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* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Vladimir Bierko. Bierko's original plan was to assassinate the Russian president in the name of their separatist cause and attempt to blackmail President Logan into not opposing them. Once Logan didn't fulfill his end of the bargain, he switched into all out revenge on the U.S. and CTU, culminating in taking over a nuclear submarine with the purpose of destroying several cities, his original goal forgotten. The stupidest aspect of this is that his [[TheDragon subordinate]], Ivan Irwich, went through the ''exact same pattern'' earlier in the season (being focused on his goal to assassinate the Russian President, getting betrayed by the US then seeking petty revenge on the US). Then Bierko makes his on screen debut... and immediately kills Irwich for deviating from their goals, the exact same thing he would do two episodes later.
* ''Series/{{Alias}}'': Irina Derevko was an unfortunate victim of this trope. In season two, when she was [[spoiler: revealed as The Man, responsible for all the torture Sydney went through]], it was explained away as Irina playing a role for Khasinau, who thought he was the real leader. Her betrayal of Jack Bristow was also subsequently explained as her being an unwilling pawn of the KGB, forced to marry an American agent to find out about Project Christmas and then fake her own death. During Sydney's [[spoiler: missing two years]], she and Jack team up to hunt for their daughter. When it becomes known that [[spoiler: Irina has been doubled, and Jack shot the double, not the real Irina]], she becomes a valuable asset to the CIA, and rather than let them take her back into custody, Jack lets her go. She repays him by helping deliver Sydney's daughter, even though she really has been trying to kill them both as part of her "plan". After ''all'' these shades of gray, she's revealed in the series finale as your stereotypical CardCarryingVillain, [[spoiler: wanting to kill Sydney and everyone else in existence in order to bring about Rambaldi's "endgame". She is given a KarmicDeath, killed by Sydney as she tries to make her Great Escape before TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.]]

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* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Vladimir Bierko. Bierko's original plan was to assassinate the Russian president in the name of their separatist cause and attempt to blackmail President Logan into not opposing them. Once Logan didn't fulfill his end of the bargain, he switched into all out revenge on the U.S. and CTU, culminating in taking over a nuclear submarine with the purpose of destroying several cities, his original goal forgotten. The stupidest aspect of this is that his [[TheDragon subordinate]], Ivan Irwich, went through the ''exact same pattern'' earlier in the season (being focused on his goal to assassinate the Russian President, getting betrayed by the US then seeking petty revenge on the US). Then Bierko makes his on screen debut... and immediately kills Irwich for deviating from their goals, the exact same thing he would do two episodes later.
* ''Series/{{Alias}}'': Irina Derevko was is an unfortunate victim of this trope. In season two, when she was [[spoiler: revealed she's [[spoiler:revealed as The Man, responsible for all the torture Sydney went through]], it was it's explained away as Irina playing a role for Khasinau, who thought he was thinks he's the real leader. Her betrayal of Jack Bristow was is also subsequently explained as her being an unwilling pawn of the KGB, forced to marry an American agent to find out about Project Christmas and then fake her own death. During Sydney's [[spoiler: missing [[spoiler:missing two years]], she and Jack team up to hunt for their daughter. When it becomes known that [[spoiler: Irina [[spoiler:Irina has been doubled, and Jack shot the double, not the real Irina]], she becomes a valuable asset to the CIA, and rather than let them take her back into custody, Jack lets her go. She repays him by helping deliver Sydney's daughter, even though she really has been trying to kill them both as part of her "plan". After ''all'' these shades of gray, she's revealed in the series finale as your stereotypical CardCarryingVillain, [[spoiler: wanting [[spoiler:wanting to kill Sydney and everyone else in existence in order to bring about Rambaldi's "endgame". She is given a KarmicDeath, killed by Sydney as she tries to make her Great Escape before TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.]]TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]].



* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'': The episode ''Space Croppers'' begins with the Galactica's fleet being attacked by the Cylons. The Cylons destroy the fleet's food supplies. Boy genius Dr. Zee comes up with a plan to send Troy and Dillon down to Earth to get some supplies. Troy and Dillon pick a farm at random and soon find out that the farmer is having problems with the local growers' association. Instead of picking another farmer to get supplies from, the motive decays into helping this farmer out with his problems and the rest of the episode revolves more around helping a farmer than it does about getting food for ''Galactica''.
* ''Series/{{Bones}}''; recurring villain Christopher Pelant started out as a self-proclaimed "Hacktivist" whose grisly string of murders were supposed to have a political message. His most recent episodes have him concentrating on Booth and the Jeffersonian team (seeking revenge against Booth in particular, for severely scarring his face with a gunshot).
** In Pelant's most recent [[spoiler: and final]] appearance, Sweets determines that Pelant's ultimate end-game was nothing more than to seduce Brennan and drive her and Booth apart(explaining why Pelant forced Booth to break off their engagement in the Season 8 cliffhanger).
* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot of Walt's character arc. By season three Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is of no use to them, and he has no interest in spending it. Yet he continues to cook, and to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, yet he still wants to continue. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he enjoyed it and [[BecauseImGoodAtIt it felt really good to be the best at something]].]]

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* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'': The episode ''Space Croppers'' "Space Croppers" begins with the Galactica's fleet being attacked by the Cylons. The Cylons destroy the fleet's food supplies. Boy genius Dr. Zee comes up with a plan to send Troy and Dillon down to Earth to get some supplies. Troy and Dillon pick a farm at random and soon find out that the farmer is having problems with the local growers' association. Instead of picking another farmer to get supplies from, the motive decays into helping this farmer out with his problems and the rest of the episode revolves more around helping a farmer than it does about getting food for ''Galactica''.
* ''Series/{{Bones}}''; recurring ''Series/{{Bones}}'': Recurring villain Christopher Pelant started starts out as a self-proclaimed "Hacktivist" "hacktivist" whose grisly string of murders were is supposed to have a political message. His most recent Later episodes have him concentrating on Booth and the Jeffersonian team (seeking revenge against Booth in particular, for severely scarring his face with a gunshot).
**
gunshot). In Pelant's most recent [[spoiler: and final]] final appearance, Sweets determines that Pelant's ultimate end-game was endgame is nothing more than to seduce Brennan and drive her and Booth apart(explaining apart (explaining why Pelant forced forces Booth to break off their engagement in the Season 8 cliffhanger).
{{cliffhanger}}).
* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot of Walt's character arc. By season three three, Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is of no use to them, and he has no interest in spending it. Yet it, yet he continues to cook, and to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt five, [[spoiler:Walt has killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, yet he still wants to continue. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he enjoyed it and [[BecauseImGoodAtIt it felt really good to be the best at something]].]]something]]]].



** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & co, so they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to his NumberTwo is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.
*** Faith's slide from the heroes who excluded and distrusted her to the villains who appreciated her was clearly marked and a matter of CharacterDevelopment. But after being very clearly conflicted, she switches to acting like she was completely evil all along, and the 'good guys' treat her as if that were true.

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** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, vampire and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & and co, so they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to his NumberTwo is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.
***
Faith's slide from the heroes who excluded and distrusted her to the villains who appreciated her was is clearly marked and a matter of CharacterDevelopment. But CharacterDevelopment, but after being very clearly conflicted, she switches to acting like she was completely evil all along, and the 'good guys' treat her as if that were true.



* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': It's not so much that his motive got decayed, more like retconned, but the SerialKiller known as the Fox had something like this happen to him when he was brought back in the season five episode "Outfoxed". His crimes as revealed in his original appearance were breaking into the houses of families, then taking them all hostage and forcing them to treat him as the head of the household before eventually leading them down to the basement and killing them all, saving the father for last. In "Outfoxed" it was implied that he sexually abused the children he took hostage, and it was suggested that his crimes were essentially him lashing out at his abusive father and also at himself. In his first appearance, there had been no hint of a sexual component to his crimes and the reason given for his behaviour was that his wife and kids had left him and he was trying to recapture what it was like to have them, with him killing the families at the end because he knew the fantasy couldn't last.

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* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': It's not so much that his motive got decayed, more like retconned, {{retcon}}ned, but the SerialKiller known as the Fox had has something like this happen to him when he was he's brought back in the season five episode "Outfoxed". His crimes as revealed in his original appearance were "[[Recap/CriminalMindsS1E7TheFox The Fox]]" are breaking into the houses of families, then taking them all hostage and forcing them to treat him as the head of the household before eventually leading them down to the basement and killing them all, saving the father for last. In "Outfoxed" it was "[[Recap/CriminalMindsS5E8Outfoxed Outfoxed]]", it's implied that he sexually abused abuses the children he took takes hostage, and it was it's suggested that his crimes were are essentially him lashing out at his abusive father and also at himself. In his first appearance, there had been there's no hint of a sexual component to his crimes crimes, and the reason given for his behaviour was is that his wife and kids had have left him and he was he's trying to recapture what it was like to have them, with him killing the families at the end because he knew knows the fantasy couldn't can't last.



** Mandatory example: When they first appeared, the Cybermen, who at the time appeared roughly half-human, not mostly machine, had a plausible motive for their villainy: they had become fixated with survival at all costs. By their fourth appearance the rails had begun to come off this idea and from then on, [[DependingOnTheWriter they've have various different motivations ascribed to them]].
** However this could be a JustifiedTrope as after the destruction of their planet and Cyber-Wars they needed more conversions.

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** Mandatory example: When they first appeared, the Cybermen, who at the time appeared roughly half-human, not mostly machine, had a plausible motive for their villainy: they had become fixated with survival at all costs. By their fourth appearance the rails had begun to come off this idea and from then on, [[DependingOnTheWriter they've have had various different motivations ascribed to them]].
** However
them]]. However, this could can be a JustifiedTrope as {{justified|Trope}} by them needing more conversions after the destruction of their planet and Cyber-Wars they needed more conversions.Cyber-Wars.



** Has a positive example. Captain Crais's original motive for hunting down Crichton was to avenge the accidental death of his brother. This was something a simple discussion with Crichton could have cleared up, so the writers let them ''have'' that conversation, but in the context of a duel to the death that left Crais angry for a better reason: John won the fight and nearly killed him. Later, when Crais had more or less {{Heel Face Turn}}ed, he had ''another'' new motive for getting rid of Crichton: they were both in love with Aeryn.

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** Has a A positive example. example: Captain Crais's original motive for hunting down Crichton was to avenge the accidental death of his brother. This was something a simple discussion with Crichton could have cleared up, so the writers let them ''have'' that conversation, but in the context of a duel to the death that left Crais angry for a better reason: John won the fight and nearly killed him. Later, when Crais had more or less {{Heel Face Turn}}ed, he had ''another'' new motive for getting rid of Crichton: they were both in love with Aeryn.



* ''Series/{{Glee}}'':
** Sue Sylvester initially hated the Glee club because it was taking funding away her cheerleading team, the Cheerios. It later becomes clear that the Cheerios have boosters who "write fat checks" which take care of most of their expenses, and it seems Sue's machinations to take down the Glee club come from either a personal vendetta against Will Schuester [[ForTheEvulz or just a perverse love for stirring up conflict.]]
** It was always more of "principle of the matter" kind of thing. Before the Glee club, the Cheerios were the only shining light in a highschool of mediocrity; the football team hasn't won a game in years, most everyone grows to get a job and live in the same town, and by being the best of the worst, the cheerleading squad dominated. And Sue liked being on top, with all the control. Even in the first episode, Sue could see that the Glee club had potential, potential that would take the light away from her team (and her), so she did all she could to make it not happen.

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* ''Series/{{Glee}}'':
**
''Series/{{Glee}}'': Sue Sylvester initially hated the Glee club because it was taking funding away her cheerleading team, the Cheerios. It later becomes clear that the Cheerios have boosters who "write fat checks" which take care of most of their expenses, and it seems Sue's machinations to take down the Glee club come from either a personal vendetta against Will Schuester [[ForTheEvulz or just a perverse love for stirring up conflict.]]
** It
was always more of "principle of the matter" kind of thing. Before thing; before the Glee club, the Cheerios were the only shining light in a highschool of mediocrity; the mediocrity. The football team hasn't won a game in years, most everyone grows to get a job and live in the same town, and by being the best of the worst, the cheerleading squad dominated. And dominated -- and Sue liked being on top, with all the control. Even in the first episode, Sue could can see that the Glee club had has potential, potential that would take the light away from her team (and her), so she did does all she could to make it not happen.happen. Afterwards, Sue's machinations to take down the Glee club come from either a personal vendetta against Will Schuester [[ForTheEvulz or just a perverse love for stirring up conflict]].



* ''Series/KnightRider'':
** KARR. In "Trust Doesn't Rust", KARR's villainous acts are clearly the result of his childlike understanding of the world being misled by two petty thieves, combined with the LiteralGenie aspect of his prime directive of self-preservation. When he reappears in "KITT vs KARR", he is simply evil, lusts for revenge against KITT, and seems unconcerned about his own survival. Neither Michael nor KITT find this odd, and the characters even know ahead of time that KARR is insane and out for revenge.

