History PlayingWith / TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget

** The ArtifactOfDoom's powers lend themselves ''very'' well to BadPowersBadPeople- i.e. 'you can kill anyone you fight, but you ''cannot'' defeat them nonlethally'. Using these powers at all means that Alice has to accept being ruthless, and WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer...

* '''Subverted''': Alice uses the ArtifactOfDoom to defeat Bob, but then returns it to its [[SealedEvilInACan can]] and rules Troperia as normal...

* '''Enforced''': "BoringInvincibleHero is losing popularity. How can we shoehorn some badassery without the audience complaining?" "Cursed pants?"

* '''Deconstructed''': Alice knows the perils of tempting her own dark side, but tries to rationalize it as TheNeedsOfMany. In the end she falls for the dark side, but is still considered a hero for sacrificing her morality for the sake of others.

* The ArtifactOfDoom itself isn't corrupting but flaws within the wielder.

** ... Until another villain passes the GodzillaThreshold. And then comes Charlie, who isn't ''quite'' as dangerous, but Alice still isn't sure she could win without using the ArtifactOfDoom. And then Diana, who could possibly be redeemed, but the destruction she'd wreak if the HeelFaceTurn failed would be just too much to risk. And then comes Evan, who's not ''that'' bad, but his attempted revolution against Alice would destabilize Troperia, and he's too strong for her to stand up against without the ArtifactOfDoom. This goes on until Alice is a full on BloodKnight who uses the ArtifactOfDoom on anyone who complains about her because they're a potential threat.

* '''Parodied''': When Alice uses the Artifact of Doom, it starts the "Dark force" background music. When she uses it to kill, a mailman delivers her a greeting card from The Evil Side. Alice wonders if it means anything, before asking her tailors to get her a {{Stripperiffic}} BlackAndRedAndEvilAllOver outfit.

** The ArtifactOfDoom functions as a FantasticDrug. Even using it once risks addiction, and addicts will do anything to feel the PowerHigh they get again, even killing innocents if that's the only thing available.

* '''Downplayed''': As Kelvin uses the Deathblade, he still fights to defend his kingdom, he just becomes [[TookALevelInJerkass a bit more of a jerk.]]

* '''Straight''': KnightInShiningArmor Kelvin uses the Crimson Deathblade to slay the BlackKnight [[TheButcher Butcher]]. Over time, as he wields the blade, he turns into an extreme KnightTemplar
* '''Exaggerated''': Kelvin strikes down the BlackKnight with the Crimson Deathblade, immediately becomes the new Black Knight and takes over his kingdom in order to 'better defend it'.

* '''Justified''': The Crimson Deathblade is a {{curse}}d weapon that [[InstantAllegianceArtifact corrupts all who wield it]].

** The more Kelvin uses TheDarkSide, the more it horrifies him, until he can no longer use it for the most vital of purposes.
** BlackKnight Bryce uses white magic for [[GoodPowersBadPeople selfish ends]], not realizing that he's slowly becoming less ruthless and more compassionate.
* '''Subverted''': Kelvin uses the Crimson Deathblade to defeat the Black Knight, then returns it to its rightful place and goes on with his normal life.

** ...Until he uses the sword in another important fight. Then another. Then another until he's in full-on BloodKnight mode.
** Alternatively: Kelvin only used the Crimson Deathblade once... But it doesn't matter. The more he goes on, the more he's willing to go to extremes. The sword was just an object; it was the willingness to use it that was the gateway to corruption.
* '''Parodied''': When Kelvin draws the Crimson Deathblade, it starts the "Dark force" background music. When he uses it to kill, a mailman delivers him a greeting card from The Evil Side. Kelvin wonders if it means anything.

** "Everything the Blade is used for turns to evil. Everything it touches is corrupted or destroyed outright. Even if you start out a champion of justice, you will become a tyrant in time."
* '''Invoked''': Emperor Evulz ensured that the Crimson Deathblade would fall into the heroes' hands as a BatmanGambit to tempt one of them to his side.
* '''Exploited''': Emperor Evulz notices the Crimson Deathblade in Kelvin's possession, and sends [[WeHaveReserves waves after waves of minions]] after him so that Kelvin will be corrupted.

** After the first use, Kelvin discards the Crimson Blade and runs as far away as he can, muttering something about it changing him.
** Kelvin continues using the Crimson Blade, but makes some sort of reminder that he can never simply ignore, to force him to stay on the side of good. How well this works depends on the story.

