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6
7->''"How could they? Treating life like it's something to throw away!? Like death is nothing! I'll never understand these people! Not in a million years!''"
8-->-- '''Asta''', ''Manga/BlackClover''
9
10Bob and Alice are being terrorized by [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Doctor Deathmurderkill]]. He has hunted them, attacked them, and nearly gotten them killed on several occasions. Bob is convinced that Dr. DMK has [[KickTheDog kicked the dog]] more than enough times [[GoodIsNotSoft to warrant fighting back with lethal force.]] Alice, however, insists that he must have a good reason, or maybe that it's all just a big misunderstanding. Despite any evidence to the contrary, Alice refuses to believe that he can actually be 'evil'. After all, no one's that heartless, right?
11
12This trope is, in its essence, a character who believes that RousseauWasRight in a setting where it is ''not'' in effect. This character refuses to believe that someone could simply be evil [[ForTheEvulz for its own sake]]. If this character can just talk things out with the villain, then surely their motive will come out and together they can find a better solution ([[DefeatMeansFriendship perhaps after pounding them into submission]]). It doesn't occur to them that there might not ''be'' a motive to discover. This character may also spare a villain, thinking that there's still some good in him, or that he can change for the better... [[PacifismBackfire only for]] the villain to [[TheFarmerAndTheViper commit more crimes]].
13
14Whether Alice is right or [[WrongGenreSavvy not]] depends on the work's placement on the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism. In an idealistic show, this attitude could very possibly lead to a HeelFaceTurn. In a cynical one, expect her death to be the very thing to push the villain over the MoralEventHorizon, assuming she’s not just treated as TooDumbToLive.
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16This trope is usually limited to the very naïve and very young, or the very old and war-weary, who've grown tired of the "black and white, [[WithUsOrAgainstUs us vs. them]]" attitudes of those around them. It also usually applies to older people who can't believe people [[HistoryRepeats make the same decisions over and over]] that lead to their own downfall while bringing misery to everyone else, often asking WasItReallyWorthIt Naïve people often believe in fallacious ideas that cause them to fail to understand evil, such as [[WrongGenreSavvy wrongly expecting]] that the CardCarryingVillain is a useful psychological model that will describe most of the evil people that you actually meet.
17
18'''Note:''' Be careful not to just stick this trope onto any pacifistic characters, whether [[TechnicalPacifist technical]], [[ActualPacifist actual]], or [[MartialPacifist martial]]. The tropes are related, but one does not automatically imply the other.
19
20Compare StupidGood, ThePollyanna, WhiteAndGreyMorality. Contrast EvilCannotComprehendGood (its inversion), ThisIsUnforgivable, and BeyondRedemption. Contrast BlueAndOrangeMorality; Good characters often find the morality of a [[BlueAndOrangeMorality blue and orange moral thinker]] incomprehensible, and partly because it's so different from their own, but BlueAndOrangeMorality is supposed to be something different from [[CardCarryingVillain a truly evil morality.]] Compare and contrast DisappointedByTheMotive, where the hero is unable to comprehend that their adversary believes that their motive makes their (usually disproportionate) actions acceptable.
21
22[[noreallife]]
23----
24!!Examples:
25
26[[foldercontrol]]
27
28[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29* [[AllLovingHero Seiichiro Kitano]] from ''Manga/AngelDensetsu'' is always the target of thugs or other people who try to attack him because [[FaceOfAThug he looks like a monstrous, evil devil or something like that.]] Kitano is so naive and good that he never has bad thoughts and has no idea why would people do bad things and he cannot recognize bad actions very well. When people attack him, he believes that ''he'' did something bad to them that made them angry, that's why he ''lets'' them keep hitting him. And if (it happens rarely) he recognizes bad actions (which he mostly misinterprets), he tries to stop them.
30* In ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'', Touma Kamijou says he just doesn't get why people are assholes who grab power at the expense of others, constantly asking them [[YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood why they don't use their abilities to make the world a happier place]]. However, this doesn't diminish his effectiveness at all. Just because he doesn't know why people do bad things, doesn't mean he's unaware that they do, or that he can't beat the tar out of them for it.
31* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': As one of the {{Token Good Teammate}}s of Britannia, [[Characters/CodeGeassSuzakuKururugi Suzaku Kururugi]] fails to realize that many of his colleagues won't help with his reforms because they either benefit from the corrupt system he wants fixed or genuinely believe that system should be used to govern the world. In fact, this is part of the reason Suzaku falls under EvilCannotComprehendGood in addition to this trope - his inability to recognize that the majority of Britannia enjoys oppressing others prevents him from understanding why others would want to see it destroyed.
32* ''Manga/DragonBall'':
33** Goku frequently underestimates just how evil some people can be, and is all too willing to give them a LastSecondChance when he has them at his mercy. For example, he falls for Raditz's [[VillainsWantMercy pleas for mercy]] and grants it to him, only for Raditz to knock him down and mercilessly break his ribs; all the while, Goku is absolutely ''shocked'' that Raditz lied. He also spared Frieza's life ''twice'' out of a misguided act of mercy, and both times, Frieza used it to his advantage and tried to stab him in the back. He ''does'' get better over time, realizing that Cell and Majin Buu were beyond redemption and actively trying to kill them. Later, in ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'', Goku naively believes that just because they and Frieza [[EnemyMine worked together]] [[EvilVersusOblivion save their universe from being erased]] and then they brought Frieza back to life that he'll be grateful and repent. Vegeta naturally calls him an idiot for not seeing that Frieza will not change and will still try to kill them.
34** Even after all of the atrocities he's committed, Gohan still doesn't want to kill Cell and actually thinks he can reason with him, begging him to repent of his crimes and surrender peacefully. Instead, Cell goes out of his way to torment Gohan and force him to bring out his hidden power; when he finally crushes Android 16's head underfoot, Gohan [[RageBreakingPoint finally snaps]], goes Super Saiyan 2, and completely shifts gears, going from not wanting to hurt Cell at all to [[ColdBloodedTorture making sure Cell suffers as much as possible for everything he's done.]]
35** In the Future Trunks Saga of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', this is Gowasu's primary problem. He underestimates Zamasu's [[FantasticRacism hatred of]] [[HumansAreBastards mortals]] because of Zamasu's pure heart and strong sense of justice, failing to realize until it's almost too late that in Zamasu's case, PureIsNotGood. Even when he discovers Zamasu's true colors and how far gone he is, Gowasu still thinks that [[spoiler:he can reason with Goku Black and Future Zamasu and get them to stop their rampage]]. This almost gets him killed.
36** While it's a bit of a stretch to consider Roh, the [[JerkassGod jerkass]] Supreme Kai of Universe 9, "good," he expresses the belief that even the most heinous of people [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes have someone or something they hold dear and wish to protect]], and is genuinely shocked that [[TheSociopath Frieza]] literally doesn't care about anyone or anything but [[ItsAllAboutMe himself]], to the extent he's willing to betray all of Universe 7 for his own benefit.
37--->'''Roh''': How could you? Even the most despicable of villains has something which they hold dear and wish to protect! A loved one? Cherished memories? A precious place from one's childhood, even?\
38'''Frieza''': Excuse me, my good man: I simply do ''not'' understand what it is that you are prattling about.
39* Jean from ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', aside from being the nicest guy in the show, is quite upset when Captain Nemo informs him that the Nautilus can be used for destruction if in the wrong hands. When Nadia expresses suspicion about the ''Nautilus'', Jean replies that the Nautilus ''is a good ship… because the Captain is a good man!" Which is what makes his experience of witnessing his new friend Fait die at the hands of technology all the more heartbreaking.
40* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
41** The town of Whiskey Peak serves the Strawhat Pirates food, [[BadSamaritan but plans to kill and rob them while they sleep]]. Zoro foils them by not falling asleep and beats up the people when they try to kill them. When Luffy wakes up, he assumes Zoro beat them up for no reason and attacks him. Zoro tries to explain the town's true nature, but Luffy won't believe him because to Luffy, anyone who could serve such delicious food could never be evil.
42** When Sanji's father Vinsmoke Judge has an EvilCannotComprehendGood rant about how Luffy likes Sanji despite his compassion, humility, and selflessness, Luffy gets confused about why Judge is listing off all Sanji's good points. It never occurs to him that Judge might think VirtueIsWeakness, but then again Luffy is an IdiotHero who really doesn't ''care'' much about understanding villains.
43[[/folder]]
44
45[[folder:Comic Books]]
46* Franchise/{{Batman}}:
47** The hero has a recurring problem with ComicBook/TheJoker because of this. He can understand {{Greed}} or lust for power, he can understand [[{{Pride}} Vanity]] and the urge to show off, he can understand {{Revenge}} on a very deep and personal level and he can probably understand the sadism of a weak man who wants to feel strong by picking on people even weaker than himself. But Joker? He frequently doesn't seem to ''have'' a motive he can articulate beyond [[ItAmusedMe It Amused Him]] and/or ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime. He's as close to an AnthropomorphicPersonification of ChaoticEvil as you can get while still being a corporeal, mortal([[JokerImmunity ...ish]]) human being. And that makes it really hard to be CrazyPrepared for dealing with him.
48** The premise of ''ComicBook/JokersLastLaugh'' is that a doctor misdiagnoses the Joker with cancer, with the idea that the Clown Prince might reflect on his mortality and change his ways if he believes he has a potentially fatal disease. Instead, the Joker prepares an even bigger crime scheme than usual.
49* In the Vertigo series ''Hard Time'' Ethan is a 15-year-old who takes part in a "prank" shooting at his school only to realize his friend Brandon is using real bullets. Sentenced to a maximum-security prison, Ethan talks to a pair of lawyers about how he was ruthlessly bullied by the jocks and pretty girls at his school. He relates how he point-blank asked the ringleader, Travis the quarterback, why he was doing this and the man just replied "because I hate you." The female attorney (an attractive black woman named Truth) is thrown, unable to understand this but her husband Julius (a more nerdy white man who undoubtedly has gone through at least some of what Ethan has) is quick to answer.
50-->'''Julius:''' My wife is a triathlete, Ethan. Her compassion is genuine, but there are certain kinds of arbitrary hatred she's just never had to endure.
51* ComicBook/ThePunisher gets this from ThouShaltNotKill heroes who think he's just a SerialKillerKiller that hasn't killed any innocents (yet). Frank himself rarely debates or justifies it (he works around heroes or neutralizes them), he just tells them that until they're ready to kill him, he won't stop killing criminals. In one issue, Daredevil was chained up with a gun pointed at Frank (who was getting ready to snipe a mobster), and while he did end up pulling the trigger, the gun was empty.
52* After being put in charge of Hell in ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', Remiel proclaims that the purpose of Hell shall no longer be punishment, but purification with the aim of redemption. The demons of Hell will no longer punish you for punishment's sake, or for their own pleasure, or because that's what demons do. They will punish you for purpose, for your own good, and because they ''care''. As one of the damned comments, having redemption dangled in front of your nose at the end of it all only makes it ''[[HopeIsScary worse]]''.
