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{{trope}}
[[File:140px-Joker_black_02_svg_329Joker black 02 svg 329.png|frame]]
 
{{quote|''"Regimes may fall and fail, but I do not."''|'''Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord'''}}
 
The [['''Wild Card]]''' is so used to swinging between teams that they have no default 'good' or 'evil' [[Character Alignment]] or even a 'home team'. Not [[Chaotic Neutral]], because even they generally care more. [[Chaotic Neutral]] also usually tends to imply being on ''someone's'' team, but being capricious, perhaps criminal, and having a limited attention span. This trope, on the other hand, truly isn't interested in consistently remaining with either side, and will very often simply want both to leave him alone. He can be the sort of person who will stay out of things entirely, until someone else (usually the hero or a sympathetic character) asks him for help.
 
Because the Wild Card doesn't care whose toes they stamp on, even if they're supposed to be their team. Come to think of it... the Hero probably only got them on the team (if they even manage to do that) because the [['''Wild Card]]''' [[I Owe You My Life|owes him big time]]. The Wild Card can really shake up a team - the more suspicious characters will quite rightly not trust him.
 
Wild Cards often share a few of these traits:
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* [[Redemption Equals Death]] - "My redemption is never to turn 'good' (what does that mean to someone like me, anyway?) But as soon as I become steady, reliable, and predictable, I'm usually gone."
 
Sometimes Wild Cards fall in love. Love is the bane of the Wild Card, because no longer does the world revolve around one amazing and easy to understand person - there's somebody else. Oh my god, [[What Is This Feeling?]]?! Knowing how erratic the [['''Wild Card]]''' can be, it could be somebody from either team - or both. With [[Morality Pet|somebody to care about]], the Wild Card may well [[Love Redeems|become more reliable]] for a team. Or if there's multiple people to care about, they may become ''less'' reliable. There are also some Wild Cards who became so ''because'' they fell in love with someone.
 
Wild Cards are very rarely [[Big Bad|Big Bads]]s, though; they aren't really ''dedicated'' enough to evil - or to ''anything'' - to be ''that'' evil. However much they may enjoy doing what they do, most Wild Cards have either some form of morality, or high survival instincts, and are likely to turn on their evil employer because they were betrayed, don't want to be blown up with the planet, or even just because they just don't like being ''that'' evil. Wild Cards are more likely to be a [[Big Bad]]'s poor choice of [[Bastard Understudy]], or even the Good Team's [[Token Evil Teammate]].
 
While the average [['''Wild Card]]''' sees their 'friends' as a handy [[Bulletproof Human Shield]], they have just enough conscience to feel bad about abandoning them when the fight turns ugly. No Wild Card switches teams because they ''care'' about their friends - they switch teams because it means a better life for them.
 
On rare occasions, a [['''Wild Card]]''' may unexpectedly pull a sudden act of [[Heroic Sacrifice]], just as Starscream did in his death scene in ''[[Transformers]]: Armada''. It's worth noting, however, that Starscream guessed that if he didn't sacrifice himself, he'd probably die anyway - along with everybody else.
 
