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| 2 | %% Trope was declared Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease via crowner by the Real Life Maintenance thread. |
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| 4 | %% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks! |
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| 6 | %%% |
| 7 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1603867328040698500 |
| 8 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 9 | %% |
| 10 | [[quoteright:237:[[Webcomic/KiwiBlitz https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/no_hypocrite.png]]]] |
| 11 | %% |
| 12 | ->''"And what ''really'' bothers me is [that] you pretend that you're this deep guy who loves women for their souls when all you do is date bimbos. Yeah, I date women for their bodies, but at least I'm honest about it."'' |
| 13 | -->-- '''Quagmire''' to Brian, ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', "[[Recap/FamilyGuy8E7JeromeIsTheNewBlack Jerome is the New Black]]" |
| 14 | |
| 15 | The hero has the villain cornered and calls him out on how his actions are evil etc., but the villain doesn't care if his actions are evil or not, because at least the villain isn't a {{hypocrite}} when it comes to his beliefs and/or philosophy. May be related to VillainsNeverLie, and usually a sign of a CardCarryingVillain. It sometimes can be a symptom of EvilCannotComprehendGood, at least when it indicates that [[ValuesDissonance the villain cannot understand why the hero is repelled by his/her behavior]]. On the other hand, it also shows that the evil character does understand good/evil enough to apply such concepts to both himself and the supposedly better people. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | This trope can come in the form of the admission, "I may be X, but I'm your X". |
| 18 | |
| 19 | The tactic is often used against ''other'' villains as well, particularly of the VillainWithGoodPublicity variety. It's not necessary for the villain to be accused; all they have to do is recognize their corrupt nature and calmly or proudly acknowledge it. Can be found in an [[EvilCounterpart evil version]] of the KnightInSourArmor, but not necessarily so. It can also be a case of EvenEvilHasStandards if the accused villain is the eviler of the two as well as a hypocrite. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | This may be the result of HonorBeforeReason, BlueAndOrangeMorality, a simple dislike for hypocrisy, or a high premium placed on honesty relative to other virtues and flaws. It may also be used to [[NotSoDifferentRemark claim that the Hero isn't so different]] and simply is in denial about it. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | If presented positively, this can lead to a HardTruthAesop, depending on the nature of their transgressions -- someone who admits to being a jerk at least is aware of their flaws rather than simply being oblivious about their bad behavior, but embracing being AxCrazy isn't really a good thing. An alternate semi-positive presentation is that at least the Admitter is not guilty of {{Doublethink}}, HidingBehindReligion, [[StrawHypocrite or some other case of lying about their actual beliefs]], and in fact [[EvenEvilHasStandards has standards that condemn such hypocrisy]]. A common heroic example is the LovableCoward, who unlike his DirtyCoward counterpart fully admits to a lack of bravery and doesn't bully others to avoid being discovered as a coward. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | If presented negatively, the Admitter is taken to be at least as bad if not outright worse than the other party because at least the other has ''reasons'' for their behaviour or [[WellIntentionedExtremist needs some kind of excuse for their actions]], while the Admitter is essentially confessing that they either [[ForTheEvulz don't need excuses]] or that their own reasons are just as bad as their misdeeds. It can also turn out that the Admitter is simply wrong or outright lying about being "honest" in the first place, either [[ManipulativeBastard with others]] or [[BelievingTheirOwnLies with themselves]], in either case earning them a ShutUpHannibal from another character. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Discovering TheHero is ''not'' a {{Hypocrite}} but ''believes'' all that stuff about "justice" and "honor" can be... [[EvilCannotComprehendGood a shock]]. However, in many cases, the villain will claim that the hero's motivations are simply a convenient justification for violence or whatever other behavior the villain deems to be hypocritical. In some cases attempting to invoke this trope is [[SelfDisposingVillain exactly what ultimately turns others against them]] as they are now seen as simply using someones else's (real or imagined) hypocrisy as an excuse, which can be doubly damning for them if the whole crux of their argument is that they don't need excuses. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | See also TheMadHatter, NobleDemon, NotSoDifferentRemark, and NotEvenBotheringWithAnExcuse. Also see ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne, where a character objects to one of several criticisms but does not deny the others, and ICanLiveWithThat, where a character accepts an accusation without specifically admitting or denying it. Contrast YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame. ItsNotSupposedToWinOscars is the "artistic" variant. LampshadeHanging and SelfDeprecation can also be used to convey this kind of thinking. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | SisterTrope to HypocriteHasAPoint, where it’s observed that just because someone is hypocritical about pointing out a person’s faults doesn’t mean they’re ''wrong'' about it. |
| 32 | |
| 33 | [[noreallife]] |
| 34 | ---- |
| 35 | !!Examples: |
| 36 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 37 | |
| 38 | [[folder:Anime and Manga]] |
| 39 | * ''Manga/AllMyDarlingDaughter'': A non-villainous example. Mari hates her mother for repeatedly calling her ugly in front of others while showing preferential treatment to her younger brother. Mari calls her mother out on this, but the latter denies that she loves Tsutomu more, and claims that she's stricter on Mari for her own good. When Mari does become a mother, she [[BreakingTheCycleOfBadParenting makes an effort to not repeat her mother's mistakes]], but frequently hurts her own daughter Yukiko in other ways, such as kicking her when she's too messy or refuses to help with house work, or getting remarried and bringing her new husband home without telling her daughter. |
| 40 | -->'''Mari:''' When I become a parent, I'm sure I won't be perfect. I may even unreasonably take my frustrations out on my kids. But I won't lie to them saying it's for their own good. |
| 41 | * In an episode of the first ''Manga/AstroBoy'' anime, a thief and real estate mogul are trapped on the Moon with Astro. The thief berates the businessman in an argument, saying that at least he's an honest crook who has the decency to break the law when he robs people. |
| 42 | * ''Manga/CodeBreaker'': Whenever Sakura Sakurakouji chews out [[AntiHero Rei]] [[SerialKillerKiller Ogami]] for being a killer, he usually responds with this. |
| 43 | * ''Anime/CodeGeass'': This is the biggest difference between [[Characters/CodeGeassLelouchLamperouge Lelouch Lamperouge]] and Suzaku. They're both {{hypocrite}}s and {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}s, but Lelouch acknowledges his own hypocrisy and never once tries to justify it, whereas Suzaku is the exact opposite and [[NeverMyFault refuses to own up to anything he does]]. Lelouch even lampshades it at one point, telling Suzaku point-blank that he [[HypocrisyNod doesn't have time to debate which of them is a bigger hypocrite]]. |
| 44 | ** This trait is also what separates Lelouch from the rest of his family, who kills and abuses numbers, blaming them for even their minor problems. [[spoiler:The Emperor is included as he blames the nobility and their practices for his troubles, even when he had the power to fix that himself. Lelouch calls him out for blaming everything on the dead, and after erasing him from existence, proceeds to fix what should have been done long ago.]] |
| 45 | * ''Manga/DeathNote'': For all of L and Light's similarities, L at least has enough self-awareness to be aware of his flaws, even admitting he shares the same childishness and SoreLoser tendencies as Kira in front of the rest of the Task Force. Light, meanwhile, is a [[ThePerfectionist perfectionist]] who would sooner [[AGodAmI declare himself God]] than admit he made a mistake. |
| 46 | * ''Manga/FruitsBasket'': Shigure knows he's a sly and self-serving ManipulativeBastard, but unlike others with bad behaviors in this series, he doesn't make excuses for the way he is and openly admits his worst traits. |
| 47 | * ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'': |
| 48 | ** MadBomber Solf J. Kimblee is portrayed this way. He believes that all humans, including himself, are [[StrawNihilist inherently worthless beings]] whose lives have no meaning, and that he is the only one who's willing to admit it. |
| 49 | ** During the early portion of the series, when the Elrics are spending a lot of time in AdventureTowns on missions for the military, Ed has a lot of unscrupulous alchemists dabbling with various taboos -- like many who were suckered by the homunculi into using red stones -- try to tell Ed that his attempts at human transmutation make him similar. Needless to say (since Ed committed his taboo out of love, not a lust for power) he [[BerserkButton doesn't take it well]]. |
| 50 | * [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Mako Mankanshoku]] from ''Anime/KillLaKill'' admits to Elite Four's Nonon Jakuzure's constantly calling her "underachiever", but reminds her that she still has a name. Fellow Elite Four member [[PrinciplesZealot Ira Gamagoori]] is both shocked and impressed by Mako's shamelessness to this. |
| 51 | * CorruptPolitician Job Trunicht from ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'' is completely shameless about his nature as a proto-fascist SmugSnake, at one point during an early episode pointing out that if democracy puts men like himself in charge, [[DemocracyIsBad it's not a terribly good system]]. [[spoiler:Trunicht later goes on to happily become TheQuisling to TheEmpire because all he cares about is his own status and power, disgusting Reinhard in the process.]] |
| 52 | ** This can also be incorporated into the fact that Reinhard von Lohengramm, Oskar von Reuenthal, and most of the Empire cast openly enjoy battles, even if it means a lot of pain, suffering and many sacrificed lives. |
| 53 | * ''Manga/IsItMyFaultThatIGotBullied'': Reina Himekawa is be a bitch of a bully, and is aware of it, but will not let it slide if another bully denies their own wrongdoing. Case in point, she reprimands Riho for [[NeverMyFault blaming her and the rest of the bullies]] over their attacks on Shiori going public, pointing out she wasn't forced to join in like she claimed. |
| 54 | * ''Manga/MotherKeeper'': Towards the end of the manga, Graham calls out the protagonist for all the times he ignored the consequences of being a terrorist, an assassin, and utterly naïve enough to work for the two without thinking he's the villain. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Big mistake]]. |
| 55 | * Eustass Kid in ''Manga/OnePiece''. Sure, he's somewhere between a SociopathicHero and monster who's attacked and killed people just for laughing at him or looking at him funny... but that doesn't stop him from criticizing the World Government for doing equally evil, [[EvenEvilHasStandards and worse]], things while proclaiming that their methods are "Justice," as well as the World Nobles, [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem who use their status as the descendants of the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government to do whatever the hell they want whenever they want to]]. He even explicitly says that, though he's not "the nicest of guys," at least he's honest about it. |
| 56 | * ''Anime/ShinyaTensaiBakabon'' had Papa pitch a mobile game to a developer where players threw in-game currency to make the family look nicer. It was even outright marketed as ''Microtransactions! Tensai Bakabon'', with Papa reasoning consumers would buy it since it was so open about spending cash in-game. It ended up being defied (as players would naturally not buy a game calling them stupid for buying it), and the developer went with a RomanceGame instead. |
| 57 | [[/folder]] |
| 58 | |
| 59 | [[folder:Card Games]] |
| 60 | * ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': This is a big part of the philosophy behind BlackMagic: Black Mana is, at its core, inherently selfish, exploitative, and ruthless ([[DarkIsNotEvil though Black-aligned characters are not necessarily so]]), but it's also very upfront and honest about those things, viewing people who try to dress up their motives behind guises of morality or ideology as cowards and hypocrites. This view extends to the other four colors, and ''especially'' [[LightIsNotGood White]]. |
