Line #133 Main/PutTheLaughterInSlaughter


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4	[[quoteright:260:[[Webcomic/SanThreeKingdomsComic https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_132_3446.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:260:Don't ruin Zhuge Liang's evil moment.]]
6
7	->''"Fun really isn't something one considers when balancing the universe, but this... does put a smile on my face."''
8	-->-- '''Thanos''', ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' ([[MissingTrailerScene trailer]])
9
10	This is a subtrope of EvilLaugh, and the opposite of DissonantSerenity. It's when a character goes around killing everything in sight and seems to be having a ''lot'' of fun with it, like [[ComicBook/TheJoker Joker]] levels of fun. Especially if the character is LaughingMad. Often goes hand in hand with a SlasherSmile.
11
12	Typical of the BloodKnight, the BoisterousBruiser, some AxCrazy characters, some GloryHound military officers, and some {{Sociopathic Hero}}es, but it can happen to anyone, especially during a HeroicBSOD, a HeroicSacrifice or a BolivianArmyEnding. It's rather exceptional for normal heroes, since usually there's something ''deeply wrong'' if TheCape is actually having fun killing people (unless they're trained to do so).
13
14	If they actually ''say'' the title phrase, they're engaging in YouPutTheXInXY.
15
16	In a possible aversion, the 80s/90s rock band ''Slaughter'' used this as an explanation of their name.
17
18	----
19	!!Examples:
20
21	[[foldercontrol]]
22
23	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24	* Dinoponera from ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}''. One moment she's [[IJustWantToHaveFriends an affection-needy cutie pie]]; the next she's [[InsaneTrollLogic maniacally beating her friendship candidates to a bloody pulp.]]
25	* In ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', many people take sick amusement in killing, especially Apostles such as the Baron of Koka Castle who laughs maniacally while massacring innocent townspeople.
26	** Guts as a rage-filled AntiHero has laughed while slaughtering all around him in at least one of his darkest moments. In the ''Lost Children'' chapter while being attacked at night by the flaming ghosts of dozens of children who he had killed earlier when they were possessed monsters, he laughs with wild abandon as if taking sadistic joy in cutting them down. However, his subtle reactions betray the fact that he's using this frenzied state as a coping mechanism to keep fighting through the nauseating guilt and horror that he's feeling, and he immediately snaps out of it when he sees Jill in the midst of the danger and shields her with his own body.
27	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': [[BloodKnight Kenpachi Zaraki]] is kind of the embodiment of this trope, although we only see him doing duels.
28	* [[SuperpowerLottery Accelerator]] of ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'' laughs insanely during every single one of his fights, most of which involve lots of killing.
29	* Mad Pierrot from ''Anime/CowboyBebop''. To {{Nightmare Fuel}}ish levels...
30	* In ''Manga/{{Devilman}}'', '''everyone''' does this at one point or another, but the titular anti-hero takes the cake. A cake made of brutality and guts.
31	* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
32	** [[OmnicidalManiac Kid Buu]] for the most part can be summed up as "[[RuleOfThree Destroy, destroy, destroy and laugh, laugh and laugh]] some more."
33	** There's also Freeza laughing at the destruction of Planet Vegeta.
34	* While the anime version of ''Manga/ElfenLied'' portrays [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Lucy]] as TheStoic EmotionlessGirl who butchers people like the dozen without visible emotion, her manga counterpart displays a disturbing tendency to break in fits of insane cackling as she ripped people to pieces with gleeful abandon.
35	* Many lesser {{Mooks}} in ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', especially the Fang Clan, outright enjoy robbing and slaughtering the poor, and it's quite common for everyone of them to laugh while gutting their unfortunate victims.
36	* [[{{yandere}} Yuno Gasai]] from ''Manga/FutureDiary'' engages in this.
37	* Rory Mercury from ''Literature/{{Gate}}'' laughs with glee as she fulfills her obligations as the Apostle to Emloy, the god of death.
38	* The ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise's three big [[PsychoForHire Psychos For Hire]], [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Yazan Gable]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 Ali Al-Saachez]], and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE Desil Galette]] are all guilty of this, chuckling to themselves as they gun down MS after MS. ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed Gundam SEED]]'' and ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]'''s Extended are not better about this, nor are their creators, Muruta Azrael and Lord Djibril.
