History MoralEventHorizon / Literature

* [[Literature/LegacyOfTheForce Darth Caedus]], the [[FaceHeelTurn villainous]] [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Jacen Solo]], was apparently intended, to be morally grey at first, sliding down into worse and worse acts of NecessaryEvil until the Evil overwhelmed the Necessary. It didn't really turn out like that, considering what he did, including [[spoiler:fridging his own aunt, bombarding [[ThrowawayCountry throwaway planet]] Fondor after they had already surrendered, and lighting decidedly NON-throwaway planet Kashyyyk on fire from orbit.]] Fans lost all sympathy for him long before this was intended to happen.
* In the Franchise/StarWarsLegends:
** Interestingly, what his family considered to be his Moral Event Horizon was comparatively minor, [[spoiler: using a Nightsister Blood Trail to track Jaina to the Jedi's secret base.]]
** In-universe by Sith standards, his MEH would be [[spoiler: killing Mara Jade]]. It cements his commitment to the dark side via sacrificing something he loves and only after does he take his Sith name. Also it's a safe bet that any fans left by that point would surely desert.
** We have an in-universe example with Kyp Durron, a young Jedi who in the Literature/JediAcademyTrilogy gets influenced by an ancient Sith spirit to steal a superweapon out of the heart of the local gas giant and go on a spree with it, causing supernovas which kill the populations of various planets. He then flies to a training camp planet supporting about twenty-five million people where his brother had gone to train, was told by an ObstructiveBureaucrat that his brother had been killed during this training, and fired a nova-causing missile at the sun. Then it turned out that the bureaucrat had simply lied, and the brother was flown over to try and stop him, but it was too late; the only survivor in the system was Kyp, safe in his superweapon. Later the main characters found him and convinced him to stick the superweapon [[HurlItIntoTheSun into a black hole]], which almost resulted in his death; instead he lived, recovered, and [[KarmaHoudini went back to training at the Jedi Academy]]. Because the worlds he'd killed had been ''[[TheEmpire Imperial]]'' worlds, and he felt bad about killing his brother, and he'd supposedly been possessed by a 4,000 year old Dark Lord who made him do it, all was forgiven. Later books [[WhatTheHellHero called him on it]] and called it ''hard''. He'd been influenced, not possessed, or he would have actually killed Luke Skywalker instead of knocking him out. These had still been people who, as the FixFic type novel ''I, Jedi'' says, had had nothing in any reality to do with him. It became something [[NeverLiveItDown he could never live down]], sometimes making him TheAtoner, sometimes making him tired of being reminded of something he did as a teenager when he was in his forties, trying to be a respectable member of the Jedi Council. Some characters are never able to forgive him.
** Thrackan Sal-Solo crossed the horizon in the eyes of the peoples of the Corellian system, especially the Selonians, by holding his first cousins once removed hostage (as leverage on their mother, the Supreme Chancellor) and then trying to vape them. [[note]]The peoples of the Corellian system hold the MamaBear and PapaWolf in ''very'' high honor.[[/note]]
** The destruction of Alderaan is an in-universe Moral Event Horizon for a number of characters. It caused a ''lot'' of Imperials to defect to the Rebellion, which even before then was largely composed of people who had been Imperial citizens or soldiers at some point. They accepted this new influx, even knowing that some of these ex-Imperials had fought against and killed them. After that, though, ex-Imperial recruits were regarded with more suspicion, many Rebels wondering why they hadn't left the Empire earlier, like right after the news about Alderaan got out. Staying in the Empire's service became a subjective Moral Event Horizon; the longer someone had been with the Empire after Alderaan, the less moral they were seen to be.
