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"There are many types of monster in this world. Monsters who will not show themselves and cause trouble, monsters who devour dreams, monsters who suck blood, and [...] monsters who always tell lies. Lying monsters are a real nuisance. They are much more cunning than other monsters. They pose as humans even though they have no understanding of the human heart. They eat even though they've never experienced hunger. They study even though they have no interest in academics. They seek friendship even though they do not know how to love. If I were to encounter such a monster, I would likely be eaten by it. Because, in truth, I am that monster."
— L, Death Note
"People born into this world can feel joy, sadness, rage and other emotions so strongly they tremble. But that's all a mystery to you isn't it? You've never felt happiness. Felt enjoyment. Felt pain. Felt bitterness. In fact, you're nothing but an empty shell. It's quite comical, it's so stupid. Why were you even born?"
— Kanao Tsuyuri to Doma, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Sidra: Do you really wish to betray your own universe? Even if it means its obliteration?
Frieza: Yes, and what of it?
Ro: 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?
Frieza: Excuse me, my good man: I simply do not understand what it is that you are prattling about.
Frieza: Yes, and what of it?
Ro: 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?
Frieza: Excuse me, my good man: I simply do not understand what it is that you are prattling about.
"When you see an insect lying on the ground, do you stop to consider it a fool? The life of an insect is so beneath you that it would be a waste of your time to even consider judging it. That would be an accurate summation of my feelings towards you humans."
— Father, Fullmetal Alchemist
"Moral code, what's that?"
— Masao Kakihara, Ichi the Killer
"You placed all your hope in Dio! You trusted him with your life and your son's! And now, after all you've sacrificed, you know he's not the man you thought he was!"
— Joseph Joestar to Enya, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
"I understand love, and I say to you... love is worthless. I've never needed anyone to satisfy me. I eat when I wanna eat, play with what amuses me, and kill whoever's in my way. I live as befits my nature. If no one can grasp that, then that's their problem."
— Ryomen Sukuna, Jujutsu Kaisen
"Humanity is exemplified by the complex oscillation and delicate melody of its emotions; especially those of compassion. Haguro's emotions, however, [are] sounding more like a deafening, toneless din."
— Narration regarding Dou Haguro, Wolf Guy - Wolfen Crest
Comic Books
"You see, this place is special, Dick. It is a city of nightmares. And I'm yours. I'm the face you see in the glass. A man with no conscience. No empathy."
— James Gordon, Jr., Batman: The Black Mirror
"A lion doesn't pass judgement on a gazelle. Cancer doesn't pass judgement on a brain. I've been saying this all along. Evil doesn't exist. There are only actions. We got to the same place — the top of the food chain — just on different paths. Mine was more fun."
"His eyes, unfathomably empty, devoid of all compassion... all humanity... No one has eyes like that... no one!"
— Captain America, describing his Arch-Enemy the Red Skull
"He kills people, Wally. He's a sadist and a psychopath... I doubt he has real human feelings of any kind..."
— Pied Piper on the Joker, The Flash
"The fact I derive pleasure from cruelty doesn't make me feel guilty, Frank... guilt is ridiculous. There is no 'good' or 'bad'. There is only pleasure and pain... with no Heaven or Hell at the end of it!"
— Colonel De Sade, The Punisher
Fan Works
Emerald Sustrai: But, why did you kill these people?
Neopolitan: [shrugs]
Emerald Sustrai: What do you mean? You just did this for fun?
Neopolitan: [shrugs and nods]
Mercury Black: Well, now that you don't have your sword at my neck, you seem pretty cool.
Emerald Sustrai: I'm working with sociopaths.
Mercury Black: You're also boning one, so don't act like this is a new thing.
Neopolitan: [shrugs]
Emerald Sustrai: What do you mean? You just did this for fun?
Neopolitan: [shrugs and nods]
Mercury Black: Well, now that you don't have your sword at my neck, you seem pretty cool.
Emerald Sustrai: I'm working with sociopaths.
Mercury Black: You're also boning one, so don't act like this is a new thing.
— CRME, Chapter 12 "You're Hired"
Roman Torchwick: Oh. I see here. People are tools to be used and obstacles to be crushed. Is that how you think?
Cinder Fall: What are you getting at?
Roman Torchwick: I mean, I'm not saying that I've got a problem with it. I have a similar mindset.
Cinder Fall: What are you getting at?
Roman Torchwick: I mean, I'm not saying that I've got a problem with it. I have a similar mindset.
— CRME, Chapter 12 "You're Hired"
...any therapy would likely further enable his abilities to manipulate others. His intelligence and superficial charm, combined with his pathologic egocentricity and internalized morality, make him a dangerous individual deserving of clinical management and incarceration. He is driven by some, as yet, undefined goal. Kira's targeting of criminals gives a certain mask of sanity and 'goodness' in terms of his reasoning, but, due to his narcissism and deep-rooted antipathy, I doubt that they are exclusively or will remain his true aim of attack.
— L's "Kira" file, A Cure for Love
"Silva's a loan shark. Shakes people down for money when they can't afford it. Dad took out some loans to him to keep up paying for the bills on our place. And the one time he couldn’t pay up enough, that's when he decided to take someone from him. Mom. Dad told me he's ruthless. He'd kill someone with a smile and go off to have lunch in twenty minutes. Wouldn't even ruin his appetite."
— Emerald describing Randall Silva, An Emerald Unearthed
"The problem with you and Kabal, Kira, is that you both knew what you were doing while you were with us, you knew you were killing and torturing innocent people, you knew you were doing awful things. You just didn't think about it because you didn't want the guilt to make you hesitate. It wasn't until you saw for yourselves the truth of our work, how other people suffered and died because of what we do, then you realized you'd been lying to yourselves the whole time. And that's the difference between the two of you and the rest of us; you see, we knew the whole time what we were doing and what the consequences of our actions might be, we knew other people paid the price because of us, we never lied to ourselves to make things easier and do you want to know why? Because we just don't care. That's the best thing about being a psychopath; we understand concepts like mercy, love and remorse, but we don't experience them as emotions. And that, my dear Kira, is why everything we do is so damn easy!"
