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** In season 4, the Thinker is brilliant at predicting so much of what the Flash will do without fail. However, he's utterly thrown when a confonfrontation between him, Flash and Siren-X fails as Barry doesn't stop her. That's because Thinker had mocked Barry on [[spoiler: his failure to save Ralph Dibny]] and Barry froze. =DeVoe= honestly cannot grasp how Barry could have been affected by such a trauma. It shows how his growing intellect is robbing him of human emotions and sets up his eventual defeat.
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** In season 4, the Thinker is brilliant at predicting so much of what the Flash will do without fail. However, he's utterly thrown when a confonfrontation between him, Flash and Siren-X fails as Barry doesn't stop her. That's because Thinker had mocked Barry on [[spoiler: his failure to save Ralph Dibny]] and Barry froze. =DeVoe= [=DeVoe=] honestly cannot grasp how Barry could have been affected by such a trauma. It shows how his growing intellect is robbing him of understanding human emotions and sets up his eventual defeat.
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** In season 4, the Thinker is brilliant at predicting so much of what the Flash will do without fail. However, he's utterly thrown when a confonfrontation between him, Flash and Siren-X fails as Barry doesn't stop her. That's because Thinker had mocked Barry on [[spoiler: his failure to save Ralph Dibny]] and Barry froze. =DeVoe= honestly cannot grasp how Barry could have been affected by such a trauma. It shows how his growing intellect is robbing him of human emotions and sets up his eventual defeat.
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'''Elaine:''' 'Dumb and lazy' I ''understand''.
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'''Elaine:''' 'Dumb and lazy' I ''understand''.''understand''.
* ''Series/KingdomAdventure'': [[TheDragon Pitts]] has a lot of trouble understanding the motivations of the protagonists; he assumes every intruder is after his castle's treasury, which is ''never'' true when the protagonists are the ones sneaking in. He also doesn't understand that they can't be bribed, or that it takes a pure heart to accomplish the things they do.
* ''Series/KingdomAdventure'': [[TheDragon Pitts]] has a lot of trouble understanding the motivations of the protagonists; he assumes every intruder is after his castle's treasury, which is ''never'' true when the protagonists are the ones sneaking in. He also doesn't understand that they can't be bribed, or that it takes a pure heart to accomplish the things they do.
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Changed line(s) 134,135 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Lillian''': Do you know of any mother mother that would kill for her daughter?
-->'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
-->'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
to:
-->'''Lillian''': Do you know of any mother mother that would kill for her daughter?
-->'''Lena''':daughter?\\
'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
-->'''Lena''':
'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
Changed line(s) 146 (click to see context) from:
-->”Do you know what love is? A chemical. Electrons in your brain sending signals. Are you familiar with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis? It's a fungus that infects ants. It's amazing, really. The spores take over their central nervous systems and force them to climb to a high point, and then the fungus begins to grow up, bursting from the tops of their heads like a branch. And it kills them, of course. All so it can spray new spores over the jungle, infecting more ants. When people say love, that's what I think of.”
to:
-->”Do you know what love is? A chemical. Electrons in your brain sending signals. Are you familiar with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis? It's a fungus that infects ants. It's amazing, really. The spores take over their central nervous systems and force them to climb to a high point, and then the fungus begins to grow up, bursting from the tops of their heads like a branch. And it kills them, of course. All so it can spray new spores over the jungle, infecting more ants. When people say love, that's what I think of.””
* A downplayed example in ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''; Elaine can't understand why her religious boyfriend isn't pressuring her to convert, and concludes that he must not really care about her. The idea that he merely respects her right to choose never occurs to her.
->''(earlier in the episode)''\\
'''Jerry:''' So you prefer 'dumb and lazy' to 'religious'?\\
'''Elaine:''' 'Dumb and lazy' I ''understand''.
* A downplayed example in ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''; Elaine can't understand why her religious boyfriend isn't pressuring her to convert, and concludes that he must not really care about her. The idea that he merely respects her right to choose never occurs to her.
->''(earlier in the episode)''\\
'''Jerry:''' So you prefer 'dumb and lazy' to 'religious'?\\
'''Elaine:''' 'Dumb and lazy' I ''understand''.
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Changed line(s) 112,113 (click to see context) from:
** Hook doesn't understand why [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Belle]] won't help him kill [[MagnificentBastard Rumplestiltskin]]
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. The comments on [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. The comments on [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
to:
** Hook doesn't understand why [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Belle]] won't help him kill [[MagnificentBastard Rumplestiltskin]]
Rumplestiltskin]].
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. He honestly hasn’t considered that the jury is made up of real people playing for real money — in fact, the exact same very real purse for which he would go on to qualify. He assumed that they would think and vote according to how he – and the Hantz Nation – believed they were supposed to vote. On Samoa, Natalie used this line of reasoning to shape her strategy (and get the big bucks). And on HvV, it kept up especially after the jury – including an original ally who also had to make her own case to her own jury – went to great pains to spell out exactly why ignoring their sensible warnings was a ''retarded'' idea.
** The comments on [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. He honestly hasn’t considered that the jury is made up of real people playing for real money — in fact, the exact same very real purse for which he would go on to qualify. He assumed that they would think and vote according to how he – and the Hantz Nation – believed they were supposed to vote. On Samoa, Natalie used this line of reasoning to shape her strategy (and get the big bucks). And on HvV, it kept up especially after the jury – including an original ally who also had to make her own case to her own jury – went to great pains to spell out exactly why ignoring their sensible warnings was a ''retarded'' idea.
** The comments on [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
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* ''Series/{{Blindspot}}'': Briggs's plan to destroy the FBI from the inside by erasing Remy's memory and sending her to infiltrate the FBI has a fatal flaw that she doesn't anticipate. It doesn't occur to her that a person with no memory would naturally be horrified by her master plan.
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Changed line(s) 99 (click to see context) from:
* On ''Series/BurnNotice'' [[TheCorrupter Larry]] has this probem with Michael in that he can't realize [[MoralityPet why]] Michael won't be more like him and enjoy his work as a PsychoForHire.
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* On ''Series/BurnNotice'' [[TheCorrupter Larry]] has this probem problem with Michael in that he can't realize [[MoralityPet why]] Michael won't be more like him and enjoy his work as a PsychoForHire.PsychoForHire. Michael but says it outright after yet another failed attempt by Larry to corrupt him before he leaves him to the police (with Sam on a nearby building ready to shoot him dead if he tries to run).
-->''"You know the difference between us? I really do understand you. You only'' think ''you understand me."''
-->''"You know the difference between us? I really do understand you. You only'' think ''you understand me."''
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* A crucial piece of the plot of the''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' episode "End Game". A disgraced former Army commander is convinced that Clay Porter, the soldier who blew the whistle on him for torturing a man to death, must have the secret he was trying to obtain through said torture, because the only reason he can think of for Porter to turn him in was in order to go after the secret himself. It never occurs to him that Porter was just trying to do the right thing.
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* A crucial piece of the plot of the''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' the ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' episode "End Game". A disgraced former Army commander is convinced that Clay Porter, the soldier who blew the whistle on him for torturing a man to death, must have the secret he was trying to obtain through said torture, because the only reason he can think of for Porter to turn him in was in order to go after the secret himself. It never occurs to him that Porter was just trying to do isn't even aware this is a thing until the right thing.commander calls him up to tell Porter he's holding his family hostage for the secret.
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Changed line(s) 141 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': The D'Haran officer whose family Richard saves in "Deception" is mystified as to why he'd go out of his way saving the loyalist village where they live, which some extreme rebels were intent on destroying. Richard has to explain that his mission doesn't involve killing innocent people before letting him go.
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* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': The D'Haran officer whose family Richard saves in "Deception" is mystified as to why he'd go out of his way saving the loyalist village where they live, which some extreme rebels were intent on destroying. Richard has to explain that his mission doesn't involve killing innocent people before letting him go.go.
* [[EldritchAbomination The Devil With Yellow Eyes]] from ''{{Series/Legion}}'' doesn’t really understand human emotions like love and altruism, nor does he understand why humans bother with things like friendship. He can convincingly fake such things, but they carry no real meaning to him, and he discards the charade the second it stops being useful. His attitude towards goodness is summed up in this chilling monologue:
-->”Do you know what love is? A chemical. Electrons in your brain sending signals. Are you familiar with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis? It's a fungus that infects ants. It's amazing, really. The spores take over their central nervous systems and force them to climb to a high point, and then the fungus begins to grow up, bursting from the tops of their heads like a branch. And it kills them, of course. All so it can spray new spores over the jungle, infecting more ants. When people say love, that's what I think of.”
