History Main / HighOnHomicide

[[caption-width-right:317:[[BloodSplatteredWarrior Reveling in the blood]] of the [[AssholeVictim pedophile]] {{Yakuza}} [[TheDon boss]] [[YouKilledMyFather who orphaned her]].]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Literature/VattasWar'': Kylara Vatta discovers, after [[ItGetsEasier she kills for the first time]] in [[KillingInSelfDefense self-defense]], that [[SmitingEvilFeelsGood she gets a thrill of victory from doing it]]--something that recurs throughout the series and she considers [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil similar to a drug addiction]] she has to [[HeroicWillpower avoid feeding if possible]].

* ''Anime/TokyoGhoul'' is effectively built around this trope, with many of the bad (and on occasion even the ''good'') Ghouls murdering huge amounts of humans for the fun of it. This is one of the more justified examples as Ghouls need to eat human flesh to survive, but on rare occasion, it's this trope played straight.

** As quoted above, Keiichi in the ''Tatarigoroshi'' arc recalls no visceral reaction to [[KnightTemplarBigBrother having finished off Satoko's]] [[AbusiveParents abusive uncle Teppei]]. He notes instead a sublime comfort [[PartlyCloudyWithAChanceOfDeath beneath the heavy rain]].

* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': The title SerialKillerKiller gets a rush out of killing -- one of [[EmotionlessGirl the few emotions he ever feels]] -- and [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil likens it to an addiction]], complete with withdrawal symptoms. He's often shown sighing in relief after claiming another victim.

* ''Anime/TokyoGhoul'' is effectively built around this trope, with many of the bad (and on occasion even the ''good'') Ghouls murdering huge amounts of humans for the fun of it. This is one of the more justified examples as Ghouls need to eat human flesh to survive, but on rare occasion it's this trope played straight.

* ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'': An eventual revelation of the Shun-Leep School of SupernaturalMartialArts (which is used by various heroes) is that it has a series of forbidden techniques called "The Killing Blows" -- they are so powerful that are a near-OneHitKill TouchOfDeath (and pretty violent, at that), but the side-effect in the user's body is a heroin-like euphoria that is incredibly addictive, which leads people who use the Killing Blows to eventually become hyper-violent BloodKnight types and even the occasional SerialKiller. This plot point overall is a double-barreled ShoutOut to the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' Satsu No Hado and ''Franchise/StarWars''' Dark Side of the Force (never let it be said that Fred Perry doesn't knows how to apply his ReferenceOverdosed).
* ''ComicBook/SinCity'': According to Patrick Henry Roark, Kevin [[{{Confessional}} came to him with guilt]] over murdering and [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalizing]] [[DisposableSexWorker prostitutes]], despite feeling in it "the touch of God Almighty." This led the cardinal to [[SinisterMinister not only cover up his crimes, but join him in them as well]].

* O-Ren Ishii during the anime sequence of ''Film/KillBill'' (see image). Satisfied with [[YouKilledMyFather the vengeance she got for her parents]], she tilts her head back and blissfully sucks in a deep breath. When the late Boss Matsumoto's subordinates arrive on scene, all she can do [[DelayedReaction at first]] is flick her narrowed pupils their way in a look of ''[[DullSurprise Oh, it's you...]]''

* {{Invoked}} in the first vignette of ''Series/BlackMirror: [[VignetteEpisode Black Museum]]'', which features a doctor with a prototype implant that let's him [[ElectronicTelepathy feel the the pains of others]] to help him make better diagnoses. While it worked wonderfully, the implant malfunctioned after he was reading somebody as they expired, causing him to start feeling pain as addictive pleasure (which was explicitly compared to a drug). After habituating, he eventually resorted to torturing a guy to death and had the high of his life and then fell into a coma. In the "present day" of the story, the doctor is still comatose and awaiting trial.

* The {{Roguelike}} ''[[http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Serial_Killer Serial Killer]]'' features a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin serial killer]] whose homicidal urges have to be fulfiled by emptying the [[SanityMeter bloodlust bar]], lest the player became an OmnicidalManiac.
* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', [[OutWithABang Ardat-Yakshi]], asari with a rare genetic disorder, are considered dangerous because they experience this trope in a very literal way. Asari reproduce by mentally linking with their partner's nervous system to read their DNA and use it to randomize their own. When an Ardat-Yakshi does this, she causes a brain hemorrhage, with the most extreme cases of the condition causing instant death to their partners. The feedback from doing this causes a narcotic effect that proves extremely addictive, and the ones who turn into serial killers leave behind astronomical body counts in their never ending quest to experience this high as much as possible.