39	** On the protagonist side of things, [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 Hallelujah Haptism]] has a tendency to laugh hysterically when the killing starts. [[SplitPersonality Allelujah, not so much]].
40	* Several characters in ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' (though most often [[SociopathicHero Alucard]]) engage in this.
41	* ''Literature/HighSchoolDXD'': Akeno Himejima is a rare heroic example. Being the resident CombatSadomasochist, she has a habit of laughing or giggling while engaging in violence, and even after she kills someone. The most prominent example, when [[TheHero Issei]] offers to take her out on a date as a reward for defeating an opponent, her immediate reaction is to explode in power while giggling uncontrollably.
42	* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': [[spoiler:Shion Sonozaki, during Meazaki-hen and thus Watanagashi-hen.]] There are pictures of her face with "You can't spell slaughter without laughter" captioned to them around on the internet, and she's pretty much the ''literal'' poster child for this trope.
43	** Though she didn't laugh when she actually killed, Rena does go LaughingMad while trying her best to kill Keiichi and Rika. Images of her wielding her hatchet with an open-mouthed roaring laugh are iconic.
44	* Typical of the Creator/GoNagai style brand of SuperRobotGenre show, especially ''Anime/MazingerZ''.
45	* Roberto tended to do this in ''Manga/{{Monster}}'' while Johan was more... ''[[DissonantSerenity calm]]'' about it.
46	* [[CombatSadomasochist Hidan]] from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', as he is a bloodthirsty criminal who [[ReligionOfEvil worships the evil god Jashin]], and he has little restraint on killing people due to this faith. He even does this while using his {{Synchronization}} Jutsu.
47	* In ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'':
48	** It wasn't manslaughter, but the end of the great fight between "Nagi" and Rakan shares the spirit.
49	** On the other hand, the series also presents us with a truly [[NightmareFuel terrifying]] example: CombatSadomasochist [[PsychoLesbian Tsukuyomi.]]
50	* Zentraedi leader Boddole Zer in ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' gives a hearty "Muahahahahahaha!" as his fleet is destroying the Earth's surface and killing billions of humans.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Comic Books]]
54	* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': ComicBook/TheJoker in most of his incarnations, except when he's taking killing seriously.
55	** As demonstrated in the former page picture, in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', he actually rides a circus truck emblazoned with "laughter is the best medicine", and a large red S spray-painted just before "laughter".
56	* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': ComicBook/{{Bullseye\|MarvelComics}} is this to a T.
57	* ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'': Deadpool is a good example.
58	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': ComicBook/{{Carnage}} takes great joy in killing, as his name oh-so-subtley suggests.
59	* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': Reactron smiles and laughs gleefully as killing people, especially Kryptonians, in ''ComicBook/NewKrypton'' and [[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 Kara's own series]].
60	* ''ComicBook/{{Shakara}}'': The Overlord laughs maniacally while massacring all of his former allies in The Hierarchy after they discover his betrayal.
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Fan Works]]
64	* Pinkie Pie in the infamous ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' Darkfic ''Fanfic/CupcakesSergeantSprinkles'', who giggles at doing horrible things to her victims (Bonus Points for being the Element of Laughter).
65	* Some ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'' fans decided to create a fan-made VillainSong [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlZF0s7Leso "Let Them Run"]], set to the melody of "Let It Go" in which Anna giggles as she sings about murdering people ([[spoiler:including her sister Elsa]]) like it's as fun as building snowmen.
66	* ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'' has [[EvilTwin Satan]] [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Girl]], who smiles and giggles maniacally while massacring everything in sight.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
70	* ''Film/HotShotsPartDeux'' is the most violent movie ever made! And it has [[AffectionateParody a lot of fun proving that]].
71	* Creator/JackNicholson at the climax of ''Film/TheShining'' was partly this.
72	* ''Film/AViewToAKill'': CorruptCorporateExecutive Max Zorin likes gunning down his own henchmen way, ''way'' too much.
