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8[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/InjusticeGodsAmongUs https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/injustice_gods_among_us_year_five_vol_1_1_textless.jpeg]]]]
9[[caption-width-right:350:[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans His truth]]. [[KnightTemplar His justice]]. [[{{Ubermensch}} His way]]. And there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it.]]
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14->''"I never said 'The superman exists and he's American.' What I said was [='=]'''God''' exists and he's American.' If that statement starts to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing religious terror at the concept indicates only that you are still sane."''
15-->-- '''Prof. Milton Glass''', "Dr. Manhattan: Super-Powers and the Superpowers," ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''
16
17{{Superhero}} settings, like any other setting, end up somewhere on the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism. On the more idealistic end, you have settings like mainstream comic books, where there's a sense of wonder and basic decency about the superhuman. While there are villains, they will usually get caught or their plans will be thwarted, and while [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks the setting may take dark turns]], it will inevitably right itself. Somewhere in the middle, you have settings that look at superpowers a bit more realistically. While the government may have supers, so will despotic regimes, organized crime, and terrorist groups. The good guys may win, but [[EarnYourHappyEnding victories will be hard fought and likely to have their share of losses,]] and then you have ''these'' settings. The world's not better for having superhumans. ''[[CrapsackWorld It's worse]]''. The government has no safety net to deal with rogue supers, and it seems like there ain't ''nothing'' but rogue supers [[GoodPowersBadPeople terrorizing]] {{Muggles}} or [[PsychoForHire freaks on leashes]]. And that's just the so-called heroes, who are usually [[NominalHero anything but]], being all-too-aware of their [[PunyEarthlings superiority over the rest of the human race]] and [[TheSocialDarwinist are a little too keen]] on [[SmugSuper arrogantly flaunting it]]. Maybe the crisis hasn't happened yet, but the way that supers seem to be developing, it's only a matter of time until one of them [[ComicBook/TheNewUniverse blows up Pittsburgh]] and the rest go absolutely nuts. Not that they're exactly [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity mentally-stable to begin with]]; many will gleefully [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers screw the rules with their powers]], but it's almost guaranteed that at least one of them will become a full-fledged SuperSupremacist and develop a [[AGodAmI God-complex]] as a result of their powers, and that they're only one bad day away from trying to [[TakeOverTheWorld enslave]] or [[KillAllHumans wipe out]] all of humanity (which they could [[PersonOfMassDestruction easily do within an afternoon]]). Any hope for even a HopeSpot in such a dire scenario may involve calling the CapeBusters, but even then, that's not a guarantee.
18
19Sometimes, a good version of this character will meet them (usually through some dimension-hopping shenanigans) and will be [[EvilMeScaresMe completely horrified over who they might've become.]] They may either defeat that version of themselves or [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere be forced to simply escape that world]].
20
21These are often DarkerAndEdgier versions of more traditional SuperHero fare, and often use {{Take That}}s against popular characters like ComicBook/{{Superman}} or ComicBook/SpiderMan (or [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation that particular writer's]] [[ShallowParody perception of them]]). If based on those existing characters, it is a CorruptedCharacterCopy. Other times, these are stories or articles involving TheSingularity and forth the idea that in RealLife, [[{{Transhuman}} enhanced humans]] may cause this situation.
22
23A milder version of this trope is SmugSuper, in which the superpowered being in question isn't exactly malevolent or evil, but is still something of a jerk. If both Beware the Superman and FantasticRacism are prevalent in a 'verse, expect things to get ''very'' ugly.
24
25Trope title is a spin on the famous Nietzsche quote, "Behold the superman" (as in "Behold the {{Ubermensch}}")[[note]][[OlderThanTheyThink which itself is a takeoff]] on ''"Ecce Homo"'' ("Behold the man"), the words [[Literature/TheBible Pilate is said to have spoken]] to the crowds after UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} was scourged[[/note]]. {{Superdickery}} is a milder version of this trope. See also WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity, CrapsackWorld, TheMagocracy, MugglePower, TranshumanTreachery. Contrast with TallPoppySyndrome, as the two are more-or-less ideological opposites. This is a common feature of stories following the CapePunk model of storytelling.
