History Main / WellintentionedExtremist

Compare with NecessarilyEvil, where the villain in question has a HeelRealization and recognizes that he deserves punishment (of course, he may always choose to just [[IgnoredEpiphany Ignore That Epiphany]]). See also ALighterShadeOfGrey. A staple trope of the MasterComputer [[AIIsACrapshoot gone mad]]. If the positive intention is overthrowing an evil government, the Well Intentioned Extremists will be an example of TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized. If the positive intention is helping a friend — realizing things that said friend sees as immoral — the Well Intentioned Extremist will be an example of PoisonousFriend. If his extremism actually ''succeeds'' in making the world a better place, it's TheExtremistWasRight. The SmallStepsHero desperately wants to avert this trope. The NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist has no such convictions.

->"''The road to hell is paved with good intentions.''"
-->-- '''Bernard of Clairvaux'''

%% You can put your other favorite related quotes in Quotes/WellIntentionedExtremist. If you want to change the quote, take it to the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1327331003042025100&page=1 quotes]] thread.

** [[WindmillCrusader The Extremist has a goal that more or less everyone can agree is misinformed, insane, or both]] - they're willing to [[ShootTheDog make]] [[AMillionIsAStatistic (huge)]] [[SenselessSacrifice sacrifices]] in the name of [[AllForNothing a completely useless goal]]. For example, they might try to fix the endemic and civilisation-destroying catastrophe of ant-theft... by organising the sacrificial murder of the entire population of New Delhi as an offering to a non-existent supernatural entity that they think will solve the problem with its magic.

This can be a difficult line to walk: push too hard in one direction and you make it seem as if the extreme methods are acceptable; push too hard in the other and you run the risk of denying the validity of their initial cause, of arguing ''for'' oppression (for instance) instead of against it. When the balancing is done they more often than not tend to be either [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]] or even dark [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]], especially if put more emphasis on the "well-intentioned" part than the "extremist" one. However, there are some who seem like [=WIEs=] but in reality are [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist just straight-up villains, particularly if they are the other way around in terms of what they put more emphasis on and if they are obviously just using their philosophy as a shallow excuse to commit evil]]. Another version of a darker villain being this trope is that they have an actual philosophy which they believe will "improve" the world but the philosophy itself is too obviously evil to garner any sympathy, such as is often the case with the MisanthropeSupreme and [[ANaziByAnyOtherName genocidal maniacs]].

Compare with NecessarilyEvil, where the villain in question has a HeelRealization and recognizes that he deserves punishment (of course, he may always choose to just [[IgnoredEpiphany Ignore That Epiphany]]). See also ALighterShadeOfGrey. A staple trope of the MasterComputer [[AIIsACrapshoot gone mad]]. If the positive intention is overthrowing an evil government, the Well Intentioned Extremists will be an example of TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized. If the positive intention is helping a friend- realizing things that said friend sees as immoral- the Well Intentioned Extremist will be an example of PoisonousFriend. If his extremism actually ''succeeds'' in making the world a better place, it's TheExtremistWasRight. The SmallStepsHero desperately wants to avert this trope. The NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist has no such convictions.

->"''Hell is full of good meanings and wishes.''"
-->-- '''John Ray''', ''A Collection of English Proverbs''

%% You can put your other favorite related quotes in Quotes/WellIntentionedExtremist.

->"''The road to hell is paved with good intentions.''"
-->-- '''Bernard of Clairvaux'''

Other times, the villain may be out for simple {{revenge}} against a person or corporation or other entity that has undeniably wronged them. Again, the heroes may sympathize with their plight, but are obliged to stop them because they care not who gets in the way of their planned revenge. However, the heroes will often investigate the villain's grievance themselves and will complement stopping the villain with bringing the offending party to justice as well.

*** We should ''[[HappinessIsMandatory make]]'' [[HappinessIsMandatory everyone happy]], people who are unhappy should be [[GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul cured]] of this condition using the [[LotusEaterMachine latest technology or magitek]].

