History Main / MoralGuardians

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* The Crusader, a [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalist]] who believes that the church should become more active in fighting paganism and godlessness in modern society, is a satire. His methods are questionable at best and include murder. His actions have led to his defeat (and usually humiliation) at the hands of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheAvengers the Black Knight]], [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]], ComicBook/DoctorStrange, and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, the last one costing him an eye.[[note]](Wolvie pointing out his hypocrisy [[AsTheGoodBookSays by while quoting the Bible]] with "An eye for an eye.")[[/note]] Since that defeat, he wised up, preferring to stay in prison than accept the Hood's invitation to participate in the ''ComicBook/{{Civil War|2006}}''.

* The Delegation in ''Literature/PosterGirl'' takes this UpToEleven, as they would constantly monitor their citizens and punish them for the smallest infractions, such as not sitting straight, wearing tight clothing, not eating healthy up and including women having a short haircut or men not keeping their beard perfectly neat. If you got in trouble for these too often the regime might just 'disapear' you and your family as well just to be sure.
* Senator Granderson from ''Literature/TheEnormousEgg'' is constantly trying to save America from various things, most recently comic books and firecrackers, and he's so good at getting people fired up that he often succeeds. When he learns about the existence of Uncle Beazley, the only living triceratops, he decides that living dinosaurs are a menace to society due to being ugly, outmoded, and un-American, and tries to pass a bill banning them.

* The Delegation in ''Literature/PosterGirl'' takes this up to eleven, as they would constantly monitor their citizens and punish them for the smallest infractions, such as not sitting straight, wearing tight clothing, not eating healthy up and including women having a short haircut or men not keeping their beard perfectly neat. If you got in trouble for these too often the regime might just 'disapear' you and your family as well just to be sure.

* Given quite a TakeThat in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. In one episode taking place in a BadFuture, it is revealed that Moral Guardians essentially ''destroyed society'' by going to KnightTemplar extremes and eliminating all traces of fun and creativity.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
** In one episode, they subjected William Donahue, the leader (and apparently only member) of the Catholic League, to a TakeThat in the "Fantastic Easter Special" episode.
** In ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut'', the parents blame their kids' disrespectful and foul-mouthed nature on the profane Canadian film ''Terrence and Philip in Not Without My Anus''. Actually, they blame the entire nation of Canada, as evidenced by the song "Blame Canada". Their real motives are revealed in the last two lines:
--->''We must blame them and start a fuss\\
Before somebody thinks of blaming us!''

* This kicks off the main plot in Vivian Vande Velde's ''Literature/HeirApparent'' novel. The titular character spends her birthday present (a gift certificate) going to a virtual reality video game arcade that is presently being picketed by a group called the Citizens To Protect Our Children (who believes only in G-rated movie making and that libraries should only stock nice, friendly, uplifting books). Soon after she enters a game, the protesters break inside and damage the building's video game equipment, including the game she's in. She's only got a few hours to win before the game fries her brain, and, when she wakes up, the head of the company (who, like her, is a teenager) mentions that "they're going to get their asses fried for endangering the welfare of a minor."

* The Crusader, a [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalist]] who believes that the church should become more active in fighting paganism and godlessness in modern society, is a satire. His methods are questionable at best and include murder. His actions have led to his defeat (and usually humiliation) at the hands of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], [[ComicBook/TheAvengers the Black Knight]], [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]], ComicBook/DoctorStrange, and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, the last one costing him an eye.[[note]](Wolvie pointing out his hypocrisy [[AsTheGoodBookSays by while quoting the Bible]] with "An eye for an eye.")[[/note]] Since that defeat, he wised up, preferring to stay in prison than accept the Hood's invitation to participate in the ''ComicBook/CivilWar''.

