History Main / DarkShepherd

* The grim hermit Michael of Macedonia in BelisariusSeries.

* River Tam from ''{{Firefly}}'' clarifies Jayne's situation ("Also, I can kill you with my brain.") when she suspects that Simon's eloquent trust speech may not be effective. An example of an arguable good-neutral character borrowing the crook for a moment.
** Shepherd Book from ''Firefly'' is a Good Shepherd with Dark Shepherd moments, like his "Special Hell" comments from Our Ms. Reynolds.

* It's safe to say that {{God}} Himself can be a Dark Shepherd to all of His creation, especially in Literature/BookOfExodus where Moses lead Israelites to escape from Egypt, only for them to do what they want (i.e. making a golden calf), while The 10 Commandments were being established. This is where God comes in and causes extremely bad things to His people, making sure that they will worship and obey Him.

* ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' is full of classic Dark Shepherd, usually used on civilians who are corrupt but not yet evil. The Batman doesn't claim to be good, he doesn't act good, but he wants everyone to be good. Most common Dark Shepherd scenario: vanishing, leaving a potential villain with food for thought, but not a scratch on him yet.

* Baron Wulfenbach's modus operandum in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''; since the aristocracy can't be relied on to develop a decent society, he'll civilize Europa with an iron fist. His son Gil is struck with an epiphany of this, after beating down a thug persistently strong-arming him into returning to his father against Gil's protests.

->'''Simon''' ''(to Jayne, after surviving his betrayal)'': "I'm trusting you. I suggest you do the same, because I don't see this working any other way." ''(Exits)''\\
'''River''' ''(to Jayne)'': "Also, I can kill you with my brain."
-->-- ''{{Firefly}}''

-->''Verily men are foul. Even so does the churchman who sells his soul damn the harlot who sells her body. Even so does the magistrate in robes of bribery condemn the thief in stolen rags.''
-->-- BelisariusSeries

* Mao Zedong and Pol Pot were both ruthless leaders who are determined to create a "proletarian paradise", and have no problems in disposing millions of people who they consider as enemies or of no use to them.

-->BelisariusSeries

----

* The [[ReligionOfEvil inverse-Catholic]] (with [[EqualOpportunityEvil inverse-Anglican, Baptist, Jewish and Muslim]] sects) covenant of the Lancea Sanctum from ''VampireTheRequiem'' doctrinally claim this is their relationship with humanity. Sanctified vampires "[[ScareEmStraight scare humans straight]]" into the arms of God by acting as the predators (but not {{Complete Monster}}s) that they are.

Good's version of temptation. When moral argument falls on deaf ears, a GoodShepherd might have a Dark Shepherd moment, herding the sheep along the path of righteousness with the stabby end of the crook.

If the baddie has been remonstrated in some morally sound way, once they're around the corner, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark safe and alone]], [[IgnoredEpiphany they may suffer doubt]]... or perhaps he was only ''acting'' remorseful to escape, with no intention of repentance. Whether out of habit or malice, the villain is poised to forget the moral lesson and do the exact same thing that got him in trouble. At which point, the DarkShepherd steps in.

!!Examples:

* The twins and Il Duce of ''BoondockSaints'' have a Dark Shepherd final speech, unique in that they are warning the unidentified stray sheep via P.A.

[[AC: Literature]]

* Mao Zedong and Pol Pot were both ruthless leaders who are determined to create a "proletarian paradise", and have no problems in disposing millions of people who they consider as enemies or of no use to them.

* Baron Wulfenbach's modus operandum in ''GirlGenius''; since the aristocracy can't be relied on to develop a decent society, he'll civilize Europa with an iron fist. His son Gil is struck with an epiphany of this, after beating down a thug persistently strong-arming him into returning to his father against Gil's protests.

<<|ReligionTropes|>>
<<|GoodnessTropes|>>

* The [[ReligionOfEvil inverse-Catholic]] (with [[EqualOpportunityEvil inverse-Anglican, Baptist, Jewish and Muslim]] sects) covenant of the Lancea Sanctum from ''VampireTheRequiem'' doctrinally claim this is their relationship with humanity. Sanctified vampires "[[ScareEmStraight scare humans straight]]" into the arms of God by acting as the predators but not {{Complete Monster}}s) that they are.

* Mao Zedong and Pol Pot were both ruthless leaders who are more concerned that the people under their rule do exactly as they ordered them to do, and have no problems in disposing millions of people who they consider as enemies or of no use to them.

* Mao Zedong and Pol Pot were both cruel and thoughtless leaders who are more concerned that the people under their rule do exactly as he ordered them to do, and have no problems in disposing millions of people who they consider as enemies or of no use to them.