* [[EldritchAbomination The Devil With Yellow Eyes]] from ''{{Series/Legion}}'' doesn’t really understand human emotions like love and altruism, nor does he understand why humans bother with things like friendship. He can convincingly fake such things, but they carry no real meaning to him, and he discards the charade the second it stops being useful. His attitude towards goodness is summed up in this chilling monologue:
-->”Do you know what love is? A chemical. Electrons in your brain sending signals. Are you familiar with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis? It's a fungus that infects ants. It's amazing, really. The spores take over their central nervous systems and force them to climb to a high point, and then the fungus begins to grow up, bursting from the tops of their heads like a branch. And it kills them, of course. All so it can spray new spores over the jungle, infecting more ants. When people say love, that's what I think of.”
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*** In season 3, Lillian tries to help Lena by killing Morgan Edge. She honestly thinks her daughter will appreciate the "favor" of murdering a man who's been against her.
-->'''Lillian''': Do you know of any mother mother that would kill for her daughter?
-->'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
-->'''Lillian''': Do you know of any mother mother that would kill for her daughter?
-->'''Lena''': No, I don't. That's probably a ''good'' thing for society.
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** General Trek backstory holds that the Ferengi, a race whose culture is entirely based around personal gain, delayed proper first contact with the Federation for as long as possible, because they considered the Federation's commitment to altruism to be proof that the Federation were ''completely insane''.
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** Joffrey seems genuinely baffled but intrigued by Margaery's charity work in "Valar Dohaeris."
to:
** Joffrey seems genuinely baffled but intrigued by Margaery's charity work when Margaery stops to donate some toys and spend time with the children in an orphanage of Flea Bottom in "Valar Dohaeris."" During dinner, we hear Joffrey speak of her work (in a positive light, mind you) as if charity were some strange and obscure, but totally alien concept. When Jack Gleeson was asked in an interview what sort of thing Joffrey would ''never'' do, he has to think hard before responding with "charity work" instead of something vile.
--> '''Joffrey:''' Well as Ser Loras said, Lady Margaery has done this sort of, uh... ''charitable'' work before.
--> '''Joffrey:''' Well as Ser Loras said, Lady Margaery has done this sort of, uh... ''charitable'' work before.
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** In Season 6's "Villains," after killing [[spoiler:Tara]] and nearly killing Buffy, Warren is informed that Willow is out for his blood... and honestly doesn't seem to understand ''why''.
--->'''Rack''': She's gonna blow this town apart... starting with you.\\
'''Warren''': Me? What did I... What did I do to her? {{beat}} Okay, okay. I-I shot her friend.\\
'''Rack''': I feel death.\\
'''Warren''': But the Slayer's alive! And she [[HealingFactor heals]]!\\
'''Rack''': She might, but somebody's stone cold. And that... is why the witch wants your head.
--->'''Rack''': She's gonna blow this town apart... starting with you.\\
'''Warren''': Me? What did I... What did I do to her? {{beat}} Okay, okay. I-I shot her friend.\\
'''Rack''': I feel death.\\
'''Warren''': But the Slayer's alive! And she [[HealingFactor heals]]!\\
'''Rack''': She might, but somebody's stone cold. And that... is why the witch wants your head.
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** This is Littlefinger's fatal flaw in season seven. He spends his time trying to turn Sansa and Arya against one another, playing on the idea of their jealousy and giving "clues" and "advice" to Sansa on how Arya wants to kill her and take over Winterfell. But Littlefinger has failed to realize two things. First, after so long apart, the sisters are too eager to reconnect to be split apart. More importantly, he thinks Arya is like Sansa in wanting to be Lady of Winterfell. In truth, Arya (having spent years training to be an assassin) could care less about becoming Lady---and Sansa ''knows'' Arya doesn't want it. Thus, any attempt to make it look like a "coup" is being planned is for naught and as it happens the sisters [[spoiler: use this to trick Littlefinger into his own demise.]]
to:
** This is Littlefinger's fatal flaw in season seven. He spends his time trying to turn Sansa and Arya against one another, playing on the idea of their jealousy and giving "clues" and "advice" to Sansa on how Arya wants to kill her and take over Winterfell. But Littlefinger has failed to realize two three things. First, after so long apart, the sisters are too eager to reconnect to be split apart. Second, they never had the deep-set jealousy that would enable his scheme to work. More importantly, he thinks Arya is like Sansa in wanting to be Lady of Winterfell. In truth, Arya (having (a lifelong tomboy having spent years training to be an assassin) could care less about becoming Lady---and Sansa ''knows'' Arya doesn't want it. Thus, any attempt to make it look like a "coup" is being planned is for naught and as it happens the sisters [[spoiler: use this to trick Littlefinger into his own demise.]]
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** Reign can't seem to grasp why Kara or the public would have a problem with her brutally killing criminals at a whim or those who try to defend them as she's a tool of "justice."
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** This is Littlefinger's fatal flaw in season seven. He spends his time trying to turn Sansa and Arya against one another, playing on the idea of their jealousy and giving "clues" and "advice" to Sansa on how Arya wants to kill her and take over Winterfell. But Littlefinger has failed to realize two things. First, after so long apart, the sisters are too eager to reconnect to be split apart. More importantly, he thinks Arya is like Sansa in wanting to be Lady of Winterfell. In truth, Arya (having spent years training to be an assassin) could care less about becoming Lady---and Sansa ''knows'' Arya doesn't want it. Thus, any attempt to make it look like a "coup" is being planned is for naught and as it happens the sisters [[spoiler: use this to trick Littlefinger into his own demise.]]
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** Well, "Evil" is pushing it, but Bronn cannot wrap his head around the Unsullied fighting for Daenerys on their own free will because they believe in her and what she is trying to build. For a sellsword that fights for money, fame, and women, which are things that the Unsullied have no use for, their motivations are quite alien to him.
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Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
** Reiterated in "The Doctor Falls", when the Cybermen's first wave is defeated on floor 507: they assumed what they were doing the unconverted humans a ''favor'', and aren't prepared when the humans don't see it that way.
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** Reiterated in "The Doctor Falls", when the Cybermen's first wave is defeated on floor 507: they assumed what they were doing the unconverted humans a ''favor'', and aren't prepared when the humans don't see it that way.
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Changed line(s) 126 (click to see context) from:
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.
to:
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.work.
* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': The D'Haran officer whose family Richard saves in "Deception" is mystified as to why he'd go out of his way saving the loyalist village where they live, which some extreme rebels were intent on destroying. Richard has to explain that his mission doesn't involve killing innocent people before letting him go.
* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': The D'Haran officer whose family Richard saves in "Deception" is mystified as to why he'd go out of his way saving the loyalist village where they live, which some extreme rebels were intent on destroying. Richard has to explain that his mission doesn't involve killing innocent people before letting him go.
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Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
** Reiterated in "The Doctor Falls", when the Cybermen's first wave is defeated on floor 507: they assumed what they were doing the unconverted humans a <em>favor</em>, and aren't prepared when the humans don't see it that way.
to:
** Reiterated in "The Doctor Falls", when the Cybermen's first wave is defeated on floor 507: they assumed what they were doing the unconverted humans a <em>favor</em>, ''favor'', and aren't prepared when the humans don't see it that way.
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Changed line(s) 103 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/TheShield'': [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, Vic's plan to make himself into a KarmaHoudini ends up instead turning into an IronicHell, in part, because he honestly doesn't seem to have considered that his new bosses with a federal law enforcement agency might not want a confessed liar, thief, extortionist, drug dealer, torturer, and cop killer in anything close to a position of authority, even if they are contractually obligated to give him a paycheck.]]
to:
* ''Series/TheShield'': [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, Vic's plan to make himself into a KarmaHoudini ends up instead turning into an IronicHell, in part, because he honestly doesn't seem to have considered that his new bosses with a federal law enforcement agency might not want a confessed liar, thief, extortionist, drug dealer, torturer, and cop killer in anything close to a position of authority, authority or influence, even if they are ''are'' contractually obligated to give him a paycheck.]]
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** Reiterated in "The Doctor Falls", when the Cybermen's first wave is defeated on floor 507: they assumed what they were doing the unconverted humans a <em>favor</em>, and aren't prepared when the humans don't see it that way.
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* Happens a few times on ''Series/MadamSecretary'' as politicians (both foreign and American) assume Liz is acting out to get her name out there and push her political career rather than actually wanting to help the U.S. and the world.
** Liz and Henry confront a rich donor on how he hired a guy to stalk them to get Liz to resign. The man thinks that Liz's "progressive views" are hurting President Dalton and arrogantly says Dalton needs him far more than Liz. He then smugly tells Dalton that if he wants funding for re-election, he'll fire Liz. The donor takes it for granted that Dalton will put his own political survival over any loyalty. He's thus struck speechless when Dalton introduces the Attorney General who has lots of questions over the man's illegal activities.
** Liz and Henry confront a rich donor on how he hired a guy to stalk them to get Liz to resign. The man thinks that Liz's "progressive views" are hurting President Dalton and arrogantly says Dalton needs him far more than Liz. He then smugly tells Dalton that if he wants funding for re-election, he'll fire Liz. The donor takes it for granted that Dalton will put his own political survival over any loyalty. He's thus struck speechless when Dalton introduces the Attorney General who has lots of questions over the man's illegal activities.