| 61 | [[/folder]] |
| 62 | |
| 63 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 64 | * In the ''Comicbook/JudgeDredd'' story in ''Comicbook/TwoThousandAD Sci Fi Special'' 2022, when Dredd caputures Judge Fray, he asks why a good Judge turned bad. Fray retorts that there is no such thing as a good Judge, and he just had the awareness to realise they were the bad guys, and the nerve to ''commit'' to it. |
| 65 | * ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'': |
| 66 | ** Villain Crossbones has used this while trying to deprogram Red Skull's daughter Synthia,[[note]]i.e. turn her back into the AxCrazy DaddysLittleVillain she was before SHIELD gave her FakeMemories and brainwashed her into being a normal, healthy person[[/note]] he goes on a rant about how the "American Way" is just a lie used to control the masses. |
| 67 | --->'''Synthia''': Oh, and fascism's better, then?\ |
| 68 | '''Crossbones''': Not better, maybe, but more honest, at least. It don't pretend to value human life while making that life a whole helluva lot worse off. |
| 69 | ** He also did it in ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' #149, during the ''ComicBook/{{Shadowland}}'' crossover: |
| 70 | --->'''Crossbones''': Fine with me. I'll burn out more of these Jap zombies.\ |
| 71 | '''Moonstone''': That's right-- you don't talk much so I forget you're a crazy racist.\ |
| 72 | '''Crossbones''': Everyone is. I'm just honest about it. |
| 73 | * The reason ComicBook/EmmaFrost always wears those {{Stripperific}} outfits is that she's an AttentionWhore, and she will gladly admit it. |
| 74 | * During one of the most-quoted tirades delivered in ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', ComicBook/TheJoker chastises Batman for not admitting to his particular insanity. |
| 75 | ** See also ''ComicBook/JokersAsylum'', where he hijacks a game show and turns it into a DeadlyGame, just to prove how sick the viewing audience and ratings-obsessed staff are. |
| 76 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Lazarus}}: Risen'' #7, on learning the truth of Malcolm Carlyle's part in the CrapsackWorld FeudalFuture, this is the essential difference between himself and Jakob Hock. While the latter is a notorious drug lord, he does not hide it or try to justify it as something else to those who confront him. On the other hand, Malcolm is willing to do ''anything'' to keep his vision alive, claiming that all of it is necessary or could ultimately lead to something better. |
| 77 | * ''ComicBook/{{Pathfinder|DynamiteComics}}: Origins'' #4: While evaluating TheTeam for membership in the Pathfinder Society, Venture-Captain Heidmarch somewhat angrily calls Merisiel a thief: [[NoodleIncident apparently she stole an artifact from a party of Pathfinders several years ago]]. Meri retorts that the Pathfinders had stolen the item in question from a tomb to begin with.[[note]]This is a ContinuityNod to the Pathfinder Society's InUniverse reputation in the ''Lost Omens'' setting: they fancy themselves {{Adventurer Archaeologist}}s who bring ancient knowledge to the public and take dangerous items out of circulation, but their methods vary widely in legality and political acumen and they're often accused of being glorified thieves and/or disrespecting native cultures.[[/note]] |
| 78 | -->'''Merisiel:''' You want to split hairs? I'll lend you a knife. |
| 79 | * In ''ComicBook/ThePowerpuffGirls'' story "Drama-O-Rama" (DC issue #48), Sedusa stages a reality TV show in Townsville so the citizens will ham it up for the cameras while she robs the city blind. The Powerpuff Girls aren't immune to it, either. When Sedusa instructs the people to be more dramatic, Blossom takes umbrage...she says she's ''already'' a drama queen. |
| 80 | * In ''ComicBook/RequiemVampireKnight'', sinners reincarnate as monsters in Hell depending on the gravity of their crimes, and ghouls (people who committed great atrocities in life in the name of the greater good) are viewed as some of the lowest by the vampires, who used to be the worse of the worst and are completely unrepentant about their crimes. |
| 81 | * ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'': |
| 82 | ** ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Bruce Banner thinks that the wifebeater Henry Pym should be left out of the team. Yes, Bruce "Hulk Smash" Banner, who killed so many people in his rampage. But at least he works 18 hours a day trying to find a cure for that (and Banner was not in his right mind at the time - Pym has no such excuse). |
| 83 | ** ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': Unlike Magneto, Wolverine, or many lethal-minded characters, Sabertooth purely kills because he likes it. He knows he's a monster. |
| 84 | * In ''ComicBook/VoteLoki'', this is basically Loki's campaign platform: He's a supervillain and a trickster god, but at least he's honest about how dishonest he is while other politicians lie about who they are. [[spoiler:In fact, what ultimately thwarts him is when people realise that is ''literally'' his entire platform and he either hadn't bothered or had genuinely forgotten to make any actual campaign promises, even bad or dishonest ones, and was just letting people project their desires onto him.]] |
| 85 | [[/folder]] |
| 86 | |
| 87 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 88 | * ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': The New Year's Eve 1978 strip has Garfield pondering to exercise and lose weight as his New Year's resolution -- only to suddenly worry that he has lost his mind and decides right then and there to not lose weight after all: [[IAmWhatIAm "I'm fat, and I'm lazy, and I'm proud]] ''[[IAmWhatIAm of]]'' [[IAmWhatIAm it!"]] |
| 89 | * In ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', Lucy not only ''admits'' to being a "fussbudget", she's ''proud'' of it. In one early strip, when a character said that her mother said she was "a natural-born fussbudget", Lucy objected to the "natural born" part, shouting, "I worked hard to be what I am!" |
| 90 | [[/folder]] |
| 91 | |
| 92 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 93 | * ''Fanfic/ApotheosisMHA'': After [[InternalReveal learning about One for All]], Aizawa lambasts All Might for being a {{Hypocrite}} who looked down upon Izuku for being Quirkless. He declares that while his work at U.A. involves critiquing and judging whether or not his students are worthy of being heroes, he's brutally honest in doing so, and at least offers them a ''chance'' to prove themselves. |
| 94 | * ''Fanfic/{{AZRE}}'': One of the unnamed human traffickers compares themselves to Atlas, noting that while they're kidnapping others for money, they also aren't pretending that they're doing so to serve some greater purpose. Atlas, meanwhile, enslaves the Faunus, uses child labor, experiments on minorities, and is usurping the native Solitas people from their homeland... all while presenting themselves as morally righteous. |
| 95 | * ''Fanfic/BitterTearsAnAnonAMissFic'': After the Cutie Mark Crusaders are exposed as the ones who created the Anon-A-Miss blog, they get heavily bullied at school. Upon finally standing up for themselves, they point out that they never actually ''forced'' anyone to share embarrassing secrets with them -- the vast majority of their content was submitted by the very same people turned around and started bullying them. They also state that they willingly confessed and accepted their punishment, while the others [[NeverMyFault blamed them]] for, effectively, providing them with a platform. |
| 96 | * In Chapter 54 of ''Fanfic/BlazBlueAlternativeRemnant'', [[Franchise/BlazBlue Yuuki Terumi]] points out to [[Franchise/{{RWBY}} Adam Taurus]] that this is the main difference between the two of them. While Adam deludes himself into believing he's in the right by his actions and makes any excuse he can, Terumi makes no attempt to hide what a depraved monster he is and openly relishes in that fact. |
| 97 | * In ''Fanfic/BringMeToLife'', Buffy actually considers Jasmine ''worse'' than Glory for this very reason. While Glory was evil and [[AxCrazy insane]], she never tried to make excuses for her actions or pretended to be anything else, while Jasmine adamantly insists she did what she had to do and was trying to save the world. |
| 98 | * ''Fanfic/ABrighterDark'': After a dozen Hoshidan shoguns secedes right when their homeland needs them the most, Takumi bitterly compares them the Nohrians, noting that the latter are at least ''open'' with their callousness and ambitions. |
| 99 | * ''Fanfic/BurnTheWitchMiraculousLadybug'': Thanks to PsychologicalProjection, Lila arrogantly assumes that ''everyone'' is just as SecretlySelfish, and that Marinette and Ladybug are just {{Hypocrite}}s who are ''pretending'' to be nice. |
| 100 | * PlayedWith in ''Fanfic/CheshireMiraculousLadybug'': Hawkmoth [[WrongAssumption mistakenly assumes]] that Cheshire is a VillainWithGoodPublicity, as he's aware that the Black Cat Ring has a history of evil users. At least he ''admits'' that he's a supervillain! |
| 101 | * ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'': At one point, [[MadScientist Doctor Zola]] states that he considers America hypocritical for deriding the Nazis for the genocides of various peoples when they did the same to the Native American tribes. As far as he's concerned, at least the Nazis were ''efficient'' in what they did. |
| 102 | * This is one of the reasons why [[Characters/CodePrimeHolyBritannianEmpire Britannia]] and the [[Characters/CodePrimeDecepticons Decepticons]] have such [[TeethClenchedTeamwork a difficult time working together]] in ''Fanfic/CodePrime''. Britannia spends most of the time acting righteous in their horrific actions, while the Cons don’t even bother trying to hide their evil and outright relish in the atrocities that they commit. |
| 103 | * ''Fanfic/{{Couturiere}}'': Hawkmoth fully admits to Couturiere that he sees her as nothing more than a means to an end. However, he points out that unlike Marinette's friends and classmates, who [[TakingAdvantageOfGenerosity took advantage of her kindness]] only to [[FairWeatherFriend swiftly turn upon her]], ''he'' is at least willing to offer her back something in return. |
| 104 | -->'''Hawkmoth''': I have kept my promise. Can you say the same for ''them?'' |
| 105 | * In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', the fourth killer admits that he committed murder out of desperation to escape and disdain for the others. When one of the others calls him out on this, he says that the three previous killers, as well as a would-be murderer who was one of the victims, may have had different reasons, but they committed the same crime he did. |
| 106 | -->"Unlike them, I'm not about to justify my actions or excuse them. I'm a murderer, and I murdered so I could get away from all of you. That's all there is to my crime." |
| 107 | * In ''[[Fanfic/WhatHaveYouDone Even As...]]'', [[spoiler:Discord]] admits to screwing with ponies for his own amusement, saying that at least he doesn't act high and mighty about it, unlike Celestia, who manipulates them [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans "for the greater good"]]. |
| 108 | * ''Fanfic/FallOfStarfleetRebirthOfFriendship'': As Dark Conquest points out, he may [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking rape, murder and write bad fan fiction about a show he hates]] but at least he's honest about his evil, unlike Starfleet. |
| 109 | * After [[Manga/LoveHina Keitaro]] [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leaves the]] Hinata Inn in ''Fanfic/ForHisOwnSake'', Kitsune eventually [[HeelRealization realizes just how much she hurt him]]. Naru later tries claiming that the fact Kitsune hurt Keitaro in the past means she can't complain about the things THEY did; however, Kitsune shoots back that she recognizes now she was wrong and is ''trying'' to [[CharacterDevelopment change for the better]]. Naru, by contrast, [[NeverMyFault refuses to admit she ever did anything wrong]] and keeps [[BlamingTheVictim blaming Keitaro]] for all the hell she put him through. |
| 110 | * In the fifth ''Fanfic/HalloweenUnspectacular'', Ovard Grim's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech towards [[spoiler:Athena]] includes him telling her that, while he may be a sociopathic liar, he at least ''admits'' to it. |
| 111 | * ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainKnightOfTheOrangeLily'': What separates Paul London from Grace and Simon is that he admits that he's a killer and has done horrible things -- namely sacrificing Masacrita Sacrada even though he did a kind gesture to let him see the White Rabbit and then offering up his other Rabbit Tribe members to Mantanza -- while Grace and Simon refuse to humor the idea that they're hurting denizens since they "aren't human". This becomes harsher to look at when it's later revealed that most denizens are the souls of ''reincarnated passengers'' who died on the Train [[spoiler:and Grace had actually known this the entire time but lied so she didn't have to face the truth]]. |
