Character Tropes

[hattergonnahat]

+ Ambiguously Evil: While having been in league with both Rumplestiltskin and Regina and having done some pretty shady work in the past for them, Jefferson's personal moral compass is more vague.
+ Anti-Villain: He's pushed into what he does by Regina's manipulation and betrayal, as well as the love of his daughter. Also he's been driven more than a bit crazy by his time in Wonderland and being one of the few conscious people in Storybrooke.

+ Blessed with Suck: He remembers the Enchanted Forest while few others can... and is tormented by the fact that his daughter is living happily with a different family and has no memory of him. On top of that, he finally has everything he wanted to give Grace but it is impossible to share it with her.
+ Deliver Us from Evil: Jefferson gave up being a realm jumper after he had Grace. The difference in his character before and after becoming a father is especially prominent when we see that he was a weapons-grade Jerkass during his traveling days in "The Doctor", very unlike the man we were first (episodically, if not chronologically) introduced to in "Hat Trick".
+ Destination Defenestration: Mary Margaret kicks Jefferson out a window in order to allow Emma and herself to escape his house.

+ Dimensional Traveler: Via his magic hat.

+ :Disappeared Dad: He told Grace he would only leave her with the neighbors for a day, but ends up trapped in Wonderland.
+ Good Scars, Evil Scars: He has a gruesome one around his neck from his decapitation in Wonderland. He hides it with a scarf in Storybrooke.

+ Hell-Bent for Leather: Jefferson wore a black leather coat before he stopped his portal jumping work for Rumplestiltskin.
+ Heroic Blue Screen Of Death: Realizing Regina is leaving him to be trapped in Wonderland.
+ Kick the Dog: No matter how much help he gives to Regina, she always kicks him when things get rough, leading to ...
++ The Dog Bites Back: Him freeing Belle and sending her to Rumple with the information Regina was holding her prisoner.
++ His prior treatment of Regina falls neatly in this category. It's like a circle of dog kicking.
+ Laser-Guided Karma: Regina's treatment of him may be Kick the Dog behavior, but after seeing his role in her breaking and corrupting it's also rather karmic.
+ Losing Your Head: It was hacked off in Wonderland but was reattached when the Queen of Hearts ordered him to recreate his multidimensional hat.
+ Lotus-Eater Machine: Willing to put himself in one if his deal with Regina pays off: he gives her the power to defeat Emma, and she rewrites Storybrooke so that he and Grace are together, but neither of them remember the Enchanted Forest.

+ Made of Iron: He took the blunt force of a telescope to his head and still managed to chase after Emma, as well as falling out of a two story window and fleeing from the scene of impact.
+ Madness Mantra: "Get it to work, get it to work, get it to work, get it to work..."
+ Meaningful Name: Jefferson's name is a reference to the band Jefferson Airplane, which had a hit song called "White Rabbit", itself a reference to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

+ Nice Hat: He has one that allows for travel between different dimensions, including the Enchanted Forest and Wonderland. Regina steals it after trapping him in Wonderland forcing him to try and make a new one.

+ No Sense of Personal Space: His proximity while he converses with Emma and Regina seems too close to be necessary. He never seems to care.
+ The Ophelia: Gender-Flipped.
+ Portal Network: Jefferson’s Magic Hat contains one of these, full of doors to various universes.

+ Stalker Without A Crush: Spying on Grace and then Emma through the telescopes scattered throughout his house.
+ Tall, Dark and Handsome (and Snarky)

+ Took a Level in Kindness: At some point between the Enchanted Forest events in "The Doctor" and "Hat Trick", he loses much of his ruthlessness that he showed when he was willing to help Rumplestiltskin corrupt Regina. This is because he found a woman to love and have a child with...and when his evil "line of work" caused him to lose said woman, he quit it for good and focused only on being a good man and good father for his daughter.
+ Wounded Gazelle Gambit: He fakes a limp after Emma nearly swiped him with her car, in order to lure her back to his house.