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** Tywin shows shades of this:
*** In "Kissed by Fire", he expresses confusion and annoyance over Tyrion's protests over his ''reward'' of a forced marriage to Sansa Stark, remarking that she's both beautiful and the remaining heir to Winterfell once Robb's dealt with. Thus, in Tywin's eyes Tyrion is ungratefully complaining about becoming one of the most powerful men in Westeros, rather than forcing a child who's suffered at Joffrey's hands to have to marry him and essentially ordered to exert MaritalRapeLicense.
*** In "Mhysa", they once again have a clash of opinions over the Red Wedding. Tywin attempts to point out that it's no different than a victory on the battlefield, even sparing lives in the long run. However, Tyrion, despite not being adverse to cheating in war, believes that such an action crosses a line that will ''never'' be forgotten and may only serve to fuel a future conflict.
*** Even when Tyrion has him at crossbowpoint on the privy and has made it very evident how he felt for Shae, Tywin continually dismisses her as "just a whore" when trying to compliment and reassure Tyrion of his esteem for him, not thinking Tyrion would be offended by such a callous dismissal of the woman he loved. Tyrion proves him dead wrong.
*** In "Kissed by Fire", he expresses confusion and annoyance over Tyrion's protests over his ''reward'' of a forced marriage to Sansa Stark, remarking that she's both beautiful and the remaining heir to Winterfell once Robb's dealt with. Thus, in Tywin's eyes Tyrion is ungratefully complaining about becoming one of the most powerful men in Westeros, rather than forcing a child who's suffered at Joffrey's hands to have to marry him and essentially ordered to exert MaritalRapeLicense.
*** In "Mhysa", they once again have a clash of opinions over the Red Wedding. Tywin attempts to point out that it's no different than a victory on the battlefield, even sparing lives in the long run. However, Tyrion, despite not being adverse to cheating in war, believes that such an action crosses a line that will ''never'' be forgotten and may only serve to fuel a future conflict.
*** Even when Tyrion has him at crossbowpoint on the privy and has made it very evident how he felt for Shae, Tywin continually dismisses her as "just a whore" when trying to compliment and reassure Tyrion of his esteem for him, not thinking Tyrion would be offended by such a callous dismissal of the woman he loved. Tyrion proves him dead wrong.
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Changed line(s) 118,119 (click to see context) from:
--->'''Jade:''' You can't be nice to me after I've been mean to you. That's not how it works.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.\\
to:
--->'''Jade:''' You can't be nice to me after I've been mean to you. you! That's not how it works.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.
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Changed line(s) 116 (click to see context) from:
* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', this is ultimately averted with the demons. As we learn a few seasons in, this is because [[spoiler:they were all human before being [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured for centuries in Hell]]]]. Ironically, this is ultimately played straight starting about the same time we learn that secret, with [[spoiler:Heaven's angels. They're all dicks and, having never been human, can't understand humans]].
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* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', this is ultimately averted with the demons. As we learn a few seasons in, this is because [[spoiler:they were all human before being [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured for centuries in Hell]]]]. Ironically, this is ultimately played straight starting about the same time we learn that secret, with [[spoiler:Heaven's angels. They're all dicks and, having never been human, can't understand humans]].humans]].
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'': In episode 3, [[JerkSue Jade]] is paired with Tori for a stage fighting lesson and pretends to be hit in order to get Tori in trouble. When an accidental splash of water on Jade's black eye makeup reveals the truth to [[BlackBestFriend Andre]], Tori chooses to remain silent to avoid inflaming further conflict with Jade, reasoning that "going to school isn't going to be very fun for either of (them) if (they're) fighting all the time." When Jade confronts Tori on this, she is immediately confused.
--->'''Jade:''' You can't be nice to me after I've been mean to you. That's not how it works.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.\\
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'': In episode 3, [[JerkSue Jade]] is paired with Tori for a stage fighting lesson and pretends to be hit in order to get Tori in trouble. When an accidental splash of water on Jade's black eye makeup reveals the truth to [[BlackBestFriend Andre]], Tori chooses to remain silent to avoid inflaming further conflict with Jade, reasoning that "going to school isn't going to be very fun for either of (them) if (they're) fighting all the time." When Jade confronts Tori on this, she is immediately confused.
--->'''Jade:''' You can't be nice to me after I've been mean to you. That's not how it works.\\
'''Tori:''' How about you try being nice to me once in a while. Maybe that would work.\\
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** Just like her son, Lex, and Max Lord, Lillian refuses to believe Superman and Supergirl are sincere about wanting to help others, convinced every act they do is to "prove" how superior they are to mankind. Lillian also refuses to accept there can be good aliens, believing all to be evil invaders polluting Earth.
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*** Lillian works with Supergirl to rescue Lena from the Daxamites but double-crosses her to keep her daughter safe. Lillian intends to destroy the ship with Supergirl on it and when Lena protests, Lillian can't understand why her daughter cares about the people who helped save her life.
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* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Joffrey seems genuinely baffled but intrigued by Margaery's charity work in "Valar Dohaeris."
** Kraznys mo Naklos and his fellow slave masters cannot comprehend that SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
** ''Hydro'', [[EvilCounterpart Linda]] doesn't understand why [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Chloe]] would not seize the chance to publish [[SecretKeeper all she knew]] about [[{{Franchise/Superman}} Clark Kent]].
** ''Sacrifice'', Zod doesn't understand why Oliver doesn't kill him when he has the chance.
** [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Tess]] also thought Chloe would leave her to die.
** Mentioned in ''Hostage'':
--->'''[[spoiler:Martha]]:''' ''[to Tess]'' You can't comprehend what it means to truly protect someone you love.
* In the ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E4MirrorMirror Mirror, Mirror]]", Kirk and friends manage to infiltrate the evil mirror ''Enterprise'' easily, but their mirror counterparts stand out like evil sore thumbs in our universe.
-->'''Spock:''' It was far easier for you, as civilized men, to behave like barbarians than it was for them to behave like civilized men.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The Borg genuinely cannot understand why other species would rather die than join their "perfect" HiveMind. Depending on your point of view, this may be less an example of flat-out ''evil'' and more of a BlueAndOrangeMorality problem: individuality is such an alien concept to the Borg that they consider it less a valid lifestyle choice and more a mess that needs cleaning up.
** The Borg outlook borders on ValuesDissonance, as they see assimilation as a liberating act, and can't comprehend how anyone would reject the Collective.
** Another serious case of in-universe ValuesDissonance occurs when Worf discovers a prison-colony of Klingon warriors who were taken captive by Romulans and forced to adopt Romulan culture rather than their own (even raising their children with such beliefs). To a Klingon, dying honorably in combat is the highest honor one can receive, and being taken prisoner rather than being executed is the [[CruelMercy cruelest mercy]] possible (with being forced to raise children with the beliefs of one's enemy being icing on the cake). To the Romulan who's running the colony, he's sick of all the killing and torment he's spread over decades as a soldier and saw the chance to take these Klingons hostage and give them a second chance as a much better alternative than execution of war prisoners. Neither can understand the other's stance on the matter, but both are disgusted by their enemy's "cruel" outlook on the situation.
* As with many crime dramas, ''Series/{{Bones}}'' has killers who never consider how people may react differently than they expect.
** In one episode, hacker/killer Pelant gives Hodgins a seemingly SadisticChoice: Shut down a computer server that is draining Hodgins' millions of dollars or keep it running to stop a drone that would blow up a school in the Middle East. Pelant assumes Hodgins will either shut it down or at least waste time trying to TakeAThirdOption, choosing money first and breaking Hodgins' relationship with the rest of the team. It never occurs to him that [[spoiler: Hodgins has always hated being rich and thus has no problem sacrificing his money to save innocent lives.]]
* A crucial piece of the plot of the''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' episode "End Game". A disgraced former Army commander is convinced that Clay Porter, the soldier who blew the whistle on him for torturing a man to death, must have the secret he was trying to obtain through said torture, because the only reason he can think of for Porter to turn him in was in order to go after the secret himself. It never occurs to him that Porter was just trying to do the right thing.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
%% ** The end of the special [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors "The Five Doctors"]], while the Second, Third and Fifth Doctors are trying to stop [[spoiler:Borusa]] from becoming immortal, the First Doctor helps him achieve his goal, resulting in the villain [[spoiler:turning into stone]].
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E5TheDaemons "The Dæmons"]], when Jo Grant [[HeroicSacrifice throws herself in front of the Doctor]], the idea of this actually destroys Azal.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday "Doomsday"]], the Cybermen stage an invasion of Earth, and the Cyberleader demands a complete surrender from humanity, telling them that they will be converted into Cybermen and have their emotions, fears, and differences taken away. When humanity forms a resistance and tries to fight off the Cybermen, the cyberleader reacts with confusion; the Doctor informs it that humans aren't going to willingly surrender the very things that make them human.
