History Main / BeautyIsBad

Possibly the biggest reason as to why this trope is a thing can be summarized in just one word: '''{{pride}}''', as if this certain someone sees those who are physically uglier than them as being undesirable, or that they themselves feel proud that their own physical beauty attracts others besides their own.

Possibly the biggest reason as to why this trope is a thing can be summarized in just one word: '''{{pride}}''' (as if this character sees those who are physically uglier than them as being undesirable, or that they themselves feel proud that their own physical beauty attracts others besides their own).

* In ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'', where the good guys are mostly ugly, the villain of the second and third movies, Prince Charming, is handsome.

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* Played straight with Morgana and several one-off characters in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''.
* Most children's shows where the main characters are a GrotesqueGallery.
* On soap operas, the super sexy characters engage in all kinds of immoral and unethical behavior.

* [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] from ''Manga/DeathNote''. Especially when contrasted against the HeroAntagonist L, [[HollywoodHomely who is seen as unattractive]], at least InUniverse.

If a character is beautiful, then that character is a bad person, either publicly or secretly.

Traditionally, heroes are attractive, clean, and well-mannered, and villains are ugly, unhygienic, and boorish. There were some attractive villains, but BeautyEqualsGoodness used to be taken for granted by writers and producers, but a trend arose and became inescapable in the mid-[[TheEighties 1980s]] after the theatrical release of ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds'' and continuing from there, which implies that the majority of good, reliable, honest, clean-cut and reputable people are [[TwoDecadesBehind behind the times]], unfashionable, [[GeekPhysiques out of shape]] and [[ThisLoserIsYou uncool]]. If not, they're HollywoodHomely. A good-looking character in a work where this holds is either hiding their unattractiveness or geekiness from the public (and will later embrace it) or is a vain, crass, vulgar, shallow, self-absorbed, unintelligent {{Jerkass}}.

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[[quoteright:1000:[[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast1991 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tvtropes_beautyisbad_gaston.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:1000:''No one's foul like this guy...'']]

Can overlap with AlphaBitch; AttentionWhore; BrainlessBeauty; DCupDistress; FaceOfAnAngelMindOfADemon; CruelCheerleader; LightIsNotGood; MadonnaWhoreComplex; MuscleBeachBum; {{Narcissist}}; NotLikeOtherGirls; PeerPressureMakesYouEvil; PetitePride; PlasticBitch; PopularIsDumb; PopularIsEvil; RealWomenDontWearDresses; RealWomenHaveCurves; SexIsEvil, SlutShaming and SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny. Can also lead to WastedBeauty if the character's bad traits ends up driving away those who were initially attracted by their beauty.

* Light Yagami from ''Manga/DeathNote''. Especially when contrasted against the HeroAntagonist L, [[HollywoodHomely who is seen as unattractive]], at least InUniverse.

* The Beast in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', before his curse. And Gaston throughout. Commentary by the creators indicates that the intention was to invert BeautyEqualsGoodness by making the villain ruggedly handsome to contrast with the monstrous but good-hearted Beast. Although considering the heroine [[MeaningfulName Belle]]'s primary attribute is her ''beauty'', the actual aesop learns more towards TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside. Beast is good because he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold who genuinely reforms his beastly ways and Belle is good because she sees the good man inside him and helps him with his redemption. Gaston is bad because he's a CrazyJealousGuy who tries to force Belle into marrying him and murder the Beast simply for [[MurderTheHypotenuse being his romantic rival]].

* The Beast in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', before his curse. And Gaston throughout. Commentary by the creators indicates that the intention was to invert BeautyEqualsGoodness by making the villain ruggedly handsome to contrast with the monstrous but good-hearted Beast.

-->-- '''Marty Nemko''', ''[[http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T012-C010-S001-why-i-like-to-hire-ugly-people.html Why I Like to Hire Ugly People]]''

** Another male example would be [[spoiler:[[EvilMentor Kristoph]] [[AmoralAttorney Gavin]]. He has the very look of a SexyMentor down pat, with his [[BlondesAreEvil long, blond hair]] and the IcyBlueEyes behind his [[GlassesAreSexy glasses]]. He's also the culprit behind two different murders in [[VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney the game he hails from]]. He's also a [[EvilIsPetty petty jerk]] who anonymously provided Phoenix with forged evidence because his would-be client chose Phoenix as his lawyer over him, and deliberately [[WouldHurtAChild gave a 12-year-old girl a bottle of poisonous nail polish]] in order to cover it up. Not to mention, he's emotionally abusive to [[CainAndAbel his younger brother Klavier]].]]