Wild Cards are just ''that'' unreliable.
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** And now there is [[Smug Snake|Kurt Godel]], who is said ([[Implausible Fencing Powers|with reason!]]) to be extremely dangerous and fits the trope to a T. He appears to be on a different side of the conflict every time he appears in a new chapter. The guy is Infuriating Awesome.
** There is also [[Psycho Lesbian|Tsuki]][[Axe Crazy|yomi]], who will betray her side- and remain hostile to the other side- at the drop of a hat if it looks like [[Blood Knight|fun]]. Unlike most others of her sort, you can't even point her at your enemies and let her loose- but she ''will'' make you ''think'' you can, right up to the point where the slices your limbs off.
* Sagara Sousuke from ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]'' was apparently originally this, before [[Defrosting Ice Queen|becoming attached to his friends at Mithril and Kaname]]. It's implied that the reason he joined Mithril as a [[Wild Card]] was because Kalinin was part of Mithril, and he decided to join him there. Sousuke especially fits this trope in the section of [[Wild Cards]] that fall in love. He originally had no conflicting emotions, since his world and goals only revolved around getting the job done. However, it's made clear that falling in love with Kaname is his bane, making him much weaker. [[Stalker with a Crush|Gauron]] is less than pleased with this change...
* Hibari and Mukuro from ''[[Katekyo Hitman Reborn]]''. Apparently, after 10 years, however, they both seem to be more loyal to Tsuna (even possibly admiring and respecting his strength). Of course, neither would [[Aloof Ally|ever admit it]]. Their present time selves ''definitely'' fit this trope very well, though.
** Don't forget Xanxus. Or the whole of the Varia. They will fight under the name of Vongola.
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* Greed{{spoiler|/Ling}} from ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''.
* Raphael from ''[[Angel Sanctuary]]'', much to everyone else's frustration.
* Nijima, self-proclaimed 'friend' of Kenichi in ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]'' - though calling him a [[Wild Card]] implies that he has a good side. He doesn't; all he's really interested in is gathering information, spreading rumours and [[Power Levels|ranking]] everyone in school. Oh, and [[Dirty Coward|running away]]. Even Kenichi gets tired of his shit.
* Nico Robin from ''[[One Piece]]'' used to be one, jumping from crew to crew to find the Poneglyphs until she got in with the Strawhats.
* Sora from [[.hack|.hack//Sign]] is probably one of the best examples in Anime, checking the entire list from above. Since the setting of the story is an MMORPG, Sora's goal is strictly to have fun, at anyone's expense. He doesn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation as the plot progresses {{spoiler|probably because he's a child in the real world}}, and continues to [[Face Heel Revolving Door|flip back and forth]] between sides. Even though it's a game, Sora strives to survive at all costs; he only helps either side if there's an immediate tangible benefit to him, and isn't above playing both sides at once, although {{spoiler|this ultimately costs him badly when he pulls one [[Back Stab]] too many, fulfilling the [[Redemption Equals Death]] aspect.}} The effects this have on him as a person are eventually examined {{spoiler|through Haseo, a later character played by Sora's player after he's grown up somewhat, in .Hack//GU.}}
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== Literature ==
* In the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'', Jarlaxle is a [[Chaotic Neutral]] [[Magnificent Bastard]] [[Wild Card]]. One excellent example of his playing both sides ''and'' the middle is when he captured a young woman, made a half-hearted attempt at seducing her, and set things up so his own ally would "betray" him and free her, so they could go rescue her would-be boyfriend and the ally's rival, who was being held by Jarlaxle's employer. Ta-daaa.
* Sethra Lavode from the ''[[Dragaera]]'' books might qualify as a [[Lawful Neutral]] [[Wild Card]], given that she is loyal above all to [[The Empire]] but not necessarily the current emperor or empress on the throne. She is also rather a [[Chessmaster]] along with being eons old and ultra-powerful, and it's noted in the ''Khaavren'' series how some villages view her as the [[Evil Overlord]] to be defeated in their fairy tales, while she is considered a "fairy godmother" /PhysicalGod the next village over. In the ''Taltos'' series, her actions are more unambiguously good, and she experiences [[Becoming the Mask]] {{spoiler|in her kindly and likeable persona as [[Classy Cat Burglar]] Kiera}}, which was initially just a scheme to monitor organized crime in the Empire.
** The [[Planet of Hats|House]] she is associated with, the Dzur, is also something of a [[Wild Card]] group, as Sethra notes in the book ''Dzur'' how that group likes fighting for its own sake and will choose the right side when everyone else is against it.
* Along the same lines as Talleyrand, both Fernand and Vilefort from ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' might count, being excellent judges of when to change their politics and thus rise through society at a time when most people suffer because of having Napoleonic or Royalist politics at the wrong time.