** In the 2005 series, the Tenth Doctor's entire plan for defeating the Master hinges on [[spoiler:making the Master believe that he sent his companion Martha around the globe to collect the pieces of a special gun designed to completely kill a Time Lord, when her actual purpose is something far less simple and violent.]] And, even though the Master had fought the Doctor many times before, it works perfectly.
** Inverted in Matt Smith's first finale. The Dalek presumes that since the River Song is an associate of the Doctor, she won't shoot it while it's vulnerable.
--->'''River:''' I'm Doctor River Song. Check your records.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:Mercy?]]\\
'''River:''' Say it again.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:Mercy!?]]\\
'''River:''' One more time.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:[[HilarityEnsues MERCYYYY!!!]]]]
** Played straight in the Daleks' previous appearance that season. They have given a robot the memories of a real human, to use as an infiltrator, and reveal that said robot is actually a bomb capable of destroying the world. They activate him, knowing the Doctor will let them flee to go save the earth. The Doctor tries to disarm the robot by reminding him of his human emotions--feelings of loss, pain and misery. Unfortunately the Daleks are perfectly familiar with this kind of emotion and it doesn't work. Amy however reminds him of love, something Daleks could never comprehend. The robot's essential humanity asserts itself and the bomb is disarmed.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E2DinosaursOnASpaceship "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"]], the Doctor finds an ark containing the last of the dinosaurs that survived the cataclysm that wiped them out 65 million years earlier, and Solomon, a BountyHunter [[OnlyInItForTheMoney intent on selling the dinosaurs to the highest bidder]]. When Solomon assumes that the Doctor's interest in the dinosaurs is purely financial, like his, the Doctor berates him for assuming that everyone in the universe shares his values.
** The Doctor ends up in a MexicanStandoff with the Daleks in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E1DestinyOfTheDaleks "Destiny of the Daleks"]]: he is threatening to destroy [[spoiler:Davros]] with a bomb unless they let him leave with his captive, but the Daleks respond by bringing in several human captives and exterminating them one by one until the Doctor surrenders. He threatens to set off the bomb right on the spot, but the Daleks argue that such an action would be irrational and impossible because it would kill the Doctor as well. [[spoiler:Davros]] tells them that the Doctor is actually willing to do just that since "his logic is impaired by irrational sentiment".
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'':
** John Crichton was this in several episodes involving alien mind control and/or drugs. Part of it is an acquired immunity; since it happens to him so often he's quick to SpotTheThread. He's also of highly questionable sanity at the best of times, for more or less the same reason.
** [[NotSoImaginaryFriend Harvey]], being a mental clone of Scorpius, is particularly confused when Crichton chooses love over revenge--he wasn't programmed to consider any opinion but those of Scorpius worthwhile.
** Averted in the case of the ''real'' Scorpius, who correctly guessed that Crichton would trade his wormhole knowledge for Aeryn's safety, and quietly [[TheChessmaster engineered a situation in which his help would be required to rescue Aeryn.]] Even Crichton was impressed--and more than a little bit embarrassed, since he'd claimed that Scorpius didn't understand him two episodes ago:
--->'''Crichton:''' [[MagnificentBastard Son of a bitch deserves an Emmy...]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
-->'''Angel:''' People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do.\\
'''Hamilton:''' Yeah, but we ''[[ShutUpKirk won't care]]''.
** This is also the reason that the Circle of the Black Thorn [[spoiler:make Angel sign away his role in the Shanshu Prophecy after he joins them, in an effort to prevent him betraying them for his divine reward.]] It never occurs to them that he would do good without the prospect of a divine reward, and that brings about their downfall.
** Angelus is completely unable to understand why Angel does what he does or the "human condition," firmly believing that humans only exist to suffer and die.
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'', he explains that because the killer has no conscience, she was incapable of thinking her stepdaughter would demand money as a way to expose her as the murderer rather than for the selfish reasons her stepdaughter presented.
* Happens sometimes with the villains in ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** Itassis in ''[[Series/PowerRangersMysticForce Mystic Force]]'', for example, cannot comprehend how the courage of the Rangers are able to help them defeat her fellow Terrors, despite the latter being physically stronger than the former. But in a {{subver|tedTrope}}sion, she actually ''betrays'' her people in order to ''learn'' how, being a Terror focusing more on knowledge than power.
** Lord Zedd devises a plan to break up the team by capturing Kimberly and a civilian in Aisha's presence so quickly that Aisha can't do anything about it. His hope: That when the other rangers find out she did nothing will rebuke her for it and the infighting will commence. Instead they just work together to try to save them. This actually shocks Zedd.
* As well as in its parent franchise ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
** Perhaps the most notable example is Enter in the last arc of [[Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters Go-Busters]], whose immortality is assured by the backup of himself kept inside Hiromu. His plan is essentially flawless, the only mistake he ever makes being that he can't comprehend the idea that someone would willingly sacrifice their life for someone else.
* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'':
** ''Children of Earth'', this is the attitude of the 456. Since humanity was [[spoiler:willing to trade 12 orphans to prevent a viral pandemic]] in 1965, the aliens believe that Earth will give up [[spoiler: ''millions'' of children]] the second time around, even after the authorities learn it would doom them to a FateWorseThanDeath. When Jack Harkness claims that most of humanity would risk genocide rather than accede to the 456's demands, the aliens flat out refuse to believe him.
** [[spoiler:And just to prove how much DarkerAndEdgier ''Torchwood'' is, the 456 are largely ''right''. Most humans really ''are'' pragmatic enough that they're willing to sacrifice millions of children for their own safety (at least as long as it's not ''their'' children on the line). Even Jack ends up explicitly breaking his own "an injury to one is an injury to all" ideal when he manages to defeat the 456--[[PoweredByAForsakenChild by the sacrifice of a single child]].]]
** [[spoiler: In a parallel plotline, the PM seems to think that Frobisher will be able to sacrifice his own daughters. Frobisher isn't and does indeed commit his own private genocide.]]
* One of Cavil's major miscalculations in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' was the naive assumption that just living as humans would convince the Final Five Cylons that human life was crap. He didn't even bother to give them abusive parents in their fabricated backstories. Compounded by his inability to comprehend that killing off people would cause the Final Five to mourn them, not stop loving them.
* In one episode of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Barney details the aftermath of his hooking up with Wendy, the waitress at [[LocalHangout McLaren's]] (the main cast's favorite bar). It ends badly when notorious-womanizer Barney can't pick up women in [=McLaren=]'s without Wendy's disapproval. Wendy eventually recognizes that their hookup and quasi-attachment was a bad idea and lets Barney have his bimbos back, but Barney continues to throw out every drink she serves him because he can't comprehend that she isn't plotting some kind of revenge.
* ''Series/{{Lost}}'', "Everybody Loves Hugo":
-->'''[[spoiler:The Smoke Monster]]:''' ''Why aren't you afraid?''\\
'''Desmond:''' What is the point of being afraid?\\
[[spoiler:''[The Smoke Monster hesitates, then throws Desmond down the well]'']]
* ''Series/{{Jekyll}}'':
** Inverted in the first episode, Tom Jackman is very careful to keep Hyde from discovering that he has a wife and children; when Hyde actually finds out and pays a visit to the Jackman household, Tom fears the worst... only to find that [[DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu Hyde has spent a happy evening playing with the kids and chatting with his wife, Claire.]]
** And ''again,'' in the third episode: when Tom wakes up one morning, soaked in blood, with a few hazy memories of meeting Claire the previous evening, he assumes that Hyde has murdered her: in fact, Hyde got soaked with blood while cutting [[SmugSnake Benjamin Lennox's]] throat--[[WhatAnIdiot after he threatened Claire and her children.]]
** Jekyll's a subversion of this in general, since in the end it turns out that the source of Jackman's transformations isn't malice, it's a profound sense of true love and the need to be loved in return. Hyde's sadism is destructive because it's undirected until he knows that he has a wife and children to protect.
* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Zoe's Reprise," the [=UnSub=] says that he is a big fan of Rossi's books, but doesn't understand what he means when Rossi says that he fundamentally doesn't understand why people choose to kill. The [=UnSub=] states that the urge to kill is normal for him; he doesn't understand why everyone else doesn't have that urge.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** Season 4 episode "Who are you?", Faith has taken over Buffy's body and experiments by trying to live Buffy's life. She gets very confused and rather upset when people are nice to her. Especially Riley. It seems that "emotionally intimate and loving" is the only way Faith ''hasn't'' had sex yet.
** In Season 4's "The Yoko Factor", Spike shows that he knows what ThePowerOfFriendship ''is'' ..., but also shows that he doesn't understand it yet. He identifies Buffy's friends as strong assets ... but is absurdly confident that ''he of all people'' can cause a permanent falling out between Buffy and the Scoobies on the eve before their big fight with [[BigBad Adam]]. Spike's sowing of discord causes a semi-dramatic quarrel that angers the Scoobies for all of a half episode. Then they rally about, and unleash epic ass-kicking. Friends fight, but friends apologize and make up too. Adam, being evil, is also waayyyy too eager to imagine that a squabble will be enough to cause a serious rift between the Slayer and her friends.