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* ''Series/KnightRider'':
** KARR.
''Series/KnightRider'': In "Trust Doesn't Rust", KARR's villainous acts are clearly the result of his childlike understanding of the world being misled by two petty thieves, combined with the LiteralGenie aspect of his prime directive of self-preservation. When he reappears in "KITT vs KARR", he is simply evil, lusts for revenge against KITT, and seems unconcerned about his own survival. Neither Michael nor KITT find this odd, and the characters even know ahead of time that KARR is insane and out for revenge. Some potential explanations:



** Could have been a result of damage done to KARR's circuitry either by the fall, by the ocean, or by "the mysterious benefactor who rebuilt him". It was shown a few times in the show that KITT was capable of being reprogrammed by turning a dial and messing around with the circuitry under his dashboard. KARR probably also suffered from this design flaw, but would kill anyone who tried to do so. It was mentioned that at least one person had died because of KARR, and that could well be the reason they died: they were trying to reprogram him. It was also shown that water in the various systems could disable them, and salt water is even less friendly to electronics.

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** Could have been a result of damage done to KARR's circuitry either by the fall, by the ocean, or by "the mysterious benefactor who rebuilt him". It was It's shown a few times in the show that KITT was is capable of being reprogrammed by turning a dial and messing around with the circuitry under his dashboard. KARR probably also suffered suffers from this design flaw, but would will kill anyone who tried tries to do so. It was It's mentioned that at least one person had has died because of KARR, and that could well be the reason why they died: they were trying to reprogram him. It was It's also shown that water in the various systems could can disable them, and salt water is even less friendly to electronics.



** In the episode, "Family Quarrel", Nels and Harriette Oleson have separated and Nels is living in the hotel. Doc Baker and Mr. Hanson get the idea that Mr. Hanson should go ask Harriette out on a date. The reasoning is that Nels will get jealous and will want Harriette back. In the next scene, Hanson is wearing a suit and carrying some flowers as he and Doc Baker walk toward the mercantile store. Doc Baker tells Hanson that now is a good time because Nels is out of town and won't find out. This subverts the original purpose, which was to make Nels jealous.
** In the episode "Haunted House", Nellie and Willy dare Laura to go up to a haunted house. She runs away scared. Later, to redeem herself, she approaches the house again, but is discovered by the owner of the home. She ends up forming a friendship with the owner and never tries to prove her bravery again, even though it was an important plot point and her motivation for approaching the house in the first place.

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** In the episode, "Family Quarrel", "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS1E15FamilyQuarrel Family Quarrel]]", Nels and Harriette Oleson have separated and Nels is living in the hotel. Doc Baker and Mr. Hanson get the idea that Mr. Hanson should go ask Harriette out on a date. The reasoning is that Nels will get jealous and will want Harriette back. In the next scene, Hanson is wearing a suit and carrying some flowers as he and Doc Baker walk toward the mercantile store. Doc Baker tells Hanson that now is a good time because Nels is out of town and won't find out. This subverts the original purpose, which was to make Nels jealous.
** In the episode "Haunted House", "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS2E5HauntedHouse Haunted House]]", Nellie and Willy dare Laura to go up to a haunted house. She runs away scared. Later, to redeem herself, she approaches the house again, but is discovered by the owner of the home. She ends up forming a friendship with the owner and never tries to prove her bravery again, even though it was an important plot point and her motivation for approaching the house in the first place.



** Logan and Jessica in the TV series start out on a trip to find sanctuary. They say they're looking for it so they can go back and tell other people about it so they don't have to die on Last Day at Carousel. However, as soon as they're outside the city, they go on all kinds of adventures, sometimes abandoning common sense to allow these adventures to happen, like in one episode, they meet a man who says he'll take them to his city, but they have to abandon their vehicle and weapons. They gladly agree and trouble follows. The whole time they're looking for sanctuary, they could just go back and tell the people in the domed city that there's life outside and that it will be rough, but it beats dying at 30. Instead, they keep looking for sanctuary.

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** Logan and Jessica in the TV series start out on a trip to find sanctuary. They say they're looking for it so they can go back and tell other people about it so they don't have to die on Last Day at Carousel. However, as soon as they're outside the city, they go on all kinds of adventures, sometimes abandoning common sense to allow these adventures to happen, like in one episode, they meet a man who says he'll take them to his city, but they have to abandon their vehicle and weapons. They gladly agree and trouble follows. The whole time they're looking for sanctuary, they could just go back and tell the people in the domed city that there's life outside and that it will be rough, but it beats dying at 30. Instead, they keep looking for sanctuary.



* ''Series/{{Loki 2021}}'': Loki's actions in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' get commented on. He went from the proud God of Mischief trying to prove himself to his father to a GenericDoomsdayVillain acting as TheDragon for the GreaterScopeVillain. WordOfGod had previously blamed mind control, but here they delve into it more. In short, Loki was trying to feel in control by bullying and tormenting an entire planet. It, obviously, didn't go well, but it takes a lot for him to admit it was a bad idea. His TheEvilsOfFreeWill speech also becomes a clear case of PsychologicalProjection; ''he'' keeps making bad choices that make his own life worse, so he insists that ''no one else'' actually enjoys free will and would be better off with him dictating everything for them.

to:

* ''Series/{{Loki 2021}}'': ''Series/Loki2021'': Loki's actions in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' get commented on. He went from the proud God of Mischief trying to prove himself to his father to a GenericDoomsdayVillain acting as TheDragon for the GreaterScopeVillain. WordOfGod had previously blamed mind control, but here they delve into it more. In short, Loki was trying to feel in control by bullying and tormenting an entire planet. It, obviously, didn't go well, but it takes a lot for him to admit it was a bad idea. His TheEvilsOfFreeWill speech also becomes a clear case of PsychologicalProjection; ''he'' keeps making bad choices that make his own life worse, so he insists that ''no one else'' actually enjoys free will and would be better off with him dictating everything for them.



* ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'': Morgana started season three as a vengeful young woman who was out to avenge her own people against the genocide King Uther had committed against those who used magic. Since finding out that [[spoiler: Uther is her biological father]] she's moved from WellIntentionedExtremist territory into flat-out evil, most recently manipulating her best friend's feelings for Prince Arthur (her own [[spoiler: half brother]] who has never done anything to her) in order to try and assassinate her way to the throne of Camelot.

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* ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'': ''Series/Merlin2008'': Morgana started season three as a vengeful young woman who was out to avenge her own people against the genocide King Uther had committed against those who used magic. Since finding out that [[spoiler: Uther is her biological father]] she's moved from WellIntentionedExtremist territory into flat-out evil, most recently manipulating her best friend's feelings for Prince Arthur (her own [[spoiler: half brother]] who has never done anything to her) in order to try and assassinate her way to the throne of Camelot.



* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': Charlie's search for Danny. She says she needs to get to him as soon as possible so as to avoid him being in danger too long, but sees it necessary to [[ChronicHeroSyndrome save literally every person]] they come across along the way who isn't with the militia, putting herself and her group in danger every time for people who they'll most likely never see again. This would be an InUniverse trope, but, over time, the rest of the cast doesn't even call her out on it. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E2ChainedHeat Episode 2]] had Charlie saving people's lives. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E3NoQuarter Episode 3]] had Charlie help out a group of rebels. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E7TheChildrensCrusade Episode 7]] had Charlie save a group of kids, and the funny thing was that Miles wanted to get involved in that one. [[spoiler: Rendered moot as of [[Recap/RevolutionS1E10NobodysFaultButMine episode 10]], due to Team Matheson rescuing Danny. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E11TheStand Episode 11]] ends with Danny getting killed off, meaning that there's no more motive to decay at that point]].
** The entire main cast suffers from this in Season 2. In Season 1, the main characters seemed to at least have a vague goal of helping the Rebellion, but as of Season 2 their only goal is to stop President Davis (before President Davis is even shown to do anything evil, all the characters already hated his faction)...but don't seem to have any identifiable goals beyond that. Are they still trying to restore the United States, just not with Davis in charge? Are they content to let the country collapse back into anarchy and feudalism after Davis is stopped? Something else entirely? Or is there no game plan at all?

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* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': ''Series/{{Revolution}}'':
**
Charlie's search for Danny. She says she needs to get to him as soon as possible so as to avoid him being in danger too long, but sees it necessary to [[ChronicHeroSyndrome save literally every person]] they come across along the way who isn't with the militia, putting herself and her group in danger every time for people who they'll most likely never see again. This would be an InUniverse trope, but, but over time, the rest of the cast doesn't even call her out on it. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E2ChainedHeat Episode 2]] had has Charlie saving people's lives. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E3NoQuarter Episode 3]] had has Charlie help out a group of rebels. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E7TheChildrensCrusade Episode 7]] had has Charlie save a group of kids, and the funny thing was is that Miles wanted wants to get involved in that one. [[spoiler: Rendered [[spoiler:Rendered moot as of [[Recap/RevolutionS1E10NobodysFaultButMine episode 10]], due to Team Matheson rescuing Danny. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E11TheStand Episode 11]] ends with Danny getting killed off, meaning that there's no more motive to decay at that point]].
point.]]
** The entire main cast suffers from this in Season 2. In Season 1, the main characters seemed seem to at least have a vague goal of helping the Rebellion, but as of Season 2 2, their only goal is to stop President Davis (before President Davis is even shown to do anything evil, all the characters already hated hate his faction)...faction)... but don't seem to have any identifiable goals beyond that. Are they still trying to restore the United States, just not with Davis in charge? Are they content to let the country collapse back into anarchy and feudalism after Davis is stopped? Something else entirely? Or is there no game plan at all?



* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** The Borg had a small dose of this. Their goal started off as conquering and gaining knowledge. If possible, they would steal technology (most weapons don't work on them or they adapt) and just leave after maybe screwing the other side over a little bit more. Many times they would just destroy enemy ships. They would absorb a being of another species only when they needed information that you couldn't get from a computer (or they needed an ambassador). Come Voyager and the Borg seemed to have "adapted" and are now simply trying to absorb every species, conquering the universe, and stealing technology with absorbing species as the priority instead of as an afterthought.
** Although their methods have changed their motivations are actually expanded upon starting in First Contact (and even sort of mentioned in The Best of Both Worlds) - they are pursuing perfection and harmony, to the logical extreme of their view.
* ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'': When Reign is introduced in Season 3, she's presented as a KnightTemplar out to purge the world of sin by killing all criminals. By the end of the season, she's a GenericDoomsdayVillain being used by the Dark Kryptonians as a tool to [[HostileTerraforming forcibly change Earth]] to make it habitable for them. [[TheManBehindTheMan Selena]] even states that the "justice" Reign is bringing is just for their kind, not humans (which begs the question of why she bothered targeting individual human criminals in the first place).

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* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
**
''Franchise/StarTrek'': The Borg had have a small dose of this. Their goal started starts off in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as conquering and gaining knowledge. If possible, they would steal technology (most weapons don't work on them them, or they adapt) and just leave after maybe screwing the other side over a little bit more. Many times times, they would just destroy enemy ships. They would absorb a being of another species only when they needed need information that you couldn't get can't be gotten from a computer (or they needed need an ambassador). Starting in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' (and even sort of mentioned in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E26S4E1TheBestOfBothWorlds The Best of Both Worlds]]"), their motivations are actually expanded upon -- they are pursuing perfection and harmony, to the logical extreme of their view. Come Voyager and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', the Borg seemed seem to have "adapted" and are now simply trying to absorb every species, conquering conquer the universe, and stealing technology steal technology, with absorbing species as the priority instead of as an afterthought.
** Although their methods have changed their motivations are actually expanded upon starting in First Contact (and even sort of mentioned in The Best of Both Worlds) - they are pursuing perfection and harmony, to the logical extreme of their view.
* ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'': ''Series/Supergirl2015'': When Reign is introduced in Season 3, she's presented as a KnightTemplar out to purge the world of sin by killing all criminals. By the end of the season, she's a GenericDoomsdayVillain being used by the Dark Kryptonians as a tool to [[HostileTerraforming forcibly change Earth]] to make it habitable for them. [[TheManBehindTheMan Selena]] even states that the "justice" Reign is bringing is just for their kind, not humans (which begs the question of why she bothered targeting individual human criminals in the first place).
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** Scorpius suffered from this during ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy''. He gave up early on trying to get his tentacles on the Quasar Sabers (a cut scene explained the Sabers attacked Scorpius when he attempted to use them), the Lights of Orion were also lost to the Rangers...and he kept targeting Terra Venture for often-flimsy reasons. Then, thanks to [[MagnificentBastard Deviot]]'s machinations, the Rangers destroy Scorpius and his daughter Trakeena proceeds to avenge her father's death, giving her a motive.

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** Scorpius suffered from this during ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy''. He gave up early on trying to get his tentacles on the Quasar Sabers (a cut scene explained the Sabers attacked Scorpius when he attempted to use them), the Lights of Orion were also lost to the Rangers...and he still kept targeting Terra Venture Venture, for often-flimsy often flimsy reasons. Then, thanks to [[MagnificentBastard Deviot]]'s machinations, the Rangers destroy Scorpius and his daughter Trakeena proceeds to avenge her father's death, giving her a motive.
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* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': In Season 3, Zelena's plan is rewritting past so her mother Cora would keep her. In Season 4, she just wants to piss off Regina by stealing Robin Hood and shrug her happiness to her face. Come Season 5, she just wants to escape back to Oz and raise her child by herself so she'll have someone to love her.

