History Main / BadPowersGoodPeople

* ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'' (''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' & ''Franchise/SpiderMan''): Izuku discovers that his [[ShockAndAwe Venom Strike]] power is [[PsychoactivePowers activated by his desire to lash out]] at others for mistreating him for years. He's disgusted with himself after he realizes this, but Peter says that he's been there and it doesn't matter as long as he channels those feelings toward helping others.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}: Hell on Earth'', there are the Anti-Templars, who draw upon the powers of the [[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse Reckoners]] to perform horrific acts of BlackMagic. However, these individuals typically not only use their powers because they believe they are weakening the Reckoners by stealing their energy, their usual purpose for becoming Anti-Templars is to ''save as many people as possible'', even if they must sacrifice their souls to do so, whereas their Templar counterparts [[KnightTemplar/TabletopGames feel that only the "worthy" should be saved, and all else condemned]]. The authors [[AuthorTract strongly disagree]] with this PayEvilUntoEvil approach, and consequently an Anti-Templar is by default a TragicVillain and/or WellIntentionedExtremist in the making since the rules support that overusing their power will slowly corrupt them and turn them evil, but many fans [[VillainHasAPoint feel that the Anti-Templars are the more heroic force]].

** ExpandedUniverse materials, especially video games, have some Force powers, such as lightning, slated as explicitly belonging to TheDarkSide, because they can only be used to harm. However, it's apparent that a sufficiently knowledgeable Jedi master understands these powers, even if they choose not to use them- when Dooku threw lightning at Yoda, the little guy [[NoSell just absorbs it]]. [[DependingOnTheWriter Other stories disagree with this]], and have good Jedi such as Master Plo Koon using powers such as Force lightning.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' (''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' & ''Kuroinu: Kedakaki Seijo wa Hakudaku ni Somaru''): {{Downplayed}}. Kyril Sutherland is a GoodIsNotNice KnightInSourArmor whose arsenal revolves around ThePowerOfBlood. He also has the ability to [[spoiler:MindRape anyone to a FateWorseThanDeath by tapping into his powers as a [[EldritchAbomination great one]]]]. He uses them to [[PayEvilUntoEvil fight against]] the Black Dogs, an [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores army]] of rapists, slavers, and AlwaysChaoticEvil orcs, throughout the story. The latter ability is never used en masse, only reserving it for the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique and the elimination of an AxCrazy foe who would cause an ApocalypseHow should he be left alive.

** Shiki of ''LightNovel/TheGardenOfSinners'' has much the same issue, only she does NOT have the headaches, and doesn't bother going to school. She's still neutral at worst.

* ''WebAnimation/BattleForDreamIsland'': [[UnrealisticBlackHole Black Hole]] is, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aa his name implies]], a black hole, whose suction powers are true to life in that they cause mass destruction whenever people or things get too close to him. Despite this, he's a MellowFellow who doesn't like causing damage, and is the NumberTwo of [[FunWithAcronyms Death P.A.C.T.]], a team dedicated to preventing the deaths of other people.

* White Knight in ''WebAnimation/TheCyanideAndHappinessShow'' takes this to comical extremes, being essentially a racism-themed superhero. His outfit includes a KKK hood, swastika boots, and a Confederate flag cape, and his powers include White Flight, which manifests a burning cross on his back that lets him fly, and White Sight, which allows him to identify a criminal just by looking at them (and suspiciously only seems to trigger when he's looking at black people). Despite this, he reacts with complete bafflement and disgust when [[DirtyCop a genuinely racist police chief]] complains that he isn't leaving enough black people for the regular cops, and seems [[ObliviouslyEvil utterly bewildered]] at the implication that his actions have any kind of racist intent.

* WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom's [[MakeMeWannaShout Ghostly Wail]]. Danny first learned of this power when he saw [[FutureMeScaresMe Dark Danny]] using it. Since its only use is for [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique total destruction]], and the fact that it severely drains him of energy, Danny only uses it as a last resort.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The Cat Miraculous bears the power of destruction, and allows its wielder to use the "Cataclysm" technique, which [[MakeThemRot causes anything to crumble to dust at a touch]]. It's hard to imagine a more "bad guy" power than that, but like every other Miraculous, it was created with the explicit purpose of empowering heroes. Its current holder, Cat Noir, is one of the show's main protagonists, 100% on the side of the angels; the only time he's even thought about using Cataclysm on a person was when he was BrainwashedAndCrazy (and once when he was still learning his powers and didn't realize that the MonsterOfTheWeek ''was'' a transformed human victim). However, in "Dearest Family," it's shown that Tikki has such a dangerous addiction to sweets to the point that she creates gigantic galette as a Lucky Charm without a channeled user, which nearly destroys Paris. Plagg explicitly states "There is a reason there is also a kwami of Destruction."

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The Cat Miraculous bears the power of destruction, and allows its wielder to use the "Cataclysm" technique, which [[MakeThemRot causes anything to crumble to dust at a touch]]. It's hard to imagine a more "bad guy" power than that, but like every other Miraculous, it was created with the explicit purpose of empowering heroes. Its current holder, Cat Noir, is one of the show's main protagonists, 100% on the side of the angels; the only time he's even thought about using Cataclysm on a person was when he was BrainwashedAndCrazy (and once when he was still learning his powers and didn't realize that the MonsterOfTheWeek ''was'' a transformed human victim). However, in "Dearest Family," it's shown that Tikki has such a dangerous addiction to sweets to the point that she creates gigantic galette as a Lucky Charm without a channeled user, which nearly destroys Paris. Platts explicitly states "There is a reason there is also a kwami of Destruction."

** In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', Palpatine argues that the Sith are all examples of this (or that they can choose to be) but that the Jedi refuse to believe it and tried to persecute them into extinction for exploring powers the Jedi considered "unnatural". The fact that he's a lying, manipulative psychopath responsible for a galactic war that caused billions of deaths to secure his rise to power [[UnreliableNarrator casts doubt on his claim]]. In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' it's shown that [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide overuse of the Dark Side]] [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil is comparable to hard drugs]] and while it's possible for Sith to take the Dooku approach and be {{Noble Demon}}s, [[AlwaysChaoticEvil the vast majority just become murderous lunatics]].

* ''Film/TheShadow'' casts the Shadow's [[ComboPlatterPowers considerable]] [[MasterOfYourDomain collection]] [[MindRape of powers]] in this light: Lamont Cranston is actually "Ying Ko", a warlord of the orient, master of Opium, with hideous and largely vague powers. After a FaithHeelTurn involving a tulku, Lamont Cranston returned to the den of evil known as New York to use his MindRape abilities and vast resources and enormous web of contacts to [[ReedRichardsIsUseless wage war against organized crime]]. The various other sources have different takes on the same concept, but generally the Shadow is somewhere between TheCowl and TheScourgeOfGod, so it's by-and-large "scary powers, scary guy, bad victims who [[PayEvilUntoEvil had it coming]]".

** Mostly played straight with Sam Winchester. His powers are demonic in nature, and he uses them to hunt demons. While he did [[spoiler:[[NiceJobBreakingItHero jump-start the Apocalypse]]]], he was actually intending to stop it, but his addiction to demon-blood has led to some decisions that can charitably be described as "questionable". He spent quite some time worried about [[TheDarkSide "going dark side,"]] and Dean's final wish at the end of season three was that Sam not use his demon powers. Knowing Dean would disapprove, Sam lied about it when Dean [[DeathIsCheap came back]], and things got worse from there. It was never entirely clear how much of the problem was TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget / ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil, how much straight addict behavior from the [[PsychoSerum blood]], and how much Sam being an ass of his own free will due to [[BreakTheCutie trauma]] and pride. Still, he ''was'' trying to save the world and save people, even at his worst. And he [[MustMakeAmends got]] [[HeroicSacrifice better]].

