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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really [[AssholeVictim hard to feel sorry]] [[KickThatSonOfABitch for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands]].
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really [[AssholeVictim hard to feel sorry]] [[KickThatSonOfABitch [[KickTheSonOfABitch for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands]].
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really [[AssholeVictim hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands]].
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really [[AssholeVictim hard to feel sorry sorry]] [[KickThatSonOfABitch for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands]].
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands.
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting “plug it up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig’s blood on her right after she’s crowned. After that, it’s really [[AssholeVictim hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie’s hands.hands]].
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* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Subverted in "Reunion". Liz considered herself a MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold in high school who coped with harassment by the AlphaBitch and her posse by making witty remarks. At her reunion, she discovers that her constant put downs had actually caused everyone at her school to see her as The Bully and hate her. Meanwhile, the supposed AlphaBitch was actually a nice person who tried to reach out and befriend her ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome turns out her friendliness was actually why she was so popular in the first place]]). She even had to go therapy to cope with the emotional abuse Liz inflicted on her.
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* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Subverted in "Reunion"."[[Recap/ThirtyRockS3E5Reunion Reunion]]". Liz considered herself a MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold in high school who coped with harassment by the AlphaBitch and her posse by making witty remarks. At her reunion, she discovers that her constant put downs had actually caused everyone at her school to see her as The Bully and hate her. Meanwhile, the supposed AlphaBitch was actually a nice person who tried to reach out and befriend her ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome turns out her friendliness was actually why she was so popular in the first place]]). She even had to go therapy to cope with the emotional abuse Liz inflicted on her.
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One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool -- if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
In most works of fiction, the popular kids at high school, or even junior high school, are made up of [[BeautyIsBad good-looking but mean-spirited bullies]] who delight in tormenting the dorks and dweebs they attend class with, whether it's beating them up for lunch money or homework answers, or humiliating them for petty slights.
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his “tighty-whitey” briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
In most works of fiction, the popular kids at high school, or even junior high school, are made up of [[BeautyIsBad good-looking but mean-spirited bullies]] who delight in tormenting the dorks and dweebs they attend class with, whether it's beating them up for lunch money or homework answers, or humiliating them for petty slights.
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his “tighty-whitey” briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
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One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool fiction -- if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
In most worksminions. The legions of fiction, the popular kids at high school, or even junior high school, are made up of [[BeautyIsBad good-looking but mean-spirited bullies]] who delight in tormenting the dorks and dweebs they attend class with, whether it's beating around them up for lunch money or homework answers, or humiliating them for petty slights.
in [[TeensAreMonsters despicable ways]].
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while theygive stuff some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his “tighty-whitey” briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
In most works
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they
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If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly unhappy]], because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life if you don't comply.
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventually decide they're fed up with being treated like trash and overthrow the popular kids to free the school of their tyranny. If [[InWithTheInCrowd one of the unpopular kids becomes popular]], they will snub and maybe even bully their old dorky friends, either from AcquiredSituationalNarcissism or [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil out of pressure from their new cool friends]].
Once they fall out with the popular crowd, [[ResetButton they will revert back to their kind, good-natured self]]. In fact, many cool kids who become unpopular in works end up becoming much nice and happier as a result, so many times in fact, that the moral of the story can usually be summed up to "Popularity corrupts people, [[CelebrityIsOverrated so it's better to be a loser]]."
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top. Probably stems from WriteWhatYouKnow. A lot of people who end up in creative roles were low on the popularity totem pole during their high school years and often project their resentment about being looked down on by "popular" students into their adult creations.
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventually decide they're fed up with being treated like trash and overthrow the popular kids to free the school of their tyranny. If [[InWithTheInCrowd one of the unpopular kids becomes popular]], they will snub and maybe even bully their old dorky friends, either from AcquiredSituationalNarcissism or [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil out of pressure from their new cool friends]].
Once they fall out with the popular crowd, [[ResetButton they will revert back to their kind, good-natured self]]. In fact, many cool kids who become unpopular in works end up becoming much nice and happier as a result, so many times in fact, that the moral of the story can usually be summed up to "Popularity corrupts people, [[CelebrityIsOverrated so it's better to be a loser]]."
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top. Probably stems from WriteWhatYouKnow. A lot of people who end up in creative roles were low on the popularity totem pole during their high school years and often project their resentment about being looked down on by "popular" students into their adult creations.
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At some point, you have to wonder how these people got popular in the first place, or if even they can even be called that since "popular" literally means "liked by many".
If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretlyunhappy]], because unhappy]]. Because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life if you don't comply.