| 112 | ** In ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'', when The Cat realizes that how the truth about how she abandoned Simon to save her skin is now online, she tries to save face by blaming Amelia for usurping One-One and causing all the trouble by not revealing the truth about what the Train's purpose is. Amelia, who has done a HeelFaceTurn, admits that she ''has'' done a lot of horrible things, but at least is trying to ''work'' on atoning for her past mistakes, whereas The Cat was a ''single car away'' from Simon, and never returned to him after eight years. |
| 113 | * In ''Fanfic/KitsuneNoKenFistOfTheFox'', [[TheAggressiveDrugDealer Yagura]] approaches [[TheBully Aoi]] and offers him a chance to join forces with [[TheSyndicate LOVE]] in selling Gaara's Gold Sand drug in Konoha Town. Aoi's hesitant to take up the offer, pointing out that Yagura himself is not a nice guy, but Yagura responds that he's not trying to hide that fact: "At least I don't try to pretend I have standards of any sort." |
| 114 | * In ''Fanfic/MassEffectHumanRevolution'', when Lt. Corvin tries to call Johann out over his brutality and psychotic tendencies, the latter retorts that at least he doesn't try to hide under the pretence of being a patriot and doing it for his species or nation. |
| 115 | * In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13701065/14/Metagaming Metagaming?]]'', Harry remarks that the Kirin Tor are a bunch of self-important assholes, just like him. The only difference is that he ''knows'' he is and doesn't care. |
| 116 | * ''Fanfic/ARabbitAmongWolves'': While the White Fang are nervous about potentially recruiting undercover police into their operation, they're also desperate for new members. So when [[spoiler:Sun Wukong]] frankly admits that he's there to spy on them, they decide that his honesty makes him a good recruit. |
| 117 | * ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/40396812 Snap Before You Break]]'' centers around Izuku calling out Aizawa for being a terrible teacher who abuses his students under the pretext of "logical ruses". When he learns that Nedzu was fully aware of Aizawa's issues and didn't do anything about it to [[SecretTestOfCharacter see whether Izuku would step up and act]], he berates the principal as well. Nedzu shrugs it off, stating that he's well aware that he's manipulative, and unlike Aizawa, he's not [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse using his trauma as an excuse]]. That said, he agrees to drop the habit, at least with Class 1-A. |
| 118 | * ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs Warhammer 40K]]'': Per [[WordOfGod commentary from the author]], this would be the general attitude of any of the Imperial commanders if the Republic were to call them out on the many atrocities they have committed as InvadingRefugees, pointing out that in many ways the Galactic Republic is already a [[FantasticRacism human supremacist]] dictatorship in all but name -- the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic is human, the Clone Troopers are all engineered from human base stock, the Republic's most influential worlds tend to be human-dominated if not human civilizations, and human supremacist views were spreading throughout the Republic. |
| 119 | * ''Fanfic/TellingLiesNoMama'': Chloé stands up for Marinette against Lila, shedding light on her methods and motives for falsely accusing Marinette. She acknowledges that she hasn't been the nicest person to Marinette in the past, but also reminds the class that [[EvenEvilHasStandards she hasn't tried to pit her friends against her]], unlike [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lila]]. |
| 120 | * In ''Fanfic/ThisBites'', Cross responds to Aokiji's accusation of being a demon by saying at least he's honest. |
| 121 | * ''Fanfic/WithThisRing'': Paul is generally a nice person, but he does sometimes lie, and he does sometimes conceal information, and he is willing to admit that to his friends. However, he's quite upset when ''Wonder Woman'' acquiesces to the Justice League's lies about what happened to Giovanni Zatara, since she's basically a goddess of truth, with the supernatural ability to tell when someone is lying, the Lasso of Truth that can compel honest answers, etc, and is ''still'' participating in deception; in his view, with all of those things, she has to be held to a higher standard than himself. |
| 122 | * ''Fanfic/TheWolvesInTheWoodsMiraculousLadybug'': {{Invoked|Trope}} by Marinette when she confronts Alya and [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls her out]]. While Lila and most of her ''former'' friends and classmates have admitted the role they played in bullying Marinette until she transferred to another school, and have been trying to [[CharacterDevelopment change for the better]], Alya [[NeverMyFault refuses to admit]] she did anything wrong, and has been trying to ''force'' Marinette to [[EasilyForgiven forgive]] and take her back without addressing any of the horrible things she did. This is all because Alya feels [[EntitledToHaveYou entitled to her "bestie"]] and wants to return to their former AllTakeAndNoGive dynamic. |
| 123 | [[/folder]] |
| 124 | |
| 125 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 126 | * When called a thief at one point, Surly from ''WesternAnimation/TheNutJob'' responds along the lines of "Hey, Raccoon's a bigger thief than me!" |
| 127 | * Big Jack Horner from ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' is proud of being [[CardCarryingVillain a villain with no redeeming qualities]], to the point that his response to the Ethical Bug's YouMonster accusation is an annoyed (and mocking) "What took you so long, idiot!?" |
| 128 | [[/folder]] |
| 129 | |
| 130 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 131 | * In ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'', Creator/EdwardNorton coolly presents this to Creator/JeremyRenner as ''raison d'être'' for the existence of the ''Outcome Program'': |
| 132 | -->''"We are the sin eaters. It means that we take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our cause can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary."'' |
| 133 | --->-- '''Eric Byer''' |
| 134 | * ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': This aspect of Joker (listed under comics) gets played up big time. He believes everyone will resort to evil methods for their own safety, and engineers "social experiments" designed to prove it. |
| 135 | -->"When the chips are down, these, ah, civilized people? They'll eat each other... see, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.'' |
| 136 | * ''Film/DickTracy'': Underworld figure Breathless Mahoney is hardly heroic, but you have to respect her complete lack of bullshit. Unlike her boss [[spoiler: (and [[TheStarscream future rival]])]] Big Boy Caprice, who wants the police and the media to believe that [[VillainWithGoodPublicity he is the champion of the very citizens he terrorizes]], Breathless is not ashamed to admit that [[ItsAllAboutMe It's All About Her]]. |
| 137 | -->'''Dick Tracy:''' Whose side are you on?\ |
| 138 | '''Breathless Mahoney:''' The side I'm always on. Mine. |
| 139 | * ''Film/TheDistinguishedGentleman'': Thomas Jefferson Johnson is a conman who gets himself elected to Congress, seeing it as another means to bilk people out of money, [[EveryoneHasStandards but becomes so horrified at the dirty dealing in Washington]] [[BecomingTheMask that he genuinely starts to take a stand against it]]. When [[BigBad Dick Dodge]] tries to expose Johnson as a conman, Johnson admits to it, but retorts that [[NotSoDifferentRemark his history of cons aren't any different than the corruption in Congress]]. |
| 140 | * Col. Nathan Jessup in ''Film/AFewGoodMen'' is considered an AntiVillain by some precisely because he is willing to admit that, by any modern standard, he is basically a barbarian. Jessup lectures the defense attorney questioning him (it is actually the attorney's clients on trial here) because he is disgusted that a "civilized" man (i.e., a civilian) who has never had to resort to violence in his life would attempt to condemn him for his methods: "My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives!" However A) Jessup has been denying his involvement for the previous two hours of the movie, and B) the defense attorney is well aware that Colonel Jessup wants to brag about his barbarism to the world, and is more than willing to provoke him into it to get his clients off, even if it means being the target of a rant. |
| 141 | * In the film ''Film/TheFuneral1996'', Creator/ChristopherWalken plays the oldest of three brothers who are part of a generational crime family. He spends most of the film searching for the man who killed his little brother in which the funeral is centered around, while at the same time regretting his life and the life of his brothers. [[spoiler:When he finds the murderer, he discovers that the guy wasn't a member of a rival crime family, but an average Joe who killed his little brother over a [[DisproportionateRetribution petty dispute]]. He tells the guy that he would've let him live if his little brother seriously wronged him, but is disgusted to find out he was killed over something pointless. While the man is begging for his life, the oldest brother starts telling the murderer about his life and how he chose to follow in the crime family's footsteps when he didn't have to. He concludes by telling the man that he knows he's going to hell, but the trick is to get used to it because when you do, you no longer care about morals. He proves this by killing the man, avenging his little brother's death.]] |
| 142 | * ''Film/HeadOffice'': In a rare moment of vulnerability, Jane tells Jack that her SleepingTheirWayToTheTop might have started out with idealistic views about what she could do in a position of power, but is just about getting more power now, and warns him not to think it will be any different if he tries to sacrifice his morals for a promotion, ForTheGreaterGood. |
| 143 | * In ''Film/JupiterAscending'', [[spoiler:unlike their sister, Balem and Titus don't try to sugar-coat the fact that obtaining their youth serum results in the deaths of untold billions of people]]. |
| 144 | * In ''Film/KnivesOut'', Ransom is one of the few Thrombleys who isn't a BitchInSheepsClothing... because he's an outright {{jerkass}} who is 100% aware of the fact that he's an unpleasant, petty, IdleRich freeloader, and has absolutely zero interest in even attempting to be anything else. He specifically notes that his parents and uncles all claim to be "self-made," when really, they're anything ''but''. Ransom, meanwhile, very openly just wants his piece of the inheritance so he can go back to his life of doing absolutely no work whatsoever. [[spoiler:This is part of why it's a genuine surprise that he's the BigBad -- he's so open about his flaws, both the audience and the other characters underestimate the depths he'll actually sink to in order to maintain his lifestyle.]] |
| 145 | * ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia'' has the slimy diplomat Dryden chide Lawrence for expressing disgust at the Sykes-Picot Treaty, which divides the post-war Middle East between Britain and France: |
| 146 | -->"If we've told lies, you've told half-lies. And the man who tells lies, like me, merely hides the truth. But the man who tells half-lies has forgotten where he's put it." |
| 147 | * ''Film/TheLastJedi'': In a CallBack to ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Rey calls Kylo Ren [[YouMonster a monster]]. This time, Kylo [[IAmAMonster agrees with her]], leaving her visibly stunned. Notably, it's after this admission that she stops being so antagonistic to him. |
| 148 | * This exchange from ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro''; The Dons are being given a tour of a gold mine, when 3-fingered Jack, a captured bandit who's being forced to work the mine, calls them out on the fact that the mineworkers are slaves: |
| 149 | -->'''Captain Love''': Ignore him, gentlemen, he's a common thief.\ |
| 150 | '''Jack''': Oh, I'm as common as they come, but I ain't nuthin' compared to you! I steal gold, I steal money, but you... ''you steal people's lives!'' |
| 151 | * In ''Film/MeanGirls'', when Cady calls Janis out on using her to bring [[AlphaBitch Regina]] down and being responsible for her transformation into a Plastic, Janis retorts that she (like Regina) knows she is manipulative and calls Cady out on trying to act all innocent because of her less social upbringing being homeschooled in Africa. |
| 152 | -->'''Janis''': God, at least me and Regina George know we're mean! You try to act like you're so innocent! ... So why are you still messing with Regina, Cady? I'll tell you why! Because you are a [[TitleDrop mean girl]]! You're a bitch! |