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* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': In Season 3, Zelena's plan is rewritting rewriting the past so her mother Cora would keep her. In Season 4, she just wants to piss off Regina by stealing Robin Hood and shrug her happiness to her face. Come Season 5, she just wants to escape back to Oz and raise her child by herself so she'll have someone to love her.

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** Warren Mears was subjected to this in between seasons five and six. He built a subservient robot girlfriend because he was lonely, but found that he actually preferred a real-life girl who was his intellectual equal and "[[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou gave him a hard time]]". Xander even expressed sympathy for him (although he was undeniably a pervert). Yet by season six he's a full-out misogynist who Xander "could see as a SuperVillain type."
** The writers had originally planned to bring back Tucker Wells as the leader of the Trio. Notably, his troublemaking episode ("The Prom") was distinct from Warren and Jonathan's ("I Was Made to Love You" and "Superstar," respectively) in that it was ''intentionally'' malevolent as opposed to merely irresponsible. However, they couldn't get the actor. Ergo, Warren's "promotion" -- and part of the story behind the gag of Andrew only being known as "Tucker's brother".
** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & co, because they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to his NumberTwo is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.

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** Warren Mears was subjected to this in between seasons five and six. He built a subservient robot girlfriend because he was lonely, but found that he actually preferred a real-life girl who was his intellectual equal and "[[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou gave him a hard time]]". Xander even expressed sympathy for him (although he was undeniably a pervert). Yet by season six he's a full-out misogynist who whom Xander "could see as a SuperVillain type."
** The writers had originally planned to bring back Tucker Wells as the leader of the Trio. Notably, his troublemaking episode ("The Prom") ([[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E20TheProm "The Prom"]]) was distinct from Warren and Jonathan's ("I ([[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E15IWasMadeToLoveYou "I Was Made to Love You" You"]] and "Superstar," [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS4E17Superstar "Superstar"]], respectively) in that it was ''intentionally'' malevolent as opposed to merely irresponsible. However, they couldn't get the actor. Ergo, Warren's "promotion" -- and part of the story behind the gag of Andrew only being known as "Tucker's brother".
** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & co, because so they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to his NumberTwo is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.



** Willow gets this after Tara's death. Killing Warren was bad enough, given ThouShaltNotKillMuggles. But she escalates into a RoaringRampageOfRevenge by going after [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Johnathan and Andrew]] which causes Buffy to try and stop her. When Giles intervenes, using powerful magic to try and force her to experience some empathy again, it kind of backfires and she changes motives to [[MercyKill destroy the world.]]

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** Willow gets this after Tara's death. Killing Warren in revenge was bad enough, given ThouShaltNotKillMuggles. But she escalates into a RoaringRampageOfRevenge by going after his underlings [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Johnathan Jonathan and Andrew]] Andrew]], who weren't involved in killing Tara, which causes Buffy to try and stop her. When Giles intervenes, using powerful magic to try and force her to experience some empathy again, it kind of backfires and she changes motives to [[MercyKill destroy destroying the world.]]world as a MercyKill.



** Mandatory example: When they first appeared, the Cybermen, who at the time appeared roughly half-human, not mostly machine, had plausible motive for their villainy: they had become fixated with survival at all costs. By their fourth appearance the rails had begun to come off this idea and from then on, [[DependingOnTheWriter they've have various different motivations ascribed to them]].

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** Mandatory example: When they first appeared, the Cybermen, who at the time appeared roughly half-human, not mostly machine, had a plausible motive for their villainy: they had become fixated with survival at all costs. By their fourth appearance the rails had begun to come off this idea and from then on, [[DependingOnTheWriter they've have various different motivations ascribed to them]].
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** Madame Kovarian starts out at least theoretically trying to kill [[TheNthDoctor the Eleventh Doctor]] so that he can't [[SealedEvilInACan unseal the can the Time War is being kept in]] on Trenzalore, which would be a noble goal if her methods weren't needlessly petty and cruel. By the Big Finish audio dramas, she's trying to take out the ''Fifth'' Doctor, whose permadeath would prevent the Time War from being sealed into the can in the first place and likely lead to the universe being destroyed.

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* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'':
** Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa suffer from this. They go from wanting to conquer the Earth to wanting to destroy the Power Rangers, or even simply just ruining their day. Sure, if they get rid of the Rangers, they'll be free to rule the planet, but their plans noticeably go from "This plan will provide us with an unending power source or ultimate weapon that will allow us to take over the Earth" to "[[EvilIsPetty This plan will ruin Kimberly's chance at joining the Pan Global Games]]."
** When Rita escaped her jar the second time, after being imprisoned in there due to Zedd taking over her [[SpaceBase Moon Base]], she went from getting revenge on Zedd for imprisoning her via an overly complicated scheme involving marrying him to...just...sort of nagging him constantly due to his inability to kill the Power Rangers while she's just as unsuccessful at it herself. Accidentally falling in love with each other for real (and a string of EnemyMine scenarios) pretty much put an end to any serious conflict between them.


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* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa suffer from this during ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. They go from wanting to conquer the Earth to wanting to destroy the Power Rangers, or even simply just ruining their day. Sure, if they get rid of the Rangers, they'll be free to rule the planet, but their plans noticeably go from "This plan will provide us with an unending power source or ultimate weapon that will allow us to take over the Earth" to "[[EvilIsPetty This plan will ruin Kimberly's chance at joining the Pan Global Games]]."
** When Rita escaped her jar the second time, after being imprisoned in there due to Zedd taking over her [[SpaceBase Moon Base]], she went from getting revenge on Zedd for imprisoning her via an overly complicated scheme involving marrying him to...just...sort of nagging him constantly due to his inability to kill the Power Rangers while she's just as unsuccessful at it herself. Accidentally falling in love with each other for real (and a string of EnemyMine scenarios) pretty much put an end to any serious conflict between them.
** Scorpius suffered from this during ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy''. He gave up early on trying to get his tentacles on the Quasar Sabers (a cut scene explained the Sabers attacked Scorpius when he attempted to use them), the Lights of Orion were also lost to the Rangers...and he kept targeting Terra Venture for often-flimsy reasons. Then, thanks to [[MagnificentBastard Deviot]]'s machinations, the Rangers destroy Scorpius and his daughter Trakeena proceeds to avenge her father's death, giving her a motive.
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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': The heroes defeat [[spoiler:the Vorlons and the Shadows]] by forcing them to acknowledge their Motive Decay. The most damning thing that ultimately convinces them to leave the galaxy is that they don't have [[spoiler:answers to their own Armor Piercing Questions anymore. The Vorlons no longer know who they are, and the Shadows don't know what they want.]]