** In Season 6 "Dead Things" Buffy thinks she's accidentally killed an innocent bystander. Spike wants to dispose of the evidence and sweep the matter under the rug, and can't understand why Buffy wants to turn herself into the police.
--->'''Spike:''' Why are you doing this to yourself?\\
'''Buffy:''' ''[tearful]'' A girl is dead because of me.\\
'''Spike:''' And how many people are alive because of you? How many have you saved? One dead girl doesn't tip the scale.\\
'''Buffy:''' That's all it is to you, isn't it? Just another body! You can't understand why this is killing me, can you?
** This becomes inverted when Spike says that he won't let Buffy turn herself in because he loves her. Buffy responds by savagely beating Spike, [[RageAgainstTheReflection implying that she's the evil thing]] who can't comprehend Spike's selfless actions.
** Much earlier, The Master waffles with this trope. In the Pilot, The Master understands a heroic slayer well enough to know she'll risk life and limb to save Jesse, and baits his first trap for her accordingly. Twelve episodes later, the Master never pauses to consider that the Slayer herself has her own friends who will risk life and limb for her... and is blindsided accordingly. In his defense, he though he'd already finished her off.
*** It also has to mentioned that the Council thought similarly. It's been mentioned several times that Buffy is the only Slayer in recorded history to survive longer than a few years, and it can only be attributed to her friends and allies. Seen in a certain light, it might not be that evil can't comprehend a Slayer having people willing to risk their lives but that evil not expecting something that has never happened before.
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': When Captain Mal catches up to [[spoiler: Saffron]], she claims that the reason she plays mind games and acts like a manipulative, murderous FemmeFatale is because, she believes, that's just how people are. Mal begs to differ.
-->'''[[spoiler:Saffron]]:''' Everybody plays each other. That's all anybody ever does. We play parts.\\
'''Mal:''' You got all kinds a learnin’ and you made me look the fool without even trying, and yet here I am with a gun to your head. That’s 'cause I've got people with me, people who trust each other, who do for each other, and ain't always looking for the advantage.
* A key character trait of [[Series/{{House}} Dr. House]] is his unshakable belief that people only do good things for selfish reasons. He even states that people who value others' lives more than their own are [[GoodIsDumb idiots]] who should just kill themselves to free up their organs. Which doesn't stop him from risking his life to save Wilson's girlfriend Amber. [[spoiler: He fails.]]
* On ''Series/{{Leverage}}'', the BigBad of season 3 is this. He genuinely cannot understand why the protagonists are targeting him. He fails to realize that it might just be because he deserves it.
** More generally many of their targets are this way in that they can't realize why anyone would go to that much trouble.
** The first season finale has the team going after Blackthorne, the CEO of the insurance company who refused to help Nate treat his dying son to a possible cure because it wasn't "cost-effective." It's one thing for Blackthorne to be amazed Nate is going to such lengths to go after him. It's another that he appears honestly shocked that Nate's ex-wife Maggie (the boy's ''mother'') can't accept this was just a business decision. He really goes to her to ask for help only for her to punch him in the face and Blackthorne acts like ''he's'' the one betrayed.
* On ''Series/BurnNotice'' [[TheCorrupter Larry]] has this probem with Michael in that he can't realize [[MoralityPet why]] Michael won't be more like him and enjoy his work as a PsychoForHire.
* ''Series/{{Charmed}}''
** When Cole is possessed by the Source, the rest of the demons assume he is only keeping Phoebe around because he needs someone to give birth to his son and that he only wants an heir. His secretary Julie suggests casting a spell to allow her to carry Phoebe's baby and says he would be free to rule without her love holding him back. She and the others don't seem to realise that Cole ''loves'' Phoebe and that he doesn't just want to have an heir, he's excited about being a father. Unfortunately for them, the Seer can comprehend good and uses this to her advantage.
** The Seer in season 7 (played by Charisma Carpenter) is a Demon and therefore can't feel human emotion. But she knows of it through her visions--which is why she strikes a deal with the sisters to become human. This trope is arguably inverted as the sisters initially wonder why a Demon would willingly give up their powers for the things they themselves take for granted.
** The Triad are wise enough with this trope to appoint Cole as the one to take out the sisters in the first place. As he's half human, he would be able to blend in better and pass for human long enough to gain their trust. They then veer into GenreBlind in the same way, not anticipating that he might actually fall in love with Phoebe and be prompted to protect her instead.
** When The Triad return in Season 8, they appear to have learned from this mistake. They become aware that Christy's love for her parents could bring about a HeelFaceTurn for her--so they have them killed. They guess (correctly!) that eliminating Christy's one MoralityPet will unite her and Billie together to turn on the sisters.
* In ''Series/ChinesePaladin'', villain [[KnightTemplar Bai]] [[DarkMessiah Yue]] cannot for the life of him comprehend what love is, or why [[ThePowerOfLove the heroes keep surviving his death traps because of it]].
* On ''Series/BabylonFive'' the Shadows brought Sheridan to Z'Ha'Dum figuring they could convert him, either willingly or forcibly. It never occurred to them until it was too late that he might [[spoiler: crash a ship loaded with nuclear bombs into the city he was currently inside]] just to slow or stop them.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
** Regina, [[Literature/SnowWhite The Evil Queen]], seems incapable of understanding good, like how Snow White's childhood mistake (that resulted in the death of Regina's lover) was not meant maliciously and how she honestly thought that [[TheChosenOne Emma]] would leave her to die in a fire. This and her GenreBlindness are why she doesn't understand how her power in Storybrooke is weakening, nor why Gold (Rumplestiltskin), who seems to understand good quite well, is rather confident that Emma will break the [[IdentityAmnesia curse]] on the town.
** Regina's mother, [[EvilMatriarch Cora]], also fails to grasp goodness. She firmly believes that love is weakness, and when she tries to steal Snow's heart, Emma jumped in front of her to save her, and Cora couldn't rip out Emma's heart because Emma's (untrained) magic, based on love, is far stronger.
** Hook doesn't understand why [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Belle]] won't help him kill [[MagnificentBastard Rumplestiltskin]]
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. The comments on [[http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
* ''Series/{{Monty Python|s Flying Circus}}'s'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRQK58jrbw merchant banker sketch]] involves a banker who is utterly unable to grasp the concept of charity.
* ''Series/TheShield'': [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, Vic's plan to make himself into a KarmaHoudini ends up instead turning into an IronicHell, in part, because he honestly doesn't seem to have considered that his new bosses with a federal law enforcement agency might not want a confessed liar, thief, extortionist, drug dealer, torturer, and cop killer in anything close to a position of authority, even if they are contractually obligated to give him a paycheck.]]
* ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'', "Warriors of Kudlak": Mistress is incapable of understanding why peace is worthwhile or desirable to anyone, seeing it only as an end to the usefulness of soldiers and generals. [[spoiler: She's a computer created by a race that was caught in a war they never expected to end--she was never programmed with any understanding of peace, and actively covered up that the Uvodni--the race that created her--had been at peace for ''ten years'' by the time of the serial. The eponymous Kudlak--an AntiVillain who does not share her outlook at all--is ''pissed'' when he finds out.]]
* In the second series of the British version of ''[[Series/HouseOfCardsUK House Of Cards]]'', the VillainProtagonist, Prime Minister Francis Urquhart, simply cannot understand why the King of England repeatedly speaks out against his government's cruel social policies when none of these policies have affected the King directly. When the King personally explains his reasons to Urquhart, namely that he wants to see all of his subjects prosper and be happy, Urquhart laughs off the notion and simply believes the King is attempting to make a power play.
* ''Series/TheFlash2014'':
** Captain Cold thinks Flash became a superhero for the adrenaline rush, which is the reason why he became a criminal.
** Hunter Zolomon/Zoom kidnapped Caitlin, convinced he loves her and can get her to love him again through StockholmSyndrome. He doesn't understand that she fell in love with [[spoiler:Jay Garrick]], a good man with a heroic drive, not a SerialKiller.
** Zoom is also convinced Barry is a hero so he can feel clean and that it's all an act. Because Zoom spent so long [[spoiler:pretending to be Jay Garrick]], he's convinced Barry finds it exhausting, not realizing Barry is a hero because he loves helping people.
* Several examples from ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}''
** Like Lex Luthor, Maxwell Lord has a hard time accepting Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} is sincere in wanting to help people and not having an ulterior motive of some sort. His attempts to prove she's not a true hero involve exposing Kara to Red Kryptonite which ironically turns her into the very menace Max feared.
*** In the season finale, Max is baffled by Kara's refusal to accept the "acceptable losses" of a few thousand people to save the entire planet.
