History Main / TheParanoiac

* Dan from ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' often justifies his plans of DisproportionateRetribution to Chris by saying the minor thing (that angered him) is a sign or could be the result of something much worse. He also got preemptive revenge on some new neighbors. Because he thought [[BitchInSheepsClothing they were almost too nice]], so he came to the conclusion that they must be cannibals. Although while he was wrong that time, [[ProperlyParanoid a lot of his paranoid suspicions are proven to be right]].

* Dan from ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' often justifies his plans of DisproportionateRetribution to Chris by saying the minor thing (that angered him) is a sign or could be the result of something much worse. He also got preemptive revenge on some new neighbors. Because he thought [[BitchInSheepsClothing they were almost too nice]], so he came to the conclusion that they must be cannibals.

This trope is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder Paranoid Personality Disorder]] as demonstrated in the media. In both fiction and RealLife, it is often a major importance to areas of study such as crime, cults, terrorism, dictatorships, and mass murder.

** The Riddler, for much the same reasons as Doom -- he assumes that Batman and everyone else is jealous of his "obvious" intellectual superiority, and dismisses every defeat he's had as Batman somehow cheating.

** Ra's Al Ghul has all the hallmarks of a paranoiac {{Narcissist}} cult leader. Most notably, he is a ControlFreak whose League of Assassins has a policy of [[YouHaveFailedMe punishing failure with death]], something that rarely seems to produce results but ''would'' serve the purpose of [[DivideAndConquer making the world's deadliest assassins more eager to succeed than turn against him.]] In addition, he never once [[NeverMyFault accepts responsibility]] for messing up his family nor any blame for any of the murders and atrocities he has committed over the centuries, or plans to commit in future. He is also prone to {{Revenge}} on everyone who isn't Batman, whom he admires and perhaps secretly [[GreenEyedMonster envies]], although his gigantic ego is rebuffed by the Detective's refusal to [[WeCanRuleTogether marry his daughter and become his heir]]. He is [[MisanthropeSupreme utterly cynical]] about the rest of humanity and is a firm believer in MightMakesRight and ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, punishing any follower -- or Dark Knight -- who disagrees with him with [[SadistTeacher object lessons]]. Essentially, he comes across as a man who secretly fears that he [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex isn't as special as he always thought he was]], and falls back on increasingly violent and extreme methods to both prove that wrong and [[TheManBehindTheCurtain stop anyone from questioning his superior image.]]

This trope is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder Paranoid Personality Disorder]] as demonstrated in the media. In both fiction and RealLife, it is often a major importance to areas of study such as crime, cults, terrorism, dictatorships and mass murder.

1. '''NeverMyFault''': Paranoiacs are hypersensitive to setbacks and rebuffs. They tend to either blame others for their mistakes and bad behaviour, or take pride in them as achievements. This is usually a defensive act- since they are constantly on guard against attacks, deceit and criticism, they typically experience being caught out as a personal assault on themselves and thus, denial and blaming others is their way of deflecting attention away from their weaknesses if they feel their defences are being breached. At extremes, they may go full-on TautologicalTemplar.

2. '''{{Revenge}}''': Paranoiacs are the most likely of all the personality types to hold grudges and [[BestServedCold hold them long]]. Once again, this is primarily a defensive act, taking the view that if people know they will take vengeance for any wrongdoing done to them, real or imagined (often imagined), they will be less likely to mess with the paranoiac. This also compensates for their typically low self-esteem- since they constantly feel embattled, revenge is a way of asserting control over their lives, and taking out their stress on those who they feel deserve it (often, anyone and everyone). DisproportionateRetribution is to be expected as well. [[note]]In practice, most RealLife paranoiacs are more likely to [[PowerFantasy fantasise about revenge]] than to actually do anything about it, since as said they are primarily defensive, often stressed, and prone to low self-esteem. Actually taking revenge exposes them and invites retaliation, so usually a paranoiac taking revenge is a sign that they either have reached their RageBreakingPoint or they have found themselves in a position of strength or confidence; many extremists are paranoiacs who have gained that confidence from interacting with like-minded people, sometimes leading to terrorism. As such, many paranoiacs take out their stresses on [[DomesticAbuser their friends and family]] since they can't or won't act against their "enemies". [[/note]]

3. '''[[JadeColoredGlasses Suspiciousness / Cynicism]]''': Perhaps the core feature of this type of personality is the tendency to be mistrustful and cynical about people and the world at large, which they tend to view as a harsh, chaotic or oppressive place where [[TheSocialDarwinist only the mean and the tough survive]]. They tend to assume that people they meet or know are out to bully or trick them, which ties back into NeverMyFault as they can blame their shortcomings in life on the malicious sabotage of other people; ironically, those shortcomings are often ''actually'' the result of stress or distractions from assuming [[SelfFulfillingProphecy everyone is out to get them]], or their paranoid obsessions with self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

4. '''{{Jerkass}}''': The tendency to assume that the world is filled with malicious jerkasses ends up causing the paranoiac to act like a colossal jerkass themselves, the logic being "do unto others before they do unto you". They tend to be combative, hostile and quarrelsome and detest laziness (esp. with regards to vigilance) and weakness in themselves and their families, friends, and anyone who is supposed to be on "their" side. Kindness is a deceptive ploy at best and weakness at worst, so outside of [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] behaviour or to buy / reward loyalty (if even that), they have no time for it. They may try and hide it behind a pleasant façade, but inside they are mean, angry, petty and spiteful and believe that those who ''aren't'' are either weak, arrogant or stupid. Many are outright ''proud'' of their cruel actions, as they conflate it with boldness, strength and bravery. Paranoiacs who are also {{sociopath}}s or {{sadist}}s are amongst the most unpleasant and aggressive people you are ever likely to meet.

5. '''ControlFreak''': Paranoiacs are often plagued by fears that their significant others are cheating on them; more generally, they tend to be hypersensitive regarding issues of loyalty from their family, friends, colleagues, followers and those either in their power or who they themselves owe allegiance to. Often leads to [[ClingyJealousGirl clingy jealous]] behaviour which, once again, leads to the SelfFulfillingProphecy of inspiring disloyalty rather than encouraging it. Expect them to police and spy on their own side (as they see it) as much or more as their real or imagined enemies. They might also try to dominate, belittle or otherwise demean others in order to keep them in their power.

