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1->''"The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil."''
2-->-- '''Creator/{{Cicero}}'''
3
4%% One quote is sufficient. Additional quotes go to its own subpage.
5
6What is morality? Morality is the system of good and evil and all the shades of gray that come in between.
7
8[[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin Good always triumphs in the end, right]]? [[TheBadGuyWins Well, not always]]. The BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil gives many villains loopholes to slip through and make their grand return. Furthermore, the presence of the AntiHero or WorthyOpponent blurs the distinction between good and evil, and in well-done cases, forces us to reexamine our preconceptions of right and wrong.
9
10But what is especially interesting (or rather, ''[[FridgeHorror disturbing]]'') about the media is how it appears to ''[[AccentuateTheNegative favor]]'' evil in its works. Squeaky-clean heroes are either prone to stretches of unendearing, KnightTemplar-style ruthlessness or [[GoodIsBoring hopelessly boring]], while the villains inevitably have [[EvilIsCool cooler costumes and powers]]. If they do a HeelFaceTurn, that coolness factor often goes bye-bye thanks to RedemptionDemotion – not to mention that once they turn good, they usually [[RedemptionEqualsDeath don't get to live very long]], or [[RedemptionEqualsAffliction if they do, they suffer]]. No wonder why, for many [[FaceHeelTurn good-turned-evil]] characters, EvilFeelsGood.
11
12Some authors, it seems, can't stand any more of that preachy {{anvilicious}}ness and turn the tables on the end-all symbol of goodness, writing RageAgainstTheHeavens plots in which GodIsEvil. Fans aren't immune to the siren song of evil, either; an alarming number of them insist on putting DracoInLeatherPants or RootingForTheEmpire.
13
14But it must be remembered that all tropes in this index refer only to good and evil as it appears in artistic media. In RealLife, good and bad choices are ''SeriousBusiness.''
15Please remember that Administrivia/TropesAreTools. This is merely a list of how many works in different media have confronted the issue of morality. There is no implication that any of the tropes listed below are either correct or incorrect about how they approach moral philosophy. Even moral philosophers still argue with each other about the correct way to approach moral philosophy!
16
17Note that many of these tropes have [[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease all real life examples blocked]].
18
19----
20!!Tropes:
21[[index]]
22[floatboxright:
23'''Categories:'''
24+ AnAesop
25+ BetrayalTropes
26+ BlameTropes
27+ CharacterAlignment
28+ CrimeAndPunishmentTropes
29+ CynicismTropes
30+ DignityTropes
31+ DiscordTropes
32+ ADishonorableIndex
33+ EntitledToThisIndex
34+ EveryoneHasStandards
35+ EvilTropes
36+ AForgivingIndex
37+ FrenemyTropes
38+ FriendshipTropes
39+ GoodAndEvilForYourConvenience
40+ GoodnessTropes
41+ GratitudeTropes
42+ HedonismTropes
43+ HeelFaceIndex
44+ HeroTropes
45+ HumanRightsIssues
46+ HumilityTropes
47+ IdealismTropes
48+ IndebtedIndex
49+ IndexOfApologies
50+ IndexOfConsequences
51+ IndexOfHospitality
52+ IndexOfShame
53+ IndexWithAHeartOfGold
54+ IntolerableTolerance
55+ TheJerkIndex
56+ {{Karma}}
57+ KnightInShiningTropes
58+ LoyaltyTropes
59+ NeutralityIndex
60+ TheOnlyRighteousIndexOfFanatics
61+ PeaceTropes
62+ PhilosophyTropes
63+ APoliteIndex
64+ PragmatismTropes
65+ PrejudiceTropes
66+ PridefulTropes
67+ PsychologyTropes
68+ RebukeTropes
69+ ResponsibilityTropes
70+ RevengeTropes
71+ SelfishnessTropes
72+ SelflessnessTropes
73+ ShadesOfConflict
74+ SourGrapesTropes
75+ StockAesops
76+ SympatheticIndex
77+ TheseTropesShouldHelp
78+ TropesAboutTaboos
79+ TropesOfInnocence
80+ TruthAndLies
81+ ValuesDissonance
82+ {{Villains}}
83+ ViolenceTropes
84+ WhatMeasureIsAnIndex
85]
86* AboveGoodAndEvil: You aren't really concerned with good or evil.
87* AlignmentBasedEndings: Your moral alignment determines the end of the game.
88* AllCrimesAreEqual: Theft is just as despicable as murder.
89* AmbiguousInnocence: You're acting questionably because you ''probably'' don't know any better.
90* AmbitionIsEvil: The path to success requires you to commit morally reprehensible deeds.
