Line #33 PlayingWith/IgnoredEpiphany


1	'''Basic Trope''': A villain or morally grey character has a MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment or HeelRealization, but ignores it.
2	* '''Straight''': KnightTemplar Bob is sent to root out "[[LaResistance corruption]]" in [[DoomedHometown Troperville]]. When this leads to Troperville being set ablaze, Bob cries "MyGodWhatHaveIDone" -- but then corrects himself with "[[NeverMyFault What have THEY done?!]]"
3	* '''Exaggerated''': Troperville is destroyed and several innocents are killed, including Alice, an InnocentFlowerGirl Bob had befriended. Realizing that he caused her death, Bob [[LaughingMad just laughs bitterly]].
4	* '''Downplayed''': Bob sees Troperville is in danger, and places many orders around the city that restrict the lives the of citizens. While he gets complaints, he also sees that his laws work, so he resolves to keep them until he comes up with something better to quell the complaints.
5	* '''Justified''':
6	** Bob has AttentionDeficitOohShiny.
7	** Bob didn't realize what he had become immediately, and was too caught up in [[AmbitionIsEvil his own]] [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide personal goals]] to understand this until his epiphany. While he has genuine doubts at first that what he did to Alice and Troperville was right, he rationalizes his actions to himself by saying that [[IveComeTooFar he's gone too far]] to give up his aims, and it's too late for him to change anyway.
8	** Bob is too arrogant and stubborn to really admit that he's in the wrong, so he quickly rationalises his behavior.
9	** Just as he's reconsidering, Alex the AntiHero attempts to attack Bob, forcing Bob to kill him.
10	* '''Inverted''':
11	** Bob just suddenly changes, no realization of his previous actions or anything.
12	** Bob realizes that what he's done is wrong... [[EvilFeelsGood and he likes it]], [[JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope diving into outright villainy]] in short order.
13	* '''Subverted''': Bob, upon his HeelRealization, pulls a HeelFaceTurn and joins LaResistance.
14	** Bob ultimately ends up admitting to himself that he's just as responsible.
15	* '''Double Subverted''': However, he then [[FakeDefector betrays them to]] TheEmpire, forcing [[PlayerParty a small splinter group]] on the run.
16	** His choice of words are: "No, I did this too... [[IveComeTooFar But it's too late for me now.]]"
17	* '''Parodied''': The big bad always has an epiphany whenever he does anything, even good. After searching his soul for a second, he ignores it.
18	* '''Zig Zagged''': After Troperville is torched, Bob joins LaResistance -- just so he can hand them over to [[AristocratsAreEvil Baron Van Bition]] and end the conflict once and for all. He winds up befriending [[CombatMedic Claudia]] and finds himself BecomingTheMask, only to decide that [[MyCountryRightOrWrong he can't betray the empire]] and goes through with his original plan. Claudia escapes the slaughter, joins the [[PlayerParty other survivors]] and eventually confronts Bob [[WhatTheHellHero with his flawed logic]]. Bob acknowledges this, but insists [[IveComeTooFar he's come too far to give up now]], forcing them to fight.
19	* '''Averted''': No character who realizes what he does fails to reform.
20	* '''Enforced''':
21	** "We can't let Bob pull a HeelFaceTurn, he's [[MoralEventHorizon already done too much to be forgiven for]]!"
22	** "StatusQuoIsGod, and we have to keep Bob in ChronicVillainy. We can at least use this trope to touch upon CharacterDepth."
23	* '''Lampshaded''': "What, you expected me to leave a cause that I've known to be right for so long?"
24	* '''Invoked''': Baron Van Bition has [[MoreThanMindControl conditioned Bob to ignore]] any thoughts that his path might be the wrong one.
25	* '''Exploited''': Baron Van Bition takes advantage of this moment to convince Bob to do even worst things, on the grounds of sunk cost.
26	* '''Defied''':
27	** "I'm not going to put off these thoughts any longer."
28	** "No! You're not going to escape your conscience; I won't ''let'' you!"
29	* '''Discussed''': "You're not going to learn anything from this, are you?" "Yeah, like the BigBad will really reform."
30	* '''Conversed''': "This show is full of MyGodWhatHaveIDone moments, but this one seems to have been a [[SubvertedTrope false alarm]]."
31	* '''Deconstructed''': TheHero demands that Bob own up to what he's done; Bob realizes that he [[HeelRealization knew it was wrong]], and he's been in denial ever since.
32	* '''Reconstructed''': Bob knows that he was wrong, but realizes that he enjoys it and it's impossible for him to turn away, thus officially pulling the RedemptionRejection.
33	* '''Played For Laughs''': Bob lays out, in detail, how he has realized [[CaptainObviousAesop lighting things on fire is bad]] and it's hurting his nation and it made his girlfriend dump him and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking his job has]] [[SignedUpForTheDental bad dental]]... and then decides to keep doing it [[ForTheEvulz on a whim]].
34	* '''Played For Drama''' :
35	** Bob is so firm in his denial that what he's doing could be wrong that it's trivial for the BigBad to make him an UnwittingPawn.
36	** Bob is about to reconsider his deeds but Alex the AntiHero attacks Bob and [[OhCrap accidentally kills his]] MoralityPet.
37	* '''Implied''': Before setting Troperville on fire, Bob is seen looking a little wistful before snapping out of it. It's not clear why, but it looks like he may have had some doubts that he ignored.
38	----
39	Maybe I should press the 'X' Button and [[JustForFun/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife stop Reading TV-Tropes... hmmmmm...]] or maybe I'll just click on a few more... starting with IgnoredEpiphany.
40	----
41	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
42	%%
43	%%

Context PlayingWith / IgnoredEpiphany