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1%% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1596632688004953400
2%% Please start a new thread if you'd like to suggest an image.
3%%
4Just as the story of Lucifer is about [[FaceHeelTurn betrayal]], so can we expect the devil to be [[LaserGuidedKarma betrayed in turn]].
5
6The first component of this trope is that a DealWithTheDevil ''must'' be made, an [[MagicallyBindingContract agreement]] between the protagonist and an evil figure.[[note]]Even the {{Trope Namer|s}}, ''{{Myth/Faust}}'', substitutes the archdemon Mephistopheles for the capital 'D' devil.[[/note]] JackassGenie interpretation of the contract is optional.
7
8The second component of this trope is that the protagonist gains some sort of power from this agreement. Usually, these powers are [[BadPowersBadPeople part of the villain's evil theme]].
9
10The third part is rebelling against the evil figure. This may be a HeelFaceTurn but is much more likely to come from someone who was GoodAllAlong and doesn't want to be a pawn in the devil's schemes.
11
12SubTrope to CreateYourOwnHero, DealWithTheDevil, and BadPowersGoodPeople. See also HoistByHisOwnPetard, PhlebotinumRebel, and DarkIsNotEvil. A {{subver|tedTrope}}sion of EvilIsNotAToy. Compare ProHumanTranshuman and SheepInWolfsClothing. Contrast ThePunishment (where the powers were gained as a result of torture/curse). Is often done by the AntiAntiChrist.
13
14----
15!!Examples:
16[[foldercontrol]]
17
18[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
19* ''Anime/MyHime''. The [=HiME=] eventually destroy the [=HiME=] Star using the powers it bestowed upon them in the first place. After that, the powers vanish.
20* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Orochimaru puts a {{curse}} on Sasuke during the Chunin exam. Sasuke grows more powerful from the curse, and eventually leaves in order to join Orochimaru to become more powerful. Sasuke finally betrays Orochimaru many years later. [[spoiler:Instead of killing him, Sasuke ''absorbs'' Orochimaru, becoming even more powerful]].
21* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' have [[spoiler:the Incubators, which are a race of creatures (of which we only see one, calling itself Kyubey) so amoral that they are just as dangerous as if they were passively malicious. They offer the ability to grant one wish to young girls, one wish that rewrites the laws of reality. But in payment, those girls must become {{Magical Girl}}s and fight evil witches (who are just magical girls that have become "impure" from either using up too much magic or going over the DespairEventHorizon, the latter being [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption an inevitability]] due to the flawed nature of each girl's wish]]).
22** Homura Akemi is a magical girl Kyubey has given the special power of [[spoiler:time travel]]. She's trying to stop the Kyubey from granting Madoka a wish. Using her special power multiple times causes the titular character to have an excess of "magical girl power". Kyubey says she could cause a very powerful wish to resolve because of this energy. Homura Akemi hates hearing that, and [[spoiler:outright kills several of Kyubey's clones in her efforts to prevent Madoka's transformation]].
23** Madoka gets no special information about this rebellion by Homura, but eventually uses her contract to [[spoiler:eliminate the dangers posed by the Incubators by wishing to erase every single witch (past, present, ''and'' future) from existence, thereby keeping all Magical Girls from becoming witches themselves. Reality becomes [[CosmicRetcon a bit unstable]] and unfortunately, her wish doesn't come [[RetGone without a price]]]].
24** For those people who know German and bother to translate the runes in the series, [[spoiler:the series is a magical girl reinterpretation of ''Faust'', with several references thrown in]].
25** And as for, well, ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]'', this trope gets [[ZigZaggingTrope twisted around itself]]. [[spoiler:The Incubators attempt to take down the inconvenient new god of goodness, using Homura as an elaborate trap; they are OutGambitted and defeated. But in order to stop them permanently--and because of her overprotectiveness towards Madoka--Homura decides to become ''another'' SatanicArchetype, ruling over a new universe with Madoka reverted to a normal human and the Incubators completely powerless. Whether there will be yet another rebellion against her remains to be seen]].
26** The spin-off series ''Manga/PuellaMagiTartMagica'' has [[spoiler:Isabeau de BavariĆØre]] attempt this by making a wish to gain the powers of an Incubator, in part to advance their ambitions and in part to avoid the eventual end of becoming a witch. However, their attempt didn't work as Incubators cannot purify Soul Gems, and [[spoiler:Isabeau]] eventually turned into a witch.
27** The mobile game ''VideoGame/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory'' and its anime adaptation features the Wings of the Magius, whose goal is this. [[spoiler: Their aim is to destroy the witch system by making a witch that can directly convert emotion into energy for the universe. This plan would discount the Incubator and the magical girl contract as the middleman from the equation of the energy cycle, rendering the system unnecessary. Of course, this plan is still powered by humongous amount of despair, brought by the Walpurgisnacht's destruction.]] The way this ends differs between the anime and the game; in the game, [[spoiler: while the Magius are defeated, the Automatic Purification System is preserved, and subsequent stories feature protagonists and former Magius members working together to improve and expand the system while others seek to take it for themselves or use it for their own gains]], while the anime version [[spoiler: falls apart, leaving the world as it always was.]]