91* AngelFaceDemonFace: When a sentient creature's appearance is based on the morality of their owner.
92* AntagonistAbilities: How or where you get your powers determines your morality.
93* AntiHero: You're a hero who doesn't have the moral qualities of a pure hero.
94* AntiVillain: You're a villain who doesn't have the traditional qualities of a pure villain.
95* AtLeastIAdmitIt: Admitting that you do wrong makes you better than the other guy.
96* TheAtoner: A character seeking to make up for all of their bad deeds.
97* AvengingTheVillain: Killing the BigBad gets their [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes loved ones]] out for your blood.
98* BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: Villains do the things that you, the hero, can't bring yourself to do.
99* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: Anything that is good, righteous, and pleasant is repugnant to you, while anything that is evil, disgusting, and unpleasant is delightful.
100* BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil: Good and evil must exist in balance or else trouble abounds.
101* BecauseImGoodAtIt: You know that your job is unethical, but you continue doing it because you're good at it.
102* BeAllMySinsRemembered: You feel unworthy of praise due to past misdeeds.
103* BeforeIChangeMyMind: They'll do what you say, but may drop you if you take too long to say it.
104* BefriendingTheEnemy: Perhaps the villain wouldn't be so evil if they had a friend.
105* BeingEvilSucks: Villainy brings misery.
106* BeingGoodSucks: Heroism brings misery.
107* BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: Cold-blooded torture will warp even the purest hero into hellspawn.
108* BewareTheHonestOnes: How can you predict someone who acts against their own self-interests in the name of principles?
109* BeyondRedemption: A hero believes a villain isn't worth redeeming anymore.
110* BlackAndGrayMorality: The villains are pure evil, but our heroes aren't exactly saints themselves.
111* BlackAndWhiteInsanity: Someone has such an extremely binary moral worldview, that anyone who is even slightly opposed to their ideals must be one-dimensionally evil.
112* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The heroes are good and pure while the villains are evil and corrupt.
113* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Morality that's bizarre, unconventional and distorted by normal standards.
114* BothOrderAndChaosAreDangerous: Order and chaos can be equally damaging if left unchecked.
115* BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood: Brainwashing for a good cause.
116* BrightIsNotGood: Beautiful, lively colors mean bad news.
117* BrokenPedestal: The character you looked up to isn't as good as you thought they were.
118* BuyThemOff: Avoiding owning up to your misdeeds through bribery.
119* CantDefaultToMurder: Avoiding killing again, because you've joined a more moral team than normal.
120* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: Sparing someone's life because they further your goals.
121* CaperRationalization: You have a good reason for committing theft.
122* CategoryTraitor: You betray your own people by not agreeing with them on certain topics.
123* ChaosIsEvil: Chaos is a force for villainy.
124* AChatWithSatan: You are confronted by a force looking to tempt you into darkness.
125* ChevalierVsRogue: Opposite styles of fighting and thoughts, usually associated with good and evil respectively, [[MoralityKitchenSink but not always]].
126* ChildishVillainMatureHero
127* ChronicHeroSyndrome: You can never abandon somebody in need.
128* ChronicVillainy: You can never be free of being evil.
129* CIAEvilFBIGood: The UsefulNotes/CentralIntelligenceAgency is villainous; the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement Federal Bureau of Investigation]] is heroic.
130* CivilWarVersusArmageddon: Juxtaposition of a mortal conflict where all sides have valid points, against TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt overshadowing that conflict.
131* CodeOfHonour: A voluntary moral code by which you live your life.
132* ColdEquation: Sacrificing a life to save other lives.
133* TheCommandments: List of rules that must be followed at all costs.
134* TheCommiesMadeMeDoIt: Betraying your allies because your loved ones are under threat.
135* CompleteMonster: You're a scumbag with no redeeming qualities.
136* TheConscience: The character who acts as your moral guideline.
137* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: You oppose authority figures in order to show how cool you are.
138* ConscienceMakesYouGoBack: You refuse to help someone in need, but realizing it's not the right thing to do, you return to help them.
139* CowardlyLion: You're scared to death, but can be counted on to do the right thing.
140* CrueltyByFeet: Hurting someone with your feet is almost always wrong.
141* CruelMercy: Letting your enemy live with a FateWorseThanDeath.
142* CruelToBeKind: It may seem harsh, but it's for your own good.
143* CryForTheDevil: You can't help but feel bad for the villain once you learn their history.
144* CultureClash: Moral differences between cultures cause problems.
145* CultureJustifiesAnything: If your culture is okay with it, then you can get away with it.
146* CuriousQualmsOfConscience: You feel guilt for doing what you felt obligated to do.
147* CuriosityCausesConversion: Joining the other side after learning more about them.