* The [[ReligionOfEvil inverse-Catholic]] (with [[EqualOpportunityEvil inverse-Anglican, Baptist, Jewish and Muslim]] sects) covenant of the Lancea Sanctum from ''VampireTheRequiem'' doctrinally claim this is their relationship with humanity. Sanctified vampires "[[ScareEmStraight scare humans straight]]" into the arms of God by acting as the predators ([[LawfulEvil but not]] {{Complete Monster}}s) that they are.

* Russian Stalinists think Stalin was this, and the purpose of his cruelty was [[ScareEmStraight scare any and all crooks, mobsters, corrupt bureaucrats and conspirators straight]].

-->-- TheBoondockSaints

->'''Simon''' (to Jayne, after surviving his betrayal)''': "I'm trusting you. I suggest you do the same, because I don't see this working any other way." (Exits)\\
'''River''' (to Jayne)''': "Also, I can kill you with my brain."
-->-- {{Firefly}}

->'''Murphy:''' "Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace!"\\
'''Connor:''' "These are not polite suggestions! These are codes of behavior -- and those of you that ignore them shall pay the dearest cost!"\\
-- TheBoondockSaints

->'''Simon''' (to Jayne, after surviving his betrayal)''':''' "I'm trusting you. I suggest you do the same, because I don't see this working any other way." (Exits)\\
'''River''' (to Jayne):''' "Also, I can kill you with my brain."\\
-- {{Firefly}}

* River Tam from {{Firefly}} clarifies Jayne's situation ("Also, I can kill you with my brain.") when she suspects that Simon's eloquent trust speech may not be effective. An example of an arguable good-neutral character borrowing the crook for a moment.

[[AC:OralTradition]]
* A common joke whose basic skeleton is that an atheist challenges God to knock him down if He exists. Some audience member comes up and shoves the guy, stating: "God was busy, so He sent me." The words alone are Good Shepherd; the threat implied by the violence is Dark Shepherd.

->'''Murphy:''' "Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal..."\\
'''Connor:''' "These are not polite suggestions."\\

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sheepgettinghookedback.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:I was only looking into the abyss...wasn't gonna do anything...]]

* River Tam from "{{Firefly}}" clarifies Jayne's situation ("Also, I can kill you with my brain.") when she suspects that Simon's eloquent trust speech may not be effective. An example of an arguable good-neutral character borrowing the crook for a moment.

Good's version of temptation. When moral argument falls on deaf ears, a GoodSpherd might have a Dark Shepherd moment, herding the sheep along the path of righteousness with the stabby end of the crook.

If the baddie has been remonstrated in some morally sound way, once they're around the corner, safe and alone, they may suffer doubt... or perhaps he was only ''acting'' remorseful to escape, with no intention of repentance. Whether out of habit or malice, the villain is poised to forget the moral lesson and do the exact same thing that got him in trouble. At which point, the DarkShepherd steps in.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sheepgettinghookedback.jpg
[[caption-width:376:I was only looking into the abyss...wasn't gonna do anything...]]

Good's version of temptation. When moral argument falls on deaf ears, the Dark Shepherd moment may occur, herding the sheep along the path of righteousness with the stabby end of the crook.

If the baddie has been remonstrated in some morally sound way, once they're around the corner, safe and alone, they may suffer doubt ? or perhaps he was only acting remorseful to escape, with no intention of repentance. Whether in habit or malice, the villain is poised to forget the moral lesson and do the exact same thing that got him in trouble. At which point, the DarkShepherd steps in.

The GoodShepherd is open about his heavenly intentions and arguments, but the Dark Shepherd sees evil in people. The Dark Shepherd targets that, often with threats and fear at the sheep's moment of doubt or descent to make the sheep come away from the edge of the cliff.

The Dark Shepherd can be evil. His point is that you shouldn't be. While his good counterpart has integrity, the Dark Shepherd has low expectations. Out of sympathy or disgust, he sees the sheep as a ego driven by pleasure/pain, incapable of learning, or perhaps just too addicted to bad behavior, too weak to make the right decision like a hero.

If the sheep won't do the right things for the right reasons, the Dark Shepherd gives an alternative.

A Dark Shepherd moment can be a transformation when a good character is made weak by a lapse of faith, resorting to evil methods (intimidation, insult, injury) to achieve an end. The underlying assumption can be dark: Good deeds aren't intrinsically satisfying enough. However, the Dark Shepherd may remain good and faithful if the assumption underlying his action is merciful: Good is hard to understand and choose at first, so in the meantime...

(Watch for common markers such as surprising the sheep alone with their conscience and giving incentive that a more moral character Good Shepherd is unable to give with integrity.

Do it for me is a mild, mostly good version of this, in which a less altruistic character is bribed with affection. The act shows a lack of integrity and a lack of confidence that good can speak for itself that is a mark of the Dark Shepherd mindset.