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventuallydecide they're get fed up with being treated like trash and overthrow the popular kids to free the school of their tyranny. If [[InWithTheInCrowd one of the unpopular kids becomes popular]], they will snub and maybe even bully their old dorky friends, either from AcquiredSituationalNarcissism or [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil out of pressure from their new cool friends]].
friends]]. Once they fall out with the popular crowd, [[ResetButton they will revert back to their kind, good-natured self]]. In fact, many cool kids who become unpopular in works fiction end up becoming much nice and happier as a result, so many times in fact, that result; the moral of the story can usually some stories could be summed up to as "Popularity corrupts people, [[CelebrityIsOverrated so it's better to be a loser]]."
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top.Probably stems It could also stem from WriteWhatYouKnow. A lot of people who end up in creative roles were low on the popularity totem pole during their high school years and often project their resentment about being looked down on by "popular" students into their adult creations.
If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventually
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top.
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* Zig-zagged in ''Literature/{{Dark Angel|1996}}''. Gillian comes to realize a lot of the popular kids at her school are shallow, backstabbing and self-absorbed jerks who are only even nice to ''each other'' when it suits them. Angel encourages Gillian to be ruthless when trying get InWithTheInCrowd. However, Gillian also discovers a few of the popular kids aren't bad people and have HiddenDepths. [[spoiler:When Gillian stops pursuing popularity, she says she would still enjoy hanging out with a few of them and comes to regard one girl as a genuine friend, but isn't that bothered about the rest]]. Gillian is surprised that despite her popularity, no one truly likes [[AcademicAlphaBitch Tanya]] much; conversely, [[BigManOnCampus David]] is also popular and is genuinely liked by almost everyone for his kindness and approachability.
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[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/TheChroniclesOfWormwood'': Early in the story, Danny is faced with an obnoxious journalist. Wondering what it was that drove her to be that way, he delves into her mind... and finds a memory of the journalist in high school, reduced to tears while picking up her school things from the ground and being mocked by other students. Unfortunately, when he reads people's minds it also brings up that memory for them. The interview ends right there, with Danny feeling appropriately guilty.
[[/folder]]
* ''ComicBook/TheChroniclesOfWormwood'': Early in the story, Danny is faced with an obnoxious journalist. Wondering what it was that drove her to be that way, he delves into her mind... and finds a memory of the journalist in high school, reduced to tears while picking up her school things from the ground and being mocked by other students. Unfortunately, when he reads people's minds it also brings up that memory for them. The interview ends right there, with Danny feeling appropriately guilty.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Film: Live-Action]]
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If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly unhappy]], because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life of you don't comply.
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If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly unhappy]], because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life of if you don't comply.
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* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Brutally subverted in "Reunion". Liz considered herself a MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold in high school who coped with harassment by the AlphaBitch and her posse by making witty remarks. At her reunion, she discovers that her constant put downs had actually caused everyone at her school to see her as The Bully and hate her. Meanwhile, the supposed AlphaBitch was actually a nice person who tried to reach out and befriend her ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome turns out her friendliness was actually why she was so popular in the first place]]). She even had to go therapy to cope with the emotional abuse Liz inflicted on her.
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* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Brutally subverted Subverted in "Reunion". Liz considered herself a MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold in high school who coped with harassment by the AlphaBitch and her posse by making witty remarks. At her reunion, she discovers that her constant put downs had actually caused everyone at her school to see her as The Bully and hate her. Meanwhile, the supposed AlphaBitch was actually a nice person who tried to reach out and befriend her ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome turns out her friendliness was actually why she was so popular in the first place]]). She even had to go therapy to cope with the emotional abuse Liz inflicted on her.
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Meanwhile, the popular girls form a GirlPosse, led by the AlphaBitch, using their beauty to seduce guys from their girlfriends and mocking less popular girls for everything from their fashion sense to their unusual interests. They might even spread vicious rumors about their worst enemies and set them up to be humiliated, especially if they're [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]] and can set up a pep rally to pull a nasty prank in front of the whole school.
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Meanwhile, the popular girls form a GirlPosse, led by the AlphaBitch, using their beauty to seduce guys from their girlfriends and mocking less popular girls for everything from their fashion sense to their unusual interests. They might even spread vicious rumors about their worst enemies and set them up to be humiliated, especially if they're [[TheCheerleader [[CruelCheerleader cheerleaders]] and can set up a pep rally to pull a nasty prank in front of the whole school.
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For types of evil popular characters, see BigJerkOnCampus, JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
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For types of evil popular characters, see BigJerkOnCampus, JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. CruelCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus BigManOnCampus, PomPomGirl and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
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** ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and her other CoolLoser friend Miranda are always the subject of ridicule from their [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Kate and her GirlPosse of [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]].
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** ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and her other CoolLoser friend Miranda are always the subject of ridicule from their [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Kate and her GirlPosse of [[TheCheerleader [[CruelCheerleader cheerleaders]].
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** Quinn, Santana and Brittany's worst sides always come out when they're at their most popular and secure in [[TheCheerleader the cheer squad]]. In contrast, they're always much nicer when their popularity declines.