53* For ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'''s Billy Batson, this flaw seems to exist across multiple continuities: he's willing to work with, or at least support, evil people because he's an [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent child]] whose powers are a direct result of being [[IncorruptiblePurePureness one of the purest souls on Earth]]. In ''ComicBook/PublicEnemies'', this happened when ComicBook/LexLuthor became [[PresidentEvil president]]; in ''ComicBook/KingdomCome,'' Luthor basically brainwashes him into an evil [[TheAtoner Atoner]]; in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs,'' he's willing to follow an increasingly KnightTemplar version of Franchise/{{Superman}} [[spoiler:and gets killed for finally saying he's gone too far]], etc.
54* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'':
55** Sonic has a strong desire to see the best in everyone, but this tends to blind him to just how evil certain people are. The ''entire [[UnwillingRoboticisation Metal]] [[ZombieApocalypse Virus]] arc'' was kicked off because he repaired Metal Sonic and let him go hoping he could find something else to do with his life with Eggman living happily as [[AmnesiacsAreInnocent Mr. Tinker]]... only for Metal to immediately go back to Eggman and be the catalyst that restores his memories. Even as late as issue 41, he still has the hope that Eggman will eventually see the light and change his ways, which anyone else can see is '''''never''''' going to happen.
56** In Issue 26, Cream jumps into battle with Zeena, thinking she could shame her into giving up the Chaos Emerald. Instead, Zeena takes control of Gemerl to attack her and tries to throw her to the Zombots, all while mocking Cream to her face for her "moral high ground." When the situation has passed, Cream freely admits that doing so was a mistake.
57* In the Elseworlds comic ''ComicBook/SupermanTrueBrit'', Colin Clark (Superman raised in Britain rather than America) is so nice that it takes him a while to recognise that his colleagues at the newspaper where he works are more interested in tabloid journalism and uncovering scandal than actual news.
58* ''ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage'': In the short story "Swan Song," taking place in the future, Radical, who had become Leonardo's LoveInterest by that time, is attacked by her ArchEnemy Complete Carnage, who [[NeckSnap snaps her neck]] right in front of Leo. Many years later, Leo, having become a Buddhist monk, tracks Carnage down to Hong Kong, where he has kidnapped several people, intending to forgive him for Radical's murder and free the hostages. During the ensuing fight, Leo tries to persuade Carnage to give up his evil ways and learn to understand the true value of life... but when Carnage gleefully kills one of his hostages and mocks Radical's death to Leo's face, Leo snaps, declares that Carnage has long since passed the MoralEventHorizon, and [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe slices him clean in two]] in a MomentOfWeakness.
59-->'''Leo''': You... You killed her... Like it was nothing... Like you did Radical. I really ''did'' come here to forgive you. But you... [[ThisIsUnforgivable you're not worthy of forgiveness!]]
60[[/folder]]
61
62[[folder:Fan Works]]
63* ''Fanfic/BondsBeyondTheBoundary'': After hearing about all the horrible things that [[Franchise/BlazBlue Terumi]] did (destroying Ragna's life, manipulating countless people to their deaths, creating a genocidal world-killing demon for fun), [[Manga/FairyTail Lucy]] can't process how someone that despicable can even ''exist''.
64* ''Fanfic/BuildYourWingsOnTheWayDown'': Being a man who deeply loves his family, Maes Hughes struggles with the fact that [[spoiler:Tucker turned his own wife and daughter into chimeras]].
65* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', this is one of Harry's defining characteristics. He knows better than most that there are people who are cruel to others for petty reasons, or no reason at all. But he simply can't understand ''why'' people are like that.
66** By the sequel, however, thanks to encounters with HYDRA and the Red Room [[spoiler:and one brief period as the Dark Phoenix]], he's entirely capable of understanding why people are evil. He doesn't like it very much.
67** It's mentioned that Steve Rogers, interestingly enough, averts this trope-he may be TheCape and a KnightInShiningArmor, but he grew up in the Depression and fought in World War Two. He's definitely not naïve.
68* [[GreyAndGrayMorality While it's hard to tell the good guys and bad guys apart]] in ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureau: A Beacon of Hope'', the main reason why the political situation between Equestria and New Athens is so complicated and tends to work in the latter's favor is that both the Princesses and the leader of the New Athens [[DarkMessiah Socrates]] take for granted that the Equestrians all think alike, think whatever Celestia tells them to and couldn't possibly [[RootingForTheEmpire like Socrates and his nation or want to work for him]] because Socrates [[FantasticRacism openly hates ponykind]]. Fortunately for Socrates, his advisors are savvier and when immigrants from Equestria start showing up, they tell him sending them away is a bad idea.
69* In ''Fanfic/TheChosenSix'', this is suggested when Greyback muses that the creator of the Wolfsbane potion likely intended it as a purely humanitarian potion, never guessing that some werewolves would use it to retain control of themselves and still choose to attack people while transformed.
70* ''Fanfic/{{CONSEQUENCES|MiraculousLadybug}}'': In ''THREATENING A TSURUGI'', while Kagami is fully aware of how nasty Lila can be towards her targets, she assumes that she'll only be coming after ''her''. It never occurs to her that Lila might target her aging, blind mother instead, and when Lila [[EvilGloating gloats about]] causing her accident, she goes numb with shock.
71* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269387/chapters/57261766 The Crashing of the Waves]]'', FBI Agent Derek Morgan saw the worst of humanity by virtue of catching serial killers, but he knows he won't ever forget the case with the cult taking their young kids to watch a teenager and a little girl be burned alive for their affiliation with the Devil.
72-->Morgan was never going to understand a mind like that, on any level deeper than the profiler's clinical gauge of behaviour. He was never going to understand how any parent could sit there in the pews as if this were just a normal Sunday service and watch somebody else's little girl burning alive, and call that ''righteous''.
73* ''Fanfic/DanganronpaTheImmersiveLearningProgram'': In ''Academy of Discontent'', [[GentleGiant Gonta Gokuhara]] is shocked and confused that Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu and Peko Pekoyama [[spoiler:would kill two of their classmates just to escape the academy]]. However, [[spoiler:his belief that a bad deed doesn't make one a bad person leads him to befriend Peko after is she left behind while Fuyuhiko is forced to leave the academy and the other students ostracize her for her actions]].
74* ''Fanfic/DaphneGreengrassAndTheBoyWhoLived'';
75** While calling pure-blood society ‘evil’ as a whole might be an exaggeration, Daphne notes that Harry and Ron are genuinely confused why her ‘vision’ in the Mirror of Erised is seeing her parents accepting her friendship with them and Hermione.
76** Similarly, replacing 'evil' with 'jerkassery', Daphne cannot understand why Snape, a victim of bullying in his school years, would choose to inflict that same pain on Harry or others.
77* ''Fanfic/DarthVaderHeroOfNaboo'';
78** Obi-Wan's experiences with Vader change his views on the dark side and the Sith as whole, but when he senses Sidious for the first time and gets a taste on just how much of an irrevocable monster he is, he is traumatized and shocked that such an embodiment of unimaginable rage and hatred could even exist and still be a sentient being.
79** Padme is utterly repulsed and disbelieving by the lengths Gunray is willing to go to make sure the invasion of Naboo is made legal, including going as far to burn the entirety of Theed.
80* In ''Fanfic/DoctorGhemorIPresume'', Tekeny Ghemor's reaction to Richard and Amsha Bashir's brand of parenting is nothing but horror and confusion. Ironically, the Cardassians are supposed to be the "bad" guys and the Federation the "good" ones, yet the roles are inversed.
81* In ''Fanfic/ErosTurannos'', even knowing that traditional Sith methods would require the apprentice to eventually kill the master, Obi-Wan Kenobi can't comprehend the idea that Vader was preparing to kill Palpatine for years.
82* In ''Fanfic/FadedBlue'', the Crystal Gems (or at least Rose and Garnet) understand by Chapter 11 that Steven is probably not Blue Diamond -- however, they are having trouble understanding [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes why Blue Diamond would fall in love with a human, or have a son at all]].
83* More like Good Cannot Comprehend Good but in ''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/359387/figuring-out-fluffle-puff Figuring Out Fluffle Puff]]'', Twilight Sparkle is confused as to why [[Blog/AskFlufflePuff Fluffle Puff]] likes Queen Chrysalis.
84* ''Fanfic/FireEmblemAwakeningInvisibleTies'': Emmeryn ''gravely'' underestimates Gangrel's insanity and bloodlust, thinking that he'll eventually see reason if she keeps trying diplomacy. It isn't until Gangrel kidnaps Maribelle and tries to ransom her for the Fire Emblem that Emmeryn is forced to acknowledge that there's ''no'' reasoning with him.
85* ''Fanfic/FireEmblemFatesAftermath'': Corrin agrees to a duel with Jiro in chapter 14, expecting him to adhere to Hoshidan honor and accept his defeat. He's proven wrong when, after he wins, Jiro [[spoiler:impales Corrin with a wyrmsbane lance the second he turns his back, sending him into a coma for two months and nearly killing him. When he awakens in Chapter 15,]] Azura calls him out on it, stating he ''has'' to accept that [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids not everyone is as good-hearted as he thinks]].
86* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13241536/1/Frozen-Forgive-me Forgive Me]]'': In this ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'' fanfic, when Hans reveals the goings-on of his family and [[EvilOverlord his father's]] power-hungry plans to dominate Scandinavia, the other characters (Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, [[WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}} Rapunzel, Eugene]]) are left struggling to understand the dysfunctional nature of [[DysfunctionalFamily Hans' family]] and why the King of the Southern Isles would ill-treat his sons.
87* In ''Fanfic/FrozenTurtles'', Elsa, Anna and Kristoff are truly disturbed when they learn about the Turtles’ history with Shredder, and Olaf is so incapable of comprehending how bad the villain is that he suggests giving Shredder a hug until he actually meets the villain directly and sees how terrifying he is. This is taken to a further level in ''Into the Unknown'' when [[spoiler:Olaf witnesses the mutated Shredder freely admit his role in the death of Tang Shen and nearly beat Karai to death, the innocent snowman obviously traumatised and unable to comprehend the idea that anyone could do that to their daughter]].
88* ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheNightmaresOfFuturesPast'':
89** Even before she starts Hogwarts, Ginny realises that part of the reason her mother has trouble believing that the Dursleys are as bad to Harry as she and Ron claim is that Molly can't imagine having a child and ''not'' loving it.
90** During the Triwizard Tournament, [[spoiler:when the Gryffindor Six realise that Snape 'stacked the deck' to ensure that Draco Malfoy would be the Durmstrang champion while providing him with various tricks to ensure Malfoy's victory, Ron expresses incredulity that someone could be so foul, but Harry assures him that the lack of understanding from Ron is just because he was raised by good parents and so finds it hard to think that way, whereas Harry saw worse examples of humanity while growing up even before the time-travel]].
91* ''[[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/hybrid-hive-eat-shard-worm-mgln-complete.55056/ Hybrid Hive: Eat Shard]]'': Taylor can't see any reason why Sophia would come after her for revenge. After all, the fact that Sophia was caught and arrested due to the locker prank isn't anything Taylor did to her, it happened as a natural consequence of what ''she'' was doing to ''Taylor''. Her father assures her that in Sophia’s mind, that's likely to be enough reason. Taylor decides she doesn't want to understand that mindset.