* On ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'', [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Cole]] attempted this. He succeeded for a while, but then [[PowerCopying got even more evil powers]]. That... did [[LoveMakesYouCrazy not]] [[NighInvulnerability turn]] [[DrivenToSuicide out]] [[ICannotSelfTerminate well]].

** Surprisingly, the Makuta were originally this. They were always beings of shadow, but the Brotherhood's original purpose was to create the wildlife of the world. In fact, the Brotherhood's original leader, Miserix, helped the Toa Hagah in their attempts to hunt down Teridax, the evil being [[WithholdingTheirName most commonly known simply as]] ''[[TheDreaded The]] [[RaceNameBasis Makuta]]''.

* Cody Giles, AKA "Odelarch" from ''Literature/AngelOfDeath'' is, in his true form, a large, putrid walking corpse whose powers include [[YourSoulIsMine devouring the souls]] [[HorrorHunger of the living]] and pooping them out a slaves he can use to spy for him or animate corpses, making any material (including dead flesh) rot at hyper-speed, killing anyone with a touch, inflicting any disease on anyone with a touch, and draining all of the light out of an area around him. He wears a BlackCloak and wields a SinisterScythe. Despite all of this, he is an incredibly moral character, who is constantly concerned with doing the right thing and only devours human souls because if he did not, he would soon starve himself into a frenzy and eat hundreds of people.

* In his ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', LetsPlay, LetsPlay/{{Gronkh}} played an overall LawfulGood warrior... with the [[BloodyMurder Rea]][[SoulPower ver]] specialization.
* [[spoiler:John Lant]] from ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' tried to be this [[spoiler:but died before he had a chance to use them]].

** The foundation has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-959 SCP-959]], a nice, ordinary guy who takes the form of [[YourWorstNightmare whatever distresses the viewer most]]. However, he is every bit as distressed by their reaction as they are to seeing him and he is [[TheWoobie suffering from depression due to the lack of social interaction]]. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Also he's a diabetic]].

* ''Fanfic/JusticeLeagueOfTheRebellion'' (''Anime/CodeGeass'' & Franchise/TheDCU): Lelouch Lamperouge / Batman eventually goes from a BadassNormal to an EmpoweredBadassNormal with the same MindControl powers he had in ''Anime/CodeGeass''. Though instead of a Geass, [[spoiler:it is derived from the Anti-Life Equation, the power to control all sentient life that Darkseid seeks to harness]].

* [[http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Millennial_King The Millennial King]] was created by /tg/ when the board wondered why there seemed to be no good {{necromancer}}s. The titular king becomes a BenevolentMageRuler who uses his necromantic creations to destroy the need for a menial worker caste and respects his citizens' right to refuse becoming undead when they die of natural causes. This is usually not a problem, as there are [[HundredPercentAdorationRating no shortage of volunteers]].

Contrast MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch; that's when it's a matter of a member of a (commonly thought to be) AlwaysChaoticEvil species decides to cowboy up for the good guys. A subtrope is FaustianRebellion, where powers the BigBad granted to a former minion are used this way. Also see PhlebotinumRebel, where good guys use powers made by the bad guys but they're not "bad powers" per se. Compare to MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds, AntiAntichrist, and MindOverManners. See also PowerStereotypeFlip, for when it's the personality, not morality, at odds with the powers, although there could be overlap.

Contrast MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch; that's when it's a matter of a member of a (commonly thought to be) AlwaysChaoticEvil species decides to cowboy up for the good guys. A subtrope is FaustianRebellion, where powers the BigBad granted to a former minion are used this way. Also see PhlebotinumRebel, where good guys use powers made by the bad guys but they're not "bad powers" per se. Compare to MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds and AntiAntichrist. See also PowerStereotypeFlip, for when it's the personality, not morality, at odds with the powers, although there could be overlap.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The Cat Miraculous bears the power of destruction, and allows its wielder to use the "Cataclysm" technique, which [[MakeThemRot causes anything to crumble to dust at a touch]]. It's hard to imagine a more "bad guy" power than that, but like every other Miraculous, it was created with the explicit purpose of empowering heroes. Its current holder, Cat Noir, is one of the show's main protagonists, 100% on the side of the angels; the only time he's even thought about using Cataclysm on a person was when he was BrainwashedAndCrazy (and once when he was still learning his powers and didn't realize that the MonsterOfTheWeek ''was'' a transformed human victim).