28* In the battle vs Galaxia in the ''Stars'' season of the ''Anime/SailorMoon'' anime, [[spoiler:Neptune and Uranus sell out to Galaxia, turn on Pluto and Saturn and take their star seeds...then reveal their true intention by turning the star seed stealing bracelets on Galaxia]]. To their surprise, [[spoiler:it doesn't work, because Galaxia had no star seed, and the two are killed shortly after]].
29* ''{{Literature/Slayers}}'' has [[BlackMage "Black Magic"]] (as well as {{White Mag|e}}ic), which comes from the local equivalent of Satan and his subordinates. It is explicitly noted and shown that black magic ''does not work'' against the ones who give the powers. So instead, Lina calls upon ''more powerful'' monsters in order to kill whatever she's facing. This is a problem because the ultimate Black Magic spell has a nonzero chance of accidentally and irrevocably releasing that monster and destroying the world. Yes, she casts it...
30[[/folder]]
31
32[[folder:Comic Books]]
33* Subverted in ''ComicBook/EarthX'', where Mephisto's goal is to create as many alternate universes as possible so that the world will never entirely end and he will never face divine judgment. Mephisto deliberately creates as many heroes by such bargains as possible (certain none of them will ever be powerful enough to truly defeat him) as well as many other "devils" to rule their own versions of hell. The result is a multiverse in constant chaos, with people continually travelling back in time in hopes of changing the past.
34%%* The comic and movie adaptation ''Faust''.
35* The ComicBook/SilverSurfer from ''Fantastic Four''. In [[Comicbook/FantasticFour the comics]], the Surfer just refused to work for Galactus, and as punishment, [[FlyingDutchman was condemned to never return to his homeworld and girlfriend ever again]] (he and the FF eventually figure a way to get him off Earth and Surfer does Galactus a favor big enough to fully release him). In [[Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer the movie]]... well, he seemed to be fully capable of killing his almighty master at the cost of his own life [[spoiler:or maybe not]].
36* Before Spawn there was ''Comicbook/GhostRider'' (though the premise changes later). Most Marvel heroes Mephisto decides to mess with as well... [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay With one unfortunate exception]].
37* In the Atlas/Seaboard comic ''Grim Ghost'' the titular character is given enhanced powers by Satan for the purpose of fighting a demon plotting against Satan on Earth. The Ghost immediately asks Satan how he knows the Ghost won't use these powers against Satan. Satan tells him that the Ghost's existence stems directly from Satan; if Satan is destroyed, so is the Ghost. [[spoiler:The Ghost later reveals this to the renegade demon, pointing out that if Satan took this precaution with a lesser servant like the Ghost it must be true of him as well. The demon suicides out of despair]].
38* Constantine in ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' has played around with variations of this at times.
39* The Saint of Killers in ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}''. Initially being obedient to God, he hesitates in killing the protagonist when he learns that Jesse has information regarding the deaths of his wife and child, and eventually [[spoiler:turns on God with the same guns he was given]].
40** Though at least in this case God is pretty much an egomaniac who wants to see how much he can get away with and still make people love/obey him.
41** Don't forget that [[spoiler:the very ''first thing'' he does with those guns is turn them on the Devil and the Angel of Death, right after they give them to him]].
42* ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'':
43** The typical story of Spawn is now about how he fights the Devil's forces on Earth, after going rogue and not using his powers to fulfill his assignments.
44** Which is really too bad, because [[LostInImitation in its original form]] it was a DefiedTrope. Spawn was sent back to Earth with a finite amount of power. In a [[BreakingLecture demoralizing lecture]], the devil explains quite coldly how he ''does not care'' [[XanatosGambit what Spawn does with his powers]] -- if he uses them to do evil, great, Hell's cause is advanced on Earth. If he uses them to do good, great, he's sending evil souls down to Hell to swell the devil's army and thus hastening the final war against Heaven. If he refuses to do anything with them, great, he'll eventually turn cold and emotionless if not outright insane from the emotional stress of never getting involved with anything, the powers will drain away anyway (although much more slowly), and he'll return to Hell with a mindset much more befitting the general the devil wants him to be. Now ''that's'' a devil [[MagnificentBastard who knows how to bargain]]. Even the loophole of not killing while doing good seems thought of, as that way, Spawn is setting a positive example of Faustian bargains.
45* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'': Stalker is pretending to be trying to rebel against D'grth, and in the end actually does betray the demon once he realizes his soul cannot be recovered.
46[[/folder]]
47
48[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
49* In ''Fanfic/DecksFallEveryoneDies'', there is an example with monetary power instead of superpowers. The duelists get funding for their club/theater from Duke Devlin. He orders the players to promote dice games as a way of running the country (over card games). The players, most of whom are duelists, don't agree with this and plan to revolt. Duke doesn't seem to be able to take the money back after signing their contract.
50[[/folder]]
51
52[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
53* In ''Film/AngelOnMyShoulder'', Paul Muni plays a gangster who is murdered by his own men. He dies and goes to Hell, where the Devil (Creator/ClaudeRains) offers Muni a chance to go back to Earth, occupying the stolen body of an honest judge (also played by Muni) providing Muni does the Devil's work while wearing the judge's body and identity. In this second chance at life, Muni repents his evil ways and decides to go straight. He defies the Devil by announcing that he intends to live an honest life this second time so that when he dies in this second body he'll go to Heaven. But of course the Devil gets the last word: since Muni is occupying a body he stole from someone else, he continues to commit evil so long as he wears it: in order to do good, Muni must accept that he's had his one chance at life by giving up the stolen body and returning to Hell. He does this.