Since the notoriety of more recent real-life killers can deeply affect their victims' loved ones, '''''please'' [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement be cautious when adding Real-Life examples]]!'''

* In ''Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'', when the eponymous Witch kills the eponymous Lion, she has a brief expression of clear euphoria on her face, complete with closed eyes. It's unclear whether this is typical for her or if it's just due to this one specific kill, but she definitely takes an excessive amount of good feeling from the act.

** [[spoiler:Rena]] experiences a deep fulfillment in [[spoiler:''Tsumihoroboshi-hen'']], having killed [[spoiler:the woman who had conned her father in a [[HoneyTrap "badger game."]]]] Of course, [[spoiler:Rina/Ritsuko]] was about to kill [[spoiler:''her'']] [[HeKnowsTooMuch for knowing too much]], so it was ''technically'' [[KillingInSelfDefense self-defense]]...though try gauging that from [[spoiler:Rena]][[SmitingEvilFeelsGood 's reaction]].

Compare EvilFeelsGood and SmitingEvilFeelsGood, with either of which this may overlap. May lead to ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil if the killer chases this high again. Contrast LaughingMad, which is [[AxCrazy Ax-Crazier]] (though that certainly may follow this trope); BloodLust, where the ecstasy is fairly sexual but not necessarily derived from killing; BloodKnight, where the fight is enjoyed as much as (or more than) the kill; and DissonantSerenity, where the killer is this calm ''during'' the struggle. Not to be confused with TranquilFury, which wouldn't kill a fly but is no less terrifying. Frequently combined with BloodIsTheNewBlack.

* Though Dr. Franchise/HannibalLecter's kills in the ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' [[Series/{{Hannibal}} TV series]] more often exemplify DissonantSerenity, some of them -- such as of [[spoiler:his old colleague Dr. Sutcliffe]] -- show him overtaken by tranquility specifically ''after'' his work is done. Then, of course, there's the whole [[ImAHumanitarian cooking-them-for-yourself]]-and-[[TheSecretOfLongPorkPies for-unwitting-guests]] bit.

* Though Dr. Franchise/HannibalLecter's kills in the ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' [[Series/{{Hannibal}} TV series]] more often exemplify DissonantSerenity, some of them -- such as of [[spoiler:his old colleague Dr. Sutcliffe]] -- show him overtaken by tranquility specifically ''after'' his work is done.

* ''Literature/VattasWar'': Kylara Vatta discovers after [[ItGetsEasier she kills for the first time]] [[KillingInSelfDefense in self-defense]] [[SmitingEvilFeelsGood that she gets a thrill of victory from doing it]]--something that recurs throughout the series and she considers [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil similar to a drug addiction]] she has to [[HeroicWillpower avoid feeding if possible]].

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]
* O-Ren Ishii during the anime sequence of ''Film/KillBill'' (see image). Satisfied with [[YouKilledMyFather the vengeance she got for her parents]], she tilts her head back and blissfully sucks in a deep breath. When the late Boss Matsumoto's subordinates arrive on scene, all she can do [[DelayedReaction at first]] is flick her narrowed pupils their way in a look of ''[[DullSurprise Oh, it's you...]]''

* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': The titular SerialKillerKiller gets a rush out of killing -- one of [[EmotionlessGirl the few emotions he ever feels]] -- and [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil likens it to an addiction]], complete with withdrawal symptoms. He's often shown sighing in relief after claiming another victim.
* Though Dr. Franchise/HannibalLecter's kills in the ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' [[Series/{{Hannibal}} TV series]] more often exemplify DissonantSerenity, some of them--such as of [[spoiler:his old colleague Dr. Sutcliffe]]--show him overtaken by tranquility specifically ''after'' his work is done.