6. '''[[{{Narcissist}} Self-Importance]]''': Though distinct from [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder]] (although narcissistic paranoids and paranoid narcissists both certainly exist too), paranoiacs are themselves prone to grandiosity and egomania; after all, if ''everyone'' is out to get you, or if you are the only one who sees [[StrawNihilist how hard and crappy the world is]], then clearly [[InsaneTrollLogic there is something special about you]]. They also have the narcissistic tendency to assume that their own problems or issues are bigger, harder or more important than what anyone else is going through, and thus suffer from an egotistical LackOfEmpathy. Since many are emotionally unstable and suffer from low self-esteem, this tends to be an InferioritySuperiorityComplex rather than genuine overconfidence; as such, excessive self-reference, in some cases up to and including ThirdPersonPerson, is common in this type of personality, since they are constantly trying to reassure themselves (and others) of their own specialness and invincibility. A SelfServingMemory and tendency to distort reality and read the worst into motives and situations is another feature.

7. '''ConspiracyTheorist''': Tend to see or imagine elaborate conspiracies against themselves, their families, causes, allies, organizations etc., or even against others they have no association or even sympathy with. As stated, although this is what most people think of when they hear the word "paranoia", its not in-and-of itself enough to be considered a paranoid personality disorder, nor is the lack of this enough to ''exclude'' a diagnosis of [=PPD=]. Many paranoid conspiracy theories might also be relatively grounded, "merely" thinking that people who actually dislike them are now out to get them (and not just, say, outlandish ideas about the government or aliens or such). One again, this can be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, as others might be inspired to work against the paranoiac precisely because the paranoiac acts like a {{jerkass}} who thinks everyone is conspiring against them.

Other symptoms include a HairTriggerTemper; {{Dirty Coward}}ice as well as bravado and boastful behaviour; GreenEyedMonster behaviour and the assumption that others are envious or jealous of them (rather than the other way round); BlackAndWhiteInsanity and a tendency to (a)moral absolutes; attempts at (or claims of) achieving self-reliance, independence and self-sufficiency; and [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor a poor sense of humor]], one that is either [[TheStoic utterly lacking]] or [[TheBully outright cruel]], reflecting the fact that paranoiacs are typically guarded and serious. They also have a tendency to believe MightMakesRight, at least in regard to themselves and their own actions, and are likely to believe ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption more than most. Many seek power, to secure their boundaries and feed their fragile egos, almost inevitably abusing it when they ever find it. Paranoia is also a root cause of ''all'' forms of prejudice and bigotry.

Paranoid Personality Disorder is highly co-morbid with several other disorders, including [[{{Narcissist}} Narcissism]], [[TheSociopath Sociopathy]] and [[{{Sadist}} Sadism]]; many sociopaths are basically aggressive paranoiacs, sharing a bleak view of the world and basic mistrust of others, but deciding that attack is the best form of defensive. Sadists are very often paranoiacs who have learnt to take perverse satisfaction in controlling or avenging themselves on others (as opposed to viewing it as NecessarilyEvil, WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou, or other such JerkJustifications); indeed, since sadism is not currently an official psychological diagnosis (for reasons more of politics and research rather than the idea that it doesn't actually exist), many sadists are diagnosed as paranoiacs instead as an alternative (when they aren't diagnosed as TheSociopath).

* Gaara from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' had well-justified paranoia, stemming from having a demon stuck inside him as a baby (that threatened to possess him if he ever fell asleep), causing everyone in his village to hate and fear him and eventually leading his father (who ''put'' that demon there, to make a weapon out of him) to try and assassinate him after deciding that Gaara was too unstable (and the person chosen was the uncle he loved, who then denied ever loving Gaara). As a young teen, he's an AxCrazy SerialKiller who keeps his siblings in line with threats of murder, mistrusts and despises everybody and refers to his inner world as chaos that can only be fed by murdering people.

* SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom is the archetypal paranoid narcissist, and his creator JackKirby even occasionally referred to him as a paranoid. The absolute monarch of the tiny nation of Latveria where he has fostered a cult of personality around himself, Doom frequently and often [[ThirdPersonPerson refers to himself in the third person]], accepts [[NeverMyFault zero responsibility]] for any of his mistakes and failures, and is completely convinced that the reason Comics/TheFantasticFour are fighting him is because their leader Reed (and everyone else, but especially Reed) is and always had been insanely jealous of Dooms' own "superior" brilliance.
* ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}, the GalacticConqueror and EvilOverlord of the DCUniverse, shows many signs of a paranoiac {{Sadist}}. Though always a total bastard, Darkseid became insanely mistrustful and paranoid after his mother Heggra, who had manipulated and controlled him his entire life, murdered the only woman he ever loved via Darkseids' own underling Desaad, with Darkseid responding by ordering Desaad to murder Heggra back, and then treating him and every other underling with even more cruelty and mistrust than before. Questioning Darkseid is an instant death-sentence, and his ultimate ambition is to control all life everywhere and eradicate TheEvilsOfFreeWill including love, happiness and hope, turning it into a bleak, miserable dystopia where everyone suffers and worships him as God.

** The Riddler, for much the same reasons as Doom- he assumes that Batman and everyone else is jealous of his "obvious" intellectual superiority, and dismisses every defeat he's had as Batman somehow cheating.
** The Scarecrow, who was violently bullied in his youth and was left with a crippling inferiority complex that developed into an obsession with fear and a career in supervillainy, his "gimmick" being scaring people to death with hallucinogens and drugs. Like most Batman villains he is prone to BadBoss behaviour and violent overreactions. He also believes that the entire world runs on fear; hard to get a bleaker worldview than that.