54* The protagonist in the remake of ''Film/{{Bedazzled 2000}}'' does this ''accidentally''. By making the "truly selfless wish" for [[spoiler:[[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy Allison to have a happy life]]]], his contract with the devil is voided, he gets to keep his soul, ''and'' he [[spoiler:seems to end up dating a girl [[DoppelgangerReplacementLoveInterest who is Allison's long-lost twin sister]]]].
55* The Silver Surfer in the second ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' movie somehow has enough power to defeat Galactus with a HeroicSacrifice, even though Galactus gave him his power. [[spoiler:And TheStinger reveals he didn't even die]].
56* ''Film/FaustLoveOfTheDamned'': This is the premise of the movie, in which the Faustian character John Jaspers uses his powers to become a superhero, and, in typical B-movie violence, takes on the hordes of Hell. Though to his credit, Mephistopheles (known here as "M") is at least smart enough to make it impossible for Jaspers to harm him directly until he releases him from his contract.
57* ''Film/GhostRider2007'': The Devil offers to remove the power from Blaze, but at no point does he say that he can reclaim the Ghost Rider power against the wielder's will. (And in fact, if he could, [[spoiler:Carter Slade]]'s rebellion wouldn't have been possible, to begin with.) For the record, he can't claim Johnnyā€™s soul for refusal to surrender the curse either, as he had specifically contracted that if Johnny [[spoiler:defeated Blackheart]], his soul would be freed, with no other conditions mentioned.
58* In ''Film/JohnCarter'', the first thing that Sab Than does when he gets the power of the Ninth Ray is try and use it on the Therns. They effortlessly deflect it and knock him on his ass, with the collective expression of, "Do you think we're stupid?"
59* The film version of ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'', as opposed to [[Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors the stage version]], which is a straight DealWithTheDevil story. The director's cut, which came out about 25 years after the original movie, restraightens the story and includes the (quite spectacular) bad ending.
60* The entire plot (such as it is) of the Rudy Ray Moore blaxploitation epic ''Film/PeteyWheatstrawTheDevilsSonInLaw''. After he is gunned down, Petey is allowed to return to life with Crazy Satan Powers if he marries the devil's hideous daughter. Petey agrees, and almost immediately begins scheming to use his powers to get out of the arrangement. Hilarity ensues. [[spoiler:Ultimately, [[TheBadGuyWins the devil is triumphant]].]]
61[[/folder]]
62
63[[folder:Literature]]
64* ''Literature/TheBeginningAfterTheEnd'': It is eventually revealed that [[spoiler:the Asuras, the deities responsible for empowering the inhabitants of Dicathen and Alacrya with the gift of magic in the midst of their DivineConflict, are in fact JerkassGods who could not care for the lives of the lessers whom they are using as proxies for their war. As such, from Volume 8 onward, the conflict shifts as Arthur attempts to rally the inhabitants of both continents to stand up against the Asuras and put an end to their tyranny]].
65** In the distant past, [[spoiler:Kezess, the ruler of the Asuras, bestowed upon the royal families of Dicathen a set of [[ArtifactOfPower Artifacts of Power]] that they were to use to empower their chosen servants, who would become the first Lances. In turn, these first Lances would teach others their art, thus giving rise to mages on Dicathen. Upon Arthur returning from Alacrya and saving the Dicathian resistance from an attempted purge that Kezess orchestrated, he begins to rally the populace not only to retake their homeland but to stand up against the Asuras. He even uses his newfound knowledge to break the PowerLimiter[=s=] that Kezess placed upon the Lances' artifacts to prevent them from becoming powerful enough to rebel against him]].
66** On the other hand, [[spoiler:Agrona and the Vritra Clan, upon being exiled from Epheotus by Kezess, found themselves confined to the continent of Alacrya. In order to exact their revenge, they uplifted the populace of that continent, interbreeding with and experimenting upon them to create a civilization of Vritra-blooded lessers for use as CannonFodder for their invasion of Epheotus. In spite of the Vritra having ruled over Alacrya for millennia to the point that the populace worships them as gods, there are a few who realize the Vritra have no regard for the lives of their subjects. The most notable of which is the Scythe Seris, who turns out to be GoodAllAlong as she sees Agrona and his intentions for what they really are and so instigates a revolt against him. Later on, Nico, another of the Scythes whom Agrona reincarnated and promised him everything that he desired, covertly turns against his master when he realizes he had been manipulating him]].
67* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
68** By ''White Night'' [[spoiler:the Shadow of Lasciel, the Fallen in Harry's head for the past four years or so is shown by Harry if he could be swayed to the dark side, then as she is just as malleable as his own mind, the Shadow can be turned good. Harry has endured her for so long, who's to say she cannot be changed even more? This breaking in her self-confidence allows her to rethink her existence, knowing that if Harry would take up the coin one of two things would happen. Either Lasciel Proper would absorb her back into her being or because she was so corrupted by this mortal she would destroy the Shadow. Either way was a death sentence. The nail to drive this home was Harry Naming her Lash, giving her a definite and unique identity from Lasciel. Because of this, and her growing feelings for Harry, she did rebel and planned on helping Harry from then on without getting him to call on the Coin. Sadly, the first act she did with this new freedom was choose to take a psychic bullet that would have killed Harry]].
