History Main / FaustianRebellion

* Zigzagged in ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2''. The titular character is a witch who made a DealWithTheDevil with a demon named Madama Butterfly in exchange for demonic powers and command over the forces of Inferno. Due to events in the [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} the first game]], several demons, even a few who has served her before, turn against her, forcing her to kill them in self-defense. However, some other demons are still loyal to her, including Madama Butterfly herself.

** The mobile game ''VideoGame/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory'' and its anime adaptation features the Wings of the Magius, whose goal is this. [[spoiler: Their aim is to destroy the witch system by making a witch that can directly convert emotion into energy for the universe. This plan would discount the Incubator and the magical girl contract as the middleman from the equation of the energy cycle, rendering the system unnecessary. Of course, this plan is still powered by humongous amount of despair, brought by the Walpurgisnacht's destruction.]] The way this ends differs between the anime and the game, while in the latter [[spoiler: they succeed, with subsequent stories seeking to improve and expand the Automatic Purification System that was created while others seek to take it for themselves or use it for their own gains]], the anime version [[spoiler: falls apart, leaving the world as it always was.]]

The third part is rebelling against the evil figure. This may be a HeelFaceTurn, but is much more likely to come from someone who was GoodAllAlong and doesn't want to be a pawn in the devil's schemes.

SubTrope to CreateYourOwnHero, DealWithTheDevil and BadPowersGoodPeople. See also HoistByHisOwnPetard, PhlebotinumRebel, and DarkIsNotEvil. A {{subver|tedTrope}}sion of EvilIsNotAToy. Compare ProHumanTranshuman and SheepInWolfsClothing. Contrast ThePunishment (where the powers were gained as a result of torture/curse). Is often done by the AntiAntiChrist.

** Homura Akemi is a magical girl Kyubey has given the special power of [[spoiler:time-travel]]. She's trying to stop the Kyubey from granting Madoka a wish. Using her special power multiple times causes the titular character to have an excess of "magical girl power". Kyubey says she could cause a very powerful wish to resolve because of this energy. Homura Akemi hates hearing that, and [[spoiler:outright kills several of Kyubey's clones in her efforts to prevent Madoka's transformation]].

* Subverted in ''ComicBook/EarthX'', where Mephisto's goal is to create as many alternate universes as possible, so that the world will never entirely end and he will never face divine judgment. Mephisto deliberately creates as many heroes by such bargains as possible (certain none of them will ever be powerful enough to truly defeat him) as well as many other "devils" to rule their own versions of hell. The result is a multiverse in constant chaos, with people continually travelling back in time in hopes of changing the past.
* The comic and movie adaption ''Faust''.

** Which is really too bad, because [[LostInImitation in its original form]] it was a DefiedTrope. Spawn was sent back to Earth with a finite amount of power. In a [[BreakingLecture demoralizing lecture]], the devil explains quite coldly how he ''does not care'' [[XanatosGambit what Spawn does with his powers]] -- if he uses them to do evil, great, Hell's cause is advanced on Earth. If he uses them to do good, great, he's sending evil souls down to Hell to swell the devil's army and thus hastening the final war against Heaven. If he refuses to do anything with them, great, he'll eventually turn cold and emotionless if not outright insane from the emotional stress of never getting involved with anything, the powers will drain away anyway (although much more slowly), and he'll return to Hell with a mindset much more befitting the general the devil wants him to be. Now ''that's'' a devil [[MagnificentBastard who knows how to bargain]]. Even the loophole of not killing while doing good seems thought-of, as that way, Spawn is setting a positive example of Faustian bargains.

* In ''Film/AngelOnMyShoulder'', Paul Muni plays a gangster who is murdered by his own men. He dies and goes to Hell, where the Devil (Creator/ClaudeRains) offers Muni a chance to go back to Earth, occupying the stolen body of an honest judge (also played by Muni) providing Muni does the Devil's work while wearing the judge's body and identity. In this second chance at life, Muni repents his evil ways and decides to go straight. He defies the Devil by announcing that he intends to live an honest life this second time, so that when he dies in this second body he'll go to Heaven. But of course the Devil gets the last word: since Muni is occupying a body he stole from someone else, he continues to commit evil so long as he wears it: in order to do good, Muni must accept that he's had his one chance at life by giving up the stolen body and returning to Hell. He does this.

* ''Film/FaustLoveOfTheDamned'': This is the premise of the movie, in which the Faustian character John Jaspers uses his powers to become a superhero, and, in typical b-movie violence, takes on the hordes of Hell. Though to his credit, Mephistopheles (known here as "M") is at least smart enough to make it impossible for Jaspers to harm him directly until he releases him from his contract.