** Batman himself is also frequently accused of being a paranoiac; how much this is true is a case of DependingOnTheWriter, but he certainly demonstrated many paranoid traits, including a grim attitude, ControlFreak tendencies, and a habit of resorting to violence to solve his problems, with some stories going so far as to imply that being the Batman is simply an excuse for Bruce to take revenge for the murder of his parents by beating the crap out of criminals every night. He also has a grim and bleak view of the society he lives in- mostly because that society [[CrapsackWorld is Gotham City]], and his explicit reason for choosing a Bat as his gimmick is to scare the hell out of his enemies. [[SubvertedTrope However]], most stories portray him as fundamentally an idealist, who actually ''does'' trust his allies (just brutally aware that he lives in a world where MindControl, DemonicPossession and exposed secret identities are all very real dangers) and who is actually an extremely humble man who has decided to sacrifice his life to the cause of saving others from the evil that took his family away from him.
** Ra's Al Ghul has all the hallmarks of a paranoiac {{Narcissist}} cult leader. Most notably, he is a ControlFreak whose League of Assassins has a policy of [[YouHaveFailedMe punishing failure with death]], something that rarely seems to produce results but ''would'' serve the purpose of [[DivideAndConquer making the worlds deadliest assassins more eager to succeed than turn against him.]] In addition, he never once [[NeverMyFault accepts responsibility]] for messing up his family nor any blame for any of the murders and atrocities he has committed over the centuries, or plans to commit in future. He is also prone to {{Revenge}} on everyone who isn't Batman, whom he admires and perhaps secretly [[GreenEyedMonster envies]], although his gigantic ego is rebuffed by the Detectives refusal to [[WeCanRuleTogether marry his daughter and become his heir]]. He is [[MisanthropeSupreme utterly cynical]] about the rest of humanity and is a firm believer in MightMakesRight and ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, punishing any follower- or Dark Knight- who disagrees with him with [[SadistTeacher object lessons]]. Essentially, he comes across as a man who secretly fears that he [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex isn't as special as he always thought he was]], and falls back on increasingly violent and extreme methods to both prove that wrong and [[TheManBehindTheCurtain stop anyone from questioning his superior image.]]

* ''Franchise/StarWars's'' Darth Vader fits this personality type quite well, as years of war, the death of his mother, and mountains of shame and guilt over the atrocities he kept committing turned him into a ruthless ControlFreak with delusions of "[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans bring(ing) order to the Galaxy]]" via crushing any and all opposition to Imperia rule. He is filled with self-loathing and takes it out on others, [[BadBoss including his subordinates]] for the [[SarcasmMode heinous crime]] of [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him]]. Its strongly implied that he wants revenge on the Emperor for manipulating him into being this way, but he is simply too afraid of him to do anything about it, at least until [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son comes into play]].
* Michael Corleone from ''Film/TheGodfather'' movies is a paranoid ControlFreak by the time Part 2 roles around. As Michael sees it, the family was attacked and betrayed in the first movie because the other mobsters no longer feared them, so if he wants to keep them safe he has to act like a biggest bastard on the planet; naturally, he ends up becoming the greatest enemy of his family himself, alienating his wife and ordering the death of his own brother.

* Several characters in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', but the stand-out example is Cersei Lannister, who believes that her younger brother Tyrion is behind every bad thing that ever happens to her and is prophesied to murder her [[spoiler: and murdered her "best friend" to conceal this "fact", and thought it was bold of herself]]. She is proud of her son Joffrey because he acts like a psychopath, and ashamed of her son Tommen because he ''isn't'' and therefore views as weak. In later books she starts seeing conspiracies everywhere and stupidly recruits the local [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalists]] to her cause in order to better control the kingdom and enforce her will, only to predictably be turned on by them as they recognise her for the lunatic she is. The only person she trusts is her twin brother Jaime and she ends up repelling even him with her arrogant, callous and paranoid behaviour.
* Sauron and Morgoth from the ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' verse both fit this disorder, particularly as they get progressively weaker over the Ages and increasingly spiteful, envious, controlling, petty and grandiose as a direct result of that. Sauron especially, as by the end he simply wants to control absolutely everything and is completely enraged by ''any'' challenge to his authority.

* Grand Inquisitor Zhaspahr Clyntahn of ''Literature/{{Safehold}}'' manages to tick every single box on the list in the course of the books. He will [[BelievingTheirOwnLies thoroughly convince himself]] that he's in the right even when his decisions end in disaster. He is ''well'' known for his ability to hold a petty grudge. Believes man has no better nature unless forced to have it by the Inquisition, which in turns leads him to believe the loyalty gained by Rhobair Duchairn's kinder and gentler approach is a disposable commodity. Is unable to distinguish the difference between God's will and his own. Finally sees conspiracies behind every corner prompting him to try and destroy entire nations, whether they actually ''were'' doing anything or not or purge the Church of several vicars, their families, their assistants, and ''their'' families, when their only crime was meeting to discuss ways to reform the CorruptChurch.
* In ''Literature/HoratioHornblower'', the character of Captain Sawyer from ''Lieutenant Hornblower'' is deeply suspicious of his officers, spies on them with his toadies, and interprets nearly every action is a demonstration of their "plotting". For example, when a sail gets caught and Midshipman Wellard orders the hands to stop hauling, Sawyer concludes that he ''deliberately'' ensured that it would get caught to make Sawyer look bad and has him beaten. He takes a great deal of satisfaction in doing so and shortly after has Wellard beaten again to supposedly get the truth out of him. He purposely weakens the authority that the lieutenants have over the hands so that the hands will be loyal to him instead. Of course, all of this [[SelfFulfillingProphecy induces the lieutenants to seriously consider mutiny]], and ([[AmbiguousSituation maybe]]) for either Hornblower or Wellard to push Sawyer down the hold.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': In a first-season episode, Quark makes a note of Odo's suspicious nature by saying the paranoia must be a trait inherent to Odo's species. Much later in the series, it is revealed that [[spoiler: Odo's species are indeed paranoid, and regard all non-changelings with distrust. The entire species takes this paranoia to such extremes as subjugation of entire civilizations, and hiding their own homeworld from any outsiders.]]

** ComicBook/Two-Face, though "officially" diagnosed as having a Split Personality, probably fits this better than anything. He has BlackAndWhiteInsanity and a [[JadeColoredGlasses bleak worldview]] down to a tee, as he literally makes nearly every decision based on a coin flip (and has a Freak Out if he ever loses said coin) because he thinks all laws and rules [[StrawNihilist are based on random chance]]; he has [[HairTriggerTemper an explosive temper]], and once killed a lackey over [[DisproportionateRetribution spilling a drink]]; he murdered his mistress because "Harvey Dent is a married man"]] and later was livid to learn that a female detective he had been stalking was a lesbian and [[InsaneTrollLogic accused her of tricking him]]. Works such as ''The Long Halloween'' suggest that much of this attitude was present even before he became Two-Face, as that story showed a grim and humourless Harvey Dent willing to break the law to defeat the mob, having zero time for human relationships (including his wife) and maybe-or-not being the Serial Killer who was murdering mobsters and served as the Big Bad of the plot. A drunken and abusive father is also a consistent feature of his backstory, as is the implication that Harvey is mistrusting and pitiless as a result.