* The ''[[Codex Alera]]'' features the ironically-named spy Fidelias, who starts the events of the first book when he turns traitor in an attempt to replace the aging First Lord with a new ruling noble, Aquitaine. He believes that what he is doing is no different than the many acts he has previously performed as a loyal spy, acting to preserve the long-term stability of Alera. {{spoiler|In the later books, he turns again upon realizing that [[The Hero]] is the heir to the throne and would make a far better ruler than Aquitaine.}}
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'''Sadi:''' Two. (off their expressions) It's a little hard to ''un''-poison a knife... }}
* In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'', we have Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish and Lord Varys, both of whom have switched sides at least three times (Lannister to {{spoiler|Tyrell to himself}} in Littlefinger's case, Targaryen to Baratheon to Lannister to {{spoiler|Targaryen}} for Varys) depending on who happens to be able to help them out. Varys [[Lampshade Hanging|actually mentions]] more than once that his big talent in life is sucking up to whoever is in power. Both come from very humble backgrounds for the circles they operate in (the littlest of Lordlings for Littlefinger, foreign eunuch for Varys) but through raw talent became Councilors and major players in the realm, and both are aware of how they have to secure themselves at all costs. Particularly Varys, who despite decades as a major player has ''no title or wealth whatsoever of his own''.
* [[Trickster Mentor|Vergere]] from the ''[[New Jedi Order]]'' series. ''What'' she was doing was pretty clear (training Jacen Solo to be an uber-Force user) but the ''why'' was so ambiguous that even the editors can't seem to decide. At first the official position was that she wanted peace but wasn't allied with any faction in particular, then that she was a loyal (albeit unorthodox) Jedi of the Old Republic, and now she's apparently supposed to be a Sith acolyte. Thing is, the original Vergere was just such a messed-up enigma that the authors seem to dust her off whenever they need someone to act as the linchpin of the ongoing plot, giving a sort of weird meta-status as the [[Wild Card]].
** Talon Karrde as well, although at least he's honourable enough not to sell anyone out if he can help it. He even lampshades it at one point, telling a Republic officer that he's in it for the money, not the ideology. The reason he sides mostly with the good-guys? He reckons they're going to win in the end.
* The Marquis de Carabas from ''[[Neverwhere]]''. He's your man right up until there's more in it for him not to be.
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== Live Action TV ==
* A rare [[Lawful Neutral]] [[Wild Card]] comes about in the personage of Jack Bristow from ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]''. He's a [[Wild Card]], despite being almost rigidly [[Lawful Neutral]], because he has not one but ''two'' goals, which he values ''almost'' equally. The first is, as an intelligence agent of the United States, to secure and defend America's military, diplomatic, and industrial interests abroad. The second, and more important, is as a father: to keep his daughter--alsodaughter—also an intelligence agent--safeagent—safe. Because of the dangerous nature of his daughter's missions, these two goals come into conflict more often than might be thought.
* Eli David of ''[[NCIS]]'' seems to be this as well. He seems to put country above ''everything'' including family, to the degree of being an [[Abusive Parents|Abusive Parent]] because of this. At the same time, he is not a completely unsympathetic character. Still no one knows what he will do.
** From the same show, Trent Kort, because ''nobody'' knows his reasons, which side he's on, or even his ''actual name.'' You don't get much wilder than that.
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** Though he does get a {{spoiler|doozy of a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] / [[Heel Face Revolving Door]]}} in "The End of Time".
** Similarly, Sabbath from the ''[[Eighth Doctor Adventures]]'' tends to do a lot of becoming mortal enemies with everyone he allies himself with and shifting his goals because of it. He started off engaged in mildly [[Teeth-Clenched Teamwork]] with the Doctor, and, ''well''. That didn't last. He carries on getting into [[Enemy Mine]] situations with the Doctor, bookended by attempts on the Doctor's life, until he decides he's actually "more than a little fond of" the Doctor.
* ''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia|Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]'': When Mac is fitting all of the bar into a [[Five-Man Band]] structure, he designates Charlie as "the wild card" and for good reason. In that episode alone, he tries to proposition their loan officer, switches the bar to run on a ''gasoline engine'', tries to sell some more gasoline to a random woman using a Texas accent (and sounding like a gigolo), and pushes ''four large garbage cans of gas out of the car'' and jumps out. When asked about any of it, he just says "[[Wild Card]]!"
