, and when she accidentally shot her villainous boyfriend instead during his fight with Spidey, she came to hate the hero.

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  33. Mary Jane

  By and large MJ just wants a calm, peaceful, normal life and though not a fan of the supervillains regularly criticizes Peter for being a superhero and typically opposes his being Spider-Man.

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  34. Gwen Stacy

  Like MJ Gwen's pretty unambitious in her goals and is generally content to just go with the flow. The movie version played by Emma Stone on the other hand, is much more heroic, because she actively helps Spider-Man.

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  35. Madame Web

  Seems to be this at least some of the time, as for all of her helping Spider-Man every so often she does also seem to often have her own personal and ambiguous agenda. Probably in-between this and Neutral Good in the end.

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  36. Amazons of Themyscira

  Sometimes portrayed as this, being not at all interested in the affairs of Man's World and being totally content to just keep to themselves.

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  37. Booster Gold

  In my DC Universe since he starts out the same as he did in mainstream continuity, namely as a self-interested attention-seeker whose only trying to be a superhero because he thinks and hopes that it will get him fame and fortune.

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  38. Deadman

  For me, I feel that a big part of his character arc is the journey from this alignment to Neutral Good.

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  39. Momo

  As is the case with most animal characters

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  40. Djali

  Another animal character, and believe it or not this one's NOT a Disney creation. She was in the original novel, where she was at her most True Neutral.

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  41. Abu

  In keeping with his being an animal character but besides that he is also noticeably more selfish than Aladdin. Not so much that he is bad or evil by any means, but at the same time it does make me more inclined to list him as this, in contrast to Aladdin's being more Neutral Good.

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  42. Aladdin

  In the original Arabian Night, where his story is more akin to winning the lottery, rather than about a well-meaning underdog who stops the villain and saves the day.

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  43. David Xanatos

  Shamelessly and unapologetically machiavellian, but as time goes on his ruthless and villainous side becomes less and less pronounced, until eventually he becomes more this in the form of someone who is still self-interested, but not to the same villainous extent as before.

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  44. Coldstone

  After being freed from his malevolent programming and also Iago's influence he is content to just spend eternity with his mate alone and not interfere with anyone else's business before his mate convinces him to start acting like a true Gargolye again.

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  45. Kronk

  You have to admit, for all his being a "villain" Kronk is pretty nice and harmless all things considered.

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  46. Roxas

  Initially he's pretty content to just do whatever the Organization tells him to do and doesn't really think for himself all that much. It's only as the game progresses that he begins to transition more to Neutral Good and then to Chaotic Neutral. Yeah, Roxas changes alignments a lot.

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  47. Xion

  Like Roxas she starts out as this and honestly is this for most of the game before ultimately ending as Neutral Good. Given that she's in a way an extension of Roxas their sharing an alignment (and similar alignment transition) is fitting.

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  48. Squall

  Sometimes presented as this due to being a nihilist who does not believe in good or evil but nevertheless sometimes stands against the latter anyway.

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  49. Scorpion

  In Injustice Gods Among Us, where he doesn't care who his opponent is and has no stake in the Regime/Insurgency conflict. He just wants to get back home and will fight anyone who gets in his way regardless of their moral alignment.

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  50. Kenshi

  Though Mortal Kombat considers him to be a good character, as I said above neutral characters can and will side with good against evil if the occasion calls for it. But outside of sometimes uniting with Earthrealm's main defenders against a common enemy Kenshi's main goal is neither altruistic nor malevolent: it is simply revenge against Shang Tsung for blinding him.

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  51. Mitsurugi

  A wandering Samurai who just goes wherever the action is, not caring who his opponent happens to be or what their moral alignment is. Ergo, he is either this or Chaotic Neutral.

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  52. Lizardman

  Can't say anything about the way he was in the first few Soul Calibur games, but in SCIV at least he's interested primarily with getting back his lost soul which frankly isn't that villainous a goal. Not to mention that Lizardman is shown to be just as willing to fight evil characters as he is good ones in the pursuit of his goal, and even defeats Nightmare at the end of his story mode. Between that and his animal-level or near-animal level intelligence and I'd say he fits this pretty well.

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  53. Mr. Freeze

  In Batman Arkham City where he is frankly not really that bad a guy. Yes, he tries to kill Batman...after Bats provokes and all but threatens him. Outside of that he just wants to be left alone and save his dying wife's life. After getting Nora back for Mr. Freeze Batman even urges him to save her and stop trying to be a villain, because it's not who he is.

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  54. Krusty the Clown

  Another admittedly controversial call. Krusty tends to be depicted as being pretty crooked and sleazy, but is also not without a sympathetic side and compared to the actions of say, Mr. Burns, Sideshow Bob, Snake, and others, his criminal acts are pretty tame. Mostly he's just a sleaze, but not quite evil in my mind.

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  55. Maggie Simpson

  Well she IS a baby after all, if not also a surprisingly and deceptively intelligent one.

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  56. SpongeBob SquarePants

  Sometimes this, depending on the episode. Usually though more Neutral Good or, at his most obnoxious, Chaotic Neutral.

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  57. Squidward Tentacles

  Usually settles into this. While he can at times be genuinely cruel, he has also had moments of decency and kindness and by and large just wants to be left alone and have Spongebob and Patrick not bother him.

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  58. Edmond Dantes

  As the Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes is often portrayed as a vengeful and bitter figure, who goes to somewhat ruthless lengths to achieve his revenge. He is not without his moments of kindness though, and his victims aren't exactly sympathetic, so...

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  59. Tyrion Lannister

  George R.R. Martin himself has outright said that Tyrion is the most neutral character in the whole series. As such his fitting this should surprise nobody.

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  60. Arya Stark

  Either this or Chaotic Neutral, being a cold-blooded and remorseless seeker of vengeance who doesn't care who she kills in the process of attaining her goals. Honestly, with that level of ruthless I'm even tempted to make a case for Neutral Evil, but I suppose her still only killing people who either go after her or are on her revenge list shows that she still has some tiny measure of restraint. And she's not really any worse than the Punisher, who I consider to be of Neutral alignment so...