** TwoFace, though "officially" diagnosed as having a SplitPersonality, probably fits this better than anything. He has BlackAndWhiteInsanity and bleak worldview down to a tee, as he literally makes nearly every decision based on a coin flip (and has a FreakOut if he ever loses said coin) because he thinks all laws and rules are based on random chance; he has an ''explosive'' temper, and once killed a lackey over spilling a drink; he murdered his mistress because "Harvey Dent is a married man" and later was livid to learn that a female detective he had been stalking was a lesbian and accused her of tricking him. Works such as ''The Long Halloween'' suggest that much of this attitude was present even before he became Two-Face, as that story showed a grim and humourless Harvey Dent willing to break the law to defeat the mob, having zero time for human relationships (including his wife) and maybe-or-not being the SerialKiller who was murdering mobsters and served as the BigBad of the plot. A drunken and abusive father is also a consistent feature of his backstory, as is the implication that Harvey is mistrusting and pitiless as a result.

** Two-Face, though "officially" diagnosed as having a SplitPersonality, probably fits this better than anything. He has BlackAndWhiteInsanity and bleak worldview down to a tee, as he literally makes nearly every decision based on a coin flip (and has a FreakOut if he ever loses said coin) because he thinks all laws and rules are based on random chance; he has an ''explosive'' temper, and once killed a lackey over spilling a drink; he murdered his mistress because "Harvey Dent is a married man" and later was livid to learn that a female detective he had been stalking was a lesbian and accused her of tricking him. Works such as ''The Long Halloween'' suggest that much of this attitude was present even before he became Two-Face, as that story showed a grim and humourless Harvey Dent willing to break the law to defeat the mob, having zero time for human relationships (including his wife) and maybe-or-not being the SerialKiller who was murdering mobsters and served as the BigBad of the plot. A drunken and abusive father is also a consistent feature of his backstory, as is the implication that Harvey is mistrusting and pitiless as a result.

* Ra's Al Ghul has all the hallmarks of a paranoiac {{Narcissist}} cult leader. Most notably, he is a ControlFreak whose League of Assassins has a policy of [[YouHaveFailedMe punishing failure with death]], something that rarely seems to produce results but ''would'' serve the purpose of [[DivideAndConquer making the worlds deadliest assassins more eager to succeed than turn against him.]] In addition, he never once [[NeverMyFault accepts responsibility]] for messing up his family nor any blame for any of the murders and atrocities he has committed over the centuries, or plans to commit in future. He is also prone to {{Revenge}} on everyone who isn't Batman, whom he admires and perhaps secretly [[GreenEyedMonster envies]], although his gigantic ego is rebuffed by the Detectives refusal to [[WeCanRuleTogether marry his daughter and become his heir]]. He is [[MisanthropeSupreme utterly cynical]] about the rest of humanity and is a firm believer in MightMakesRight and ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, punishing any follower- or Dark Knight- who disagrees with him with [[SadistTeacher object lessons]]. Essentially, he comes across as a man who secretly fears that he [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex isn't as special as he always thought he was]], and falls back on increasingly violent and extreme methods to both prove that wrong and [[TheManBehindTheCurtain stop anyone from questioning his superior image.]]

* ''Franchise/StarWars's'' Darth Vader fits this type quite well, as years of war, the death of his mother, and mountains of shame and guilt over the atrocities he kept committing turned him into a ruthless ControlFreak with delusions of "[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans bring order to the Galaxy]]" via crushing any and all opposition to Imperia rule. He is filled with self-loathing and takes it out on others, [[BadBoss including his subordinates]] for the [[SarcasmMode heinous crime]] of [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him]]. Its strongly implied that he wants revenge on the Emperor for manipulating him into being this way, but he is simply too afraid of him to do anything about it, at least until [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son comes into play]].

* Ra's Al Ghul has all the hallmarks of a paranoiac {{Narcissist}} cult leader. Most notably, he is a ControlFreak whose League of Assassins has a policy of [[YouHaveFailedMe punishing failure with death]], something that rarely seems to produce results but ''would'' serve the purpose of [[DivideAndConquer making the worlds deadliest assassins more eager to succeed than turn against him.]] In addition, he never once [[NeverMyFault accepts responsibility]] for messing up his family nor any blame for any of the murders and atrocities he has committed over the centuries, or plans to commit in future. He is also prone to {{Revenge}} on everyone who isn't Batman, whom he admires and perhaps secretly [[GreenEyedMonster envies]], although his gigantic ego is rebuffed by the Detectives refusal to [[WeCanRuleTogether marry his daughter and become his heir]]. He is [[MisanthorpeSupreme utterly cynical]] about the rest of humanity and is a firm believer in MightMakesRight and ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, punishing any follower- or Dark Knight- who disagrees with him with [[SadistTeacher object lessons]]. Essentially, he comes across as a man who secretly fears that he [[InferiortySuperiortyComplex isn't as special as he always thought he was]], and falls back on increasingly violent and extreme methods to both prove that wrong and [[TheManBehindTheCurtain stop anyone from questioning his superior image.]]

Other symptoms include a HairTriggerTemper; {{Dirty Coward}}ice as well as bravado and boastful behaviour; GreenEyedMonster behaviour and the assumption that others are envious or jealous of them (rather than the other way round); BlackAndWhiteInsanity and a tendency to (a)moral absolutes; attempts at (or claims of) achieving self-reliance, independence and self-sufficiency; and [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor a poor sense of humor]], one that is either [[TheStoic utterly lacking]] or [[TheBully outright cruel]], reflecting the fact that paranoiacs are typically guarded and serious.

They also have a tendency to believe MightMakesRight, at least in regard to themselves and their own actions, and are likely to believe ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption more than most. Many seek power, to secure their boundaries and feed their fragile egos, almost inevitably abusing it when they ever find it. Paranoia is also a root cause of ''all'' forms of prejudice and bigotry.

