The gadfly is a character who often says things they don't necessarily believe in order to get a reaction. Maybe they have a hard time really expressing themselves. Or it could be they just like to watch others get flustered, confused or angry. Usually they're not really bad people. They can be quite amusing as long as they're not going after you. Which they probably won't, because the target is usually limited to characters the gadfly knows well or react strongly. See also I Shall Taunt You, Armor-Piercing Question, Gay Bravado. Examples of The Gadfly include: