Line #18 PlayingWith/ManipulativeBastard


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''':
35	** Alice knows Bob is trying to manipulate her, and calls him out on it.
36	** Alice's immediate response to suspecting she is currently a pawn in any of Bob's schemes (even if she isn't, and most specially [[DisproportionateRetribution when she isn't]]) is to [[TalkToTheFist break Bob]]. Bob does tries at the beginning [[WoundedGazelleGambit to factor this into his schemes]], but after a hundred times [[PyrrhicVictory of the price of dealing with Alice becoming too high]], he [[TheDreaded decides to avoid dealing with her and anything related to her]].
37	* '''Discussed''': Bob and Steve talk about the moral implications of manipulating Alice.
38	* '''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."
39	* '''Implied''': Alice says she'll never perform Action A, but then she does it under Bob's seemingly benevolent gaze.
40	* '''Deconstructed''':
41	** Nobody trusts Bob because he keeps manipulating them.
42	** Bob eventually finds a person TooDumbToFool; FeralVillain (And TheBrute in Emperor Evulz's general scheme of things) Clay. TalkToTheFist ensues.
43	* '''Reconstructed''':
44	** Bob plays the long game with his [[EvilGenius evil]] or [[GuileHero not-so-evil]] plans and frames other people, so nobody catches on.
45	** Because no one trusts him, Bob relies almost entirely upon ReversePsychology instead, to much the same effect as if they did trust him.
46	** Bob commits using his plans and improvisations to manipulate villains and no one else. The heroes regain their trust in him.
47	* '''Played for Laughs''': [[LaughablyEvil Bob]] [[PokeThePoodle manipulates Alice into doing barely villainous things, like not recycling.]]
48	* '''Played for Drama''': Bob manipulates Alice into killing her friend David. When Alice [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes what she's done]], she murders Bob.
49	----
50	Wouldn't the world be a better place if you just went back to the ManipulativeBastard main page?

Context PlayingWith / ManipulativeBastard