History PlayingWith / EvilCannotComprehendGood

** Evuls hires a tutor to teach him how to be good, in an attempt to understand it. However, even after being explicitly instructed to PetTheDog, Evulz [[ShootTheDog shoots it anyway]], and looks baffled when the tutor tries to explain what he did wrong.

** Evulz thought the village was [[ItIsBeyondSaving beyond saving]] due to everyone being an UngratefulBastard, but when [[RousseauWasRight Jesse bands the]] [[TheApocalypseBringsOutTheBestInPeople village together and averts disaster]], this forced Evulz [[HeelRealization to question his own morality]].

** Evulz thought the village was [[ItsBeyondSaving beyond saving]] due to everyone being an UngratefulBastard, but when [[RousseauWasRight Jesse bands the]] [[TheApocalypseBringsOutTheBestInPeople village together and averts disaster]], this forced Evulz [[HeelRealization to question his own morality]].

** It's PsychologicalProjection. Evulz sees other people as corrupt because he is corrupt, and it's easier to justify doing bad things to people if you can convince yourself that you're actually [[KickTheSonOfABitch kicking the son of a bitch]] when you KickTheDog.

** Emperor Evulz has grown up only seeing the worst and evil of the world, so when the hero or someone else does something virtuous, he can't understand why when others in the world did nothing but bad and evil things around him when he was growing up. This is doubly so if the hero grew up with the same bad things happening around them, and triply so if despite doing heroic things people still treat them terribly and never show any gratitude other than just worthless thank you’s and the Hero is still treated just as badly if not worse than before and is even walked over as if they were just a mat. Emperor Evulz might even be confused why the Hero continue saving the sorry people’s butts if they do nothing but take advantage of the Hero’s moral compass, virtues,kindness and compassion.

** Emperor Evulz is surprised by Jesse's sacrifice, but not because he can't comprehend good, but rather he can't understand why Jess didn't TakeAThirdOption.

** Yes, Jesse would take the bait and be lured into a trap, but that doesn't mean he can't make his own plans and de-rail Evulz's scenario. He understands that morality exists, but his contempt towards it means he never realized that GoodIsNotDumb.

* '''Discussed''': "I fear the master is setting himself up for a...disappointment, if he thinks that the rebels will not stick by their principles in a crisis."

* '''Played For Drama''': Evulz and the hero discuss redemption prior to their final battle, but it's quite clear throughout the tense conversation that Evulz is not going to accept the offer - he seems bewildered by the advantages of being good, seeing them as useless.
* '''Played For Horror''': Evulz is the kind of man who once heard the line [[Film/{{Whiplash}} "there are no two more harmful words in the English language than 'good job'"]] and has taken it to its most logical extreme -- killing people once they are done with their job and torturing those that he wants to improve, just because he doesn't understands that there is such a thing as "constructive criticism".

** Emperor Evulz cannot understand good because he fundamentally ''needs'' to view his evil actions and the malice behind them as inherently correct and justified. If he were to face the reality of his actions, all of his past evils would be put under question, and that kind of self-reflection is absolutely terrifying to someone as frightened of consequences (and his own guilt deep, ''deep' down) as him.

** Emperor Evulz cannot understand good because he fundamentally ''needs'' to view his evil actions and the malice behind them as inherently correct and justified. If he were to face the reality of the his actions, all of his past evil actions would be put under question, and that kind of self-reflection is absolutely terrifying to someone as frightened of consequences (and his own guilt deep, ''deep' down) as him.

* '''Enforced''':
** TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget, so Emperor Evulz has lost his understanding of good due to overuse of his corrosive powers.
** "We need to show how evil Emperor Evulz really is -- let's make it so he doesn't understand/looks down on goodness."

** Emperor Evulz believes that people can be nice, [[MoralityPet but only to someone close to them.]] As such, he believes Jesse won't risk his friends' lives to stop him because of TheNeedsOfTheMany.

* '''Played For Laughs''': Emperor Evulz goes on a game show to win the MacGuffin prize that'll help him rule the world. But due to the categories revolving around [[PetTheDog petting dogs]] and [[TastesLikeDiabetes diabetes-flavored]] subjects, he ends up losing and makes himself a laughingstock to the whole viewing world.

** Emperor Evulz has grown up only seeing the worst and evil of the world, so when the hero or someone else does something virtuous, he can't understand why when others in the world did nothing but bad and evil things around him when he was growing up. This is doubly so if the hero grew up with the same bad things happening around them, and triply so if despite doing heroic things people still treat them terribly and never show any gratitude other than just worthless thank you’s and the Hero is still treated just as badly if not worse than before and is even walked over as if they were just a mat. Emperor Evulz might even be confused why the Hero continue saving the sorry people’s butts if they do nothing but take advantage of the Hero’s kindness and compassion.