148* CutenessEqualsForgiveness: Cute and huggable excuses bad behavior.
149* DarkIsEvil: Darkness is associated with villainy or immorality.
150* DarkIsNotEvil: The dark is not always dangerous.
151* DarkShepherd: You get people to follow the path of righteousness by harshly reminding them of the consequences they face if they don't.
152* DeathBeforeDishonor: A character commits suicide rather than do something immoral or against their moral code.
153* DeathByMaterialism: Immoral greed costs you your life.
154* DebateAndSwitch: Creating a moral dilemma, but never having to face it.
155* {{Dehumanization}}: Stripping someone of their humanity status to justify killing them.
156* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Outdated morals and values are part of the story because they match the setting.
157* DesignatedEvil: What you did is evil because the plot demands that it be.
158* DiligentHeroSlothfulVillain: A hardworking hero is contrasted with a lazy villain.
159* DirtyBusiness: You do something heinous, but you feel remorse for it.
160* DirtyCoward: You'll leave others to die to save your own butt.
161* DisappointedByTheMotive: You find the villain's reason for villainy to be petty or mundane.
162* DisproportionateRetribution: Harsh vengeance for petty actions.
163* DisproportionateReward: Being rewarded excessively for a minor act of kindness.
164* DoWrongRight: Scolding someone not for doing wrong, but for doing the wrong thing incorrectly.
165* DueToTheDead: Treating the dead with utmost respect and care.
166* EarnYourHappyEnding: After enduring hell, everything works out for you in the end.
167* EasyRoadToHell: Because AllCrimesAreEqual, any transgression you commit will damn you to Hell.
168* EcocidalAntagonist: Knowingly ruining the environment with pollution and destruction? Oh, you're evil, alright.
169* EmbodimentOfVice: You're a representation of an immoral act.
170* EmbodimentOfVirtue: You're a representation of a moral act.
171* EnemiesEqualsGreatness: People hating your guts proves you're better than them.
172* EthicalSlut: You're an upright person who enjoys good, honest sex.
173* EvenEvilCanBeLoved: Villains have people who care about them, making them seem more human.
174* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Heroes aren't the only ones who have people they care about.
175* EvenEvilHasStandards: Certain things are so immoral even an immoral person won't do them.
176* EvenMooksHaveLovedOnes: The villain's minions have people they care about, which may affect their loyalty.
177* EvenTheLovingHeroHasHatedOnes: If the AllLovingHero hates someone, you know the hated character is really bad.
178* EvilDesiresInnocence: A villainous character is drawn to an innocent.
179* EvilRunningGood: Heroic groups are being used by a villain.
180* EvilVersusEvil: Villains who oppose each other, one usually being more amoral than flat out evil.
181* ExceptionallyTolerant: You or the society in which you live are totally accepting of everyone.
182* ExpendableAlternateUniverse: Whatever happens to an alternate version of your reality is of no concern to you.
183* FailureToSaveMurder: You are blamed for a death that you allegedly could've prevented.
184* FaithHeelTurn: Losing faith in God turns you evil.
185* FalseFriend: They claim to be your friend, but they're not.
186* FamilyHonor: Preserving your family's reputation is important.
187* FatherIDontWantToFight: Refusing to embrace a warrior culture because it's not in you.
188* FelonyMisdemeanor: That minor infraction you committed was worthy of harsh consequences.
189* FightingBackIsWrong: When fighting back against a bully or delinquent it's considered a bad thing and the person can be punished or reprimanded for it.
190* ForgivenButNotForgotten: Your crimes may have been forgiven, but no one is willing to forget about them.
191* {{Forgiveness}}: Being able to let go of grudges.
192* ForGreatJustice: The reason you fight is for justice and righteousness.
193* ForHappiness: You want everyone to be happy.
194* FreudianExcuse: A traumatic incident led you down the path of evil.
195* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: . . . But that doesn't mean you are forgiven for your evil deeds.
196* GentleTouchVsFirmHand: Should we guide others by being gentle and kind or harsh and mean?
197* GetOutOfJailFreeCard: You cut the villain a break and don't punish them.
198* GoAndSinNoMore: Someone offers you forgiveness and insists that you atone for your crimes.
199* GodIsEvil: The traditionally good force is actually malevolent.
200* TheGoldenRule: Treating people the way you want to be treated.
201* GoodFeelsGood: Being a hero makes you feel great.
202* GoodIsBoring: Heroism is no fun.
203* GoodIsNotDumb: Kindness does not equal ineffectiveness.
204* GoodIsNotNice: Being the hero doesn't guarantee that you're the most pleasant fella around.