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry''

[[folder:Western Comics]]
* ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'': An eventual revelation of the Shun-Leep School of SupernaturalMartialArts (which is used by various heroes) is that it has a series of forbidden techniques called "The Killing Blows" -- they are so powerful that are a near-OneHitKill TouchOfDeath (and pretty violent, at that), but the side-effect in the user's body is a heroin-like euphoria that is incredibly addictive, which leads people who use the Killing Blows to eventually become hyper-violent BloodKnight types and even the occasional SerialKiller. This plot point overall is a double-barreled ShoutOut to the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' Satsu No Hado and ''Franchise/StarWars''' Dark Side of the Force (never let it be said that Fred Perry doesn't knows how to apply his ReferenceOverdosed).
[[/folder]]

Compare EvilFeelsGood and SmitingEvilFeelsGood, with either of which this may overlap. May lead to ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil if the killer chases this high again. Contrast LaughingMad, which is [[AxCrazy Ax-Crazier]] (though that certainly may follow this trope); BloodLust, where the ecstasy is fairly sexual but not necessarily derived from killing; BloodKnight, where the fight is enjoyed as much as (or more than) the kill; and DissonantSerenity, where the killer is this calm ''during'' the struggle. Not to be confused with TranquilFury, which wouldn't kill a fly but is no less terrifying.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The mentally unstable King Otto of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies Bavaria]] supposedly shot a peasant every morning to keep himself in a good mood for the rest of the day. [[ShroudedInMyth Or rather]], he would shoot a (blank-loaded) gun at [[SycophanticServant a servant dressed in peasant clothes, who dutifully screamed and collapsed to the ground]].
[[/folder]]

* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', [[OutWithABang Ardat-Yakshi]], asari with a rare genetic disorder, are considered dangerous because they experience this trope in a very literal way. Asari reproduce by mentally linking with their partner's nervous system to read their DNA and use it to randomize their own. When an Ardat-Yakshi does this, she causes a brain hemorrhage, with the most extreme cases of the condition causing instant death to any an all partners. The feedback from doing this causes a narcotic effect that proves extremely addictive, and the ones who turn into serial killers leave behind astronomical body counts in their never ending quest to experience this high as much as possible.

* As quoted above, Keiichi in the ''Tatarigoroshi'' arc of ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' recalls no visceral reaction to [[KnightTemplarBigBrother having finished off Satoko's]] [[AbusiveParents abusive uncle Teppei]]. He notes instead a sublime comfort [[PartlyCloudyWithAChanceOfDeath beneath the heavy rain]].

[[/folder]]

* O-Ren Ishii during the anime sequence of ''Film/KillBill'' (see image). Satisfied with [[YouKilledMyFather the vengeance she got for her parents]], she tilts her head back and blissfully sucks in a deep breath. When the late Boss Matsumoto's subordinates arrive on scene, all she can do [[DelayedReaction at first]] is flick her narrowed pupils their way in a look of ''Oh, it's you...''

* The {{Roguelike}} ''[[http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Serial_Killer Serial Killer]]'' features a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin serial killer]] whose homicidal urges have to be fulfiled by emptying the [[SanityBar bloodlust bar]], lest the player became an OmnicidalManiac.

** [[spoiler:Rena]] experiences a deep fulfillment in [[spoiler:''Tsumihoroboshi-hen'']], having killed [[spoiler:the woman who had conned her father in a [[HoneyTrap "badger game."]]]] Of course, [[spoiler:Rina/Ritsuko]] was about to kill [[spoiler:''her'']] [[HeKnowsTooMuch for knowing too much]], so it was ''technically'' self-defense...though try gauging that from [[spoiler:Rena]][[SmitingEvilFeelsGood 's reaction]].

* ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'': An eventual revelation of the Shun-Leep School of SupernaturalMartialArts (which is used by various heroes) is that it has a series of forbidden techniques called "The Killing Blows" -- they are so powerful that are a near-OneHitKill TouchOfDeath (and pretty violent, at that), but the side-effect in the user's body is a heroin-like euphoria that is incredibly addictive, which leads people who use the Killing Blows to eventually become hyper-violent BloodKnight types and even the occasional SerialKiller. This plot point overall is a double-barreled ShoutOut to the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' Satsu No Hado and ''Franchise/StarWars''' Dark Side of the Force (never let it be said that Fred Perry doesn't knows how to apply his ReferencedOverload).

Compare EvilFeelsGood and SmitingEvilFeelsGood, with either of which this may overlap. May lead to ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil if the killer chases this high again. Contrast LaughingMad, which is {{Ax Craz|y}}ier (though that certainly may follow this trope); BloodLust, where the ecstasy is fairly sexual but not necessarily derived from killing; BloodKnight, where the fight is enjoyed as much as (or more than) the kill; and DissonantSerenity, where the killer is this calm ''during'' the struggle. Not to be confused with TranquilFury, which wouldn't kill a fly but is no less terrifying.