** Emperor Evulz has grown up only seeing the worst and evil of the world, so when the hero or someone else does something virtuous, he can't understand why when others in the world did nothing but bad and evil things around him when he was growing up. This is doubly so if the hero grew up with the same bad things happening around them, and triply so if despite doing heroic things people still treat them terribly and never show any gratitude other than just worthless thank you’s and the Hero is still treated just as badly if not worse than before and is even walked over as if they were just a mat.

** Emperor Evulz has grown up only seeing the worst and evil of the world, so when the hero or someone else does something virtuous, he can't understand why when others in the world did nothing but bad and evil things around him when he was growing up.

** [[TheSociopath Emperor Evulz]] knows [[TheChessmaster there's a "pattern" to goodness he can use to predict heroic movements accordingly]]. However, as he only analyzes the heroes' actions and doesn't understand the [[ThePowerOfLove core]] [[ThePowerOfFriendship values]], he sometimes [[DidntSeeThatComing miscalculates]] about, say, whether a hero will pull a HeroicSacrifice when he dangles a SadisticChoice or try to TakeAThirdOption. GoodIsNotDumb and [[{{Determinator}} doesn't give up easy]], after all.

** [[StrawVulcan Administrator E-val]] understands altruism, but doesn't see the action as internally consistent. Sure, Jesse helping makes sense, as does sacrificing himself in a decisive battle; he clearly views them as a great evil or threat when he is taking great efforts against him. [[BlueAndOrangeMorality But why would he throw away his life on something not related to his cause?]] If he believes in it, then he should see that [[FridgeLogic dying would do more harm to his causes than good.]] Under his views, he would be harming more people.
** A TrueNeutral / LawfulNeutral / ChaoticNeutral character fails to understand the motivation of a good character for helping others, without getting any gain in return.
** A {{Jerkass}} can't comprehend why Jesse's so nice all the time.

** SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers Or Pessimism Cannot Comprehend Optimism.
** NeverMyFault Cannot Comprehend WasTooHardOnHim: Harile doesn't understand why Jesse felt remorse for scolding his teammates.
** Jesse has reasons both altruistic and self-serving to do good, but Evulz assumes he is ''only'' motivated by self-interest.
** Chaos Cannot Comprehend Law- a Chaotic Good/Neutral/Evil power doesn't get how a lawful character might hold HonorBeforeReason, not abuse authority, or [[IGaveMyWord always keep their word]].

** Emperor Evulz has a psychological disorder that makes it impossible to empathize with other points of view. He genuinely believes that underneath their goody-goody exteriors, the heroes are just as self-centered and greedy as he is.
** Emperor Evulz is TheSociopath. He understands that good ''exists'', but he has absolutely no picture of what it really is, he tends to discard it when thinking of others' motivations.
** Emperor Evulz cannot empathize with him because [[FreudianExcuse he was raised in an environment which convinced him he needs to be cruel.]]

** It's PsychologicalProjection- Evulz sees other people as corrupt because he is corrupt (though not without the occasional pang of conscience), and it's easier to justify doing bad things to people if you can convince yourself that you're actually [[KickTheSonOfABitch kicking the son of a bitch]] when you KickTheDog.
** Emperor Evulz has grown up only seeing the worst and evil of the world, so when the hero or someone else does somthing virtous, he can't understand why when others in the world did nothing but bad and evil things around him when he was growing up.

** GoodCannotComprehendEvil. Jesse is killed because it never occurred to him that Emperor Evulz would cheerfully kill his own wife and children for a shot at Jesse.
** Though himself [[CardCarryingVillain unabashedly evil]] [[JustBetweenYouAndMe in private]], Emperor Evulz is in charge of an organization of otherwise good people who he easily manipulates into becoming {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}s and {{Knight Templar}}s.
** Evulz sets up a {{Batman Gambit}} counting on Jesse sacrificing himself to save the village, but is caught off-guard when [[SociopathicHero Jesse]] selfishly decides to save himself instead.
** Evulz unintentionally does something that gains him Jesse's appreciation and admiration, but Evulz can't comprehend the idea of himself doing anything "good" or "nice".
** Evulz' plans revolve around manipulating Jesse's good side.
** [[IdealHero Jesse]] doesn't understand how [[AntiHero Harile]] can bring herself to ShootTheDog.
** Law Cannot Comprehend Chaos - A lawful Good/Neutral/Evil character fails to understand why a chaotic character prefers to rebel against authority and live by their own rules.

** Evulz ridicules Jesse's notion of morality, but understands it enough to see that holding an innocent village hostage against Jesse walking into his trap will work out. He just views goodness dimly because it means you aren't willing to make the practical choices.

** "We need to show how evil Emperor Evulz really is-let's make it so he doesn't understand/looks down on goodness."