205* GoodIsNotSoft: Being kindly in nature doesn't prevent you from meting out harsh punishments.
206* GoodIsOldFashioned: Cynics see honor codes as outdated.
207* GoodNeedsEvil: To an extent, evil brings the best out of good.
208* GoodOldWays: Adherence to old-timey values and morals.
209* GoodPolicingEvilPolicing: Law enforcement officials or agencies are morally contrasted within a story.
210* GoodRunningEvil: Heroes take control of evil organizations.
211* GoodVersusGood: There is no evil at all on either side, just heroes who oppose each other.
212* GoodVictimsBadVictims: There are some victims who aren't worthy of any sympathy.
213* GoodWitchVersusBadWitch: Good fantasy creatures against evil ones of the same kind.
214* GottaHaveItGonnaStealIt: You want something so bad that you're willing to steal it.
215* GrayingMorality: The central conflict becomes less good vs. evil over time.
216* GreaterNeedThanMine: Putting other people's needs before your own.
217* GreyAndGrayInsanity: Somebody has an extremely middle-ground moral worldview, positing that everyone's on the same morally dubious level no matter how good-natured or evil their actions are.
218* GreyAndGrayMorality: Neither side is particularly good or evil.
219* GuiltFreeExterminationWar: The only way to end a war is by exterminating the other side.
220* HappinessInMindControl: You actually enjoy being mind-controlled.
221* HappinessInSlavery: You actually enjoy being subjugated.
222* HarmonyVersusDiscipline: To take control or to accept things as they are.
223* HeWhoFightsMonsters: You start to become like the very evil that you fight against over time.
224* HeavenVersusHell: Battle in which the forces of Heaven and Hell duke it out.
225* HelpingWouldBeKillstealing: Helping someone won't allow them to grow.
226* HeroesFrontierStep: You do something that shows off your heroic nature.
227* HeroicNeutral: You want to be left alone, but you will do the right thing if evil threatens you.
228* HeroicVow: You swear to do something because you're the hero.
229* HeroInsurance: Being the hero gives you free reign to tear up cities without being fined for it.
230* HiredByTheOppressor: Members from LaResistance are given a particular job to do by an oppressive faction. They accept.
231* HonorAmongThieves: Even crooks and rogues have a mutual morality.
232* HonorBeforeReason: Doing what you think is right regardless if it is the smart thing to do.
233* HonorIsFairPlay: Being honorable means giving your opponents a fair fight.
234* HonorThyParent: Parents are seen as deserving of deferential treatment, and people who don't render this are called out for it.
235* TheHorseshoeEffect: Opposing ideologies that aren't really that different.
236* HumansKillWantonly: Humans kill because they can.
237* {{Hypocrite}}: When a character doesn't practice what they preach.
238* IdealistVsPragmatist: A person with ideals conflicts vs. someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to get results.
239* IDidWhatIHadToDo: You justify your morally questionable deed by stating that it needs to be done.
240* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Killing the enemy makes you as bad as they are.
241* IfYouTauntHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Bullying your enemy back makes you as bad as they are.
242* IGaveMyWord: You made a promise and you vehemently stick to it.
243* IgnoredEpiphany: You had a realization, but you forget about it and continue with your business.
244* IgnoreTheFanservice: Being able to resist the temptress shows self-control.
245* IncorruptiblePurePureness: You are incapable of being tainted by evil.
246* IntolerableTolerance: Using tolerance as an excuse to act nasty towards others.
247* TheIrredeemableException: Most people can be turned to good, but there's always one who won't.
248* ItsAllAboutMe: Only you matter.
249* ItsAllMyFault: You feel you are to blame for everything.
250* ItsTheJourneyThatCounts: The effort of reaching your goal is more important that the goal itself.
251* JapaneseSpirit: Power comes from your desire to better yourself.
252* JerkJustifications: You are justified in behaving like a jerk.
253* JudgementOfTheDead: The morality of your actions is evaluated by a supernatural being after you die.
254* JusticeWillPrevail: You're committed to bringing justice.
255* JustLikeUs: Turns out your enemy isn't as evil as you were led to believe.
256* KarmaHoudini: You get away scot-free with whatever bad thing you did.
257* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: You finally get your comeuppance after having previously gotten away with past misdeeds.
258* KarmaMeter: Your behavior determines if you're a hero or a villain.
259* KarmicDeath: You die as a consequence of your wickedness.
260* KarmicJackpot: You do good deeds and get rewarded for them.
261* KarmicMisfire: You not only get away scot-free with whatever bad thing you did, but an innocent person gets punished in your place.
262* KarmicProtection: You're safe from any consequences as long as you're not actively malicious.