** Astra and Non cannot understand why Kara feels so much closer to the people of this "primitive" planet that she grew up on rather than the race she long considered dead.
** When he engages his ultimate plan to take over the minds of everyone on Earth, Non makes it clear he truly believes he's doing humanity a favor by "freeing" them of such distractions as emotions and individuality so they can focus on the problems of Earth. Kara, Cat and even Max all argue that saving the planet means nothing if the people aren't free to enjoy it but Non doesn't grasp what he's doing is wrong.
** James Harper is convinced J'onn J'onzz must be playing a "long game" to conquer Earth as there's no other reason for an alien with shapeshifting and telepathic powers to pretend to be a normal human and help another planet.
** Siobhan Smythe assumes that being as successful as Cat Grant means being an AlphaBitch who takes shortcuts and manipulates those around her. Siobhan never quite gets that Cat got where she was through hard work and holding to a code of ethics.
*** When Cat is unsure of publishing a story of Supergirl going rogue, Siobhan tries to sell it to the ''Daily Planet'', assuming they'll jump at the chance to out-scoop a rival. It never occurs to Siobhan that Perry White would have the integrity to call up Cat and tell her about the offer first.
** Lillian Luthor actually seems surprised that after treating daughter Lena as garbage all her life, Lena would refuse to have any loyalty to the Luthor name.
** While they may not be purely evil, Mon-El's parents, Lar and Rhea, are shown to truly not understand how it was wrong that in their rule of Daxam, they basically kept the populace enslaved and lived the high life on the backs of the poor. When Mon-El (who's changed his attitude due to living on Earth) refuses to go back and rebuild it, his parents are baffled as to why he thinks the old Daxam was so wrong.
** Off of that, Rhea believes that by killing Kara, Mon-El will just naturally come back to Daxam...ignoring the tiny fact that she'd have ''murdered his girlfriend.'' Lar finally understands Mon-El wants to stay and lets his son choose his path, telling his wife they need to let him grow and live his own life. Rhea's response is to murder her husband and continue to "save" Daxam.
* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', this is ultimately averted with the demons. As we learn a few seasons in, this is because [[spoiler:they were all human before being [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured for centuries in Hell]]]]. Ironically, this is ultimately played straight starting about the same time we learn that secret, with [[spoiler:Heaven's angels. They're all dicks and, having never been human, can't understand humans]].
** Joffrey seems genuinely baffled but intrigued by Margaery's charity work in "Valar Dohaeris."
** Kraznys mo Naklos and his fellow slave masters cannot comprehend that SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
** ''Hydro'', [[EvilCounterpart Linda]] doesn't understand why [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Chloe]] would not seize the chance to publish [[SecretKeeper all she knew]] about [[{{Franchise/Superman}} Clark Kent]].
** ''Sacrifice'', Zod doesn't understand why Oliver doesn't kill him when he has the chance.
** [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Tess]] also thought Chloe would leave her to die.
** Mentioned in ''Hostage'':
--->'''[[spoiler:Martha]]:''' ''[to Tess]'' You can't comprehend what it means to truly protect someone you love.
* In the ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E4MirrorMirror Mirror, Mirror]]", Kirk and friends manage to infiltrate the evil mirror ''Enterprise'' easily, but their mirror counterparts stand out like evil sore thumbs in our universe.
-->'''Spock:''' It was far easier for you, as civilized men, to behave like barbarians than it was for them to behave like civilized men.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The Borg genuinely cannot understand why other species would rather die than join their "perfect" HiveMind. Depending on your point of view, this may be less an example of flat-out ''evil'' and more of a BlueAndOrangeMorality problem: individuality is such an alien concept to the Borg that they consider it less a valid lifestyle choice and more a mess that needs cleaning up.
** The Borg outlook borders on ValuesDissonance, as they see assimilation as a liberating act, and can't comprehend how anyone would reject the Collective.
** Another serious case of in-universe ValuesDissonance occurs when Worf discovers a prison-colony of Klingon warriors who were taken captive by Romulans and forced to adopt Romulan culture rather than their own (even raising their children with such beliefs). To a Klingon, dying honorably in combat is the highest honor one can receive, and being taken prisoner rather than being executed is the [[CruelMercy cruelest mercy]] possible (with being forced to raise children with the beliefs of one's enemy being icing on the cake). To the Romulan who's running the colony, he's sick of all the killing and torment he's spread over decades as a soldier and saw the chance to take these Klingons hostage and give them a second chance as a much better alternative than execution of war prisoners. Neither can understand the other's stance on the matter, but both are disgusted by their enemy's "cruel" outlook on the situation.
* As with many crime dramas, ''Series/{{Bones}}'' has killers who never consider how people may react differently than they expect.
** In one episode, hacker/killer Pelant gives Hodgins a seemingly SadisticChoice: Shut down a computer server that is draining Hodgins' millions of dollars or keep it running to stop a drone that would blow up a school in the Middle East. Pelant assumes Hodgins will either shut it down or at least waste time trying to TakeAThirdOption, choosing money first and breaking Hodgins' relationship with the rest of the team. It never occurs to him that [[spoiler: Hodgins has always hated being rich and thus has no problem sacrificing his money to save innocent lives.]]
* A crucial piece of the plot of the''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' episode "End Game". A disgraced former Army commander is convinced that Clay Porter, the soldier who blew the whistle on him for torturing a man to death, must have the secret he was trying to obtain through said torture, because the only reason he can think of for Porter to turn him in was in order to go after the secret himself. It never occurs to him that Porter was just trying to do the right thing.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
%% ** The end of the special [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors "The Five Doctors"]], while the Second, Third and Fifth Doctors are trying to stop [[spoiler:Borusa]] from becoming immortal, the First Doctor helps him achieve his goal, resulting in the villain [[spoiler:turning into stone]].
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E5TheDaemons "The Dæmons"]], when Jo Grant [[HeroicSacrifice throws herself in front of the Doctor]], the idea of this actually destroys Azal.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday "Doomsday"]], the Cybermen stage an invasion of Earth, and the Cyberleader demands a complete surrender from humanity, telling them that they will be converted into Cybermen and have their emotions, fears, and differences taken away. When humanity forms a resistance and tries to fight off the Cybermen, the cyberleader reacts with confusion; the Doctor informs it that humans aren't going to willingly surrender the very things that make them human.
** In the 2005 series, the Tenth Doctor's entire plan for defeating the Master hinges on [[spoiler:making the Master believe that he sent his companion Martha around the globe to collect the pieces of a special gun designed to completely kill a Time Lord, when her actual purpose is something far less simple and violent.]] And, even though the Master had fought the Doctor many times before, it works perfectly.
** Inverted in Matt Smith's first finale. The Dalek presumes that since the River Song is an associate of the Doctor, she won't shoot it while it's vulnerable.
--->'''River:''' I'm Doctor River Song. Check your records.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:Mercy?]]\\
'''River:''' Say it again.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:Mercy!?]]\\
'''River:''' One more time.\\
'''Dalek:''' [[AC:[[HilarityEnsues MERCYYYY!!!]]]]
** Played straight in the Daleks' previous appearance that season. They have given a robot the memories of a real human, to use as an infiltrator, and reveal that said robot is actually a bomb capable of destroying the world. They activate him, knowing the Doctor will let them flee to go save the earth. The Doctor tries to disarm the robot by reminding him of his human emotions--feelings of loss, pain and misery. Unfortunately the Daleks are perfectly familiar with this kind of emotion and it doesn't work. Amy however reminds him of love, something Daleks could never comprehend. The robot's essential humanity asserts itself and the bomb is disarmed.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E2DinosaursOnASpaceship "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"]], the Doctor finds an ark containing the last of the dinosaurs that survived the cataclysm that wiped them out 65 million years earlier, and Solomon, a BountyHunter [[OnlyInItForTheMoney intent on selling the dinosaurs to the highest bidder]]. When Solomon assumes that the Doctor's interest in the dinosaurs is purely financial, like his, the Doctor berates him for assuming that everyone in the universe shares his values.
** The Doctor ends up in a MexicanStandoff with the Daleks in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E1DestinyOfTheDaleks "Destiny of the Daleks"]]: he is threatening to destroy [[spoiler:Davros]] with a bomb unless they let him leave with his captive, but the Daleks respond by bringing in several human captives and exterminating them one by one until the Doctor surrenders. He threatens to set off the bomb right on the spot, but the Daleks argue that such an action would be irrational and impossible because it would kill the Doctor as well. [[spoiler:Davros]] tells them that the Doctor is actually willing to do just that since "his logic is impaired by irrational sentiment".
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'':
** John Crichton was this in several episodes involving alien mind control and/or drugs. Part of it is an acquired immunity; since it happens to him so often he's quick to SpotTheThread. He's also of highly questionable sanity at the best of times, for more or less the same reason.
** [[NotSoImaginaryFriend Harvey]], being a mental clone of Scorpius, is particularly confused when Crichton chooses love over revenge--he wasn't programmed to consider any opinion but those of Scorpius worthwhile.
