Sometimes you can't beat a good bastard in a story, someone who will do underhanded tactics to win, kick a defeated opponent when they are down or is always about the reward after they complete a quest/job.
Been reading The Greatest Estate Developer and it's your standard Isekai tale, guy wakes up in the body of a lords eldest son he read a fictional story about and knows they are in massive debt, all die to be the catalyst for the knight that serves them who's the MC. So he uses his architectural knowledge to change their fortunes but does it in the most bastard way.
He'll bitch slap an entire college full of stuck up nobles because he can get away with it, kurbstomp his opponent after he wins a duel to then trick him into exile, force a water contract on a rival noble that essentially binds his future generations to pay him extortionate fees and much more. This series jusy passed 100 episodes and has some of the best faces I've seen from a series.
So whether it's Leon from MobuSeka or Amos from The Expanse, who's your favourite fictional bastards?
Are we talking about actual villains as well because a great evil bastard can really make or break a series.
Elijah Cuu from the gaunts ghosts series is a great example I have never hated a fictional character more than that complete and utter bastard but I'll be damned if it didn't make for engaging reading.
They can be good or bad, they just have to be the kind of guy that makes you go 'that bastard'
Whether that's affectionately or cursing is up to the story