Given their bleak worldview and stressful inner life, many are naturally also prone to clinical depression. At the height of their mania and under periods of extreme stress, paranoiacs sometimes even suffer from psychotic breaks from reality, though these are usually temporary. This latter feature has led to research about the link between paranoia and schizophrenia, although currently the consensus is that paranoid schizophrenia is a related but distinct condition; most paranoiacs are not mentally ill in that sense, just deeply disturbed and with skewed psychological priorities.

* Sauron and Morgoth from the ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' verse both fit this disorder, particularly as they get progressively weaker over the Ages and increasingly spiteful, envious, controlling, petty and grandiose as a direct result of that. Sauron in particular, as by the end he simply wants to control absolutely everything and is completely enraged by ''any'' challenge to his authority.
* Voldemort from ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is a pure paranoid sociopath. He is incapable of love (and pretty much every other positive emotion) because he never experienced it himself and is [[EvilCannotComprehendGood unable to understand it]], leading to an extreme MightMakesRight way of thinking as he thinks power is the only thing that matters in the world. He hates {{Muggles}} as inferiors despite secretly being half-blood himself, is utterly terrified of death to the point that he can't imagine anything worse than it, believes himself to be the greatest wizarding genius who ever lived despite being repeatedly bested by a teenage boy (on whom he swore eternal murderous revenge), and has an ''explosive'' HairTriggerTemper that he often takes out [[BadBoss on his own followers]]. Oh, and he's built a personality cult around himself based on his aforementioned supposed genius along with vague ideas of class and racial superiority.

* The Daleks from ''DoctorWho'' are an entire species of paranoid xenocidal maniacs. Genetically programmed to feel hatred for all forms of non-Dalek life, they live in pressured pepperpot tanks both for mobility and because they are utterly terrified of being somehow infected by interacting with other lifeforms. They have a highly rigid command structure and are perfectly willing to die for the cause of racial purity, with their ultimate aim being the eradication of all life everywhere so that they will be protected from contamination from their supposed biological inferiors.
* ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': In a first-season episode, Quark makes a note of Odo's suspicious nature by saying the paranoia must be a trait inherent to Odo's species. Much later in the series, it is revealed that [[spoiler: Odo's species are indeed paranoid, and regard all non-changelings with distrust. The entire species takes this paranoia to such extremes as subjugation of entire civilizations, and hiding their own homeworld from any outsiders.]]

** The first is terrorist mastermind Margot Al-Harazi, a maniac out to avenge the death of her terrorist husband. She is such a ControlFreak that she even has cameras in her daughter's bedroom [[spoiler: is willing to mutilate her to punish her son-in-law, and is willing to ''murder'' her when she is captured in case she talks; she then has the gall to be ''mortified'' when she actually does talk.]]
** The second is [[spoiler: Cheng Zhi, Jack's Chinese nemesis, now AxCrazy after being tortured by his government and presumed executed. He is now a DirtyCoward out to incite global nuclear war and is utterly terrified of Bauer; all traces of AffablyEvil are gone to be replaced by a snivelling, vindictive bastard out for revenge on all the world for crimes he absolutely deserved to be punished for.]]

* Gaara from ''{{Naruto}}'' had well-justified paranoia, stemming from having a demon stuck inside him as a baby (that threatened to possess him if he ever fell asleep), causing everyone in his village to hate and fear him and eventually leading his father (who ''put'' that demon there, to make a weapon out of him) to try and assassinate him after deciding that Gaara was too unstable (and the person chosen was the uncle he loved, who then denied ever loving Gaara). As a young teen, he's an AxCrazy SerialKiller who keeps his siblings in line with threats of murder, mistrusts and despises everybody and refers to his inner world as chaos that can only be fed by murdering people.
* Mewtwo from ''PokemonTheFirstMovie'' exhibits several paranoiac traits. His primary motivation is an utter distrust of all humanity for enslaving Pokémon (stemming from being himself a scientific experiment GoneHorriblyRight and later used as a weapon by Giovanni), to which end he seeks to KillAllHumans and save Pokémon by [[InsaneTrollLogic enslaving all of them]], the idea being that since he cares more about them than their trainers do (in his mind at least), it's for their own good.

* DoctorDoom is the archetypal paranoid narcissist, and his creator JackKirby even occasionally referred to him as a paranoid. The absolute monarch of the tiny nation of Latveria where he has fostered a cult of personality around himself, Doom frequently and often [[ThirdPersonPerson refers to himself in the third person]], accepts [[NeverMyFault zero responsibility]] for any of his mistakes and failures, and is completely convinced that the reason Comics/TheFantasticFour are fighting him is because their leader Reed (and everyone else, but especially Reed) is and always had been insanely jealous of Dooms' own "superior" brilliance.
* {{Darkseid}}, the GalacticConqueror and EvilOverlord of the DCUniverse, shows many signs of a paranoiac {{Sadist}}. Though always a total bastard, Darkseid became insanely mistrustful and paranoid after his mother Heggra, who had manipulated and controlled him his entire life, murdered the only woman he ever loved via Darkseids' own underling Desaad, with Darkseid responding by ordering Desaad to murder Heggra back, and then treating him and every other underling with even more cruelty and mistrust than before. Questioning Darkseid is an instant death-sentence, and his ultimate ambition is to control all life everywhere and eradicate TheEvilsOfFreeWill including love, happiness and hope, turning it into a bleak, miserable dystopia where everyone suffers and worships him as God.
* The Riddler from {{Batman}}, for much the same reasons as Doom- he assumes that Batman and everyone else is jealous of his "obvious" intellectual superiority, and dismisses every defeat he's had as Batman somehow cheating.
* The Scarecrow, who was violently bullied in his youth and was left with a crippling inferiority complex that developed into an obsession with fear and a career in supervillainy, his "gimmick" being scaring people to death with hallucinogens and drugs. Like most Batman villains he is prone to BadBoss behaviour and violent overreactions. He also believes that the entire world runs on fear; hard to get a bleaker worldview than that.
* Two-Face, though "officially" diagnosed as having a SplitPersonality, probably fits this better than anything. He has BlackAndWhiteInsanity and bleak worldview down to a tee, as he literally makes nearly every decision based on a coin flip (and has a FreakOut if he ever loses said coin) because he thinks all laws and rules are based on random chance; he has an ''explosive'' temper, and once killed a lackey over spilling a drink; he murdered his mistress because "Harvey Dent is a married man" and later was livid to learn that a female detective he had been stalking was a lesbian and accused her of tricking him. Works such as ''The Long Halloween'' suggest that much of this attitude was present even before he became Two-Face, as that story showed a grim and humourless Harvey Dent willing to break the law to defeat the mob, having zero time for human relationships (including his wife) and maybe-or-not being the SerialKiller who was murdering mobsters and served as the BigBad of the plot. A drunken and abusive father is also a consistent feature of his backstory, as is the implication that Harvey is mistrusting and pitiless as a result.
* Batman himself is also frequently accused of being a paranoiac; how much this is true is a case of DependingOnTheWriter, but he certainly demonstrated many paranoid traits, including a grim attitude, ControlFreak tendencies, and a habit of resorting to violence to solve his problems, with some stories going so far as to imply that being the Batman is simply an excuse for Bruce to take revenge for the murder of his parents by beating the crap out of criminals every night. He also has a grim and bleak view of the society he lives in- mostly because that society [[CrapsackWorld is Gotham City]], and his explicit reason for choosing a Bat as his gimmick is to scare the hell out of his enemies. [[SubvertedTrope However]], most stories portray him as fundamentally an idealist, who actually ''does'' trust his allies (just brutally aware that he lives in a world where MindControl, DemonicPossession and exposed secret identities are all very real dangers) and who is actually an extremely humble man who has decided to sacrifice his life to the cause of saving others from the evil that took his family away from him.

