Basic Trope: Troubled characters with dark aesthetics are typically shown to enjoy morbid things because of their problems.
- Straight: Sam is an Emo Teen who always dresses in black because of his bad home life.
- Exaggerated: Sam has extreme psychological problems, and has a very dark aesthetic.
- Downplayed: Sam is somewhat edgy and cynical, and he tends to wear dark colors and find certain gothic things interesting.
- Justified: Sam became a goth because appreciating morbid things helps him cope with his trauma and negative worldview.
- Inverted: Sam is a Perky Goth - he likes morbid things because they make him happy.
- Subverted: Sam turns out to be a Perky Goth, or takes a level in cheerfulness.
- Double Subverted: Sam then experiences a severely traumatic event, and becomes even more goth.
- Parodied:
- Sam becomes a goth because... his favorite sandwich wasn't available at his typical restaurant.
- A Running Gag is Sam suddenly becoming an emo/goth every time he's even a little upset.
- Zig-Zagged: ???
- Averted: Sam doesn't have a dark aesthetic of any kind.
- Enforced: ???
- Lampshaded: "Oh, look at you. So dark and edgy. Lemme guess, bad home life?"
- Invoked: Sam starts dressing in black once he takes a level in cynicism.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: Sam refuses to let his life problems affect the way he dresses or acts.
- Discussed: "So, when your parents started fighting, did you immediately go out and buy a bunch of black clothes, or did it happen overtime?"
- Conversed: "Goths in TV shows always have some sort of trauma. Are real goths like that?"
- Played for Laughs: Sam's morbidness is played for Black Comedy, and he's often The Chew Toy because of this.
- Played for Drama: Sam is The Woobie.
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