*** This is a plot point for how other characters treat [[AcePilot Baron Soontir Fel]] in the Literature/XWingSeries, who [[DefectorFromDecadence left]] almost a year after the Emperor died, and who had been the Empire's most dangerous pilot in that year. Wedge Antilles [[EasilyForgiven trusted him instantly]], and a pilot who had survived being shot down by him similarly welcomed him, but almost everyone else either was slow to warm up to him or outright refused to trust him. He killed too many Rebel pilots and didn't see what kind of monster he served until far too late.
*** In ''Literature/StarWarsAllegiance'', we see that while the viewpoint stormtroopers were just as shocked by the reports as anyone else, official Imperial policies were confused, some saying that the Death Star had been hijacked by Rebels, some saying that the planet had been populated by Imperial sympathizers, some saying that Tarkin had gone power-mad. Sure, the Rebellion had its own claim, but the Rebellion was a terrorist organization, and while they were starting to think that [[EmpireWithADarkSecret the Empire had some deep flaw]], they didn't see any better alternative. Until their unit was sent to slaughter a village, and later one of them was threatened by an officer because [[NeverHurtAnInnocent he aimed to miss unarmed civilians]].
*** In ''Literature/DeathStar'', we have a personal example in Tenn Graneet, head gunner on the titular superweapon, who for most of the novel has his character built up. He always thought the Death Star would never really be used on a living planet, just on really big ships and bases and the like. When it comes to it, [[EarthShatteringKaboom he follows orders]]. He realizes that as word gets around, even people serving with him on the Death Star treat him strangely, and knows that someday everyone will know, and everyone will loathe him as both the biggest mass murderer of his or possibly any time, and as someone who [[JustFollowingOrders always, always followed orders]]. Unusually, and unlike Tarkin, who gave the order, ''he'' sees his action as a Moral Event Horizon, thinking that [[BeingEvilSucks they would be right to hate him and one day kill him]]. The guilt doesn't let him sleep, and he knows he will be commanded to do worse -- if he doesn't he'll just be killed for disobedience and they will get another gunner and ''he'' will do it -- and, when they are in range of Yavin and his hand is at the final button, he desperately stalls while telling everyone to "Stand By," hoping that something would happen to stop him. [[ForegoneConclusion And it did]]. Poor bastard. If he ever had a chance at redeeming himself, this would be it--his successful attempt to stall the destruction of Yavin long enough to allow Luke Skywalker to blow up the Death Star would be a spectacular example of RedemptionEqualsDeath.
*** In the current series, ''Literature/FateOfTheJedi'', Daala initially seems fairly reasonable -- wrong, but reasonable -- about the Jedi and their role in the Galactic Alliance, especially considering the actions of Jacen Solo. She even shuts down her "Jedi Court" when the parents of one of the Jedi that went berserk revealed that its head judge was using the imprisoned Jedi as wall art. Then, in Allies, she attempts to force the Jedi to bend to her will and surrender all Jedi that have snapped (despite the Jedi Temple being far better equipped to hold a mad force user.) by laying siege to the Temple with a Mandalorian battle fleet, with orders to "do what is necessary." The Jedi respond by sending out the Grand Master's personal assistant, a young apprentice (on the grounds that nobody could possibly misconstrue it as an attack, but she has the standing in the Order to show good faith), wearing no armor, carrying no weapon, intending only to negotiate. The Mandalorian commander, after ascertaining that she is neither of the Jedi he was sent to "arrest," calmly informs her that "My orders make no provision for negotiation" and pulls out his sidearm and shoots her down without warning. He then proceeds to announce that if the mad Jedi are not turned over promptly, he will order his fleet to vaporize the temple, and that anyone who tries to leave will be slaughtered without warning. Daala's response, on seeing the LIVE BROADCAST TO THE GALAXY, in which troops operating under her direct orders shot a teenaged girl down in cold blood and then threatened to massacre thousands of people? "Good. Now they should take me seriously." These words make her administration look like a terrorist organization.