* [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fits this type quite well, as years of war, the death of his mother, and mountains of shame and guilt over the atrocities he kept committing turned him into a ruthless ControlFreak with delusions of "[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans bring order to the Galaxy]]" via crushing any and all opposition to Imperia rule. He is filled with self-loathing and takes it out on others, [[BadBoss including his subordinates]] for the [[SarcasmMode heinous crime]] of [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him]]. Its strongly implied that he wants revenge on the Emperor for manipulating him into being this way, but he is simply too afraid of him to do anything about it, at least until [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son comes into play]].
* Michael Corleone from ''TheGodfather'' movies is a paranoid ControlFreak by the time Part 2 roles around. As Michael sees it, the family was attacked and betrayed in the first movie because the other mobsters no longer feared them, so if he wants to keep them safe he has to act like a biggest bastard on the planet; naturally, he ends up becoming the greatest enemy of his family himself, alienating his wife and ordering the death of his own brother.

* Several characters in ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', but the stand-out example is Cersei Lannister, who believes that her younger brother Tyrion is behind every bad thing that ever happens to her and is prophesied to murder her [[spoiler: and murdered her "best friend" to conceal this "fact", and thought it was bold of herself]]. She is proud of her son Joffrey because he acts like a psychopath, and ashamed of her son Tommen because he ''isn't'' and therefore views as weak. In later books she starts seeing conspiracies everywhere and stupidly recruits the local [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalists]] to her cause in order to better control the kingdom and enforce her will, only to predictably be turned on by them as they recognise her for the lunatic she is. The only person she trusts is her twin brother Jaime and she ends up repelling even him with her arrogant, callous and paranoid behaviour.
* Sauron and Morgoth from the ''LordOfTheRings'' verse both fit this disorder, particularly as they get progressively weaker over the Ages and increasingly spiteful, envious, controlling, petty and grandiose as a direct result of that. Sauron in particular, as by the end he simply wants to control absolutely everything and is completely enraged by ''any'' challenge to his authority.
* Voldemort from ''HarryPotter'' is a pure paranoid sociopath. He is incapable of love (and pretty much every other positive emotion) because he never experienced it himself and is [[EvilCannotComprehendGood unable to understand it]], leading to an extreme MightMakesRight way of thinking as he thinks power is the only thing that matters in the world. He hates {{Muggles}} as inferiors despite secretly being half-blood himself, is utterly terrified of death to the point that he can't imagine anything worse than it, believes himself to be the greatest wizarding genius who ever lived despite being repeatedly bested by a teenage boy (on whom he swore eternal murderous revenge), and has an ''explosive'' HairTriggerTemper that he often takes out [[BadBoss on his own followers]]. Oh, and he's built a personality cult around himself based on his aforementioned supposed genius along with vague ideas of class and racial superiority.

** A more blatant example is the Scarecrow, who was violently bullied in his youth and was left with a crippling inferiority complex that developed into an obsession with fear and a career in supervillainy, his "gimmick" being scaring people to death with hallucinogens and drugs. Like most Batman villains he is prone to BadBoss behaviour and violent overreactions. He also believes that the entire world runs on fear; hard to get a bleaker worldview than that.
** Two-Face, though "officially" diagnosed as having a SplitPersonality, probably fits this better than anything. He has BlackAndWhiteInsanity and bleak worldview down to a tee, as he literally makes nearly every decision based on a coin flip (and has a FreakOut if he ever loses said coin) because he thinks all laws and rules are based on random chance; he has an ''explosive'' temper, and once killed a lackey over spilling a drink; he murdered his mistress because "Harvey Dent is a married man" and later was livid to learn that a female detective he had been stalking was a lesbian and accused her of tricking him. Works such as ''The Long Halloween'' suggest that much of this attitude was present even before he became Two-Face, as that story showed a grim and humourless Harvey Dent willing to break the law to defeat the mob, having zero time for human relationships (including his wife) and maybe-or-not being the SerialKiller who was murdering mobsters and served as the BigBad of the plot. A drunken and abusive father is also a consistent feature of his backstory, as is the implication that Harvey is mistrusting and pitiless as a result.
** Batman himself is also frequently accused of being a paranoiac; how much this is true is a case of DependingOnTheWriter, but he certainly demonstrated many paranoid traits, including a grim attitude, ControlFreak tendencies, and a habit of resorting to violence to solve his problems, with some stories going so far as to imply that being the Batman is simply an excuse for Bruce to take revenge for the murder of his parents by beating the crap out of criminals every night. He also has a grim and bleak view of the society he lives in- mostly because that society [[CrapsackWorld is Gotham City]], and his explicit reason for choosing a Bat as his gimmick is to scare the hell out of his enemies. [[SubvertedTrope However]], most stories portray him as fundamentally an idealist, who actually ''does'' trust his allies (just brutally aware that he lives in a world where MindControl, DemonicPossession and exposed secret identities are all very real dangers) and who is actually an extremely humble man who has decided to sacrifice his life to the cause of saving others from the evil that took his family away from him.