| 153 | * In ''Film/MrRicco'', Ricco accuses Steele of embezzling government money that was supposed to go to programs to help black people. Steele retorts that everyone steals government money and asks Ricco when he last volunteered for an audit. |
| 154 | * ''Film/{{Patton}}'s'' title character, fully aware of his own large ego, dislikes Montgomery for not admitting he's a prima-donna and drops this trope by naming while claiming that this is the difference between the two of them. |
| 155 | * In ''Film/QuizShow'', the subcommittee questions Stempel, and one points out that, by his own admission, he "prostituted your intellectual ability for money." Stempel replies that, unlike Van Doren (the guy he had to take a dive for), he's moral enough to admit it. Since the subcommittee suspects that he's lying because of an irrational hatred of Van Doren (which, to be fair, he totally has), this doesn't really make him look good. |
| 156 | * Shows up in ''Film/RomancingTheStone'', when Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas find the [[MacGuffin plot-driving]] emerald and then Danny De Vito steals it at gunpoint and accuses Douglas of having similiar designs. |
| 157 | -->'''De Vito''': But at least I'm honest. I'm not trying to [[TitleDrop romance it]] out from under her. |
| 158 | * ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'': |
| 159 | ** Amanda Young is arguably ''worse'' than John Kramer, the original Jigsaw Killer, but she openly calls out how his philosophy is deeply, ''deeply'' hypocritical, claiming that while she's a murderer, he's a self-righteous prick who tortures and kills under the veneer of helping people, which as she demonstrates, ''doesn't usually work''. |
| 160 | ** Mark Hoffman admits to [[{{Sadist}} enjoying seeing people suffer]] in their traps, and angrily snaps at John to stop pretending he doesn't. |
| 161 | ** ''Film/Spiral2021'' features the Spiral Killer, who uses Jigsaw's M.O. and methods to become a [[DirtyCop Dirty]] CopKiller. In direct contrast to John, the Spiral Killer never denies that he's a murderer; his games may give his victims a chance to survive, but he doesn't pretend he isn't responsible for their deaths. |
| 162 | * Tony Montana delivers a speech like this in a memorable scene from ''Film/Scarface1983''. |
| 163 | -->'''Tony Montana:''' What you lookin' at? You all a bunch of fuckin' assholes. You know why? You don't have the guts to be what you wanna be. You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fuckin' fingers and say, "That's the bad guy." So... what that make you? Good? You're not good. You just know how to hide, how to lie. Me, I don't have that problem. Me, I always tell the truth. Even when I lie. So say good night to the bad guy! Come on. The last time you gonna see a bad guy like this again, let me tell you. Come on. Make way for the bad guy. There's a bad guy comin' through! Better get outta his way! |
| 164 | * ''Film/TheSearchers'': Indian-hating lunatic Ethan Edwards (Creator/JohnWayne) is refreshingly open and unsubtle about his racism, even to the point of putting out the eyes of a Comanche corpse and outright stating that (according to Comanche religious beliefs) he has [[MoralEventHorizon doomed the Indian's soul to everlasting purgatory to "wander about forever between the winds."]] In fact, Ethan's hatred extends even to [[DefiledForever white women raped by Indians]], though at least he [[spoiler: does restrain himself from killing his Indian-raped niece when he finds her, returning her to her immediate family instead]]. Most of the other white characters, meanwhile, either try to play the NobleBigot role or are oblivious to the fact that they're racist at all. But at least one other character (privately) admits to harboring a vendetta against all Indians: |
| 165 | -->'''Laurie Jorgenson:''' Martin, Ethan will put a bullet through her brain. I tell you, Martha would want it that way. |
| 166 | * ''{{Film/Serenity}}'': The Operative tells Mal that neither of them has a place in the better worlds he is trying to make. |
| 167 | -->'''The Operative:''' I'm not going to live there. There's no place for me there any more than there is for you. Malcolm, I'm a monster. What I do is evil, I have no illusions about it. But it must be done. |
| 168 | * ''Film/TalkRadio'': During cruel ShockJock Barry Champlain's climatic VillainousBreakdown, he tears into his listeners and bluntly admits that he's a selfish {{Jerkass}} who only cares about himself, but unlike them he acknowledges he's a terrible person and doesn't hide behind self-righteousness. |
| 169 | -->'''Barry Champlain:''' I should hang; I'm a hypocrite. I ask for sincerity, and I lie. I denounce the system as I embrace it. I want money and power and prestige: I want ratings and success. And I don't give a damn about you, or the world. That's the truth: for that I could say I'm sorry, but I won't. Why should I? |
| 170 | * ''Film/ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbingMissouri'': The main plot involves Mildred Hayes seeking justice for her daughter, who was raped and murdered several months before the film begins, and paying to have a message attacking the police's incompetence in handling the case written on the titular billboards. When Mildred's ex-husband Charlie, [[MayDecemberRomance who's now dating a nineteen-year-old girl]], confronts her over the billboards and her stubborn refusal to have the message taken down, he points out that what she's doing won't bring their daughter back or find justice for her. When Mildred retorts that sleeping with a girl young enough to be their daughter isn't going to either, Charlie concedes so but points out that at least he's not acting like it will. |
| 171 | [[/folder]] |
| 172 | |
| 173 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 174 | * In ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'' O'Brien claims that their version of totalitarianism is superior to the regimes of Hitler and Stalin because the wicked means is the end goal in itself. |
| 175 | * In ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'', Philip Lombard is the only guest who freely admits that he's guilty of the murder [[PoeticSerialKiller U. N. Owen]] accused him of without trying to hide it. This is lampshaded in the [[Series/AndThenThereWereNone2015 2015 BBC miniseries adaptation]]; when everyone gets on their high horse and begins to condemn him (albeit with reason, since his crime was pretty horrible), he points out that he's not the only one in the room facing an accusation of something terrible, but ''is'' the only one who's admitting to it: |
| 176 | -->'''Lombard:''' So either I'm embellishing a story for shocking effect, or I'm the only one telling the truth in a room full of liars. |
| 177 | * ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheRedKing'' : Manfred Bloor is unrepentant about brainwashing Lyell Bone and has a brief ServileSnarker moment when Ezekiel makes a NeverMyFault comment about how Charlie blames the Bloors for what happened. |
| 178 | * In Creator/RobertEHoward's ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'' story "Literature/RoguesInTheHouse", Murilo does this on Conan's behalf. |
| 179 | -->''This Cimmerian is the most honest man of the three of us, because he steals and murders openly.'' |
| 180 | * ''Literature/TheCosmere'': |
| 181 | ** In ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'', Lightsong hates the lazy, self-serving behavior of himself and the other Returned. He is portrayed sympathetically, the other Returned, not so much. |
| 182 | ** ''Literature/WaxAndWayne'' features a villainous to posthumous example with [[NebulousCriminalConspiracy The Set]], who compare themselves to the thieving crew from ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}''. Three hundred years ago, the crew overthrew [[TheEmpire the Final Empire]], took over as the new leaders, and are currently hailed as saints. Mr. Suit thinks the Set are the only people willing to admit that the crew was made of criminals who were only in it for money and power, and openly gloats about how the Set will be worshiped in the future. The truth is more complicated; while half of the crew joined for money or revenge, they were chosen because they could be trusted to unselfishly run the ashes of the empire, and all of them fought the siege on their city to protect the civilians rather than their investment. |
| 183 | * Inverted in ''Literature/TheDiamondAge'', when a character's illegal activities are exposed, a legal official reassures him that there is a difference between those who oppose the law and those who genuinely respect it, but are too weak to uphold it. |
| 184 | * ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' has a fair few examples: |
| 185 | ** ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' has a dragon who is appalled by humans, not because they kill (dragons kill all the time, and are expected to do so), but because of the ways humans try to justify it. |
| 186 | --->''We were dragons. We were supposed to be cruel, cunning, heartless and terrible. But this much I can tell you, you ape: We never burned and tortured and ripped one another apart and called it morality.'' |
| 187 | ** ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'' has a villain-to-villain example where the Count von Magpyr, about to be defeated, denounces the [[TorchesAndPitchforks mob who's cornered him]] for preferring [[ClassicalMovieVampire The Old Count]] to him, since the Old Count was a monster who would hunt and kill people. The villagers respond that the Old Count ''knew'' he was a monster and never expected any favours for it; he was a FairPlayVillain because it suited him to give his victims a fighting chance, while the new count somehow thinks forcing villagers into 'blood quotas' to minimize deaths makes him less evil. |
| 188 | * One of the main themes of Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''. The European ivory hunters in the Congo literally work the native Africans to death while distributing propaganda back in Europe claiming that they're really converting the natives to Christianity. Only Kurtz, a deranged renegade from civilization, is completely open about his barbarity: he [[AGodAmI forces the Africans to worship him as a god]] and executes them when they "misbehave," sticking their heads on pikes as a warning to others. The novella's protagonist, Charlie Marlow, is horrified by Kurtz, but he also cannot help respecting Kurtz's willingness to let the world see him for what he truly is. It's also implied that the other ivory hunters hate Kurtz not so much because he's more successful at bringing in ivory, but because they know that he is, in a sense, [[PureIsNotGood more morally pure than they]]. |
| 189 | * ''Literature/HorusHeresy'': In ''Betrayer'', a pre-battle argument between Angron and Leman Russ in the lead-up to the Heresy takes much this form. Russ criticizes Angron for having his Space Marines implanted with the Butchers' Nails[[note]]cybernetic implants from Angron's homeworld that [[BehavioralConditioning make the user associate violence and bloodlust with pleasure and all other actions and emotions with pain]][[/note]] and speaks of the GodEmperor's high ideals. Angron, who was enslaved as a gladiator on his homeworld and led a rebellion against its ruling class that the Emperor kidnapped him from (leading to its defeat), retorts that [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans the Emperor's "ideals" demand the bloody conquest of any planet that dares say no to his vision]], while calling it "liberation", and then conscription of their citizens into his armies, "and I am told to call this a tithe, or recruitment, because we are too scared of the truth. We refuse to call it slavery." |
| 190 | -->'''Angron:''' I am loyal, the same as you. I am told to bathe my Legion in the blood of innocents and sinners alike, and I do it, because it is all that's left for me in this life. I do these things, and I enjoy them, not because we are moral, or right--or loving souls seeking to enlighten a dark universe--but because all I feel are the Butcher's Nails hammered into my brain. I serve because of this "mutilation". Without it? Well, perhaps I might be a more moral man, like you claim to be. A virtuous man, eh? Perhaps I might ascend the steps of our father's palace and take the slaving bastard's head.\ |
| 191 | '''Russ:''' You are lost. You gelded, black-hearted heretic.\ |
| 192 | '''Angron:''' I am merely honest, brother. In all but this you are no different from me. |
| 193 | * PlayedForLaughs in the "Three Codependent Goats Gruff" story of James Finn Garner's ''Literature/PoliticallyCorrectBedtimeStories''. When we first meet the troll under the bridge, he declares that he happens to have the natural attributes of a troll and thus should not be denied his essential right to act as a troll (i.e., eat goats). The Goats Gruff realize they can't dispute this argument, so they each talk the troll into letting them go to discuss each imminent devouring with their siblings, claiming it would be "selfish" not to do so. (Eventually, when the biggest of the goats shows up, the troll is so frightened that he immediately apologizes for trying to eat the goats; this leads the goat in turn to apologize for trying to deprive the troll of his source of food. They each become so adamant about claiming the guilt for the incident that they eventually get into a fistfight.) |