73	* In Creator/ChristopherNolan's ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', in the car chase on Wacker Drive, the Joker and his men are in a semi truck that has the slogan "Laughter is the best medicine". An S has been spraypainted to make the message say "Slaughter is the best medicine." That, of course, isn't an example... but it's ''the Clown Prince of Crime'' we're talking about, so there's plenty of examples elsewhere in the movie.
74	* In most of his appearances, King Ghidorah from the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' makes an oddly discordant trilling/cackling noise instead of traditional roars; as he is described as slaughtering entire worlds for fun, it almost sounds like maniacal laughter.
75	* In ''Film/TheSabataTrilogy'', Carrincha and Escudo (two characters in two different movies played by the same actor) are this.
76	* ''Film/LordOfWar'': During the weapons sale in Sierra Leone, Andre Baptiste Jr. is trying out the M60 from the first ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' movie which Yuri finally brought him. He guns down civilians on the side of the road while laughing with glee.
77	* A rare heroic example in Drax the Destroyer of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''. What sets him apart is that his laugh is very genuine -- it's upbeat, happy, and excited, as opposed to the regular bloodthirsty, sadistic laughter that most examples of this trope show off.
78	* ''Film/HomeAlone'': In both the first and second movie, there's a Gangster FilmWithinAFilm (''Angels with Filthy Souls'' and ''Angels With Filthier Souls'') in which a 1930s mobster uses his Tommy Gun to gun down various people while he laughs psychotically.
79	* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': General Ludendorf and Dr. Maru giggle as the German High Command painfully dies after the pair betray them and trap them in a room with Maru's latest biological gas weapon.
80	* ''Film/DunePartTwo'': During his final grapple with Lanville, Feyd-Rautha begins laughing in pure delight as they struggle for control of the knife that ultimately kills Lanville.
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Literature]]
84	* Bellatrix Lestrange from ''Literature/HarryPotter''. An authentic AxCrazy if she had an ax instead of a wand.
85	* Odiana in ''Literature/CodexAlera'' is completely AxCrazy and really quite cheerful ([[TheMadHatter and self-aware]]) about it. She usually expresses this by being inordinately [[CuteAndPsycho cute and cheery]] while suggesting that they just kill everyone in about a 5-mile radius.
86	* [[BloodKnight Rachel]] from ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' is a rare heroic ([[SociopathicHero well,]] [[BlackandGrayMorality sort of]]) example of this. Right before charging into [[spoiler: her final battle,]] she leaves us with this little gem:
87	-->"I felt...I felt exalted. It was my moment. This was my place and my time and my own perfection. I was no longer afraid. Weird. If I'd had a mouth I'd have smiled. <Well?> I said. No one moved. <Scared?> I asked. No answer. <You should be,> I said, almost laughing. I lunged..."
88	* Tulkas, the god of war in Creator/JRRTolkien's [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium universe]] is a rare good example of this.
89	* Edward Dunn "Ned" Malone, the journalist in Arthur Conan Doyle's ''Literature/TheLostWorld1912'' when he shoots the ape-like creatures (called Doda by the Accala natives). However, he is the main hero of the book
90	* Borenson of ''Literature/TheRunelords'' starts chuckling and gradually passes into outright laughter whenever he fights. While he takes pride in being a good soldier, he's by no means a murderous madman and has no idea why he laughs while he fights. But he takes advantage of the fact that it unnerves everyone else.
91	* Pace of ''Literature/HereticalEdge'' is apparently completely nuts and frequently laughs in combat. [[spoiler: It's not actually Pace laughing. It's the `broken` Seosten Lies possessing her.]]
92	* In ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' the knight Mandorallen feels fear for the first time in his life and worries that he'll freeze up in battle. Durnik advises him that it's entirely natural for men to feel fear and that laughing at his fear may help ease it. Sure enough, in the next battle Mandorallen begins laughing.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
96	* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', Sylar has a good bit of fun being a psychotic serial killer.
97	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
98	** The easiest way to describe the new series' version of the Master is "completely insane... and loving every second of it."
99	** River Song is a SociopathicHero version, as she takes great delight in shooting down the bad aliens.