** Averted in the case of the ''real'' Scorpius, who correctly guessed that Crichton would trade his wormhole knowledge for Aeryn's safety, and quietly [[TheChessmaster engineered a situation in which his help would be required to rescue Aeryn.]] Even Crichton was impressed--and more than a little bit embarrassed, since he'd claimed that Scorpius didn't understand him two episodes ago:
--->'''Crichton:''' [[MagnificentBastard Son of a bitch deserves an Emmy...]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
-->'''Angel:''' People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do.\\
'''Hamilton:''' Yeah, but we ''[[ShutUpKirk won't care]]''.
** This is also the reason that the Circle of the Black Thorn [[spoiler:make Angel sign away his role in the Shanshu Prophecy after he joins them, in an effort to prevent him betraying them for his divine reward.]] It never occurs to them that he would do good without the prospect of a divine reward, and that brings about their downfall.
** Angelus is completely unable to understand why Angel does what he does or the "human condition," firmly believing that humans only exist to suffer and die.
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'', he explains that because the killer has no conscience, she was incapable of thinking her stepdaughter would demand money as a way to expose her as the murderer rather than for the selfish reasons her stepdaughter presented.
* Happens sometimes with the villains in ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** Itassis in ''[[Series/PowerRangersMysticForce Mystic Force]]'', for example, cannot comprehend how the courage of the Rangers are able to help them defeat her fellow Terrors, despite the latter being physically stronger than the former. But in a {{subver|tedTrope}}sion, she actually ''betrays'' her people in order to ''learn'' how, being a Terror focusing more on knowledge than power.
** Lord Zedd devises a plan to break up the team by capturing Kimberly and a civilian in Aisha's presence so quickly that Aisha can't do anything about it. His hope: That when the other rangers find out she did nothing will rebuke her for it and the infighting will commence. Instead they just work together to try to save them. This actually shocks Zedd.
* As well as in its parent franchise ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
** Perhaps the most notable example is Enter in the last arc of [[Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters Go-Busters]], whose immortality is assured by the backup of himself kept inside Hiromu. His plan is essentially flawless, the only mistake he ever makes being that he can't comprehend the idea that someone would willingly sacrifice their life for someone else.
* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'':
** ''Children of Earth'', this is the attitude of the 456. Since humanity was [[spoiler:willing to trade 12 orphans to prevent a viral pandemic]] in 1965, the aliens believe that Earth will give up [[spoiler: ''millions'' of children]] the second time around, even after the authorities learn it would doom them to a FateWorseThanDeath. When Jack Harkness claims that most of humanity would risk genocide rather than accede to the 456's demands, the aliens flat out refuse to believe him.
** [[spoiler:And just to prove how much DarkerAndEdgier ''Torchwood'' is, the 456 are largely ''right''. Most humans really ''are'' pragmatic enough that they're willing to sacrifice millions of children for their own safety (at least as long as it's not ''their'' children on the line). Even Jack ends up explicitly breaking his own "an injury to one is an injury to all" ideal when he manages to defeat the 456--[[PoweredByAForsakenChild by the sacrifice of a single child]].]]
** [[spoiler: In a parallel plotline, the PM seems to think that Frobisher will be able to sacrifice his own daughters. Frobisher isn't and does indeed commit his own private genocide.]]
* One of Cavil's major miscalculations in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' was the naive assumption that just living as humans would convince the Final Five Cylons that human life was crap. He didn't even bother to give them abusive parents in their fabricated backstories. Compounded by his inability to comprehend that killing off people would cause the Final Five to mourn them, not stop loving them.
* In one episode of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Barney details the aftermath of his hooking up with Wendy, the waitress at [[LocalHangout McLaren's]] (the main cast's favorite bar). It ends badly when notorious-womanizer Barney can't pick up women in [=McLaren=]'s without Wendy's disapproval. Wendy eventually recognizes that their hookup and quasi-attachment was a bad idea and lets Barney have his bimbos back, but Barney continues to throw out every drink she serves him because he can't comprehend that she isn't plotting some kind of revenge.
* ''Series/{{Lost}}'', "Everybody Loves Hugo":
-->'''[[spoiler:The Smoke Monster]]:''' ''Why aren't you afraid?''\\
'''Desmond:''' What is the point of being afraid?\\
[[spoiler:''[The Smoke Monster hesitates, then throws Desmond down the well]'']]
* ''Series/{{Jekyll}}'':
** Inverted in the first episode, Tom Jackman is very careful to keep Hyde from discovering that he has a wife and children; when Hyde actually finds out and pays a visit to the Jackman household, Tom fears the worst... only to find that [[DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu Hyde has spent a happy evening playing with the kids and chatting with his wife, Claire.]]
** And ''again,'' in the third episode: when Tom wakes up one morning, soaked in blood, with a few hazy memories of meeting Claire the previous evening, he assumes that Hyde has murdered her: in fact, Hyde got soaked with blood while cutting [[SmugSnake Benjamin Lennox's]] throat--[[WhatAnIdiot after he threatened Claire and her children.]]
** Jekyll's a subversion of this in general, since in the end it turns out that the source of Jackman's transformations isn't malice, it's a profound sense of true love and the need to be loved in return. Hyde's sadism is destructive because it's undirected until he knows that he has a wife and children to protect.
* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Zoe's Reprise," the [=UnSub=] says that he is a big fan of Rossi's books, but doesn't understand what he means when Rossi says that he fundamentally doesn't understand why people choose to kill. The [=UnSub=] states that the urge to kill is normal for him; he doesn't understand why everyone else doesn't have that urge.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** Season 4 episode "Who are you?", Faith has taken over Buffy's body and experiments by trying to live Buffy's life. She gets very confused and rather upset when people are nice to her. Especially Riley. It seems that "emotionally intimate and loving" is the only way Faith ''hasn't'' had sex yet.
** In Season 4's "The Yoko Factor", Spike shows that he knows what ThePowerOfFriendship ''is'' ..., but also shows that he doesn't understand it yet. He identifies Buffy's friends as strong assets ... but is absurdly confident that ''he of all people'' can cause a permanent falling out between Buffy and the Scoobies on the eve before their big fight with [[BigBad Adam]]. Spike's sowing of discord causes a semi-dramatic quarrel that angers the Scoobies for all of a half episode. Then they rally about, and unleash epic ass-kicking. Friends fight, but friends apologize and make up too. Adam, being evil, is also waayyyy too eager to imagine that a squabble will be enough to cause a serious rift between the Slayer and her friends.
** In Season 6 "Dead Things" Buffy thinks she's accidentally killed an innocent bystander. Spike wants to dispose of the evidence and sweep the matter under the rug, and can't understand why Buffy wants to turn herself into the police.
--->'''Spike:''' Why are you doing this to yourself?\\
'''Buffy:''' ''[tearful]'' A girl is dead because of me.\\
'''Spike:''' And how many people are alive because of you? How many have you saved? One dead girl doesn't tip the scale.\\
'''Buffy:''' That's all it is to you, isn't it? Just another body! You can't understand why this is killing me, can you?
** This becomes inverted when Spike says that he won't let Buffy turn herself in because he loves her. Buffy responds by savagely beating Spike, [[RageAgainstTheReflection implying that she's the evil thing]] who can't comprehend Spike's selfless actions.
** Much earlier, The Master waffles with this trope. In the Pilot, The Master understands a heroic slayer well enough to know she'll risk life and limb to save Jesse, and baits his first trap for her accordingly. Twelve episodes later, the Master never pauses to consider that the Slayer herself has her own friends who will risk life and limb for her... and is blindsided accordingly. In his defense, he though he'd already finished her off.
*** It also has to mentioned that the Council thought similarly. It's been mentioned several times that Buffy is the only Slayer in recorded history to survive longer than a few years, and it can only be attributed to her friends and allies. Seen in a certain light, it might not be that evil can't comprehend a Slayer having people willing to risk their lives but that evil not expecting something that has never happened before.
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': When Captain Mal catches up to [[spoiler: Saffron]], she claims that the reason she plays mind games and acts like a manipulative, murderous FemmeFatale is because, she believes, that's just how people are. Mal begs to differ.
-->'''[[spoiler:Saffron]]:''' Everybody plays each other. That's all anybody ever does. We play parts.\\
'''Mal:''' You got all kinds a learnin’ and you made me look the fool without even trying, and yet here I am with a gun to your head. That’s 'cause I've got people with me, people who trust each other, who do for each other, and ain't always looking for the advantage.
* A key character trait of [[Series/{{House}} Dr. House]] is his unshakable belief that people only do good things for selfish reasons. He even states that people who value others' lives more than their own are [[GoodIsDumb idiots]] who should just kill themselves to free up their organs. Which doesn't stop him from risking his life to save Wilson's girlfriend Amber. [[spoiler: He fails.]]
* On ''Series/{{Leverage}}'', the BigBad of season 3 is this. He genuinely cannot understand why the protagonists are targeting him. He fails to realize that it might just be because he deserves it.