69** A few words of wisdom from ArchangelUriel help [[spoiler:Harry Dresden]] realize that, even as the new Winter Knight, Mab has no true control over him because he has free will. It's up to him how or even if he obeys Mab's orders. [[spoiler:Which is just what she wants]].
70* In the epilogue of the first ''Literature/MagicalGirlRaisingProject'' novel, [[spoiler:Snow White and Ripple]] have taken it upon themselves to wipe out any of Fav's remaining followers after the hell the little guy put them through.
71* "[[Literature/ThatHellBoundTrain That Hell-Bound Train]]" is a fantasy short story by Creator/RobertBloch from 1958 that won the UsefulNotes/HugoAward in 1959. Martin makes a DealWithTheDevil that he would be able to stop time for himself whenever he wanted. In other words, once he found a point in his life he enjoyed, that happy moment would last forever for him. He found out that TheDevil had tricked him, others have tried this wish, but they never found the perfect moment, always waiting for something better, until they died. Martin [[spoiler:dies and has to ride the Hell-Bound Train with the Devil to Hell. At that point, knowing Hell awaits and enjoying the company of minor sinners (gambling, sex, etc.) all having their last and greatest time, Martin stops time on the train, trapping everyone there (including the Devil) forever]].
72%%* ''Literature/JohannesCabalTheNecromancer'': Johannes ends up as this.
73* Subverted in ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'', when [[spoiler:Pryrates uses the power the Storm King gave him in an attempt to bind the Storm King to his will. Of course, Pryrates is far from a good guy, and the power he gained is [[EvilIsNotAToy insufficient]]]]. A KarmicDeath results.
74* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/GimmicksThree": Isidore Welby had just gotten a medical discharge from the military when he was approached by another recruiter. The demonic Shapur offered him ten years of [[InMysteriousWays supernaturally guided life]], in exchange for taking a test that would [[DemonOfHumanOrigin turn him into a demon if he passed]]. If he failed, Welby would become another soul damned to hell. Unexpectedly, Welby uses his powers to find a loophole in the contract and escapes with no consequences.
75[[/folder]]
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77[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
78* In the Mexican superhero comedy ''Series/ElChapulinColorado'', one episode has the hero narrating the story of Faustus. In this version, Faustus regains his youth from a deal with the Devil, who also throws in a magic wand in the bargain. When the Devil comes to claim Faustus' soul, Faustus asks to be shown the contract. When The Devil produces it, Faustus uses the wand to make it disappear. The Devil cried like a little girl afterwards.
79* Sam on ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' is trying to find a way out of the DealWithTheDevil his parents made that ended up ensnaring him to serve as Hell's bounty hunter. However, when a solid opportunity comes along, he gives it up to aid another, noting that Satan would probably find another way to get him back on Hell's roster. Furthermore, several ''demons'' have considered knocking over Satan and setting up a new rule in Hell. It hasn't exactly worked out well for most of them...
80* Subverted in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. An agent of Lucifer trains Sam in mystical powers that allow him to exorcise and even destroy demons with his mind. Seems a little stupid of Lucifer, right? [[spoiler:Except that there are a number of seals keeping Lucifer bound in Hell, and the final one is the archdemon Lilith... and Sam ends up using his power to kill Lilith, unwittingly releasing Lucifer. [[EvilPlan Which was the plan all along]]. NiceJobBreakingItHero]].
81[[/folder]]
82
83[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
84* Incredibly common among the [=PCs=] in ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}''. Heroic [[MagiciansAreWizards Hucksters]] tend to be more common than villainous ones, thanks in no small part to the fact that they don't so much deal with devils as [[CardSharp gamble with them for power]]. MadScience (which comes from the same source as Huckster Magic) is behind the creation of the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Holy Wheel Gun]]. But Hucksters and [[MadScientist Mad Scientists]] pale in comparison to the [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies The Harrowed]] who have [[BackFromTheDead their]] [[DemonicPossession own]] [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind problems]] [[StagesOfMonsterGrief to deal]] [[FightingFromTheInside with]].
85** Mad Scientists are somewhat of a subversion, though. Once one of them comes up with the idea of splitting the Ghost Rock Atom (basically creating magical nukes capable of reducing the world to slag), the Demons giving them their creativity/power immediately stop giving any Mad Scientist the ability to make anything ''except'' these Nukes. Sort of a "Let's make all their wild plans come true until one comes up with something suitably destructive, then we'll give it (and nothing else) to everyone."
86* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3.5 and 4th edition, this is pretty much expected of any Warlock, especially those who made a very literal DealWithTheDevil. A sample Infernal Pact is, in fact, actually an ancient warlock who tried to pull this trope off but failed, and now teaches other humans the arts of infernal magic in hopes that one of them will become skilled enough to come and set him loose. 5E adds fewer fiendish pact options so betrayals are less expected.
