History Main / ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers

* This is widespread among vampires on ''Series/TrueBlood''. Although their public relations campaign claims that they just want to be a [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire part of normal human society]], including having equal civil rights, they have no problem with breaking the law if they think they can get away with it. In particular they are not above using mind control on humans and/or feeding from people without their consent. In one episode, Bill even subverts [[MustBeInvited the rule that vampires aren't allowed to enter a human's home without an invitation]] by glamoring one of them and having that person invite him. It's seen that many vampires murder humans for blood with impunity, and thus the anti-vampire human fanatics (who don't distinguish them from the nicer vampires) aren't ''entirely'' wrong about them. It's ''really'' difficult to reign in someone with their powers and the vampires' own government doesn't care about that, only violence against other vampires.

* In ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' every superhero is this. They have superpowers and they decide that they can do anything they want, and feel that the government can't stop them. Thing is, they are actually wrong. While Vought American, a large defense contractor that has created all the super heroes in the setting, is willing to cover up and/or whitewash the exploits of their supers for the sake of profit and good PR, the company can and will deal with them if the incidents cannot be spun or are hurting their bottom line. The best example of this is what happened to the ''ComicBook/{{XMen}}'' expies G-Men. The government and Vought American knew that the team founder John Goldokin was a unrepentant pedophile and child abductor that had abused of all the children under his care but they were still willing to turn a blind eye to this because the G-Men were one of the most popular and profitable super heroes teams. All things changed once V.A realized that Goldokin's perversions and instability were out of control (he requested permission to created ''another'' preschool team) and summed to public scandals like the suicide of Jean Gray expy Silver Kincaid, the higher ups realized that the team were a public relations liability and ordered a team of [[PrivateMilitaryContractor Red River operatives]] to deal with them and the subsequent fight saw the G-Men getting massacred with frightful efficiency.

* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'': Ling-Ling Huang. ''So'' badly. She and her brother need to get Tsukune into the Haung family's mafia. After Fang-Fang's [[MistakenForGay initial request]] and [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules failed challenge]], she drops in on another attempt when [[AnIcePerson Mizore]] points out that he needs to offer something in return. The Red (Huang's) Team wins? Tsukune joins the mafia (the girls are free to follow him, something they don't entirely have a problem with). The White (News Club) Team wins? Tour China's hotsprings, it's on us! Cue a couple hundred Jiang Shi on the Huang family's team, armed with bombs, emotionlessness, and dismemberment. What takes this UpToEleven is that ''supernatural powers are explicitly '''against the rules''''', and what's Ling-Ling's excuse? "Whatever. [[CatchPhrase I'm already dead]]."

* In Creator/AnneMcCaffrey's Talents 'verse (''Literature/ToRidePegasus'' trilogy and ''Literature/TowerAndTheHive'' series), in the early days the psychics form a group with a code of behavior in order to try to avert this trope. When a girl more powerful than any other psychic in the world learns how to use her powers (ironically because she saw a public service announcement by the group) she goes on a crime spree which eventually results in murder [[spoiler:and her own death]]. In later books, every Talent of significant strength is [[MutantDraftBoard brought into the fold early]] and [[ComesGreatResponsibility taught to use their powers responsibly]].

* Villainous espers in ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'' regularly think they are above the law ([[SmugSuper and everyone else in general]]). [[HumbleHero Mob]] usually ends up smacking some sense into them, because Reigen [[ComesGreatResponsibility taught him better]].

People with the power of {{invisibility}} are [[InvisibleJerkass especially prone to this]]. Expect a hero to berate them with "YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood".

* Villainous espers in ''Manga/MobPsycho100'' regularly think they are above the law ([[SmugSuper and everyone else in general]]). [[HumbleHero Mob]] usually ends up smacking some sense into them, because Reigen [[ComesGreatResponsibility taught him better]].

** Alien Force villain Darkstar plays this trope ''very'' straight.

** In the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' episode "Grounded" where after Ben's parents find out not only about the Omnitrix, but that Ben had been lying to them for years to cover up his superheroing, [[YouAreGrounded they very quickly ground him]]. He actually plays along until he points out that they don't actually have the power to ''enforce'' this punishment, transforms, and flies out the window to help his friends. This shows how much Ben has matured since the first series in that he's still willing to break some rules if they actually threaten to stop him from doing good and helping people.

* This is part of what makes the original ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' so enjoyable, because in a rare protagonist example, Ben does what pretty much any ten year old boy with super powers would do, switching between beating up super villains in the streets, to using his alien super-intellect to try and find his sought after prize in a box of cereal without buying it first.
* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'':
** This also gets referenced in the episode "Grounded" where after Ben's parents find out not only about the Omnitrix, but that Ben had been lying to them for years to cover up his superheroing, [[YouAreGrounded they very quickly ground him]]. He actually plays along until he points out that they don't actually have the power to ''enforce'' this punishment, transforms, and flies out the window to help his friends. This shows how much Ben has matured since the first series in that he's still willing to break some rules if they actually threaten to stop him from doing good and helping people.