92* In the TransplantedCharacterFic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14209068/4/The-Indie-Heroes The Indie Heroes]]'', when [[Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero Princess Malty]] [[FalseRapeAccusation successfully frames the Shield Hero for rape]], the other three heroes know he's innocent. Both VideoGame/ShovelKnight and [[VideoGame/{{Celeste}} Madeline]] are dumbfounded; how anyone could ruin someone's life for absolutely no benefit? [[VideoGame/DeadCells The Beheaded]], who has experience with awful royalty of his own, understands the princess perfectly well: she was bored and this was her idea of fun. [[spoiler:He used to do the same]].
93* ''[[Fanfic/KingdomHearts3FinalStand Kingdom Hearts 4: New Light]]'': Ryo is a MartialPacifist who is firmly convinced that ''everyone'' can be reasoned with and hates having to resort to violence. It takes getting near-fatally stabbed by Jazzy's WolverineClaws, followed by TrainingFromHell from Vanitas, for Ryo to finally accept that some people just ''can't'' be reasoned with and sometimes ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption.
94* ''Fanfic/KingdomHeartsGrandOrder'': Sora has trouble understanding why Lev would be so cruel to and try to murder Olga Marie when she admired him so much and thought he was her best friend, why Lev would join a King who wants to wipe out humanity, and why anyone would ''want'' to wipe out humanity. Sora is also baffled when Chaldea warns him of how immoral most Magi are and that they would likely want to dissect him if they learned of his powers.
95* In the RoleSwapAU ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/22133218/chapters/53943610 Kitty Noir and Vedalia]]'', Rose thinks that Lila's behavior (such as lying about her famous connections or physically harassing Adrien even though he is visibly uncomfortable and is dating Marinette) has some sort of FreudianExcuse and isn't just evil for the sake of it, and once the others realize the truth Lila will have a HeelFaceTurn. That is until Lila not only lies about being best friends with Vedalia (Juleka's hero identity) but that Vedalia is experimenting with her sexuality with Kitty Noir (AKA Rose) before she will confess to Lila. At that point, [[BewareTheNiceOnes Rose wants to use Vedalia's yo-yo to strangle Lila to death]] [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend for making her girlfriend sound like a sexual deviant]].
96* ''Fanfic/LostInCamelot'' plays with this when Merlin has trouble initially comprehending the idea that anyone would fake a crisis just to get money despite Kenzi’s explanation of Aredian's agenda.
97* ''Fanfic/LostToDust'': Melanie and Miltia Malachite are more amoral than evil, but Blake Belladonna is shocked when they say unlike her, they do not feel an urge to help people.
98* ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost:''
99** Princess Celestia is shocked to discover that [[spoiler: her nephew, Prince Jewelius, [[BitchInSheepsClothing whom she had always known as a mild-mannered stallion, is actually a cruel, manipulative sociopath]] who [[GreenEyedMonster wants to kill his aunt and cousin Cadence out of petty jealousy]] and set the Changeling invasion in motion to steal Equestria's throne]].
100** Fluttershy is unable to fathom why Jewelius is going to great lengths to torment not only the rest of the dishonored heroes but also [[spoiler:Ponyville's inhabitants]] for something the Mane Five did, even though [[spoiler:his primary targets are the princesses]].
101* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Izuku can't wrap his head around [[spoiler:the Ultra-Humanite's]] desire to destroy the Tokyo National Museum over having an exhibit of [[NominalHero Endeavor]] erected there. It's [[EvilIsPetty extremely arbitrary and petty]] on top of being callous to anyone who doesn't share the Villain's viewpoint.
102-->'''Izuku:''' Y-You're going to destroy the TNM? Just because they're getting rid of some good-looking art? That-That's so stupid!
103* In the ''Film/Titanic1997'' fic "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11953189/1/Onward-and-Upwards Onwards and Upwards]]", depicting an AU where Jack survived the sinking and reunited with Rose, he and Rose return to Chippewa Falls to make a life for themselves. When Cal and Ruth track them down, one of Rose's new friends attempts to help Ruth reunite with Rose in the belief that Rose will be pleased to see her mother, only to be taken aback when the subsequent confrontation sees Rose reveal exactly why she never contacted her mother herself, including Rose's admission that she nearly killed herself before Jack saved her.
104* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Fluttershy]] in ''[[Fanfic/TheNuptialverse Post Nuptials]]'' could not understand why a creature like Discord could be so cruel and sadistic. [[spoiler:Of course, the [[HilariousInHindsight fanfic was written before Season 3.]]]]
105* In ''Fanfic/QueenOfDiamonds'', Jasmine notes that her father is so willing to forgive he can't always recognise just how evil others can be.
106* ''Fanfic/TheSeaShadow'': Being a devoted older brother to Luigi, Mario struggles to understand why Beldam would verbally and physically abuse her younger sisters (which, in this story, [[spoiler: included an attempted ''SiblingMurder'' on Vivian)]].
107* Brought up by Tobias in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/937977 A Splash of Blue]]'' when the Literature/{{Animorphs}} are being pursued by Visser Three underwater. Jake suggests that the group try to ensure that at least half of them get away by ordering Tobias, Cassie, and Ax to go for the shore while he, Rachel, and Marco try to draw Visser Three's attention by going into deeper water, Jake reasoning that Visser Three will chase the group that looks like they have a plan over those that look like they're running away. However, Tobias muses that this plan would only work if they were dealing with someone noble like Jake who would try to stop the threat, whereas Visser Three is basically a bully who would always go for the weaker target.
108* In the ''Film/{{Maleficent}}''/ ''Film/{{Descendants}}'' crossover ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13414681/1/Maleficent-and-Descendants-A-mother-s-love A mother's love]]'', Ben expresses incredulity when he sees what Stefan did to Maleficent in her world, unable to comprehend how he could do that to Maleficent given their past history.
109* True to the [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse show]], Steven in ''Fanfic/ATriangleInTheStars'' can't grasp the fact that someone can be truly, thoroughly evil, and believes there's a reason behind everything. [[spoiler: He's right.]]
110* In ''Fanfic/TheVerySecretDiary'', Ginny ultimately realizes she can't quite figure out what the hell is wrong with Tom and why he is the way he is, and gives him an ''epic'' TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
111-->'''Ginny:''' Was [[OrphanageOfFear it]] a terrible place, Tom?\
112'''Tom:''' Oh, are we back to Tom? And now comes a surge of pity… yes, I feel it. God, how insipid you are. How predictable. How full of drama and tepid romantic conclusions. It was just a place like your sorry little Burrow, overrun with children. No different.\
113'''Ginny:''' You say that you can feel my lies. [[ShutUpHannibal Well, you are in me so much now that I can feel yours too.]] And I do not feel sorry for you at all. I have been thinking. Harry is an orphan, and he is not horrible. And Prissy has everything she wants, and she is still nasty. So I do not know how much it counts. I cannot work out what is wrong with you.\
114'''Tom:''' ...[[spoiler:[[GetOut Get. Out.]]]]
115* Downplayed in ''Fanfic/WhereTalentGoesToDie''. While Miura is by no means naïve and realizes that people can do bad things for a variety of reasons, she can't wrap her head around the idea of Ultimate Despair committing crimes, including killing their own loved ones, for the sake of despair.
116[[/folder]]
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118[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
119* This is one of Danny's major flaws in ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance''. He proves to be too naive to realize how evil [[BitchInSheepsClothing Darla Dimple]] really is. This comes back to bite him in the butt when she sabotages his and the other animals' audition for movie studio mogul, L.B. Mammoth, initially thinking she wanted to help.
120-->'''Sawyer:''' ''She'' [Darla] was your "little angel"?\
121'''Danny:''' She said she wanted to help us.\
122'''Tilly:''' [[WhatTheHellHero And you believed her?!]]
123* In ''WesternAnimation/TheCondor'', Tony has a hard time believing that his own cousin Reuben is a Jerkass unrepentant gangster. Even after [[spoiler:Reuben sabotaged his skateboard and later cooperated with Taipan to ''set fire to Tony's house'']], Tony ''still'' thinks he can "save" Reuben and extends an olive branch. After Reuben angrily rejects him, Sammi gently explains to Tony that he can only save Reuben if Reuben ''wants'' to be saved.
124* Hiccup in ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2'' is insistent on trying to reason with [[BigBad Drago]] despite his father's warnings. Later events transpire to teach him that, unfortunately, some people just ''can't'' be reasoned with. Specifically, Hiccup is at first optimistic that he can talk Drago out of his warmongering, but upon meeting Drago, hearing his story, and, witnessing his conviction/insanity, he rapidly realizes that there is no reasoning with him. Drago's actions are not based on ignorance or fear like so many Hiccup has encountered before, but rather a deeply dark and warped view of the world.
125* Soren from ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'' refuses to believe that his brother Kludd had willingly joined the Pure Ones. He even [[AlasPoorVillain mourns for Kludd]] when the latter [[spoiler:apparently falls to his death in a forest fire]].
126* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': This is Mufasa's FatalFlaw. Despite their disputes, he [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter underestimates]] his younger brother Scar's jealousy of him and desire for the throne, believing in the [[ThickerThanWater importance of family]] and that Scar couldn't do something heinous as fratricide. Mufasa only learned in the ''moment'' before his death that this is ''NOT'' the case, as Scar [[TheFarmerAndTheViper pays]] his kindness back by tossing him off a gorge. To twist the knife even further, Scar even rubs it in his brother's face, sadistically gloating "long live the king" with a SlasherSmile and making sure that his brother fully realizes what [[CainAndAbel his true nature]] is.
127* ''Animation/MavkaTheForestSong'': NatureSpirit Mavka is an [[AllLovingHero All-Loving Heroine]] and doesn't quite comprehend that people like Kylina are evil just because of {{greed}} and other such things. At the same time, she's the only one who can build a bridge between the superstitious villagers and the mistrustful other spirits of nature.
128* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'':
129** Realizing he needs a new enemy with Metro Man apparently dead, Megamind grants superpowers to low-level cameraman/slacker Hal to become Titan. Megamind figures that [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility anyone granted powers will naturally use them to become a hero and help the city.]] Instead of a hero, Hal turns into a greater menace than Megamind ever was. It never occurs to Megamind that someone with the power to do great good would choose to do great evil instead.
130** Also, when he discovers Metro Man faked his death in hopes of escaping his persona, free of the pressure of being a hero, Megamind is stunned, unable to accept that anyone beloved by the masses like Metro Man would ever give it up for a "normal" life. This is more Good Cannot Comprehend Neutrality, though.
131** Roxanne also falls into this. She tries to talk some sense into Titan during his rampage, insisting that there's some good in him. Titan responds with a ShutUpKirk, telling her that she sees good in ''everyone'', [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids even when there's none to see]].
132* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'': Santa's innocent pleas to Oogie Boogie to release him or face the consequences (during "Oogie Boogie's Song") have a whiff of this trope - Santa is literally too good and pure to comprehend that Oogie Boogie actually is rotten to the core and wants him dead, and certainly doesn't care if the children are expecting him.
133* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': While his desire to redeem Jack Horner is admirable, the Ethical Bug is unable to realize that the former is too heinous and selfish to even care about changing for the better. Even when he calls out Jack Horner, the latter can only respond by calling him an idiot for taking so long to realize what it means to be a DevilInPlainSight.
134* ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'': After learning that he took credit for killing [[TheDon Don Lino's]] son, Oscar doesn't understand why Lino will want revenge for his son's death. He then participates in the better idea of staging the murder of Lenny, Don Lino's ''second'' son, afterwards. Oscar either believes [[TheDreaded the sharks are that afraid of him]] or he believes he can keep staging shark attacks until Lino gives up.
135* In ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', Fauna, the gentlest of the three good fairies, suggests reasoning with [[BigBad Maleficent]]. She's the only one who fails to comprehend evil, as Merryweather and Flora quickly realize that they ''can't'' do this. Though it did help Flora recognize that [[EvilCannotComprehendGood the opposite is in effect as well.]]
136[[/folder]]
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138[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
139* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar:'' [[spoiler: Gamora assumes that Thanos is incapable of love because of his abusive behavior towards her and her sister Nebula. As it turns out, Thanos ''is'' capable of "love" in his own, twisted way... to his advantage, as it allows him to sacrifice her for the Soul Stone.]]
140-->[[spoiler:'''Gamora''': "No... this isn't love."]]
141* ''Return to Film/CabinByTheLake'': Allison tries to get inside [[BigBad Stanley's]] mind, theorizing he must have some kind of FreudianExcuse like a bad childhood or his works never being recognized to have driven him to become a SerialKiller. Stanley tells her point-blank that he has no such excuse; he kills people [[ForTheEvulz because he likes killing people]].
142* In Disney's live-action ''Film/{{Cinderella|2015}}'', when Cinderella can no longer take any more from Lady Tremaine, she breaks down, asking her "Why? Why are you so cruel? I don't understand it. I've tried to be kind to you."
143* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Bruce hits a dead end trying to understand and figure out the motives behind The Joker; it's with a little help from Alfred that he comes to accept that there is no ''why'' behind The Joker, [[ItAmusedMe he]] [[ForTheLulz just]] ''[[ForTheEvulz is]].''
144* In ''Film/DemolitionMan'', Chief Earle can hardly believe it when Simon Phoenix unleashes a torrent of violence against a couple of hopelessly unprepared cops. He stares, aghast, and wonders aloud "how can anyone be so flagrantly sadistic? This was fun for him!"
145* Marge expresses this in ''Film/{{Fargo}}'', as seen in the quote below. Marge, a NiceGirl ByTheBookCop, has just [[spoiler:arrested Grimsrud after she caught him stuffing his partner's corpse into a wood chipper]]. She simply can't believe that the crime spree that ended with five people dead, lives ruined, and families destroyed, was all for money.
146-->'''Marge:''' So that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there. And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper. And those three people in Brainerd. And for what? For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don't you know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well, I just don't understand it.
147* ''Film/GoldenEye'': James Bond can hardly believe that the leader of Janus was none other than [[spoiler:his former friend and ex-00 agent turned [[RogueAgent terrorist]] Alec Trevelyan, who was presumed dead in a mission gone awry]]. Bond's attempts to reason with Janus go nowhere when the latter reveals his plan to use the titular KillSat to wreck Britain's economy in [[spoiler:revenge for the repatriation of his people, the Lienz Cossacks, back to the Soviets at the end of WWII. While most of the Cossacks were executed, Trevelyan's own parents killed themselves out of SurvivorsGuilt. Ironically, being employed by the same country that was responsible for these events enabled Trevelyan to craft his revenge scheme from within]]. Ultimately, Bond realizes Janus is a [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse madman who needs to be stopped]] even if he has legitimate grievances.
148* ''Film/Halloween2018'': The other characters have no ability to understand why Michael Myers does what he does. Laurie and Hawkins don't even try. [[spoiler:As Dr. Sartain demonstrates, even lesser evil cannot comprehend evil; Sartain drove himself mad trying to understand Michael and dies knowing him no better than he did at the beginning.]]
149* In ''Film/HotFuzz'' Sgt. Nicholas Angel is pretty good at understanding the motives of most crimes, he can understand regular evil. When confronting the masterminds of the plot he lays out a very rational if immoral plan to enrich themselves with a few targeted murders. What he can't even begin to comprehend is the pettiness that comes from [[spoiler: killing dozens of people over the years, including children, just to win a meaningless contest each year.]] Sgt Angel goes from calm and collected to completely baffled and yelling at them in under a minute.
150* Most characters in ''Film/NoCountryForOldMen'' also struggle with this, usually when they are facing Anton Chigurh. Likewise, Anton Chigurh cannot [[EvilCannotComprehendGood understand why his victims always implore him to have mercy.]]
151* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'': [[TheMissionary Philip Swift]] is a GoodShepherd who believes that ''everyone'' has some good in them and can be saved by God's grace, and attempts to reach out to [[BigBad Blackbeard]], admitting that trying to save Blackbeard's soul was "a bit of a long-shot." As the film goes on, however, Philip changes his mind and declares that Blackbeard is evil beyond any hope of redemption.
152* ''Film/RichieRich'': It's obvious to most everyone that Laurence Van Dough is jealous of the Rich family and wants the business for himself, but even after Lawrence tries to kill them and leaves them marooned on a desert island, Mr. Rich can't grasp how bad Laurence is. Of course, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood Lawrence himself misunderstands the Richs just as much]].
153* ''Film/SchindlersList'': For a long time, Oskar Schindler seems to think that Amon Goeth would be a much better person if there weren't a war going on, which Schindler thinks brings out the worst in people. He's [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter incredulous that Goeth could enjoy killing people]] until Stern confirms the number of atrocities that the Nazi Captain has already committed.
154* In ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', the heroes had a lot of trouble wrapping their heads around the fact that [[spoiler:Admiral Marcus]] is a corrupt traitor.
155* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
156** The Jedi Order suffers from this problem, and the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse has shown again and again that for a group that acts as champions of good, the Jedi Order has absolutely no understanding of the dark side. Somewhat justified in that many of them refused to so much as study the Sith or the Dark Side, fearing that even trying to understand the dark arts would inevitably lead their fall to the Dark Side.
157** The Jedi Order in the prequels, [[CultureChopSuey through a strange mix of Christian and Eastern philosophy,]] are convinced that all evil comes from emotional attachment, and the Jedi prohibition on said attachment [[CreateYourOwnVillain is quite alienating for those who want to, y'know, keep their emotions.]] For example, in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', when Anakin goes to Yoda for advice about fear and the possibility of loss, Yoda simply doesn't have the [[BlackAndWhiteMorality moral flexibility]] and/or life experience to give Anakin anything but platitudes about how emotional attachment is dangerous and wrong. [[BigBad Palpatine,]] on the other hand, gives Anakin actual advice, setting the stage for a case of MoreThanMindControl that eventually drives Anakin down the path of evil.
158** In the ExpandedUniverse (Legends canon), this is a problem for several species who can't wrap their heads around the ideas behind Imperial ideals of DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans and power for power's sake. A species that got hit hard by this were the Miraluka, a species of {{Blind Seer}}s who have no functioning eyes and see everything through the Force. They had a comprehension of evil, but not to the degree the Empire could bring. As a result, the Empire hunted them for their inherent Sensitivity and the FantasticRacism against any non-humans, forcing many of them to masquerade as blind humans to escape persecution.
159** In ''Film/TheLastJedi'' Rey tries to help Kylo Ren defeat Snoke, thinking that she can bring him back to the light and that they can work together to overthrow the First Order and save the Resistance. After Snoke dies, Kylo Ren decides to just try to take over the galaxy and demands that Rey join him in his quest to erase the past, even trying to persuade her that she is valuable to him. Eventually, she realizes that he will not return to the light and that she has no choice but to stand up to him but this very trope allowed her to support his rise to the top of the First Order in the first place.
160* {{Downplayed|Trope}} to "Good Underestimated the Power of Evil" in ''Film/WonderWoman2017'', where Wonder Woman believes that the humans are only fighting [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne The Great War]] because of Ares' influence. She believed the humans are being corrupted to fight one another, [[spoiler: but after Ares reveals himself as the British politician Sir Patrick Morgan, he reveals to them that [[InYourNatureToDestroyYourselves he only gave the humans tools and ideas to kill]] as their personal muse. The humans themselves ''chose'' [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters to listen and follow Ares' influences]].]]
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163[[folder:Literature]]
164* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': In book #4, Ax explains to the others that the Yeerks, should they win the war, will destroy every part of Earth's ecosystem that can't be used to feed their host bodies. Cassie, the team's nature lover, refuses to believe that any sentient being would reject the beauty of nature and accuses Ax of making up lies because he doesn't like Yeerks. Ax is proven right two books later when Temrash 114 comments on how he and the majority of Yeerks can't stand Earth's biodiversity, talks about how the Yeerk homeworld only has a "manageable" number of species, and brags about the HostileTerraforming they've done to other planets.
165* ''Literature/CaptivePrince'':
166** Damen is a forthright and honorable man, hence why he is so blindsided by his brother and lover betraying him and why it takes him so long to realize that the Regent, a VillainWithGoodPublicity, is a pederast [[spoiler:who abused Prince Laurent]].
167** Laurent describes his late brother Auguste this way too:
168--->''"Auguste was like you ... He had no instinct for deception; it meant he couldn't recognize it in other people."''
169* ''Literature/CatchTwentyTwo'': Yossarian has heard stories of slave traders in Africa kidnapping little boys and selling them to men who disemboweled and ate them. He wonders how a child could suffer such a horrible fate without showing the slightest hint of fear or pain, but takes it for granted that somehow they do; he refuses to believe that anyone could knowingly cause a child to suffer.
170* ''Literature/DonQuixote'': Don Quixote often does this since [[WrongGenreSavvy he thinks everyone will act honorable like in his books]]. When he finds a man named Juan Haduldo [[ATasteOfTheLash flogging]] his servant, the shepherd boy Andrés, Quixote stops him and orders him to promise to never do that again and to pay the boy a fair wage. Unfortunately, there were no witnesses and Quixote doesn't keep tabs on them or even contact the authorities to enforce the promise because he assumes that like him, Haduldo [[IGaveMyWord would not break a promise]]. As soon as Quixote leaves, Haduldo angrily says [[ILied he has no obligation to obey a promise made to some old coot]] and resumes flogging the boy and doesn't pay him. This is something Andrés [[WhatTheHellHero calls Quixote out on]] when they meet again.
171* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Literature/SkinGame'', [[IdealHero Michael Carpenter]] can only shake his head in baffled horror/shock when he sees [[TheSociopath Nicodemus Archleone]] [[spoiler:[[OffingTheOffspring kill his own daughter Diedre]] to get through the Gate of Blood when breaking into [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hades' Vault]]]]. For his part, [[PragmaticAntiHero Harry Dresden]] ''can'' understand it, but is just as horrified as Michael is and can't even imagine performing the act himself [[spoiler:on his own daughter]].
172* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
173** Early in the series, we have [[WideEyedIdealist Twoflower]] who [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter thinks the best of everyone]] and is convinced that no problem can't be solved when people sit to reasonably discuss them; this worldview is helped by the fact that he also thinks that "he can not get into trouble, because he does not want trouble for anyone" even in the face of danger. [[TheFool This baffles danger so much it that passes by his side]] (preferably the side [[ButtMonkey Rincewind]] is on) leaving Twoflower unfazed. Only the [[{{Cult}} star cultists]] make him realize that they weren't going to "reasonably discuss" anything. He's also [[CharacterDevelopment wised up a bit]] by the time he reappears in ''Literature/InterestingTimes'' following the pointless death of his wife in a petty skirmish between two of the high lords of the Agatean Empire that has driven him to stand up to the evil Lord Hong, who he holds responsible.
174** Granny Weatherwax, of all people, falls into this in ''Literature/WyrdSisters''. [[BigBad Lady Felmet of Lancre]] mocks Granny's attempt to make her have a HeelRealization, claiming that Granny was naïve for believing that all people really are good deep down. One of Granny's core philosophies is basically "Once you truly comprehend good, you can't choose to be evil." A philosophy that she started vocalizing ''after'' her encounter with the Duchess.
175** Captain Carrot can be like this, firmly convinced that all conflicts can be resolved with goodwill and discussion on all sides. Because of his supernatural charisma, this usually works surprisingly well for him; when it doesn't, he shows that good doesn't ''have'' to understand evil in order to [[BewareTheNiceOnes end it]].
176* The Dungeon Master of ''Literature/ElfslayerChronicles'' attempts to thwart [[VillainProtagonist the OP's]] attempts at derailing her campaign at the last minute by presenting his Human Wizard character with the [[ArtifactOfDoom Eye Of Blight]], which was quite explicitly meant to corrupt him while promising limitless power, hoping his villainy would cause him to take the bait. The OP's character gets rid of the artifact instead, because [[MyCountryRightOrWrong he only wants to serve his Human nation]], which, [[DidntThinkThisThrough thanks to the DM's shortsightedness]], [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters was already established to be full of hidebound, homophobic, greedy, elf-hating warmongers]].
177* Discussed, albeit in a very watered down way, in Creator/JaneAusten's ''Literature/{{Emma}}''. Emma and her former governess, Mrs. Weston, talk about Frank, Mrs. Weston's stepson, who has been raised by his uncle and aunt since he was very small. The aunt basically rules the roost, and the two women are debating whether she could have enough influence over Frank to prevent him from visiting his father and stepmother. Mrs. Weston advises her young friend not to assume the best of the aunt: "My dearest Emma, do not pretend, with your sweet temper, to understand a bad one."
178* The saints and angels from ''Literature/TheGreatDivorce'' are moved by love and compassion enough to want to help the hellish ghosts, but feel no pity or regret should that being fail and implode on themselves back to Hell. Indeed, the concepts of sadness and loss ''are alien'' to them (or, at least, they're not negatively affected in any way). Only {{God}} can, and does, feel pity for the damned. There hasn't been a single soul in Hell that He hasn't tried to talk some sense into.
179* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Dumbledore has shown that he can understand quite a bit about Lord Voldemort. However, it turns out that Dumbledore was unable to figure out that Voldemort hid one of his Horcruxes in the 'Room of Hidden Things' version of Room of Requirement, a room that changes itself based on its seeker's needs. Why? Because Dumbledore was a model student who never cheated and hence had no need to use the room to hide anything. He did once find the room, but only accidentally when he really needed to use the bathroom, so it was full of chamber pots. Harry, however, was certainly not a model student, he cheated a couple of times, and he used that room, so he could figure it out once he knew Voldemort had hidden a Horcrux at the school in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'' ([[ChekhovsGun It helps that Harry unknowingly used the Horcrux itself to mark the location of something he hid]]).
180* ''Literature/InDeath'' series: Dr. Mira in ''Midnight in Death'' is unable to find out why David Palmer is such a bastard -- particularly notable because Mira is an NYPSD psychiatrist and [[TheProfiler profiler]] whose ''job'' involves understanding the minds and motivations of criminals. Eve Dallas is unable to find out why her own mother is so bad in ''New York To Dallas''.
181* This and EvilCannotComprehendGood slam headlong into each other in ''Literature/TheInterdependency''. In the second book, [[TheEmperor Cardenia]] makes an offer to a major noble house: instead of executing the countess's daughter for treason, she'll be confined to a LuxuryPrisonSuite. Both Cardenia and Kiva Lagos, the heroes, parse this as an olive branch: instead of a painful death, the noble daughter in question gets what amounts to a permanent four-star hotel stay at the state's expense. Neither imagines that the countess, an antagonist, might parse this as an insult or attempt to hold her daughter hostage, which of course she does.
182* UsefulNotes/MahatmaGandhi in the Creator/HarryTurtledove alternate history short story ''The Last Article''. Despite repeated run-ins with an unrepentantly ruthless ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Walter Model, the military governor of India after a victorious Germany seizes it from the British and an ardent Nazi, Gandhi believes that the Germans are no worse than the British, and like them can be shamed into giving Indians rights through non-resistance. The warnings of [[PragmaticHero Jawaharlal Nehru]] and Simon Wiesenthal fail to convince him that the Nazis are of an entirely different moral and ethical character to the British, that [[SuicidalPacifism he's only dooming India]] by pushing through with ''satyagraha'', and that Germany's government was in fact deranged enough to [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust exterminate the Jews]]. When Model's troops massacre Gandhi's followers, Gandhi assumes Model to have gone insane and predicts that he will be censured harshly by Berlin; he's absolutely baffled when he finds out that Model has not only gotten away with it but has been ''rewarded''. Gandhi only realizes that there are some people and regimes who simply don't have a conscience for his methods to appeal to just before his execution after Model outright ''hands him a file about the Kristallnacht'' (amidst which Gandhi urged the German Jews to adopt his method) just to disprove, once and for all, Gandhi's approach.
183* In ''Literature/LosingChristina'', Christina tries in vain to get the adults in her town to realize that the seemingly kind-hearted Shevvingtons are a pair of twisted monsters who play games to destroy innocent lives. It takes the Shevvingtons claiming Christina is acting out from the long-term abuse of her parents for the friends of the family to realize something is wrong. At the book's climax, they basically apologize to Christina and admit that they just didn't want to face the fact that "we invited a pair of sociopaths into our town."
184* ''Literature/OldKingdom'': In the backstory of ''Sabriel'', the Abhorsen who lived at the beginning of the Interregnum was, according to [[SealedEvilInATeddyBear Mogget]], "a little too good-hearted to deal with treachery", so Mogget had a hard time getting him to Belisaere when [[spoiler:[[TheEvilPrince Prince Rogir]], who had become a [[OurLichesAreDifferent Greater Dead Adept]], was planning to murder his family to break the Great Charter Stones and thus the entire [[FunctionalMagic Charter]].]] Due to this, they arrived too late to [[spoiler:save the Queen and her daughters and prevent the breaking of two of the Stones.]]
185* ''Literature/OutOfTheSilentPlanet'': Downplayed; the [[CelestialParagonsAndArchangels Oyarsa of Mars]] only wanted to speak to Weston and Devine to get some information from them about what was going on on Earth, but the two of them fled back to Earth and kidnapped Ransom to go in their place. This and other behavior on their part completely baffled Oyarsa, even going so far as to make him wonder if those two were brain-damaged. Only after a lengthy questioning and hearing a (very much deconstructed) explanation of their colonial ideas did Oyarsa come to understand them, and during that interrogation, Oyarsa kept finding new and surprising levels of genius and insanity in them.
186* Annabeth Chase from Rick Riordan's ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' refuses to believe her former best friend [[spoiler:Luke Castellan]] is evil, even after he attempts [[spoiler:to kill her several times throughout the series]], insisting that he is just being manipulated by the Titans and is a victim. [[spoiler: She gets through to him in the end, and he performs a HeroicSacrifice to defeat Kronos.]]
187* This plays an important part in the resolution of the Franchise/SherlockHolmes spin-off novel ''Master of Lies'' by Philip Purser-Hallard, where Holmes and Watson are tracking a group of counterfeiters and forgers. The last quarter of the novel reveals that [[TomatoInTheMirror what was read before that point]] was actually written by one of the forgers as part of an elaborate plan to frame Sherlock and his brother Mycroft for Watson's murder, which depicts a modified version of the case the two are investigating. One of the main clues that helps Holmes identify the real mastermind is that the manuscript places emphasis on the skill of the forger and Watson's own admiration of the literary skills of the man who turned out to be the real forger. Holmes observes that the man is such an egotist that he simply couldn't give himself a smaller role in his own story, even when it might have helped him avoid suspicion, whereas Watson is a more self-effacing author who often downplays his own role in Holmes's cases.
188* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'':
189** The [[CouncilOfAngels Valar]] didn't understand [[SatanicArchetype Morgoth]]'s evil--especially Manwë, their king and Morgoth's brother, whose very name means something like "[[IncorruptiblePurePureness the incorruptible]]." Morgoth was imprisoned for millennia after his first rebellion, but did such a good job acting contrite that he was then freed, though kept under constant vigilance until he found the chance to rebel again. It's notable that [[LordOfTheOcean Ulmo]] and [[WarGod Tulkas]], with their wilder natures, remained unfooled.
190** Morgoth tried [[AintTooProudToBeg begging for mercy]] again after his ''second'' rebellion. This time the Valar responded by [[GoodIsNotSoft kicking him out of the universe]].
191** In the Akallabêth (the tragic account of the rise and fall of Númenor, a land of many blessings set up to reward those humans who had fought against Morgoth), Manwë learns the hard way that humans often take benefits for granted and feel entitled to more, which culminates in a gigantic catastrophe and the change of Arda.
192* Literature/SisterhoodSeries by Creator/FernMichaels: The Vigilantes have shown that they cannot understand why people like the Monarch HMO in ''Payback'', Karl Woodley in ''The Jury'', and Maxwell Zenowicz in ''Fast Track'' are such evil people.
193* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': This along with HorribleJudgeOfCharacter is the FatalFlaw of most of House Stark. They really never catch on that not everybody in Westeros holds the same lofty moral standards that they do, [[spoiler:which eventually gets most of them betrayed and massacred, leaving only a few scattered surviving children]].
194** Partially deconstructed when it is later shown that many of the principles the Starks trusted in others are strongly reinforced by the practical destructive consequences for those who violate them: [[spoiler:Cersei's open disregard for Robert's will immediately destabilizes the Crown's authority, the War of the Five Kings is set off by Joffrey's impulsive decision to execute Ned Stark sheerly for entertainment value, the Freys' betrayal of Robb Stark and of sacred hospitality costs them all social respect in Westeros and eventually leads to their destruction, Joffrey's sadism, instability and violence as a ruler gets him poisoned at his own wedding, and Tywin Lannister's willingness to use and abandon anyone and everyone to preserve House Lannister's power winds up getting him shot by his own son]]. In Westeros, it may be less a matter of Good Cannot Comprehend Evil and more a matter of Sensible Cannot Comprehend Stupid; the Starks' mistake was not so much trusting their enemies' benevolence as assuming their self-interest was enlightened enough to keep them playing by the same rules.