87* Perfectly possible for Abyssals and Infernals in ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}''; however, there are backdoor penalties for defying the will of their undead/demonic masters. Abyssals get Resonance, which builds up as they adopt the trappings of life; if it's not bled off, it can result in an explosion of necrotic energy that basically kills everything the Abyssal holds dear. Likewise, the Infernals get Torment, which allows their master to hijack them if it builds up too much; the only way to bleed it off is to act like a supervillain. Seriously; this is what happens when the Ebon Dragon has a hand in the creative process.
88** Abyssals and Infernals have received much more dangerous (to their masters) ways to rebel, thanks to later updates. Abyssals are able to completely defy their masters, Resonance be damned, if they act to protect or support their Lunar mates. And Infernals... well, it's called the Heresy charm set, the first one allows the Infernal to ''eat their master alive'' (it's not called "Swallowing the Scorpion" for nothing), and once this gets around, the Ebon Dragon is going to be beating his head against the wall for a week.
89** More broadly, the creation of Exalts in the first place was essentially the gods using this trope to their advantage. They ''specifically'' designed Exaltation to be something they couldn't take back because they needed the Exalted to fight the Primordials and the Primordials could've just ordered the gods to remove the powers of the Exalted.
90* Liliana Vess in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', who made a deal with four archdemons from throughout the multiverse for immortality. Then killed them all. For extra hilarity, she killed the first archdemon with the very artifact (the Chain Veil) that he ordered her to bring to him. It apparently never occurred to the demon that Liliana might pull a stunt like this, or that the Veil would give her the power to pull it off. [[spoiler:Turns out it was all a massive gambit by Nicol Bolas, who brokered the deal. With the demons dead, the contract defaults to him. Serve or die]].
91* In ''TabletopGame/Sorcerer2001'', a sorcerer can attempt to Banish the demon they summoned themselves, but the demon will oppose it with everything it has (and it doesn't actually break their Binding by itself). This trope is also inverted in that demons can rebel against their summoners, too, the difference being that a rebelling demon gets a chance to offer its services to another sorcerer (rather than being Banished from the material world outright).
92[[/folder]]
93
94[[folder:Theatre]]
95* ''Theatre/FaustSecondPartOfTheTragedy'', by Creator/JohannWolfgangVonGoethe, is the first prominent story about the Myth/{{Faust}} legend to do this, making it a sort of TropeCodifier. Faust's contract specifies that he will die and Mephistopheles will claim his soul the moment he experiences perfect contentment. At the end of his life, a blind and wealthy lord, he has a HeelFaceTurn (possibly wanting to [[TheAtoner atone for his sins]]) and has Mephistopheles draft plans to improve his realm. Faust hears digging (actually demons digging his grave) and imagines it's the beginning of his project, and is perfectly content at the thought of how his subjects will benefit and prosper. He drops dead and Mephistopheles tries to claim his soul, but a chorus of angels appear and take his soul to Heaven, thanks to both divine intervention and the intercession of his [[TheLostLenore late lover]] Gretchen. This was because his final acts and perfect contentment were not due to selfish hedonism, but selfless altruism.
96[[/folder]]
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98[[folder:Video Games]]
99* Zigzagged in ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2''. The titular character is a witch who made a DealWithTheDevil with a demon named Madama Butterfly in exchange for demonic powers and command over the forces of Inferno. Due to events in the [[VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}} the first game]], several demons, even a few who has served her before, turn against her, forcing her to kill them in self-defense. However, some other demons are still loyal to her, including Madama Butterfly herself.
100* In ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'', you can buy powerful upgrades from the Devil Room at the cost of your hearts. When you get far enough in the game to actually fight the Satan, these upgrades make killing him that much easier (although taking them does make it harder to reach Mega Satan due to the pieces of the key to his chamber residing in ''Angel'' Rooms).
101* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' starts with the boys indebted to [[{{Satan}} the Devil]] after losing a game of craps; he lets them roam free on the condition that they collect the Soul Contracts of all his other debtors. [[spoiler:If the boys refuse to hand them over, Old Scratch decides to scratch them out; cue the final boss battle.]]
102* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' heavily implies this is the case with the Occultist. During the fight with the FinalBoss, [[spoiler: the Occultist's response to being chosen as a target for [[OneHitKill "Come Unto Your Maker"]] ("Finally, the face of my tormentor! Come, then.") implies that one of the eldritch entities the Occultist draws his power from is the Heart of Darkness itself.]]
103* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''
104** Supplementary material reveals that TheEmperor of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' sold his soul to the Devil for his demonic army. After his death, the Emperor returns as the Emperor ''of Hell''. The remake even shows that [[spoiler:upon his death, the Emperor split his soul in two, and was able to conquer both Hell ''and'' Heaven, making him the lord of the entire afterlife]].
105** In ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', Lightning is chosen by the deity Bhunivelze to become the "Saviour" to guide the souls of humans so that they can be reborn in the new world that Bhunivelze is creating after TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. This being ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', it is later revealed that GodIsEvil, so Lightning must fight against Bhunivelze, using the very powers he has bestowed upon her.
106** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV: Heavensward'' has a villainous example in [[spoiler:[[SinisterMinister Archbishop Thordan]]]], who learns the secrets of Primal summoning from the [[OmnicidalManiac Ascians]], fully intending to betray them once he achieves his own goals. [[spoiler:He actually succeeds in this, killing your longtime nemesis Lahabrea in the process and becoming the main campaign's final boss.]]
