Line #97 Main/EvilCannotStandCuteness


1	[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/JudgeDredd https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_78.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''The horror!'']]
3
4	->''"Oh, you couldn't begin to imagine the depths of my suffering there. I spent most of my days strung up like a damned pupating moth trapped over a field of delicate little flowers where angels, fairies, and enchanted stuffed animals lived. They played songs and danced asinine jigs as if their only care in life was when they would get their next warm, fuzzy hug! Instead of ruling the universe with an iron fist, I was serenaded by teddy bears!"''
5	-->-- '''Frieza''', ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF''
6
7	There are many shorthands to show just how evil bad guys are; they may [[EvilFeelsGood take great pleasure in their evil actions]], do their plotting in [[EvilIsNotWellLit not very lit areas]], strive ToCreateAPlaygroundForEvil, adorn their costumes [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset with skulls and bones]] and [[SpikesOfVillainy put wicked cool spikes on everything]] including their weapons, their [[BoobyTrap Booby Traps]], their [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking toasters]], etc.
8
9	When you have such characters who seem to [[ObviouslyEvil live and breathe evil]] in the edgiest, most on-the-nose manner to the point of having a BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad mentality, it's only appropiate to have them steer clear of everything remotely "good" as if it were toxic waste. And what's funnier than the image of someone like [[EvilOverlord Lord Murderskull]] gagging at the sight of a SugarBowl the same way [[KidsHateVegetables a kid reacts towards broccoli?]]
10
11	Anything that comes across as adorable or saccharine, such as sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, puppies, unicorns, choo-choo trains, and everything else that comes out of a SugarBowl can be expected to provoke a wide range of negative reactions from many ObviouslyEvil villains, {{Jerkass}}es (often the [[CardCarryingJerkass card-carrying kind]]), and [[TheCynic cynics]]. Edgy, spike-wearing fiends usually harbor intense hatred towards the saccharine, and will not hesitate [[KickTheDog to grab a bat and beat a sack of kittens to death on sight]], or at the very least make their lives miserable [[PokeThePoodle with dreaded finger pokes of evil]]. Sometimes, they may initially look charmed by said sack of kittens... [[BaitTheDog right before bringing down the bat]].
12
13	In other cases, villains [[GoodHurtsEvil may find cuteness just as completely revolting]] as people would normally find canned cheeseburger to be, (Yes, [[AluminumChristmasTrees canned cheeseburger exists]], and we suggest you don't Google images of it for the sake of your sanity and stomach contents) or even have a [[AbsurdPhobia crippling phobia]] of it, [[FauxHorrific running away screaming like they just saw a tarantula skittering towards them]]. For those unfortunate enough [[VileVillainSaccharineShow to live in a]] SugarBowl, whether out of circumstance or as a CoolAndUnusualPunishment, such an IronicHell can completely drive them into insanity. While this trope is generally PlayedForLaughs, serious examples of this trope may lead to a SugarApocalypse in an attempt by the villain to turn the place into something more palatable, such as a CrapsackWorld.
14
15	This trope tends to go hand-in-hand with KickTheDog when establishing how evil a bad guy is; everyone knows puppies make people happy, which makes them Evil's favorite critters to squish in front of horrified onlookers, because Evil hates seeing people happy more than it hates puppies, AndThatsTerrible.
16
17	Among other reasons for bad guys' general aversion towards the saccharine: EvilIsCool, so anything cute threatens to undermine the villain's cool, villainous appearance and make them look lame. [[CardCarryingVillain The variety who consider being "evil" a part of their identity]], '''especially''' these guys, will do everything in their power to prevent this, and deviating from their ways by falling under the influence of cuteness may lead to being told, "IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten"
18
19	SubTrope of BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad, and a common characteristic of CartoonishSupervillainy. If the "cute" is directly weaponized to fight evil, see CareBearStare and SuperCuteSuperpowers. If evil is repulsed merely by the presence of cute, see AllergicToGood and TooSpicyForYogSothoth. If something is so saccharine that even non-evil characters are sickened by it, see SickeninglySweet.
20
21	Compare FunHatingVillain and TheGrinch. Contrast CuteIsEvil, TheFakeCutie, and SugaryMalice. See also RealMenHateSugar.
22
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29	* In ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'', sociopathic FakeCutie Minatsuki is greatly perturbed when she finds herself petting an armadillo.
30	-->"You little fucker, why are you not uncute?"
31	* ''Franchise/DragonBall'': Frieza is a tyrannical, absolutely sadistic EvilOverlord who enjoys massacring entire races and feeling superior to those he conquers. His ironic, personalized Hell after he died on Earth in ''[[Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF Resurrection 'F']]'' has him trapped in a cocoon hanging off a tree, surrounded by fairies, pixies, and stuffed animals dancing, singing, and frolicking all around him for eternity (at least until his henchmen bring him back to life, ''[[DeathIsCheap again]]''). Predictably, he absolutely hates his punishment, and the scene is so saccharine it makes him want to tear his eyes out and traumatizes him long after he escapes from Hell. It's also the reason he forgoes his wish for immortality in ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly''.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comic Books]]
35	* In a ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' / ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' crossover, ComicBook/TheScarecrow used his signature fear toxin on [[OmnicidalManiac Judge Death]], putting him in a hallucinatory nightmare pictured above where the demon judge is tormented by his greatest fear: Fluffy bunnies, pink unicorns, cute WoodlandCreatures, and Happy Puppets.