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'':

** And [[SuperSoldier Red Star]], who chooses to be an IronWoobie over WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds, when the latter is far, FAR, easier.

* ''Fanfic/ThievesCanBeHeroes'': The Phantom Thieves steal use their ability to enter the Metaverse to the Treasure that embodies the distorted desires of people, forcing them to undergo HeelFaceBrainwashing to make them repent for their crimes. It's also pointed out that they could just as easily use this ability to murder people or [[AndIMustScream turn them into vegetables]] with little chance of being traced or caught, but the Thieves, especially their leader Izuku, refuse to use their powers for anything except stopping wicked people outside of the reach of traditional law enforcement or Heroes.

[[AC:Unsorted/Dormant/Dead]]
* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Izuku discovers that his [[ShockAndAwe Venom Strike]] power is [[PsychoactivePowers activated by his desire to lash out]] at others for mistreating him for years. He's disgusted with himself after he realizes this, but Peter says that he's been there and it doesn't matter as long as he channels those feelings toward helping others.
* Izuku in ''Fanfic/CursedBlood'' is a {{Necromancer}} with a HealingFactor with a zombie girl as a familiar/pet. It's later revealed that anyone healed by his Quirk is also turned into a thrall who can't disobey him and wants nothing more than to please him, at least until his blood is out of their body. Even in-universe, he's described as a cinnamon roll and a KnightInShiningArmor.
* In ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'', a heroic MagicalGirl gets given all the powers (and landscape-corrupting effects) of Sauron. She proceeds, among other things, to devise a spell that eats evil curses, figure out how to turn the ominous weather into electricity, and kill infections with a {{Necromanc|er}}y spell.
* In ''Fanfic/FromMuddyWaters'', Izuku is the son of and has the same Quirk as All For One, the most dangerous villain in all of Japan. He can obtain any other Quirk by [[CannibalismSuperpower consuming bits of DNA such as hair or blood]] and even steal Quirks from other people, but he hates doing either of those things and wants nothing more than to become a hero like All Might.
* In ''Fanfic/GinnyWeasleyDoubleLife'', Ginny is hypnotised by Milikan, a serpent with HypnoticEyes who can talk to humans and even implant [[FakeMemories false memories]] with her abilities. However, Milikan only uses this power to make Ginny perceive Milikan as her 'Mistress' and best friend, adding memories of a childhood friendship but doing nothing to compromise Ginny's marriage to Harry or her relationship with her children.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Juxtapose}}'', Izuku's Quirk, "Minor Banishment", is initially derided as being so useless that he's effectively Quirkless, as he can only delete 10 g of whatever he's touching at a time with an upper limit of 2 kg over a short period, but everyone is thankful that it's in his hands and not anyone else's after he realizes that [[spoiler:he can banish pieces of people's vital organs from existence, allowing him to slowly cripple a villain who was about to murder him and his friends]].
* {{Downplayed}} in ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls''. Kyril Sutherland is a GoodIsNotNice KnightInSourArmor whose arsenal revolves around ThePowerOfBlood. He also has the ability to [[spoiler:MindRape anyone to a FateWorseThanDeath by tapping into his powers as a [[EldritchAbomination great one]]]]. He uses them to [[PayEvilUntoEvil fight against]] the Black Dogs, an [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores army]] of rapists, slavers, and AlwaysChaoticEvil orcs, throughout the story. The latter ability is never used en masse, only reserving it for the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique and the elimination of an AxCrazy foe who would cause an ApocalypseHow should he be left alive.
