History Main / DrunkOnTheDarkSide

* ''Fanfic/TouhouTheIronOfYinAndYang'': This is a natural side-effect of coming into contact with a [[SevenDeadlySins Gluttony Shard]]: it turns whomever taps into its power into TheUnfettered. Which is a ''major'' issue in a place in Gensokyo, which is effectively held together by its residents recognizing the importance of HoldingBackThePhlebotinum and ''not'' going all out.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** [[BigBad Palpatine]] really tears into Mace Windu with the Force lightning in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''. Also provides the now-iconic page quote.
** He later (InUniverse) pulls a repeat performance on Luke in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''.
** Being drunk on the Dark Side is considered [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dun_Moch a legitimate strategy among the Sith as a whole]].
** It's part and parcel of a Sith's power in the first place -- as opposed to the Jedi, who control the Force through serenity and self-discipline, a Sith unleashes it through raw, destructive emotion -- and as such, even a normally self-controlled Sith like the Emperor will go straight to LargeHam mode when using his powers. Add to this the chronic [[ProperlyParanoid justified paranoia]] about everyone around you due to their ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and KlingonPromotion as standard operating procedure. This also explains a lot as to why almost ''every'' Sith in the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse acts (and [[EvilMakesYouUgly looks]]) like they snorted a mountain of cocaine (or, in-universe, spice).

[[folder:Web Original]]

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' when [[spoiler:(somewhat) CoolOldLady Tree Trunks becomes Quartzion the Crystal Queen and]] attacks Finn & Jake, seemingly for no reason than she suddenly has power.
--> '''Jake:''' If I had a penny for every time someone went crazy while hopped up on magical power, I'd be UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln!

* In the Season 2 finale of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'', ComicBook/LexLuthor becomes this way [[spoiler:after merging with ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}.]] He mentions that in that state, he has power, and he likes it. Throughout season 3, he constantly tries to [[spoiler:reactivate Brainiac from a small piece of technology-covered rock]] to regain that feeling.

* PlayedForHorror in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars''; [[spoiler:after spending most of the fight evenly matched with Asajj Ventress, Anakin begins drawing on the Dark Side just as Ventress was about to strike the killing blow, thus disarming her of one lightsaber, force-pushing her, and grabbing said lightsaber with the Force. He then runs at her screaming in rage and proceeds to parry each move she makes, before she falls on her back and receives a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown from Anakin until the platform she's on breaks and falls into the abyss below, with Anakin letting out a final roar of rage. All of this is meant to show Anakin slipping into the Dark Side further and further, {{Foreshadowing}} him becoming Darth Vader.]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheAttackOfTheAnnihilator'', a resentful scientist called Kenneth Anderson runs a test on an alien rock and is exposed to odd energies which transfom him into some kind of psychic mutant. Immediately Anderson changes his name to "Annihilator" and starts ranting about being becoming an angry, punishing god as floating around and blasting buildings.
* ComicBook/MaryMarvel in ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis''. So much so she goes evil ''twice''.
* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': The page image is Hal Jordan in ''Emerald Twilight'', where he finally snaps due to being possessed by Parallax and goes on a rampage murdering other lanterns for their rings.
* ComicBook/{{Magneto}} tends to become pretty hammy and nuts whenever he goes full throttle with his powers. Then again, he commands absolute power over one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, took out entire Avengers teams (including the likes of ''Hercules and Thor''), and for a while in the early 90s was ''officially'' the most powerful character on Earth. That kind of power would give just about anyone a rush. It's also been implied that his magnetism powers make him ''[[{{Pun}} literally bipolar]]''.
* Happens in ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'', when Mega Man starts getting the Robot Masters' powers he starts to get increasingly cocky and arrogant, to the point where he declares himself invincible. This results in Dr. Light having to contain him while he throws what amounts to a super-powered temper tantrum. When he calms down, he's so horrified at his response that he asks Dr. Light [[BagOfSpilling to take them away]].

* The ComicBook/ScarletWitch in ''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled'' and ''ComicBook/HouseOfM''. As of ''ComicBook/AvengersTheChildrensCrusade'', she's fine again.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

** Superboy-Prime, starting with ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' and getting steadily worse thereafter.

* In the original ''ComicBook/{{The Transformers|Marvel}}'' comic book series, this happens to [[TheStarscream Starscream]] after he absorbs power from a mysterious satellite called the Underbase and becomes so strong that he's able to take on the combined might of both the Autobots and Decepticons combined and [[CurbStompBattle curbstomp them both]]. He's only defeated when Optimus Prime tricks him into absorbing the rest of the Underbase's power, which turns out to be [[ExplosiveOverclocking far too much]] for any single Transformer to hold.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': The White Magician is just so giddy about his new body and increased magical power that he brushes off Circe saying his magic is twisted and going to tear his body apart. He's in denial even as his magic kills him and leaves only a pile of ashes for his remains.
* ''Franchise/XMen'': Madelyne Pryor did this when she became the Goblyn Queen and tried to [[OffingTheOffspring sacrifice her own son]] to usher in a Hell on Earth.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' wizards who use BlackMagic (i.e. altering the [[BalefulPolymorph body]] or [[MindRape mind]] of another human, [[{{Necromancy}} tampering with the laws of life and death]], [[TimeIsDangerous travelling through time]], contacting [[EldritchAbomination Outsiders]], or just using magic as a murder weapon in any way) tend toward this. The magic subtly warps the wizard's mind so they'll want to use it again, and each usage warps them more until all traces of morality, and often sanity, are gone. Case in point; Molly Carpenter used magic to force her friends Rosie and Nelson to quit using drugs, since they were having a child together and she wanted to protect both them and their baby and save Rosie from having another miscarriage...but she unwittingly damaged their minds and souls in the process, and Nelson ends up being driven insane. Thanks to that, Molly's now constantly tempted by the prospect of magically reading or manipulating people's minds in order to get results. There's a ''reason'' breaking any of the Laws Of Magic is a big freakin' deal.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' wizards who use BlackMagic tend toward this. The magic subtly warps the wizard's mind so they'll want to use it again, and each usage warps them more until all traces of morality, and often sanity, are gone. Case in point; Molly Carpenter used magic to force her friends Rosie and Nelson to quit using drugs, since they were having a child together and she wanted to protect both them and their baby and save Rosie from having another miscarriage...but she unwittingly damaged their minds and souls in the process, and Nelson ends up being driven insane. Thanks to that, Molly's now constantly tempted by the prospect of magically reading or manipulating people's minds in order to get results. There's a ''reason'' breaking any of the Laws Of Magic is a big freakin' deal.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} storyline ''ComicBook/TheAttackOfTheAnnihilator'', a resentful scientist called Kenneth Anderson runs a test on an alien rock and is exposed to odd energies which transfom him into some kind of psychic mutant. Immediately Anderson changes his name to "Annihilator" and starts ranting about being becoming an angry, punishing god as floating around and blasting buildings.

Villains aren't ones to preach self control or restraint. They might understand and even use it to good effect, but in their blackest hearts they want to [[LargeHam live it up]] and [[ChewingTheScenery tear up the scenery]]... in this trope's case, ''literally''.

* In ''Fanfic/AtChirei'', Okuu remarks about how ''good'' it feels to fire off her ArmCannon, hinting at how she'll eventually grow [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity obsessed with her own power]].