36	* ''ComicBook/DeCapeEtDeCrocs'': Mendoza's MotiveRant shortly before his KarmicDeath has him go on about how he hates Eusebe for... basically being a cute little rabbit.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Fan Works]]
40	* Downplayed in the ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AllGodsLittleCreatures''; the fic involves two of the Irregulars smuggling kittens into 221 Baker Street. Holmes isn't evil, but he is often a jerk. Watson and the boys immediately hide the kittens when they hear him coming in, because Holmes isn't fond of fuzzy animals.
41	* The Literature/MrMen fan story [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xptYP43OQxU ''Little Miss Wubby'']] has [[{{Jerkass}} Mr. Uppity, Mr. Grumpy, Mr. Rude, Mr. Mean and Mr. Grumble]] all hating cute things to the point of wanting them destroyed and when they meet the sickeningly cute title character, they all gang up on her and drive her to tears. They end up [[LaserGuidedKarma paying for it when a few of her friends snuggle and hug them.]]
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
45	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'': When the Storm King invades Canterlot, one of the first things he does is complain about how cute the appearance of the castle is, on account of it clashing with his big, bad powerful guy image.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Literature]]
49	* ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor: Pasta and Parties'': Referenced with a statement of the opposite ''and'' this trope by Beth, that "Nobody bad likes flowers", and "My gramma's neighbor's the meanest old cuss there ever was, and he hates flowers!"
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
53	* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'':
54	** In "The Selection" Shawn threatens his coworkers with being forced to watch videos of red pandas, which are adorable. Since they're demons, they're disgusted.
55	** Turned around on Shawn when the Judge threatens him with being forced to watch videos of soldiers reuniting with their dogs in "A Girl from Arizona". Even he has to give pause at that.
56	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
57	** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E15TheTroubleWithTribbles The Trouble with Tribbles]]", Klingons react to Tribbles with hostility and disgust just as surely as Tribbles react to them with hisses and screeches.
58	** In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E06TrialsAndTribbleations Trials and Tribble-ations]]", which is set during the same time frame as "The Trouble with Tribbles", Worf explains that the mutual hatred is because [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvxJcazHm6M the tribbles' insane eating habits caused a famine for the Klingon Empire, and they were hunted to extinction by the end of the 23rd century]]. [[spoiler:Or ''were'' extinct, until [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKAYbZZwU68 the crew accidentally brings them back to the future and they overtake the station!]]]]
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
62	* ''Series/FraggleRock'': Exploited when Wander [=McMooch=], an evil toad who works as a ConArtist, captures Philo and Gunge, attendants to Marjory the Trash Heap. When the Fraggle Five come to the rescue, it turns out that [=McMooch=] hates Fraggles because they're so "disgustingly lovable". Philo and Gunge immediately use this to their advantage.
63	-->'''[=McMooch=]:''' ''[holding up Philo and Gunge]'' Well, it seems I have your disgustingly lovable friends at bay!\
64	'''Philo:''' That's what he hates about 'em?\
65	'''Gunge:''' Are you thinking what I'm thinking?\
66	'''Philo:''' Yeah!\
67	''[They begin [[ForcefulKiss smothering [=McMooch=] with kisses]].]''\
68	'''Gunge:''' Hey, we love ya! We're showering you with affection!\
69	'''Philo:''' Yeah, [=McMooch=]! You're our newest and bestest pal!\
70	'''Gunge:''' If we can't love Marjory, then we're gonna love you!\
71	'''Philo:''' Yeah!\
72	'''[=McMooch=]:''' ''[to the Fraggles]'' Take them! They're worse than Fraggles! Just leave me alone! ''[[[TheComedyDrop Drops Philo and Gunge]].]''
73	* ''Series/TheJimHensonHour'': Subverted in a sketch where Space Guy (Creator/LouieAnderson), a {{Jerkass}} space captain meets Commander Bunny (Bean Bunny) and his fellow bunnies from the planet Cuteron, who want to be his friends. When Space Guy retorts, "[[SeeYouInHell I'll see you as rabbit stew first, hairball!]]", Commander Bunny responds by using his Cute Ray on him. Despite Space Guy's efforts to resist the effects of the Ray, he finds himself giggling, thinking about balloons, and turning into a bright pink bunny.
