History Main / PlayingTheVictimCard

* ''{{Firefly}}'': Saffron does this to disarm Mal (quite literally) at the end of the episode "Trash". It's strongly implied that she's been carrying that card in her back pocket for a long time--and might even deserve it. Of course, her following actions sort of decrease our sympathy . . .
* [[{{Oz}} Oz.]] The supposed victim? [[spoiler:Clayton Hughes]]. After talking a to inmate Simon Adebisi, a sense of purpose births in [[spoiler:Hughes]]- racial politics. After attempting to [[spoiler:kill Governor Devlin]], he is sent to the very prison he originally worked at. His defense? He's a political prisoner set up by an unjust system. What happens after that? [[ItGotWorse Well...]]

* Dr. Wily at the end of most ''Game/MegaMan'' games.
** Often [[MegaManX genocidal]] [[MegaManZero mavericks]].

* The PC's love interest has this played on them in ''[[BaldursGate Baldur's Gate II: ThroneofBhaal]]'' [[spoiler: Of course, it's done by an undead monster to set up a rather brutal ambush.]]

* Ratigan does this in ''Disney/TheGreatMouseDetective'', lamenting on how, because of Basil, he hasn't had a moment's peace of mind in years. The "insufferable pipqueak" has ''ruined'' his [[SarcasmMode freedom to commit crimes]]!

* The PC's love interest has this played on them in [[''BaldursGateII: ThroneofBhaal'']] [[spoiler: Of course, it's done by an undead monster to set up a rather brutal ambush.]]

* Ratigan does this in ''TheGreatMouseDetective'', lamenting on how, because of Basil, he hasn't had a moment's peace of mind in years. The "insufferable pipqueak" has ''ruined'' his [[SarcasmMode freedom to commit crimes]]!

* Cartman does this all the freaking time on ''SouthPark''. Like when he actually convinced himself that ''he'', rather than Jimmy, invented the "Fishsticks Joke", and proceeded to get mad at Jimmy for trying to claim credit.
** Another example- After making fun of Wendy's breast cancer class report, Cartman went crying to Wendy's parents to keep her from beating the snot out of him. After that [[spoiler:he kept it up and got the snot beaten out of him anyway.]]

Whether the other characters believe the crocodile tears also depends on who they are. The naive, ignorant of the current situation will usually buy it. Characters who were there will know better. When a hoodwinked character realizes that they've been fooled, they will not be happy.

This may take the form of a FreudianExcuse if the villain legitimately believes what they're saying. See also WoundedGazelleGambit. Compare WhatIsEvil?

This can be played several ways. A ManipulativeBastard will describe a situation to make a third party think that the ManipulativeBastard is a good guy, and the ''real'' good guys are mean and evil and out to get him for no good reason. The JerkAss may legitimately believe the grievances - but the audience can usually recognize a pity party over self-inflicted wounds.

* ''{{Firefly}}'': Saffron does this to disarm Mal (quite literally) at the end of the episode "Trash".

* Shylock in ''The Merchant of Venice''. Note that most modern critics think Shylock [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation had a point]].

* Used to agitate Medaka in MedakaBox by Kumagawa as [[spoiler:after he and Zenkichi appeared to have died after their Student Council battle. However the events that cause their supposed death were due to Zenkichi actions so technically Kumagawa was the victim. Kumagawa made this statement after his powers brought him back though. Also, Zenkicki [[NotQuiteDead was brought back by someone else, though he wasn't dead.]]

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* In the first episode of ''DarkerThanBlack'', Chiaki discovers that two of her "friends" are Contractor special agents that are hunting her. When she starts running from them, one says that [[ItsAllAboutMe that's not very friendly of her]]. Given that Contractors are fairly emotionless, this amounts to "just because I'm an emotionless killer doesn't mean I don't have feelings", and thus isn't meant to be taken very seriously.
* Done by Villetta of CodeGeass, [[spoiler:when she claimed during the final episode that she just wanted somewhere to belong, even though her past was part of the Britannian royal unit and a proud racist]]. Potentially also [[spoiler:when she, alongside Ohgi, testifies against Lelouch on account of Geass leading up to the Black Knights' betrayal, even though she had earlier been keeping surveillance over Lelouch on behalf of Britannia as part of an attempt to keep him from his rebellion alongside the Black Knights, specifically because she couldn't be affected by Geass anymore and may have known more than what she was letting on]]. Played all too straight with Schneizel [[spoiler:that same episode when he claimed he could be under Lelouch's Geass and not know it]].
* Also pulled by [[spoiler: Yuzuha]] in the TenchiMuyo: ''Daughter of Darkness'' movie. Particularly jarring because [[spoiler: she]] does it [[spoiler: after cruelly killing her own "daughter", Mayuka, and mocking her friends's grief at her death. ]]

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** To [[IThoughtItMeant literally]] disarm him would be to cut off his arms.

** Often [[MegamanX genocidal]] [[MegamanZero mavericks]].

This can be played several ways. A ManipulativeBastard will describe a situation to make a third party think that the ManipulativeBastard is a good guy, nd the ''real'' good guys are mean and evil and out to get him for no good reason. The JerkAss may legitimately believe the grievances - but the audience can usually recognize a pity party over self-inflicted wounds.

* Dr. Wily at the end of most ''MegaMan'' games.

* This seems to be a common JaneAusten character -- the sociopathic ''LadySusan'' is so sick and tired of people ruining her plots, enlightening others about her lies, and disliking her once they find out how she mentally abuses her daughter and seduces married men. Why can't they just let her manipulate her {{Xanatos Sucker}}s in peace?

* The MostTriumphantExample has ''got'' to be Satan in ''ParadiseLost'' -- "triumphant," frighteningly, in the sense of "[[DracoInLeatherPants the tendency of people to buy it]]."

* The MostTriumphantExample has ''got'' to be Satan in ''ParadiseLost'' -- "triumphant," frighteningly, in the sense of "[[DracoInLeatherPants the tendency of people to believe him]]."

* One female serial killer attempted to pull this one in ''LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' by saying that she was raped so many times that she can't remember, but Detective Benson don't fall for it. She just makes fun of it by saying "''Right, and your mother died, and your dad beat ya''".

This may take the form of a FreudianExcuse if the villain legitimately believes what they're saying. See also WoundedGazelleGambit.

* Xemnas in ''KingdomHeartsII'' laments how he and the rest of Organization XIII had no other choice than to take the actions they did, but Sora says otherwise, and Xemnas drops the act and admits the truth. [[DracoInLeatherPants Not that the]] FanDumb [[DracoInLeatherPants ever listened...]]