107* Ares grants Kratos his powers in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI''. Kratos stays thoroughly evil throughout, but Ares manages to piss him off enough that he resolves to murder Ares.
108* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': Hades becomes increasingly frustrated in his attempts to defeat Hercules since the hero kills every opponent the Lord of the Dead throws at him. At Pete's suggestion that he [[spoiler:"send somebody already dead and save him the trouble," Hades decides to summon [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Auron]], offering to let him out if he kills Hercules. Auron declines and insults him, telling him [[MythologyGag "This is]] ''[[MythologyGag my]]'' [[MythologyGag story, and you're not part of it."]] Hades, in a rage, attacks him just as Sora comes in, and the group escapes, later foiling Hades's next attempt at Hercules's life]]. Also [[DoubleSubversion doubly subverted]] in that later, during your second visit to Olympus Colosseum, [[spoiler:Hades is able to exert power over Auron by stealing his free will and forcing him to fight Hercules without mercy. After several more events happen, Sora and the group steal back Auron's will (which was in the form of a small statue of him) and break Hades' control over him]].
109* Raziel in the ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' series.
110** Brought back from the dead (for the second time) as a wraith by the Elder God in the first game of the ''Soul Reaver'' subseries, he starts showing off some true RageAgainstTheHeavens by the second game, after he learns what he used to be [[spoiler:(a Sarafan general, leader of the army that killed nearly every vampire in the land of Nosgoth in genocide)]], the Elder's true nature [[spoiler:(a parasite who feeds on the souls of the dead, and who despises vampires because he cannot feed on their undying souls)]] and Kain's true motives [[spoiler:(to bring the world of Nosgoth back to vampire rule, as it originally was)]].
111** Kain's own transition to a vampire in the first game was actually intended to end this way, since the necromancer brings him back to take his vengeance for his murder, when the necromancer himself had arranged it.
112* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'': Cynder does this to some degree. Once Spyro sets her free from Malefor's spell, she retains enough of his darkness to use four elements no other dragon can; Shadow, Poison, Wind, and Fear. How does she use these powers? Why, to fight Malefor's evil army and help Spyro kick his butt of course! [[spoiler:Though said darkness does let him take over her mind to some degree but he has to drive her over the DespairEventHorizon first and ThePowerOfLove is an effective antidote]].
113* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'':
114** The Cerberus head honcho Illusive Man resurrects the KIA Commander Shepard (in the course of "[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic Project Lazarus]]", no less) in return for the latter's help in fighting back the Collectors. Since the Collectors are a [[EnemyMine common enemy]], even Paragon Shepard cooperates with Cerberus willingly (although their methods differ), but the actual FaustianRebellion can come at the end of the game, when [[spoiler:Shepard decides whether to destroy the Collector base for good (Paragon choice) or let Cerberus reverse-engineer it, potentially leaving a backdoor for the Reapers]].
115** Miranda also performs one if she's taken along during the final leg of the Suicide Mission. She informs the Illusive Man that she's ''not'' going to stop Shepard from [[spoiler:destroying the Collector Base]], this is her ''[[DefectorFromDecadence resignation]]'' from Cerberus; and promptly ''[[ShutUpHannibal hangs up]]'' when he begins [[VillainousBreakdown furious ranting]]. For extra irony, during Project Lazarus she wanted to install a MindControl chip in Shepard's brain to make him/her subservient to Cerberus only for the Illusive Man to veto her due to the aforementioned reasons.
116** The [[VideoGame/MassEffect3 third game]] reveals that Cerberus actually did predict that this could happen and placed mechanisms on the ''Normandy'' that would allow them to take control of it remotely if Shepard tried to escape. Unfortunately for them, they didn't predict that someone would unshackle EDI, which enabled her to deactivate those mechanisms and retaliate against Cerberus's attempt to use them by flooding their database with seven zettabytes of pornography.
117* Zig-zagged in all kinds of ways with Oswald in ''VideoGame/OdinSphere''. His adopted father Melvin [[DealWithTheDevil offered him]] ''as a baby'' to [[TheGrimReaper Queen Odette]]. She granted his Psypher sword [[BlackMagic dark power]] [[InfinityPlusOneSword without equal]]. However, this power [[DeadlyUpgrade rots his body]] and dooms him to become Odette's consort upon his own death. When Oswald meets his true "master", he discovers that his hellish power cannot harm its master. [[spoiler:However, it IS the only thing that can hurt King Gallon, whom Odette preserved in endless undeath]].
118* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'': In the true ending, [[spoiler:BigBad Izanami is defeated by the protagonist, after she gave him his powers at the beginning of the game.]]
119* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'': [[spoiler:Invoked. Party member Morgana, along with {{Big Good}}s Lavenza and Igor, spend the entire game trying to help the Protagonist use his newfound powers to destroy the very BigBad that empowered him with [[FightingSpirit Persona]] abilities and manipulated him to remove potential threats to their EvilPlan]].
120* ''VideoGame/PonyIsland'': [[spoiler:You use the equine PlayerCharacter from the games Lucifer makes to destroy Lucifer himself]].