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** Quinn, Santana and Brittany's worst sides always come out when they're at their most popular and secure in [[TheCheerleader [[CruelCheerleader the cheer squad]]. In contrast, they're always much nicer when their popularity declines.
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* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': From the [[TheCheerleader cheerleading squad]] to the Van Buren sisters, all of Overland Park's most popular girls are all vicious, catty, backstabbing, manipulative, and superficial. {{Alpha Bitch}}es Mackenzie Zales and her rival Shay Van Buren are downright {{Sociopath}}s who have even committed crimes in order to maintain their status, and Brittany has a HairTriggerTemper that, when provoked, sends her on a rampage that would put the Hulk to shame.
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* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': From the [[TheCheerleader [[CruelCheerleader cheerleading squad]] to the Van Buren sisters, all of Overland Park's most popular girls are all vicious, catty, backstabbing, manipulative, and superficial. {{Alpha Bitch}}es Mackenzie Zales and her rival Shay Van Buren are downright {{Sociopath}}s who have even committed crimes in order to maintain their status, and Brittany has a HairTriggerTemper that, when provoked, sends her on a rampage that would put the Hulk to shame.
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** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] in high school [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E9AndImJoyceKinney who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood]]. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
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** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] CruelCheerleader in high school [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E9AndImJoyceKinney who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood]]. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
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* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Brutally subverted in "Reunion". Liz considered herself a MisunderstoodLonerWithAHeartOfGold in high school who coped with harassment by the AlphaBitch and her posse by making witty remarks. At her reunion, she discovers that her constant put downs had actually caused everyone at her school to see her as The Bully and hate her. Meanwhile, the supposed AlphaBitch was actually a nice person who tried to reach out and befriend her ([[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome turns out her friendliness was actually why she was so popular in the first place]]). She even had to go therapy to cope with the emotional abuse Liz inflicted on her.
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** ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'': Raven's physic abilities can't protect her from harassment and humiliation at the hands of Alana, and later Bianca.
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** ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'': Raven's physic psychic abilities can't protect her from harassment and humiliation at the hands of Alana, and later Bianca.
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For types of evil popular characters, see JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
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For types of evil popular characters, see BigJerkOnCampus, JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
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I know I need to stop doing this... I just notice things too late.
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* ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'': Its revealed that Jenna became mean and stuck-up after she finally reached her goal of joining the GirlPosse at school.
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* ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'': Its It's revealed that Jenna became mean and stuck-up after she finally reached her goal of joining the GirlPosse at school.
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One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool-if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
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One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool-if HighSchool -- if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
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The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whitey briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
to:
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whitey “tighty-whitey” briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
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** PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in “The Sleepover”. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, [[spoiler:only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd]].
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** PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in “The Sleepover”. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, [[DisproportionateRetribution who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over.over]]. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and the only seemingly NiceGirl of the group, invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, [[spoiler:only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing ruining the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd]].
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** PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in “The Sleepover”. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd.
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** PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in “The Sleepover”. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, only [[spoiler:only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd.crowd]].
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* PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in ''The Sleepover''. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd.
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* In ''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Stand Up and Holler", Celeste Church had let her friend Rainey Karlsen to die, since she wanted to be accepted in the cheerleading group headed by Becca Abrams, who had earlier poisoned Rainey.
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* ''Series/ColdCase'':
* PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in ''The Sleepover''. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd.
** In''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Stand Up and Holler", Celeste Church had let her friend Rainey Karlsen to die, since she wanted to be accepted in the cheerleading group squad headed by Becca Abrams, who had earlier poisoned Rainey.
* PlayedWith with each GirlPosse member in ''The Sleepover''. Brandi, the AlphaBitch, has a vicious streak, but it’s not hard to see why when you meet her parents, who force her brother to nearly drown her as punishment for having friends over. Tiffany, the BetaBitch, is rude towards the victim, but only because her dad was having an affair with the victim’s mom, and later has JerkassRealization. Ariel, who was the victim’s best friend before joining the clique, was sweet and invited her to the slumber party in hopes of getting her InWithTheInCrowd, only to murder her when Brandi blamed them for ruing the sleepover and kicked Ariel out of the popular crowd.
