History Main / KarmicProtection

* In ''[[Literature/TheShipWho PartnerShip]]'', on her first assignment [[SapientShip Nancia]] transports five {{Royal Brat}}s to the [[ReassignedToAntarctica distant Nyota system]]. One is a CompleteMonster, one is a murderously CorruptCorporateExecutive, one is a DeadlyDoctor, one is the TokenGoodTeammate, and Fassa is an AntiVillain with a FreudianExcuse. She cuts corners and her construction company builds things that sometimes just fall over. But she is a BenevolentBoss and is dismayed by murder. Nancia helps apprehend the Nyota Five, as they're later known, the CompleteMonster springs his plan for [[GalacticConqueror galactic conquest]] and the token good teammate and Fassa oppose him - Fassa has [[DefectingForLove defected for love]] of one of the investigators and even tries TakingTheBullet for another one. With this and Fassa's [[ParentChildIncest horrific backstory]] in mind, when Nancia submits evidence for their trials she fudges a few details in Fassa's favor.
** The TokenGoodTeammate gets five years of community service, because he hadn't reported on the doings of the other four and [[CantGetAwayWithNuthin did break some regulations]] in the course of helping aliens wronged by a FirstContactFauxPas. ''Fassa'' gets ten years in prison, substantially less than the other three, and her investigator's pledge to live nearby and wait for her.

[[folder: Anime ]]

[[folder: Comics ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Live Action Television ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

** Director Friz Freleng created Yosemite Sam to directly upkeep the trope, and utilize a clearly belligerent villain Bugs could freely torment compared to Elmer Fudd, who Freleng feared was [[UnintentionallySympathetic pitiful enough]] to make Bugs look like [[UnintentionallyUnsympathetic an unheroic bully]].

* This is one of the major reasons why the [[Literature/{{Worm}} Protectorate]] has to be very careful in dealing with humour villains in ''[[Fanfic/NemesisFanfic Nemesis]]''. As long as the public is amused by the humour villain's antics and thinks her harmless, the heroes can't use the same level of force against her that they would use against regular villains without [[MortonsFork looking like incompetent bumblers if they lose and joyless buzzkills if they win]].

* ''Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}'' has a satirical administrative page about this: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_be_a_giant_dick,_so_we_can_ban_you "Please be a giant dick, so we can ban you"]]. Because users who are just unpleasant without explicitly breaking any rules can do more damage over a longer period of time than users who are obviously trolls.

** One episode had a nanny parodying ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'', who greatly annoys the Warner Brothers with her happy demeanor and niceness. The show then breaks the FourthWall by showing a kid asking his dad why they don't simply take care of her like they do most of their enemies. The dad answers that she hasn't actually done anything bad to them and genuinely means well. Eventually, the Warners called in a cameo appearance from [[ScrewballSquirrel Slappy Squirrel]] to deal with her.

* Haru from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' is a [[TheDitz ditz]] and a little overprotective of children who can take care of themselves, but she means well and ends up a member of the family.

* This is one of the major reasons why the Protectorate has to be very careful in dealing with humour villains in ''[[Fanfic/NemesisFanfic Nemesis]]''. As long as the public is amused by the humour villain's antics and thinks her harmless, the heroes can't use the same level of force against her that they would use against regular villains without [[MortonsFork looking like incompetent bumblers if they lose and joyless buzzkills if they win]].

* This is one of the major reasons why the Protectorate has to be very careful in dealing with humour villains in ''Fanfic/NemesisFanfic''. As long as the public is amused by the humour villain's antics and thinks her harmless, the heroes can't use the same level of force against her that they would use against regular villains without [[MortonsFork looking like incompetent bumblers if they lose and joyless buzzkills if they win]].

* Similarly Dick Lundy invented Buzz Buzzard as a more callous foe for ''WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker'', evolving the latter away from his [[KarmaHoudini unpunished]] ScrewySquirrel persona he had against non-provocative victims like Wally Walrus.

** One episode had a nanny parodying ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'', who greatly annoys the Warner Brothers with her happy demeanor and niceness. The show then breaks the FourthWall by showing a kid asking his dad why they don't simply take care of her like they do most of their enemies. The dad answers that she hasn't actually done anything bad to them and genuinely means well. Eventually, the Warners called in a cameo appearance from [[ScrewySquirrel Slappy Squirrel]] to deal with her.

* ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'' was ''not'' like that originally, he was more of a ScrewySquirrel, but was [[CharacterizationMarchesOn turned]] into this later on.

Not all [[DesignatedVillain antagonists]] are fire-breathing {{Card Carrying Villain}}s, a good many are PluckyComicRelief {{Harmless Villain}}s, or just plain incidental annoyances, and these guys just can't be done away with using the same response as the former. It just wouldn't jibe to have a hero [[DisproportionateRetribution beat said antagonist to within an inch of his life for putting itching powder in his cowl]], at least not without the hero being an [[AntiHero Anti]].

* ''Website/{{Wikipedia}}'' has a satirical administrative page about this: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_be_a_giant_dick,_so_we_can_ban_you "Please be a giant dick, so we can ban you"]]. Because users who are just unpleasant without explicitly breaking any rules can do more damage over a longer period of time than users who are obviously trolls.

** Director Friz Freleng created Yosemite Sam to directly upkeep the trope, and utilize a clearly belligerent villain Bugs could freely torment compared to Elmer Fudd, who Freleng feared was pitiful enough to make Bugs look like an unheroic bully.

->''"Of course you realize, [[ThisMeansWar dis means war]]!"''

-->--'''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny''' catchphrase

* ''The MarxBrothers'', no matter what characters they were playing. If someone was mean to Harpo, you knew he was going to spend the next 80 minutes of screentime being their ButtMonkey. They are possibly a source for the WesternAnimation/BugsBunny character.

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<<|MoralityTropes|>>

[[AC: {{Anime}}]]
* Haru from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' is a [[TheDitz ditz]] and a little overprotective of children who can take care of themselves, but she means well and ends up a member of the family.

[[AC: {{Comics}}]]

[[AC: {{Film}}]]

[[AC: LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

* Generally ''SpongebobSquarepants'' can [[IdiotHoudini get away with creating all sorts of havoc]] (ranging from mild irritation to destroying lives) so long as it's in his well intentioned giddiness. On rare occasions Spongebob deliberately acts like an arrogant or mean spirited {{Jerkass}} however, he ends up the ButtMonkey instead.