26----
27!!Example subpages:
28[[index]]
29* BewareTheSuperman/AnimeAndManga
30* BewareTheSuperman/ComicBooks
31* [[BewareTheSuperman/{{Film}} Films]]
32* BewareTheSuperman/{{Literature}}
33* BewareTheSuperman/LiveActionTV
34** ''BewareTheSuperman/KamenRider''
35* BewareTheSuperman/VideoGames
36* BewareTheSuperman/WesternAnimation
37[[/index]]
38
39!!Other examples:
40[[foldercontrol]]
41
42[[folder:Fan Works]]
43* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' is broadly optimistic about heroes who, even if they are sometimes ruthless, keep to the ThouShaltNotKill rule whilst acting as superheroes, fight selflessly and inspire hope. However, there is a consistent thread that there is a ''reason'' to fear the superman. While there are true heroes, there are truly evil beings of immense power - their slugging matches tend to be immensely destructive, and all but the best-prepared ordinary people can easily feel that they don't have much control over their own destiny. Even people who ''aren't'' trying to hurt anyone can do immense damage when they're trying to control newly discovered vast powers.
44** Harry might finally snap and become this, thanks to multiple {{Trauma Conga Line}}s (''dying'' is a relatively mild example), the vast amount of poorly-controlled power dumped on him, and the fact that he's a potential ApocalypseMaiden via [[spoiler: the Phoenix]]. He veers very close on a couple of occasions but ends up emerging more heroic than before (eventually). However, even after, a lot of his fellow Hogwarts students consider him to be GoodIsNotNice at best, and live in fear of him snapping again.
45** The concerns of the likes Victor von Doom that the Avengers might just decide to depose him one day because they don't like him (which they have done before InUniverse) are treated as at least logical, and Peter Wisdom [[spoiler: a.k.a. Regulus Black]] is depicted as a WellIntentionedExtremist (if leaning towards TokenEvilTeammate territory) rather than simply a ruthless HunterOfHisOwnKind when leading [=MI13=] with the intent of usurping the Ministry.
46** Magneto is TheDreaded to almost everyone who has ever heard of him, despite being thoroughly reformed and repentant of his SuperSupremacist ways, to the point where he shrugs off a potential alliance with Namor in response to FantasticRacism... but if someone starts the fight, he'll finish it as brutally as necessary. Given that he is most certainly [[ReformedButNotTamed not tamed]], entirely willing to let his inner monster off the leash, and well into the PhysicalGod weight-class, capable of crumpling vibranium helicarriers like tinfoil and once stealthily conquered an entire country (Madripoor) with nothing more than his Brotherhood before crushing a Soviet battlegroup and an American nuclear sub as statements of intent, this is a valid fear.
47** Oh, and then there's the fact that Doctor Strange casually makes and breaks people, empires, even gods, to fit his own plans, and has absolutely no accountability to anyone whatsoever. As [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Lt. Murphy]] says when she's told of the sheer scale of his manipulations (they go back millennia, and if something doesn't have his fingerprints on it, it's directly affected by something that did), that kind of power is "terrifying."
48* ''Fanfic/CrasVivereParaBellum'' has Izuku (here a reincarnated Film/JohnWick) refuse One for All out of fear of becoming the world's most dangerous villain if he slips back into the ways of killing.
49* ''FanFic/ContractLabor'': In chapter 17, Tsuruko bemoans the fact that the skills of the ''Shinmei-ryū'' school, which have been passed down for generations in order to protect others, have been abused by an "angry petulant little girl" like Motoko.
50* In ''Fanfic/AForceOfFour'' Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}} was the Earth's protector for forty-seven years and Characters/PowerGirl is his heiress. The two of them are decent people. Badra, Mala, Kizo and U-Ban… are not. They’re confident that their powers allow them to get away with anything: Killing, raping, destroying…
51* InUniverse in ''FanFic/ServiceWithASmile'', there is a bit of a social barrier between [[{{Muggles}} civilians]] and Huntsmen. As Jaune's business gains popularity among Huntsmen, many of his civilian customers start abandoning it. As Roman points out, Hunstmen have super strength and can cause serious accidents without meaning to.
52* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' story ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', [[EvilCounterpart Satan Girl]] shows how dangerous and terrifying it'd be a Pre-Crisis Kryptonian with nonexistent morals. She’ll head-butt a planetoid out of orbit only for amusement.
53-->Kryptonians could survive in space without a suit. Was that not a pleasure? It certainly was. She could live her life between the stars, and never once need to breathe.\
54She could devastate planets, wipe them clean of life. Rebuild them at her whim.\
55She could tyrannize worlds, whole systems of planets, make them bow to her mighty hand, instantly execute anyone who dared protest--or just anybody she wanted to kill.\
56She could explore pleasures of the body that Kara never would have dared to, satisfy lusts that the blonde beast never even knew she had. She could force herself upon any suitor, male or female or whatever, and destroy them after their job was done. Or perhaps just maim them, so that they could never again do such a job for anyone else. Satan Girl smiled. Now that was being imaginative...\
57She could have children from those couplings, or kill them in the womb.\
58She could become a goddess to an unsophisticated planet's people. Drinking in their worship, demanding sacrifice.\
59All of this she could do, she would do, and more.\
60For Kryptonians and Daxamites were gods, off their homeworlds. They really were. What a pity their morality forced them not to realize that fact.\
61She clasped her bent knees to her chest and thought. The problem was, in this time, she was hardly unique. Billions of Kryptonians existed on Rokyn. Billions more Daxamites, with the same power, existed on Daxam. Luckily, there was only one prisoner still left in the Phantom Zone, that old poop Gazor, so there wasn't much competition there.\
62But, somehow, she'd have to do something about both planets. Daxam would be easy. A shower of leaden hail across its surface, and the dead would litter the ground in heaps beyond Hitler's and Stalin's dreams.\
63That world would stink of corpses for eons to come.\
64She laughed soundlessly.
65* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''/''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' crossover ''Fanfic/TheVampireOfSteel'', [[BigBad Zol-Am]] was an evil asshole long before being turned. Now he's an evil asshole of a vampire with powers greater than a regular Kryptonian. And he's hungry.
66* [[{{Reconstruction}} Reconstructed]] in the Teen Titans fanfic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6263444/1/Transition Transition]]. Out of four metahumans affected by the SwirlyEnergyThingy, only Beast Boy plays it straight when his attempts to find Raven result in him SlowlySlippingIntoEvil. By contrast, Terra starts blaming herself for Raven's disappearance and becomes suicidal, but ultimately stays good, while Raven and Jinx develop EnlightenmentSuperpowers (which was what the SwirlyEnergyThingy was supposed to do) but people's paranoia that they'll play it straight (mostly the police and Batman) inadvertently cause them to wreak havoc before the situation is cleared up and they can fix everything.
67* In ''Fanfic/StuporHeroics'', the Loud siblings, minus Lincoln, gain superpowers. The already immature Loud siblings just become incredibly dangerous to be around. Even Lori, [[OnlySaneMan the most responsible of her siblings]], accidentally injures Lincoln and damages his property while trying to help him. Despite Stella being a benign superhero, Lori still tries to get rid of her because of the threat she could pose to her younger brother.
68* ''Fanfic/TheBoysRealJustice''
69** Clark and Bruce are stunned by the incompetence and corruption of the superheroes in the Boys' universe.
70** Billy Butcher, due to his Supe prejudice, scornfully sees Superman as another Homelander once he lays eyes on his statue in Metropolis.
71** [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil Because of the crimes of their Earth-7 counterparts]], many women fear Aquaman due to The Deep's actions (although [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Arthur calling him out in front of a group of the Deep's victims/would-be victims helps them get over their fear of the King of the Seas]]). The same thing happens when Becca meets Superman, as she worries that he's no better than Homelander (although he quickly proves that he's ''nothing'' like him).
72** When Batman manages to uncover the video footage of Homelander's actions on Flight 37, he and Commissioner Gordon are shocked/appalled, and make a note that they're ''so'' lucky that their Superman was raised right.
