History Main / EvilIsEasy

* [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan''. It's revealed that Garou, the so-called Hero Killer is [[spoiler: actually a NobleDemon who actually wants the world to be at peace and to the heroes to actually be {{Ideal Hero}}es. However, to Garou, it was alot easier trying to bring world peace by being an all-powerful evil monster, because all he had to do was beat heroes and in his mind, humanity would unite against him. Saitama even notes that the approach is perfect for someone "with no confidence like him." Saitama then tells him that Garou would never win because his half-hearted "monster hobby" would never be able to stand up against the full-hearted conviction of Saitama's "hero hobby." Garou crumbles out of his demonic transformation as Saitama not only manhandles him, but picks apart the mentality of the whole thing, leaving Garou defeated]] Evil Is Easy? Usually is. Will you get the prize that you ''actually'' want? Not necessarily. Will you even succeed? Not guranteed, especially since [[MiseryBuildsCharacter the harder and longer route tends to make you stronger in the long run.]] Ultimately, [[BeingEvilSucks Garou is left powerless by his own lack of confidence and that he took the easy way out.]]

** {{Downplayed}} in that evil is ''very'' wasteful. Lumber (needed for building ''everything'') is slow to grow and there's often not much of it. Fireballing the enemy village may look cool and get a lot of short-term belief, but wastes resources that you could otherwise reinvest.

* ''VideoGame/TheSuffering'' games give you a handful of simple moral choices, usually by introducing [=NPCs=] who depend on you for their lives. If you want to be a murderous villain, all you have to do is blow them away as soon as they stop speaking. If you want the good guy points, you usually have to protect them as they stumble through the halls of a haunted prison. Fail to save them from the unholy abominations and you don't even get points for trying. However, most of your companions are decent fighters, even if they don't check their fire for you (particularly the dynamite guy), and neutral is an ending unto itself.

* ''VideoGame/PeretEmHeruForThePrisoners'': Soji Mizumi makes the game much easier by being [[PurposelyOverpowered perhaps the most powerful teammate]] you can optionally have on you, with high starting stats, two skills inflicting immensely helpful status effects, and a third capable of delivering a OneHitKill on enemies. Soji Mizumi is also an ImmoralJournalist [[spoiler:and SerialRapist]], and [[TokenEvilTeammate unlike all of the other teammates]], is completely unapologetic about his vices.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars:''
** Several mentor figures refer to TheDarkSide as "the easy path." The Sith have a similar opinion of the Jedi, and in the EU often call the Jedi weak (or stupid, or both) for not succumbing to its lure. In light of the fact that the Sith are historically [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder the less fortunate of the two]], the latter view does have some substance.
** {{Inverted|Trope}} with Kylo Ren in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', since he wants to follow the Dark Side but is tempted by the Light Side, and his main rival Rey is his equal, if not potentially his superior, despite being far less versed in the Light Side and training in general. This is ironic because his being tempted by love is broadly the same thing that was always giving trouble to the old-fashioned Jedi, who thought they should be stoically emotionless (though the ''older'' iterations of the Jedi weren't as restrictive with emotions).
* From ''Film/ThreeHundred'': "Unlike the cruel [[TheHero Leonidas]], who required that you stand, I ask only that you {{kneel|BeforeZod}}."
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* This is mainly the reason why not only is [[SevenDeadlySins Sloth considered a Deadly Sin]], but why it's the ''penultimate one'' in terms of severity, (beaten only by {{Pride}}). Beyond Sloth meaning they are not doing anything constructive nor contributing positively to society, but their Sloth means they are either letting evil deeds be done when they can stop them, but choose not to and or are doing evil actions themselves because it is easier for them to do so rather than perform good actions for their goals. Best summed up in this quote:

Evil, on the other hand, offers you her fruits with seductive ease. One squeeze of the trigger, one slash of the sword, one cutting remark, and you've won her approval. Evil presents the hero with an easy, obstacle-free path to riches and rewards. There's a reason CuttingTheKnot is a thing, why the ConMan can trick his mark, and why [[DealWithTheDevil people still accept a devil's bargain]].

** Ironically, the [[BigGood Emperor of Mankind]] himself is revealed to be very prone to this. In particular, much of the blame for the Horus Heresy can be attributed to his willingness to leave clearly dangerous or unstable individuals in power, like several of the Traitor Primarchs, creating the conditions that would lead to them being that way, and generally crushing anyone who did not immediately and totally capitulate him because it was the quickest option for getting results.