* The film version of ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'', as opposed to [[Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors the stage version]], which is a straight DealWithTheDevil story. The directors cut, which came out about 25 years after the original movie, restraightens the story, and includes the (quite spectacular) bad ending.

** By ''White Night'' [[spoiler:the Shadow of Lasciel, the Fallen in Harry's head for the past four years or so is shown by Harry if he could be swayed to the dark side, then as she is just as malleable as his own mind, the Shadow can be turned good. Harry has endured her for so long, whose to say she cannot be changed even more? This breaking in her self-confidence allows her to rethink her existence, knowing that if Harry would take up the coin one of two things would happen. Either Lasciel Proper would absorb her back into her being or because she was so corrupted by this mortal she would destroy the Shadow. Either way was a death sentence. The nail to drive this home was Harry Naming her Lash, giving her a definite and unique identity from Lasciel. Because of this, and her growing feelings for Harry, she did rebel and planned on helping Harry from then on without getting him to call on the Coin. Sadly, the first act she did with this new freedom was choose to take a psychic bullet that would have killed Harry]].

* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3.5 and 4th edition, this is pretty much expected of any Warlock, especially those who made a very literal DealWithTheDevil. A sample Infernal Pact is, in fact, actually an ancient warlock who tried to pull this trope off, but failed, and now teaches other humans the arts of infernal magic in hopes that one of them will become skilled enough to come and set him loose. 5E adds less fiendish pact options so betrayals are less expected.

** More broadly, the creation of Exalts in the first place was essentially the gods using this trope to their advantage. They ''specifically'' designed Exaltation to be something they couldn't take back, because they needed the Exalted to fight the Primordials and the Primordials could've just ordered the gods to remove the powers of the Exalted.

* Zigzagged in ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2''. The titular character is a witch who made a DealWithTheDevil with a demon named Madama Butterfly in exchange for demonic powers and command over the forces of Inferno. Due to events in the [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} the first game]], several demons, even a few who has served her before, turn against her, forcing her to kill them in self defense. However, some other demons are still loyal to her, including Madama Butterfly herself.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': Hades becomes increasingly frustrated in his attempts to defeat Hercules, since the hero kills every opponent the Lord of the Dead throws at him. At Pete's suggestion that he [[spoiler:"send somebody already dead and save him the trouble," Hades decides to summon [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Auron]], offering to let him out if he kills Hercules. Auron declines and insults him, telling him [[MythologyGag "This is]] ''[[MythologyGag my]]'' [[MythologyGag story, and you're not part of it."]] Hades, in a rage, attacks him just as Sora comes in, and the group escapes, later foiling Hades's next attempt at Hercules's life]]. Also [[DoubleSubversion doubly subverted]] in that later, during your second visit to Olympus Colosseum, [[spoiler:Hades is able to exert power over Auron by stealing his free will and forcing him to fight Hercules without mercy. After several more events happen, Sora and the group steal back Auron's will (which was in the form of a small statue of him) and break Hades' control over him]].

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'': Cynder does this to some degree. Once Spyro sets her free from Malefor's spell, she retains enough of his darkness to use four elements no other dragon can; Shadow, Poison, Wind, and Fear. How does she use these powers? Why, to fight Malefor's evil army and help Spyro kick his butt of course! [[spoiler:Though said darkness does let him take over her mind to some degree, but he has to drive her over the DespairEventHorizon first and ThePowerOfLove is an effective antidote]].

** The Cerberus head honcho Illusive Man resurrects the KIA Commander Shepard (in the course of "[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic Project Lazarus]]", no less) in return for the latter's help in fighting back the Collectors. Since the Collectors are a [[EnemyMine common enemy]], even Paragon Shepard cooperates with Cerberus willingly (although their methods differ), but the actual FaustianRebellion can come in the end of the game, when [[spoiler:Shepard decides whether to destroy the Collector base for good (Paragon choice) or let Cerberus reverse-engineer it, potentially leaving a backdoor for the Reapers]].

* In ''VideoGame/UndeadKnights'', [[spoiler:Fatima]] made a deal with the Beast, but broke free of his control (leaving her with the awesome supernatural powers) by isolating the Beast's blood within her in a stone. [[spoiler:After the Bloods kill her in the final battle, she claims that the Beast was pulling their strings the entire time. Her last act before dying is to give the stone to the Bloods so they can free themselves from the Beast like she did. The Bloods do so, though the Beast angrily declares that they are still damned after everything they have done throughout the game and he's keeping a spot warm for them in hell]].

* Inverted in ''VisualNovel/SuckerForLove: Date To Die For'' with Rohk'zan's cult. She claims she initially granted her cultists benevolent gifts of fertility, health and abundance, but they eventually trapped her in the form of [[TownWithADarkSecret Sacramen-Cho]]'s woods, and started using her power for evil against her will.