** [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Go]][[ItIsPronouncedTroPay odwin]] uses a bit of the power of the King of the Underworld to sabotage his three opponents by sending darkness condors at them. That's right. He doesn't use Monster Cards, but outside force. To make it worse, when Crow and Jack crash because of him, Goodwin uses the Riding Duel rules against them, even though he doesn't ride a D-Wheel to begin with.

* And one particular individual is used as an example of how to live under the radar: he's a geokinetic, able to access gold in the Earth's crust, and store it 10+ miles deep. But since he's not trying to crash the world's gold market by selling it all at once, the authorities leave him alone, and self-policing.

Let's face it, in some worlds HumansAreTheRealMonsters, and the only reason these {{Crapsack World}}s have a semblance of civility and law is fear of reprisal. So what happens when your typical jerkass, sociopaths, and misanthropes get a hold of AppliedPhlebotinum, a RingOfPower, are [[ViralTransformation bit by a werewolf]] or discover they're mutants with superpowers? Blow off society and do whatever they want!

Rather than try to be heroes who got TheCall, they will use their powers for petty crime. Want a million dollars? Just use your EyeBeams to melt open the bank vault. A lover cheated on you? SuperStrength to turn the guy's car into a cube. That beautiful house? Summon up a ghost to scare the owners away and move in once the price drops. "But what if the cops find out?!" Well, with most cases of this trope, the newly empowered criminals will either make [[ImmuneToBullets short work of them]] or be totally undetectable. In truly disgusting extremes, they may walk into a restaurant (where they're ''known'' as {{Super Villain}}s), [[EvilIsPetty be rude to the waiter]], not pay the bill, and then fight their way through the city's police force for it. And that's assuming the police even ''try'' to stop the super-jerks, as it won't take too many public demonstrations before the cops have to admit that it's futile.

Most of the time, these villains will be very small time thinkers, at most terrorizing local authorities into making them sort of kings, but when some ''do'' [[VisionaryVillain see the big picture]] you [[AntiHumanAlliance can expect them to want]] to TakeOverTheWorld, or even [[TranshumanTreachery try to enslave humanity]]!

People with the power of {{invisibility}} are [[InvisibleJerkass especially prone to this]]. Expect a hero to berate them with "YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood!"

Subtrope of BewareTheSuperman. See also MightMakesRight, AppealToForce, SmugSuper, PowerPerversionPotential.

Compare DrunkWithPower, WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Related to BeneathTheMask and WhatYouAreInTheDark because superpowers reveal how a person would act without any fear of reprisal. In this trope that hidden self is anything but {{Lawful Good}}. See SuperSupremacist for someone with superpowers who skips over the "get away with crime" part and goes for straight-up subjugating the non-superpowered.

The SupernaturalElite may have this sentiment--or not; they might not want the law broken if it is written to benefit them, after all.

Contrast CutLexLuthorACheck for the ways a supervillain could have used his or her abilities to make tons of ''entirely legal'' cash. Contrast ComesGreatResponsibility, this trope's exact opposite. Compare and contrast WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks, where people use their power for the own benefit, but without immoral behavior.

Let's face it, in some worlds HumansAreTheRealMonsters, and the only reason these {{Crapsack World}}s have a semblance of civility and law is fear of reprisal. So what happens when your typical jerkass, sociopath, and misanthropes get a hold of AppliedPhlebotinum, a RingOfPower, are [[ViralTransformation bit by a werewolf]] or discover they're mutants with superpowers? Blow off society and do whatever they want!

Let's face it, in some worlds HumansAreTheRealMonsters, and the only reason these {{Crapsack World}}s have a semblance of civility and law is fear of reprisal. So what happens when your typical misanthropes get a hold of AppliedPhlebotinum, a RingOfPower, are [[ViralTransformation bit by a werewolf]] or discover they're mutants with superpowers? Blow off society and do whatever they want!

Let's face it, in some worlds HumansAreTheRealMonsters, and the only reason these {{Crapsack World}}s have a semblance of civility and law is fear of reprisal. So what happens when your typical misanthropes get a hold of AppliedPhlebotinum, a RingOfPower, are [[ViralTransformation bit by a werewolf]] or discover they're mutants with StockSuperPowers? Blow off society and do whatever they want!

* ''Film/TheMask'': The Mask is a chaotic, wild madman so he does not care about any rules that come along but he is harmless and a caring, compassionate, good-hearted, kind, NiceGuy which makes him care about innocent lives. He also spares people who annoy him and the police as well despite they are trying to arrest him.

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'': Ling-Ling Huang. ''So'' badly. She and her brother need to get Tsukune into the Haung family's mafia. After Fang-Fang's [[MistakenForGay initial request]] and [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules failed challenge]], she drops in on another attempt when [[AnIcePerson Mizore]] points out that he needs to offer something in return. The Red (Huang's) Team wins? Tsukune joins the mafia (the girls are free to follow him, something they don't entirely have a problem with). The White (News Club) Team wins? Tour China's hotsprings, it's on us! Cue a couple hundred Jiang Shi on the Huang family's team, armed with bombs, emotionlessness, and dismemberment. What takes this UpToEleven is that ''supernatural powers are explicitly '''against the rules''''', and what's Ling-Ling's excuse? "Whatever. [[CatchPhrase I'm already dead]]."