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
103	* The Yozi Adorjan from ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' is infamous for this; the only sound she can stand is her own laughter, she swoops around the Demon City slaying all she touches, and murder is something she finds particularly amusing. Those who take enough of her Charms will also eventually adopt this attitude.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Video Games]]
107	* Kevin "Maddog" Cameron from ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance'' is a psychotic hick who can be hired by the player. He's prone to ignoring player orders when wielding burst fire weapons and loves fighting multiple enemies at once, and when his Morale gets high enough, he starts to cackle in an insane manner while killing the Queen's men.
108	* Any FPS that is ''VideoGame/DukeNukem''-ish enough has this:
109	** The characters in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' have a cackling sound file that some players set to play whenever they fired their guns.
110	** Caleb from ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'' also periodically laughs maniacally when there's lots of violence happening on the screen... Such as when he just threw a bundle of dynamite into a crowd of evil cultists (and/or innocent civilians).
111	* [[spoiler:Shion]] during her [[spoiler:torture of Satoko]] in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry''.
112	** [[spoiler:Eva-Beatrice]] at a bare minimum during her murder of [[spoiler:Rosa]], in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry''. So much so that [[CruelAndUnusualDeath once just]] [[AFateWorseThanDeath wasn't enough]]. And actually, Beato herself quite a few times, although [[spoiler:it was stated in red that this was not the case]].
113	** Kinzo, when he makes his 1st twilight appearance in episode 4, [[ChewingTheScenery chews the dining room and most of the diners]].
114	* ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'': Luca Blight. His motto might as well be "You can't spell 'Slaughter' without 'Laughter'!"
115	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Kefka. Just [[MonsterClown one]] [[AxCrazy of]] [[LaughingMad the MANY]] [[SlasherSmile things]] he has in common with The Joker.
116	* Yuuki Terumi from ''Franchise/BlazBlue'', who laughs in the AntiHero protagonist's face after murdering his adoptive mother, burning her house to the ground, and cutting his right arm off.
117	* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Heavy Weapons Guy is notable for this, especially towards the end of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY5qJHZCz2I "Meet the Heavy" video]]. The other characters, too, apply when dominating an opponent.
118	** You may now do this at-will using the [[https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Schadenfreude Schadenfreude]] taunt to laugh at someone so that they see you mocking them in their kill-cam. Needless to say, it's a great way to show how much you're enjoying killing people, and an even better way to honk them off.
119	* Wallachia of ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood'' laughs madly even as he chops his opponents to bits. Not that you see any blood, but that's the impression.
120	* Dimentio in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' does this after [[spoiler:"killing" Mario, Peach, and Bowser.]]
121	* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'': Khorne Berserkers, Chaos SpaceMarines and Ork Big Meks all have laughing sounds when attacking. Aspiring Champions even have a fast-paced laugh when their morale is gone.
122	* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'', Brick, the Berserker, seems to have a lot of fun beating people into a pulp with his bare hands while in his Unstoppable Rage.
123	* In ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', Mephiles laughs like a lunatic after [[spoiler:killing Sonic.]]
124	* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' multiplayer, krogan characters let out a good laugh after they kill enough enemies in a row with melee and go into [[SuperMode blood]] [[UnstoppableRage rage]]. Also happens sometimes with Grunt, your Krogan squadmate from the second game, who ''really enjoys'' killing things.
125	* ''VideoGame/Onmyoji2016'': [[CreepyChild Kurodōji]] is a powerful ''shikigami'', but we do hope you can put up with the ''constant'' cackles he lets out as he chops up his foes.
126	* Akechi Mitsuhide from ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' is LaughingMad in the first place, but once you get him in the heat of battle, oh boy...
127	* The Warlock from ''VideoGame/Dota2'' is usually quite deadpan, but if he manages to scrounge up upgrades to his ultimate, he can summon up to four demons at once (as opposed to one normally), and starts to lose his cool and laugh maniacally.
128	-->'''Warlock:''' ''Can you believe this!? Ahahahahaha!''
129	* Miss Fortune from ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' will laugh maniacally when unleashing her BulletHell ultimate skill.
130	** A straighter example of this is Jinx. A [[PsychopathicManchild psychotic]], [[ComedicSociopathy hilariously sociopathic]] TerroristWithoutACause, with the only laughing emote that ''loops.'' It borders on LaughingMad territory on [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y2QurxSTVA&feature=youtu.be&t=1m40s translated recordings.]]
