History Main / LightDarknessJuxtaposition

* The conflict between light and darkness and a theme throughout ''VideoGame/ChildOfLight'', where the player character, [[MeaningfulName Aurora]], is a light-using young heroine opposing the forces of Umbra, Queen of the Night, who has stolen the sun, moon, and stars.

Darkness is the absence of light, and light cannot exist without darkness. The dichotomy between the two has been part of human storytelling for [[OlderThanDirt a very long time]]--many {{Creation Myth}}s often involve light emerging from darkness, and many destruction myths involve darkness engulfing light. Light and darkness also have many other symbolic means across many cultures. Thus, it is not uncommon for stories to visually, literally, or metaphorically juxtapose the two, often associating them with real-world notions (eg. LightIsGood, DarkIsEvil) of light and dark. Shadow can be treated as more or less the same as darkness, or a mixture of both light and dark.

A contrast between {{Heaven}} and {{Hell}} will likely have some of this mixed in. CueTheSun functions as this, with the daylight symbolizing a new beginning after an arduous night. See also NiceDayDeadlyNight. The EvilCounterpart might be the "dark" version of something. LightFeminineDarkFeminine is this trope applied to femininity. NightAndDayDuo is another related trope which pairs a light-themed 'day' character with a (usually) dark-themed "night" character.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and [[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar the sequel]], where your glowing spectral elf companion is referred to as "the Bright Lord" and the "Bright Master" and opposes Sauron or Shelob, who personify DarkIsEvil. Although he starts out well-intentioned, if CreepyGood, he gradually becomes NotSoDifferent from Sauron.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': the God of Light is the older brother and responsible for the creation of life, which the God of Darkness despised and set about destroying, even creating the Creatures of Grimm to achieve this. While they formed a truce by creating humanity together, Light receives the worship and adoration of humanity while humanity fears and avoids Dark. The two domains in which they dwell reflect their differences. Light lives atop a mountain, surrounded by golden plants, and is a welcoming place to visit. Dark's domain in in a realm of endless darkness where fearsome Grimm roam and skeletons of humans who died lie scattered. The God of Darkness's jealousy over the God of Light's relationship with humanity leaves him vulnerable to [[BigBad Salem's]] manipulations, setting the world of Remnant on course for a tragic catastrophe.

* ''WebVideo/NightMind'': In the video about ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'', Nick ended up crossing over with a morning radio host named Day Brain, or David (played by David from ''Midnight Marinara''). While Nick specializes in dark media and analysis, David was interested in gushing about media that made him happy. They argued over ''Night Vale'' at first, but were eventually able to meet each-other in the middle and realize they were NotSoDifferent.

* Done in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' with [[DarkIsNotEvil Raven]] and [[LightIsNotGood Doctor Light]]. To date, Raven -- a demon's daughter who dresses in dark colors and uses dark-themed magic -- is one of the few things that the light-based supervillain is terrified of. Having been dragged into her dark dimension once before, he would rather surrender and be jailed than having to face her again.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and [[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar the sequel]], where your glowing spectral elf companion is referred to as "the Bright Lord" and the "Bright Master" and opposes Sauron or Shelob, who personify DarkIsEvil. Although he starts out well-intentioned, if CreepyGood, he gradually becomes NotSoDifferent from Sauron.
--> '''Orc you just dominated''': Eh, Bright Lord, Dark Lord, same thing, really.

** This becomes literal in the ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' saga with the [[Characters/GreenLanternBlackAndWhiteCorps White Lanterns and Black Lanterns]], who also overlap with LifeDeathJuxtaposition. The Black Lanterns devour the other Lanterns' light, and their leader is Nekron, who is the shadow cast by the light of life and emotion. He believes that the natural state of the universe is darkness and death. Naturally, this is countered by the White Entity, who empowers White Lanterns.

** In ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'', this trope is taken UpToEleven in the "Doomwood Saga" where it's established that each of the elements possesses [[TheChampion champion]], with Artix being one of said Champions. But in an ironic twist, it's revealed Artix is the [[DarkIsNotEvil Champion of Darkness]] and he was created to end the world (though [[AntiAntiChrist he refused this destiny]]). Further revelations then establish that Sepulchure's daughter, Gravelyn, who stepped up as Empress of the Shadowscythe after her father's demise, is the [[LightIsNotGood Champion of Light]]. NatureVersusNurture again arises, where both Champions defy their chosen destines and choose to go in the opposite direction, with Artix fighting for good and Gravelyn continuing her path of evil.

Light and dark can easily be treated as opposing cosmic forces. The BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil and the LowestCosmicDenominator traditionally associate [[LightIsGood light with goodness]] and [[DarkIsEvil darkness with evil]], although LightIsNotGood and DarkIsNotEvil are the increasingly common subversions to that. And since they are diametric opposites, when light and darkness clash it is generally a YinYangClash, and when people use both it's a YinYangBomb. Alternatively, ElementalRockPaperScissors will more often than not have light defeat darkness, since LightIsGood. There's a reason DarkestHour is named so; "a light in the dark" is a phrase often used to symbolize [[HopeSpringsEternal hope]]--see LightEqualsHope.