— Tasia to Kira in Chapter 26 of Mortal Kombat: Desperation
Raiden: Tormented? [chuckles] You have eyes, but will not see. I am merely—
Kung Jin: [cutting off Raiden] Oh, shut up already! Why don't you just admit it? You don't care about protecting Earthrealm. All you care about is power. You like torturing and killing other people because it makes you feel good. You don't give a damn for anybody who suffers or dies at your hands because you enjoy putting them through that agony! That's exactly how Shao Kahn would act!
Kung Jin: [cutting off Raiden] Oh, shut up already! Why don't you just admit it? You don't care about protecting Earthrealm. All you care about is power. You like torturing and killing other people because it makes you feel good. You don't give a damn for anybody who suffers or dies at your hands because you enjoy putting them through that agony! That's exactly how Shao Kahn would act!
"The only one I care about is myself, and I'm not about to put aside my whims to help any of you fools. You're all like livestock, and as such, it's time to fulfill your purpose and be slaughtered."
— Kirihara Hitomi, Perfection Is Overrated
Film — Animated
Terry McGinnis: It's funny. I know about all your other major enemies, but you never mention [the Joker]. He was the biggest, wasn't he?
Batman: It wasn't a popularity contest. He was a psychopath. A monster.
Batman: It wasn't a popularity contest. He was a psychopath. A monster.
Miguel: I'm your family!
Ernesto: And Hector was my best friend. Success doesn't come for free, Miguel. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to... seize your moment. I know you'll understand.
Ernesto: And Hector was my best friend. Success doesn't come for free, Miguel. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to... seize your moment. I know you'll understand.
— Coco
Mr. Incredible: Release me...Now!
Syndrome: Or What?
Mr. Incredible: I'll crush her.
Syndrome: That sounds a little dark for you. Well, go ahead.
Mr. Incredible: It'll be easy, like breaking a toothpick.
Syndrome: [chuckles] Show me.
Syndrome: Or What?
Mr. Incredible: I'll crush her.
Syndrome: That sounds a little dark for you. Well, go ahead.
Mr. Incredible: It'll be easy, like breaking a toothpick.
Syndrome: [chuckles] Show me.
Professor Zoom: Enjoy your petty little victories, Flash. But no matter how fast you run, you can't save everyone... not the ones that matter to you.note
Superman: Best to keep your mouth shut... if you don't want bugs in your teeth. [flies away with Zoom in tow]
Batman: [to Flash] Thawne's a classic sociopath. They have a knack for knowing just what'll get under your skin.
Flash: I know.
Superman: Best to keep your mouth shut... if you don't want bugs in your teeth. [flies away with Zoom in tow]
Batman: [to Flash] Thawne's a classic sociopath. They have a knack for knowing just what'll get under your skin.
Flash: I know.
Tempest Shadow: Yes, yes, you are every bit as powerful as I promised, Sire, now, restore my horn and I swear to use my magic to serve you!
The Storm King: [laughs] Who cares about your dinky little unicorn horn?!
Tempest Shadow: But... we... we had an agreement!
The Storm King: Get with the program! I used you! It's kind of what I do!
The Storm King: [laughs] Who cares about your dinky little unicorn horn?!
Tempest Shadow: But... we... we had an agreement!
The Storm King: Get with the program! I used you! It's kind of what I do!
"This guy's a lunatic. A psycho. He will eat you for breakfast. He won't even notice it probably because you're very, very small."
— Princess Peach on Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Film — Live-Action
"I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust."
— Patrick Bateman, American Psycho
Christine Penmark: Do you really mean to say that nice family surroundings and advantages could make no difference at all?
Reggie Tasker: Yes. It's as if these children were born blind permanently and you just couldn't expect to teach them to see.
Christine: Well, would you notice any brutish expressions on their faces?
Reggie: Sometimes. But more often they present a more convincing picture of virtue than normal folk.
Christine: But that's horrible!
Reggie: It's just that they are bad seeds. Plain bad from the beginning. And nothing can change them.
Reggie Tasker: Yes. It's as if these children were born blind permanently and you just couldn't expect to teach them to see.
Christine: Well, would you notice any brutish expressions on their faces?
Reggie: Sometimes. But more often they present a more convincing picture of virtue than normal folk.
Christine: But that's horrible!
Reggie: It's just that they are bad seeds. Plain bad from the beginning. And nothing can change them.
"You can't care about anyone else. Everyone else is an obstacle. You care what an obstacle wants or feels, you're dead. If I cared about anyone or anything, I might have died like so many brilliant women with a drawer full of unseen genius and a heart full of sad bitterness."
— The Baroness, laying out her life philosophy, Cruella
"My child, it would be pretty easy to shoot you in the throat, watch you gurgle, while I eat my morning grapefruit."
— Jonah King, Drive Angry
"There is no such thing as love, only passion! No luck, only the will to gain power!"
— Dr. Mabuse, Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler
"You know what you are? You're the lowest of the low. You use people for your own entertainment, your own little whims and fancies."
— Paul Bradford to Mestema, The Dungeonmaster
"Yes, first, they stay about this far away. Just because you know — you never know. Now I get that kind of reaction. And as Marnie, they did too. Because they worried I was going to judge or yell at them. So I'm kind of used to that. But, yeah, they would say, like, 'She was hypnotized, right?' And I'm like 'No. She's just evil. How hard is that to accept? She's bad.' We gave you so many ways to know that she's bad. She has photos of people whose lives she ended behind her. That's so crazy. And they're still like 'But maybe she's also a victim?' I'm like 'No! No!'"