** In
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The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whities]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
to:
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whities]], tighty-whitey briefs]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
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* The most iconic example of this trope is ''Film/MeanGirls''. The GirlPosse is shown to belittle others behind their back, set them up to get in trouble with their parents, and lie to and manipulate even each other. Janis convinces Cady to go undercover to sabotage Regina, but when Regina falls from grace, the other two Plastics look to her for leadership, seeing her as their new AlphaBitch. The power shift goes to her head and she turns into Regina's double. Actually, the film also subverts this with Janis. Even those she is the CoolLoser and one of the school outcasts, she is shown to be just as bad as Regina, manipulating Cady to use her against Regina in her revenge plot.
to:
* The most iconic example of this trope is ''Film/MeanGirls''. The GirlPosse is shown to belittle others behind their back, set them up to get in trouble with their parents, and lie to and manipulate even each other. Janis convinces Cady to go undercover to sabotage Regina, but when Regina falls from grace, the other two Plastics look to her for leadership, seeing her as their new AlphaBitch. The power shift goes to her head and she turns into Regina's double. Actually, the film also subverts this with Janis. Even those though she is the CoolLoser and one of the school outcasts, she is shown to be just as bad as Regina, manipulating Cady to use her against Regina in her revenge plot.
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** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] in high school who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
to:
** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] in high school [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E9AndImJoyceKinney who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood.adulthood]]. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
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** In the episode "Stew Roids," Connie D'Mico, [[AlphaBitch the most popular girl in school]] decides to make Chris, the biggest loser in school, a part of the cool clique. Eventually he surpasses Connie in popularity and has her excluded from the clique, and takes [[TheBully her role in tormenting the less popular kids]]. When Connie asks Meg to help her take Chris down, Meg, Connie's favorite target, tells her to "fuck off." Chris goes back to normal when they [[EnemyMine join forces to take him down]] after Chris decided to go after Meg.
to:
** In the episode "Stew Roids," [[Recap/FamilyGuyS7E13StewRoids “Stew-Roids”]], Connie D'Mico, [[AlphaBitch the most popular girl in school]] decides to make Chris, the biggest loser in school, a part of the cool clique. Eventually he surpasses Connie in popularity and has her excluded from the clique, and takes [[TheBully her role in tormenting the less popular kids]]. When Connie asks Meg to help her take Chris down, Meg, Connie's favorite target, tells her to "fuck off." Chris goes back to normal when they [[EnemyMine join forces to take him down]] after Chris decided to go after Meg.
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* ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'': The Crust Cousins are some of the most popular girls in school, as well as the meanest. This trope is lampshaded by Brad in the episode that introduces them.
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* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they?re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting ?plug it up? over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig?s blood on her right after she?s crowned. After that, it?s really hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie?s hands.
to:
* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they?re they’re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting ?plug “plug it up? up” over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig?s pig’s blood on her right after she?s she’s crowned. After that, it?s it’s really hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie?s Carrie’s hands.
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'''Heather Chandler:''' Like I give a shit. They all want me as a friend or a fuck. I'm worshipped at Westerburg, and I'm only a junior.
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[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/AmericanDad https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/296e182a_99d1_4721_975f_b2761c239d83.jpeg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Prom Queen indulging in her favorite pastime-laughing at a loser who got humiliated.]]
->'''Veronica:''' Doesn't it bother you that everyone at this school thinks you're a piranha?
'''Heather Chandler:''' Like I give a shit. They all want me as a friend or a fuck. I'm worshipped at Westerburg, and I'm only a junior.
-->-- ''Film/{{Heathers}}''
One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool-if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
In most works of fiction, the popular kids at high school, or even junior high school, are made up of [[BeautyIsBad good-looking but mean-spirited bullies]] who delight in tormenting the dorks and dweebs they attend class with, whether it's beating them up for lunch money or homework answers, or humiliating them for petty slights.
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whities]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
Meanwhile, the popular girls form a GirlPosse, led by the AlphaBitch, using their beauty to seduce guys from their girlfriends and mocking less popular girls for everything from their fashion sense to their unusual interests. They might even spread vicious rumors about their worst enemies and set them up to be humiliated, especially if they're [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]] and can set up a pep rally to pull a nasty prank in front of the whole school.
If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly unhappy]], because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life of you don't comply.
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventually decide they're fed up with being treated like trash and overthrow the popular kids to free the school of their tyranny. If [[InWithTheInCrowd one of the unpopular kids becomes popular]], they will snub and maybe even bully their old dorky friends, either from AcquiredSituationalNarcissism or [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil out of pressure from their new cool friends]].
Once they fall out with the popular crowd, [[ResetButton they will revert back to their kind, good-natured self]]. In fact, many cool kids who become unpopular in works end up becoming much nice and happier as a result, so many times in fact, that the moral of the story can usually be summed up to "Popularity corrupts people, [[CelebrityIsOverrated so it's better to be a loser]]."
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top. Probably stems from WriteWhatYouKnow. A lot of people who end up in creative roles were low on the popularity totem pole during their high school years and often project their resentment about being looked down on by "popular" students into their adult creations.
Stunts the popular kids will pull are things like ItsACostumePartyISwear, PrankDate, PartySchedulingGambit, InstantHumiliationJustAddYoutube, KickMePrank, and too many others to list. They'll be the CarloadOfCoolKids, or the Snobs on the SlobsVsSnobs.