* Many, many people in ''Series/TwentyFour'', both terrorists or otherwise.
** ''Live Another Day'' has two stand-out examples, both {{Big Bad}}s. The first is terrorist mastermind Margot Al-Harazi, a maniac out to avenge the death of her terrorist husband. She is such a ControlFreak that she even has cameras in her daughter's bedroom [[spoiler: is willing to mutilate her to punish her son-in-law, and is willing to ''murder'' her when she is captured in case she talks; she then has the gall to be ''mortified'' when she actually does talk.]] The second is [[spoiler: Cheng Zhi, Jack's Chinese nemesis, now AxCrazy after being tortured by his government and presumed executed. He is now a DirtyCoward out to incite global nuclear war and is utterly terrified of Bauer; all traces of AffablyEvil are gone to be replaced by a snivelling, vindictive bastard out for revenge on all the world for crimes he absolutely deserved to be punished for.]]

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1. NeverMyFault: Paranoiacs are hypersensitive to setbacks and rebuffs. They tend to either blame others for their mistakes and bad behaviour, or take pride in them as achievements. This is usually a defensive act- since they are constantly on guard against attacks, deceit and criticism, they typically experience being caught out as a personal assault on themselves and thus, denial and blaming others is their way of deflecting attention away from their weaknesses if they feel their defences are being breached. At extremes, they may go full-on TautologicalTemplar.

2. {{Revenge}}: Paranoiacs are the most likely of all the personality types to hold grudges and [[BestServedCold hold them long]]. Once again, this is primarily a defensive act, taking the view that if people know they will take vengeance for any wrongdoing done to them, real or imagined (often imagined), they will be less likely to mess with the paranoiac. This also compensates for their typically low self-esteem- since they constantly feel embattled, revenge is a way of asserting control over their lives, and taking out their stress on those who they feel deserve it (often, anyone and everyone). DisproportionateRetribution is to be expected as well. [[note]]In practice, most RealLife paranoiacs are more likely to [[PowerFantasy fantasise about revenge]] than to actually do anything about it, since as said they are primarily defensive, often stressed, and prone to low self-esteem. Actually taking revenge exposes them and invites retaliation, so usually a paranoiac taking revenge is a sign that they either have reached their RageBreakingPoint or they have found themselves in a position of strength or confidence; many extremists are paranoiacs who have gained that confidence from interacting with like-minded people, sometimes leading to terrorism. As such, many paranoiacs take out their stresses on [[DomesticAbuser their friends and family]] since they can't or won't act against their "enemies". [[/note]]

3. [[JadeColoredGlasses Suspiciousness / Cynicism]]: Perhaps the core feature of this type of personality is the tendency to be mistrustful and cynical about people and the world at large, which they tend to view as a harsh, chaotic or oppressive place where [[TheSocialDarwinist only the mean and the tough survive]]. They tend to assume that people they meet or know are out to bully or trick them, which ties back into NeverMyFault as they can blame their shortcomings in life on the malicious sabotage of other people; ironically, those shortcomings are often ''actually'' the result of stress or distractions from assuming [[SelfFulfillingProphecy everyone is out to get them]], or their paranoid obsessions with self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

4. {{Jerkass}}: The tendency to assume that the world is filled with malicious jerkasses ends up causing the paranoiac to act like a colossal jerkass themselves, the logic being "do unto others before they do unto you". They tend to be combative, hostile and quarrelsome and detest laziness (esp. with regards to vigilance) and weakness in themselves and their families, friends, and anyone who is supposed to be on "their" side. Kindness is a deceptive ploy at best and weakness at worst, so outside of [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] behaviour or to buy / reward loyalty (if even that), they have no time for it. They may try and hide it behind a pleasant façade, but inside they are mean, angry, petty and spiteful and believe that those who ''aren't'' are either weak, arrogant or stupid. Many are outright ''proud'' of their cruel actions, as they conflate it with boldness, strength and bravery. Paranoiacs who are also {{sociopath}}s or {{sadist}}s are amongst the most unpleasant and aggressive people you are ever likely to meet.

5. ControlFreak: Paranoiacs are often plagued by fears that their significant others are cheating on them; more generally, they tend to be hypersensitive regarding issues of loyalty from their family, friends, colleagues, followers and those either in their power or who they themselves owe allegiance to. Often leads to [[ClingyJealousGirl clingy jealous]] behaviour which, once again, leads to the SelfFulfillingProphecy of inspiring disloyalty rather than encouraging it. Expect them to police and spy on their own side (as they see it) as much or more as their real or imagined enemies. They might also try to dominate, belittle or otherwise demean others in order to keep them in their power.

6. [[{{Narcissist}} Self-Importance]]: Though distinct from [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder]] (although narcissistic paranoids and paranoid narcissists both certainly exist too), paranoiacs are themselves prone to grandiosity and egomania; after all, if ''everyone'' is out to get you, or if you are the only one who sees [[StrawNihilist how hard and crappy the world is]], then clearly [[InsaneTrollLogic there is something special about you]]. They also have the narcissistic tendency to assume that their own problems or issues are bigger, harder or more important than what anyone else is going through, and thus suffer from an egotistical LackOfEmpathy. Since many are emotionally unstable and suffer from low self-esteem, this tends to be an InferioritySuperiorityComplex rather than genuine overconfidence; as such, excessive self-reference, in some cases up to and including ThirdPersonPerson, is common in this type of personality, since they are constantly trying to reassure themselves (and others) of their own specialness and invincibility. A SelfServingMemory and tendency to distort reality and read the worst into motives and situations is another feature.

7. ConspiracyTheorist: Tend to see or imagine elaborate conspiracies against themselves, their families, causes, allies, organizations etc., or even against others they have no association or even sympathy with. As stated, although this is what most people think of when they hear the word "paranoia", its not in-and-of itself enough to be considered a paranoid personality disorder, nor is the lack of this enough to ''exclude'' a diagnosis of [=PPD=]. Many paranoid conspiracy theories might also be relatively grounded, "merely" thinking that people who actually dislike them are now out to get them (and not just, say, outlandish ideas about the government or aliens or such). One again, this can be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, as others might be inspired to work against the paranoiac precisely because the paranoiac acts like a {{jerkass}} who thinks everyone is conspiring against them.