74	-->'''Space Guy:''' ''[in bunny form]'' Hi, I'm Pink-a-Boo, the cutest, cuddliest, most pink-a-liciously wonderful person in the universe!\
75	'''Commander Bunny:''' ''[aghast]'' ''Pink''-a-Boo?\
76	'''Space Guy:''' Will you be my friend?\
77	''[The other bunnies run off, horrified.]''\
78	'''Commander Bunny:''' ''[looking at the Cute Ray]'' Maybe I set it too high!
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Video Games]]
82	* ''VideoGame/DragonBallFighterZ:'' Though he refuses to speak of it, its implied that Cell suffered the same IronicHell Frieza did. He seems to have handled it better than Frieza, but there's no question he is uncomfortable with the torment he suffered. When Goku asks what Hell is like, Cell describes it as full of sorrow and misery, as well as... other things. When pressed for more answers, he just grimly urges Goku to use his imagination.
83	* ''VideoGame/HorizonForbiddenWest'': [[spoiler:After Sylens captured and contained HADES, he tortures it by showing an endless simulation of bunnies in a meadow. This is such a BrownNote for HADES, it's all but completely corroded by the time Aloy catches up.]]
84	* In ''VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth'', Paladin Butters is an [[DrawAggro aggro tank]] with a passive ability that makes enemies more likely to attack him instead of you. This ability is explained as him being so cute and innocent that the enemies can't help but want to beat the shit out of him.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Web Animation]]
88	* ''WebAnimation/ChiknNuggit'': When Sody Pop was first introduced, Iscream was terrified of him.
89	-->'''Sody Pop:''' Look how tiny my face is!\
90	'''Iscream:''' '''''A CHILD...'''''
91	* [[InvokedTrope Attempted by]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive MegaCorps CEO]] in ''WebAnimation/TerribleWritingAdvice'' using ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePony'' on [[EvilOverlord The Dark Lord]] after he is captured. [[PlayAlongPrisoner DL initially plays along]] [[CardboardPrison only to escape easily]] when the CEO turns his back, albeit possibly thanks to [[SpannerInTheWorks The Conspiracy Guy disabling the guards.]] [[SubvertedTrope DL has apparently watched the entire thing in his spare time now.]]
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Western Animation]]
95	* In the "[[Recap/TheBackyardigansS2E10InternationalSuperSpy International Super Spy]]" special episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheBackyardigans'', Uniqua's character, the Lady in Pink, sings about how evil she is by listing all her horrible traits, including the fact that she doesn't "even like pie."
96	-->"Who's the girl who never plays nice,\
97	and wishes that all rubber duckies would sink?"
98	* Exploited in ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck''. In "Just Us Justice Ducks", Negaduck attempts to disguise himself as Darkwing Duck while in S.H.U.S.H. HQ. During the inevitable SpotTheImposter moment, Darkwing pretends to see a "fuzzy wuzzy bunny". Negaduck gives himself away by pulling out a shotgun and blasting away at the supposed bunny.
99	* ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'': The Yugopotamians are introduced as an evil alien race with interest in things like violence and garbage. However, they are absolutely afraid of anything cute and cuddly. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as these things are biologically toxic to them.
100	* The belicose Omicronians of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' are this. Quoth Lrrr, "THIS CONCEPT OF WUV CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!"
101	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Self-proclaimed evil-scientist Doofenshmirtz hates... well, a lot of things. One lyric from "I Really Don't Hate Christmas" states:
102	-->''I hate puppy dogs and kittens\
103	I hate flowers in the spring\
104	Heck, I even hate the sunshine, and the birdies when they sing.''
105	* The ''WesternAnimation/QuackPack'' HalloweenEpisode "The Boy Who Cried Ghost" had Donald Duck and his nephews scare off the monsters by disguising themselves as cute things. Huey, Dewey and Louie make use of cute animal costumes they were stuck with earlier in the episode, while Donald pretends to be a baby.
106	* Gargamel from ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' hates springtime because that's when the birds come back from migration, the flowers bloom, and there's more sunshine. He also thinks the Smurfs themselves are disgusting.
107	* Plankton from ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' considers himself to be a CardCarryingVillain who gags at the sight of cuteness. When he enters Spongebob's brain in one episode, everything there is too cute for him to stomach.
108	* When the Butt Witch first emerges in ''WesternAnimation/TwelveForever'', her first reaction to seeing the Endless Island's SugarBowl nature is to wince in disgust, her dialogue implying that it was originally a CrapsackWorld that she—an [[EmotionEater Emotion Eating]] HumanoidAbomination MadeOfEvil—ruled over before Twelve turned it into the NeverLand it is now.
109	-->'''Butt Witch:''' '''''THIS IS REPULSIVE!''''' Wrong! This is all wrong! What a horribly tacky place this has become! Everything is so trivial... and ''cute!''
110	* ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'': Seems to be the case with [[ImplacableMan Juggernaut]], if his reaction to ComicBook/SquirrelGirl's "army" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJkKODgAPGI is any indication]].
111	[[/folder]]

Context Main / EvilCannotStandCuteness