For types of evil popular characters, see JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
Compare PopularIsDumb, which can overlap with this trope, but mean and stupid are two different things.
!! Examples of the trope:
[[folder:Asian Animation]]
* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': Downplayed and subverted. Fang developed a band of admirers during his first 6 months at school, but was too arrogant to make friends. He isn't happy when it appears that [=BoBoiBoy=] is more popular than him. It was his quest for popularity that temporarily got him tangled with the show's villains when they promised that he'd be more popular if he did a task for them (though he was unaware they were evil). Fang would gradually warm up to [=BoBoiBoy=] and his friends later on, and he now seems less obsessed about being more popular than [=BoBoiBoy=].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film: Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'': Its revealed that Jenna became mean and stuck-up after she finally reached her goal of joining the GirlPosse at school.
* ''Film/{{Heathers}}'': Played straight and downplayed each with half the school's GirlPosse. The leader, [[AlphaBitch Heather Chandler]] and her successor [[BetaBitch Heather Duke]], can only be described as evil incarnate. The other half, Heather [=McNamara=] and Veronica Swayer, are nice deep down, but they [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil are pressured to be mean]] and are secretly deeply unhappy, despite being popular.
* ''Film/{{Jawbreaker}}'': The three surviving members of the GirlPosse at Reagan High are constantly shown to be shallow, vapid and cruel, even before they accidentally killed someone. They go so far as to cover up the manslaughter of their only nice member, and even bribe a dork with a makeover to buy her silence. Of course, in compliance with the laws of this trope, said dork becomes a bitch soon after her new look wins her popularity.
* The most iconic example of this trope is ''Film/MeanGirls''. The GirlPosse is shown to belittle others behind their back, set them up to get in trouble with their parents, and lie to and manipulate even each other. Janis convinces Cady to go undercover to sabotage Regina, but when Regina falls from grace, the other two Plastics look to her for leadership, seeing her as their new AlphaBitch. The power shift goes to her head and she turns into Regina's double. Actually, the film also subverts this with Janis. Even those she is the CoolLoser and one of the school outcasts, she is shown to be just as bad as Regina, manipulating Cady to use her against Regina in her revenge plot.
* ''Film/{{Minutemen}}'': The protagonist, Virgil, was originally good friends with Derek and Stephanie, two of the most popular kids in school. However, after suffering humiliation on the first day, he drifted apart from them and fell in with the nerd crowd. His time-traveling heroics makes him become friends with them again, and though Stephanie is still a good person and treats him kindly throughout the film, Derek became a {{Jerkass}} who cheats on Stephanie, and is eventually revealed to have backstabbed Virgil on the first day of school. Virgil himself briefly gets AcquiredSituationalNarcissism when he becomes friends with them again. Meanwhile, one of his nerd friends, Chester, becomes a jerk when he gets saved from "The Snowsuit Guys" and brags about it, looking down on Virgil and their other friend Charlie...[[{{Irony}} who happen to be the ones who saved him]].
* ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'': All the popular kids used to make fun of Romy and Michele back then, from the GirlPosse to the JerkJock that ditched Romy waiting for a dance with him. The only exception was Lisa Luder, who showed signs of being nice but [[PeerPressuredBully was peer pressured into compliance]] with [[AlphaBitch Christie]]. Once she lost touch with her high school friends, she grew up to be a good person and finally sticks it to Christie at the reunion.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they?re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting ?plug it up? over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig?s blood on her right after she?s crowned. After that, it?s really hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie?s hands.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'': After getting voted Most Popular Girl in the yearbook, Jan lets the achievement get to her head and acts better than the people she bribed to vote for her.
* In ''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Stand Up and Holler", Celeste Church had let her friend Rainey Karlsen to die, since she wanted to be accepted in the cheerleading group headed by Becca Abrams, who had earlier poisoned Rainey.
* In almost every Creator/DisneyChannel show, the [[LoserProtagonist protagonist is a loser at worst and middle ground at best]], and the popular kids are always the villains of their stories.
** ''Series/ANTFarm'': Lexi Reed was a real bitch to the [=ANTs=] long before Chyna came along and took her spot as the most musically talented girl in school, earning her jealousy and her ire.
** ''Series/HannahMontana'' may be a pop princess onstage, but as Miley Stewart, she and her friend Lily are at the bottom of the social pyramid, with their mean girl rivals Amber and Ashley at the top. The two {{Alpha Bitch}}es even set up a list to get Miley and Lily put at the bottom, making everyone shun them to not get associated with their unpopularity.
*** In one episode, Miley wishes that she was "all Hannah, all the time", and must live in her new life. One of the awful changes is that her best friend Lily no longer knows who she is, and without Miley around, became part of Amber and Ashley's GirlPosse. Thus, the girl who, in reality, is a kind-hearted CoolLoser, became another mean girl.