73* ''Fanfic/ThereWasOnceAnAvengerFromKrypton'': Discussed by Tony and Professor Xavier in Chapter 4 of ''That Which Drives Nerds to Change the World'', the latter pointing out that the only force capable of policing enhanced individuals is ''other'' enhanced individuals, and that governments are worried at the possibility of this sort of scenario happening. Tony even mentally lampshades that just by himself he could take over half the planet in a ''week'', assuming that the other Avengers aren't helping.
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Music]]
77* Music/{{KMFDM}}'s 'Son of a Gun' is, at least on the surface, a song about a [[JerkAss jerk-ass]] superman with a dollar sign on his chest.
78-->''Forged from steel, iron will\
79Shit for brains, born to kill\
80All are equal, no discrimination \
81Son of a Gun, a simple equation\
82Son of a gun, master of fate\
83Bows to no god, kingdom or state\
84Watch out!\
85Son of a Gun, superhero number one!''
86* Spiritus Mortis' 'The Man of Steel'
87-->''Ultimate in body and soul\
88Every cell hard as diamond\
89Every thought crystal clear\
90Unbending,Unbreakable...\
91March with the man of steel\
92Rejoice with the man of steel\
93Die for the man of steel\
94Obey every command given by the man of steel''
95* GWAR is made of this trope, but less focused on taking over the world and more focused on drugs and violence.
96[[/folder]]
97
98[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
99* The first edition of the superhero RPG ''TabletopGame/{{Aberrant}}'' details the sudden emergence of superpowered humans in 1998; however, ''Aberrant'' came as a prequel to the futuristic sci-fi RPG ''TabletopGame/{{Trinity}}'', which reveals that many of the superhumans (named "aberrants" in the far future) became tainted by their powers, went mad, declared war on Earth, and caused all manners of destruction before taking off for the vast reaches of space. There are some sane "aberrants," but most of them went crazy nuts. Part of the drama of ''Aberrant'' comes from either trying to escape [[BadFuture the fate of the future aberrants]] or [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong making sure it never comes to pass]].
100** A curious little detail of the ''Aberrant'' setting is that its most powerful "hero", Caestus Pax, is a publicity-obsessed jerk, while its most powerful "villain", Divis Mal, is a nice guy, even to the baselines he believes are lesser beings. (He's a megalomaniac, but he won't hurt you unless you're dumb enough to attack him.)
101** In practice, this trope gets zigzagged, since it turns out what ultimately provokes the novas into starting the Aberrant War is the reveal that [[MutantDraftBoard Project Utopia]], the ostensible BigGood for baseline/nova peace, was secretly [[MugglePower sterilizing all of its nova recruits to ensure their numbers would stay manageable]]. This is especially a case of NiceJobBreakingItHero when you learn that Project Utopia was started by a time traveller for the purpose of ''[[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong preventing the Aberrant War in the first place]]''. So, the Aberrant War is more a case of [[BullyingADragon Don't Deliberately Manipulate & Betray The Superman]].
102** Even in Second Edition Aberrant, where time-travel shenanigans have resulted in a [[LighterAndSofter more optimistic setting]], The Aberrant War is still on track, as a break-away faction of The Teragen becomes this trope.
103* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' has the Great Curse, an infliction launched by the Primordials after being defeated by the Exalted that drives Solars and Lunars to [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity states of ever-mounting insanity]] once they start to defy their core virtues. The books make clear that, for all the shiny transhuman fantasy of the First Age, it could also be a ''very'' scary time to live in if you were a mere mortal.
104** To put this in perspective: In ''Dreams of the First Age'', it is revealed that there was a political movement in the Solar Deliberative to literally ''dismantle the universe and reshape it to their specifications''. What's more, they had more than enough power to pull this off. Imagine three hundred beings with all that power and confidence, in absolute control of the world...and slowly but surely going completely crazy.
105** Another specific example in the second edition is in the description of the Charm "Lawgiver's Parable Defense," which allows a Solar to pre-emptively find signs of a crime to be committed against their loved ones. "... a growing number of Solars have stopped using this Charm, suspecting some defect in its design—surely Lawgiver’s Parable Defense must be in error when it points to the Solars themselves as the threats that menace the things they love."