— Allison Williams on her character of Rose Armitage, Get Out (2017)
"I met him 15 years ago. I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes — the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil."
— Dr. Sam Loomis on Michael Myers, Halloween (1978)
"Pure cyanide. Careful. It's rare, pricey. Comes as a powder. You can liquefy it, spray it, bake it in a fucking cake... pour it on a guy's shirt and he's dead before he can say 'I'm sorry'. No more stakeouts, I can do it anywhere. I don't have any friends... so it makes it easy. 'I only feel alone around other people'... couldn't be truer."
— Robert Pronge/"Mr. Freezy", The Iceman
"What if my problem wasn't that I don't understand people, but that I don't like them? What if I was the kind of person who was obliged to hurt you for this? I mean physically. I think you'd have to believe afterward, if you could, that agreeing to participate and then backing out at the critical moment was a mistake. Because that's what I'm telling you, as clearly as I can."
— Louis "Lou" Bloom, Nightcrawler
"My God! I can't stand any more of this! First you spurn me for Eddie, and then you throw him off like an old overcoat for Rocky! You chew people up and then you spit them out again... I loved you... do you hear me? I loved you! And what did it get me? Yeah, I'll tell you: a big nothing. You're like a sponge. You take, take, take, and drain others of their love and emotion."
— Columbia to Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
"I was so believable today, wasn't I? I mean, I told so many lies that I actually started to believe them."
— Jill Roberts, Scream 4
"Blofeld is an unpredictable, dangerous and utterly ruthless megalomaniac of the most diabolical kind. He is also intensely sadistic and malicious, describing himself to James Bond as 'the author of all your pain'. Throughout the film, he plays cruel and elaborate games with James's mind concerning his past and the people he has lost his entire life — Vesper, M, his parents, etc. Blofeld also possesses little self-preservation, despite his sophisticated manner."
Captain: Morrow! Go below and bring up the young gargon specimen. Now the decision depends on its reactions.
Derek: Wait, Captain. I have found evidence of intelligent beings on this planet!
Thor: Of what concern of foreign beings?
Derek: Of none to you, Thor! Just as you were so unconcerned when you destroyed this small creature, so bravely!
Thor: It was no more than an insect.
Derek: But it had life. And that life you had to take to satisfy your endless hunger for killing.
Derek: Wait, Captain. I have found evidence of intelligent beings on this planet!
Thor: Of what concern of foreign beings?
Derek: Of none to you, Thor! Just as you were so unconcerned when you destroyed this small creature, so bravely!
Thor: It was no more than an insect.
Derek: But it had life. And that life you had to take to satisfy your endless hunger for killing.
"'Victims'? Don't be melodramatic. Look down there. Tell me, would you really feel any pity if one of those... dots stopped moving forever? If I offered you twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stopped, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money, or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare?"
— Harry Lime, The Third Man
"When does telling the truth ever help anybody?"
— Efraim Diveroli, War Dogs
Literature
"You cared about a dead, gone bugger you never knew, and you laid him out, because you're a Waiting Man. But Vaughn, he didn't flinch because he doesn't care one bit. And he doesn't care about the living neither, not even a little. Vaughn Parry looks at us, and he sees corpses walking. He didn't flinch in there because he's always seeing dead men shudder. It's how he lives. He was born dead himself, and that's what the Screaming is. It's a body walking without a heart to feel for anyone else. And if ever he realizes that, Billy, you best not trust him, for the Waiting Man's oath ain't there for a laugh or our convenience. Them as have the Screaming, Billy, they're empty inside, and the things they can do when they start to understand what they are, they're black and cold and not for good fellows to dwell on."
— Billy Friend's Dad, Angelmaker
I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents. Some you can see, misshapen and horrible, with huge heads or tiny bodies; some are born with no arms, no legs, some with three arms, some with tails or mouths in odd places. They are accidents and no one's fault, as used to be thought. Once they were considered the visible punishment for concealed sins. And just as there are physical monsters, can there not be mental or psychic monsters born? The face and body may be perfect, but if a twisted gene or a malformed egg can produce physical monsters, may not the same process produce a malformed soul? Monsters are variations from the accepted normal to a greater or a less degree. As a child may be born without an arm, so one may be born without kindness or the potential of conscience. A man who loses his arms in an accident has a great struggle to adjust himself to the lack, but one born without arms suffers only from people who find him strange. Having never had arms, he cannot miss them. Sometimes when we are little we imagine how it would be to have wings, but there is no reason to suppose it is the same feeling birds have. No, to a monster the norm must seem monstrous, since everyone is normal to himself. To the inner monster it must be even more obscure, since he has no visible thing to compare with others. To a man born without conscience, a soul-stricken man must seem ridiculous. To a criminal, honesty is foolish. You must not forget that a monster is only a variation, and that to a monster the norm is monstrous. It is my belief that Cathy Ames was born with the tendencies, or lack of them, which drove and forced her all of her life. Some balance wheel was misweighed, some gear out of ratio. She was not like other people, never was from birth. And just as a cripple may learn to utilize his lack so that he becomes more effective in a limited field than the uncrippled, so did Cathy, using her difference, make a painful and bewildering stir in her world.
— Author John Steinbeck's description of Cathy Ames, East of Eden
William Afton was the one who made Freddy's a business, as he had the previous restaurant. Afton was as robust and lively as Henry was withdrawn and shadowy. He was a hefty man who had the ruddy geniality of a financially shrewd Santa Claus. And he had killed the children. Clay knew it; the whole department knew it. He had been present for each abduction, and he had mysteriously and briefly vanished at the same time as each child went missing.