| 194 | * Kaz Brekker of ''Literature/SixOfCrows'' is a clever, brutal, and dangerous gang member who is most famous under the nicknames "Dirtyhands" and "The Bastard of the Barrel". As a ''child'' he gained the reputation of being willing to do just about anything as long as he was paid. As a seventeen-year-old, he not only freely admits to being a terrible person, but relies on his reputation. His friends often rely on it, as well, as a form of protection. |
| 195 | * In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the cynical, anti-villainous Sandor Clegane calls out the Brotherhood Without Banners for putting on airs about their own murderous actions and attempting to condemn him for crimes of his employer with which he had no connection: |
| 196 | -->"A Knight's a sword with a horse. The rest, the vows and the sacred oils and [[TheLadysFavour The Lady's Favours]], they're silk ribbons tied 'round the sword. Maybe the Sword's prettier with ribbons hanging of it, but it'll kill you just as dead. Well, bugger your ribbons, and shove your swords up your arses. I'm the same as you. The only difference is, I don't lie about what I am. So, kill me, but don't call me a murderer while you stand there telling each other your shit don't stink. You hear me?" |
| 197 | * ''Franchise/{{Superman}}: Last Son of Krypton''. |
| 198 | -->In solitary Luthor decided that his motivation was beyond even the love or hate or whatever it was he had for humanity. It was consuming desire for godhood, fired by the unreasonable conviction that such a thing was somehow possible. He began by being an honest man. He was a criminal and said so. |
| 199 | * In ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'', when the Wizard's true identity is revealed, and the heroes accuse him of being a humbug (which means a charlatan) he admits it, saying sadly, "Yes, that's exactly what I am, a humbug." (However, he protests when Dorothy calls him a bad man, insisting, "No, I'm a very good man, I'm just a very bad wizard.") The scene was pretty much the same in [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the movie version]]. |
| 200 | * ''Literature/{{Worm}}'': Regent tells Shadow Stalker at one point that they're both "arrogant assholes," but at least he doesn't pretend that's a good thing. The technical term is sociopath, but he's far from wrong. [[/folder]] |
| 201 | |
| 202 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 203 | * ''Series/BadToTheBone'': Francesca Wells is a beautiful {{teen|sAreMonsters}}ager whose sole goal in life is to [[GoldDigger screw (and screw over) as many wealthy men as possible]], and [[BlackWidow she doesn't balk at resorting to murder to get what she wants, either]]. Through it all, her one virtue is that at least she is aware of her depraved and degraded nature and will own up to it on occasion. |
| 204 | -->'''Man she's trying to seduce:''' We don't get many whores up here.\ |
| 205 | '''Francesca:''' ''(bitterly)'' Well, you've got yourself one now. |
| 206 | * [[Recap/BlackMirrorTheWaldoMoment One episode]] of ''Series/BlackMirror'' has an animation team put a cartoon bear named Waldo in the running for Parliament. He racks up votes by the sheer ridiculousness of the concept and putting out statements saying how he's honest about not standing for anything, but it's subverted when his increasingly pissed voice actor points out that it doesn't change the fact that ''he still doesn't stand for anything'' and voting for a character that has no policies whatsoever just because he admits to it makes a mockery of the whole voting process. [[spoiler:The episode ends with his voice actor becoming homeless and alcoholic while Waldo is used as a figurehead for a ''global'' totalitarian political movement. The similarities between the Waldo movement and the real-life alt-right use of Pepe the frog are entirely intentional.]] |
| 207 | * In the second episode of ''Series/TheBlacklist'', VillainProtagonist Reddington goes up against a particularly vile sort of {{Hypocrite}}: [[spoiler:a woman who uses a charity intended to help free women from human trafficking as cover for her own human trafficking network]]. Reddington appears to be particularly incensed by this, both because the crime in question pushes one of his EvenEvilHasStandards buttons but also because of the sheer, despicable nature of the two-facedness; Reddington himself is a monster, albeit an AffablyEvil one, but he's one who owns the things he does and certainly doesn't sanctimoniously pretend to oppose the crimes he profits from. |
| 208 | * ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': |
| 209 | ** Spike in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E8LoversWalk Lovers Walk]]": Drusilla breaking up with him has left him a complete drunken wreck - but he still gets to snark at Buffy and Angel's insistence that they're JustFriends now. |
| 210 | --->"You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it." |
| 211 | ** Glory does this during a motive rant to Dawn: |
| 212 | --->'''Glory:''' People. How do they function here like this in the world with all this bile running through them? Every day, it's like whoo! You have no control. They're not even animals. There just these meat-baggy slaves to hormones and pheromones and their—their feelings. Hate 'em! I mean, really. Is this what the poets go on about? This? Call me crazy, but as hardcore drugs go, human emotion is just useless. People are puppets, everyone getting jerked around by what they're feelin'. Am I wrong? Really, I want to know. [...] So you're saying some people like this? Funny, 'cause I look around at this world you're so eager to a part of, and all I see are six billion lunatics looking for the fastest way out. Who's not crazy? Look around. Everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other, or just plain screwing their brains out 'cause they don't want 'em anymore. I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind. 'Cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts. |
| 213 | ** In season 6's "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E21TwoToGo Two to Go]]", Buffy attempts to reason with [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Dark Willow]], trying to get her to focus on the positives and realize there's much more to live for. It doesn't work, and Willow just blasts Buffy for being a {{hypocrite}}, pointing out all of Buffy's self-destructive habits and depression since her resurrection at the beginning of the season. In Willow's words, Buffy hates living in the world just as much as Willow herself does; Willow's just more willing to admit it. |
| 214 | --->'''Willow''': Oh, please! ''This'' is your pitch? Buffy, you hate it here as much as I do. I'm just more honest about it.\ |
| 215 | '''Buffy''': [[BlatantLies That's not true!]]\ |
| 216 | '''Willow''': You're trying to sell me on the world? The one where you lie to your friends when you're not trying to kill them? And you [[DestructiveRomance screw a vampire just to feel]]? And [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E17NormalAgain insane asylums are the comfy alternative]]? This world? Buffy, it's me. I know you were happier when you were in the ground. The only time you were ever at peace in your whole life is when you were ''dead''. Until [[ThirdPersonPerson Willow]] [[UnwantedRevival brought you back]]. |
| 217 | * In ''Series/BurnNotice'', the main character, Michael Westen, formerly had an older, more experienced partner named Larry who was sort of like a mentor figure to him. He and Larry conducted many black operations together for years, some of which, according to Larry, were the kind that only the darkest breed of soldier would have the heart to carry out. This partnership came to an end when Larry decided to fake his death because he was tired of working for the CIA and wanted to go freelance as a mercenary. Years later, Michael is issued a burn notice, effectively firing him from his job at the CIA, and Larry shows up offering him a chance to go freelance with him. The only thing is that Larry has become much crueler in his methods since last they met, and Michael says he would much rather try getting his job with the CIA back than deal with Larry's cruel tendencies. Larry, in all of his appearances, never gives up on trying to convert Michael to his side, saying that there is a dark side to Michael's nature that he saw during their years together, the only difference between them being that Michael is denying his evil nature while Larry has embraced his. |
| 218 | * Parodied on ''Series/TheChrisRockShow'' with the "Mike Tyson for President" ads, which show Tyson admitting stuff like how he's a convicted rapist and "a semi-good husband". |
| 219 | * In the sitcom version of ''Series/DennisTheMenace'', John Wilson is running against his rival neighbor Lucy Elkins for president of the local birdwatchers' society. The first mockingbird makes its nest in Mr. Wilson's yard, and he tries to shoo it away by getting rid of its nest. Meanwhile, Mrs. Elkins puts a tape recorder in Mr. Wilson's yard to record the song of a rare bird, and Dennis accidentally turns it on, [[ChekhovsGun with an accidental recording of her pretending to give her cat away which is played back later on]], and Mr. Wilson admits that even though he tried to throw the mockingbirds' nest out as carefully as possible, Dennis and Tommy found an injured bird which they nursed to health, and they recall the good example Mr. Wilson set, with Mr. Timberlake admitting that mockingbirds are pesky, while Mrs. Elkins only wanted the position to increase her social status, and she doesn't even care much for birds, running for club president with a superficial motive to spite Mr. Wilson, because she doesn't care that much for birds as Mr. Wilson does. |
| 220 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 221 | ** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS9E5TheTimeMonster The Time Monster]]", the Master's reaction to the Doctor saying "[[YoureInsane You're mad, paranoid]]," is "Who isn't? The only difference is that I'm just a little more honest than the rest." |
| 222 | ** Davros attempts to inflict this on the Doctor in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd Journey's End]]", comparing his ultra-xenophobic creations (the Daleks) to the Doctor's companions, who are threatening to sacrifice the Earth to save reality from the Daleks. The Doctor is too depressed to offer a rebuttal, but the difference is that Davros acts only out of a desire for power - the Doctor and their companions always have good intentions at heart. |
| 223 | * ''Series/{{ER}}'s'' resident {{Jerkass}}, Dr. Robert Romano. As much as everyone hated him, you couldn't deny that he freely admitted to being an egomaniac whose sole concern was his own well-being. This is in stark contrast to Kerry Weaver, who hid this same behavior under a facade of friendly concern, only to backstab anyone foolish enough to trust her. |
| 224 | * ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Bronn knows exactly who and what he is and makes absolutely no apologies or excuses for it. This has the effect of people trying to insult him and he agrees with them. |
| 225 | -->'''Meryn:''' You're an upjumped cutthroat. Nothing more.\ |
| 226 | '''Bronn:''' That's ''exactly'' who I am. |
| 227 | ** Also comes up when Sandor accuses him of loving killing and pulls a NotSoDifferentRemark moment. |
| 228 | --->'''Sandor:''' You're just like me. Only smaller.\ |
| 229 | '''Bronn:''' And quicker. |
| 230 | * In the ''Series/MurdochMysteries'' episode "Vengeance Makes the Man", Maurice Majors has kidnapped Inspector Brakenreid to force him to sign a confession that he sent a member of Majors' gang to the gallows for a crime he didn't commit (but he had committed other murders Brakenreid couldn't prove). He refuses to do so. |
| 231 | -->'''Majors''': A man is dead because of you!\ |
| 232 | '''Brakenreid''': And several men are dead because of you. Where's ''your'' confession?\ |
| 233 | '''Majors''': I'm not holding myself up as a paragon of law and order. I know exactly who I am. |
| 234 | * In ''Series/PeakyBlinders'', Tommy Shelby, one of the titular Blinders, accuses LondonGangster Alfie Solomons of "crossing the line" by [[spoiler:selling him out to the Economic League]]. Alfie is enraged by this because he can't believe that Shelby considers himself a more moral man than Alfie when they're both equally murderous gangsters. |
| 235 | -->'''Alfie Solomons:''' And what fucking line am I supposed to have crossed?! How many fathers, how many sons, have you cut, killed, murdered, fucking butchered, innocent and guilty, sent 'em straight to fucking Hell! JUST LIKE ME! And you fucking stand there—you, judging me—stand there and talk to me about crossing some fucking line?! |