{{quote|'''Mac:''' Why aren't the brakes working?
'''Charlie:''' BECAUSE I CUT THE BRAKES! WILD CARD, [[This Is for Emphasis, Bitch|BITCHES!]] YEEEHAW! * jumps out of car* }}
** Frank also serves as a [[Wild Card]], with less insanity and more selfishness. He doesn't have ''any'' loyalty, he just does whatever he thinks will net him the most money/enjoyment.
* In season three of ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'', Bela pulls a lot of scams that endanger the Winchester's lives but will occasionally help them (usually out of self preservation).
** In any given episode, Crowley , Meg and Ruby might be working alongside or against the boys, and are ready to betray them at a moment's notice. Demons are tricksy like that.
** The angels aren't much better. Gabriel, Balthazar, Anna and even good old Cas frequently switch between helping or hindering the Winchesters.
* Max from ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]'', the youngest sibling of the trio. He constantly switches sides, from [[Insufferable Genius|Justin's side]] to [[Manipulative Bastard|Alex's side]] and back.
* Despite being nominally a [[Heel|villain]] or [[Face|hero]] at various times, Spike from ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' functions as a [[Wild Card]] for most of season 4 and early season 5 as he makes his gradual [[Heel Face Turn]]. During that changeover period he provides backup or information to the main cast when he's paid for it but also betrays them to Adam at the drop of a hat when it appears to suit his purpose.
** [[Manipulative Bastard|Then immediately rescues them so that they'll decide not to stake him]].
** And [[The Ace|The Immortal]] from ''[[Angel]]'' has been described as being not on the side of good or evil, instead fighting for himself.
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* Alex Krycek from ''[[The X-Files]]''.
** Even Mulder's informants can be seen as this, as they simultaneously offer Mulder information, withold it, and feed him incorrect information.
* Krenshaw from ''[[Monk]]'' is probably the closest to being a [[Wild Card]] that could be given in the series. A notable example is in the episode where he attempted to vote for the destruction of a parking garage solely to spite Monk, who attempted to defend it from its destruction.
* Benjamin Linus of ''[[Lost]]'', even though his early appearances set him up as the [[Big Bad]]. Even up to the finale, the audience isn't quite sure what he's going to do or who he's going to side with.
* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'': Sylar's intentions change to suit whatever his situation at the moment calls for; he'll assist either the good guys or the bad guys if he thinks he has something to gain from it. However, he also dislikes being lied to, and every attempt to control him through lying and manipulation has ended horribly with a bloodbath and Sylar defecting to the other side by default.
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** [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]]. Never trust a rattlesnake.
** [[Chris Jericho]] makes a career out of doing this.
** [[WWE]] wrestler [[Triple H]] seems to settle into this role whenever he attempts a [[Heel Face Turn]]. Mostly because, even as a face, he's kind of a prick--butprick—but a ''smart'', ''funny'' prick.
** During his TNA days, [[Christian]] Cage settled into this role after the dissolution of the Christian Coalition, and his major storyline was about him trying to rebuild his burned bridges with the [[Face|facesface]]s on the roster, in order to combat his allies who had now joined the Angle Alliance. The fact that he was still pretty much a cocky asshole [[Heel]] in characterization really hurt his efforts.
** [[Ric Flair]], whose exceptional skill at both grappling and cutting promos, and his ability to carry even the most pathetic "wrestlers" to four-star affairs while remaining the Dirtiest Player In The Game throughout, made him almost impossible to boo even as he started to push sixty.
** Even at his most face-ish, the late [[Eddie Guerrero]] would lie, cheat, and steal to get his way. It was ''on his shirt''. As he once said while teaming with his nephew Chavo, "Hey, we may lie, cheat, and steal -- but at least we're honest about it."
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*** Which provides the answer to: "The following statement is true: the preceding statement was false."
*** One can pretty much just simply say any mid-card WCW wrestler that later became pretty big draws in WWE.
** [[Jake Roberts|Jake "The Snake" Roberts]] was a [[Chaotic Evil]] version of the [[Wild Card]]. He could be a good guy for as long as he needed to.
** [[Shawn Michaels]]. [[Diabolus Ex Machina|Montreal Screwjob]] aside, whether he's a heel or a face, even if he's just playing a commissioner, he's cheered out of the building.
** [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] kinda fits this example too. Whether he's a Face or a Heel, he will attack anybody just because he simply doesn't like him (examples: [[Vince McMahon]] and [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]]). Also, even when he's supposed to be a heel post-1999, fans will still cheer him on such as his fight with [[Goldberg]]. His charisma and obvious desire to entertain the fans even as a heel makes it really REALLY hard for fans to legitimately hate his character.
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** Ramza is himself a Wild Card in the Lion War, though for the opposite reason as Delita. Almost every faction wants him dead, and the main plot of the third chapter is, from his perspective, one long [[Blast Out]]. Delita is just happy to give him fuel and let him clear up the [[Gambit Pileup]] for him.