121* On the Bonds route of ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse'', HeroicMime Nanashi fights the god he made a contract with at the start of the game. However, since that contract was [[BackFromTheDead what brought him back to life]] in the first place, he spends the first round of the fight completely drained of power as his life ebbs away.
122* Although not a DealWithTheDevil per say, [[spoiler:Specter Knight's]] betrayal of the Enchantress in ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'' definitely counts. To recap, she tried to stop him from retrieving a powerful artifact [[spoiler: and their fight led to his best friend's death]], forced him to accept a terrible deal, killed him, mocked him, and used TheCorruption on [[spoiler:his best friend's son]]. When he gets fed up with her, he beats her [[spoiler:and her most powerful servant]] to a pulp. Sadly, [[spoiler: he had to serve her forever in exchange for purifying his late companionĀ“s corrupted son]].
123* ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'' has a metaphorical case involving [[BigBad Le Paradox's]] deal with [[EvilGenius Penelope]]... with the twist that it's ''[[TheSociopath Penelope]]'' who is [[SatanicArchetype the devil figure]]. She gave Le Paradox the means to TimeTravel, after all, and has full plans on [[TakeOverTheWorld conquering the planet]] by killing him and taking his empire after he erases the Cooper family (since she [[TheResenter really]], ''[[FeelingOppressedByTheirExistence really]]'' hates [[TheHero Sly]]) from history. Naturally, Le Paradox abandons Penelope in Medieval England with no possibility of returning to the present when she [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness acquires Galleth's cane]], leaving her at the mercy of [[MealTicket the last person]] [[FalseSoulmate she duped]].
124* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
125** In ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', it's revealed that Dr. Gerald Robotnik made a DealWithTheDevil with the alien EvilOverlord Black Doom, using his blood to create [[UltimateLifeForm Shadow]] as part of his [[ImmortalitySeeker immortality research]] in exchange for giving him the Chaos Emeralds in 50 years. When he realized that the [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter Black Arms were plotting to destroy mankind]], he raised Shadow to defend Earth and created the Eclipse Cannon for that purpose.
126** Averted in ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'': Sonic's Werehog form is the result of Sonic inadvertently absorbing some of Dark Gaia's essence, and Sonic spends most of the game using the form to beat up Dark Gaia's minions. Before he gets a chance to fight the big guy, however, it takes back the essence from Sonic, robbing him of the Werehog form.
127* Judas in ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny2'' was brought back to life by [[spoiler:Elraine]] and told he would be rewritten as a hero if he assisted her in reviving [[spoiler:Fortuna]]. Possibly because [[TheBerserker Barbatos]] was so quick to agree to the same deal, [[spoiler:she]] didn't seem to have any kind of failsafe for when he said no, and he spends the game trying to stop her instead.
128* In ''VideoGame/UndeadKnights'', [[spoiler:Fatima]] made a deal with the Beast, but broke free of his control (leaving her with the awesome supernatural powers) by isolating the Beast's blood within her in a stone. [[spoiler:After the Bloods kill her in the final battle, she claims that the Beast was pulling their strings the entire time. Her last act before dying is to give the stone to the Bloods so they can free themselves from the Beast as she did. The Bloods do so, though the Beast angrily declares that they are still damned after everything they have done throughout the game and he's keeping a spot warm for them in hell]].
129* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3'', [[PlayerCharacter Geralt]] has the option of doing this on someone else's behalf in the ''Hearts of Stone'' expansion. [[spoiler: Geralt is forced to make a LeonineContract with the SatanicArchetype Gaunter O'Dimm, and in exchange has to help him fulfill the terms of a contract he made with another client, a noble named Olgierd von Everec. At the end of the DLC if you've fulfilled the right requirements you have the option to [[GoldenEnding gamble for both your souls]] at the risk of being DraggedOffToHell [[NonStandardGameOver with von Everec]].]]
130* The Knights of the Ebon Blade in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' certainly qualify. After being sent on a suicide run to draw out Tirion Fordring, head of the Argent Dawn (soon to be Argent Crusade), they turn on Arthas and decide to join the fight against the Scourge. It doesn't seem that there's any explanation why Arthas doesn't at some point just take back the spell or magic he used to bring them back... or failing that just get rid of the Death Knight powers that '''''he''''' gave them in the first place.
131** Similarly, what Warlocks mostly do is make the Burning Legion and its fel energy turn on itself. In fact, a big part of warlock [=PCs=] lore is that they are pretty much always an example of BadPowersGoodPeople, or else they would have gone rogue.
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135* Inverted in ''VisualNovel/SuckerForLove: Date To Die For'' with Rohk'zan's cult. She claims she initially granted her cultists benevolent gifts of fertility, health, and abundance, but they eventually trapped her in the form of [[TownWithADarkSecret Sacramen-Cho]]'s woods and started using her power for evil against her will.
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139* Inverted in ''Webcomic/AngelDown'' with [[spoiler:Ward]], who rebels against the ''angel'' that granted their powers by becoming a DarkShepherd rather than solely using their abilities for DemonSlaying.
140* A subversion occurs in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'' with Tim the infernomancer. He shows up with powers enough to rip through the legions of Hell... only for us to discover that he had the balls to ''steal'' these from his master.
