Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context PlayingWith / ManipulativeBastard

Go To

1'''Basic Trope''': A character manipulates others in order to further their goals.
2* '''Straight''':
3** Bob tells [[TheAtoner Alice]] that if she doesn't help him defeat [[BigBad Emperor Evulz]], she will never be forgiven for her past misdeeds.
4** Bob hatches a plan to manipulate Alice into doing what he wants.
5* '''Exaggerated''':
6** Bob can manipulate TheSpock.
7** Bob manipulates every other character, both good guys and bad guys, and [[WildCard everything in between]].
8** DidYouJustScamCthulhu
9* '''Downplayed''':
10** Bob [[ThePrankster pulls pranks]] by playing on his subjects' minds.
11** Bob is very reluctant to manipulate people, but he will do so if necessary.
12* '''Justified''':
13** Bob is TheEmpath, which allows him [[GoodPowersBadPeople to take advantage of others' feelings]].
14** Bob's manipulation was for a good cause.
15** Bob is TheSociopath.
16** Bob is educated in [[PsychoPsychologist psychology. ]]
17** Bob had a [[FreudianExcuse tough childhood]] where manipulation was needed to obtain his basic needs.
18* '''Inverted''': ExtremeDoormat
19* '''Subverted''':
20** Bob wasn't trying to manipulate Alice. He genuinely feels that way.
21** Bob wants to be this trope, [[BigBadWannabe but is TERRIBLE at it]].
22* '''Double Subverted''':
23** Bob is manipulating Alice into thinking he genuinely feels that way.
24** [[ObfuscatingStupidity Being terrible at manipulation was what Bob wanted everyone to think all along...]]
25* '''Parodied''': Bob manipulates people into doing things he could do himself in a few seconds: such as picking up a pencil.
26* '''Zig-Zagged''': Alice manipulates Bob into thinking he's manipulating her.
27* '''Averted''': Bob never manipulates others.
28* '''Enforced''':
29** "We need someone to take advantage of TheHero's kindness."
30** "We need a master manipulator-type AntiHero."
31* '''Lampshaded''': "All you told me were lies! You were just using me!"
32* '''Invoked''': Bob studies psychology and applies it to the people he knows.
33* '''Exploited''': Alice knows Bob is trying to manipulate her, but plays dumb so that Bob lets his guard down.
34* '''Defied''': Alice knows Bob is trying to manipulate her, and calls him out on it.
35* '''Discussed''': Bob and Steve talk about the moral implications of manipulating Alice.
36* '''Conversed''': "This show is just plain sick! Bob manipulates Alice into doing everything he wants her to do, and Steve treats him like he's in the right."
37* '''Implied''': Alice says she'll never perform Action A, but then she does it under Bob's seemingly benevolent gaze.
38* '''Deconstructed''': Nobody trusts Bob because he keeps manipulating them.
39* '''Reconstructed''':
40** Bob plays the long game with his [[EvilGenius evil]] or [[GuileHero not-so-evil]] plans and frames other people, so nobody catches on.
41** Because no one trusts him, Bob relies almost entirely upon ReversePsychology instead, to much the same effect as if they did trust him.
42** Bob commits using his plans and improvisations to manipulate villains and no one else. The heroes regain their trust in him.
43* '''Played for Laughs''': [[LaughablyEvil Bob]] [[PokeThePoodle manipulates Alice into doing barely villainous things, like not recycling.]]
44* '''Played for Drama''': Bob manipulates Alice into killing her friend Charlie. When Alice [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes what she's done]], she murders Bob.
45----
46Wouldn't the world be a better place if you just went back to the ManipulativeBastard main page?

Top