106** On the other hand, ''Exalted'' also features [[{{Cyborg}} the Alchemical Exalted]], who were created after the Great Curse was cast and thus aren't subject to the same bouts of insanity as the other Exalted. The Alchemicals are often explicitly compared to traditional modern superheroes in contrast to the Solars and others who bear more resemblance to the heroes and god-kings of mythology.
107* Part of the big divine secret in ''TabletopGame/{{KULT}}'' is that humanity used to be immortal, shapeshifting beings of godlike power before [[GodIsEvil the Demiurge]] put a stop to all of that and locked them into mortal, gendered, fallible bodies. That doesn't mean the antecedents of humanity were ''good''. Some of the monsters you might encounter as you start peeling back the Illusion used to be slave races to the old humanity, used for pleasure, servitude, or just plain violence. It also doesn't help that one of the paths to reclaiming power is to deliberately go insane...
108* In case you didn't notice the theme in White Wolf's other works, the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'' often hints at these matters. The werewolves might be necessary to keep the universe's fundamental aspects of law, chaos, and corruption in order, the mages might be the last chance humanity has for real inspiration and survival AfterTheEnd, but there's a reason Hunters want to take them down. At best, creatures of the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'' are a slow, unavoidable slide down the slippery slope toward the complete destruction of their virtues into complete insanity, and not particularly disposed to think of people as people until then. At worst...
109** In ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'', the Garou are dealing with the far-reaching consequences of their ancestors' cruelty and arrogance. The Garou of ancient times declared themselves masters over humans, then decided to cull the human population through the Impergium. The Impergium afflicted humanity with the Delirium and made it dangerous for Garou to reveal themselves to non-kinfolk humans, driving them underground. Unfortunately, if the tribebooks are anything to go by, many Garou ''still'' haven't learned from the mistakes of their predecessors.
110** In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'', Caine and the other ancient vampires ruled over humans in the First City, which wasn't exactly an urban paradise for their human subjects. Several Gehenna scenarios place humanity at the mercy of powerful antedeluvian vampires.
111** Then we get the TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness. Here things are more or less as before, but without the same drive to TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Half of any given race is on the high road, and the other half give the race a bad name.
112* In ''TabletopGame/UnknownArmies'', the incredibly powerful beings that hide amongst humanity are, on average, less concerned with human life and ethics and more concerned with collecting even more power. This doesn't necessarily make them evil, but it does lead to erratic, antisocial behavior that puts everyone around them at risk. And since power directly correlates to how much of yourself you're willing to spend to get it, the most powerful beings that humanity's ever produced often don't map well to any moral compass. They might help you, and they might save the day, but their assistance rarely comes without complications or cost.
113* Horus from ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' was said to be afraid and resent The Emperor creating the High Lords of Terra because he thought it would mean he and the other Primarchs were to be subordinated to a body composed of normal humans. Horus wanted to guide and protect mankind but he refused to be beholden and accountable to them. Ironically, most loyalist Marines agree.
114** What's worse is that it's heavily implied that the Emperor planned to destroy Primarchs and Space Marines once they had outlived their usefulness. He did destroy their predecessors, the Thunder Warriors.
115* Even though there are no actual superpowers in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' universe, at their worst, [=MechWarriors=] can exhibit much the same drunkenness off the power that comes with driving a 12-meter-tall war machine with enough firepower to potentially level a city block in one salvo. Apart from pirates or too-big-for-their-britches mercenaries, noble-born [=MechWarriors=] have also been known to grossly abuse their powers. Perhaps the most egregious example were the various "[=MechWarrior=] Brotherhoods" that sprang up where nobles began extorting or worse the residents of planets they were stationed on. Since said residents were not piloting 12-meter-tall war machines with enough firepower to potentially level a city block in one salvo, they really didn't have much choice but to acquiesce, at least until other groups of [=MechWarriors=] got fed up with their shenanigans and began opposing them.
116* ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'' has Iron Legacy. Originally, Legacy was a hero... up until Baron Blade, his nemesis, killed him in a climactic duel on the Wagner Mars Base. In an alternate timeline, however, Legacy survived at the cost of his daughter's life. In his grief, Legacy killed Blade and took over the world. Oh, and if this is sounding slightly [[VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs familiar]], you're not wrong.
117[[/folder]]
118
119[[folder:Web Animation]]
120* Inevitably conversed about in [[Recap/DeathBattleS09E05OmniManVSHomelander the episode]] of ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' pitting [[ComicBook/{{Invincible}} Omni-Man]] up against [[ComicBook/TheBoys Homelander]], with both hosts talking about their emulation of ComicBook/{{Superman}} and the atrocities they committed:
121-->'''Wiz:''' Few heroes have stood the test of time with as much aplomb than the very first, Superman. But what if absolute power did, in fact, corrupt absolutely?\
122'''Boomstick:''' Answer: we're all screwed.
123* {{Discussed|Trope}} in the WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions video "Satirizing Superman." Red and Blue generally don't like this trope, in part because it's actually the obvious answer to what a Nietzschean Ubermensch would be like--[[UnbuiltTrope superheroes are a subversion of that idea]], not the other way around. As a result, "in real life Superman would be evil" isn't a clever observation unless you add something more thoughtful to the story.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:Webcomics]]
127* [[Webcomic/BouletCorp The Bouletcorp]] gives us a graphic [[http://english.bouletcorp.com/2010/02/26/superday/ depiction]] of life as a normal human in a world with superheroes and villains. In the [[AltText alt-text]] he says that it would be pretty much the same for a normal human in a movie like ''Film/ManOfSteel''.
128* On close inspection, ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' probably fits this. While [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Sparks]] are not explicitly superheroes, they are certainly more physically imposing than your average human, and high-level ones can go toe-to-toe with any gadgeteer. The negative impact on the world is much less arguable; Baron Klaus Wulfenbach is forced to maintain a despotic empire just to keep society from collapsing whenever some Spark decides to get uppity. The Other has come close to achieving TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt at least once, and Othar's quest to wipe out all the world's Sparks is painted as hopeless and misguided.
129* In ''Webcomic/ErrantStory'', the elves decided [[HalfHumanHybrid breeding with the humans]] was a good idea because of the birthrate being much higher than elf-elf matings, and also to "uplift" humanity. Only half-elves tend to be a lot stronger magically than humans, and many also have either birth defects or a predisposition toward madness. After a lengthy civil war, only one elven city and one-quarter of the population remained.
130* The protagonists of ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'' are certainly Good, but as Exalted (see above), [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0092.html are very aware of their superiority]], and the bad guys are even worse.
131* In ''Project Außerdem'', US government brainwashes a Nazi superhuman with Superman-esque abilities into becoming Premium, America's greatest hero. This worked well enough until a time-traveling villain restored his memories and all the world's heroes realized just how lucky they were to have him on their side.
132* ''Webcomic/MountainTime's'' Surf Rat, though a powerful force against evil, is strongly implied to amass lots of collateral damage. [[http://mountaincomics.com/comic/mountain-time-23five/ For example...]]
133* In ''Webcomic/ToPreventWorldPeace'', Chronos predicts that at some point -- if they are not stopped -- the {{Magical Girl}}s will kill all the villains and decide to conquer the world, for its own good, of course. It’s thankfully averted when Chronos shows Kendra her visions, thus ridding this revolution of its future leader. This trope has already happened on a much smaller scale in Brazil, where magical girls led the creation of a separate country, Terra de Liberdade e Mágic, built around their magical system. WordOfGod claims that the world revolution is bound to happen sooner or later because magical girls become more aware of their power and less content with the social pressure to let things go once they reach adulthood. It’s up to the heroes whether these changes will be peaceful or bloody.
134* In the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' webcomic ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'', there doesn't seem to be that many high levelled people living on Manjulias. Those who are powerful end up in leadership positions, good or evil. [[BigBadDuumvirate Brian and Angelo]] are [[TheArchmage high levelled spellcasters]], and though those who serve them regard them as a boon to their race, others are terrified of them and all their followers.