| 236 | ** As of the season 3 finale, Tommy has no intention of uniting the family under the pretense of his new ambitious plot being their OneLastJob. He no longer believes they have to stop being ruthless gangsters in order to be like normal upper class people, because he's seen firsthand that those "decent" people they're trying to emulate are no better than the murderous street thugs they're trying to distance themselves from. Tommy is JustAGangster, but a lot of those traditionally wealthy people would be considered criminals too if they weren't AboveTheLaw. |
| 237 | * In ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' Root is this, that while she does horrible things, she has no problem admitting what she does. She feels that some people are just bad code that need to be corrected. |
| 238 | * In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' Troi meets another half-betazoid working as a negotiator and begins a passionate romance with him. Eventually, she realizes that he uses his own empathic abilities to gain an advantage at the bargaining table. When she calls him out on it, he first states that people always use similar tactics when negotiating and then that she does the exact same thing, only that when she does it very well might result in the deaths of large numbers of people. Disgusted and irritated by her attitude, he cuts short their date. |
| 239 | * In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', Archer comes up against Vosk, the leader of one of the factions that's trying to rewrite history as part of the Temporal Cold War. Vosk tries to turn Archer to his side by claiming that Daniels and the temporal agents who try to protect history are actually trying to alter history to their own benefit. |
| 240 | --> '''Vosk:''' They have an agenda.\ |
| 241 | '''Archer:''' So do you.\ |
| 242 | '''Vosk:''' At least I don't hide my intentions. |
| 243 | * This seems to be the crux of Omar's takedown of drug lawyer Maurice Levy in ''Series/TheWire'' episode "[[Recap/TheWireS02E06AllPrologue All Prologue]]": When told that he's a leech, stealing from those who steal the lifeblood of the city, Omar's only response is, "Just like you, man." |
| 244 | -->'''Omar:''' I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. ''(shrugs)'' S'all in the game, though, right?\ |
| 245 | '''Levy:''' ''(stares at the judge, who just shrugs)'' |
| 246 | [[/folder]] |
| 247 | |
| 248 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 249 | * On Music/ElvisCostello's ''Music/MyAimIsTrue'' the AlbumTitleDrop from "Allison" implies this: |
| 250 | -->''Allison, I know this world is killing you'' = "I know the world is going to break your heart"\ |
| 251 | ''Allison, my aim is true'' = "I will too, but I'll be more forthright about it." |
| 252 | * Music/EscapeTheFate starts [[IHateSong "H8 MY SELF"]] with these lines, suggesting it's the reason why the singer hates the target more than themself. |
| 253 | -->I'm a hypocrite but at least I fucking own it\ |
| 254 | You never admit that you're anything but golden |
| 255 | * Music/FallingInReverse has the song "Caught Like a Fly": |
| 256 | -->I'm no fucking saint\ |
| 257 | but at least I'll fucking sing about it!!\ |
| 258 | Oh, the audacity! |
| 259 | * Music/NickCave's "The Curse of Milhaven": |
| 260 | -->I'm a [[EnfantTerrible wicked young lady]]\ |
| 261 | But I've been trying hard lately - \ |
| 262 | Aw, FUCK IT! IAmAMonster! I admit it! |
| 263 | * "My Plague" by Music/{{Slipknot}} features this in its lyrics: |
| 264 | -->I'm just a bastard\ |
| 265 | but at least I admit it\ |
| 266 | At least I admit it! |
| 267 | * Similar to TISM, the 1970s pop-rock group Music/TenCC had "Worst Band in the World": |
| 268 | -->''It's one thing to know it but another to admit''\ |
| 269 | ''We're the worst band in the world but we don't give a'' [[SubvertedRhymeEveryOccasion *guitar lick*]] |
| 270 | * {{Music/TISM}}'s "We Are The Champignons" is entirely about [[SelfDeprecation admitting how terrible they are]]. |
| 271 | -->It's about time that a rock band spoke\ |
| 272 | Admitted that they were a joke\ |
| 273 | We'll be the first in the neighbourhood\ |
| 274 | To say without a doubt, we're no good! |
| 275 | [[/folder]] |
| 276 | |
| 277 | [[folder:New Media]] |
| 278 | * In WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's review of ''Film/CharliesAngels2000'' she compares it to ''Film/BarbWire''--both are exploitative to women but the latter tries to make up for it by having its protagonist act bitter and angry at the world. She admits she kind of prefers ''Charlie's Angels'' because at least it's ''honest'' about being stupid pseudo-soft-core porn. |
| 279 | * [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] has a variation where after he made a joke about [[MadScientist Dr. Insano]] becoming PresidentEvil, he's talked to fans who said they would vote for him "Because he's honest". |
| 280 | ** In his review of ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'', Insano delineates his AlternativeCharacterInterpretation that Ferris is a slimeball who manipulates people for his own enjoyment while acting noble: "I may be evil, but at least I'm not full of crap!" |
| 281 | [[/folder]] |
| 282 | |
| 283 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 284 | * Eddie Guerrero in Wrestling/{{WWE}}: "I lie, I cheat, I steal. But at least I'm honest about it." |
| 285 | ** Following Guerrero's FaceHeelTurn, this honesty took on even darker tones: |
| 286 | -->'''Eddie (rapping on his theme song):''' I don't care if you don't like me...I can't be beat, comin' from the streets of the ghetto / At the end of the week, I get to keep your ''[[BilingualBonus dinero]]'' / You're fast asleep when I sneak in your ''[[BilingualBonus casa]]'' / Your life sucks cuz you're bankrupt and I'm laughin' / [[NWordPrivileges You can't trust me,]] ''[[NWordPrivileges cuz I'M LATIN!]] |
| 287 | * This was part of Wrestling/{{Kane}}'s mindset in his "Embrace the Hate" angle with Wrestling/JohnCena: he would preach to the audience that hatred was a normal part of the human psyche, but Kane was the only one not pretending that it wasn't there. |
| 288 | * Wrestling/RandyOrton delivered one when he declared he was not an honorable person and would take out his own grandmother to remain WWE Champion. Even more disturbing when you realize he was treated as a Face at the time. |
| 289 | [[/folder]] |
| 290 | |
| 291 | [[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]] |
| 292 | * Creator/GeorgeCarlin theorized that this was why Americans elected Clinton over Dole in 1996: |
| 293 | -->'''Dole''': I'm a plain and honest man.\ |
| 294 | '''Voters''': Bullshit!\ |
| 295 | '''Clinton''': Hi folks, I'm completely full of shit and how do you like that?\ |
| 296 | '''Voters''': Y'know something? At least he's honest. |
| 297 | ** And he actually uses the words "at least I admit it" in ''Jammin' in New York'' when talking about his favorite thing on TV--bad news. He proclaims that accidents, disasters, fires, and explosions are mother's milk to him--and to most other people, he asserts, even though they would never acknowledge the feeling and instead put on a front of mock horror. |
| 298 | [[/folder]] |
| 299 | |
| 300 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 301 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' adventure ''Deathstroke'': The villain group "The Destroyers" decide to take over the United States. They think they'll be better leaders than the corrupt politicians running the country because the Destroyers admit that they're criminals. |
| 302 | * A ''lot'' of references to the [[LawfulStupid modrons]] and the [[TheChessmaster rilmani]] in the ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' campaign mention that dealing with demons is often ''easier'' than dealing with them because at least with demons, you know what to expect. |
| 303 | [[/folder]] |
| 304 | |
| 305 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 306 | * ''Theatre/SeventeenSeventySix'': The point of the song "Molasses to Rum", where a delegate from South Carolina protests the dithering over denouncing slavery in the Declaration of Independence by pointing out that sure, South Carolina is a slaveholding state... but the Northern states are ''also'' guilty of participating in the slave trade, and at least South Carolina isn't claiming to oppose slavery while they do it. |
| 307 | * In Act II of ''Theatre/IntoTheWoods'' the Witch calls out the "heroes" of the play in "The Last Midnight" for their questionable deeds which they justify by needing to get what they wanted. Then when they have to face the consequences they hurry to other people. |
| 308 | * OlderThanSteam: Shakespeare's ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'' has Don John describing himself as "a plain-dealing villain". |
| 309 | * ''Theatre/NoExit'': While Garcin and Estelle insist they were sent to Hell by some mistake and are good people, Inez openly admits that she was an awful person in life and had this coming. She goads the others until they admit it, too. |
| 310 | * ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance'': This is more or less the basis of the Pirate King's IAmSong. |
| 311 | -->Oh, better far to live and die\ |
| 312 | Under the brave black flag I fly\ |
| 313 | Than play a sanctimonious part\ |
| 314 | With a pirate head and a pirate heart\ |
| 315 | Away to the cheating world go you\ |
| 316 | Where pirates all are well-to-do\ |
| 317 | But I'll be true to the song I sing\ |
| 318 | And live and die a pirate king |
| 319 | * In ''Theatre/HereWeAre'', Leo calls out Fritz saying that while he's an unrepentant asshole at least he doesn't pretend to be anything else, while Fritz [[{{Hypocrite}} enjoys the benefits of her family's wealthy lifestyle while crusading against the evils of the rich]]. |
| 320 | [[/folder]] |
| 321 | |
| 322 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 323 | * ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'': |
| 324 | ** Various templars sometimes give this. Perhaps the most obvious use of this was by Haytham Kenway in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'', who said the only difference between him and the revolutionary leaders is that "I do not feign affection." |
| 325 | ** Sort of [[InvertedTrope inverted]] in ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate Syndicate]]'', which has a case of "At Least ''You'' Admit It". One Bounty Hunt has Emmet Sedgwick, who in contrast to other targets' tendencies to deny their crimes, shamelessly admits to having committed "every crime in the book" and states that it's about time the police came to arrest them given that they've been after him for years. If the mission is done as Evie, she will comment on his honesty. If it's done as Jacob, on the other hand, he merely expresses surprise that the police took so long to catch him. but it's still an example. |
| 326 | * The BigBad of ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'', Lord Recluse, self-identifies as a villain; As a result villains, anti-villains, and anti-heroes that try to justify their actions, piss him right the hell off. This is most blatant as he is confronting the alternate-universe version of the BigGood (in that reality a NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist) - point blank stating the trope as he points out they're both evil, but unlike the other guy, he doesn't try to hide it, and yet the citizens are [[RootingForTheEmpire outright rooting for him]] to kick his "well-intentioned" ass. |
| 327 | * ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'': This is Kaido's philosophy. To him, all people are ugly, selfish, and power-grubbing underneath and try to solve all their problems with force -- he just doesn't see the point in trying to hide it. This comes to light when [[spoiler:he ends up in a fight with the resident KnightTemplar of the lockdown and [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech ends up explaining how]] they're [[NotSoDifferentRemark similar]], pointing out how both of them are using their demons to bully others into doing what they want... just before ordering Pazuzu to strangle and fry his opponent to death]]. |
| 328 | * ''Videogame/FarCry4'': This is ultimately what sets Pagan Min apart from just about every other major player. While the others all feel compelled to justify their horrible deeds regardless of how ridiculous it becomes in the face of their increasing brutality, he is the only one who admits that [[spoiler:deep down he wanted to commit his atrocities and the death of his infant daughter was just an excuse.]] |
| 329 | * Harley Quinn in ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' [[HeelFaceTurn works for the good guys]], although she isn't without her share of blood and sins from the previous games. Wonder Woman calls Harley out for trying to do good while having blood on her hands, to which Harley casually admits it while calling Wonder Woman out. |