** More generally many of their targets are this way in that they can't realize why anyone would go to that much trouble.
** The first season finale has the team going after Blackthorne, the CEO of the insurance company who refused to help Nate treat his dying son to a possible cure because it wasn't "cost-effective." It's one thing for Blackthorne to be amazed Nate is going to such lengths to go after him. It's another that he appears honestly shocked that Nate's ex-wife Maggie (the boy's ''mother'') can't accept this was just a business decision. He really goes to her to ask for help only for her to punch him in the face and Blackthorne acts like ''he's'' the one betrayed.
* On ''Series/BurnNotice'' [[TheCorrupter Larry]] has this probem with Michael in that he can't realize [[MoralityPet why]] Michael won't be more like him and enjoy his work as a PsychoForHire.
* ''Series/{{Charmed}}''
** When Cole is possessed by the Source, the rest of the demons assume he is only keeping Phoebe around because he needs someone to give birth to his son and that he only wants an heir. His secretary Julie suggests casting a spell to allow her to carry Phoebe's baby and says he would be free to rule without her love holding him back. She and the others don't seem to realise that Cole ''loves'' Phoebe and that he doesn't just want to have an heir, he's excited about being a father. Unfortunately for them, the Seer can comprehend good and uses this to her advantage.
** The Seer in season 7 (played by Charisma Carpenter) is a Demon and therefore can't feel human emotion. But she knows of it through her visions--which is why she strikes a deal with the sisters to become human. This trope is arguably inverted as the sisters initially wonder why a Demon would willingly give up their powers for the things they themselves take for granted.
** The Triad are wise enough with this trope to appoint Cole as the one to take out the sisters in the first place. As he's half human, he would be able to blend in better and pass for human long enough to gain their trust. They then veer into GenreBlind in the same way, not anticipating that he might actually fall in love with Phoebe and be prompted to protect her instead.
** When The Triad return in Season 8, they appear to have learned from this mistake. They become aware that Christy's love for her parents could bring about a HeelFaceTurn for her--so they have them killed. They guess (correctly!) that eliminating Christy's one MoralityPet will unite her and Billie together to turn on the sisters.
* In ''Series/ChinesePaladin'', villain [[KnightTemplar Bai]] [[DarkMessiah Yue]] cannot for the life of him comprehend what love is, or why [[ThePowerOfLove the heroes keep surviving his death traps because of it]].
* On ''Series/BabylonFive'' the Shadows brought Sheridan to Z'Ha'Dum figuring they could convert him, either willingly or forcibly. It never occurred to them until it was too late that he might [[spoiler: crash a ship loaded with nuclear bombs into the city he was currently inside]] just to slow or stop them.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
** Regina, [[Literature/SnowWhite The Evil Queen]], seems incapable of understanding good, like how Snow White's childhood mistake (that resulted in the death of Regina's lover) was not meant maliciously and how she honestly thought that [[TheChosenOne Emma]] would leave her to die in a fire. This and her GenreBlindness are why she doesn't understand how her power in Storybrooke is weakening, nor why Gold (Rumplestiltskin), who seems to understand good quite well, is rather confident that Emma will break the [[IdentityAmnesia curse]] on the town.
** Regina's mother, [[EvilMatriarch Cora]], also fails to grasp goodness. She firmly believes that love is weakness, and when she tries to steal Snow's heart, Emma jumped in front of her to save her, and Cora couldn't rip out Emma's heart because Emma's (untrained) magic, based on love, is far stronger.
** Hook doesn't understand why [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Belle]] won't help him kill [[MagnificentBastard Rumplestiltskin]]
* On the [[Characters/SurvivorSamoa Samoa]] and [[Characters/SurvivorHeroesVsVillains Heroes vs. Villains]] seasons of ''Series/{{Survivor}}'', this was a huge source of contention for fans of Russell Hantz. The comments on [[http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=8dcEdJ3jAik these Youtube boards,]] [[http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ylGU1DZMHRQ by a user named Joel Lefevre,]] self-demonstrate this trope nicely.
* ''Series/{{Monty Python|s Flying Circus}}'s'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRQK58jrbw merchant banker sketch]] involves a banker who is utterly unable to grasp the concept of charity.
* ''Series/TheShield'': [[spoiler:In the GrandFinale, Vic's plan to make himself into a KarmaHoudini ends up instead turning into an IronicHell, in part, because he honestly doesn't seem to have considered that his new bosses with a federal law enforcement agency might not want a confessed liar, thief, extortionist, drug dealer, torturer, and cop killer in anything close to a position of authority, even if they are contractually obligated to give him a paycheck.]]
* ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'', "Warriors of Kudlak": Mistress is incapable of understanding why peace is worthwhile or desirable to anyone, seeing it only as an end to the usefulness of soldiers and generals. [[spoiler: She's a computer created by a race that was caught in a war they never expected to end--she was never programmed with any understanding of peace, and actively covered up that the Uvodni--the race that created her--had been at peace for ''ten years'' by the time of the serial. The eponymous Kudlak--an AntiVillain who does not share her outlook at all--is ''pissed'' when he finds out.]]
* In the second series of the British version of ''[[Series/HouseOfCardsUK House Of Cards]]'', the VillainProtagonist, Prime Minister Francis Urquhart, simply cannot understand why the King of England repeatedly speaks out against his government's cruel social policies when none of these policies have affected the King directly. When the King personally explains his reasons to Urquhart, namely that he wants to see all of his subjects prosper and be happy, Urquhart laughs off the notion and simply believes the King is attempting to make a power play.
* ''Series/TheFlash2014'':
** Captain Cold thinks Flash became a superhero for the adrenaline rush, which is the reason why he became a criminal.
** Hunter Zolomon/Zoom kidnapped Caitlin, convinced he loves her and can get her to love him again through StockholmSyndrome. He doesn't understand that she fell in love with [[spoiler:Jay Garrick]], a good man with a heroic drive, not a SerialKiller.
** Zoom is also convinced Barry is a hero so he can feel clean and that it's all an act. Because Zoom spent so long [[spoiler:pretending to be Jay Garrick]], he's convinced Barry finds it exhausting, not realizing Barry is a hero because he loves helping people.
* Several examples from ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}''
** Like Lex Luthor, Maxwell Lord has a hard time accepting Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} is sincere in wanting to help people and not having an ulterior motive of some sort. His attempts to prove she's not a true hero involve exposing Kara to Red Kryptonite which ironically turns her into the very menace Max feared.
*** In the season finale, Max is baffled by Kara's refusal to accept the "acceptable losses" of a few thousand people to save the entire planet.
** Astra and Non cannot understand why Kara feels so much closer to the people of this "primitive" planet that she grew up on rather than the race she long considered dead.
** When he engages his ultimate plan to take over the minds of everyone on Earth, Non makes it clear he truly believes he's doing humanity a favor by "freeing" them of such distractions as emotions and individuality so they can focus on the problems of Earth. Kara, Cat and even Max all argue that saving the planet means nothing if the people aren't free to enjoy it but Non doesn't grasp what he's doing is wrong.
** James Harper is convinced J'onn J'onzz must be playing a "long game" to conquer Earth as there's no other reason for an alien with shapeshifting and telepathic powers to pretend to be a normal human and help another planet.
** Siobhan Smythe assumes that being as successful as Cat Grant means being an AlphaBitch who takes shortcuts and manipulates those around her. Siobhan never quite gets that Cat got where she was through hard work and holding to a code of ethics.
*** When Cat is unsure of publishing a story of Supergirl going rogue, Siobhan tries to sell it to the ''Daily Planet'', assuming they'll jump at the chance to out-scoop a rival. It never occurs to Siobhan that Perry White would have the integrity to call up Cat and tell her about the offer first.
** Lillian Luthor actually seems surprised that after treating daughter Lena as garbage all her life, Lena would refuse to have any loyalty to the Luthor name.
** While they may not be purely evil, Mon-El's parents, Lar and Rhea, are shown to truly not understand how it was wrong that in their rule of Daxam, they basically kept the populace enslaved and lived the high life on the backs of the poor. When Mon-El (who's changed his attitude due to living on Earth) refuses to go back and rebuild it, his parents are baffled as to why he thinks the old Daxam was so wrong.
** Off of that, Rhea believes that by killing Kara, Mon-El will just naturally come back to Daxam...ignoring the tiny fact that she'd have ''murdered his girlfriend.'' Lar finally understands Mon-El wants to stay and lets his son choose his path, telling his wife they need to let him grow and live his own life. Rhea's response is to murder her husband and continue to "save" Daxam.
* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', this is ultimately averted with the demons. As we learn a few seasons in, this is because [[spoiler:they were all human before being [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured for centuries in Hell]]]]. Ironically, this is ultimately played straight starting about the same time we learn that secret, with [[spoiler:Heaven's angels. They're all dicks and, having never been human, can't understand humans]].
