History Main / DarkShepherd

-->-- '''[[KnightInSourArmor Geralt of Rivia]]''', [[SuperSoldier Witcher]], to [[WretchedHive an entire village of crooks]], ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''

* In the original short story version of ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheCorn'', Burt describes "He Who Walks Behind The Rows" in these terms after reading the nightmarish texts he finds in Gatlin's church, which largely consists of original writing and the Bible with most of the New Testament cut out. "A shepherd who had sacrificed his lambs instead of protecting them". According to WordOfGod, He Who Walks Behind The Rows is actually an incarnation of [[spoiler:Randall Flagg]].

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' is full of classic Dark Shepherd, usually used on civilians who are corrupt but not yet evil. The Batman doesn't claim to be good, he doesn't act good, but he wants everyone to be good. Most common Dark Shepherd scenario: vanishing, leaving a potential villain with food for thought, [[NothingIsScarier but not a scratch on him yet]].

* A Book 3 episode of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has [[spoiler:Katara]] become this when [[spoiler:Zuko joins the group]]. She basically threatens to kill him if she even thinks he's about to go back to his old ways.

-->And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." [Jn 2:13�16]

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* At the end of ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'' [[spoiler: Andy Shanks is jumped in an alleyway by Pepe, who basically says that Mr. Nutt forgave him and that's lovely, but someone ought to leave him with a reminder not to do it again.]]

-->-- '''[[KnightInSourArmor Geralt of Rivia]]''', [[SuperSoldier Witcher]], to an entire village of {{Corrupt Hick}}s, ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''

-->-- '''Geralt''', to an entire village of {{Corrupt Hick}}s, ''VideoGame/TheWitcher''

* In ''Literature/TheMentalState'', Zack threatens to use his influence to undo some of the improvements he ahs made to the prison in order to control the other inmates. He also recruits Charlie, a celibate lolicon, to his side so that he can threaten rebellious inmates who have children.

* [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Sister Butch]] of ''WesternAnimation/JohnCallahansQuads''. Her only motivation (read: ''only motivation'') for doing anything in life is her faith, and you'd better believe she'll do anything from ''threaten people with eternal damnation for not donating enough to a charity'' to breaking and entry to [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome taking on {{Satan}} in a wrestling arena]] for that purpose.

* ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' has [[KnightTemplar Governor Kraft]], the ruler of the Confederation. He purges the [[DirtyCommunists Marxists]] out of the country and enforces his reactionary ideology through informal pressure rather than law, eventually creating a stable equilibrium. By the end of the story, his state is described as virtually utopian, since all the evil forces were so thoroughly scared away.

* Paul "Pious" Schäfer from the movie ''Film/LaColonia''. He rules his commune, ''Colonia Dignidad'' (Dignity Colony) with an iron fist, and keeps men and women separate because he believes that [[SexIsEvil the love between a man and a woman is wicked and sinful,]] but [[PedophilePriest the (physical) love between man and child is saintly.]] Although the story itself is fiction, [[TruthInTelevision Schäfer did run his commune in the isolated foothills of the Chilean Andes,]] and he died in prison after being sentenced for sexually abusing children.

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* In the original short story version of ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheCorn'', Burt describes "He Who Walks Behind The Rows" in these terms after reading the nightmarish texts he finds in Gatlin's church, which largely consists of original writing and the Bible with most of the New Testament cut out. "A shepherd who had sacrificed his lambs instead of protecting them". According to WordOfGod, He Who Walks Behind The Rows is actually an incarnation of [[spoiler: Randall Flagg]]

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* Prophet Sachary Comstock from ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' counts. He convinced everyone in [[FloatingContinent Columbia]] that God told him to build the city as a haven for the chosen people: [[WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant non-Irish white people]] who believe his message that the lesser races are only meant to be used as [[MadeASlave free labor for the chosen few,]] and that a "false shepherd" with [[MarkOfTheBeast an evil mark (AD),]] "will lead [[TheChosenOne the Lamb]] astray."

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* Baron Wulfenbach's modus operandum in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''; since the aristocracy can't be relied on to develop a decent society, he'll civilize Europa with an iron fist. The main law of his empire is thus: "Don't make me come over there." His son Gil is struck with an epiphany of this, after beating down a thug persistently strong-arming him into returning to his father against Gil's protests.

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* At the end of ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'' [[spoiler: Andy Shanks is jumped in an alleyway by Pepe, who basically says that Mr. Nutt forgave him and that's lovely, but someone ought to leave him with a reminder not to do it again.]]
** The same book also mentions what happened to Mightily Oats from ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'': He now preaches throughout {{Uberwald}}, bringing Forgiveness to where it is needed. [[spoiler:'Forgiveness' is the [[ICallHerVera name of the axe he killed the Count von Magpyr with]] in ''Carpe Jugulum''.]]

->''"You have two options. You can wait until I leave, and then murder [[spoiler:Abigail]]. But then I'll come back. I'll slay every lice-ridden peasant, anything that moves and can't climb a tree. Or, you can lead honorable lives; clear your conscience and start again, like humans. The choice is yours."''

* Harry Dresden of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' has elements of this in how he treats his apprentice Molly, combined with ScareEmStraight. In an earlier moment, Cassius, who is host to a dangerous demon, fakes a HeelFaceTurn and the Knights have to leave him alone as he has given up the demon, even though it's blatantly obvious he did this to not be harmed. As he still has crucial information to his boss' evil plan, Harry gives a candidate for the page quote.

** The same book also mentions what happened to Mightily Oats from ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'': He now preaches throughout {{Uberwald}}, bringing Forgiveness to where it is needed. [[spoiler:'Forgiveness' is the [[ICallHerVera name of the axe he killed the Count von Magpyr with]] in ''Lords and Ladies''.]]

** The same book also mentions what happened to Mightily Oats from ''Discworld/LordsAndLadies'': He now preaches throughout {{Uberwald}}, bringing Forgiveness to where it is needed. [[spoiler:'Forgiveness' is the [[ICallHerVera name of the axe he killed the Count von Magpyr with]] in ''Lords and Ladies''.]]

** The same book also mentions what happened to Mightily Oats from ''Discworld/LordsAndLadies'', who now preaches throughout {{Uberwald}} and offering Forgiveness to the wicked. [[spoiler:'Forgiveness' is revealed to be [[ICallHerVera name of the axe he killed the Count von Magpyr with]] in ''Lords and Ladies''.]]

A form of GoodIsNotNice. Through the lens of GoodCopBadCop, the Dark Shepherd closes the sieve. However, usually aware of the somewhat shameful nature of his persuasion, the Dark Shepherd's work is often private, behind the back of any Good Shepherd that may put a stop to it.

* The twins and Il Duce of ''Film/BoondockSaints'' have a Dark Shepherd final speech, unique in that they are warning the unidentified stray sheep via P.A.

* At the end of ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'' [[spoiler: Andy Shanks is jumped in an alleyway by Pepe, who basically says that Mr Nutt forgave him and that's lovely, but someone ought to leave him with a reminder not to do it again.]]

* In the original short story version of ''[[Literature/ChildrenOfTheCorn]]'', Burt describes "He Who Walks Behind The Rows" in these terms after reading the nightmarish texts he finds in Gatlin's church, which largely consists of original writing and the Bible with most of the New Testament cut out. "A shephherd who had sacrificed his lambs instead of protecting them". According to WordOfGod, He Who Walks Behind The Rows is actually an incarnation of [[spoiler: Randall Flagg]]