"Some will be caught, others killed. I couldn't care less. These men are amateurs who were needed, so to speak, for the crowd scenes. They are extras, Mr. Bond, brought in off the streets. What happens to them after the play is of no interest to me whatsoever."
— Auric Goldfinger on his hired help, Goldfinger
"The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse — with amusement."
— Frank Bryce's thoughts on Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
His main problem seems to be that he sees things differently from other people, in that he sees other people as things. This gets him into a spot of trouble early on, as his assassinations often include the brutal murders of not just the target, but also their family, their servants, and very often their pets.
John: I've been clinically diagnosed with sociopathy. Do you know what that means?
Rob: It means you're a freak.
John: It means that you're about as important to me as a cardboard box. You're just a thing — a piece of garbage that no one's thrown away yet.
Rob: It means you're a freak.
John: It means that you're about as important to me as a cardboard box. You're just a thing — a piece of garbage that no one's thrown away yet.
"I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life."
— General Zaroff, The Most Dangerous Game
[on all women] You're all a bunch of fuggin' whores.
[on his own men] You're all a bunch of dogs.
[on the Japanese] You're all deer to track.
I HATE EVERYTHING WHICH IS NOT IN MYSELF
[on his own men] You're all a bunch of dogs.
[on the Japanese] You're all deer to track.
I HATE EVERYTHING WHICH IS NOT IN MYSELF
— Sgt. Sam Croft, The Naked and the Dead
Sir Mulberry Hawk was remarkable for his tact in ruining, by himself and his creatures, young gentlemen of fortune — a genteel and elegant profession, of which he had undoubtedly gained the head. With all the boldness of an original genius, he had struck out an entirely new course of treatment quite opposed to the usual method; his custom being, when he had gained the ascendancy over those he took in hand, rather to keep them down than to give them their own way; and to exercise his vivacity upon them openly, and without reserve. Thus, he made them butts, in a double sense, and while he emptied them with great address, caused them to ring with sundry well-administered taps, for the diversion of society.
— Charles Dickens' description of Sir Mulberry Hawk in Nicholas Nickleby
Nicholas Nickleby: Will you make yourself known to me?
Sir Mulberry Hawk: [fiercely] No. [confirming it with an oath] No.
Nicholas: If you trust to your horse's speed you will find yourself mistaken. I will accompany you. By heaven, I will, if I hang on to the footboard!
Hawk: You shall be horsewhipped if you do.
Nicholas: You are a villain.
Hawk: You are an errand boy for aught I know.
Nicholas: I am the son of a country gentleman. Your equal in birth and education, and your superior, I trust, in everything besides. I tell you again, Miss Nickleby is my sister. Will you or will you not answer for your unmanly and brutal conduct?
Hawk: To a proper champion — yes. To you — no. Stand out of the way, dog.
Sir Mulberry Hawk: [fiercely] No. [confirming it with an oath] No.
Nicholas: If you trust to your horse's speed you will find yourself mistaken. I will accompany you. By heaven, I will, if I hang on to the footboard!
Hawk: You shall be horsewhipped if you do.
Nicholas: You are a villain.
Hawk: You are an errand boy for aught I know.
Nicholas: I am the son of a country gentleman. Your equal in birth and education, and your superior, I trust, in everything besides. I tell you again, Miss Nickleby is my sister. Will you or will you not answer for your unmanly and brutal conduct?
Hawk: To a proper champion — yes. To you — no. Stand out of the way, dog.
— Nicholas Nickleby and Sir Mulberry Hawk's confrontation
"For Truro Daine, human life is a poor commodity. Like many great men — and I do not begrudge him that epithet — he has a deep-seated belief that other people aren't real. In his solipsism, he has experimented with murder on an unprecedented scale, convincing himself with each zilched life that he alone is truly sapient. That is a crucial insight. Tag it well. Of course, his basic problem is common or garden homicidal mania. It's been treatable for fifty years. It would lead another man to become a mercenary or a serial killer, but Truro Daine is not another man, he is the third or fourth loftiest intelligence in the world. Had he chosen to live within the fold, he would undoubtedly become richer through the income of his patents than he was through theft, extortion, terror-for-hire, blackmail and the black economy. He could have been very high in the Gunmint. But that would have bored him zoidal."
— Vaclav Trefusis, The Night Mayor
For Dooku, other beings are mostly abstractions, simple schematic sketches who fall into two essential categories. The first category is Assets: beings who can be used to serve his various interests. The other category is Threats. In this second set, he numbers every sentient being he cannot include in the first. There is no third category. Someday there may not even be a second; being considered a Threat by Count Dooku is a death sentence.
"Yabu-san's a violent man with no scruples whatsoever. He honors nothing but his own interests. Duty, loyalty, tradition, mean nothing to him. His mind has flashes of great cunning, even brilliance. He's equally dangerous as ally or enemy."
— Mariko, Shōgun
"Roose has no feelings, you see. Those leeches that he loves so well sucked all the passions out of him years ago. He does not love, he does not hate, he does not grieve. This is a game to him, mildly diverting. Some men hunt, some hawk, some tumble dice. Roose plays with men. You and me, these Freys, Lord Manderly, his plump new wife, even his bastard, we are but his playthings."
— Barbrey Dustin, A Song of Ice and Fire
He knew he should feel bad for the dork, but he only felt annoyed. He felt worse about the fact that he didn't feel bad than he did about what he'd just read.
— Narration regarding Regent, Worm
Live-Action TV
Murdock: Sounds like a sociopath.
Jackie: A what?
Murdock: A sociopathic personality is simply a person who feels no emotion... no love, no pain, nothin'. 'Course, they learn to fake these things very well. But they could kill without regard... and then pass a lie detector test with impunity.
Jackie: A what?
Murdock: A sociopathic personality is simply a person who feels no emotion... no love, no pain, nothin'. 'Course, they learn to fake these things very well. But they could kill without regard... and then pass a lie detector test with impunity.
