History Main / AsLongAsThereIsEvil

** [[MeaningfulName "Odio" is Latin for "I hate", and appears in various romance languages with a similar meaning.]]

* The [[UsefulNotes/{{Buddhism}} Buddhist]] boddhisatsava Ksitigarbha (also known as Dizang Buddha or "Buddha in Hell") provides an interesting variation. He has taken a pledge to bring light to all beings everywhere and walks through Hell to save the souls of the evil beings trapped there. As long as there is any evil to be redeemed, he will continue his work.

** The BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil is having a hard time finding someone as evil as he was, and tries to recruit his {{Reincarnation}} in the ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Sorrow]]'' games. If Soma rejects his previous life, then Alucard muses that while an Evil King may be inevitable, free will means that it doesn't have to be one particular person.

is fear in your heart, I will someday return.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Underling}}'', Satan. Though it's really more of a weakness.

* The article [[https://the-orbit.net/greta/2016/06/27/permanent-struggle-2/ permanent struggle]] by [[TheAntiNihilist Greta Christina]] is a variant. It basically says that all the various injustices and other bad things are in part due to flaws in human nature itself, and thus, as long as humans exist we will have to struggle against them.
* Dungeon Master Mark "Sherlock" Hulmes' interpretation of [[EldritchAbomination Hadar, the Dark Hunger]], in the [[Webvideo/HighRollers2016 live-streamed D&D campaign Aerois]]. Hadar is the manifestation of all of the hunger in the universe, and even if he was completely defeated, eventually somebody is going to get hungry again. And when they do, Hadar will return.

* ''Franchise/PrettyCure'':

** ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure'' has the Byogens, including their leader, King Byogen. While the Pretty Cures fighting him manage to defeat him once and for all, the Healing Animals note that the Byogens may resurface in the future, owing to their nature as diseases.

* In ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'', Ogudomon is unable to truly be killed as the amalgamation of the Seven Great Demon Lords, who are themselves the {{Anthropomorphic Personficiation}}s of the Digital World's sins and malice and will thus always return in some form or exist in another universe when one is defeated.

* In the [[Creator/{{Gonzo}} anime]] [[Creator/AtsuhiroTomioka adaptation]] of ''Anime/ChronoCrusade'', the Big Bad, [[CardCarryingVillain Aion]], uses this trait to come BackFromTheDead after the heroes defeat him -- he dies, but there's so much hatred in the area that he instantly rises. [[DownerEnding The anime ending]] also suggests that he might be TheHeartless.
* The [[TheAnimeOfTheGame Anime Adaptation]] of ''[[Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa Kirby]]'' has the BigBad Nightmare playing this trope straight, complete with last lines:
--> "True to my name, I am but a dream that lives in your heart. Therefore, I am immortal. For as long as there is fear in your heart, I will someday return."
** Subverted in the English dub; after Kirby defeats him, he goes out ''screaming in agony'' as he dissolves into nothing.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh''
** The Great Leviathan's shadow form is said to be fueled by darkness in the hearts of people. So long as there are those who succumb to their darkness, the Great Leviathan shall never truly die. This is probably a subversion, since the Pharaoh responds to this by saying [[ShutUpHannibal that's crock]] and that it was actually created by the Orichalcos itself, and then appears to ''prove'' that by seemingly vanquishing the Leviathan with his power forever.
** This is done a second time in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', with Darkness/Nightshroud. When Nightshroud is defeated, he boasts that he will always return as long as there are those who succumb to their darkness. Judai retorts that there will always be people who can overcome their darkness to defeat him.
* ''Anime/TwinPrincessOfWonderPlanet'': The Black Crystal. As long as there is despair and unhappiness for it to feed off of, it will ''never'' truly vanish. The best that can be done against it is to remove it from the world(s) in question and even then it'll just be free to attack another planet.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon''
** [[TheManBehindTheMan Chaos]] is the malice in the hearts of people across the Universe, given a will of its own.
** In the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]], it's explicitly stated that light and darkness will always coexist; the darkness needs the light to cast shadows and the light needs the darkness to shine brightly.

%%* [[http://digimon.wikia.com/wiki/Ogudomon Ogudomon]] from the ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' franchise.
* In ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'', Noise will always be reborn as long sadness exist. The Pretty Cures averted this trope by becoming his friend after he was reborn as Pii-chan. They learned that they have to face and accept sadness instead of fighting it.
** ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure'' has the Byogens, including their leader, King Byogen. While the Pretty Cures fighting him manage to defeat him once and for all, the Healing Animals note that the Byogens may resurface in the future, owing to their nature as diseases.

* In ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'', there will always be cursed spirits roaming around the world as long as humans vent their negative emotions such as pain or envy.

* ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'': At one point, [[ThoseWackyNazis Captain Nazi]] claimed he was an incarnation of Nazism, and as long as someone believed in it, he could never truly die. This is an upgrade from a cut-price evil version of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, as was his previous origin.
* This is outright said to be one of [[{{Satan}} Mephisto's]] abilities.
* ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'': Frankenstein will stick around for as long as there's evil in the world... periodically waking up to beat the crap out of it.
* In ''Franchise/GreenLantern'': ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'', Sinestro makes this boast:
--> ''As long as there is life, the universe will never be without fear!''
* Franchise/{{Batman}} has a more heroic answer: "As long as there is evil, [[BadassBoast I'll be waiting for it.]]"
* The Living Nightmare of ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' is an AnthropomorphicPersonification of human fear, and so long as there is fear it can never be truly killed.
* At the end of the ''ComicBook/TheGreatDarknessSaga'', ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} admits he has been defeated, but he states he can't be destroyed because his darkness will live forever within human hearts, growing and destroying them from within.
-->'''Darkseid:''' But remember... The darkness cannot surrender. It is always with you, always on the fringe of the dawn... and the instant you gaze at it in fear... Your time will come.

** Morgoth. He actually reconfigured the world by inserting a piece of himself, and his influence is compared to Sauron's influence on the One Ring. Just as Sauron will never die as long as the ring exists, Morgoth will never die as long as the world exists. As put in ''Literature/TheSilmarilion'':

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' [[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-eu9o8-MRUnV6Rpuzu6YSuM0Ue3CrYiKwRzISRVvFHQ/edit reveals]] why Hyrule and the rest of the world is [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda still]] plagued by evil. After being defeated by Link, Demise informs Link, that the hatred and grudge of him and the entire demon race ('''"Mazoku"''') he spawned, is always evolving and will spawn incarnations (such as Vaati and Ganondorf), which shall haunt not only the Gods and the surface dwellers for all eternity, but also those who try to stand in the way of the demons ('''"Spirit of the Hero"''') and the descendants of Hylia's mortal bloodline ('''"Divine Blood"''').

** Morgoth. He actually reconfigured the world by inserting a piece of himself, and his influence is compared to Sauron's influence on the One Ring. Just as Sauron will never die as long as the ring exists, Morgoth will never die as long as the world exists.

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Morgoth. "Yet the lies that Melkor, the mighty and the accursed, Morgoth Bauglir, the Power of Terror and of Hate, sowed in the hearts of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days."
** This is a running theme in Creator/JRRTolkien's books. As long as darkness persists in the hearts of men, evil "will ever take another shape and grow again." Yet only Men, with their Gift of Freedom and power to write their own destinies, have any hope of finally redeeming Middle Earth.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' when you finally defeat Calasmos, the game's true final villain, he gives a speech about how he can never truly die because light needs darkness to exist. Moments later, the full effect of his defeat takes hold, and his body is overwhelmed with light until he finally explodes from the inside and is completely annhilated. The fact that he is absolutely horrified as this occurs makes it clear that he's realizing he was wrong: despite his boasts [[KilledOffForReal he won't be coming back]] from this.t

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' when you finally defeat [[spoiler: Calasmos, the game's true final villain, he gives a speech about how he can never truly die because light needs darkness to exist. Moments later, the full effect of his defeat takes hold, and his body is overwhelmed with light until he finally explodes from the inside and is completely annhilated. The fact that he is absolutely horrified as this occurs makes it clear that he's realizing he was wrong: despite his boasts [[KilledOffForReal he won't be coming back]] from this.]]

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' when you finally defeat [[spoiler: Calasmos, the game's true final villain, he gives a speech about how he can never truly die because light needs darkness to exist. Moments later, the full effect of his defeat takes hold, and his body is overwhelmed with light until he finally explodes from the inside and is completely annhilated. The fact that he is absolutely horrified as this occurs makes it clear that he underestimated the power of the light, and that despite his boasts [[KilledOffForReal he won't be coming back]] from this.]]

-->"Anyone can become a King of Demons... As long as hatred still exists, in any world, at any time..."

--->'''Odio:''' "Even if I'm beaten... I'll keep on living... You must know... The meaning of Odio! It is.... From ancient times.... Until the distant future! In eras of peace.... And eras of war! In all places! And all times!! The impetus of all conflict! The eternal sentiment that will not die so long as there are humans to perpetuate it... It is hatred... It is Odio!!"

** The [[EldritchAbomination Witch]] called Kriemhild Gretchen, (aka [[spoiler:[[AllLovingHero Madoka]] [[WasOnceAMan herself]]]]), is an interesting take. In her desire to [[PutThemAllOutOfMyMisery end misery]], she will [[AssimilationPlot absorb all life]] into her LotusEaterMachine of a barrier , and apparently the ''only'' way to defeat her is to end all misfortune in the world. If there's no misfortune, [[DarkMessiah she'll think the world is already heaven]].