135* In ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'', one RunningGag is Superman abusing his powers. This can range from setting fire to brothels so he can save the sex workers, to threatening to smash the moon into the Earth if he isn't granted access to Earth's women, to demanding the key to the city because "I just stopped Superman from killing everyone", to [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2009-07-25 running for president and then threatening to kill everyone with lasers if forced to abide by term limits]].
136** Inverted hard in one strip. Decades ago, the people of Krypton sent dozens of babies into space, so that when they grew up they would use their powers to conquer whatever planet they landed on. When the remorseful Kryptonians go to Earth to overthrow him, they are horrified to learn that Superman is the only Kryptonian who didn't take over his adopted homeworld, because humanity produces a steady stream of [[SuperVillain violent]] [[HumansAreBastards sociopaths]] to fight him.
137* ''Webcomic/AmericanBarbarian'' author Tom Scioli made a surreal story called "Soldier", about a Superman pastiche going crazy and wreaking destruction on the world, universe, and eventually multiverse. What started out as him using lethal force against villains who trying to destroy his hometown developed into paranoia, sadism, and full-on madness.
138* In ''Webcomic/StrongFemaleProtagonist'', the heroine lives in a world where superheroes cause more harm than good. She retired from (full-time) superheroics as a teenager when she realized this and instead enrolled in college so she can better find non-violent solutions to the world's problems. She struggles with trying to make the world a better place while accepting that she can't just use her incredible powers to force systemic change lest she become this trope. At one point, she [[NotSoDifferentRemark admits to a villain she'd sent to prison]] that she sometimes fantasizes about cutting loose and killing the people who cause the problems in the first place.
139* In ''Webcomic/CaptainStupendous'', superheroes are arrogant assholes at best and dangerous psychotics at worst. Even the nicest ones have an obvious superiority complex and refer to normal people as [[{{Muggles}} "mortals"]]. They also refuse to submit themselves to the rule of law and police themselves through a parallel court system when normal people can be sued but aren't even allowed to testify in their own defence. The eponymous SupermanSubstitute is a lecherous, elitist, homophobic douchebag.
140* ''Webcomic/HeroKiller'' has the entire goverment as this. They rose as the winning side of a large war, and now rule most of the world with an iron fist. Sure, they employ powered heroes that fight crime, but they mostly focus on subduing remnants of the defeated side, and maintaining their power at any cost. Only a few of them care about civilian casualties along the way. The titular main heroine's tale of vengeance was spurned by some of their clandestine operations murdering her sister.
141[[/folder]]
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143[[folder:Web Original]]
144* In ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'', Doctor Horrible's nemesis Captain Hammer is an anti-intellectual ass who shoves the people he rescues into garbage and whose only use for women is sex. A prequel comic has Dr. Horrible get a sample of Hammer's DNA to create a SuperSerum to give himself Hammer's SuperStrength, claiming that his superior intellect will give him an edge. Unfortunately, a side effect of the serum is that Horrible's intellect drops to Hammer's level, turning the fight into a slugfest without a clear winner.
145* In Roleplay/DestineEnormity, the superpowered villains rule [[VillainWorld Arcadia]] with an iron fist and force the [[{{Muggles}} Normals]] to live in the Slums.
146* Shades of this occur in {{Literature/Worm}}:
147** In a setting where superpowers emerge after a [[TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening Trigger Event]], it's been stated that there are more [[SuperVillain Super Villains]] than heroes, and [[LightIsNotGood even the heroes]] [[BlackAndGrayMorality aren't always what they claim to be]].
148** Taken to its logical conclusion on a parallel Earth (Earth Shin), in which a supervillain known as "The Woman in Blue" or simply as "Goddess" used a MindControl superpower to enslave every other superpowered person in that reality and rules the planet with an iron fist.
149** The obvious example is [[spoiler:Scion. Considered the saviour of humanity, he's a strange golden man with powers beyond any parahuman who almost never speaks but instead flies around Earth endlessly helping people. It's later revealed that he's an alien who lost his purpose for living and only helped people because he thought it would fill the emptiness inside him. When he's convinced to start destroying things instead, he finds he likes the feeling, and goes with that instead]].
150* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'':
151** The Dark Phoenix series of simulations, which pit one supposedly insane teammate against the others, is intended to drive home this point to would-be heroes. Unfortunately, even this is a watered-down version of the potential threats, especially from Tennyo. During preparation for this, Phase at one point rattles off a long list of heroes who, for various reasons, went evil, and the horrific rampages they went on.
152** When Stygian, intent on SuicideByCop, confronts Tennyo with the (literal) ghosts of the Star Stalker's past, she is horrified to learn the being she's bound to has destroyed entire star systems as casually as one might swat a fly - over her eight billion year existence, whole ''galaxies'' have fallen to the Destroyer, and the only emotion she seems to have experienced was mild frustration. Rather than driving her into a murderous rage, Billie goes [[HeroicBSOD catatonic]]. She still doesn't know the full truth, however: that the Star Stalker's primary purpose was to [[ApocalypseHow destroy the entire multiverse]] in case the [[EldritchAbomination Great Old Ones]] couldn't be stopped [[TakingYouWithMe by any other means]].
153** A lighter version of this trope is the hero known as the Flying Bulldozer. At one point in his ongoing battle against his nemesis, Doctor Debt, the Flying Bulldozer tried to stop him by throwing cars at him. He stopped the Doctor, and also caused millions of dollars in property damage and put dozens of innocent bystanders in hospital.
154** Imp, as a villain who's been in the business for decades, has a ''lot'' of things to say about superheroes. She'll readily admit that there are many who genuinely want to do the right thing, but there's also far too many who got into it because they want people to look up to them, not because they care. Those 'heroes' -- and others who are self-righteous -- inevitably become convinced that because they are heroes, anything they do is justified. She doesn't agree.
155* ''Podcast/RedPandaAdventures'' supervillain the Crimson Death was given ComboPlatterPowers in a project that experimented on low-level supervillains to pass their powers to him. While his creation is stated to be intended as a check against lone wolves like the Red Panda who answer to no one, the Crimson Death himself states his creators really just wanted a superhero ''they'' controlled. This backfires as the Crimson Death's debut episode features him killing everyone who knew his identity.
156* Done jokingly on ''WebSite/{{Superdickery}}'', which takes out-of-context images (mostly from MediaNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}) and uses them to paint genuine heroes and heroines like Superman as complete and utter dicks.
157* In ''Literature/MagicMetahumansMartiansAndMushroomCloudsAnAlternateColdWar'', several mentions are made of metahumans turning to lives of crime with their powers. The most prominent example so far, however, is Sabhas Bose, whose telekinetic and flight abilities lead to him declaring himself [[DarkMessiah chosen by the gods]] (and later viewing himself as [[AGodAmI an incarnation of Shiva]]), leading an ultranationalist takeover of India, and going to war with Pakistan.
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160[[folder:Real Life]]
161* Debates over {{transhuman}}ism and genetic modification occasionally bring this up, the concern being that, someday, the rich would be able to buy their way into becoming physically and intellectually superior to the masses (on top of the social and economic advantages they already have), [[UnstableEquilibrium leading to a society that is even more stratified than our own]].
162* Surprisingly, [[http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/superman/2013/05/superman_if_human_enhancement_gives_us_superpowers_will_we_use_them_for.html some experiments and studies]] indicate that this trope would actually be either averted in RealLife or depend heavily on what ''[[BadPowersBadPeople kind]]'' of powers the person gets. People who simulated being a FlyingBrick in the vein of Superman were found to act more benevolent and polite to the researchers, as if the very thought of being like Superman caused them to feel the need to be altruistic. Ironically when offered powers on the opposite end of the spectrum like invisibility or mind reading, most refused the idea out of explicit fear that this trope would come into effect; one man, when offered flight or invisibility, chose invisibility only to then change his answer after some thinking. He expressed the fear that being invisible would [[InvisibleJerkass tempt him to indulge in morally dodgy behavior]].
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