History Main / BlackAndWhiteMorality

* Although ComicBook/TheUltimates as a whole run on a BlackAndGrayMorality system, Hawkeye claims that the fight with the Chitauri was a black & white one. "Aliens who were in league with the Nazis, for God's sake".

** Ditko's objectivism is, in fact, sometimes cited as the reason for his fallout with Creator/StanLee, although that has been disputed. Lee wanted their villains, in particular the ComicBook/GreenGoblin, to be more three-dimensional, with their own struggles and moral grey areas. Ditko, on the other hand, didn't believe in moral grey areas and felt that their villains should be more representative of a faceless and objective evil.

[[folder:Mythology]]
* UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories (a mythology of a kind) tend to follow this trope very well. The conspiracy is always purely nefarious and the people behind it are always blatantly trying to benefit themselves at the expense of the world. Anyone cast as resisting the conspiracy is a glorious hero deserving of the greatest reverence. If said hero has died, especially under circumstances deemed suspicious, then that hero is also a martyr [[HeKnowsTooMuch killed for having gotten too close to exposing/destroying the conspiracy]]. There are never gray areas in conspiracy theories. Everyone in the know is either completely for the conspiracy or completely against it. Those who don't know are sheep, with skeptics about it either being dupes or "disinfo" (disinformation) agents for the conspiracy (the latter is more popular, in keeping with the black and white morals). Rarely are there factions and power struggles between conspirators, much less many ''different'' conspiracies competing with each other (reflecting known politics more realistically) though occasionally they'll occur in certain theories.
[[/folder]]

* In Norse Mythology, one of the events of Ragnarok -- a name which roughly means [[DownerEnding "the last days of the gods"]] -- is the final battle is described as the final conflict between the Aesir (the Norse Gods) and their mortal enemies, the Jotnar. It's important to note, however, that, while definitely Black and White, the conflict between the Aesir and the Jotnar is not exactly Good vs. Evil. The stakes of the battle are indicated by the name of the event: the defeat of the gods means the utter annihilation of the current universe.

** Alan Moore's [[Characters/WatchmenRorschach Rorschach]] is a DeconstructedCharacterArchetype for Ditko's characters, and to a lesser extent, Franchise/{{Batman}}. Rorschach subscribes to a strictly Objectivist viewpoint, but he continually engages in PsychologicalProjection, {{Hypocri|te}}sy, denial and a certain degree of [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity madness]]. For example, Rorsachach [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil despises rapists]] and [[WifeBeaterBeater often kills them in horrible, torturous ways without mercy]]... but he earlier has nothing but excuses for the [[HateSink Comedians']] own rape of [[MsFanserive Sally Jupiter]]; according to him, the Comedian was an upstanding American patriot and war veteran (he was in reality a SociopathicSoldier to the nth degree) who just suffered a "temporary moral lapse", [[MadonnaWhoreComplex and Jupiter is a "whore" and therefore had it coming anyway]]. He also decries Ozymandias' plan to [[spoiler:wipe out New York City in a gambit that will end the Cold War]] as evil while previously praising [[spoiler:Harry Truman for dropping nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for bringing a swift end to World War II]]. Rorsachach holds a worldview that is both rigid and arbitrary at the same time, and it makes him a terrible detective and a terrible person as a result.

** ComicBook/TheQuestion under Ditko was essentially a more marketable version of Mr. A. His CaptainErsatz [[{{ComicBook/Watchmen}} Rorschach]], however, deconstructs it to reveal BlackAndWhiteInsanity.

** The true exception to "sympathetic motivation" is ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'', where Hopper says that keeping the ants under control is more important than just getting food from them.

* In ''Animation/NoonboryAndTheSuper7'', the good guys are called borys, and the bad guys are called gurys. All borys are good and all gurys are bad, and there's no in-between. Oh, and characters are with either label ''are stuck with it'' - no matter how many heinous deeds a bory commits or how many good deeds a gury does, neither can become the other.

* A common element in ''ComicBook/ChickTracts'', the Christian protagonists are good while the nonbelievers are evil, or at least a {{Jerkass}}. This is the result of Chick's theology, which holds that either one has pledged themselves to his very specific idea of the Christian God or has thrown in their lot with the Forces of Evil, consciously or otherwise.

* Although ComicBook/TheUltimates as a whole run on a BlackAndGrayMorality system, Hawkeye claims that the fight with the Chitauri was a black & white one. "Aliens who were in league with the nazis, for God's sake".

* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfTime''. The series runs on {{Deconstruction}} ''and'' {{Reconstruction}} of multiple elements, EvenEvilHasStandards, and there's one gut-wrenching case of JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope. Nevertheless, the lines between Good and Evil remain painfully clear. The BigBad and [[TheDragon his Dragons]] are realistically ObviouslyEvil, and though the heroes' ethics are definitely put above the law, they ''are'' there and pretty strict.

* In ''Fanfic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic'' the unicorns are good, Titan is [[CardCarryingVillain evil]]. [[FlatCharacter There is no depth to any of the characters]].
* ''FanFic/OjamajoDoremiRiseOfTheShadows'': The [[DarkIsEvil Shadows are evil]] and trying to TakeOverTheWorld AND [[OmnicidalManiac exterminate their light halves]]. Said [[LightIsGood light halves are good]] and [[VillainsActHeroesReact only act to defend themselves]].

* In ''Webcomic/GameOverTalesCrouchingOstrichHiddenVulture'', the ninjas' only aim is to kill the "dragon rider", whose main reason to kill the ninjas is to not die.

* ''ComicStrip/DickTracy'' is always black-and-white - with some notable exceptions - reflecting creator Chester Gould's own [[LawfulGood rigid standard of societal values]]. The 1990 Creator/WarrenBeatty [[Film/DickTracy movie adaptation]] was the same way: Tracy is a CowboyCop but almost never gets called out on it, and only about 20 percent of the many [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (MANY!)]] gangster characters seen in the film had any redeeming qualities.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Epic2013q'' all Boggans are completely evil without any redeeming feature, while all the Leafmen and their allies are good.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}'' all Boggans are completely evil without any redeeming feature, while all the Leafmen and their allies are good.

While it shows up in stories of all kinds, Black And White Morality seems to occur frequently in media marketed for kids, due mainly to the AnimationAgeGhetto, as well as all-ages works and TheMoralSubstitute, the latter of which doesn't allow room for any moral ambiguity. Many stories that use Black And White Morality tend to lean towards the idealistic end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, but this doesn't necessarily have to be the case - in a more cynical CrapsackWorld, there is more black than white, but the white can at least take [[KnightInSourArmor a sour form]]. Works that use both AdaptationalVillainy and AdaptationalHeroism, or HistoricalVillainUpgrade and HistoricalHeroUpgrade for different characters are also deliberately employing this trope to make the moral conflict simpler. Of course, usage of Black and White morality in stories [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools won't always end up sparkling white]]: this moral alignment is often associated with clichéd writing and propaganda.

* In Norse Mythology, one of the events of Ragnarok -- a name which roughly means [[DownerEnding "the last days of the gods"]] -- is the final battle is described as the final conflict between the Aesir (the Norse Gods) and their mortal enemies, the Jotnar. It's important to note, however, that, while definitely Black and White, the conflict between the Aesir and the Jotnar is ''not'' Good vs. Evil. The stakes of the battle are indicated by the name of the event: the defeat of the gods means the utter annihilation of the current universe.

* Izuku in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961147/chapters/73753926 Izuku Midoriya the Rabbit]]'' doesn't believe in this trope so much that he can't understand any concepts or beliefs beyond it; [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil he literally cannot comprehend]] [[NominalHero "Heroes" who only do their job for selfish reasons]] and not because it's the right thing to do. This, however, is {{Justified}} by the fact that Izuku [[AdaptationSpeciesChange is a rabbit]] with a minor case of BlueAndOrangeMorality who has a hard time understanding the more complex parts of human morality and behavior.

Please note even in a world where the moral lines are sharply drawn, there may still be characters or organizations that are presented as being 'grey'. A general rule of thumb as to whether or not black-and-white morality is present is that the heroes are almost always considered to be in the right, while the villains are always 'wrong'. Of course, the audience might [[ValuesDissonance disagree with the author's moral compass]]. MoralDissonance occurs when a character with a black-and-white moral system is unaware that they're not always following their own values well (all-too-possible in RealLife).

* UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories (a mythology of a kind) tend to follow this trope very well. The conspiracy is always purely nefarious and the people behind it are always blatantly trying to benefit themselves at the expense of the world. Anyone cast as resisting the conspiracy is a glorious hero deserving of the greatest reverence. If said hero has died, especially under circumstances deemed suspicious, then that hero is also a martyr [[HeKnowsTooMuch killed for having gotten too close to exposing/destroying the conspiracy]]. There are never gray areas in conspiracy theories. Everyone in the know is either completely for the conspiracy or completely against it. Those who don't know are sheep, with skeptics about it either being dupes or "disinfo" (disinformation) agents for the conspiracy (the latter is more popular, in keeping with the black and white morals). Rarely are there factions and power struggles between conspirators, much less many ''different'' conspiracies competing with each other (reflecting known politics more realistically) though occasionally they'll occur in certain theories.
[[/folder]]

* UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories (a mythology of a kind) tend to follow this trope very well. The conspiracy is always purely nefarious and the people behind it are always blatantly trying to benefit themselves at the expense of the world. Anyone cast as resisting the conspiracy is a glorious hero deserving of the greatest reverence. If said hero has died, especially under circumstances deemed suspicious, then that hero is also a martyr [[HeKnowsTooMuch killed for having gotten too close to exposing/destroying the conspiracy]]. There are never gray areas in conspiracy theories. Everyone in the know is either completely for the conspiracy or completely against it. Those who don't know are sheep, with skeptics about it either being dupes or "disinfo" (disinformation) agents for the conspiracy (the latter is more popular, in keeping with the black and white morals). Rarely are there factions and power struggles between conspirators, much less many ''different'' conspiracies competing with each other (reflecting known politics more realistically) though occasionally they'll occur in certain theories.

[[folder:Religion/Mythology]]

** ''ComicBook/NewGods'' justifies this trope by transforming a single planet into [[LiteralSplitPersonality two purely good and evil worlds.]] Almost. There are three major exceptions: Big Barda (started as a Female Fury soldier of Apokolips, underwent a HighHeelFaceTurn), Orion (Darkseid's son, but raised by Highfather, who rehabilitated him to mostly Good but with a violent temper), and Metron (approaching True Neutral).

While it shows up in stories of all kinds, Black And White Morality seems to occur frequently in media marketed for kids, due mainly to the AnimationAgeGhetto, as well as all-ages works and TheMoralSubstitute. Many stories that use Black And White Morality tend to lean towards the idealistic end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, but this doesn't necessarily have to be the case - in a more cynical CrapsackWorld, there is more black than white, but the white can at least take [[KnightInSourArmor a sour form]]. Works that use both AdaptationalVillainy and AdaptationalHeroism, or HistoricalVillainUpgrade and HistoricalHeroUpgrade for different characters are also deliberately employing this trope to make the moral conflict simpler. Of course, usage of Black and White morality in stories [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools won't always end up sparkling white]]: this moral alignment is often associated with clichéd writing and propaganda.

While it shows up in stories of all kinds, Black And White Morality seems to occur frequently in media marketed for kids. Many stories that use Black And White Morality tend to lean towards the idealistic end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, but this doesn't necessarily have to be the case - in a more cynical CrapsackWorld, there is more black than white, but the white can at least take [[KnightInSourArmor a sour form]]. Works that use both AdaptationalVillainy and AdaptationalHeroism, or HistoricalVillainUpgrade and HistoricalHeroUpgrade for different characters are also deliberately employing this trope to make the moral conflict simpler. Of course, usage of Black and White morality in stories [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools won't always end up sparkling white]]: this moral alignment is often associated with clichéd writing and propaganda.

* A common element in ''ComicBook/ChickTracts'', the Christian protagonists are good while the nonbelievers are evil, or at least a {{Jerkass}}.
* Creator/SteveDitko was a moral objectivist and fond of Creator/AynRand's theories, which comes through heavily in his work.
** ''ComicBook/NewGods'' justifies this trope by transforming a single planet into [[LiteralSplitPersonality two purely good and evil worlds.]]
*** Almost. There are three major exceptions: Big Barda (started as a Female Fury soldier of Apokolips, underwent a HighHeelFaceTurn), Orion (Darkseid's son, but raised by Highfather, who rehabilitated him to mostly Good but with a violent temper), and Metron (approaching True Neutral).

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' adds this morality in adaptation. Hercules, Zeus, and Hera become purely good. Hades becomes purely evil. In the original myths, they were a lot more morally ambiguous. The only grey character in the movie is Meg. This is one side effect of being HijackedByJesus.