195* Almost deconstructed in ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity''. After the forces of darkness have been all but entirely wiped out, heroes swarm the world brainwashing evil-doers and driving monsters to extinction. The fact that the world ''needs'' evil to exist (and will literally cease to be without it) is something that none of them can understand, and the book's group of villain protagonists are forced to fight against them until the end.
196* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' series, when Bluestar's suffering from dementia and is absolutely convinced that [=WindClan=] is stealing prey, she won't listen to Fireheart when he gives her evidence that a dog has been killing the prey. She tells him that he's a good and noble warrior, so he can't comprehend that other cats would have morals any less pristine than his own. He especially thinks this comment is odd, since ''he'' was the one that exposed Tigerclaw as a traitor and murderer.
197[[/folder]]
198
199[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
200* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': Is all about Good comprehending Evil (to catch the bad guys), and typically they're very good at it. But every so often, there's an unsub who's just so evil or so unprecedented that the team doesn't know how to handle it. There's an unsub who forces people to play out his own fantasies related to punishing his mother, which the team understands until he starts forcing young boys to play along (and kills one of them). There's a trio of construction workers going around committing extreme violence, who the team understands except for their motive ("It was fun, boss."). Then there's the unsub from "To Hell..."/"...And Back", [[spoiler: a quadriplegic MadScientist having his retarded brother abduct people and perform medical experiments in hopes of curing himself, even though he knows he realistically can't]]. The combination of the brutality, the sheer number of victims, and lack of ''any'' upside to the case's conclusion caused this to be the ''only'' episode in the entire run that doesn't end with a closing quote; instead, Hotch's voiceover soliloquies to the audience about how sometimes there ''is'' no explanation.
201* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Father Lantom, a Catholic priest, discusses the topic of Evil, Satan, and the like with Matt Murdock, the titular hero. The priest admits to once holding this view, questioning even if Satan truly existed. Then he was in Rwanda during the 1990's genocide. He was in a village with a peaceful and highly respected chieftain. The leader of a Hutu militia came to the village and spoke with the chieftain for hours. Then the Hutu leader brutally killed the chieftain and his entire family. Father Lantom states he was given a Sign from God that Satan does exist and saw true evil in the Hutu leader's face while he killed these peaceful people.
202* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
203** The Mentiads in the serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS16E2ThePiratePlanet The Pirate Planet]]" state this as the reason they had not deposed the Captain prior to the Doctor's arrival. They are incapable of understanding ''why'' he does what he does, and are unable to properly work against him as a result.
204** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E5FleshAndStone "Flesh and Stone"]], there's a downplayed example. The Doctor can't work out why the Weeping Angels' method of attacking Amy involves needlessly tipping her off in advance. He's briefly dumbstruck when he finds out that they're just doing it to terrorize her.
205* ''Series/TheExpanse'': This trope sometimes causes problems for the protagonists when they try to deal with Protogen and the people experimenting with the protomolecule. This is especially on display when [[TheHero Holden]] and [[TheAtoner Fred]] [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Johnson]] try to talk to Cortázar, the last scientist from the team of [[MadScientist Doctor Dresden]], one of the lead scientists who was in charge of the protomolecule research. Unknown to Holden and Johnson, prior to beginning work on the protomolecule project, Cortázar's brain was surgically altered to make him [[LackOfEmpathy incapable of empathy]], and now he has nothing but obsession and cold intellectual curiosity about the scientific project he was working on. Holden's attempt to bond with Cortázar over the disease that killed his mother goes nowhere, and Holden's assumption that Dresden [[ForcedIntoEvil forced Cortázar into evil]] runs right into a wall. While Amos, the group's TokenEvilTeammate, who is essentially a (mostly) high-functioning sociopath is much more successful at understanding and drawing out Cortázar, even he is thrown by Cortázar's coldness, he just adjusts to it much better than Holden does.
206-->'''Holder:''' I can't imagine what it must have been like, watching your mother die. Type-C Huntington's Disease is just... so ungodly cruel.\
207'''Cortázar:''' She never complained.\
208'''Holden:''' Is that why you went to work for Protogen? To find a cure? To keep others from going through what she went through? Because I can't imagine [[NobleProfession a more noble endeavor]]. We can get you back there, if you help us.\
209'''Cortázar:''' ''[[[{{beat}} thinks for a moment]]]'' Her brain was fried. She didn't think anything was wrong with her. Even when the drool was hanging from her lip for hours on end until it crusted to her chin, or she fell off the toilet while taking a piss. She just kept going. Serene as the Buddha. So... not a ''bad'' way to die, actually.\
210'''Holden:''' It's different on Eros. There's real pain. And death. You're free now to do the right thing. Dresden is gone, you don't have to answer to him anymore.\
211'''Cortázar:''' If he were here, I'd thank him. [[EvilMentor He made me what I am today]].
212* ''Series/{{Fargo}}'':
213** The murderous liar Lester is in conversation with his brother Oswalt, who grasps to understand him and states, "There's just... something ''missing''." Oswalt admits that was why he didn't want to listen to his deputy's theories about Lester being the killer, that he didn't want to face the idea the world could be this way.
214** In Season 2, Hank becomes an {{Expy}} for Marge from the original movie, giving a brief CallBack to her speech about this trope from the film (see Films -- Live-Action, above) that echoes her word-for-word in several places.
215* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
216** This, combined with HonorBeforeReason, is the key FatalFlaw of the Starks. Eddard is the worst, assuming the royal court must hold to ideals of honor and fair play; he is totally unprepared for how ruthless they can be, and he pays the price. Robb follows in his footsteps with the mistake of assuming anyone entering into a treaty will naturally hold to it and not, say, get paid off by his enemies to lure him in. Jon Snow also emulates his father and half-brother, believing that everyone will just set aside their differences and work together against a common threat, but he overestimates even the notion of self-preservation people have in the face of pride or spite like Alliser Thorne or Cersei Lannister.
217** In the episode ''The Winds of Winter'', Cersei Lannister kills the High Sparrow and all of his followers - as well as her own political rivals - by blowing up the Sept of Baelor with wildfire. While she can’t be described as wholly “evil”, and the High Sparrow was not completely “good”, his end did come down to a lack of comprehension; he was so certain of his own power and control that he was unable to imagine how extreme Cersei’s actions would become to take those things back (i.e. killing/maiming hundreds of innocent people just to take out a few enemies).
218* ''Series/{{Highlander}}'': In (''The Messenger'') an Immortal who called himself Methos ([[LegendaryImpostor to the bemusement of the real Methos]]) showed up trying to get all of the Immortals in the world to lay down their swords and swear to a new age of peace. He even argued that the evil Immortals were such because of fear and emotional torment. [[spoiler: He lost his head by the 40 minute mark.]]
219* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'': Bayliss struggles to understand why the killers he apprehends commit horrific acts of brutality [[EvilIsPetty for the pettiest of reasons]], [[ForTheEvulz and sometimes no reason at all]]. Pembleton repeatedly calls him out and insinuates that it's the result of Bayliss deeply suppressing his own dark side.
220* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': The reason the team get so much business. There is no shortage of people who find themselves the victims of scam artists or corrupt businesspeople, good and decent folks who can never conceive being taken advantage of. That includes people who trusted the crooks, even friends, and can't believe they were ripped off so badly. Sadly, this counts as TruthInTelevision.
221* ''Series/{{Manifest}}'': When Michaela tells about [[BackFromTheDead recently returned]] bank robber Griffin about his [[{{Seers}} Callings]] and how they can used to help people (such as his Calling about a terrorist bomb), she is shocked when Griffin decides to exploit this new ability for not only a pardon for his robbery and murder but also to get fame and fortune with them. When she and her brother Ben talk about this, the siblings recall that they and the other passengers they've met in Season 1 usually use their callings for good, so it never occurred to them that someone could use them for their own selfish benefit.
222* ''Series/QuantumLeap'': In "Deliver Us From Evil" (which introduces the evil leaper Alia), Sam is absolutely gobsmacked when Al says that Alia is his EvilCounterpart, and has trouble accepting it.
223-->'''Sam:''' No, I don't believe that there's some force leaping her around, ruining people's lives for the pleasure of it.\
224'''Zoey:''' How deliciously naive.\
225'''Alia:''' Then you're a fool.
226* ''Series/RedDwarf'': The Highs when presented with the Lows.
227-->'''High Kryten:''' The poor wretch, he has a faulty gun! He's accidentally shot me five times! [[ActualPacifist Oh, how I love him!]]\
228'''High Cat:''' [[TooDumbToLive Brother, there is a grievous fault with thine weapon.]] It [[YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe keepeth]] shooting people.
229* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': In the episode "The Savage Curtain", Surak, Spock, and President Lincoln have a hard time understanding the motives and actions of the opposing "evil" side. Only Kirk seems to have a grasp of their potential for deceptiveness and duplicity.
230* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'': The episode "Countrycide"[[note]]which was basically an [[AscendedFanFic Ascended]] ''Torchwood''/''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' FusionFic, and much better than it sounds[[/note]] ends with Gwen confronting the main villain with a simple question, and suffering a minor HeroicBSOD from the answer.
231-->'''Gwen:''' Why? Why would you wake up one morning and decide that this is what you want to do?\
232'''The villain:''' [[ArmorPiercingResponse Because it made me happy.]]
233* ''Series/TouchedByAnAngel'': Monica constantly asks how human beings can be so cruel to each other. Tess says some are just misguided while others are "just not lucky enough to have enough of a soul."
234** Meeting fallen angel Kathleen, Monica can't understand how someone who knew the love of God can join "the other side."
235[[/folder]]
236
237[[folder:Radio]]
238* ''Radio/OldHarrysGame'': One episode has Satan and the Professor embarking on a JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind to see why Thomas is the way he is. At one point, the Professor comes across a hidden-away memory that is marked with tons of warnings not to open it, which shows Thomas as a child being bullied by his classmates. The Professor assumes that this is a FreudianExcuse that Thomas locked away because it was painful for him to remember, but when he tries to offer Thomas consolation, [[spoiler:Thomas reveals that the memory was actually of an unspecified crime (presumably involving killing the bullies) and he had hidden it away to avoid accidentally incriminating himself.]]
239[[/folder]]
240
241[[folder:Religion]]
242* ''Literature/TheBookOfMormon'': King Lamoni is astonished by his father's angry reaction to his conversion and baptism. He doesn't back down, though.
243[[/folder]]
244
245[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
246* A vlaath is a predator found on the Lower Planes in the ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' campaign, and one of the most sadistic of beasts, torturing prey to death via the most horrendous means imaginable. One researcher who refused to believe they did this simply ForTheEvulz formulated the theory that vlaath were EmotionEater who fed on their victims' fear, possibly giving the creature some justification. This theory was debunked when the researcher sedated a vlaath to talk to it. Or rather, ''thought'' he had sedated it. (The researcher's assistant managed to escape with the recording ''mimir'' and published the research posthumously.)