"A true hedonist puts pleasure before everything! Before another's pain, before another's life! People are just... animals!"
— Ana Demiachia, Father Brown
"The last time Barry Allen saw you, you took the life of his close friend. And now he sees you, and he pauses. You really don't see it. You can calculate near-infinite outcomes across multiple Earths, but you cannot account for how someone is feeling."
— Marlize assessing The Thinker, The Flash (2014)
Tyrion: Before you go, you will call on Lord and Lady Stark and offer your sympathies [for their son].
Joffrey: What good are my sympathies to them?
Tyrion: None. But it is expected of you. Your absence has already been noted.
Joffrey: The boy means nothing to me, and I can't stand the wailing of women.
Joffrey: What good are my sympathies to them?
Tyrion: None. But it is expected of you. Your absence has already been noted.
Joffrey: The boy means nothing to me, and I can't stand the wailing of women.
"Thank you, Nanno. But I'm sorry...I didn't really need your help. I just needed victims. Well, did you think I was stupid? I put up with all the pain and torture, everything they did to me, because I was waiting to get my revenge. I didn't trick you to get me the laptop because I wanted to know what was on it. I just wanted all their clients' information. So I can blackmail them myself. Get it? Their whole business is mine now."
— Yuri, Girl from Nowhere
"This isn't love! You can't love! You don't know how! Serena, you... you built this whole world just so that you could have someone! But it didn't work. You're small, you're cruel, and you're empty. You will always be... empty."
— June to Serena Joy, The Handmaid's Tale
"Oh my god, you're a complete sociopath!"
— Dee, to her brother Dennis, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
"Abandon your captured family. Give up on the friend who betrayed you. Feel no guilt for the murder of your friend. If you could find the will to be ruthless, then you'd be freed from all your stress in an instant."
— Ryoma Sengoku, Kamen Rider Gaim
"But he was not cured, for there was nothing wrong with him in the first place beyond of greed for money and a propensity for wickedness. And for that, I'm afraid, there is no cure."
— Miss Marple about Paul Osbourne, Marple, "The Pale Horse"
Miles: Corporal.
Strausser: I'm a sergeant now.
Miles: Well, let's be honest, you're a sociopath, is what you are. Before the blackout, you'd have been locked in a rubber room.
Strausser: I'm a sergeant now.
Miles: Well, let's be honest, you're a sociopath, is what you are. Before the blackout, you'd have been locked in a rubber room.
— Revolution, "Ties That Bind"
"Mr. Joe Caswell, who, when the good Lord passed out a conscience, a heart, a feeling for fellow men, must have been out for a beer and missed out."
— Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone (1959), "Execution"
Music
"I destroyed the bond of friendship and respect
Between the only people left who'd even look me in the eye
Now I laugh and make a fortune
Off the same ones that I tortured
And a world screams, 'Kiss me, Son of God'"
Between the only people left who'd even look me in the eye
Now I laugh and make a fortune
Off the same ones that I tortured
And a world screams, 'Kiss me, Son of God'"
—They Might Be Giants, "Kiss Me, Son of God"
"You said it was true love, but wouldn't that be hard?
You can't love anyone, 'cause that would mean you had a heart
I tried you help you out, now I know that I can't
'Cause how you think's the kind of thing I'll never understand"
You can't love anyone, 'cause that would mean you had a heart
I tried you help you out, now I know that I can't
'Cause how you think's the kind of thing I'll never understand"
—Olivia Rodrigo, "Vampire"
"You thought I'd be your savior
Catch you when you fall
You'd better learn to fly
I've got my own agenda
I've got much better things to do
I just don't care at all about you"
Catch you when you fall
You'd better learn to fly
I've got my own agenda
I've got much better things to do
I just don't care at all about you"
—Lesbian Bed Death, "I Use My Powers for Evil"
Tabletop Games
"A mortal driven insane by Malkav loses the capacity to empathize with other people. The person cannot even recognize that other beings are people. Malkav's Chosen become creatures as amoral as any vampire lost to the Beast, but retaining a human intellect in every other way. These "isolates" treat other people as potentially threatening animals, as competitors for food, or as food themselves. They do not shrink from murder and cannibalism; torture fascinates these human-looking creatures, as they ponder the conundrum of an object that mimics the appearance of pain."
— Vampire: The Masquerade — Gehenna
Video Games
January 1
Happy New Year, diary. I feel melancholy. The old dates hold no magic anymore. My New Year's resolution is to find new occasions to celebrate.
January 21
I feel reborn. Today I celebrated National hugging Day for the first time. I went to Elliot Memorial Hospital, covered myself in infected blood, and visited the children's ward.
February 2
Happy Groundhog day! My new house guest and I are going to watch the stream from Punxsutawney together. If the rodent predicts an early spring, I'll let my new friend go. But if the groundhog retreats to his burrow, I'll bury my guest alive.
June 5
World Environment Day, a worthy, important cause. I passed this message onto a class of schoolchildren by forcing them to drink ACE Chemicals runoff. They won't pollute now.
September 19
Dear Diary. Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Today I cut off a man's leg and nailed a wooden peg in its place. He couldn't walk the plank. Very disappointing. Checked on my scurvy victim but she wasn't ready. Next year.
September 21
Happy World Peace Day. I left bombs at the Quraci embassy.
Happy New Year, diary. I feel melancholy. The old dates hold no magic anymore. My New Year's resolution is to find new occasions to celebrate.
January 21
I feel reborn. Today I celebrated National hugging Day for the first time. I went to Elliot Memorial Hospital, covered myself in infected blood, and visited the children's ward.
February 2
Happy Groundhog day! My new house guest and I are going to watch the stream from Punxsutawney together. If the rodent predicts an early spring, I'll let my new friend go. But if the groundhog retreats to his burrow, I'll bury my guest alive.
