History Main / MoralityGuidedAttack

** Played straight with the [[CanonImmigrant initially]] non-canon Stardust Breaker from ''Anime/DragonBallZFusionReborn'' as Gogeta’s dialogue when uses it on Janemba and it’s alternate name of Soul Punisher implies that targets the evilness of the victim and destroys their soul. This was confirmed later in ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'' when Gogeta uses it on the titular berserker, and instead of vaporising Broly like it did with Janemba it just hurts him, likely because Broly isn’t evil [[AdaptationalHeroism in this version]] [[NotEvilJustMisunderstood merely misguided]].

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[[folder: Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', Jack's divinely-forged sword, and the Scotsman's Celtic blessed sword, are the only weapons that can seriously harm [[MadeOfEvil Aku]]. When Aku gets a hold of Jack's and tries to stab Jack with it, it fails to so much as scratch him.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourTheAnimatedSeries'', Ghost Rider has a cameo where he gets to use his Penance Stare on ''[[PlanetEater Galactus]]''.

** Spike the Devilman's signature attack, the Devilmite Beam, carries out the effect by amplifying the darkness in the enemy's heart and making it explode. Because it does this effectively to ''any'' lingering sins, Fortuneteller Baba warns him not to use it, saying he is "going too far". Goku manages to survive, though, due to [[IncorruptiblePurePureness his completely good heart]].

* In the 90s ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFour'' cartoon, Ghost Rider has a cameo where he gets to use his Penance Stare on ''[[PlanetEater Galactus]]''.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarchaserTheLegendOfOrin'': The MagicSword wielded by [[TheHero Orin]] has this effect. The invisible blade of the weapon will only cut those who are evil and/or malicious and will have no effect on good people (for example when Orin mistakenly believes [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Dagg]] is intending to harm him, nothing happens). Likewise, the sword will not work for those who are evil. [[spoiler: [[BigBad Zygon]] [[AssholeVictim discovers that the hard way]] when he attempts to kill Orin with the sword and then Orin manages to destroy the tyrant without the hilt (of which is revealed to only be a catalyst to summon the power of the blade in the first place) with a telekinetic slash]].

An attack that draws its power from how good or evil the user's opponent is. It is often used in order for a brutal BloodKnight [[BadPowersBadPeople of a villain]] to utterly humiliate his adversary by showing him that he's NotSoDifferent deep inside. It is usually a FinishingMove.

* In ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3]]'', Devilman still has his Devilmite Beam signature attack. Every character even has a morality stat specifically to calculate the attack's damage--Kid Goku takes only ScratchDamage [[MythologyGag just like in the original series]], Omega Shenron takes [[CurbStompBattle tens of thousands]], and the other characters vary in-between--even separate transformations that affect one's state of mind are differently susceptible to the attack, such as Goku's [[BloodKnight bloodlust]]-increasing Super Saiyan forms actually taking a somewhat sizable amount of damage. The [[DevelopersForesight developers did a very thorough job]]. A WhatIf story has him confront Frieza and King Cold. While physically he's no match for them, because of how morally bankrupt the two are, he's still quite capable of killing them with the attack.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', Jack's divinely-forged sword is the only weapon that can seriously harm [[MadeOfEvil Aku]]. When Aku gets a hold of it and tries to stab Jack with it, it fails to so much as scratch him.

Contrast KarmaMeter, where the user's ''own'' moral standing has an impact rather than the opponent's. See SituationalDamageAttack for when other factors dictate who and how are effected by an attack.

* In ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3]]'', Devilman still has his Devilmite Beam signature attack. Every character even has a morality stat specifically to calculate the attack's damage--Kid Goku takes only ScratchDamage [[MythologyGag just like in the original series]], Omega Shenron takes [[CurbStompBattle tens of thousands]], and the other characters vary in-between--even separate transformations that affect one's state of mind are differently susceptible to the attack, such as Goku's [[BloodKnight bloodlust]]-increasing Super Saiyan forms actually taking a somewhat sizable amount of damage. The [[DevelopersForesight developers did a very thorough job]].

* ComicBook/GhostRider's Penance Stare makes the target feel all the pain and suffering they've caused innocents over the course of their life.

* The [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Archon]] from ''[[NexusWar Nexus Clash]]'' can sing the [[BrownNote Song of the Word]], which does colossal amounts of damage to evildoers only. Some Archons have a [[KnightTemplar broad]] [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity interpretation]] of what constitutes an evildoer, and sing variations of the Song that damage neutrals or eventually even anyone who ''isn't an angel''.

** Also, the Spirit bomb [[SubvertedTrope was thought to be this]] due to it not exploding on contact with someone pure of heart, as demonstrated when Gohan is able to bounce it back against Vegeta, and obliterate evil people. [[spoiler: This comes back to bite Goku when he attempts to use it against Kid Buu, because [[PureIsNotGood Buu is acting on animal-like instinct rather than malicious intent]].]]

* In the 90s ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFour'' cartoon, Ghost Rider gets to cameo and use his Penance Stare on ''[[PlanetEater Galactus]]''.

->''"The [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Raging Demon]]... Its power is unequaled... It is not my fist but your past sins that will kill you... The more evil your past doings, the more painful your death..."''

* The titular character of ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'' provides a variation on this. He is capable of feeding off of the sins of people to provide power for him; thus, the more evil an individual he is fighting, the more power he has. (This was the explanation provided in [[spoiler:ScrewAttack's ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' as to how he was able to defeat and kill [[VideoGame/GodOfWarSeries Kratos]]]].

--->'''Akuma''' to M. Bison/Vega[[note]][[DubNameChange Dictator]][[/note]], ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha3''

* This is how Creator/MarvelComics' ''ComicBook/CloakAndDagger'' vanquish adversaries. Cloak can enfold them in darkness, wherein villains encounter their own wickedness face to face, which often leaves them a quivering, neurotic wreck. Dagger can fling "light knives" which can stagger {{mooks}} and paralyze villains. Interestingly, Dagger's light knives had no effect on Characters/DoctorDoom, who has never regarded his actions as evil, but rather as his rightful destiny.
* ComicBook/GhostRider's Penance Stare makes the target feel all the pain and suffering they've caused innocents over the course of their life.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''

* In ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3]]'', Devilman still has his Devilmite Beam signature attack. Every character even has a morality stat specifically to calculate the attack's damage--Kid Goku takes only ScratchDamage [[MythologyGag just like in the original series]], Omega Shenron takes [[CurbStompBattle tens of thousands]], and the other characters vary in-between--even separate transformations that affect one's state of mind are differently susceptible to the attack, such as Goku's [[BloodKnight bloodlust]]-increasing Super Saiyan forms actually taking a somewhat sizable amount of damage. The [[TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything developers did a very thorough job]].