131	* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', raiders and especially super mutants are often heard taunting foes and laughing maniacally in combat.
132	-->'''Super mutant:''' ''Hurry up and die! I'M HUNGRY! HAHAHAHAHA!''
133	* In ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'', Ragnarov Titan's captain attack order quote is literally "I put the laughter in slaughter!"
134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Web Animation]]
137	* Flippy from ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' when he goes AxCrazy.
138	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
139	** Nora is a GenkiGirl BloodKnight who is cheerfully enthusiastic about everything- including slaying monsters. Weirdly, she's on the side of the heroes.
140	** On the villains' side, Tyrian enjoys the thought of murder and violence, and engages in psychotic bursts of laughter often when cracking jokes about it. When carving up a Beowolf that tried to get the drop on him, Tyrian's anger and sadness at being referred to as a disappointment suddenly slips into bloodlust as he engages in more psychotic laughter while crying his eyes out at the same time, disturbing even Cinder.
141	* Insanity Wolf references this trope (three words away from word-for-word, even) during one of his verses of his ''Animeme Rap Battle'' against Courage Wolf.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Webcomics]]
145	* ''Webcomic/{{Lackadaisy}}'': [[http://www.lackadaisycats.com/comic.php?comicid=49 Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]] normally seems like an sweet innocent kid, but put a gun in his hands and point him at something to shoot, and his laughter will explain why he got kicked out of the police academy. [[SharedFamilyQuirks His cousin Rocky has a similar habit]], best shown off in the animated pilot as he [[MadBomber flings lit sticks of dynamite from atop hijacked earthmoving equipment]] while ranting poetically and giggling like a lunatic.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:Web Original]]
149	* The Slaughterhouse Nine in ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' are all about this trope, especially Jack Slash, Bonesaw, and past member Chuckles.
150	* LetsPlay/{{Robbaz}} often laughs while killing characters in games. Sometimes it's a loud laugh (especially if the death turns out to be more brutal or funny than he was expecting), but sometimes it's more of a sinister giggle.
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Western Animation]]
154	* In his last scene, Hank Scorpio in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' grabs a flamethrower and jumps down to battle a bunch of soldiers invading his secret lair. He laughs maniacally as they all desperately run for cover, and while Homer is leaving you can hear Scorpio shouting to him that he's "missing out on some fun!"
155	* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' features a sickeningly-sweet WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake clone who's actually committing a Holocaust. But, she reminds us, "You can't spell slaughter without laughter!"
156	* The 1961 ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "It Hurts Only When They Laughs" has Olive making Popeye and Brutus laugh while she's doing the dishes so she'll know they're not misbehaving and fighting. However, while Olive is doing the dishes, Popeye and Brutus are beating the living hell out of each other--and destroying the living room in the process--while laughing. The boys lampshaded it at the end in Popeye's ending theme tag:
157	-->'''Popeye:''' You're not a riff-raff...
158	-->'''Brutus:''' If ya fights and ya laugh...
159	-->'''Popeye:''' With Popeye the Sailor Man! (''toot toot!'')
160	* The slap-happy spider in the 1942 [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Warner Bros. cartoon]] ''Meatless Flyday'' sees the fly he's trying to catch hiding out as a bride on a wedding cake:
161	-->'''Spider:''' Tricky little cuss. (''chuckles'') He kills me! (''laughs; does take'') I'll kill ''him!'' (''laughs harder'')
162	* ''The Inspector'' cartoon "Plastered In Paris" has the Inspector and Sgt. Deux Deux in their squad car chasing a villain named Mister X, who sprays a cloud of laughing gas at them. Unable to see, the Inspector and Deux Deux crash head-on into a tree. Their following dialogue is delivered while they are laughing uncontrollably:
163	-->'''Inspector:''' What's so funny, Deux Deux?\
164	'''Deux Deux:''' I think I broke my back!\
165	'''Inspector:''' You think that's funny?? I...I fractured my leg!\
166	'''Deux Deux:''' Does...does that hurt you?\
167	'''Inspector:''' Of course, you idiot! The pain is unbearable!
168	[[/folder]]

Context Main / PutTheLaughterInSlaughter