** ''Series/{{Jessie}}'':
*** Jessie has stories about her tussles with mean girls in high school, specifically Darla, who would grow up to become her stepsister.
*** Subverted and played straight in the episode "Make New Friends But Hide the Old". Emma and her friends are popular at school, while still being sweet and true friends to each other. Then along comes Brin Brightbart, who tries to out Emma from the group and assert herself as the leader to become popular.
** ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and her other CoolLoser friend Miranda are always the subject of ridicule from their [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Kate and her GirlPosse of [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]].
** Not even guys are immune to this on Disney Channel. In the pilot episode of ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', the Drew Crew, which is a GenderFlip of the AlphaBitch and her GirlPosse, take advantage of the twins' desperation to fit in with them so they can enjoy the perks of the luxury hotel the twins live in.
** ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'': Raven's physic abilities can't protect her from harassment and humiliation at the hands of Alana, and later Bianca.
** ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'': Alex occasionally tussles with [=GiGi=], who's constantly trying to one-up Alex and humiliate her.
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': Played With. This trope can be played straight or subverted, depending on the character.
** Quinn, Santana and Brittany's worst sides always come out when they're at their most popular and secure in [[TheCheerleader the cheer squad]]. In contrast, they're always much nicer when their popularity declines.
** Finn is zig-zagged. He has done some questionable things to keep his popularity in earlier seasons, but most of the time, he's his best self when his popularity is peaked.
** Finn's football teammates who are also in glee club are still pretty popular, while still being friendly with the less popular members of glee.
** Other characters have become popular for a short stint. While they haven't become mean, they ultimately decide that popularity doesn't make them happy, and go back to how it was before.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': From the [[TheCheerleader cheerleading squad]] to the Van Buren sisters, all of Overland Park's most popular girls are all vicious, catty, backstabbing, manipulative, and superficial. {{Alpha Bitch}}es Mackenzie Zales and her rival Shay Van Buren are downright {{Sociopath}}s who have even committed crimes in order to maintain their status, and Brittany has a HairTriggerTemper that, when provoked, sends her on a rampage that would put the Hulk to shame.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'':
** All of the popular kids at Steve's high school are pretty much only there to give him adversity, from the brutal bullies giving him swirlies to the cheerleaders who reject and ridicule him.
** In "Mean Francine", Francine becomes a guidance counselor at Steve's school. Then, driven by memories of her own school experience, she manages to get on the good side of the meanest girls in the school, and her newfound popularity corrupts her to the point where she picks on Steve, ''her own son''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Sasha is a ToxicFriendInfluence on Anne. Her drive to be the best and have everyone kiss her feet carries from junior high to the new dimension, where she teams up with the BigBad who captured her and seeks to conquer the world at his side. Her competitiveness and need to be in the spotlight is so strong that most of the time, ''he'' follows ''her'' lead instead of the other way around.
* ''WesternAnimation/BraceFace'': Queen bee Nina Harper is so spiteful and vengeful that she has been nursing a grudge against her [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Sharon since second grade over something as small as broken toys. Even back then, she didn't even give Sharon the benefit of the doubt. She automatically assumed Sharon was the guilty party and shunned her ever since.
** Alison used to be Nina's BetaBitch, before she met and developed a friendship with the nerdy Conner. After Nina forced her to choose, Alison chose Conner and his friends, and since then has been seen as sweet and lovable.
* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': The popular crowd at Amity Park High lives to torment and humiliate Danny and his friends. Mostly, it's just JerkJock Dash Baxter who makes Danny's life at school hell, but occasionally, Paulina and their popular friends join in. Valerie herself was a member of Paulina's GirlPosse in the beginning, and was quite spoiled and entitled. When she fell out with her popular friends, she became much more humble and even went on to become an AntiHero and Danny's love interest.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': Three out of four of the cool kids at Timmy's elementary school are [[RichBitch Rich Bitches and Bastards]]. Veronica, the bottom of their clique, might be a good person, but it's too hard to tell when her [[IJustWantToBeYou life envy]] of Trixie has her bordering on AxeCrazy.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] in high school who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
** In the episode "Stew Roids," Connie D'Mico, [[AlphaBitch the most popular girl in school]] decides to make Chris, the biggest loser in school, a part of the cool clique. Eventually he surpasses Connie in popularity and has her excluded from the clique, and takes [[TheBully her role in tormenting the less popular kids]]. When Connie asks Meg to help her take Chris down, Meg, Connie's favorite target, tells her to "fuck off." Chris goes back to normal when they [[EnemyMine join forces to take him down]] after Chris decided to go after Meg.
[[/folder]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Prom Queen indulging in her favorite pastime-laughing at a loser who got humiliated.]]
->'''Veronica:''' Doesn't it bother you that everyone at this school thinks you're a piranha?
'''Heather Chandler:''' Like I give a shit. They all want me as a friend or a fuck. I'm worshipped at Westerburg, and I'm only a junior.