* ''Manga/KurokoNoBasuke'': This contrast is present in the dynamic between Kuroko and Kagami, as well as Kuroko and Aomine. Kuroko is a 'shadow' player who is nigh-invisible on the court; he focuses on supporting flashy 'light' players like Aomine and Kagami instead of making himself shown.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''
** The main Fey Courts are those of Summer and Winter. The lead Summer Queen Titania is called the Queen of Light, while her opposite, Queen Mab is called, among other names, the Queen of Air and Darkness. Summer is seen as a warm and inviting court. Winter is filled with darker creatures, the monsters of nightmares. That said, while Mab can be a vicious monster who would destroy a whole town if one person dares to draw a weapon against her, she is [[TheSpock cold, calculating, and logical]]. If one has a good logical reason to act and she sees it is in her best interests, then she won't take issue with it. Titania is a follower of her [[TheMcCoy emotions and heart]]. If one injures her or one she cares about for a logical reason, she won't give a shit and seek to kill the person. Even if that injury had to happen to save the world.
** Uriel and Anduriel. ArchangelUriel, whose name translates to "God is my Light", is one of the strongest soldiers in God's army and strategist. A cunning being who will always aim for three birds with one stone. His purview is the protection of humanity's Freewill from forces who would corrupt or lie to humans. He is also Heaven's wetwork agent. If a job needs to be done and it comes down to pushing the line of Freewill, it is his job because he knows where the line is.[[note]]In one story he doesn't commit to knowing whether or not a human spirit who helps him was deliberately vague and made a lie of omission to Harry to spur Harry into action. This resulted in several dominoes falling that stopped a very evil human from coming back to life and be sent to hell, a man who saw himself a coward find courage to save a young girl, saved a young girl from her own guilt, saved some street orphans from their cruel leader. And placed Harry in a place of strength when dealing with Queen Mab. Uriel acts offended and shocked, but it isn't clear if he just looked the other way to make sure he doesn't know.[[/note]]. His opposite, Anduriel, is one of the Fallen who served Lucifer in the War. He holds the moniker the Master of Shadows, and the spymaster for his side. He exists in the shadow of his human host, Nicodemus Archleone, and can control it too.
* ''Literature/TheLicaniusTrilogy''[[DownplayedTrope Downplays]] this despite being a High Fantasy series. Darkness is invoked as the main motif of most antagonists, but the main characters actually use ''dark'' powers to save others. Similarly, LightIsNotGood, as the BigBad convinces its supporters by using light as a primary motif.

* The Vorlons and Shadows of ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'' appear at first to embody this trope, before getting a little bit more complicated, eventually falling into a combination of {{Light is Not Good}} and {{Jerkass has a Point}}.
* ''Series/CloakAndDagger2018'', based on the comic of the same name, features two superheroes: Tandy, who has LightEmUp abilities, and Tyrone with his CastingAShadow powers.

* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', the true form of {{God}} is a [[PillarOfLight pillar of blinding light]]. His archangel children are also able to take on this form although the angels [[LightIsNotGood aren't exactly explicitly good]], especially [[SatanicArchetype Lucifer]]. Meanwhile, TheAntiGod is the Darkness who is a literal mass of LivingShadow.

* the BattleCouple of Karolina Dean and Nico Minoru from ''Series/{{Runaways|2017}}''. Karolina is an [[HalfHumanHybrid alien-human hybrid]] who can transform into a being of light. Nico is a teenage LadyOfBlackMagic who dresses in dark clothing and whose powers manifest in black circles around her eyes. [[spoiler: When Tandy and Ty from ''Cloak and Dagger'' mentioned above]] guest starred in ''Runaways'', Tandy even made a comparison between Nico and Karoline's dynamic with her and Ty's.

* It's right in the title of John Legend's album "Darkness and Light". In the titular song, he mentions the juxtaposition along many other opposites when describing two lovers becoming one.

Because of its ubiquity, a light and darkness contrast can be lent to any number of DuoTropes. A character with LightEmUp or HolyHandGrenade powers can have a {{Foil}}, enemy, counterpart, or [[ElementalRivalry rival]] in a character who uses CastingAShadow or TheSacredDarkness. A BroodingBoyGentleGirl duo or an {{Angel Devil Ship|ping}} might have appropriate light and dark motifs.

* From ''Manga/BlackClover'', Licht is the Light to Yami's Darkness, which is highlighted when they fight. Licht uses Light Magic to form light blades and move at incredible speed. Yami uses Dark Magic, which is slow to cast spells, to envelop his katana and unleash beams of darkness. Licht is a polite bishōnen who leads the Eye of the Midnight Sun, a group of terrorists who want to destroy the Clover Kingdom. Yami is a crude hunk who's the captain of the Black Bulls, a squad of social misfits who're much more moral than they seem.

* ''Disney/TheLionKing'' contrasts the brightly-lit, beautiful Pride Lands with the Elephant Graveyard, a shadowy, miserable wasteland. Simba and Mufasa's rule is generally associated with light (eg. the NaturalSpotlight when a new heir is born, the the warm light that surrounds Simba when he arrives to reclaim the throne, their own red-and-gold color scheme); meanwhile, when the dark-colored [[EvilUncle Scar]] usurps the throne, the Pride Lands are cast in shadow.

** The religion generally ascribes God and Jesus to light, and refers to Satan as the Prince of Darkness, among other things.

** ''VideoGame/ALinkToThePast'' has the DarkWorld, a darker parallel counterpart to the Light World.

* the BattleCouple of Karolina Dean and Nico Minoru from ''Series/{{Runaways|2017}}''. Karolina is an [[HalfHumanHybrid alien-human hybrid]] who can transform into a being of light. Nico is a teenage LadyOfBlackMagic who dresses in dark clothing and whose powers manifest in black circles around her eyes.

* Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/{{Batman}}. While neither actually wields light and darkness as their powers, this is reflected in their personalities and visuals. Superman is an optimistic super-powered alien who dresses in [[PrimaryColorChampion primary colors]] while Batman is a cynical antihero normal human who dresses in black and grey.