** The [[EldritchAbomination Witch]] called Kriemhild Gretchen, (aka [[spoiler:[[AllLovingHero Madoka]] [[WasOnceAMan herself]]]]), is an interesting spin on this--in her desire to {{Put Them All Out of My Misery}}, she will absorb all life into her LotusEaterMachine AssimilationPlot barrier-[[BuffySpeak thingy]], and apparently the ''only'' way to defeat her is to end all misfortune in the world. If there's no misfortune, [[DarkMessiah she'll think the world is already heaven]].

* WordOfGod has already confirmed that the Dark One won't be destroyed at the end of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' -- indeed, he ''can't'' be destroyed. [[spoiler:The last book proves that the Dark One, personification of evil that it is, does provide something essential for human beings to be human. Rand sees a vision of a world where he did kill it, and it's a world where everyone is [[TastesLikeDiabetes sappily happy]] all the time ''because they don't have the option of being anything else''. Though Rand could kill the Dark One, he ends up sparing (and resealing it) instead as a result.]]

* The ending of ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' has the villain Pitch (aka the boogieman) claim that he'll return because "there will ''always'' be fear". [[BadassSanta North]] replies with an equally BadassBoast:
-->'''North:''' So what? As long as there is ''one'' child who believes, we will always be there to ''fight'' fear.

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'', Julius, aka the human vessel of Earth Dragon Loptyr, spouts basically the same speech to Seliph if he's the one who defeats him ("As long as greed exists in men's hearts, I will return!"). It's no coincidence, as per AllThereInTheManual, Jugdral and Archanea share the same universe, and Galle, Julius's ancestor, during his long travels around the world, happened to visit Archanea and formed a pact with Loptyr, an evil member of the Dragon Tribe, by drinking his blood.

* In ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'' there will always be cursed spirits roaming around the world as long as humans vent their negative emotions such as pain or envy.

* The ending of WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians has the villain Pitch (aka the boogieman) claim that he'll return because "there will ''always'' be fear". [[BadassSanta North]] replies with an equally BadassBoast:

--> '''North:''' So what? As long as there is ''one'' child who believes, we will always be there to ''fight'' fear.

--> '''Spirit''': Yes, but in a sense it matters little. There will always be evil. And evil men.
--> '''Scarlet''': Yeah. Good thing there'll always be us Joes.''
* Discussed in ''WesternAnimation/XMen''. Beast ponders whether or not Apocalypse, as a personification of evil, can truly be destroyed or if a new evil will simply take Apocalypse's place. Cable replies that he doesn't care. Apocalypse himself also comes to the realization that while he can never be defeated, [[EvilWillFail he is also fated to never win and destroy the human race]]. Thus he attempts to undo Time itself and create a new universe in his image. It ''seems'' that he's KilledOffForReal when his Lazarus Chamber is destroyed in Ancient Egypt and he gets willed out of existence by the collective power of the psychics within the Axis of Time, but in a later episode it's revealed that he was really just banished to the Astral Plane, a featureless dimension. When Fabian Cortez tries to revive him, Beast expresses disbelief, but Cortez confirms that Apocalypse's essence can never truly be destroyed.

-->'''Wonder Woman:''' [[{{Determinator}} And we'll be waiting.]]

** With all that being said there ''is'' hope. The same chapter from ''The House of Hades'' has Percy reflecing on how, even if monsters regenerate, there will always be new generations of demigods to fight them off. His own sons and daughters, should he have any, will keep on fighting. Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter have stood for generations with no signs of stopping.

-->Seeing them assembled in Tartarus, Percy felt as hopeless as the spirits in the River Cocytus. So
what if he was a hero? So what if he did something brave? Evil was always here, regenerating,
bubbling under the surface. Percy was no more than a minor annoyance to these immortal beings.
They just had to outwait him. Some day, Percy’s sons or daughters might have to face them all over
again.
** With all that being said there ''is'' hope. The same chapter from ''The House of Hades'' has Percy reflecing on how, even if monsters regenerate, there will always be new generations of demigods to fight them off.

[[folder:Myths and Religions]]
* The Buddhist boddhisatsava Ksitigarbha (also known as Dizang Buddha or "Buddha in Hell") provides an interesting variation. He has taken a pledge to bring light to all beings everywhere and walks through Hell to save the souls of the evil beings trapped there. As long as there is any evil to be redeemed, he will continue his work.
[[/folder]]

** ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure'' has the Byogens, including their leader, King Byogen. While the Pretty Cures fighting him manage to defeat him once and for all, the Healing Animals note that the Byogens may appear in the future, owing to their nature as diseases.

* Death in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' makes this sort of a speech after the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse have been defeated. He claims to be necessary for ''reality''. War, Famine, and Pollution (Pestilence quit around the time penicillin was discovered) are all creations of human beings, and as such will come back soon, but he's been around long before any of them, and can't be destroyed at all. With the apocalypse being derailed, there’s no reason for him to remain, so he departs of his own accord.