June 5
World Environment Day, a worthy, important cause. I passed this message onto a class of schoolchildren by forcing them to drink ACE Chemicals runoff. They won't pollute now.
September 19
Dear Diary. Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Today I cut off a man's leg and nailed a wooden peg in its place. He couldn't walk the plank. Very disappointing. Checked on my scurvy victim but she wasn't ready. Next year.
September 21
Happy World Peace Day. I left bombs at the Quraci embassy.
— The diary of Julian Day/Calendar Man, Batman: Arkham Knight
"The concept of empathy is understood by [DeFalco], but... irrelevant."
— Farid, Call of Duty: Black Ops II
"Lex Luthor is Superman's sworn archenemy. If the alien Superman embodies selflessness, Earth's own son Luthor is selfishness personified. He uses his genius-level intellect and driving ambition only to advance himself and crush others. Even without superpowers, Lex is easily the most dangerous human being on the planet.
Head of the technological powerhouse LexCorp, Lex is devoted to ridding the world of Superman for the good of humanity — or rather, for one man: himself. His talk of empowering the common man is only a cover. Charming, fascinating, and utterly indifferent to the suffering of others, Lex is a true sociopath."
Head of the technological powerhouse LexCorp, Lex is devoted to ridding the world of Superman for the good of humanity — or rather, for one man: himself. His talk of empowering the common man is only a cover. Charming, fascinating, and utterly indifferent to the suffering of others, Lex is a true sociopath."
— DC Universe Online character bio
"I wouldn't call him immoral so much as amoral, he has no morality whatsoever. He doesn't even have a concept of morality."
— Stephen Fry, describing his character Reaver, Fable
"Kefka cares nothing about anyone or anything but himself and he finds no greater joy in life than in inflicting suffering and death unto others. He has no long-reaching goal for his destructive actions, destruction itself is the goal. He manipulates the emotions of others and will readily lie without hesitation, but his purpose for doing this is again usually nothing but his own amusement in tormenting them. Kefka's need to inflict suffering drives him to continuously greater heights to sate his urges, culminating with the ruination of the entire world and the deaths of countless creatures."
— Final Fantasy Wiki description of Kefka Palazzo from Final Fantasy VI
"What principles!? Did you understand even a single word of what I told you? I know what I want, and I take it. I take advantage of whatever I can, and discard that which I cannot. There is no room for sentiment or guilt."
— President Shinra, Final Fantasy VII Remake
Aerith: What you heard were the voices of the planet. Those born into this world. Who lived and who died. Who returned. They're howling in pain.
Cloud: Because of him? Sephiroth?
Aerith: They... Their words... they don't reach him. All these moments and memories, precious and fleeting... they're like rain falling off his back. And when they're gone, he won't cry... or shout... or anything. He'd tell you he only cares about the planet. That he'd do anything in his power to protect and preserve it. But this isn't the way it's supposed to be.
Cloud: Because of him? Sephiroth?
Aerith: They... Their words... they don't reach him. All these moments and memories, precious and fleeting... they're like rain falling off his back. And when they're gone, he won't cry... or shout... or anything. He'd tell you he only cares about the planet. That he'd do anything in his power to protect and preserve it. But this isn't the way it's supposed to be.
"I am who I am. The pain of others, I do not feel. The sorrow of others does not touch me. Death feeds me. Death pleases me. I am the essence I consume. You fools will become corpses here, because I wish it to be."
— Nergal, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
Sombron: You are pathetic. As if spurning me to be a Divine Dragon was not enough... Patricide? Unforgivable.
Alear: You killed your own children—tried to destroy the world—for your selfish desires. You're the one who is beyond forgiveness.
Sombron: I said your world meant nothing to me. It's people, my children...you. Once I leave, I will forget you. Even if we met again, I would not recall your face.
Alear: In other words, you'll make the same mistakes as before. So which of us is pathetic?
Alear: You killed your own children—tried to destroy the world—for your selfish desires. You're the one who is beyond forgiveness.
Sombron: I said your world meant nothing to me. It's people, my children...you. Once I leave, I will forget you. Even if we met again, I would not recall your face.
Alear: In other words, you'll make the same mistakes as before. So which of us is pathetic?
"You're a strange man. You killed your best friend. You betrayed everyone who ever came in contact with you. You killed my cousin. I guess... the survival of the fittest thing really meant a lot to you."
— Niko Bellic to Dimitri Rascalov in the Deal Ending, Grand Theft Auto IV
"I cannot feel...sorrow. No matter what misery befalls the worlds. No matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist."
— Xemnas, Kingdom Hearts II
"Drop the attitude, you mediocre peasant! There is no wrong in using my gifts for my gain! I'm a cut above all other humans!"
— Suguru Kamoshida, Persona 5
Alex Mercer: This... source. It's the key to genetics — but it's also a machine, churning out the worst viruses ever seen. Things that — if they got out of the lab — could literally erase human civilization as we know it.
Joseph Schulze: And how did that make you feel?
Mercer: I wasn't paid to feel.
Joseph Schulze: And how did that make you feel?
Mercer: I wasn't paid to feel.
"Juri... That power... That eye... She's no ordinary fighter. She is an untamed animal who seeks to destroy and consume all that enters her sight...She has altered her own body in her insatiable quest for power. She respects no law. No morality. She does whatever it takes to achieve her goals and quench her limitless thirst."
"In this world, it's KILL or BE KILLED!"
— Flowey, Undertale
Strengths: Dakhath appears to be utterly without fear. He never retreats from an engagement until every enemy within 1,000 klicks is destroyed, and will not abandon a wounded enemy until that enemy is destroyed. This courage and lack of self-preservation instincts make him particularly dangerous. So does his apparent affection for inflicting pain.