** The [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Yuuzhan Vong race]] in the Literature/NewJediOrder series goes about crossing the MEH wantonly. Aside from the killing off of many major characters, some of their things involve going against their word and destroying a planet's ecosystem despite losing a contest for its fate, intentionally attacking/destroying civilian targets in order to burden the New Republic with billions of displaced refugees, spreading a lethal disease among civilians, breeding a toxic animal specially designed to butcher Jedi, and butcher hundreds of Jedi, many young adults and teens, sacrifice millions to their Gods, as well as horribly mutilating and exploiting anyone who joins up with them.
** [[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy Joruus C'baoth]] cements his status as an AxCrazy monster when he {{Mind Rape}}s General Covell into a mindless extension of his own will, and reveals his plan to do the same to the rest of the Empire.
** [[Literature/OutboundFlight The original C'baoth]] has a more mundane one- Force choking Thrawn after the latter disables his ship. Though things had been getting increasingly worse that moment is described as his true fall to the dark side.
** In Star Wars ''Literature/{{Revan}}'', it's quickly established that the [[HumanoidAbomination Sith Emperor]] was a really bad guy and he does a ''lot'' of horrible things. But the sole defining moment? [[spoiler: He '''kills [[UndyingLoyalty T3]]-[[BadassAdorable M4]] by vaporizing him'''. He does this right in front of Revan, making Revan watch as he murders one of his closest friends [[EvilIsPetty out of sheer spite]].]]
** [[Literature/DarthBane Darth Bane]] trilogy:
*** Path of Destruction: A couple to choose from, depending on your point of view. Bane realizing he killed his father via the dark side strips him of the Force for a time. Killing rival apprentice Sirak is probably the most mundane example though it is presented as the moment Bane fully embraces the dark side. Killing an entire family including children and leaving the father for last just so he can feed on his suffering is probably the top contender. Though the thought bomb could also count- betraying his allies and dooming the souls of all the Sith and a hundred Jedi to thousands of years of unspeakable, unending agony.
*** Rule of Two: As Bane's apprentice Zannah also gets her pick: using Sith sorcery to drive a woman completely insane so that she tears her own eyes out until her consciousness is completely shredded aside from a small part that lives on in a corner of her mind to be tortured by subconscious fears for the rest of her life. And all that for simply having romantic relations with a past lover (whom Zannah was merely using anyway). Or more likely, brutally slaughtering Caleb after the latter healed her master and using the aforementioned spell on her own cousin so he would take the rap with the Jedi, thereby concealing the existence of the Sith.
*** Dynasty of Evil: Serra, Caleb's daughter haunted by memories of Bane and the grief of being recently widowed spirals down into darkness culminating in capturing Bane and using her father's knowledge to chemically imprison and torture him. Only realizing what she's done after her best friend is murdered she accepts her fate with her father's stoicism and is killed by the Huntress.
** [[Literature/StarWarsTheOldRepublic Darth Malgus]] despite his obvious commitment to the dark side, conflict and destruction crosses the Moral Event Horizon when he kills his lover Eleena for being his weakness. Ironically it's a Jedi avoiding that same pitfall that causes him to do this. Aryn Leneer, seeking revenge for the death of her Master plans to kill Eleena to hurt Malgus, but pulls back at the last second realizing what it means. This forces Malgus to acknowledge that his love can be used against him and in true Sith fashion kills the last good part of him.
** In the new Star Wars canon novel ''Literature/ANewDawn'', Count Vidian crosses it by throwing one of his subordinates in a vat of acid for questioning him. His attempt to destroy a planet's moon simply to take down a business rival only cements this crossing.