** [[WhatTheHellHero "Don't you notice how this sword is changing your behavior?"]]
** "Do you even know anymore why you started using that sword? What kind of person you once were?"
* '''Conversed''': "Remember in the legends the Blood Warrior of Hellesbe wasn't born that way. He picked up the Black Baldrick and could never see the evil in what he was doing after that."
* '''Deconstructed''': Kelvin knows the perils of tempting his own dark side, but tries to rationalize it considering the needs. In the end he falls for the dark side, but is still considered a hero for sacrificing his morality for the sake of others.
* '''Reconstructed''': But then as a force of evil Kelvin causes more harm than he originally prevented.
* '''Played For Laughs''': "Can you please put down that sword? Every time you pick it up, your power aura switches to ominous red, and it's annoying"
* '''Played For Drama''': Kelvin's initial rationale for using the Crimson Deathblade is that it's the only way he can save his beloved fiancée, Indira the Innocent. Its corrupting effects, however, lead him into greater and greater acts of evil, until he ends up cutting down Indira herself in cold blood, leading to a MyGodWhatHaveIDone realization that [[DrivenToSuicide drives him to suicide]].

** Alternatively: BlackKnight Bryce uses white magic for [[GoodPowersBadPeople selfish ends]], not realizing that he's slowly becoming less ruthless and more compassionate.

* '''Discussed''': [[WhatTheHellHero "Don't you notice how this sword is changing your behavior?"]]

** Alternatively: Kelvin only used the Crimson Deathblade the once... But it doesn't matter. The more he goes on, the more he's willing to go to extremes. The sword was just an object; it was the willingness to use it that was the gateway to corruption.

* '''Downplayed''': As Kelvin uses the Deathblade, he still fights to defend his kingdom, he just becomes a bit more of a jerk.

* '''Defied''': After the first use, Kelvin discards the Crimson Blade and runs as far away as he can, muttering something about it changing him.
** Alternatively, Kelvin continues using the Crimson Blade, but makes some sort of reminder that he can never simply ignore, to force him to stay on the side of good. How well this works depends on the fiction.

** Alternatively: BlackKnight Bryce uses white magic for [GoodPowersBadPeople selfish ends]], not realizing that he's slowly becoming less ruthless and more compassionate.

* '''Straight''': KnightInShiningArmor Kelvin uses the Crimson Deathblade to slay the BlackKnight [[TheButcher Butcher]]. Over time, he wields the blade more and more to defend his kingdom, eventually becoming a KnightTemplar.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

** Alternatively: BlackKnight Bryce uses white magic for selfish ends, not realizing that he's slowly becoming less ruthless and more compassionate.

* '''Enforced''': "BoringInvincibleHero is losing popularity. How can shoehorn some badassery without the audience complaining?" "Cursed pants?"

* '''Exploited''': ???

* '''Lampshaded''': "This better not be one of those cursed swords I read about, you know, the kind that make you a bad guy, and stuff."

* '''Inverted''': The more Kelvin uses TheDarkSide, the more it horrifies him, until he can no longer use it for the most vital of purposes.

* '''Double Subverted''': ...Until he uses the sword in another important fight. Then another. Then another until he's in full-on BloodKnight mode.

* '''Deconstructed''': Kelvin knows the perils of tempting his own dark side, but tries to rationalize it considering the needs. In the end he falls for the dark side, but is still considered a hero for sacrificing his morality for the sake of others.
* '''Reconstructed''': But then as a force of evil Kelvin causes more harm than he originally prevented.

* '''Played For Laughs:''' "Can you please put down that sword? Everytime you pick it up, your power aura switches to omnious red, and it's annoying"
* '''Played For Drama:''' Kelvin's initial rationale for using the Crimson Deathblade is that it's the only way he can save his beloved fiancée, Indira the Innocent. Its corrupting effects, however, lead him into greater and greater acts of evil, until he ends up cutting down Indira herself in cold blood, leading to a MyGodWhatHaveIDone realization that [[DrivenToSuicide drives him to suicide]].

Back to TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget.
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'''Basic Trope''': Good guy uses TheDarkSide for good ends, [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope slides down slippery slope]] without realizing it.

* '''Invoked''': Emperor Evulz ensured that the Crimson Deathblade would fall into the heroes' hands as a XanatosGambit to tempt one of them to his side.

* '''Enforced''': "BoringInvincibleHero is losing popularity. How can shoehorn some badassery without the audience calling CharacterDerailment?" "Cursed pants?"

* '''Averted''': There is no Dark Side, just GreyMorality.

* '''Justified''': The Crimson Deathblade is a {{curse}}d weapon that corrupts all who wield it.

* '''Played For Drama:''' Kelvin's initial rationale for using the Crimson Deathblade is that it's the only way he can save his beloved fiancée, Indira the Innocent. Its corrupting effects, however, lead him into greater and greater acts of evil, until he ends up cutting down Indira herself in cold blood, leading to a MyGodWhatHaveIDone realization that [[DrivenToSuicide drives him to suicide]].

* '''Played For Drama:''' Kelvin's initial rationale for using the Crimson Deathblade is that it's the only way he can save his beloved fiancée, Indira the Innocent. Its corrupting effects, however, lead him into greater and greater acts of evil, until he ends up cutting down Indira herself in cold blood, leading to a MyGodWhatHaveIDone realization that [[DrivenToSuicide drives him to suicide]].