-->-- ''Film/{{Heathers}}''
One of the most well-known laws of any story about HighSchool-if you're popular and beautiful, you're basically Satan's minions.
In most works of fiction, the popular kids at high school, or even junior high school, are made up of [[BeautyIsBad good-looking but mean-spirited bullies]] who delight in tormenting the dorks and dweebs they attend class with, whether it's beating them up for lunch money or homework answers, or humiliating them for petty slights.
The popular guys are usually [[JerkJock on the football team, sporting varsity jackets while they give some nerd kid a wedgie or stuff him in a locker]]. They could also [[PantsPullingPrank pull down their pants to show off his tighty-whities]], throw him in a garbage can, and call him insulting nicknames that the rest of the student body repeats.
Meanwhile, the popular girls form a GirlPosse, led by the AlphaBitch, using their beauty to seduce guys from their girlfriends and mocking less popular girls for everything from their fashion sense to their unusual interests. They might even spread vicious rumors about their worst enemies and set them up to be humiliated, especially if they're [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]] and can set up a pep rally to pull a nasty prank in front of the whole school.
If there is a nice person who is part of the popular crowd, they will be revealed to be a PeerPressuredBully who is [[StepfordSmiler secretly unhappy]], because of course, even when you're friends with the popular kids, they're [[FalseFriend not really your friends]], [[ToxicFriendInfluence always pushing you to be mean or do bad stuff]], and threatening to ruin your life of you don't comply.
The good guys in these stories are usually the unpopular kids, who eventually decide they're fed up with being treated like trash and overthrow the popular kids to free the school of their tyranny. If [[InWithTheInCrowd one of the unpopular kids becomes popular]], they will snub and maybe even bully their old dorky friends, either from AcquiredSituationalNarcissism or [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil out of pressure from their new cool friends]].
Once they fall out with the popular crowd, [[ResetButton they will revert back to their kind, good-natured self]]. In fact, many cool kids who become unpopular in works end up becoming much nice and happier as a result, so many times in fact, that the moral of the story can usually be summed up to "Popularity corrupts people, [[CelebrityIsOverrated so it's better to be a loser]]."
This may be because of a PopularityCycle - because popularity is ephemeral, you have to be the scariest of the bunch to stay on top. Probably stems from WriteWhatYouKnow. A lot of people who end up in creative roles were low on the popularity totem pole during their high school years and often project their resentment about being looked down on by "popular" students into their adult creations.
Stunts the popular kids will pull are things like ItsACostumePartyISwear, PrankDate, PartySchedulingGambit, InstantHumiliationJustAddYoutube, KickMePrank, and too many others to list. They'll be the CarloadOfCoolKids, or the Snobs on the SlobsVsSnobs.
For types of evil popular characters, see JerkJock, AlphaBitch, AcademicAlphaBitch, GirlPosse, and TheCheerleader. Contrast LovableJock, SpoiledSweet, BigManOnCampus and ClassPrincess, who are popular ''and'' nice.
Compare PopularIsDumb, which can overlap with this trope, but mean and stupid are two different things.
!! Examples of the trope:
[[folder:Asian Animation]]
* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': Downplayed and subverted. Fang developed a band of admirers during his first 6 months at school, but was too arrogant to make friends. He isn't happy when it appears that [=BoBoiBoy=] is more popular than him. It was his quest for popularity that temporarily got him tangled with the show's villains when they promised that he'd be more popular if he did a task for them (though he was unaware they were evil). Fang would gradually warm up to [=BoBoiBoy=] and his friends later on, and he now seems less obsessed about being more popular than [=BoBoiBoy=].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film: Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'': Its revealed that Jenna became mean and stuck-up after she finally reached her goal of joining the GirlPosse at school.
* ''Film/{{Heathers}}'': Played straight and downplayed each with half the school's GirlPosse. The leader, [[AlphaBitch Heather Chandler]] and her successor [[BetaBitch Heather Duke]], can only be described as evil incarnate. The other half, Heather [=McNamara=] and Veronica Swayer, are nice deep down, but they [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil are pressured to be mean]] and are secretly deeply unhappy, despite being popular.
* ''Film/{{Jawbreaker}}'': The three surviving members of the GirlPosse at Reagan High are constantly shown to be shallow, vapid and cruel, even before they accidentally killed someone. They go so far as to cover up the manslaughter of their only nice member, and even bribe a dork with a makeover to buy her silence. Of course, in compliance with the laws of this trope, said dork becomes a bitch soon after her new look wins her popularity.