| 330 | -->'''Harley''': "Oh, bucketfulls, honey. Trying too hard to impress [[ComicBook/TheJoker the wrong guy]]. Like you and Superman. |
| 331 | * ''VideoGame/JurassicParkTheGame'' has a case of "At Least ''He'' Admits It" when Billy's true nature is revealed and Nima confronts him about it. Though Oscar was one of the mercenaries who took part in killing some of her people to eject them from their island, she at least had some respect for him never pretending he was anything other than a killer to fool himself or others, and for at least being willing to do selfless and brave things when he wasn't [[JustFollowingOrders under orders to do terrible things]]. Billy, as far as she's concerned, is just rotten to the core and only ''pretends'' to be otherwise. |
| 332 | -->'''Nima:''' Oscar may have been a devil, but he wore his sins on his arm for everyone to see! You... you are just a mask with nothing behind it! |
| 333 | * ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' has Atton Rand calling out the Jedi for their hypocrisy and states that, for as bad as the Sith may be, at least they're honest about what they're killing for. |
| 334 | ** The sequel ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', has this line of thought showing up ''everywhere''. Republic-aligned characters will usually have it thrown at them. If you're playing a Sith, especially a light-aligned Sith, you hand it out like Halloween candy. |
| 335 | * ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': In ''VideoGame/{{Blood Omen 2|LegacyOfKain}}'', Kain was at a point where learning that his own plan drove away his followers struck a nerve. By ''[[VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver Soul Reaver]]'', he won't deny that his motives are selfish and looks down on hiding selfish motives behind supposedly altruistic ones. Even as early as ''VideoGame/{{Blood Omen|LegacyOfKain}}'', Kain shows this side of himself; he's disgusted by the {{Vampire Hunter}}s Moebius rallies for being {{hypocrite}}s that "cloak their bloodlust [[KnightTemplar beneath a veil of righteousness]]", whereas he makes no pretense to justify his killing. |
| 336 | -->'''Kain:''' There's no ''shame'' in it, Raziel – revenge is motivation enough. At least it's honest. ''Hate'' me, but do it ''honestly.'' |
| 337 | * ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'': If there's one thing [[{{Deuteragonist}} Chloe Price]] and her stepfather [[CrazySurvivalist David Madsen]] agree on, it's that the latter is highly paranoid, with David noting that [[ShellShockedVeteran it's a natural side-effect of combat]]. |
| 338 | * ''VideoGame/MarioParty3'': Baby Bowser (along with Toad) will occasionally hand out items to players who land on the item space. He asks you a personal question about your habits (like "Do you keep your room clean?"), and he rewards someone who admits to being rather undisciplined and childish ("You're honest, I like that.") If the player answers that he keeps his room clean, Baby Bowser will accuse the player of just saying whatever sounds good in order to get a prize, and the reward is more stingy than what he gives to someone who admits to letting his room get messy. |
| 339 | * ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'''s Bishop holds much the same view. He doesn't bother to hide his inherent beastliness and says as much if you try to dig out his FreudianExcuse through conversation. |
| 340 | * ''VideoGame/NintendoWars'': |
| 341 | ** ''Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising'': This is Lash's attitude towards Sonja. She feels that they're similar: they both [[WarHasNeverBeenSoMuchFun treat war like a game]], but at least she admits that [[CardCarryingVillain she's a sociopath who doesn't care about her soldiers' lives]]. |
| 342 | ** ''Advance Wars: Days of Ruin'': Waylon says that Will only does his heroism to feel self-important; at least ''he'' doesn't hide the fact that he's a selfish bastard. Will counteracts that he might indeed be [[spoiler:leading Brenner's Wolves]] and helping people just so he can feel like a hero, but believes if it helps even one person, then it's absolutely worth it. [[VillainousBreakdown Waylon does not take it well]]. |
| 343 | * ''VideoGame/NoOneHasToDie'': Christina criticizes Steve's willingness to actually sacrifice himself. When he rebuts to whether she can do it, she replies she can't, but at least doesn't pretend that she can. |
| 344 | * ''VideoGame/Persona5'': [[ChivalrousPervert Ryuji Sakamoto]] makes no secret of the fact that he's a big pervert. When Ann Takamaki calls him out for staring at her sweating state when they were in the Mona Car on the way to [[spoiler: Futaba's Palace]], he doesn't even try to deny it, saying that "it was a great view." |
| 345 | * ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'': |
| 346 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'': While Yuri Lowell does reason that his {{Vigilante Execution}}s save lives, he nevertheless makes no secret of the fact that he would much rather ''not'' be doing them, openly admitting his actions are those of a "common criminal" when Flynn says so. Notably, he takes this trope one step further than most examples by giving a decent answer to the question "If you're aware of your flaw then why don't you fix it?"- [[IveComeTooFar he thinks there's no going back for him]], since [[TheseHandsHaveKilled he can't take back what he's done]]. |
| 347 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'': The protagonists may have done [[AntiHeroTeam plenty of morally questionable things]], but they're well-aware that they're not particularly good people, with Magilou calling them a "band of villains" and Velvet in particular being a bit ''too'' self-aware [[IAmAMonster for her own good]]. This is in contrast to the Abbey, who [[KnightTemplar would sooner turn a little girl into a monster than admit they're capable of any wrongdoing]], with even Eleanor being a huge {{Hypocrite}} before her much-needed HeelRealization. |
| 348 | * ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'': A consistent trait of [[VillainProtagonist Kazuya Mishima]]'s is his conscious refusal to hide the fact that he is a cold-blooded bastard driven by ruthless ambition. Half because he possesses the power to crush almost anyone who would dare oppose him for it (and therefore has no need to endear himself to them), and half out of spite for his ArchnemesisDad, Heihachi, being a VillainWithGoodPublicity whose good deeds are done [[PragmaticVillainy primarily for his own benefit]]. The closest to exceptions to this are him keeping his Devil form a DarkSecret and utilizing the good PR received by G Corporation opposing the Mishima Zaibatsu during WorldWarIII in ''6''. |
| 349 | * ''VideoGame/{{Tyranny}}'': Verse, one of your companions, is a self-admitted murderer and cut-throat who likes killing things. One of the quicker ways to get on her nerves is to insist that killing things is justified by things like 'higher ideals' or 'glory'; as far as she is concerned, just admitting you like killing is much more honest. This is one of the reasons she can't stand [[JustFollowingOrders Barik]] and gets along well with [[SocialDarwinist Kills-in-Shadow]]. |
| 350 | * ''VideoGame/Uncharted4AThiefsEnd'': Despicable as he is, [[BigBad Rafe Adler]] makes no attempt to hide the fact that he's a selfish GloryHound who wants to find Henry Avery's treasure (which he doesn't remotely need due to how wealthy he is) simply to feel that he earned something in his life for once. He even points out to Nate and Sam that they're no more deserving of the treasure than he is, saying that at the end of the day they're all just "a bunch of thieves digging around where [they] shouldn't". |
| 351 | * ''VideoGame/Vampyr2018'': Even when [[KarmaMeter played]] as a FullyEmbracedFiend, Jonathan Reid is utterly disgusted at Dr. Swansea upon discovering that he [[spoiler:betrayed not one, but two of his patients by feeding vampire blood to Harriet Jones, triggering the Skal epidemic in London]]. When Swansea states that Jonathan has no room to judge him due to his own victims, Jonathan retorts that while they're both deceivers, he at least admits [[IAmAMonster he's a monster]]. |
| 352 | [[/folder]] |
| 353 | |
| 354 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 355 | * ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Leonardo "Leo" Lionheart is distraught over selling his oldest friend Ozpin out. When he and [[spoiler:Raven Branwen]] discuss having been forced to work for Salem, Leo rightfully suggests they're both [[DirtyCoward doing it out of fear]]. While he goes on admit feeling guilty about it, stating that Ozpin would be right to not forgive him for the, [[spoiler:Raven]] argues that all their actions were justified as they only did what was necessary to survive. Leo asks them [[YouKeepTellingYourselfThat who are they trying to convince]]. |
| 356 | [[/folder]] |
| 357 | |
| 358 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 359 | * In ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' this reasoning leads the Light Warriors to buy an airship from "[[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2003/08/05/episode-315-the-lesser-of-two-cons/ Jeff's Discount Deathtraps]]" instead of "[[HonestJohnsDealership Akbar's Airships (not deathtraps)]]". |
| 360 | * Tom's excuse for being a ManipulativeBastard in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' is that everyone says what they think will get the right reaction from others, and at least he admits it... to ''himself''. Susan shuts him down by acknowledging that, while the JerkassHasAPoint, the majority of people at least do it with good intentions, which Tom very much does not. |
| 361 | * In ''Webcomic/LeastICouldDo'', Rayne gets word that a lesbian is gonna be working in his company, and he puts out a company-wide hunt for her. One of his aides calls him out on his actions but wrongly accuses it of being a WitchHunt. Rayne would then [[GirlOnGirlIsHot clarify his stance]]. |
| 362 | -->'''Rayne''': I'm not a monster, Nancy; I'm a sexual deviant. |
| 363 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' |
| 364 | ** Redcloak attempts to [[BreakThemByTalking break Miko by talking]] in this fashion. He accuses paladins of being unnatural thanks to their divine immunity to fear, arguing that Xykon the Lich "is an unnatural abomination, but at least he ''cops'' to it". However, Redcloak himself gets an enhanced lifespan from the Crimson Mantle he wears, yet he remains very private about that matter. |
| 365 | ** Xykon does this to Redcloak in ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickStartOfDarkness Start of Darkness]]''. Redcloak has just [[spoiler:murdered his own brother to save Xykon and further his plans]], and Xykon is well aware of it. He tells Redcloak that all he succeeded in doing is prove that he is just as evil as Xykon, but hides it under his [[WellIntentionedExtremist good intentions]], and will now serve loyally because he's too chickenshit to accept all the horrible things he's "had to" do [[SunkCostFallacy becoming meaningless if he quits]]. [[spoiler:Redcloak has since convinced himself he's still in charge, just secretly, but he's ''very'' bad at being honest with himself and Xykon has repeatedly proved he's smarter than people assume.]] |
| 366 | * ''{{Webcomic/Precocious}}'''s Dionne used this in her [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2010/03/12 campaign for class president]]. |
| 367 | * Brain from ''Webcomic/SamAndFuzzy'' subverts this trope. He's seemingly completely open and honest about being a selfish person who trusts nobody, but also uses this 'honesty' [[HiddenAgendaVillain to cloak his real objectives]] and drove his protege Hazel into becoming an asocial nutcase by {{Gaslighting}} her into thinking everyone is as selfish and untrustworthy as he is over the course of decades. |
| 368 | * ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' has [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2002-01-22 this]] as a [[ComplimentBackfire botched compliment]]: |
| 369 | -->'''Thrummb''': At least you are honest enough not to pretend to morality, sir.\ |
| 370 | '''Gamm''': You need to work on the internal consistency of your flattery, Thrummb. |
| 371 | * ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'': |
| 372 | ** [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0045-blurring-aligns/ A dark elf captive sharing her expectations with a goblin:]] |
| 373 | --->'''Gren:''' That's what ''our'' people would do! But we're evil. These people are good! They wouldn't do that sort of thing!\ |
| 374 | '''Arachne:''' Sweetheart... In ''this'' world the difference between good and evil is that good pretends not to enjoy this sort of thing. |
| 375 | ** Broch has [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0180-the-evilness-of-good/ a disagreement]] with his colleague on this matter, though: if the "good guys" have all the same ''despite'' their priests preaching the opposite, this means [[EvilerThanThou what]]? |
| 376 | [[/folder]] |