* WellIntentionedExtremist/FanFic

*** Negative Utilitarianism: Instead of maximizing happiness, we should only focus on minimizing suffering. However, since all living things suffer to some extent we can only eliminate suffering by [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds putting the unhappy out of their misery]] - or by exterminating ''everyone''.

Other times, the villain may be out for simple {{revenge}} against a person or corporation or other entity that has undeniably wronged them. Again, the heroes may sympathize with their plight, but are obliged to stop them because they care not who gets in the way of their planned revenge. However, the heroes will often investigate the villain's grievance themselves and will complement stopping the villain with taking down the offending party as well.

* WellIntentionedExtremist/WebComics

!!Examples(Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease):

* [[Wrestling/{{Nova}} Simon Dean]] is tired of traveling this country and seeing so many fat monstrosities. So he is going to help solve the problem by selling his patented Simon System at a discount. Because even though he does not like you, Simon Dean believes in you!
* Wrestling/StevieRichards in Wrestling/{{TNA}}, trying to save the world from Abyss, and Abyss from himself, turned out to be worse than Abyss by the end of their feud.

* Jessicka Havok has always been a menace to Wrestling/{{WSU}}, but was cast in a new "heroic" light after DJ Hyde [[BadBoss took over the company]] and proclaimed not only her but many others who were long time fan favorites PersonaNonGrata[[note]]Drew Cordeiro was the one dismissing, banning or alienating people, DJ Hyde just [[DastardlyWhiplash took credit for it]] at shows or [[{{heel}} enforced his decisions]][[/note]]. Since Havok did not care about WSU rulings to begin with, she continued to show up anyway and do what she does, to cheers. Jessicka's also fond of the Shine promotion, admitting that she had consciously not stooped to her usual lows while working there, not complaining when punished by officials for her [[NoHoldsBarredBeatDown post match rituals]] and attacking those who she feels are bad for the promotion or disrespectful to it, though she ignored the LegionOfDoom who were guilty of every "crime" she charged all her other targets with because Allysin Kay, Havok's best friend from WSU, was a part of it.

!!Examples:

%% Click the blue quote marks above for a place to put your other favorite related quotes.

There are three basic flavors of Well Intentioned Extremist:

** The Extremist sees a real problem and offers a real solution that may or may not be ethically acceptable, but the bigger issue is that they are not taking into account the negative side-effects of their actions.

This can be a difficult line to walk: push too hard in one direction and you make it seem as if the extreme methods are acceptable; push too hard in the other and you run the risk of denying the validity of their initial cause, of arguing ''for'' oppression (for instance) instead of against it. When the balancing is done they more often than not tend to be either [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]] or even dark [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]], especially if put more emphasis on the "well-intentioned" part than the "extremist" one. However there are some who seem like WIEs but in reality are [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist just straight-up villains, particularly if they are the other way around in terms of what they put more emphasis on and if they are obviously just using their philosophy as a shallow excuse to commit evil]]. Another version of a darker villain being this trope is that they have an actual philosophy which they believe will "improve" the world but the philosophy itself is too obviously evil to garner any sympathy, such as is often the case with the MisanthropeSupreme and [[ANaziByAnyOtherName genocidal maniacs]].

This can be a difficult line to walk: push too hard in one direction and you make it seem as if the extreme methods are acceptable; push too hard in the other and you run the risk of denying the validity of their initial cause, of arguing ''for'' oppression (for instance) instead of against it. When the balancing is done they more often than not tend to be either [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]] or even dark [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]], especially if put more emphasis on the "well-intentioned" part than the "extremist" one. However there are some who seem like ones but in reality are [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist just straight-up villains, particularly if they are the other way around in terms of what they put more emphasis on and if they are obviously just using their philosophy as a shallow excuse to commit evil]]. Another version of a darker villain being this trope is that they have an actual philosophy which they believe will "improve" the world but the philosophy itself is too obviously evil to garner any sympathy, such as is often the case with the MisanthropeSupreme and [[ANaziByAnyOtherName genocidal maniacs]].

** The Extremist wants to assassinate the evil dictator of an oppressed country, but can't or won't take the time and effort to ensure that the country is not taken over by another who is just as bad or worse, or perhaps the country falls into chaos without the tyrant or a stronger, benevolent replacement to hold it all together.