Tactics: Dakhath launches his missiles at maximum range (he appears to like explosions), then closes for the kill on one target. He will cling to that target until he destroys it, then choose another, as methodical as clock circuits.
Tactics: Dakhath launches his missiles at maximum range (he appears to like explosions), then closes for the kill on one target. He will cling to that target until he destroys it, then choose another, as methodical as clock circuits.
— Bio for Dakhath "Deathstroke" Nar Sihkag, Wing Commander: Claw Marks
Visual Novels
Jeffrey: Do you even care? Do the results of your actions mean anything to you?
Nicole: Yeah, when they affect me, sure.
Nicole: Yeah, when they affect me, sure.
"Are you asking me to feel guilty? That's a pointless endeavor. I think nothing of sacrificing others for my own ends. I feel nothing. That's all there is to me. That's what makes me... complete. Hmhm. Isn't it terrifying how different our values are? There is simply no room for understanding."
— Celestia Ludenberg after being caught for murder, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
"People are simply things to be used. Used and thrown away."
— Matt Engarde, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice For All
"From the day I was born to the day I died, I never helped anyone! I lived for myself and, in the end, I died for myself. I thought that was obvious."
"Emotional output of this voice extremely weak compared to typical voices. Subject deemed to have unique psychological makeup with almost no emotional fluctuation."
— Psych profile of the phantom, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Web Animation
Black Hole: You've got to be kidding me... Pillow!
Lightning: Don't kill people with our acid!
Pillow: Why? Did you need it for something?
Marker: Wait a minute. Pillow used to be on... Death P.A.C.T., right?
(Lightning gasps)
Black Hole: Yeaaah, but, y'know... sh-she was always like this. We were just hoping she would... stop.
Tree: You... kept that optimism? The whole time?
Remote: I like to think all my friends are pure of heart, deep down.
Pillow: Pillows don't have hearts. And, I'm not your friend. (Beat; throws Drilly in acid)
Lightning: Don't kill people with our acid!
Pillow: Why? Did you need it for something?
Marker: Wait a minute. Pillow used to be on... Death P.A.C.T., right?
(Lightning gasps)
Black Hole: Yeaaah, but, y'know... sh-she was always like this. We were just hoping she would... stop.
Tree: You... kept that optimism? The whole time?
Remote: I like to think all my friends are pure of heart, deep down.
Pillow: Pillows don't have hearts. And, I'm not your friend. (Beat; throws Drilly in acid)
Wiz: Well, Homelander's powers may be real, but his heroism is a charade. Though he plays his part well, he cares nothing for the peons he's forced to protect.
Boomstick: The only thing he treasures is, ironically, his public image.
Boomstick: The only thing he treasures is, ironically, his public image.
Jaune Arc: What is wrong with you? How can you be so broken inside?! To take so many lives, and then come back here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of?! ALL WITH THAT DAMN SMILE ON YOUR FACE! Well? SAY SOMETHING!
Cinder Fall: ...Who are you, again?
Cinder Fall: ...Who are you, again?
— RWBY, "The More The Merrier"
Webcomics
Patrick's mother: Go into my mind and tell me what you see.
Patrick: It is... empty. No. Full then. But not of light, or color, or... or... People.
Patrick's mother: I do not care about people. I never have, and I don't know how I ever could. I remember being thirteen, and first learning that people did care about other people, that they had some way of feeling what others felt. It always seemed like magic to me.
Patrick: You are a monster.
Patrick's mother: No, I am a person. If your definition of personhood cannot accommodate me, then it is your definition that needs changing, not my self.
Patrick: You are abhorrent.
Patrick's mother: Why, because I was not capable of loving you? Because I thought the world would be better with you dead? Reading the news, it seems I was right.
Patrick: It is... empty. No. Full then. But not of light, or color, or... or... People.
Patrick's mother: I do not care about people. I never have, and I don't know how I ever could. I remember being thirteen, and first learning that people did care about other people, that they had some way of feeling what others felt. It always seemed like magic to me.
Patrick: You are a monster.
Patrick's mother: No, I am a person. If your definition of personhood cannot accommodate me, then it is your definition that needs changing, not my self.
Patrick: You are abhorrent.
Patrick's mother: Why, because I was not capable of loving you? Because I thought the world would be better with you dead? Reading the news, it seems I was right.
— Strong Female Protagonist, issue 7
Web Original
"When I told you that you were one of the most disturbing individuals I've ever met, I wasn't referring to your actions; just your personality. I have witnessed acts that in terms of depravity dwarf the worst of your behaviors, like my moon dwarfs a Bombchu's fucking sperm. But do you know what it is that separates the vast majority of people in this world from you and others like you? They, on some level, had to believe that what they were doing was right. As twisted and warped as their sense of morality or ethics may have been, they still felt compelled to justify their actions. [...] I've said it once, Link, and I'll say it again: you’re not like most mortals I've come across."
— Majora to Link, Douchebag Link
"Not feeling, never satisfied, doesn't know if he's doing the right thing or the wrong thing, but above all, doesn't care."
— The Nostalgia Critic describing Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men, "Top 11 Scariest Performances"
The smile touched Heydrich's lips, but it did not reach his eyes. Looking into those eyes, Eliza was briefly stunned and frozen. It was gazing into the void. There was no humanity in his eyes, no mercy, no warmth.
Web Videos
Kirito: Alright, let's review. We heard a scream, ran outside, and saw the victim; hung by the neck, with a sword through his chest. I don't think it's a coincidence that this took place in the town square during the dinner rush. Someone wanted this to be seen.
Asuna: Ah yes, but that just raises a bigger question.
Kirito: Oh? And what's that?
Asuna: Why do you even CARE?!
Kirito: I'm sorry. Are you asking me why I care that a man was killed?
Asuna: No, I'm asking why YOU care that a man was killed!