| 377 | |
| 378 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 379 | * ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'': In Season 4, [[BigBad Dream]] pulls this card with [[WellIntentionedExtremist Sam]][[note]]who allowed Quackity to torture Dream as revenge for Dream murdering Tommy[[/note]], claiming that unlike Sam, he's at least honest about being a monster. It rings hollow, since not only does Dream try to present himself as more moral than Sam almost immediately, but he conveniently leaves out having tortured and murdered two people himself simply to test an experiment, among his ''many'' other transgressions. |
| 380 | * Cao Cao has this attitude towards Liu Bei in ''Fanfic/FarceOfTheThreeKingdoms.'' He's not ''pretending'' to be a Han loyalist, and Liu Bei's self-serving pretense is... flimsy. |
| 381 | * Commentary [=YouTuber=] Jordan Theresa thinks there's nothing wrong with models and influencers having plastic surgery and Botox, or editing their photos. However, she's highly critical of those who don't disclose it and claim their looks are all-natural, feeling that this is dishonest and can lead to their young fans developing self-esteem issues because they're comparing themselves to an image that literally isn't real. Jordan herself has had some work done and sometimes edits her photos, but fully admits it, along with the time she spends on makeup, specifically because she doesn't want to misrepresent things for her younger viewers. As she puts it, "It cost me money to look like this!" |
| 382 | * Defied in the ''Website/TheOnion'' article "[[https://www.theonion.com/asshole-admits-to-being-asshole-in-supreme-asshole-move-1819567374 Asshole Admits To Being Asshole In Supreme Asshole Move]]". |
| 383 | -->'''Bob French:''' He acted like outing his own assholiness somehow made it our problem, not his. What a dick. |
| 384 | * In ''Literature/{{Twig}}'', Sylvester has an example of this trope after several of his hostages (wealthy young members of the aristocracy) see him have Mary poison a socialite, and call him a monster. |
| 385 | -->''I’m a monster that knows exactly what he is. You’re three monsters who pretend not to see. When and if things get ugly, I want you to remember, the ugliness you’re seeing has been ongoing, affecting the poor, the people who you and your families stepped on to get here.'' |
| 386 | [[/folder]] |
| 387 | |
| 388 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 389 | * This forms the solution in the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Shallow Vows", where Stan and Francine discover they only love each other for extremely shallow reasons - Stan is only interested in Francine's beauty, Francine only married Stan so she wouldn't have to work - and at the end of the day they decide that their marriage works anyway because they're honest about how shallow they are, going so far as to renew their vows by stating as much. |
| 390 | -->'''Stan:''' I promise, when you start to sag, to subject you to risky elective surgery.\ |
| 391 | '''Francine:''' And I promise to be with you only if you make money and stay healthy.\ |
| 392 | '''Stan:''' Alzheimer's runs in my family.\ |
| 393 | '''Francine:''' You'll be dealing with that solo. |
| 394 | * In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'', Jon turns on an infomercial for a weight-loss product with a disclaimer at the beginning that says, "The following show is a half-hour commercial that we've disguised as a real program because we figure you're all too stupid to tell the difference." To which Garfield replies, "At least they're honest." (Seeing as the product being sold is a complete scam and the episode ends with the perky female host being exposed as a ConArtist, the episode is likely meant as a TakeThat towards such programs.) |
| 395 | * WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck admits that he's a coward in "Ducking the Devil"; however, he is willing to stand up to the Tasmanian Devil when he hears that there's a $5,000 reward offered by the zoo because he also admits he's a ''greedy'' coward. |
| 396 | * ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'': Dick Dastardly not only acknowledges his evilness, but he also embellishes it: |
| 397 | -->'''Narrator:''' As Yankee Doodle Pigeon breaks the morning stillness while flying another dangerous mission, he keeps a wary eye out for the vicious Vulture Squadron...skippered by the deadly, diabolical, despicable demon of the skyways, Dick Dastardly!\ |
| 398 | '''Dastardly:''' You left out dashing and debonair! |
| 399 | ** On ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'' after the narrator calls him "the Dracula of the drag strip": |
| 400 | --->'''Dastardly:''' I resent that remark!\ |
| 401 | '''Narrator:''' But do you deny it?\ |
| 402 | '''Dastardly:''' No, I just resent it. |
| 403 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': |
| 404 | ** From "FOX-y Lady": |
| 405 | --->'''Brian:''' They're hypocrites. They wanted you to do the story when they thought it would embarrass Creator/MichaelMoore, but they don't want you to do it if it's going to embarrass Creator/RushLimbaugh.\ |
| 406 | '''Lois:''' [[{{Hypocrite}} But you didn't want me to do the story when it was gonna embarrass Michael Moore. But you want me to do the story if it's gonna embarrass Rush Limbaugh?]]\ |
| 407 | '''Brian:''' OK. You're right. I'm a little biased myself but at least I'm willing to admit it. |
| 408 | ** When [[TheSociopath Quagmire]], of all people, [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech chews out Brian]], he calls Brian out for being a pervert like this (though it's undermined by the fact that Quagmire downplays his own crimes, admitting to "dating women for their bodies" but neglecting to mention that he is also a literal rapist): |
| 409 | --->'''Quagmire:''' You pretend you're this deep guy who loves women for their souls when all you do is date bimbos. Yeah. ''I'' date women for their bodies but at least I'm honest about it! |
| 410 | ** A later episode had Brian take perverse pleasure in pointing out Quagmire ''wasn't'' really honest about it. He blamed all his perverted issues on his mother's upbringing, which Brian outright labels cowardly. When Quagmire retorts that Brian himself is a hypocrite because he's an atheist defending his purist Christian mother's virtues, Brian nonchalantly admits to it (and that he'll greatly enjoy the thought of Quagmire pondering over it as he rots in a cell). |
| 411 | ** One episode where Peter is running a bakery, a woman comes in several times to get a sample of a cookie but not buy anything, and Peter starts to get annoyed with the routine: |
| 412 | --->'''Woman:''' Ooh, I'm so bad...\ |
| 413 | '''Peter:''' You gonna buy a cookie this time?\ |
| 414 | '''Woman:''' Ooh, I'd better just stick with a sample. I'm so bad... but at least I know I'm bad, which makes me a little better. Or ''worse''.\ |
| 415 | ''(Cut off as Peter clocks her with a cookie tray.)'' |
| 416 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' episode "The Gamesmaster", Flint, Lady Jay, Cobra Commander, and the Baroness were all kidnapped by a third-party villain called the Gamesmaster and forced into a DeadlyGame scenario. It was clear from the start that the Commander's promises to cooperate with ''any'' of them (the Baroness included) were nothing but BlatantLies. The Baroness, however? |
| 417 | -->'''Cobra Commander:''' Whose side are you on?\ |
| 418 | '''Baroness:''' Why, the same side you are, Commander. [[NoHonorAmongThieves My own.]] |
| 419 | * One first-season episode of ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'', "The Sensitive Male", parodies ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' by having a short, plain-looking man (voiced by ''Schoolhouse Rock'' creator Jack Sheldon) offer Johnny lessons on how to be, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a sensitive male]], with lessons on manners, listening to others, and being in touch with one's feminine side. At the end of the episode, the man admits that he [[BitchInSheepsClothing doesn't believe a word of what he preaches]] and simply ''acts'' nice to get women to do what he wants. Johnny is thoroughly disgusted by his attitude--he may be a CasanovaWannabe, but he's 100% honest about it--and so creates an EngineeredPublicConfession to expose the guy in front of all the girls he's been trying to woo, who promptly carry him off for some well-deserved punishment. |
| 420 | * ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': |
| 421 | ** [[Characters/RickAndMortyRickSanchez Rick Sanchez]] is a sociopath who kills without remorse and abuses his family with manipulation and lies. However, unlike his daughter Beth, he is fully aware of how bad of a person he is and doesn't deny his misdeeds or what a terrible dad he was to her years ago. In "The [=ABCs=] of Beth" he finally calls out Beth, stating that he might be a bad father to her, but she's no better, listing down a large number of misdeeds she committed without the need of him screwing her up first. |
| 422 | --->'''Beth''': You would rather believe I'm evil than admit that you were a bad father?\ |
| 423 | '''Rick''': Oh, dude, no. No, bad father all the way to the max over here. I'm a fuckin' nutcase. And the acorn plopped straight down, baby. |
| 424 | *** This also gets called out in "Pickle Rick" by the episode's therapist, to ''Rick''. She points out that his (and Beth)'s honesty about their flaws and problems but choosing not to do anything about it because they don't feel therapy work is an understandable position, but in their cases, they're excusing themselves from truly trying to change by justifying their [[AllergicToRoutine inability to commit to healthier habits]] with their intelligent minds. |
| 425 | ** While [[Characters/RickAndMortyEvilMorty Evil Morty]] scoffs at Rick's self righteousness and being deemed "evil" for simply wanting rid of him, whenever the duo call out his equally selfish and ruthless measures in doing so, he concedes with utter nonchalance, making no pretence that he remotely cares if anyone else gets harmed in his attempts to escape Rick in any form. |
| 426 | -->'''Evil Morty:''' None of them have to be responsible, they're all victims of themselves. "Oh, it's so hard to be a Genius!" [[DeadpanSnarker Couldn't you just die?]]\ |
| 427 | '''Morty:''' Well, what are ''you'' doing about it?\ |
| 428 | '''Evil Morty:''' ''(deadpan)'' Jack shit. I'm leaving. |
| 429 | * ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'': |
| 430 | ** Scooby and Shaggy are card-carrying cowards. And they're not afraid to admit it. When Fred tells them to enter a doorway for investigation: |
| 431 | --->'''Shaggy:''' I take the fifth.\ |
| 432 | '''Fred:''' The fifth?\ |
| 433 | '''Shaggy:''' Yes! I refuse to enter that door on the grounds that it might intimidate me! |
| 434 | ** Moe does the exact same thing in the episode where Film/TheThreeStooges show up as {{Special Guest}}s, going so far as to cluck like a chicken after calling everyone else chickens for being afraid of the Ghost of the Red Baron. And a minute later: |
| 435 | --->'''Moe:''' On second thought, there's no way this chicken is staying here with that hopping red rabbit around! |
| 436 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 437 | ** The Grand Pumpkin in a "Treehouse of Horror" episode - who, after expressing apathy over the fate of a ''yellow'' pumpkin (the Grand Pumpkin is your standard orange type of pumpkin), is called out for his racism by, of all people, [[EvenEvilHasStandards Nelson Muntz]]. The Grand Pumpkin claims all pumpkins are racist and that he's different from others because he admits it. And while it's not a saving grace for the Grand Pumpkin, Nelson is being hypocritical here because ''he'' doesn't care about the fate of the little yellow pumpkin, either; in fact, he was precisely the one who had been perfectly willing to smash that little pumpkin [[DirtyCoward in order to save his own life]]! |
| 438 | ** In "A Fish Called Selma", when Selma confronts Troy [=McClure=] and demands to know if he married her simply to boost his career, he admits it quickly, and actually convinces her, at least for a while, that being a sham wife isn't so bad. (What actually makes her have second thoughts at the end is the idea of having a child; getting a child involved in a sham marriage [[EveryoneHasStandards is something she can't do]].) |
| 439 | * In ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Total Drama Island]]'', after [[AlphaBitch Heather]] gets her lackey [[DumbBlonde Lindsay]] eliminated from the competition, and [[KickTheDog goes on to insult Lindsay]] and admit she was only using her to get further in the contest, Duncan calls it "[[EvenEvilHasStandards cold]]." After Heather tells him that he's in [[NotSoDifferentRemark no position to criticize her]] since he uses his {{delinquent}} behavior to scare everyone, Duncan replies, "At least I'm straight with people." |
| 440 | [[/folder]] |
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