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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': The ''Series/BabylonFive'': In "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS04E06IntoTheFire Into the Fire]]", the heroes defeat [[spoiler:the Vorlons and the Shadows]] by [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath forcing them to acknowledge their Motive Decay. Decay]]. The most damning thing that ultimately convinces them to leave the galaxy is that they don't have [[spoiler:answers to their own Armor {{Armor Piercing Questions Question}}s anymore. The Vorlons no longer know who they are, and the Shadows don't know what they want.]]want]].
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* ''Series/TheShield'': Vic Mackey starts off as a WellIntentionedExtremist who, while very much motivated by lining his own pockets, genuinely wanted to protect innocent people. Over the course of the series, he increasingly prioritizes covering up his own laundry list of crimes before finally JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope.
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* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': In Season 3, Zelena's plan is rewritting past so her mother Cora would keep her. In Season 4, she just wants to piss off Regina by stealing Robin Hood and shrug her happiness to her face. Come Season 5, she just wants to escape back to Oz and raise her child by herself so she'll have someone to love her.
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* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'': The episode ''Space Croppers'' begins with the Galactica's fleet being attacked by the Cylons. The Cylons destroy the fleet's food supplies. Boy genius Dr. Zee comes up with a plan to send Troy and Dillon down to Earth to get some supplies. Troy and Dillon pick a farm at random and soon find out that the farmer is having problems with the local growers' association. Instead of picking another farmer to get supplies from, the motive decays into helping this farmer out with his problems and the rest of the episode revolves more around helping a farmer than it does about getting food for Galactica.

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* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'': The episode ''Space Croppers'' begins with the Galactica's fleet being attacked by the Cylons. The Cylons destroy the fleet's food supplies. Boy genius Dr. Zee comes up with a plan to send Troy and Dillon down to Earth to get some supplies. Troy and Dillon pick a farm at random and soon find out that the farmer is having problems with the local growers' association. Instead of picking another farmer to get supplies from, the motive decays into helping this farmer out with his problems and the rest of the episode revolves more around helping a farmer than it does about getting food for Galactica.''Galactica''.

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** ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' is a rare heroic example: he starts his journey with the intention of traveling to the nine worlds of the previous nine Heisei-era Riders to save them. After that, however, his journey doesn't end and he keeps traveling to various other Rider-inspired worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.

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** ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' is a rare heroic example: he starts his journey with the intention of traveling to the nine worlds of the previous nine Heisei-era Riders to save them. After that, however, his journey doesn't end and he keeps traveling to various other Rider-inspired worlds. worlds for reasons that are increasingly unclear and ultimately never explained. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.was.
** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'' has this trope as one of the potential side effects of using Gaia Memories, the monster-making PsychoSerum of the year. The Triceratops Dopant in particular goes from seeking revenge against two specific people to more generalized misanthropy after just a few days of using the Triceratops Memory.



** ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'' initially looks as though it's set up the three Megid generals as having undergone this, having once been noble heroes who sought out the Omniscient Tome to help the world before being corrupted by its power. It's eventually revealed that two of them were puppets of the third, the real BigBad, who had actually read the Tome and discovered to his horror that a book containing all knowledge means there's no such thing as free will or creativity.

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** ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' is a rare heroic example: he starts his journey with the intention of traveling to the nine worlds of the previous nine Heisei-era Riders to save them. After that, however, his journey doesn't end and he keeps traveling to various other Rider-inspired worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.



** ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'' centers around a supercomputer that was taught in its learning phase that HumansAreBastards, and thus set out to destroy them so that robots could inherit the Earth. After a decade spent buried underwater, it no longer cares about any of its original motives upon its return, driven instead by pure hatred to the point where it ultimately decides that the robots deserve to be destroyed too.
** Heroic example in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'': Originally, the reason why Decade was traveling the worlds was to save them. That was when he was expecting to travel to nine worlds, and then he has to travel to other worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.

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** ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'' plays this deliberately with its main villain: it centers around a supercomputer that was taught in its learning phase that HumansAreBastards, and thus set out to destroy them so that robots could inherit the Earth. After a decade spent Earth. Its initial attempt was immediately foiled and left it buried underwater, underwater for over a decade, with its remaining followers plotting to resurrect it. When they do, they find that the computer's long solitary confinement has caused it no longer cares to stop caring about any of its original motives upon its return, motives, driven instead by pure hatred to the point where it ultimately decides that the robots deserve to be destroyed too.
** Heroic example in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'': Originally, ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'' initially looks as though it's set up the reason why Decade was traveling three Megid generals as having undergone this, having once been noble heroes who sought out the worlds was Omniscient Tome to save them. That was when he was expecting to travel to nine worlds, help the world before being corrupted by its power. It's eventually revealed that two of them were puppets of the third, the real BigBad, who had actually read the Tome and then he has discovered to travel to other worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it his horror that a book containing all was.knowledge means there's no such thing as free will or creativity.
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** Could have been a result of damage done to KARR's circuitry either by the fall, by the ocean, or by [[BellisariosMaxim "the mysterious benefactor who rebuilt him"]]. It was shown a few times in the show that KITT was capable of being reprogrammed by turning a dial and messing around with the circuitry under his dashboard. KARR probably also suffered from this design flaw, but would kill anyone who tried to do so. It was mentioned that at least one person had died because of KARR, and that could well be the reason they died: they were trying to reprogram him. It was also shown that water in the various systems could disable them, and salt water is even less friendly to electronics.

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** Could have been a result of damage done to KARR's circuitry either by the fall, by the ocean, or by [[BellisariosMaxim "the mysterious benefactor who rebuilt him"]].him". It was shown a few times in the show that KITT was capable of being reprogrammed by turning a dial and messing around with the circuitry under his dashboard. KARR probably also suffered from this design flaw, but would kill anyone who tried to do so. It was mentioned that at least one person had died because of KARR, and that could well be the reason they died: they were trying to reprogram him. It was also shown that water in the various systems could disable them, and salt water is even less friendly to electronics.



* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Discussed. The Stargate Program was created primarily to seek out new technology to fight back against the Goa’uld. By the end of season eight, the SGC has taken significant strides to close the gap and the Goa’uld are no longer the major threat they used to be. This leads the government to ponder whether the Stargate Program has served its purpose and its funding would be better spent on building more battle cruisers. However, the Ori then show up as the new BigBad, effectively renewing the SGC’s reason for existing.

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* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Discussed. The Stargate Program was created primarily to seek out new technology to fight back against the Goa’uld. Goa'uld. By the end of season eight, the SGC has taken significant strides to close the gap and the Goa’uld Goa'uld are no longer the major threat they used to be. This leads the government to ponder whether the Stargate Program has served its purpose and its funding would be better spent on building more battle cruisers. However, the Ori then show up as the new BigBad, effectively renewing the SGC’s SGC's reason for existing.
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* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot point. By season three Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is no use for them, let alone for him to spend, but he ''likes it'' and is trying to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, the only thing putting everyone in danger is Walt not quitting while he's ahead. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he liked it and [[BecauseImGoodAtIt because he's good at it]].]]