* To say that Izuku's powers in ''Fanfic/TheNorseHeroFenrir'' are terrifying at first glance would be an understatement. He basically has the ability to shift between a human and {{Hellhound}} wolf-man form and can sometimes be overwhelmed by his more animalistic instincts, his Ragnarök form becoming famous as the "Demon Werewolf". He has powers over [[SuperSmoke smoke]] and [[PlayingWithFire embers]], is strong enough to decimate the Zero-Pointers, and let's not forget he was based on a BeastOfTheApocalypse. With that in mind, he is still Izuku, with all of the idealistic heroic qualities you would expect from him, not that Bakugo will ever acknowledge it.
* ''Fanfic/ThePowersOfHarmony'':
** Libra and [[spoiler:his Echo]] Blair are classic heroic knights, but in an [[GodzillaThreshold act of desperation]] against [[spoiler:Nightmare Moon's undying army]], broke taboo and used Lifeforce magic, which turns the user into a nigh-uncontrollable addict who's as likely to kill his own comrades as his enemies.
** Fluttershy is, as per canon, one of the nicest ponies you'll ever meet. However, the most powerful ability granted to her by the Element of Kindness is Fearsense, which forces the person on the receiving end to experience a vision of their worst fear, basically {{Mind Rap|e}}ing them.
* Joseph Regent from ''Fanfic/SonOfTheWarp'' is a fairly nice, reasonable young man. He's also the demigod son of [[EldritchAbomination Tzeentch]], and one of his powers includes command over daemons of Tzeentch.
* [[PowerCopying Copy Quirks]] in ''Fanfic/SwitchTheColors'' have developed a reputation in society for being a quirk for weaklings, cowards, and thieves, certain laws put in place to keep Izuku from actually using "Verbatim" under the pretense of it being "theft". This can also apply to the quirks that Izuku gains along the way, both his Smoke and Neon powers having been taken from villains he has encountered. With that said, Izuku still aspires to be a pro-hero regardless.
* Takato Matsuki from the ''Fanfic/TamersForeverSeries'', is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Unfortunately, he is ''also'' the [[spoiler:Vessel of Chaos]] and could potentially wreak untold havoc upon reality.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Tormentor}}'' Harry/Ajas uses his [[HalfHumanHybrid Dementor powers]] and dark curses to save a little girl from a gang of Death Eaters.
* Alcor/Dipper in ''Fanfic/TranscendenceAU''. He's a demon, with all the darkness that implies, but he's still Dipper. Doesn't keep the family from getting a reputation, though. Most of Mabel's descendants get seen as a CreepyChild at some point or another because many of them know how to summon and make a deal with him before they graduate elementary school.
* The SI in ''Fanfic/WithThisRing'' is a bearer of an [[Franchise/GreenLantern Orange Lantern Ring]], which utilizes the Orange Light of Avarice, and is powered by the user's greed. Its only other user is an insane immortal that lives in a cave, killing and devouring anything that enters, enslaving their souls in the process. He uses it to be a superhero, and fix the environment.
* ''Fanfic/TheWizardAndTheHuntress'': Barbara is adept at BloodMagic, which she uses to great effect as a healer.

** Many characters from the expanded universe qualify for this, like [[ILoveNuclearPower Misanthrope]], a friendly, social girl who is [[WalkingWasteland so radioactive]] that can't even be in the same room as anyone without some serious detriments to their health. There's also Saboteur, who has the ability to induce {{entropy|AndChaosMagic}} in matter. However, she is a well-meaning individual who is absolutely terrified of her abilities and the idea of hurting someone. Especially since [[SuperPowerMeltdown the combination of her powers awakening and an anxiety attack]] has already caused a lot of damage.

** And [[SuperSoldier Red]] [[ILoveNuclearPower Star]], who chooses to be an [[IronWoobie Iron Woobie]] over [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Woobie Destroyer of Worlds]] when the latter is far, FAR, easier.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'':