* Boomerang from the first ''[[Wild Arms 1|Wild ARMs]]'', though technically on the side of the bad guys, is only interested in fighting and hence couldn't care less about his own side. At least once in the game he protects your party from them.
* Shadow the mercenary from ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'' is a slightly less teetering [[Wild Card]]; he indeed seems to care little for the overarching plot, and will randomly leave your party in the first half of the game. He also works for the bad guys in one area of the game, but since you're ''also'' working with them at that point, the issue never really comes up.
* Scorpion from ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' often falls into this category, especially during the plot of the third game, his single-minded pursuit of hated rival Sub-Zero causing him to attack good and evil characters alike. Scorpion frequently switches sides in the post-MK3 games as well, though in fairness this is frequently the result of being duped or enslaved by higher-ups.
* {{spoiler|Roy and Meilin}} in ''[[Terranigma]]''.
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* ''[[Baldur's Gate]]'' has a few, but Haer'Dalis from ''Baldur's Gate II'' is a shining example of the trope. He's a tiefling (demonkin) from a wholly different plane of existence who joins the party to do some sightseeing, seduction, and provocation.
** Jan Jansen from the same game is also an example, although he's much more down-to-earth than Haer'Dalis.
* Vergil in ''[[Devil May Cry]]''. He serves the most powerful -- thoughpowerful—though of course his main intention is to ''become'' the most powerful.
* Kreia in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]] II''. Ostensibly she's the main character's ally and adviser but only because that puts her in the best position to manipulate others without herself being manipulated.
* In ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'', this is a potential [[Take a Third Option|option]] for The Courier to take towards the end. The line of quests is even known as "Wild Card". Indeed, working with ''all'' the factions and stringing them along for as long as possible before upending all their plans and seizing power without warning is the encouraged way to get that ending. In the promotional deck of cards that came with special editions of the game, the Courier and Benny (who is also this, though with his lack of success amounting more to a [[Spanner in the Works]]) are the Jokers.
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* Wanda Firebaugh, the dread Croakamancer of ''[[Erfworld]]'', who's seemingly working for Stanley the Tool, but is involved with Jillian Zamussels who is on the other side, and is really working for herself. {{spoiler|In large part, this is because she appears to see herself as a servant of fate, and will do whatever's needed to see that fate realised.}}
* [http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100810.html Galatea] in ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]].'' Poor mixed-up kid.
* Played around with in Vriska from ''[[Homestuck]]''. On the one hand, she was responsible for setting a [[Cycle of Revenge]] into place and keeping it going. On the other hand, she also agreed to end it, and showed some signs of genuine remorse. On the other hand, when she entered the veil she set in motion the events that lead to {{spoiler|Jack Noir being prototyped by Bec, which [[Unwinnable By Mistake|doomed the kids' session.]]}} On the other hand, she claimed she was only doing it to make John stronger, and that she intended to try to face {{spoiler|Bec Noir}} herself. On the [[Rule of Three|other hand]], she then proceeded to {{spoiler|kill Tavros}} for pretty much no reason. On the other hand, she seems genuinely regretful of that, and has been talking more and more to John lately, who seems to be steering her down the right path. All in all Vriska's [[Wild Card]] days seem mostly over, though it's not out of the question she'll revert back to her old ways...
** Later in the story, it's stated that the Bard class is considered a Wild Card class as it's role is to have a major influence in how the game progresses in either a positive or potentially devastating way. In the case of {{spoiler|Gamzee, he was at least partially responsible for the Trolls' victory against the Black King.}}
* ''[[Zombie Ranch]]'' gives us Rosa Amarilla, whose loyalties so far are proving to be... fluid. She's even portrayed as the Joker card in what appears to be a poker hand on the [http://www.zombieranchcomic.com/2012/05/30/issue-5-cover/ cover of issue five].
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