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* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot point.of Walt's character arc. By season three Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is of no use for to them, let alone for him to spend, but he ''likes it'' and is trying he has no interest in spending it. Yet he continues to cook, and to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, the only thing putting everyone in danger is Walt not quitting while he's ahead. yet he still wants to continue. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he liked enjoyed it and [[BecauseImGoodAtIt because he's it felt really good to be the best at it]].something]].]]
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* ''Series/{{Loki 2021}}'': Loki's actions in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' get commented on. He went from the proud God of Mischief trying to prove himself to his father to a GenericDoomsdayVillain acting as TheDragon for the GreaterScopeVillain. WordOfGod had previously blamed mind control, but here they delve into it more. In short, Loki was trying to feel in control by bullying and tormenting an entire planet. It, obviously, didn't go well, but it takes a lot for him to admit it was a bad idea. His EvilsOfFreeWill speech also becomes a clear case of PsychologicalProjection; ''he'' keeps making bad choices that make his own life worse, so he insists that ''no one else'' actually enjoys free will and would be better off with him dictating everything for them.

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* ''Series/{{Loki 2021}}'': Loki's actions in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' get commented on. He went from the proud God of Mischief trying to prove himself to his father to a GenericDoomsdayVillain acting as TheDragon for the GreaterScopeVillain. WordOfGod had previously blamed mind control, but here they delve into it more. In short, Loki was trying to feel in control by bullying and tormenting an entire planet. It, obviously, didn't go well, but it takes a lot for him to admit it was a bad idea. His EvilsOfFreeWill TheEvilsOfFreeWill speech also becomes a clear case of PsychologicalProjection; ''he'' keeps making bad choices that make his own life worse, so he insists that ''no one else'' actually enjoys free will and would be better off with him dictating everything for them.
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* ''Series/{{Loki 2021}}'': Loki's actions in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' get commented on. He went from the proud God of Mischief trying to prove himself to his father to a GenericDoomsdayVillain acting as TheDragon for the GreaterScopeVillain. WordOfGod had previously blamed mind control, but here they delve into it more. In short, Loki was trying to feel in control by bullying and tormenting an entire planet. It, obviously, didn't go well, but it takes a lot for him to admit it was a bad idea. His EvilsOfFreeWill speech also becomes a clear case of PsychologicalProjection; ''he'' keeps making bad choices that make his own life worse, so he insists that ''no one else'' actually enjoys free will and would be better off with him dictating everything for them.
-->'''Loki:''' I'm a god.\\
'''Mobius:''' Of what, again? Mischief, right? Yeah, I don't see anything very mischievous about this.
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* Heroic example in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'': Originally, the reason why Decade was traveling the worlds was to save them. That was when he was expecting to travel to nine worlds, and then he has to travel to [[EvilCounterpart O]][[ADayInTheLimeLight t]][[SamuraiSentaiShinkenger h]][[KamenRiderBlackRX e]][[KamenRiderAmazon r]] worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.

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* ** Heroic example in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'': Originally, the reason why Decade was traveling the worlds was to save them. That was when he was expecting to travel to nine worlds, and then he has to travel to [[EvilCounterpart O]][[ADayInTheLimeLight t]][[SamuraiSentaiShinkenger h]][[KamenRiderBlackRX e]][[KamenRiderAmazon r]] other worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.
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* Heroic example in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'': Originally, the reason why Decade was traveling the worlds was to save them. That was when he was expecting to travel to nine worlds, and then he has to travel to [[EvilCounterpart O]][[ADayInTheLimeLight t]][[SamuraiSentaiShinkenger h]][[KamenRiderBlackRX e]][[KamenRiderAmazon r]] worlds. At the end of Amazon's world, Natsumi even asks what the point of it all was.
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** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'' lead villain Evolt starts out the show with the straightforward goal of getting his body back so he can devour the Earth and get back to his busy schedule of eating planets. After enough frustration in this process courtesy of the title character, even after Evolt ''does'' get his body back, he decides that planet-eating can wait if it means getting to torture Build and his friends first.

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** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'' lead villain Evolt starts out the show with the straightforward goal of getting his body back so he can devour the Earth and get back to his busy schedule of eating planets. After enough frustration in this process courtesy of the title character, even after Evolt ''does'' get his body back, he decides that planet-eating can wait if it means getting to torture Build and his friends first. It slowly unfolds that the way he prolongs their fight actually does service his original intent of resuming his PlanetEater activities, but as a sort of roundabout investment that backfires more often than it pays off because he’s still become sidetracked by his newfound capacity for sadism and revenge.

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* ''Series/KamenRiderAgito'' has the Lords, angelic beings who only target specific humans and for the most part, act as their ''protectors''. Unfortunately, thanks in part to crossovers, their motives so decayed, that they even form alliances with ([[AllThereInTheManual from extra-canonical history]]) their sworn enemy, [[Series/KamenRiderKuuga the Grongi]].

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* ''Series/KamenRiderAgito'' has ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
** In general, most of
the Lords, angelic beings CrisisCrossover films ignore any original motives behind the monsters from the various series in favor of all of them being allied against the heroes for the nebulous cause of evil. This is especially notable with the Lords from ''Series/KamenRiderAgito'', who are supposed to be humanity's ''protectors'' and only target attack the specific humans who've begun evolving to gain psychic powers.
** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'' lead villain Evolt starts out the show with the straightforward goal of getting his body back so he can devour the Earth
and for get back to his busy schedule of eating planets. After enough frustration in this process courtesy of the most part, act as their ''protectors''. Unfortunately, thanks title character, even after Evolt ''does'' get his body back, he decides that planet-eating can wait if it means getting to torture Build and his friends first.
** ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'' centers around a supercomputer that was taught
in part its learning phase that HumansAreBastards, and thus set out to crossovers, their destroy them so that robots could inherit the Earth. After a decade spent buried underwater, it no longer cares about any of its original motives so decayed, upon its return, driven instead by pure hatred to the point where it ultimately decides that they even form alliances with ([[AllThereInTheManual from extra-canonical history]]) their sworn enemy, [[Series/KamenRiderKuuga the Grongi]]. robots deserve to be destroyed too.
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* ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople'': Jedekiah. In "Break Out", the shapeshifting android was not really villainous, but was perpetrating his apparently-evil deeds because he was under orders from a kind alien who mistakenly believed humans to be dangerous and barbaric. In his various reappearances, Jedekiah is simply evil, and obsessed with revenge, conquest, and the eradication of homo superior -- and the Tomorrow People already seem to know this to be his natural personality ahead of time.