* ''Literature/LordOfTheFlies'': The murder of [[spoiler:Simon, the truly innocent kid]] on the island could qualify, although Piggy is able to rationalize it, since it was accidental. [[spoiler: Piggy's murder, an act of unprovoked aggression, is what truly marks the boys' decent into cruelty and madness]].

* If [[spoiler: Junko Enoshima]] hadn't already crossed the MEH before the events of ''LightNovel/DanganRonpaZero'', then [[spoiler: she]] '''''definitely''''' crossed it when [[spoiler: she stabs her lover, [[BreakThemByTalking casually suggests that she may have had something to do with his mother's death]], kicks his corpse until it's completely unrecognizable, and steals his research on memory manipulation for her own use.]]

** Morrowseer crosses this in "The Dark Secret" when he [[WouldHarmaChild ousts Squid, a SeaWing dragonet, from the group]] and sends him off, supposedly to his death right after [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing every SkyWing in the outpost they visited]].

** Morrowseer crosses this in "The Dark Secret" when he [[WouldHarmaChild ousts Squid, a SeaWing dragonet, from the group]]and sends him off, supposedly to his death right after [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing every SkyWing in the outpost they visited]].

** Morrowseer crosses this in "The Dark Secret" when he [[WouldHarmaChild ousts Squid, a SeaWing dragonet, from the group and]] sends him off, supposedly to his death right after [[LeaveNoSurvivors killing every SkyWing in the outpost they visited]].

** Burn herself crosses this in the prologue of the first book (''The Dragonet Prophecy''), where she snatches the [=SkyWing=] egg that Hvitur is carrying, [[WouldHarmAChild deliberately drops the egg]] into a gorge, and then has Hvitur murdered. ** Morrowseer crosses this in "The Dark pSecret" when he ousts Squid, a SeaWing dragonet, from the group and [[WouldHarmaChild]] sends him off, supposedly to his death right after killing every SkyWing in the outpost they visited [[LeaveNoSurvivors]].

** Burn herself crosses this in the prologue of the first book (''The Dragonet Prophecy''), where she snatches the [=SkyWing=] egg that Hvitur is carrying, [[WouldHarmAChild deliberately drops the egg]] into a gorge, and then has Hvitur murdered.
** Anemone comes very close to crossing it in ''Talons Of Power'', due to being DrunkWithPower. But a battle with her brother Turtle (who's also an animus dragon like Anemone) convinces her that Darkstalker (who encouraged her to use her powers a lot) isn't as good as she thought he was.

** [[TheSociopath Sociopath]] [[Characters/ASongOfIceAndFireHouseBolton Roose Bolton]] first bent the knee to Robb Stark, then crossed the MEH when he [[spoiler: plotted with Tywin Lanister to convince Walder Frey to host the Red Wedding and served as the [[TheStarscream Starscream]] by personally murding Stark at his own wedding]].

** [[TheSociopath Sociopath]] [[Characters/ASongOfIceAndFireHouseBolton Roose Bolton]]

** [[TheSociopath Sociopath]] [[ASongOfIceAndFireHouseBolton Roose Bolton]]

** [[TheSociopath Sociopath]][[ASongOfIceAndFireHouseBolton Roose Bolton]]

** [[TheSociopath Sociopath]]

* ''Literature/ToKillAMockingBird'': Ewell either crossed it by beating and raping his own daughter and falsely accusing Tom Robinson of the crime, or by [[spoiler: trying to kill Atticus's children]].

* From Creator/PaulJennings' short-story collection ''Unreal!'', the VillainProtagonist of "The Strap-Box Flyer" is a ConMan who deliberately sells customers defective glue that stops working after four hours, by which time he has fled to the next town; he crosses this line with the drowning death of a young boy who has used the glue to mend his broken canoe.

* ''Literature/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil'' Sophie first crosses this when she murders The Beast for cutting her hair. She does it again when she breaks her promise to Agatha to arrange to kiss Tedros, in favor of wanting to stay and try to become a Princess. She crosses it a final time when she arranges for Tedros to find Agatha, whom he loves, in her arms at the Evil Ball. Of course, how much of this was of her own volition is questionable as it's implied that some, if not all of her Evil behavior may be due to the Head Master's control of The Storian.

* In ''Robots and Empire'', Kelden Amadiro and Levular Mandamus are already skirting pretty close when they [[spoiler:plot the acceleration of the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in the Earth's crust over a 150-year period]], but then, at the moment when the plot is ready to be executed, Amadiro insists on turning the [[UpTo11 dial to 12]], which would [[spoiler:kill hundreds of millions, if not billions, within 20 years.]] Mandamus is suitably horrified by Amadiro's attempt to fulfill his quest for revenge by [[spoiler:trying to commit genocide]].