247[[/folder]]
248
249[[folder:Video Games]]
250* In ''Franchise/BaldursGate'', Viconia [=DeVir=] and Shadowheart were both {{Anti Villain}}s who worshipped the GodOfDarkness Shar, believing that she wasn't the malevolent GodOfEvil that most people paint her as and that [[TheSacredDarkness she's just misunderstood]]. Turns out that [[WrongGenreSavvy she was every bit as evil as everyone said she was]] and then some, [[spoiler:as she rewards Viconia for a lifetime of service by telling her YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness and making Shadowheart kill her alongside [[SelfMadeOrphan her own parents]]]].
251* In the intro chapter of ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault'', the Wind Vestal Agnés is being hunted by soldiers from the [[TheEmpire Duchy of Eternia]]. At first she is willing to surrender to them to stop their attack on the city of Caldisla, assuming "they are men, not monsters". When she goes to turn herself in accompanied by Tiz, she meets the leaders of the assault. When they tell her how they want to beat her to within an inch of her life, then heal her just so they can do it again over and over, all purely to vent out frustration for chasing the vestal, she realizes that they are, in fact, monsters. So begins the game's [[WarmupBoss first boss fight]].
252* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': This is revealed to be the FatalFlaw of AntiVillain [[spoiler:Kirschtaria Wodime]], thanks to always believing in the innate goodness in every human. [[spoiler:His plans to aid humanity involves turning them into gods, believing that they will unite and strive for a better future. Sherlock Holmes quickly points out that humans had always fought among themselves, so Wodime's plan would just give them more power to do so. Kirschtaria also has strong faith in his teammates, who he thought would be happy with his plan. This meant he is completely blindsided by [[TokenEvilTeammate Beryl Gut's]] betrayal, who stabbed him in the back because he loves to kill humans and can't do that if they were immortal gods]]. Even his fellow [[spoiler:Crypter Daybit Sem Void, who also firmly subscribes to the idea humans instinctively strive to do good, admits after Wodime's death that his plan was ultimately "a failure in and of itself".]]
253* In ''VideoGame/HogwartsLegacy'', Ominus and his aunt Noctua were both WhiteSheep of the EvilSorcerer Gaunt family, and descendants of one of the most evil wizards to walk the Earth, Salazar Slytherin. Noctua was determined to prove Slytherin was not an evil man and that there was more to him than BlackMagic. While attempting to reach his secret office within Hogwarts, she ended up in an inescapable trap as she came by herself, and the trap required at least 2 people to escape, causing her to starve to death. And even if she had been with someone else, the only way to escape the trap is for one person to cast the AgonyBeam [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Cruciatus Curse]] on the other, proving that Slytherin really was as sadistic and evil as the Gaunt family lauded him for being. And that's not even counting the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets giant snake he hid in the school for the express purpose of murdering children]].
254* ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'': In a Superman vs. Joker pre-battle intro, Joker gloats that he "won" in their last meeting, which leaves his opponent confused, wondering aloud how letting someone kill you counts as winning; Superman doesn't realize that Joker is TheCorrupter, and relishes destroying Superman's faith in traditional hero tactics and ThouShaltNotKill idealism to turn him into a FallenHero.
255* In the first ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' game, there's a bit where the cute and cheerful [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII ninja girl Yuffie]] says that she just can't understand why people like Ansem are so [[EvilFeelsGood intoxicated by the power of darkness]].
256* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
257** [[AllThereInTheManual As explained in the backstory]] of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', the King of Hyrule fully trusted Agahnim and gave him a position as a royal advisor after the wizard used his powers to end Hyrule's calamities. He did not realize that Agahnim only did so as a means to usurp him, or that Agahnim [[AmbiguousSituation may have]] caused such calamities himself.
258** For a given value of "[[WellIntentionedExtremist good]]", it’s revealed late in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' that [[spoiler: Princess Hilda set up a plan to steal Hyrule’s Triforce to rejuvenate her own land of Lorule. She found herself relying on the sorcerer Yuga, believing that even someone as cruel and selfish as him would at least be pragmatic enough to save the world he came from. She’s completely blindsided by his declaring that he’ll just use the Triforce to [[InTheirOwnImage wipe out both Hyrule and Lorule to make a world of his own]].]]
259* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'':
260** A defector from an evil organization thought that she had hidden families safely on a remote world because she "couldn't imagine" the organization's leader coming after them. Shepard says "That's what evil counts on..."
261** After discovering the various atrocities at [[spoiler:Sanctuary]], Ashley (who is by no means a naive character), says she truly cannot understand what motivated it. She also says that she's actually glad she can't, as it makes her feel human. Shepard themselves have the opportunity to state their opinion on the matter if they speak to Joker about it, and can either [[spoiler:agree with Joker's comment that the atrocities made no sense, or counter that [[VillainHasAPoint as horrible as their actions were, they did accomplish their objective.]]]]
262** Earlier in the series, this is the reaction of the mainstream geth (who primarily want to be left alone) to the heretics (who worship [[EldritchAbomination the Reapers]] and want to help them wipe out everything). Legion, a "normal" geth, expresses outright ''shock'' at the very idea that the heretics are spying on the mainstream.
263** More generally, the Reapers are a race of robotic {{Eldritch Abomination}}s who cull all advanced societies every 50,000 years. Many in the galaxy at large cannot comprehend that the Reapers are engaging in a multi-species war of extermination, not a war of conquest. The Reapers exploit this by using MindRape to make leaders tell their populations to stop fighting while a peace deal is hammered out. The Reapers offer no peace, but a docile populace is easier to exterminate.
264* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'': While it's a ''very'' long stretch to call [[AxCrazy Hot Coldman]] "Good", the entire reason for the Peace Walker project is because he genuinely believed that even the most strong-willed humans would be too moral to retaliate against a nuclear strike and would gracefully accept death instead if it meant not bringing about a nuclear apocalypse. He went so far as to have Peace Walker transmit false data to NORAD in order to force the military to decide whether or not to retaliate, firmly convinced that they would stop at the last second, thus proving the need for Peace Walker's existence. Posthumously, Coldman is proven wrong when the military actually ''does'' try to order a retaliatory strike, and are only prevented from doing so when Peace Walker drowns itself in Lake Nicaragua to stop the data transmission. Venom Snake even lampshades it on a cassette tape in ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain The Phantom Pain]]'':
265-->'''Venom Snake''': "Humans are incapable of destroying themselves?" Turns out he never knew ''what'' humans are capable of.
266* [[WideEyedIdealist Fenthick]] in ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights'' is another example; he is so good that he simply cannot conceive of the possibility that anyone else could be evil. It comes back to bite him.
267* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' this trope crosses over with ChildrenAreInnocent in the case of Nanako Dojima, the protagonist's young cousin. During one of her Social Link events, she asks why people do bad things and responds most favorably if you say you don't know, either.
268-->'''Nanako''': I see... You're not a bad person, so I guess you wouldn't know.
269* In ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'', Alfyn cannot understand how someone could be so twisted as to willingly [[TheFarmerAndTheViper betray those who help them]]. He is traumatized by [[spoiler:Miguel kidnapping and nearly killing an innocent child after Alfyn saved the former's life]] and nearly loses his passion as a physician because of it.
270* In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations'' Iris tends to see everyone in the most positive light possible. This is especially visible when it comes to [[spoiler:her EvilTwin Dahlia]]. Iris saw her as a misguided girl who turned out the way she did because no one loved her, even though [[spoiler:Dahlia]] makes it clear that she ''never'' cared about anyone but herself. That being said, [[spoiler:Iris makes it clear that if she knew about Dahlia's plans to kill her boyfriend she'd do anything to stop her, [[BewareTheNiceOnes including]] [[GoodIsNotSoft killing]] [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend her]]]].
271* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Having lived much of his life in isolation, Knuckles grew up believing in honesty and holds a firm and steadfast belief that there is good in everyone, which always lets him give people second chances. Naturally, [[BigBad Eggman]] has used this to his advantage to dupe him into fighting Sonic on multiple occasions; his being a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter in regards to Eggman has become something of a RunningGag.
272* ''Franchise/StarWars'' Games:
273** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' show the Jedi to be very ignorant of the Sith order and the motives of those who turn to the dark side. In particular, Darth Revan was able to convert so many Jedi to his cause not only because of this trope but also because he was a notable aversion of EvilCannotComprehendGood. Revan understood the order and its flaws far too well, exploiting them to deadly effect. In the first game, Carth and Mission (the highest-rated party members on the KarmaMeter) frequently comment on how little they understand the stupidity and greed of an NPC pushing a Dark Side choice.
274** ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic''
275*** The Jedi order is apparently blind to the massive corruption in the Republic and a large number of dark Jedi, Sith aligned and otherwise, in their own ranks. There's some implications in-game that the Senate and the military deliberately don't tell the Jedi about some of their shadier operations because of this trope. What's believed necessary to bring down the enemy doesn't often agree with the Light Side option.
276*** This trope directly leads to the downfall of one Jedi Master. He believes all beings can be redeemed, and that he is just the one to do it. [[spoiler:When he tries to convince the Sith Emperor into a HeelFaceTurn, the realisation of exactly how evil [[HumanoidAbomination Vitiate]] truly is causes his worldview to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation snap messily]]]].
277* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', Genis and the party gets to confront the Pope regarding the systematic abuse of Half-Elves in Tethe'alla which the Pope himself is promoting. When told he (Genis) wouldn't understand it, Genis simply lashes out that he's right, Genis can't understand for the life of him what it is that makes Half-Elves so despised to the point of being wanted dead on sight when Genis himself barely hurts anybody to the scale of what the Pope does.
278* ''VideoGame/TreasureOfTheRudra'' takes this almost to the point of RunningGag. [[GentlemanWizard Surlent]] assumes that everyone he meets is as honest and compassionate as he is, which leads to him trusting the wrong people and getting screwed as a result of it several times throughout his scenario.
279* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}''
280** According to now-non-canon sources, this is what happened with Sargeras, the creator and leader of the Burning Legion. Originally belonging to a race of god-like beings called the Titans, he and his kind traveled throughout the cosmos to bring order to worlds; they were so powerful they defeated the Old Gods, the {{Eldritch Abomination}}s of Azeroth, and created the dragons to become the world's stewards. While defeating and imprisoning the demons of the Twisting Nether, their evil caused Sargeras to question the Titans' quest for order. He was driven into depression after witnessing the chaos wrought by the demons, especially after defeating the vampiric Nathrezim, whose {{manipulative bastard}}ry on various worlds affected him deeply. Eventually, he went completely off the rails with the belief that the Titans' quest for order was essentially ''wrong'', given that he saw the Universe as intrinsically chaotic and evil. The last the Titans saw him, Sargeras had freed the demons he had personally previously imprisoned, made them a part of his army, and sent his Burning Legion to bring war upon the Universe, putting into action the corruption of the Draenei and Orcs, the birth of the Lich King, and the multiple near-destruction of Azeroth itself.