263* KarmicRape: Rape as a punishment for your wickedness.
264* KarmicSTD: Contracting a venereal disease as a punishment for your wickedness, often as a result of a sexual misdeed.
265* KickTheDog: You did a gratuitously cruel act.
266* KnightTemplar: You think you're a hero, but the methods you use are extremist and wrong.
267* KnowWhenToFoldEm: You're smart enough to know when you can't win something.
268* LackOfEmpathy: When being uncaring for the feelings of other people leads to bad behavior.
269* LaserGuidedKarma: You eventually get what's coming to you after all you've done.
270* LastSecondChance: You're being offered one last chance to repent your evil ways.
271* LesserOfTwoEvils: Between the two choices you're given, you go with the less heinous one.
272* LessonOfTheDaySpeech: A speech with the moral of the story.
273* ALighterShadeOfBlack: Some villains happen to be not as bad as others.
274* ALighterShadeOfGrey: The AntiHero who's more moral than the other.
275* LightIsGood: Lightness is associated with heroism or being virtuous.
276* LightIsNotGood: Light does not always equal good.
277* ListOfTransgressions: A character gives out a list of crimes someone has committed.
278* LittleBrotherIsWatching: Giving up a vice so as to not be a bad influence on your children/younger sibling(s).
279* LonersAreFreaks: Being a loner for some reason will earn you the reputation of being an amoral deviant.
280* MachiavelliWasWrong: Using love and compassion instead of fear to gain respect.
281* MadonnaWhoreComplex: You can either be a sexual being, or a good person worthy of a HappilyEverAfter, not both.
282* TheMenFirst: You're concerned about your subordinates' safety.
283* MetaphoricallyTrue: Lies that in essence could be true.
284* AMillionIsAStatistic: The many deaths of nameless masses isn't as heartbreaking as the death of a named fleshed out character.
285* MindOverManners: You don't use your mind powers on someone because it's unethical.
286* MirrorMoralityMachine: A machine that can invert your morality.
287* MiseryBuildsCharacter: Undergoing trauma helps strengthen you.
288* MisplacedRetribution: Punishing someone who isn't even to blame for anything.
289* MonkeyMoralityPose: Covering up your eyes, ears, or mouth to block out evil in the world.
290* MonsterOfTheAesop: The MonsterOfTheWeek corresponds with the story's intended moral.
291* MoralDilemma: Your sense of morality is put to the test.
292* MoralDisambiguation: A work or series goes from GreyAndGrayMorality to BlackAndWhiteMorality:
293* MoralEventHorizon: You've done too much wrong to be forgiven for your sins.
294* MoralityAdjustment: You can't turn good or evil; you just slide up or down on the morality scale.
295* MoralityBallad: Music that tells a story and preaches a moral.
296* MoralityChain: This person's existence is your reason for behaving yourself.
297* MoralityChainBeyondTheGrave: You behave yourself because you feel that's what your deceased loved one would want of you.
298* MoralityChip: Computer program designed to make AIs behave themselves.
299* MoralityDial: Morality being something that can literally be switched on and off.
300* MoralityGuidedAttack: An attack that draws its power from how good or evil the user's opponent is.
301* MoralityKitchenSink: In this setting, there are different degrees of righteousness and evil in every character.
302* TheMoralityMortalityEquation: The worse your sense of morality is, the more likely your loved ones will die.
303* MoralityPet: This person tends to bring out the best in you.
304* MoralLuck: Your position as a hero or a villain is determined by the kind of situations you get yourself into.
305* MorallySuperiorCopy: A clone or duplicate is morally superior to the original.
306* MoralMyopia: You acting horribly is justified, but your enemies acting horribly back is a crime.
307* MoralPragmatist: Switching to the side of good because that helps your cause better.
308* MoralSociopathy: Someone might have their own (twisted) moral code, but they lack any actual concern for others' well-being.
309* TheMoralSubstitute: Creating your own media because the media out now offends your sense of morality.
310* MoreHeroThanThou: Arguing over who gets to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.
311* MurderByInaction: Not stepping in to save someone's life is tantamount to murder.
312* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Killing people being the easy way out.
313* MustMakeAmends: A character does a questionable thing and decides to make up for it.
314* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When you experience crippling guilt and remorse for doing something bad.
315* MyGreatestFailure: Your moral failure can be a great motivator.
316* NaughtyIsGood: Ill-behaved children make the best heroes.
317* TheNeedsOfTheMany: Some lives have to be sacrificed in order to save other lives.
318* NeutralityBacklash: Refusing to choose a side bites you in the ass.
319* NeutralNoLonger: You finally choose a side after being neutral for the longest time.