2. {{Revenge}}: Paranoiacs are the most likely of all the personality types to hold grudges and [[BestServedCold hold them long]]. Once again, this is primarily a defensive act, taking the view that if people know they will take vengeance for any wrongdoing done to them, real or imagined (often imagined), they will be less likely to mess with the paranoiac. This also compensates for their typically low self-esteem- since they constantly feel embattled, revenge is a way of asserting control over their lives, and taking out their stress on those who they feel deserve it (often, anyone and everyone). DisproportionateRetribution is to be expected as well.

* 2.5: In practice, most RealLife paranoiacs are more likely to [[PowerFantasy fantasise about revenge]] than to actually do anything about it, since as said they are primarily defensive, often stressed, and prone to low self-esteem. Actually taking revenge exposes them and invites retaliation, so usually a paranoiac taking revenge is a sign that they either have reached their RageBreakingPoint or they have found themselves in a position of strength or confidence; many extremists are paranoiacs who have gained that confidence from interacting with like-minded people, sometimes leading to terrorism. As such, many paranoiacs take out their stresses on [[DomesticAbuser their friends and family]] since they can't or won't act against their "enemies".

* ''StarWars'': Darth Vader fits this type quite well, as years of war, the death of his mother, and mountains of shame and guilt over the atrocities he kept committing turned him into a ruthless ControlFreak with delusions of "[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans bring order to the Galaxy]]" via crushing any and all opposition to Imperia rule. He is filled with self-loathing and takes it out on others, [[BadBoss including his subordinates]] for the [[SarcasmMode heinous crime]] of [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him]]. Its strongly implied that he wants revenge on the Emperor for manipulating him into being this way, but he is simply too afraid of him to do anything about it, at least until [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son comes into play]].

2. {{Revenge}}: Paranoiacs are the most likely of all the personality types to hold grudges and [[BestServedCold hold them long]]. Once again, this is primarily a defensive act, taking the view that if people know they will take vengeance for any wrongdoing done to them, real or imagined (often imagined), they will be less likely to mess with the paranoiac. This also compensates for their typically low self-esteem- since they constantly feel embattled, revenge is a way of asserting control over their lives, and taking out their stress on those who they feel deserve it (often, anyone and everyone). DisproportionateRetribution is to be expected as well. [[note]]In practice, most RealLife paranoiacs are more likely to [[PowerFantasy fantasise about revenge]] than to actually do anything about it, since as said they are primarily defensive, often stressed, and prone to low self-esteem. Actually taking revenge exposes them and invites retaliation, so usually a paranoiac taking revenge is a sign that they either have reached their RageBreakingPoint or they have found themselves in a position of strength or confidence; many extremists are paranoiacs who have gained that confidence from interacting with like-minded people, sometimes leading to terrorism. As such, many paranoiacs take out their stresses on [[DomesticAbuser their friends and family]] since they can't or won't act against their "enemies". [[/note]]

* [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fits this type quite well, as years of war, the death of his mother, and mountains of shame and guilt over the atrocities he kept committing turned him into a ruthless ControlFreak with delusions of "[[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans bring order to the Galaxy]]" via crushing any and all opposition to Imperia rule. He is filled with self-loathing and takes it out on others, [[BadBoss including his subordinates]] for the [[SarcasmMode heinous crime]] of [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him]]. Its strongly implied that he wants revenge on the Emperor for manipulating him into being this way, but he is simply too afraid of him to do anything about it, at least until [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes his son comes into play]].

2. {{Revenge}}: Paranoiacs are the most likely of all the personality types to hold grudges and [[BestServedCold hold them long]]. Once again, this is primarily a defensive act, taking the view that if people know they will take vengeance for any wrongdoing done to them, real or imagined (often imagined), they will be less likely to mess with the paranoiac. This also compensates for their typically low self-esteem- since they constantly feel embattled, revenge is a way of asserting control over their lives, and taking out their stress on those who they feel deserve it (often, anyone and everyone). DisproportionateRetribution is to be expected as well.

* 2.5: In practice, most RealLife paranoiacs are more likely to [[PowerFantasy fantasise about revenge]] than to actually do anything about it, since as said they are primarily defensive, often stressed, and prone to low self-esteem. Actually taking revenge exposes them and invites retaliation, so usually a paranoiac taking revenge is a sign that they either have reached their RageBreakingPoint or they have found themselves in a position of strength or confidence; many extremists are paranoiacs who have gained that confidence from interacting with like-minded people, sometimes leading to terrorism. As such, many paranoiacs take out their stresses on [[DomesticAbuser their friends and family]] since they can't or won't act against their "enemies".

** ''Live Another Day'' has two stand-out examples, both {{Big Bad}}s. The first is terrorist mastermind Margot Al-Harazi, a maniac out to avenge the death of her terrorist husband. She is such a ControlFreak that she even has cameras in her daughters' bedroom [[spoiler: is willing to mutilate her to punish her son-in-law, and is willing to ''murder'' her when she is captured in case she talks; she then has the gaul to be ''mortified'' when she actually does talk.]] The second is [[spoiler: Cheng Zhi, Jack's Chinese nemesis, now AxCrazy after being tortured by his government and presumably executed. He is now a DirtyCoward out to incite global nuclear war and is utterly terrified of Baeur; all traces of AffablyEvil are gone to be replaced by a snivelling, vindictive bastard out for revenge on all the world for crimes he absolutely deserved to be punished for.]]

* Mewtwo from ''PokemonTheFirstMovie'' exhibits several paranoiac traits. His primary motivation is an utter distrust of all humanity for enslaving Pokémon (stemming from being himself a scientific experiment GoneHorriblyRight and later used as a weapon by Giovanni), to which end he seeks to KillAllHumans and save Pokémon by [[InsaneTrollLogic enslaving all of them]], the idea being that since he cares more about them than their trainers do (in his mind at least), its for their own good.

Compare / contrast ProperlyParanoid, MisanthorpeSupreme.