There are three basic flavors of Totalitarian Utilitarian:

Other times, the villain may be out for simple {{revenge}} against a person or corporation or other entity that has undeniably wronged them. Again, the heroes may sympathize with thier plight, but are obliged to stop them because they care not who gets in the way of thier planned revenge. However, the heroes will often investigate the villain's grievance themselves and will complement stopping the villain with taking down the offending party as well.

On the extreme end, may result in the even darker KnightTemplar who chooses to either [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill remove free will]], believing it the best way to save the world or destroy whoever they don’t consider worthy enough to live. Unlike this, The Well-Intentioned Extremist isn't a punisher of all flaws and a dictator who argues with others and themself that they are good and therefore the others are bad, they actually realise that some of thier victims don't deserve to die or suffer, but remains firm that it is for the greater good and actually isn't ''entirely'' wrong. They could also be a [[FallenHero fallen]] WideEyedIdealist that [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope was driven over the edge]], and sometimes a WorthyOpponent or even ReluctantWarrior. VigilanteMan is a case where the Well-Intentioned Extremist [[MotiveDecay hasn't (yet) descended]] to the point of not caring who gets hurt. Often ends up in rivalries with the KnightInSourArmor. Maybe they're ObliviouslyEvil and don't realise they're the bad guy, in which case they're prone to MyGodWhatHaveIDone and becoming wracked with guilt and horror if they're ever enlightened. Some of those seeking to bring about a OneWorldOrder to end international strife may count as this.

[[VisionaryVillain A villain who has an overall goal]] which the heroes [[VillainHasAPoint can appreciate in principle]], but whose methods of pursuing said goal (such as mass murder) are [[DontShootTheMessage problematic]]; despite any sympathy they may have with his cause, the heroes have no choice but to stop him. Taken to extremes, they may fully believe that UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans. Such an idealistic extremist is likely to be either a TotalitarianUtilitarian or a PrinciplesZealot, depending on whether he's aiming ForHappiness or ForGreatJustice. The most well-written examples of this trope are the kind that the reader/viewer stops just short of agreeing with.

Other times, the villain may be out for simple {{revenge}} against a person or corporation or other entity that has undeniably wronged him. Again, the heroes may sympathize with his plight, but are obliged to stop him because he cares not who gets in the way of his planned revenge. However, the heroes will often investigate the villain's grievance themselves and will complement stopping the villain with taking down the offending party as well.

On the extreme end, may result in the even darker KnightTemplar who chooses to either [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill remove free will]], believing it the best way to save the world or destroy whoever he doesn't consider worthy enough to live. Unlike this, The Well-Intentioned Extremist isn't a punisher of all flaws and a dictator who argues with others and himself that he is good and therefore the others are bad, he actually realises that some of his victims don't deserve to die or suffer, but he remains firm that it is for the greater good and actually isn't ''entirely'' wrong. They could also be a [[FallenHero fallen]] WideEyedIdealist that [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope was driven over the edge]], and sometimes a WorthyOpponent or even ReluctantWarrior. VigilanteMan is a case where the Well-Intentioned Extremist [[MotiveDecay hasn't (yet) descended]] to the point of not caring who gets hurt. Often ends up in rivalries with the KnightInSourArmor. Maybe they're ObliviouslyEvil and don't realise they're the bad guy, in which case they're prone to MyGodWhatHaveIDone and becoming wracked with guilt and horror if they're ever enlightened. Some of those seeking to bring about a OneWorldOrder to end international strife may count as this.

[[VisionaryVillain A villain who has an overall goal]] which the heroes [[VillainHasAPoint can appreciate in principle]], but whose methods of pursuing said goal (such as mass murder) are [[DontShootTheMessage problematic]]; despite any sympathy they may have with his cause, the heroes have no choice but to stop him. Taken to extremes, he may fully believe that UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans. Such an idealistic extremist is likely to be either a TotalitarianUtilitarian or a PrinciplesZealot, depending on whether he's aiming ForHappiness or ForGreatJustice. The most well-written examples of this trope are the kind that the reader/viewer stops just short of agreeing with.