History Main / EvenEvilHasStandards

[[quoteright:350: [[{{Crossover}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evil_standards_crop_1_2518.jpg]]]]

->''"I may have killed and eaten five people, but I damn well cleaned up after my dog!"''\\
--'''A Sinner''', Webcomic/{{Subnormality}}, [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page462.html in this comic]]

The trope title is frequently spouted by the NobleDemon, in order to justify his evil self-identification.

-> ''"I may have killed and eaten five people, but I damn well cleaned up after my dog!"''\\

In comedy, it's often used to frame a TakeThat against a real-life action (such as [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil digital piracy]]) or profession (such as [[EvilLawyerJoke lawyer]]) that the villain is "too good" to associate with. Contrast MoralMyopia, where the 'standards' apply only to the villain's allies and ArsonMurderAndAdmiration where the eviler one is the better. This trope is one of the distinguishing differences between most villains and TheUnfettered. If your story takes place in a MobWar where [[BlackAndGreyMorality one side is slightly better than the other]], it's most likely because the "[[NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters good]]" side has standards.

--'''A Sinner''', Webcomic/Subnormality, [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page462.html in this comic]]

--'''A Sinner''', [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page462.html Subnormality]]

Compare and contrast PragmaticVillainy, when the villain's refusal to partake in the abhorrent act is far more selfish (or in the case of a group of villains against a single one, group-beneficial); EvenMooksHaveLovedOnes, where minions defect to protect a loved one from their boss; DoWrongRight for cases where it's not what is done but rather ''how'' it's done that the villain has standards for; and FamilyValuesVillain for where the standards are very . . . old fashioned. Often the deal with many LawfulEvil villains, but sometimes not. Can occasionally be the cause of a BreakTheBadass moment, when the {{Badass}} in question is the bad guy.

-> ''"Bad is one thing, evil is another!"''
-->-- '''[[JerkJock Butch DeLoria]]''' [[note]]if you have evil karma and have him as a follower.[[/note]], ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''

Can even involve ConscienceMakesYouGoBack, SuddenPrincipledStand. See also EvilVirtues and VillainousValour, for good traits and virtues that villains commonly practice. The inversion of this trope are WellIntentionedExtremist and UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans, when it turns out that ''goodness'' is willingly crossing the MoralEventHorizon. A subtrope of EveryoneHasStandards.

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[Eagleland American way]].]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the American way.

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica American way]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[ComicBook/Captain America American way]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[Main/Eagleland American way]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[Eagleland American way]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[Eagleland American way.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[Eagleland American way]].]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica American way]].]]

It's often to show that a new villain is ''really'' [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil bad]] if even [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Doctor]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Annihilation]] shrinks from it. This can be strange if handled badly, leading to confusion and unintentionally edge into BlueAndOrangeMorality. Why, after all, should a criminal thinks shooting a [[NominalImportance particular single orphan]] be worse than killing every single orphan in the ThrowawayCountry, or a serial killer be upset by petty theft, or...? Another way that it's used is to keep a villain safely on the "still sympathetic" side of the MoralEventHorizon; give him something that he simply ''will not do''.

In comedy, it's often used to frame a TakeThat against a real-life action or person that the villain is "too good" to associate with. Contrast MoralMyopia, where the 'standards' apply only to the villain's allies and ArsonMurderAndAdmiration where the eviler one is the better. This trope is one of the distinguishing differences between most villains and TheUnfettered. If your story takes place in a MobWar where [[BlackAndGreyMorality one side is slightly better than the other]], it's most likely because the "[[NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters good]]" side has standards.

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica American way.]]]]

A SubTrope of EveryoneHasStandards. See also HitmanWithAHeart, where this Trope may apply. (Not all characters who fit the ProfessionalKiller Trope are evil, but many are, and a lot do have scruples.)

Can even involve ConscienceMakesYouGoBack, SuddenPrincipledStand. See also EvilVirtues and VillainousValour, for good traits and virtues that villains commonly practice. The inversion of this trope are WellIntentionedExtremist and UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans, when it turns out that ''goodness'' is willingly crossing the MoralEventHorizon.

It's often used in a VerySpecialEpisode or as a way for a writer to say "I'm not even going there", or alternatively to show that a new villain is ''really'' [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil bad]] if even [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Doctor]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Annihilation]] thinks his haircut is [[MoralEventHorizon disgusting]]. This can be strange if handled badly, leading to confusion and unintentionally edge into BlueAndOrangeMorality. Why, after all, should a criminal thinks shooting a [[NominalImportance particular single orphan]] be worse than killing every single orphan in the ThrowawayCountry, or a serial killer be upset by petty theft, or...? Another way that it's used is to keep a villain safely on the "still sympathetic" side of the MoralEventHorizon; give him something that he simply ''will not do''.

The common uses are a killer or villain who spares a certain target, most often [[ChildrenAreInnocent children]], a villain who [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil refrains from sexually-based offenses]], a villain who helps those who have helped him, or a murderer-rapist who WouldntHurtAChild, or [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial a villain who might murder, extort, run protection rackets, run prostitutes, and so on, but doesn't deal in drugs]] (we're looking at you, [[JamesBond Valentin]] [[BrutalHonesty Zukovsky]]). Therefore, it is [[FightingForSurvival fine]] for our hero to [[EnemyMine work with them.]] Especially against the "real" villain, who, naturally, ''does'' [[AcceptableTarget do those most heinous of things]] because, AsYouKnow, [[DrugsAreBad Drugs are]] the [[SarcasmMode only]] thing that make you a CompleteMonster.

In comedy, often used to frame a TakeThat against a real-life action or person that the villain is "too good" to associate with. Contrast MoralMyopia, where the 'standards' apply only to the villain's allies and ArsonMurderAndAdmiration where the eviler one is the better. This trope is one of the distinguishing differences between most villains and TheUnfettered. If your story takes place in a MobWar where [[BlackAndGreyMorality one side is slightly better than the other]], it's most likely because the "[[NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters good]]" side has standards.

-->-- '''[[JerkJock Butch DeLoria]]''' [[hottip:*:if you have evil karma and have him as a follower.]], ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''

A SubTrope of EveryoneHasStandards.

It's often used in a VerySpecialEpisode or as a way for a writer to say "I'm not even going there", or alternatively to show that a new villain is ''really'' [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil bad]] if even [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Doctor]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Annihilation]] thinks his haircut is [[MoralEventHorizon disgusting]]. This can be strange if handled badly, leading to confusion over why a criminal thinks shooting a [[InfantImmortality single orphan]] is worse than killing every single orphan in the ThrowawayCountry, and may unintentionally edge into BlueAndOrangeMorality. Why, after all, should a serial killer be upset by petty theft, or...? Another way that it's used is to keep a villain safely on the "still sympathetic" side of the MoralEventHorizon; give him something that he simply ''will not do''.

Can even involve ConscienceMakesYouGoBack. See also EvilVirtues and VillainousValour, for good traits and virtues that villains commonly practice. The inversion of this trope are WellIntentionedExtremist and UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans, when it turns out that ''goodness'' is willingly crossing the MoralEventHorizon.

[[caption-width-right:350:Because even when [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker you're psychotic]], you still have to protect the [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica American way.]][[hottip:*:Though, TheJoker in that incarnation is flamboyant, not crazy.]]]]