320* NeverHurtAnInnocent: Despite being a villain, you're above harming people not involved in your conflicts.
321* NeverMyFault: You refuse to own up to your mistakes and instead shift blame to someone else.
322* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Insulting the dead is morally unacceptable, no matter how bad they were.
323* NiceGuysFinishLast: Being a kind and amiable fella doesn't win a woman's heart.
324* NiceToTheWaiter: Treating the working class kindly is a sign of virtue.
325* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Doing good deeds backfires on you.
326* NoHarmRequirement: You can't harm your target.
327* NoSympathy: You're not showing sympathy towards someone.
328* NominalHero: You're considered a hero not because it's right, but because of personal motivation.
329* NoPlaceForMeThere: You create a utopia in which you yourself can't live in due to your sins.
330* NoPointsForNeutrality: Not choosing to be good or evil earns you nothing.
331* NoSympathyForGrudgeholders: Refusing to forgive your transgressors makes you lower than dirt.
332* NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught: If you don't get caught, then you didn't commit a crime.
333* NotEvenHuman: Your enemies turning out to be non-human makes it easier to kill them.
334* NotQuiteTheRightThing: What you thought was the right thing turns out to be the wrong thing.
335* NotSoDifferentRemark: The similarity between two {{Foil}}s (typically the protagonist and antagonist) is mentioned InUniverse.
336* NotSoSimilar: You and your rival are only similar on a superficial level.
337* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: A character who claims their horrid acts are for the greater good but actually has villainous and self-centered motivations.
338* ObstructiveCodeOfConduct: Your honor code prevents you from performing an action.
339* OccupiersOutOfOurCountry: War started for the purpose of forcing out foreigners.
340* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: An offer where the choices are "Accept or die."
341* OmnicidalNeutral: Not choosing a side gives you free reign to kill everyone in your path.
342* TheOmniscient: You know all.
343* OmniscientHero: You know everything and are the hero.
344* OmniscientMoralityLicense: Knowing everything that will happen allows you to do what you want with others.
345* OpinionChangingDream: You have a change of heart after having a dream.
346* OpinionOverride: You're offended on behalf of a group of people, despite the fact that they couldn't care less about the thing that should offend them.
347* OpposeWhatYouSuffered: Having experienced injustice, you fight it.
348* OrderIsNotGood: Order is tyrannical and oppressive.
349* OrderVersusChaos: Tradition and rules vs. individualism and anarchy.
350* OrderedToCheat: You are ordered to win or lose a competition dishonestly.
351* OutcastRefuge: A (relatively) safe place for outcast/oppressed groups.
352* OwnerlessTreasureMorality: A treasure has no owner but for some reason people can't, or don't want to, take it.
353* PacifismBreakingPoint: Your efforts to compromise with rival/enemy fail and peace is no longer viable.
354* PassionIsEvil: Villains tend to lack rational thought.
355* PayEvilUntoEvil: Doing mean things is justified if the victim is a {{Jerkass}}.
356* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: Going along with the crowd is detestable.
357* PersonalGainHurts: Using superpowers for personal gain screws you over.
358* PersonalHorror: The result of a violation of your own sense of morality.
359* PillarsOfMoralCharacter: The four ways of being an honorable person, as told by the Japanese.
360* PostSupportRegret: A friend that you stood up for and stood by, despite their bad behavior does something unforgivable in your eyes, making you realize that they are not a good person and you were wrong to believe otherwise.
361* PragmaticHero: Despite being the hero, you're willing to do things that villains normally would do.
362* PrinciplesZealot: Nothing is more important to you than sticking to rules.
363* PrivilegeMakesYouEvil: Being handed everything in life makes you corrupt.
364* ThePromise: You make a promise and you stick to it to the end.
365* ProppingUpTheirPatsy: A culprit proclaims the innocence of another suspect to conceal their own culpability or further their own agenda.
366* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: You're the protagonist, therefore anyone not on your side must be your enemy.
367* ProtectedByAChild: You can't kill the villain because their child/younger sibling/etc. is protecting them.
368* ProveIAmNotBluffing: Doing something heinous to prove that you mean business.
369* PunishedForSympathy: You are punished or called out for showing pity or kindness to someone who isn't deserving of it.
370* ThePunishmentIsTheCrime: People punish themselves by committing immoral deeds.
371* PurgatoryAndLimbo: You go to a neutral afterlife if you're not good enough for Heaven nor bad enough for Hell.
372* PureIsNotGood: Purity is not always synonymous with goodness.
373* PurityPersonified: You have no traces of evil in you.
374* QuestionableConsent: Sex scenes that seem rapey, but it's unclear if it really was.
375* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Raping someone makes you the ultimate scum.