141** His master then notes that he couldn't take the power (a set of gauntlets) back even if he wanted to; the gauntlets had somehow bonded to Tim. However, he hides this fact, making Tim believe he could take back the power at any time, but offering to let him keep them if he kills their mutual enemies, the Deegan family. Dominic figures the truth out and tells Tim, hoping he'll stop his highly-motivated killing spree. Instead, Tim simply decides that now he's free to [[ColdBloodedTorture take his time]].
142* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' Coyote has the ability to grant other people his powers, losing that ability while they have them. There's no indication he can't take the power back, [[spoiler: but when he grants Ysengrin his strength, Ysengrin immediately [[TheDogBitesBack tears his throat out]] before he has a chance to react then devours his body, taking the rest of his powers]]. [[TheTrickster May not stick, of course]].
143* In ''Webcomic/{{Panthera}}'', after it's revealed that [[spoiler:Ari is actually Oosterhuis, Panthera wastes no time in transforming and getting ready to kick ass]].
144* ''Webcomic/DailyGrind'': Tharka used to be the Devil Bunny, a genetically augmented hitman directly working for the Devil himself, until the Insectoid Revolution (think World War II as a BugWar) somehow broke his faith. He stayed on Scratch's payroll but stopped worshiping him out of contempt, and just before he decided to commit suicide, he found true love. Now he spends the 2000s rewriting the laws of the universe to slow down on the Satan worship.
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148* Website/ChuckNorrisFacts: Chuck Norris agreed to trade his soul to the Devil in exchange for his incredible martial arts abilities and [[MrFanservice rugged good looks]]. As soon as the exchange was completed, Norris used his newfound powers to kick the Devil's ass and retake his soul. The Devil, appreciating the {{irony}}, became friends with Norris. They now play poker in Hell every second Wednesday.
149* In ''Literature/SailorNothing'', [[spoiler:Himei and all of the Sailors were given their extremely effective Yamiko-killing powers by a rebel Yamiko general... who was easily dispatched via the same powers when he rejoined the Yamiko]]. Of course, being [[{{Deconstruction}} the story it is]], there are more reasons too.
150* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' sees this happen in both campaigns:
151** Percy refuses to [[spoiler: kill his sister]] when her name appears on [[DesignatedBullet the List]], forcing Orthax to physically manifest, before the party ultimately defeats him.
152** After months of nightmares and threats of being BroughtDownToNormal, Fjord finally confronts his patron by [[spoiler: threatening to throw his pact blade into lava. He ultimately goes through with it, and ends up becoming a paladin of the [[MotherNature Wildmother]]]].
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156* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'':
157** Slade taught Terra to control her powers in exchange for becoming his apprentice. When she tries to bail, Slade reveals the battle suit he gave her [[PeoplePuppets lets him control her directly]]--which motivates Terra to flat-out murder Slade when she overpowers it.
158** Subverted when the demon lord Trigon decides not to honor the deal he made with Slade. Slade angrily attacks him, only for Trigon to laugh and say, "I granted you these powers and I can take them away!" He absorbs the powers out of Slade and makes him disappear. [[spoiler:Eventually it turns out Slade anticipated this treachery and then makes an EnemyMine with the Titans to escape Trigon's control and come fully BackFromTheDead, though he still doesn't recover the powers.]]
159* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'':
160** In the episode "Ghost In The Machine", Starscream's ghost makes a deal with Unicron's disembodied head. Starscream will help repair Unicron's body and Unicron will bring him back to life. At first, Starscream makes the repairs by taking over host bodies, but they get destroyed or lost over the course of the episode. Eventually, Starscream convinces Unicron that bringing him back to life (thus making him solid) is the only way to complete the repairs. Unicron does it and orders him to complete the repairs, but Starscream says, "Do it yourself!" and escapes, with Unicron powerless to stop him.
161** Megatron, after becoming Galvatron tried something like this earlier. After stealing the Matrix-like Unicron ordered him to, he then decided to turn on Unicron and destroy him with the Matrix's power. It didn't work out exactly how Galvatron would have liked.
162* [[DiabolicalMastermind The Sovereign]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' was revealed to have made a DealWithTheDevil with the mysterious group known as "The Investors" in order to become the leader of the [[WeirdTradeUnion Guild of Calamitous Intent]]. Most who make deals with them don't live very long, and as a result [[spoiler: the season 6 premiere revolved around his attempts to get out of his end of the deal by killing them, which involved [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder killing off the rest of the Council]].]]
163-->'''Dr. Mrs. The Monarch:''' So you signed a DealWithTheDevil and now you want to welch on it.
164-->'''The Sovereign:''' Right? The head of a global evil organization is a bad man. Who'd have guessed? Total shocker.
165* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In the first and second season finales, Luz makes a deal with Belos in order to ensure the safety of her loved ones, only to trick him at the last second.
166** Season 1: She hands over the portal door in exchange for Eda, King, and Lilith being [[TakenForGranite spared]], only to blow it up with fire glyphs while she's on her way up to the petrification platform. Of course, he has the ability to make major repairs, but it bought her time before the Day of Unity.
167** Season 2: She notes to Belos that [[DidNotThinkThisThrough the human world has changed]] and he'll need a guide to prove he's not talking nonsense; she offers to fill that role as long as he spares her friends, then brands him with his own sigil glove to put him at the mercy of [[HoistByHisOwnPetard his own draining spell]].
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