Compare DrunkWithPower, WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Related to BeneathTheMask and WhatYouAreInTheDark because superpowers reveal how a person would act without any fear of reprisal. In this trope that hidden self is anything but {{LawfulGood}}. See SuperSupremacist for someone with superpowers who skips over the "get away with crime" part and goes for straight-up subjugating the non-superpowered.

** The White Council and their Laws of Magic also exist to limit power. When speaking with Captain Luccio, Harry brings up the fact that the Laws cover BlackMagic but not things like murder without using magic, theft, etc. Luccio points out that if the Council attempted to punish countries for their crimes, they would have to go after, say, America, for its treatment of Native Americans. [[RealityEnsues Which would get the American wizards upset (since they support the country even though it's done some bad things),]] which would eventually lead to civil war. In order to keep the Council from fracturing, they would need to take control of the wizards, for which they would need BlackMagic. Which the Laws cover already.

** As per canon, the entire reason the White Council exists, according to Ebenezar [=McCoy=] is to hold this attitude in check among wandless Wizards (as it often leads to dark magic) and protect ordinary humanity from those less pleasant species that would use and abuse them, which is also why they often stay aloof of mortal disputes (for one thing, grudges and feuds can last for centuries with ordinary human lifespans. Wizards live for most of half a millennium). It's also the reason they heartily dislike/are wary of Doctor Strange, who has absolutely no qualms about getting involved in mortal politics, and persuades, manipulates, or outright bullies pretty much everyone into doing what he wants - he is, after all, the key representative of unchecked power. While Strange has his own, largely justified, reasons for what he does, you can see the Council's point.

* ''Film/TheMask'': The Mask is a chaotic, wild madman so he does not care about any rules that come along but he is harmless and a caring, compassionate, good-hearted, kind, {{Nice Guy}} which makes him care about innocent lives. He also spares people who annoy him and the police as well despite they are trying to arrest him.

** The [[Quotes/{{Masquerade}} third quote]] for {{Masquerade}} illustrates a problem with this train of thought. That said, vampires in ''[[TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem Vampire: The Requiem]]'' (and most supernaturals, for that matter) can get away with ''a '''lot''''' considering both the CrapsackWorld they live in means people just don't care about most crimes, and their Masquerade clean up is top notch. (Provided you have the expertise/pull to have the clean up done for you without getting staked, mind you.)

** It comes up more in Vampire because the only real threat to most vampires from breaking the masquerade is retaliation from the people intent on keeping it. Most other splats involve a more direct mechanical penalty that's difficult to cover over with further power use or roleplay: werewolves drive anyone in line of sight into a killing rage or madness, mages are bitch-slapped by the laws of physics or break the world and let [[EldritchAbomination something]] in to say hello, ghosts can be banished by mortals extremely easily, etc. The only other splat that's as easy to indulge in this trope as Vampire is TabletopGame/HunterTheReckoning, which can lead to a lot of fast escalation since the two are each others' greatest natural enemies.

* This is Chaos's schtick in any of the Warhammer games. Because of their supernatural abilities, Chaos cults have been known to permanently take over entire solar systems and beat on the punitive army that arrives to take back what's theirs. It can get so bad that some worlds have essentially become permanent Chaos vassal states with no one being able to do anything about it.

Subtrope of BewareTheSuperman. See also MightMakesRight and AppealToForce and SmugSuper.

** In the pilot episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'', [[AGodAmI Gary Mitchell]] developed superpowers after the ''Enterprise'' crossed the energy barrier at the edge of galaxy: he swiftly developed an AGodAmI mentality and started killing crew members. Averted when it came to Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, who used hers to stop Mitchell and ended up getting killed in the process.

* Inverted with Phil Lovecraft in ''Film/CastADeadlySpell'' who, in an alternate 1940s Los Angeles where magic use is rife and corruption resulting from it endemic, distinguishes himself by ''not'' using magic in order to keep his integrity, to the point where he is one of the few people in the city who does; essentially, he's a case of Screw The Supernatural Powers, I Have Rules:
->'''Connie:''' And what makes you so special?\\
'''Lovecraft:''' What makes me special is I'm my own man. When I started out I said there were things I'd do and things I wouldn't do. A lot of guys start out like that, and a lot of them sell out along the way. But the more who fall, the easier it gets. "See, look, everybody compromises, everybody cheats, everybody uses magic." So they empty their ideals out of their pockets and get down to the job of sticking it to their neighbors before they stick it to them, because that's that way it's done. To all of which I say nuts. My collar may be a little frayed, and maybe I need a shoeshine. But nobody's got a mortgage on my soul. I own it. Free and clear.