376* RebuiltPedestal: A BrokenPedestal gets fixed.
377* TheRedeemer: Notable for helping others become better people.
378* RedeemingReplacement: Taking an identity previously used for evil and using it for good.
379* RedemptionRejection: Rejecting an opportunity to atone for your crimes.
380* RedemptionFailure: Circumstances force you away from redemption and return to your immoral ways.
381* ReformedButRejected: You have reformed of your immoral ways, but others refuse to let go of what you have done.
382* RejectedApology: You reject another person's apology, confirming that you will never forgive them for offending you.
383* ReplacementPedestal: You find somebody who inhibits the traits of the person you once looked up to and is actually good unlike the former.
384* ResignInProtest: Some order, development, or decision by a superior goes against your conscience, and you quit the organization in response.
385* RestoredMyFaithInHumanity: This person proves to you that humanity isn't all bad.
386* {{Revenge}}: Choosing to pay a person back for committing a wrong against you.
387* RevengeIsNotJustice: Revenge won't bring any justice, if you hurt them then you'll be just as bad or worse than them.
388* RightlySelfRighteous: You are justified in behaving like you're better than everyone else.
389* RousseauWasRight: Humans aren't evil until environmental influences push them.
390* TheSacredDarkness: Darkness is just as important as light.
391* SacredHospitality: Being hospitable to guests is important.
392* SafeSaneAndConsensual: BDSM is fine if both participants consent.
393* SaintlyChurch: TheChurch that actually cares about you.
394* SamaritanSyndrome: You feel it's your duty to save everyone.
395* SatanIsGood: The traditionally evil force is actually benevolent.
396* SaveTheVillain: Saving an evil person's life because it's the right thing to do.
397* ScareEmStraight: Fear as a prime motivator for behaving yourself.
398* ScoundrelCode: Code by which the unscrupulous live.
399* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: No amount of money can bribe you.
400* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful: Being good-looking lets you get away with crime.
401* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Doing what's right even if it gets you in trouble.
402* ScrewTheRulesImFamous: Being able to get away with anything as long as you're popular.
403* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Having friends or relatives amongst the higher ups protects you from the law.
404* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Being rich lets you get off easy.
405* ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers: Character uses superpowers to get away with breaking laws.
406* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: You make the rules and therefore you don't have to actually have to follow them.
407* ScrubbingOffTheTrauma: In reaction to feelings of guilt, disgust, or general trauma, a character vigorously, obsessively and/or compulsively cleans themself.
408* SecretlySelfish: You have selfish motives behind your acts of altruism.
409* SelfDisposingVillain: The villain kills themselves, thus sparing you from killing them yourself.
410* SensitivityTraining: Undergoing being taught how to be more politically correct.
411* SexualKarma: Being a good person earns you a hot date, while being evil gets you an AbhorrentAdmirer.
412* ShadesOfConflict
413* SheepInSheepsClothing: Suspected of being not as nice as you seem, but you are as you say you are.
414* ShootTheDog: You're forced to do something horrible for the greater good.
415* ShouldntYouStopStealing: Continuing to engage in a vice, despite no longer having any reason to.
416* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Cynical attitudes are wrong.
417* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Growing up means having no optimism.
418* SkewedPriorities: Being more concerned about something mundane than what's at stake.
419* SlaveToPR: Your image greatly affects you.
420* SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Owning other human beings like livestock is the ultimate evil around.
421* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Optimism vs. Pessimism.
422* SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: At what point is your actions considered morally wrong?
423* SmitingEvilFeelsGood: Getting off on killing bad guys.
424* TheSociopath: Someone who is psychologically incapable of feeling any real empathy or compassion for other people will have no moral qualms about hurting them, if doing so can get them whatever they want.
425* SparingTheAces: Sparing someone's life because they're exceptionally gifted.
426* SparingThemTheDirtyWork: Someone kills/harms another to save someone else from having to dirty the deed.
427* StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: The villain goads you into killing them.
428* SuccessAsRevenge: Giving up on revenge for your own benefit.
429* SuddenPrincipledStand: You suddenly refuse to take part in a crime, despite having had no objections to previous crimes.
430* SuicideIsShameful: Taking your own life is a detestable and cowardly move.
431* SymbolicWeaponDiscarding: Leaving behind, discarding, or destroying a weapon in order to make a statement about your moral position.
432* SympatheticMurderBackstory
433* SympatheticSlaveOwner
434* SympathyForTheDevil: You, the hero, feel pity for the villain upon learning what drove them to villainy.
435* SympathyForTheHero: You, the villain, feel pity for the hero once you learn what they've gone through.
436* TautologicalTemplar: You're on the right side and are therefore incapable of doing wrong.