* The ''Website/SCPFoundation'' has [[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-3922 SCP-3922]], a metal cylinder with the engraved with the insignia of the Three Moons Initiative, a paranormal anti-war group. When 3922 is placed close to a recording of fictional media, the media will [[DeusExMachina be invaded]] by TMI operatives (designated SCP-3922-A) armed with futuristic military equipment. The operatives will attempt to stop all perceived wrongdoings within the chosen media, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill primarily through absurdly excessive amounts of force]]. At times SCP-3922-A instances will even go after the media's creator, like when they executed the creator of ''Film/TheHumanCentipede''. After the mess the device made with ''Film/SaloOrThe120DaysOfSodom'', it's pretty clear that the ☽☽☽ Initiative is extremely pissed about what kind of stuff the media's showing to people nowadays. Interestingly, when exposed to a pornographic film, they do not actually stop any of the sexual activity, but simply stand guard to make sure it remains consensual. They also leave ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'' almost unaltered, save for a message in the credits stating that they had investigated the film and have found no instances of illegal hunting occurring.

* The main arc of Volume 2 of ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'' sets this up and then subverts it with its main antagonists, who want to take Izzy to court for supposedly corrupting children (she made an HGame that later got a kid-friendly animated adaptation without her involvement). Out of the group, only one member is legitimately concerned about keeping children away from the game, as his little brother is a fan of the animated series; the rest are either going along with it either because it's their job or they have their own personal vendetta against Izzy (including the boss; [[spoiler:Izzy unknowingly disfigured her and she wants to ruin her life in turn]]). Either way, Izzy manages to deliver a good defense against the idea that she's deliberately corrupting kids.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Histeria}}'' mocked this endlessly, with the biggest ButtMonkey on the show being Lydia Karaoke, the [[AcceptableTargets network censor]], as a member of the regular cast. While she tried hard to keep crap from getting past the radar, this show was the type that tended to get ToiletHumor past the radar with bulldozers and dynamite.

They frequently complain to the nearest MediaWatchdog, often using {{astroturf}}ing to lend illusory weight to their complaints. If they gain enough influence, they can incite full-blown [[TheNewRockAndRoll moral panics]].

** {{Subverted|trope}} in one storyline where Opus's girlfriend's mother, who never liked him to begin with, sics the local priest on him, hoping to get some outrage because Opus is part of a death metal band. But the priest turns out to be a very nice fellow with an excellent sense of humor and a taste for Opus's music (saying of the song "Let's Guillotine Grandma" that it's "[s]omething to slip into the hymns next Sunday!") The end of the storyline shows the priest trying gently to calm down a very upset girlfriend's mother.

* Music/AmandaPalmer's song "Guitar Hero" parodies the idea of a school shooting being inspired by a video game. Particularly, well, ''VideoGame/GuitarHero''. The song shows how easily any game can be compared to real-life violence (with the help of some IncrediblyLamePun lines such as "It's a hit!" and "There's people screaming, just like they should / but you don't even know if you're good..."). It is made extra poignant because Amanda lost some of her friends during a school shooting -- and she refuses to blame it on any part of pop culture.

** In one episode, the [[IncrediblyLamePun Mighty V-Giny]] Satellite objects so strenuously to Earth's immoral content that it aims to "censor" Earth (in so doing [[EarthShatteringKaboom destroying it]]). Farnsworth leads the crew on a mission to head this off by alerting people to the danger and telling them to act more morally, claiming "they will listen to rational folks like us!" Cue Farnsworth emerging from the ship dressed in robes toting signs like "Repent!" and "The end is near!" In the end, Fry encounters something he ''wants'' the satellite to censor: [[spoiler:Leela and Zapp Brannigan having sex while dressed like Adam and Eve, just like in Literature/TheBible]]. The satellite responds by [[spoiler:calling it "APPROVED FOR ALL AUDIENCES" and then flying away]].

** Sam the Eagle filled this role. At one time he delivered a speech about the immorality of animals who, under their fur, feathers, scales, etc., were walking around ''completely naked.'' His reaction as he realized [[HypocriticalHumor he himself was a member of this sordid group]] was priceless.
** They openly parodied censors in a ''Series/MuppetsTonight'' sketch entitled ''NYPD Green'' where a censor keeps popping up to object to everything the detectives said (such as mentioning a "filthy dirtbag"...when the case was about a stolen bag of dirt). Eventually Kermit shuts off the camera to protect the audience from the dirty imagination ''of the censor''.