History LightIsNotGood / Literature

** Certain elves themselves play this straight particularly in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', despite their reputation as the fairest and most benevolent light-filled children of Valar. While ironically many Dwarves and Men are DarkIsNotEvil in comparison. Most notably there's Fëanor, who is made out to be the most beautiful and greatest elf of Noldor who created Silmarils, yet his actions in the story i.e trying to kill his brother, abandoning his wife, defying the Valar, creeping on his niece Galadriel, betraying his own troops and committing genocide on the Teleri elves -- at best paints him as a sociopathic AntiHero and at worst the LesserOfTwoEvils VillainProtagonist seeking revenge on Morgoth. Other examples include: [[Literature/BerenAndLuthien Celegorm and Curufin]][[labelnote:*]]Ruthlessly hunted Beren and Lúthien with Celegorm being so lustful of Lúthien that he intended to rape her[[/labelnote]], Eöl[[labelnote:*]]Essentially forced himself upon Aredhel using magic to lure her and forbade her from leaving him and tried to slay their own son and accidentally killed Aredhel in the attempt.[[/labelnote]] and [[Literature/TheFallOfGondolin Maeglin]][[labelnote:*]]Lusted after Princess Idril and betrayed Gondolin to Morgoth as to have her for himself[[/labelnote]]. There's also Thranduil aka Elvenking from ''Literature/TheHobbit'', though far less bad than the previously mentioned is still darker of heart despite his radiance and similar to Fëanor has a great amount of greed and racism. The film version has Thranduil play this straighter with him being reminiscent of Sephiroth with only his protective love for his people redeeming him.

* ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'': "The place where there is no darkness" is not a place you ever want to end up. ''Ever.''

* Diana Henstell, "New Morning Dragon". When the Devil comes to New Morning, he dresses in dazzling white.

* Hyperion is the titan of light in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'', but he is evil through and through.
** And we have another, mortal example in Luke. At the height of his cocky, assured evil, he wears a lot of pale, clean clothes like tailored pants and white button-downs, in contrast to his down-to-earth style pre-betrayal. Tellingly, when Percy has a dream-vision of him communicating with Kronos, he's dressed in a pure-white toga and bathed in light. There's also the fact that the name "Luke" can be translated to mean "light".

* L.E. Modesitt Jr's ''Literature/TheSagaOfRecluce'' pits [[OrderVersusChaos "black" Order against "white" Chaos]], with the first few books coming down firmly on the side of "black" Order.
* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' [[EvilOverlord Dayless the Conqueror]] is a master sunforger, devoutly follows the Lightseeking religion, wields a sunblade with a golden hilt stylized to resemble a flaring sun, founded the Dawn Empire, fought against and helped stop TheNightThatNeverEnds in his youth, and is the archenemy of [[CastingAShadow the Shade]]. Even so, his enemies gave him the name "[[NonIndicativeName Dayless]]" due to the setting's intense adherence to LightIsGood and DarkIsEvil.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''

* In Literature/MobyDick, this is explored in the chapter "The Whiteness of the Whale".

* Diana Henstell, "New Morning Dragon". When the Devil comes to New Morning, he dresses in dazzling white.

* Diana Henatell, "New Morning Dragon". When the Devils comes to New Morning, he dresses in dazzling white.

* Very much present in the ''Literature/AlexVerus'' series. The "Light Council" aren't necessarily bad guys, but there's a reason Alex doesn't trust them. The author even lampshades the trope in one of the world-building articles [[http://benedictjacka.co.uk/2012/02/10/encyclopaedia-arcana-5-light-mages/ here]].

* [[Literature/LegacyOfTheForce Jacen Solo]], the most [[TheScrappy self-righteous and annoyingly philosophical]] of the Solo kids becoming the next Sith Lord. His reasons for doing so are [[DarkIsNotEvil completely unselfish]]. [[MotiveDecay At]] [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget first]].