* In religion, this idea is often called ([[TropeMaker Manichean]]) dualism:
** God is good, Satan is evil (Christianity and Islam).
*** Of Christian faiths, Calvinism deserves special mention. In Calvinism, human beings do not have free will to make decisions, and can only be capable of redemption through the grace of God. Thus not only are acts either good or evil, but human beings are, despite any attempt outside of God to be otherwise, evil.
*** Matthew 7:18: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither ''can'' a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." No middle ground is even hinted at.
*** It should also be noted that in most Christian denominations, this kind of dualism isn’t equal. God is good and has no equal in evil, Satan doesn’t even come close cause God created him and everything else. Since God is absolutely good and has 'existed' before evil came to the world, theologians have theorized that good can actually exist without evil and that evil itself is a corruption of what was originally good, meaning evil can’t exist without good. As a result, many of them support what's called the "privation" view, saying evil is something ''lacking'' good. E.g. cruelty is a lack of kindness on this view.
** Ahura Mazda is good, Ahriman is evil (Zoroastrianism).
** Abba deRabutta is good, Ahriman is evil (Manichaeism).
** Devas are benevolent, Asuras are corrupted (Hinduism).
** During Ragnarok, the final battle is essentially between the forces of good and chaotic evil (Norse mythology).
* [[EverybodyHatesHades The Hollywood version of many mythologies]] tends to fit this; the real mores of such cases tend to be much, much more [[BlueAndOrangeMorality subtle]].

If [[ValuesDissonance general attitudes on issues addressed change and/or the story is introduced to a very different culture]], it may be viewed as GreyAndGrayMorality, BlackAndGrayMorality, WhiteAndGreyMorality or BlueAndOrangeMorality.

* In ''Animation/NoonboryAndTheSuper7'', the good guys are called borys and the bad guys are called gurys. All borys are good and all gurys are bad, and there's no in-between. Oh, and characters are with either label ''are stuck with it'' - no matter how many heinous deeds a bory commits or how many good deeds a gury does, neither can become the other.

** Ditko's objectivism is, in fact, sometimes cited as the reason for his fallout with Creator/StanLee, although that has been disputed. Lee wanted their villains, in particular the ComicBook/GreenGoblin, to be more three-dimensional, with their own struggles and moral grey areas. Ditko, on the other hand, didn't believe in moral grey areas, and felt that their villains should be more representative of a faceless and objective evil.

* Elly Patterson of ''ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse'' saw life in this matter in the fanfic ''FanFic/TheNewRetcons''. The two problems were that she could not handle anyone with different viewpoints form her, and that her ideas of what 'black' and 'white' are were so twisted that they might as well be BlueAndOrangeMorality. This, among other things, contributed to Elly losing her mind for about two years.

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' adds this morality in adaptation. Hercules, Zeus and Hera become purely good. Hades becomes purely evil. In the original myths they were a lot more morally ambiguous. The only grey character in the movie is Meg. This is one side effect of being HijackedByJesus.
* In the CompilationMovie ''Once Upon a Halloween'', a villain is plotting to do something evil while her magic mirror tries to talk her out of while showing her clips of various Disney movies. In the end the villain decides she doesn't want to go through her plan anymore, but the mirror kills her anyway for even attempting it in the first place.

** There is a Succubus Paladin created on the Wizards site a while ago that detects as Lawful, Good, Evil and Chaotic via the sundry detect spells. This is because Demon are {{MADE of Evil}} and Chaos, while Paladins are philosophically Good and Lawful.

* ''Webcomic/AxeCop''. Very evident as it is written by a six-year old. There are good guys (who can do [[DesignatedHero anything]] [[PsychopathicManchild they want]]), and bad guys (who don't need to do anything bad [[ShapedLikeItself apart from being bad]] to be such).

* ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'' parodies this trope as it's used in classic literature with the character of [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=388 Goodman Brown]]. Anytime Goodman sees another character doing something remotely bad he chalks them up as purely evil. He gets called on it, but ignores them.

** Ditko's objectivism is, in fact, sometimes cited as the reason for his fallout with Creator/StanLee, although that has been disputed. According to this story, Stan Lee wanted the ComicBook/GreenGoblin to be revealed as Peter Parker's close friend Harry Osborn, since it would make the story more emotional and personal. Ditko [[{{Pun}} objected]], since he felt that crime should be faceless, reflecting a universal evil.

* ''ComicBook/NewGods'' justifies this trope by transforming a single planet into [[LiteralSplitPersonality two purely good and evil worlds.]]
** Almost. There are three major exceptions: Big Barda (started as a Female Fury soldier of Apokolips, underwent a HighHeelFaceTurn), Orion (Darkseid's son, but raised by Highfather, who rehabilitated him to mostly Good but with a violent temper), and Metron (approaching True Neutral).
* Creator/SteveDitko's ''ComicBook/MrA'' comic lives and breathes this trope, being Ditko's interpretation of Creator/AynRand's Objectivism in vigilante form.
* ComicBook/TheQuestion under Ditko was essentially a more marketable version of Mr. A. His CaptainErsatz [[{{ComicBook/Watchmen}} Rorschach]], however, deconstructs it to reveal BlackAndWhiteInsanity.