* ''Webcomic/DailyGrind'': Tharka used to be the Devil Bunny, a genetically augmented hitman directly working for the Devil himself, until the Insectoid Revolution (think World War II as a BugWar) somehow broke his faith. He stayed on Scratch's payroll but stopped worshiping him out of contempt, and just before he decided to commit suicide, he found true love. Now he spends the 2000's rewriting the laws of the universe to slow down on the Satan worship.

* Supplementary material reveals that TheEmperor of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' sold his soul to the Devil for his demonic army. After his death, the Emperor returns as the Emperor ''of Hell''. The remake even shows that [[spoiler:upon his death, the Emperor split his soul in two, and was able to conquer both Hell ''and'' Heaven, making him the lord of the entire afterlife]].

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': Hades becomes increasingly frustrated in his attempts to defeat Hercules, since the hero kills every opponent the Lord of the Dead throws at him. At Pete's suggestion that he [[spoiler:"send somebody already dead and save him the trouble," Hades decides to summon [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Auron]], offering to let him out if he kills Hercules. Auron declines and insults him, telling him that "This is my story, and you're not part of it." Hades, in a rage, attacks him just as Sora comes in, and the group escapes, later foiling Hades's next attempt at Hercules's life]]. Also [[DoubleSubversion doubly subverted]] in that later, during your second visit to Olympus Colosseum, [[spoiler:Hades is able to exert power over Auron by stealing his free will and forcing him to fight Hercules without mercy. After several more events happen, Sora and the group steal back Auron's will (which was in the form of a small statue of him) and break Hades' control over him]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV: Heavensward'' has a villainous example in [[spoiler:[[SinisterMinister Archbishop Thordan]]]], who learns the secrets of Primal summoning from the [[OmnicidalManiac Ascians]], fully intending to betray them once he achieves his own goals. [[spoiler:He actually succeeds in this, killing your longtime nemesis Lahabrea in the process and becoming the main campaign's final boss.]]
* In ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', Lightning is chosen by the deity Bhunivelze to become the "Saviour" to guide the souls of humans so that they can be reborn in the new world that Bhunivelze is creating after TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. This being ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', it is later revealed that GodIsEvil, so Lightning must fight against Bhunivelze, using the very powers he has bestowed upon her.

* ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'' has [[BlackMage "Black Magic"]] (as well as {{White Mag|e}}ic), which comes from the local equivalent of Satan and his subordinates. It is explicitly noted and shown that black magic ''does not work'' against the ones who give the powers. So instead, Lina calls upon ''more powerful'' monsters in order to kill whatever she's facing. This is a problem because the ultimate Black Magic spell has a nonzero chance of accidentally and irrevocably releasing that monster and destroying the world. Yes, she casts it...

** To Ares' minor credit [[spoiler:when the fight with Kratos starts to go against him he ''does'' remove Kratos' powers and weapons, and if it hadn't been for a conveniently placed giant sword, he would have killed Kratos]].
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': Hades becomes increasingly frustrated in his attempts to defeat Hercules, since the hero kills every opponent the Lord of the Dead throws at him. At Pete's suggestion that he [[spoiler:"send somebody already dead and save him the trouble," Hades decides to summon [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Auron]], offering to let him out if he kills Hercules. Auron declines and insults him, telling him that "This is my story, and you're not part of it." Hades, in a rage, attacks him just as Sora comes in, and the group escapes, later foiling Hades's next attempt at Hercules's life]].
** Also [[DoubleSubversion doubly subverted]] in that later, during your second visit to Olympus Colosseum, [[spoiler:Hades is able to exert power over Auron by stealing his free will and forcing him to fight Hercules without mercy. After several more events happen, Sora and the group steal back Auron's will (which was in the form of a small statue of him) and break Hades' control over him]].
* Raziel in the ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' series. Brought back from the dead (for the second time) as a wraith by the Elder God in the first game of the ''Soul Reaver'' subseries, he starts showing off some true RageAgainstTheHeavens by the second game, after he learns what he used to be [[spoiler:(a Sarafan general, leader of the army that killed nearly every vampire in the land of Nosgoth in genocide)]], the Elder's true nature [[spoiler:(a parasite who feeds on the souls of the dead, and who despises vampires because he cannot feed on their undying souls)]] and Kain's true motives [[spoiler:(to bring the world of Nosgoth back to vampire rule, as it originally was)]].

* In the epilogue of the first ''LightNovel/MagicalGirlRaisingProject'' novel, [[spoiler:Snow White and Ripple]] have taken it upon themselves to wipe out any of Fav's remaining followers after the hell the little guy put them through.