Kirito: Forgive me, but I don't follow.
Asuna: Well, let's see. Most people would, charitably, refer to you as "The Crown Prince of Douchebags", long may he reign. Your usual reaction to human suffering, would be to pull up a chair, and crack out the popcorn! What's your angle?!
Kirito: Asuna! I am shocked and apalled that that is your opinion of me! All I want is to see justice served...
...
Kirito: Alright, fine, God! I just want to prove I was right! There's no way that guy is really dead! There's something else going on here, and I'm going to prove it.
Asuna: Wow, how noble of you.
Kirito: Oh spare me, Wonder Woman. You're only doing this to prove I was wrong.
Asuna: HEY! At least I PRETEND to be nice to people!
Kirito: Yeah, whatever, Wait, "pretend"?
Asuna: Ah yes, but that just raises a bigger question.
Kirito: Oh? And what's that?
Asuna: Why do you even CARE?!
Kirito: I'm sorry. Are you asking me why I care that a man was killed?
Asuna: No, I'm asking why YOU care that a man was killed!
Kirito: Forgive me, but I don't follow.
Asuna: Well, let's see. Most people would, charitably, refer to you as "The Crown Prince of Douchebags", long may he reign. Your usual reaction to human suffering, would be to pull up a chair, and crack out the popcorn! What's your angle?!
Kirito: Asuna! I am shocked and apalled that that is your opinion of me! All I want is to see justice served...
...
Kirito: Alright, fine, God! I just want to prove I was right! There's no way that guy is really dead! There's something else going on here, and I'm going to prove it.
Asuna: Wow, how noble of you.
Kirito: Oh spare me, Wonder Woman. You're only doing this to prove I was wrong.
Asuna: HEY! At least I PRETEND to be nice to people!
Kirito: Yeah, whatever, Wait, "pretend"?
Western Animation
"Plus, I'm a sociopath, so all this fits me like a glove."
— Roger, American Dad!
Baron Zemo: Your incompetence is unfortunate, Stark. We do not have much time. Zola gave the Enchantress a location. I sent the Crimson Dynamo to delay her, but she will make him talk. She will come here next.
Iron Man: You sent Dynamo to die?
Zemo: That's what a team is for, yes?
Iron Man: You sent Dynamo to die?
Zemo: That's what a team is for, yes?
Buzz Lightyear: Warp...
Warp Darkmatter/Agent Z: Agent Z, please.
Buzz: Of course, amnesia!
Warp: No.
Buzz: Evil clone!
Warp: No...
Buzz: Android replica.
Warp: No.
Buzz: [Beat] Ok, ok. It's so obvious! Zurg's mind control ray! He got to you first.
Warp: Actually, I went to him. Evil is just so much more profitable than good... and more fun!
Buzz: I don't believe it. The Warp Darkmatter that I trained side by side with would not work for the most evil force in the universe!
Warp: Look, Lightyear! I've been on Zurg's payroll since the academy. Once I got the LGMs to spill the secret of the Unimind, the Big Z brought me on full time. My name's Darkmatter. Who's surprised here?
Buzz: One of Star Command's finest... the perfect spy... I gave you a really nice eulogy.
Warp Darkmatter/Agent Z: Agent Z, please.
Buzz: Of course, amnesia!
Warp: No.
Buzz: Evil clone!
Warp: No...
Buzz: Android replica.
Warp: No.
Buzz: [Beat] Ok, ok. It's so obvious! Zurg's mind control ray! He got to you first.
Warp: Actually, I went to him. Evil is just so much more profitable than good... and more fun!
Buzz: I don't believe it. The Warp Darkmatter that I trained side by side with would not work for the most evil force in the universe!
Warp: Look, Lightyear! I've been on Zurg's payroll since the academy. Once I got the LGMs to spill the secret of the Unimind, the Big Z brought me on full time. My name's Darkmatter. Who's surprised here?
Buzz: One of Star Command's finest... the perfect spy... I gave you a really nice eulogy.
Vlad Masters/Plasmius: Ah, Maddie, I'm bored. I rule at chess, I rule at life, I rule this backwater city, but it's not enough! I know I'm destined to rule greater things than just Amity Park!
Maddie the Cat: [meows]
Vlad: Splendid idea! Watching TV to view others less fortunate than myself is the perfect pick-me-up!
Maddie the Cat: [meows]
Vlad: Splendid idea! Watching TV to view others less fortunate than myself is the perfect pick-me-up!
"You know, if I had an ounce of humanity left in me, this would be a very touching little reunion. But of course, I surrendered my human half a long time ago."
— Dark Danny, Danny Phantom: The Ultimate Enemy
"There's nothing you can do about it, anyway. People can't resist when they hear what they like to hear. If you don't want to be my friend, fine. But soon, you won't have any friends left at all, and trust me, I'll make sure you never get close to Adrien in class or anywhere. You seem a little less dumb than the others, so I'll give you one last chance. You're either with me or against me."
— Lila Rossi, Miraculous Ladybug
"I am the meanest meanie I ever met
But I'm just half as bad as I'm gonna get
Why should I be humble?
I'll make the mountain crumble!
You ain't seen nothing yet!"
But I'm just half as bad as I'm gonna get
Why should I be humble?
I'll make the mountain crumble!
You ain't seen nothing yet!"
— Squirk, My Little Pony 'n Friends, "The Ghost of Paradise Estate"
"Morty, for you to be bait, the guy'd have to value something. He truly does not give a shit."
— Rick Sanchez on Rick Prime, Rick and Morty
Lisa: Congratulations. You're officially a sociopath.
Bart: Hey, at least I'm on a path.
Bart: Hey, at least I'm on a path.
"He's a fat, manipulative, bigoted, intolerant sociopath."
— Kyle, describing his "friend" Cartman, South Park