281** A more low-key example would be the nuking of Gnomeregan. Unlike most of Azeroth's denizens, the Gnomes didn't have any history of [[CivilWarcraft fighting among each other]], which is why [[GadgeteerGenius Mekkatorque]] didn't suspect [[EvilFormerFriend Thermaplugg's]] seemingly obvious traitorous plan, even if it involved [[NiceJobBreakingItHero setting off a nuke in their own capital city.]] He is [[MyGreatestFailure not proud of this.]]
282* ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'': the BigBad of the game is a CorruptPolitician named Ryo Aoki [[spoiler: who is actually Ichiban's old childhood friend Masato Arakawa having faked his death]]. As the game progresses, Ichiban gets more and more frustrated by the depths Aoki sinks to in his pursuit of power, [[spoiler: until the climax when he snaps and lays out a massive TheReasonYouSuckSpeech for Masato, demanding he explain why he gave up the loving family and wealth he had before in pursuit of fleeting power and approval of assholes that never know the true him]].
283[[/folder]]
284
285[[folder:Web Animation]]
286* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': [[GeneralFailure General Donald Doyle]] falls into this during ''[[WebAnimation/RedVsBlueTheChorusTrilogy The Chorus Trilogy]]''. Part of his reasoning for having the armed forces of Chorus stay in the planet's capital city of Armonia is that the [[spoiler:[[EvilInc Charon Industries]]]] SpacePirates would take far too many casualties for any rational commander to order the attack in the first place. Unfortunately for Doyle, the Space Pirates are led by [[spoiler:[[EvilAllAlong Felix]]]], and he [[BadBoss cares nothing for how many of his soldiers die]] as long as the objective in question is completed [[{{Greed}} and he gets paid]]. [[spoiler: Which ends up biting him in the ass when General Doyle's HeroicSacrifice kills a majority of his crew, leaving him without the manpower to defend both the communication tower and the tractor beam.]]
287[[/folder]]
288
289[[folder:Webcomics]]
290* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', with Elliot is routinely shown in the way of naivete, such as when he doesn't understand either the idea that [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2017-05-22 a person would trick a superhero into revealing themselves by preying on their heroic idealism]], or that [[http://egscomics.com/comic/party-033 a cop would go into law enforcement for any reason other than to help people]].
291* A minor, somewhat downplayed example shows up in ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' prequel "Start of Darkness" which is, well, the StartOfDarkness for [[TheDragon Redcloak]]. Near the end of the story Redcloak's younger brother, who by that point is the TokenGoodTeammate that [[BigBad Xykon]] has TrappedInVillainy, comes up with a plan to attempt to betray and take down Xykon while Xykon is locked in battle with a powerful wizard, ''and'' a plan to disguise himself so Xykon won't be able to tell him from the other goblins Xykon has forced to serve him if the plan fails and Xykon lives. Redcloak responds by pointing out that his brother is counting on Xykon to react to not being able to tell which particular goblin betrayed him by letting it go rather than killing innocent goblin servants, when in reality Xykon is likely to slaughter ''every'' goblin there instead, in order to make sure he gets the right one.
292* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': This comes up in the Dom Atlantis arc when a foreign power is attacking a city to make it look like Earth is undergoing a civil war. Kathryn can't figure out how they expect to win; eventually the army arrives, and the heroes win. Mako bluntly says that Kathryn isn't monstrous enough to think of the simple answer -- the enemy is going to overload the city's reactor, killing themselves, the heroes, the civilians, and all evidence that the attack was anything other than a civil war.
293-->'''Murtaugh:''' ...You're a monster.\
294'''Mako:''' ''[resigned]'' I never get tired of being told that.
295[[/folder]]
296
297[[folder:Western Animation]]
298* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'':
299** In the episode "The Saint", Gumball does a bunch of horrible things to Alan (including framing him for cheating on Carmen and having his parents [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment tortured by a clown]]) all for the sake of trying to find ''something'' that upsets him. Not only does Alan forgive Gumball [[TurnTheOtherCheek right off the bat]], but he views Gumball's actions in such a ridiculously optimistic light that he doesn't even believe he did anything wrong.
300** In the episode "The Wicked", Darwin repeatedly insists that Mrs. Robinson ''must'' have some redeeming quality or FreudianExcuse and tries to find it, despite all evidence to the contrary. He only realizes he's wrong and Mrs. Robinson is just pure evil when she sees him choking and does nothing but give a PsychoticSmirk and watch. From there on out, his motive changes from trying to prove that she has some good in her to simply trying to get her locked up.
301* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': In the episode "Ricky Spanish," Steve tries to prove to Roger that everyone can be redeemed by redeeming Ricky Spanish, Roger's titular AxCrazy persona of the same name, only for "Ricky" to use him as an UnwittingPawn to set up a robbery and leave him to take the fall with the cops. Steve's final scene in the episode is of him exercising in prison while swearing revenge on Ricky Spanish, now hating him just like everyone else in Langley Falls. To twist the knife even further, there's even a HopeSpot that makes it look like Roger is going to help Steve escape... only to steal his wallet and throw him to the cops, who promptly beat him senseless.
302* Henry Pym, in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes,'' will often try to reason with enemies first, especially if they used to be his villainy-rehab patients. In his defense, it almost works on Wonder Man before Iron Man brings down an InterruptedCooldownHug.
303* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'':
304** In one episode, Franchise/{{Batman}} actually tries to make sense of ComicBook/TheJoker. By the end, it is safe to say that Batman figures out that doing this is an exercise of futility and madness.
305** Wrath and Scorn show that "KnightTemplar Cannot Comprehend Evil". They honestly believe that Batman's villains are just put-upon thugs trying to make a living. This comes back to bite them when they think the Joker, an unrepentant psychopath who commits crimes for fun, has come to free them from custody and he instead gasses them [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou because they know Batman's identity and only he is allowed to destroy Batman]].
306* Macbeth in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' didn't even consider the possibility that Duncan (and later Demona) might be... less honest than he, until they betrayed him.
307* [[DumbIsGood Hego]] from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' insists on believing that his sister Shego still has good in her, even after she directly backstabs him. However, it's implied that Hego was right about there being ''some'' good: she won't be doing a HeelFaceTurn anytime soon, but for all her evil, Shego couldn't fight her brothers. As Dr. Drakken pointed out, they defeated her suspiciously easily after she stole all their powers.
308* In ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Hank Hill seems to assume everyone is as honorable and law-abiding as him.
309** In "Ho Yeah!", an angry pimp gets into a car chase with him. Hank crosses a stoplight just before it turns red and thinks this has bought him time. When the pimp crosses the red light to continue chasing him, Hank is incredibly shocked.
310--->'''Hank:''' He ran a Red! You can't do that!
311** Hank was swindled by [[HonestJohnsDealership a used car salesman]] for 25 years, ever since the salesman told the teenage Hank buying his very first car that paying sticker price was a huge discount available only to a privileged few. Present-day Hank is of course an extremely honest salesman (of propane and propane accessories), and it seemingly never crossed his mind that a salesman could be dishonest.
312--->'''Salesman:''' What can I say, Hank? I'm a salesman.\
313'''Hank:''' I know! You're a ''salesman''! That's why none of this makes any sense!
314* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': Up to Season 5, everything Jack has seen has been [[BlackAndWhiteMorality black and white]], and while he clearly believes humans have free will, he overestimates the power of such a concept. The idea that anyone could be indoctrinated from birth [[EvilVirtues to have outstanding virtues like loyalty and dedication]] while simultaneously being [[AxCrazy psychotic killing machines]] (as the [[{{Tykebomb}} Daughters of Aku]] clearly have been) is new to him, and until he actually manages to talk to Ashi, he's almost as bad at understanding how it works [[EvilCannotComprehendGood as she is]].
315* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': The titular character constantly attempts to befriend or reform the villain Plankton even though he’s proven time and time again that he will always be evil and never change for the better. This is best demonstrated in the “F.U.N.” episode where Spongebob seems to have reformed Plankton, and is left heartbroken when he discovers Plankton stole the Secret Formula anyway.
316* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse:''
317** The title character is so upbeat and selfless that he assumes that anything "mean" is a simple misunderstanding. The following quote refers to an alien invader who has already tried to kill him and is currently en route to Earth in order to defeat the crystal gems.
318--->'''Steven:''' Maybe when Peridot gets to Earth, she'll see how nice all the people are. And she won't want to hurt anyone.
319** This works out for him quite a bit. Peridot does eventually make a HeelFaceTurn, basically for the reasons he suggested. But in later episodes that same approach ''fails'' to work on other, less amenable characters, enough so that it's starting to traumatize him as he struggles with the notion that some people simply ''can't'' be reasoned with no matter how pure your intentions are.
320* In the series finale of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Superman brutally defeats [[BigBad Darkseid]] and casts him down to the streets below his palace, telling the people of Apokolips that they're finally free of his tyranny. The response of the citizens? To gingerly help Darkseid up, so utterly broken and bent to his will for so many years that they can't even conceive of a world where he does not rule them, even as he lies bloody and battered in front of them. Superman is left to simply stare in horror as they carry him to safety, trying and failing to understand the nature of the evil he's facing.
321* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'': In "New Girl in Town," Leo repeatedly insists that Karai isn't as evil as she appears and believes there must be some good in her. He realizes otherwise in "The Alien Agenda" when Karai meddles with Kraang tech, accidentally creates a monstrous [[EldritchAbomination super-mutant]], and then abandons the Turtles to clean up her mess, all while [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids mocking Leo to his face for trusting her]].
322-->'''Leo''': I trusted you!\
323'''Karai''': I know! That's messed up, right?
324** He falls into it ''again'' in "The Wrath of Tiger Claw," where he instantly believes Karai's claim that she now believes that Splinter is her true father and blows off Raph's objections. It never once occurs to him that Karai might be lying until she, having actually discovered the truth from Splinter, confesses and reveals the tracking device she just activated to lure Tiger Claw to their lair.
325-->'''Karai''': I-I can't believe it. You're telling the truth! All these years, the Shredder has been lying to me!\
326'''Leo''': Wait, you can't believe it? I thought you ''did'' believe it. If you didn't believe it, why did you come down here?
327** Later subverted when Karai eventually does reform and, as of Season 4, is now a key ally to the Turtles.
328* Ella from ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Pahkitew Island'' is one of the nicest characters of the ''Total Drama'' franchise. She desperately wants to be Sugar's friend and absolutely does not understand why Sugar (a FatBitch and an AttentionWhore that sees Ella as a potential rival) hates her so much.
329* Wander from ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' [[ZigZaggingTrope goes both ways]] with this trope, with the title character acknowledging evil beings exist but that still doesn't stop him from his attempts to befriend them anyway. Later on in the series though, he comes to terms that some villains like Dr. Screwball and Lord Dominator aren't worth befriending. In the latter's case, Wander is insistent in the GrandFinale [[spoiler: in reforming Dominator, despite his full attempts, he finally gave up after Sylvia persuades him to stop.]]
330[[/folder]]
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