437* TeamMercyVsTeamMurder: A conflict of interest between two parties with the same goal, but one side is willing to kill to achieve it while the other believes mercy is an option.
438* TearsOfRemorse: Crying because you genuinely feel bad about what you've done.
439* ThatsWhatIWouldDo: When the hero and villain aren't so different, they'll know exactly what the other would do in a situation.
440* TheseHandsHaveKilled: Staring guilt-riddenly at your hands after killing somebody.
441* TheyWereHoldingYouBack: When a villain or an unscrupulous AntiHero believes that a MoralityChain is holding your true potential back.
442* ThickerThanWater: Family always comes first, regardless of circumstances.
443* ThisIsNotMyLifeToTake: Refraining from killing someone because you feel it's not your place to do so.
444* ThouShaltNotKill: Taking someone else's life is horrible.
445* ThouShaltNotKillMuggles: Killing non-superpowered people is a crime.
446* ToBeLawfulOrGood: To do the honorable thing or the compassionate thing?
447* TotalitarianUtilitarian: Wanting to improve people's lives through any means necessary.
448* ToxicFriendInfluence: Your friends can make you become less moral.
449* TreacheryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Betraying someone makes you a true scum.
450* ATrueHero: A person or group proves themselves more worthy of the title of "hero" than others.
451* TurnTheOtherCheek: Responding to cruelty with kindness.
452* TheUnapologetic: You feel no remorse and refuse to apologize for your crimes.
453* UnicornsAreSacred: Unicorns are PurityPersonified, so killing one crosses you over the MoralEventHorizon.
454* UnscrupulousHero: A hero who is repugnant in morals, but is considered good because the people they fight are worse than them.
455* ValuesDissonance: What's okay in one culture is immoral in another.
456* ValuesResonance: Some values and morals age better than others.
457* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: Even though the game encourages immoral behavior, actively engaging in it will get in you in trouble.
458* TheVillainMustBePunished: The villain must pay for their crimes; merely foiling their plans isn't enough.
459* VillainousBadlandHeroicArcadia: Villains live in a terrible environment, while the good guys live in a more idyllic setting.
460* VillainousEthicsDecay: Older villains used to have standards; the new ones don't.
461* VillainTakesAnInterest: You want to take the hero under your wing because you and them are a lot alike.
462* VillainousBSOD: You suddenly feel guilty about your villainy.
463* ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer: The only way to win is through violence and killing.
464* VirtueViceCodification: List of what's good and bad.
465* WarCrimeSubvertsHeroism: The heroes commit a war crime to show how wars are not {{black and white|Morality}}.
466* WartsAndAll: The legendary hero you idolized turns out to be more horribly flawed than you thought.
467* WasItReallyWorthIt: You wonder whether everything you went through to achieve your goal was really worth it.
468* WasTooHardOnHim: You feel guilt for punishing a loved one harshly.
469* WellIntentionedExtremist: You believe that your goal justifies your immoral actions.
470* WhatIfGodWasOneOfUs: When God lives amongst us humans.
471* WhatIsEvil: Good and evil are meaningless to you.
472* WhatIsOneMansLifeInComparison: You are asked to give up your life for the sake of other lives.
473* WhatMeasureIsAMook: Not caring at all about having to slaughter your way through nameless grunts.
474* WhatTheHellHero: You, the hero, did something bad and your allies call you out on it.
475* WhatYouAreInTheDark: How you are in private is different from how you are in public.
476* WhiteAndGreyMorality: The heroes are pure good, but their opponents aren't actually evil.
477* WickedWastefulness: Wastefulness is considered a sign of bad character while frugalness is a sign of good character.
478* WifeBasherBasher: Villains hurting women is your BerserkButton.
479* WontDoYourDirtyWork: Someone refuses to do morally questionable task that they were ordered to carry out.
480* WouldBeRudeToSayGenocide: You want to off a group of people, but you don't want it to be considered genocide.
481* WouldHarmASenior: Your opponent being an elder shouldn't matter when it comes to fighting.
482* WouldHitAGirl: Your opponent's gender shouldn't matter when it comes to fighting.
483* WouldHurtAChild: Your opponent being a child shouldn't matter when it comes to fighting.
484* WouldNotShootACivilian: Killing innocent bystanders is a detestable action.
485* WouldNotShootAGoodGuy: If they're not evil, then you can't hurt them.
486* WouldntHitAGirl: Hitting a woman is just not in you.
487* WouldntHurtAChild: Harming a child is just not in you.
488* WrongfulAccusationInsurance: You get away with crimes you actually did commit as opposed to the one you're accused of having committed.
489[[/index]]

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