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* ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople'': ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople1973'': Jedekiah. In "Break Out", the shapeshifting android was not really villainous, but was perpetrating his apparently-evil deeds because he was under orders from a kind alien who mistakenly believed humans to be dangerous and barbaric. In his various reappearances, Jedekiah is simply evil, and obsessed with revenge, conquest, and the eradication of homo superior -- and the Tomorrow People already seem to know this to be his natural personality ahead of time.
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* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'': Morgana started season three as a vengeful young woman who was out to avenge her own people against the genocide King Uther had committed against those who used magic. Since finding out that [[spoiler: Uther is her biological father]] she's moved from WellIntentionedExtremist territory into flat-out evil, most recently manipulating her best friend's feelings for Prince Arthur (her own [[spoiler: half brother]] who has never done anything to her) in order to try and assassinate her way to the throne of Camelot.

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* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'': ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'': Morgana started season three as a vengeful young woman who was out to avenge her own people against the genocide King Uther had committed against those who used magic. Since finding out that [[spoiler: Uther is her biological father]] she's moved from WellIntentionedExtremist territory into flat-out evil, most recently manipulating her best friend's feelings for Prince Arthur (her own [[spoiler: half brother]] who has never done anything to her) in order to try and assassinate her way to the throne of Camelot.
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** When Rita escaped her jar the second time, after being imprisoned in there due to Zedd taking over her [[SpaceBase Moon Base]], she went from getting revenge on Zedd for imprisoning her via an overly complicated scheme involving marrying him to...just...sort of nagging him constantly due to his inability to kill the Power Rangers while she's just as unsuccessful at it herself.

to:

** When Rita escaped her jar the second time, after being imprisoned in there due to Zedd taking over her [[SpaceBase Moon Base]], she went from getting revenge on Zedd for imprisoning her via an overly complicated scheme involving marrying him to...just...sort of nagging him constantly due to his inability to kill the Power Rangers while she's just as unsuccessful at it herself. Accidentally falling in love with each other for real (and a string of EnemyMine scenarios) pretty much put an end to any serious conflict between them.

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* ‘’Series/StargateSG1’’: Discussed. The Stargate Program was created primarily to seek out new technology to fight back against the Goa’uld. By the end of season eight, the SGC has taken significant strides to close the gap and the Goa’uld are no longer the major threat they used to be. This leads the government to ponder whether the Stargate Program has served its purpose and its funding would be better spent on building more battle cruisers. However, the Ori then show up as the new BigBad, effectively renewing the SGC’s reason for existing.

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* ‘’Series/StargateSG1’’: ''Series/StargateSG1'': Discussed. The Stargate Program was created primarily to seek out new technology to fight back against the Goa’uld. By the end of season eight, the SGC has taken significant strides to close the gap and the Goa’uld are no longer the major threat they used to be. This leads the government to ponder whether the Stargate Program has served its purpose and its funding would be better spent on building more battle cruisers. However, the Ori then show up as the new BigBad, effectively renewing the SGC’s reason for existing.


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* ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'': When Reign is introduced in Season 3, she's presented as a KnightTemplar out to purge the world of sin by killing all criminals. By the end of the season, she's a GenericDoomsdayVillain being used by the Dark Kryptonians as a tool to [[HostileTerraforming forcibly change Earth]] to make it habitable for them. [[TheManBehindTheMan Selena]] even states that the "justice" Reign is bringing is just for their kind, not humans (which begs the question of why she bothered targeting individual human criminals in the first place).
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* ‘’Series/StargateSG1’’: Discussed. The Stargate Program was created primarily to seek out new technology to fight back against the Goa’uld. By the end of season eight, the SGC has taken significant strides to close the gap and the Goa’uld are no longer the major threat they used to be. This leads the government to ponder whether the Stargate Program has served its purpose and its funding would be better spent on building more battle cruisers. However, the Ori then show up as the new BigBad, effectively renewing the SGC’s reason for existing.
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* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': A big part of Cersei's character at the start was that she loved her children and wanted them on the throne but as they die one by one she decides to take the throne for herself and grows distant of Tommen as time goes on. It reaches the point where she's downright callous when she coldly orders Tommen's body burnt after his suicide.
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* ''Series/KamenRiderAgito'' has the Lords, angelic beings who only target specific humans and for the most part, act as their ''protectors''. Unfortunately, thanks in part to crossovers, their motives so decayed, that they even form alliances with ([[AllThereInTheManual from extra-canonical history]]) their sworn enemy, [[Series/KamenRiderKuuga the Grongi]].
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* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot point. By season three Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is no use for them, let alone for him to spend, but he ''likes it'' and is trying to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, the only thing putting everyone in danger is Walt not quitting while he's ahead. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he liked it.]]

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* ''Series/BreakingBad'': A major plot point. By season three Walter's entire motive to be a drug dealer is gone. His family has abandoned him, the money is no use for them, let alone for him to spend, but he ''likes it'' and is trying to rationalize what he is and what he has done. As of season 5, since [[spoiler: Walt killed his boss, the main person threatening his family]], and he has more money than his wife and son could spend in their lifetimes, the only thing putting everyone in danger is Walt not quitting while he's ahead. In the finale, [[spoiler:he finally admits that his family was always just an excuse, and he did what he did because he liked it.it and [[BecauseImGoodAtIt because he's good at it]].]]
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** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & co, because they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to [[TheDragon his Dragon]] is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.

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** [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] is another example. In the heat of fighting, she mistakes a passing human for a vampire, and stakes him. WhatMeasureIsANonHuman is a big deal to Buffy & co, because they really freak out about this. When it transpires that he was connected with [[BigBad the Mayor]], she argues that killing him wasn't that bad because he was a bad guy anyway. Only the audience, not the other characters, are shown how upset she actually is by the incident. Then, within a short time, she's ''working'' for the Mayor, and the reason for her switching from his enemy to [[TheDragon his Dragon]] NumberTwo is never really explained beyond 'she's evil now'.
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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': The heroes defeat [[spoiler:the Vorlons and the Shadows]] by forcing them to acknowledge their Motive Decay. The most damning thing which ultimately convinces them to leave the galaxy is that they don't have [[spoiler:answers to their own Armor Piercing Questions anymore. The Vorlons no longer know who they are, and the Shadows don't know what they want.]]

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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': The heroes defeat [[spoiler:the Vorlons and the Shadows]] by forcing them to acknowledge their Motive Decay. The most damning thing which that ultimately convinces them to leave the galaxy is that they don't have [[spoiler:answers to their own Armor Piercing Questions anymore. The Vorlons no longer know who they are, and the Shadows don't know what they want.]]

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