** The fair haired and often achingly beautiful Targaryens and Lanniesters despite looking like archetypal HighFantasy good guy often play this straight (there's plenty genuinely LightIsGood members of their respective dynasties but they are from the majority). Many Targaryens king, queens and a few princes were in spite their outward radiance really monstrously cruel despots though in the cases Aegon IV and Aerys II age and bad health aided in making them as hideous on the outside as they were on the inside. The Lanniesters for their part have always been sly and shrewd but it's only after near eradication of the Targaryens (whom they have always envied) that members of their house play this completely straight with Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey being sadistic scumbags with enough cruel ambition and pettiness to cover all seven kingdoms. Jamie, who was introduced as this, takes quite awhile to transform himself into a genuinely decent human being and even that required heavy BreakTheHaughty to accomplish.

* The Angel of Music from ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' is initially believed by Christine to be a heavenly voice sent from heaven by her late father to make her talent soar. Christine, encouraged by her stepmother isn’t given any cause to cause to doubt the angelic presence and even accepts it playing enchanting music playing at father’s grave. It’s a horrible shock and disappointment for Christine when it turns out the Angel of Music isn’t an actual angel but rather a PsychoticManchild StalkerWithACrush who lives underneath the Opera house and is the titular Phantom. In fact Erik, the said Phantom, actually uses light a fair amount in the book to beckon Christine and accompanies it with music. Even Raoul couldn’t help but be hypnotised himself by Erik’s falsely divine machinations and admits upon witnessing Christine get taken away he understands why Christine would get so taken in by the beauty of the song… despite the ill intent behind it.

** The fair haired and often achingly beautiful Targaryens and Lanniesters despite looking like archetypal HighFantasy good guy often play this straight (there’s plenty genuinely LightIsGood members of their respective dynasties but they are from the majority). Many Targaryens king, queens and a few princes were in spite their outward radiance really monstrously cruel despots though in the cases Aegon IV and Aerys II age and bad health aided in making as hideous on the outside as they were on the inside. The Lanniesters for their part have always been sly and shrewd but it’s only after near eradication of the Targaryens (whom they have always envied) that members of their house play this completely straight with Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey being sadistic scumbags with enough cruel ambition and pettiness to cover all seven kingdoms. Jamie, who was introduced as this, takes quite awhile to transform himself into a genuinely decent human being and even that required heavy BreakTheHaughty to accomplish.

* Angel of Music from ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' is initially believed by Christine to be a heavenly voice sent from heaven by her late father to make her talent soar. Christine, encouraged by her stepmother isn’t given any cause to cause to doubt the angelic presence and even accepts it playing enchanting music playing at father’s grave. It’s a horrible shock and disappointment for Christine when it turns out the Angel of Music isn’t an actual angel but rather a PsychoticManchild StalkerWithACrush who lives underneath the Opera house and is the titular Phantom. In fact Erik, the said Phantom, actually uses light a fair amount in the book to beckon Christine and accompanies it with music. Even Raoul couldn’t help but be hypnotised himself by Erik’s falsely divine machinations and admits upon witnessing Christine get taken away he understands why Christine would get so taken in by the beauty of the song… despite the ill intent behind it.

* Angel of Music from ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' is initially believed by Christine to be a heavenly voice sent from heaven by her late father to make her talent soar. Christine, encouraged by her stepmother isn’t given any cause to cause to doubt the angelic presence and even accepts it playing enchanting music playing at father’s grave. It’s horrible shock and disappointment for Christine when it turns out the Angel of Music isn’t an actual angel but rather a PsychoticManchild StalkerWithACrush who lives underneath the Opera house and is the titular Phantom. In fact Erik, the said Phantom, actually uses light a fair amount in the book to beckon Christine and accompanies it with music. Even Raoul couldn’t help but be hypnotised himself by Erik’s falsely divine machinations and admits upon witnessing Christine get taken away he understands why Christine would get so taken in by the beauty of the song… despite the ill intent behind it.