History Main / ArsonMurderAndAdmiration

* Malty in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13260174/9/Ambition-of-the-Red-Princess Ambition of the Red Princess]]'' notes the slave trader Beloukas doing his best to endear himself to Naofumi.

* In Discworld book ''Discworld/{{Mort}}'' a dying EvilVizier takes this trope up to eleven: he compliments the emperor for killing ''him''.

* Used occasionally, such as when, after being betrayed by his tag-team partner Wrestling/{{Christian}} in a Battle Royal for the Intercontinental title (around 2003, perhaps?), Wrestling/ChrisJericho called him out...to congratulate him, and tell him he would have done the exact same thing if he'd thought of it. Then they hug. Awww.

* Ishmael's father in ''Film/{{Kingpin}}''. The father tells Ishmael that he knows about the boozing, the gambling, and the partying...and how Ishmael got the lead character Roy to turn away from all that.

* On ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'', when Dr. Richard Impossible becomes evil--well, more evil than he had been up to that point--he exploits his former brother-in-law's [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Johnny Storm]]-like ability to burst into flames as a PowerSource for his Manhattan office building. Unlike Johnny Storm, however, the victim has no ability to control his powers, and is in constant agony whenever he's conscious. Phantom Limb praises this as the most evil thing he's ever seen.
* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' when our Rick finds a machine created by the evil Rick of another dimension that tortures Morties to maintain a stealth field around his fortress. Our Rick says this is a bad thing to do, [[DoWrongRight but is actually more hung-up with]] how ''poor'' the design is, as opposed to the grudging admiration he certainly would have had if Evil!Rick had used Rick's design (which he insists was only done on paper as a hypothetical).

-->'''Aria''': So... he nearly cut a Spectre's throat, stole her weapon, and then took two of the most influential Asari in the galaxy hostage at gunpoint. You know, I can't help but feel slightly proud..."

* In ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness,'' Etna uses VillainProtagonist Laharl as bait to get what she wants from BigBadWannabe Maderas, without either of them knowing. After Laharl finds out what Etna's intentions were, does he get angry at her for using him? ...no, he compliments her on how devious she is and [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments promotes her to his right hand demon]].

* In ''VideoGame/XMenMutantAcademy'', Professor Xavier has this to say about [[AntiHero Gambit]].
-->'''Professor Xavier:''' Your training has shown you to be unpredictable, unconventional, insolent and... An X-Man.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Archmaester Ebrose gives one such speech to Sam Tarly after he disobeys direct orders and [[spoiler:cures Jorah of Greyscale with an incredibly difficult and dangerous procedure]]:
-->''"You could have infected yourself and others. You could have '''devastated''' the entire Citadel." [{{Beat}}] "But you didn't. ... That man is alive because of you. You should be proud."''

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Scrooge [=McDuck=] sums up his relationship with Huey, Dewey and Louie: "You kids are nothing but trouble. Curse me kilts have I ''missed'' trouble!"

* On ''Website/NotAlwaysRight'', [[[http://notalwaysright.com/i-dont-speak-racist/40997 a customer service representative goes wild on a racist caller]] on a recorded line. Naturally, the representative gets reported to management, who writes him up for rudeness to the customer... and then says this.

* In ''XMenMutantAcademy'', Professor Xavier has this to say about [[AntiHero Gambit]].

* On the [[PenalColony prison planet]] of Belsavis in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', it turns out that the Republic was conducting experiments on [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman alien prisoners]] by forcing them to fight one another and comparing the performance of each species. If you are playing an Imperial character, you can overhear the following conversation between two NPC scientists on the Imperial side.
-->'''Imperial Scientist #1:''' These experiments the Republic's been conducting--xenophobia, genocidal conditioning...I can hardly believe it.\\

** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', some Mandalorians and the codex itself mention that they sided with the Empire at least partially to get opportunities to fight the Jedi. In Revan's absence, they'll settle for the rest of the Order, believing that the Jedi are the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. After all, what better way to gain prestige than to fight and defeat the same people who trained Revan or held onto some of Revan's teachings? [[note]] This means their work for the Empire is a StealthInsult to the Sith, who they ''don't'' consider worthy of a good battle, and Mandalore the Vindicated openly expresses disdain for the Sith and Imperial military, saying that the Empire wouldn't be able to win an ''argument'' with the Republic if the Mandos weren't doing their fighting for them. [[/note]]

* From ''Disney/RobinHood'' there is a small subversion, after Prince John learns of the latest hit that his subjects have come up with against him and that both the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Hiss have somehow managed to learn the lyrics (and that the former had been singing it on his tax collecting sprees as of late): "They'll be singing a different tune! Double the taxes! ''Triple'' the taxes! ''SQUEEZE EVERY LAST DROP'' out of those insolent... ''musical'' peasants." Note that he sounded slightly amused when he got to the word "musical".

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0809.html Tarquin, to Roy]] after the latter caused major structural damage to the gladiator games arena. Roy is somewhat bewildered.

* From ''Disney/RobinHood'', after Prince John learns of the latest hit that his subjects have come up with against him and that both the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Hiss have somehow managed to learn the lyrics (and that the former had been singing it on his tax collecting sprees as of late): "They'll be singing a different tune! Double the taxes! ''Triple'' the taxes! ''SQUEEZE EVERY LAST DROP'' out of those insolent... ''musical'' peasants." Note that he sounded slightly amused when he got to the word "musical".

* In ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness,'' [[Characters/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Etna]] uses VillainProtagonist [[Characters/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Laharl]] as bait to get what she wants from BigBadWannabe Maderas, without either of them knowing. After Laharl finds out what Etna's intentions were, does he get angry at her for using him? ...no, he compliments her on how devious she is and [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments promotes her to his right hand demon]].

** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', some Mandalorians and the codex itself mention that they sided with the Empire at least partially to get opportunities to fight the Jedi. In Revan's absence, they'll settle for the rest of the Order, believing that the Jedi are the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. After all, what better way to gain prestige than to fight and defeat the same people who trained Revan or held onto some of Revan's teachings? [[note]] This means their work for the Empire is a StealthInsult to the Sith, who they ''don't'' consider worthy of a good battle, and Mandalore the Vindicated openly expresses daidain for the Sith and Imperial military, saying that the Empire needs the Mandos to fight their battles for them. [[/note]]

** Consular companion Tharan Cedrax makes a habit of it. He's nominally a pacifist, but his ForScience motivation and belief that knowledge is valuable in and of itself, means that while he doesn't necessarily approve of the damage some WMD, technology-based ArtifactOfDoom, or ''highly'' unethical research project, he will approve of the cleverness it took to come up with it.

** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', some Mandalorians and the codex itself mention that they sided with the Empire at least partially to get opportunities to fight the Jedi. In Revan's absense, they'll settle for the rest of the Order, believing that the Jedi are the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. After all, what better way to gain prestige than to fight and defeat the same people who trained Revan or held onto some of Revan's teachings?

* The ''Series/{{Angel}}'' [[Recap/AngelS04E22Home season 4 finale]] deals with the aftermath of the heroes taking down the season's BigBad in the previous episode, in which a representative of [[GreaterScopeVillain Wolfram and Hart]] congratulates them on thwarting world peace.