* ''Literature/TheSpectrumGame'': Iago may have good intentions in the long run, but he still arguably crossed the line when he convinced Makoto (who, at the time, had nothing to do with him or Inigo) that Inigo killed his father, sending the usually peaceful boy into a revenge-obsessed InspectorJavert state that it takes him several chapters to recover from. The worst part is, Inigo actually [[PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou offers his life]] to Makoto after losing to him in a duel, meaning Iago's machinations would have led to ''his best friend's death'' had Makoto not snapped out of it.

* Napoleon of ''Literature/AnimalFarm'': his ''definitive'' crossing of the Moral Event Horizon, the moment when you ''know'' he has become no better than Farmer Jones, the animals' original oppressor, is when he [[spoiler:sells Boxer, the most hardworking and loyal of all the animals on the farm, to the knacker when he overworks himself to the point of being injured and no longer able to work]] in a cruel and heartless YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness moment -- Old Major himself back in the very first chapter called the killing of animals when they no longer served Man's purpose as being the [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters very worst of his evils]].

* Napoleon of ''Literature/AnimalFarm'': his ''definitive'' crossing of the Moral Event Horizon, the moment when you ''know'' he has become no better than Farmer Jones, the animals' original oppressor, is when he [[spoiler:sells Boxer, the most hardworking and loyal of all the animals on the farm, to the knacker because he is injured and no longer able to work]] in a cruel and heartless YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness moment.

** In ''Star Wars: Revan'', it's quickly established that the [[HumanoidAbomination Sith Emperor]] was a really bad guy and he does a ''lot'' of horrible things. But the sole defining moment? [[spoiler: He '''kills [[UndyingLoyalty T3]]-[[BadassAdorable M4]] by vaporizing him'''. He does this right in front of Revan, making Revan watch as he murders one of his closest friends out of sheer spite.]]

** Once upon a time, Walder Frey and his brood were obnoxious hillbillies that the rest of Westeros had to tolerate because they held a major crossing. Then they decided to [[spoiler:massacre Robb and Catelyn Stark and the Northern army at the Red Wedding.]] Now readers cheer when random Frey children and grandchildren end up killed and used as the filling for delicious pies. This doubles as an in-universe example - to the people of Westeros, the Freys were justified in [[spoiler: betraying the Starks and in killing them]] as the [[spoiler: Starks]] had broken a treaty with them and dishonoured their house. It was the [[spoiler: method - betraying SacredHospitality -]] by which the Freys did it that attracted such hatred.

** The villains of ''Changes'', [[spoiler:Arianna Ortega and the Red King]], cross the line soon after they are introduced. [[spoiler:Arianna kidnaps Harry's daughter Maggie (massacring her foster family in the process) to use her in a sacrificial ritual. The reason she wants to do this? Harry's grandfather killed her asshole of a husband, ''who she hated''. She just felt that Harry and Ebeneezer had insulted her. She finally crosses it for good when she not only announces that she plans to go through with murdering a child in a few minutes, but that it's essentially "just business."]] [[spoiler:Her daddy the Red King]] manages to be even more repulsive; at first he appears to just be [[spoiler:a [[TheCaligula Caligula-style]] junkie, even helping Harry out by ensuring that he can duel Arianna in a situation where he has a fighting chance. Then, he reveals that it's essentially a massive act; he can actually speak perfect English which means that his reactions to Harry's insults were all staged. He then tries to sacrifice Maggie himself just to gain the prestige Arianna would have gained. And he's the one who orchestrated the Red Court system, meaning that all of their atrocities (which include centuries, maybe even millennia) of slavery, murder, and torture of the people of South and Central America are his doing]].

** Nicodemus Archleone comes off as AffablyEvil and portrays himself a NobleDemon... :except [[spoiler: he gleefully tortured Shiro to death for the sole purpose of gaining more power.]] At this point, while he's still ''very'' affable and polite and erudite, there's no doubt that he is ''not'' sympathetic at all. A later book in the series reveals that he actually crossed the MEH ''centuries'' ago. By unleashing something terrible on the world. Even if you haven't read the books, you've probably heard of it. It's called the ''Black Plague''.