* The most iconic example of this trope is ''Film/MeanGirls''. The GirlPosse is shown to belittle others behind their back, set them up to get in trouble with their parents, and lie to and manipulate even each other. Janis convinces Cady to go undercover to sabotage Regina, but when Regina falls from grace, the other two Plastics look to her for leadership, seeing her as their new AlphaBitch. The power shift goes to her head and she turns into Regina's double. Actually, the film also subverts this with Janis. Even those she is the CoolLoser and one of the school outcasts, she is shown to be just as bad as Regina, manipulating Cady to use her against Regina in her revenge plot.
* ''Film/{{Minutemen}}'': The protagonist, Virgil, was originally good friends with Derek and Stephanie, two of the most popular kids in school. However, after suffering humiliation on the first day, he drifted apart from them and fell in with the nerd crowd. His time-traveling heroics makes him become friends with them again, and though Stephanie is still a good person and treats him kindly throughout the film, Derek became a {{Jerkass}} who cheats on Stephanie, and is eventually revealed to have backstabbed Virgil on the first day of school. Virgil himself briefly gets AcquiredSituationalNarcissism when he becomes friends with them again. Meanwhile, one of his nerd friends, Chester, becomes a jerk when he gets saved from "The Snowsuit Guys" and brags about it, looking down on Virgil and their other friend Charlie...[[{{Irony}} who happen to be the ones who saved him]].
* ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'': All the popular kids used to make fun of Romy and Michele back then, from the GirlPosse to the JerkJock that ditched Romy waiting for a dance with him. The only exception was Lisa Luder, who showed signs of being nice but [[PeerPressuredBully was peer pressured into compliance]] with [[AlphaBitch Christie]]. Once she lost touch with her high school friends, she grew up to be a good person and finally sticks it to Christie at the reunion.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'': Perhaps the most infamous of this trope. The popular girls, led by Chris Hargensen, are so ruthless and cruel, they?re not satisfied with scarring Carrie for life in the locker room, throwing tampons and pads at her when she got her period and chanting ?plug it up? over and over. No, they have to take to ''really'' that MoralEventHorizon and devastate her in front of the ''whole school'' at prom by rigging the votes to get her announced prom queen, then dumping a bucket of pig?s blood on her right after she?s crowned. After that, it?s really hard to feel sorry for those girls when they die brutal deaths at Carrie?s hands.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBradyBunch'': After getting voted Most Popular Girl in the yearbook, Jan lets the achievement get to her head and acts better than the people she bribed to vote for her.
* In ''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Stand Up and Holler", Celeste Church had let her friend Rainey Karlsen to die, since she wanted to be accepted in the cheerleading group headed by Becca Abrams, who had earlier poisoned Rainey.
* In almost every Creator/DisneyChannel show, the [[LoserProtagonist protagonist is a loser at worst and middle ground at best]], and the popular kids are always the villains of their stories.
** ''Series/ANTFarm'': Lexi Reed was a real bitch to the [=ANTs=] long before Chyna came along and took her spot as the most musically talented girl in school, earning her jealousy and her ire.
** ''Series/HannahMontana'' may be a pop princess onstage, but as Miley Stewart, she and her friend Lily are at the bottom of the social pyramid, with their mean girl rivals Amber and Ashley at the top. The two {{Alpha Bitch}}es even set up a list to get Miley and Lily put at the bottom, making everyone shun them to not get associated with their unpopularity.
*** In one episode, Miley wishes that she was "all Hannah, all the time", and must live in her new life. One of the awful changes is that her best friend Lily no longer knows who she is, and without Miley around, became part of Amber and Ashley's GirlPosse. Thus, the girl who, in reality, is a kind-hearted CoolLoser, became another mean girl.
** ''Series/{{Jessie}}'':
*** Jessie has stories about her tussles with mean girls in high school, specifically Darla, who would grow up to become her stepsister.
*** Subverted and played straight in the episode "Make New Friends But Hide the Old". Emma and her friends are popular at school, while still being sweet and true friends to each other. Then along comes Brin Brightbart, who tries to out Emma from the group and assert herself as the leader to become popular.
** ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and her other CoolLoser friend Miranda are always the subject of ridicule from their [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Kate and her GirlPosse of [[TheCheerleader cheerleaders]].
** Not even guys are immune to this on Disney Channel. In the pilot episode of ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', the Drew Crew, which is a GenderFlip of the AlphaBitch and her GirlPosse, take advantage of the twins' desperation to fit in with them so they can enjoy the perks of the luxury hotel the twins live in.
** ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'': Raven's physic abilities can't protect her from harassment and humiliation at the hands of Alana, and later Bianca.
** ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'': Alex occasionally tussles with [=GiGi=], who's constantly trying to one-up Alex and humiliate her.
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': Played With. This trope can be played straight or subverted, depending on the character.
** Quinn, Santana and Brittany's worst sides always come out when they're at their most popular and secure in [[TheCheerleader the cheer squad]]. In contrast, they're always much nicer when their popularity declines.
** Finn is zig-zagged. He has done some questionable things to keep his popularity in earlier seasons, but most of the time, he's his best self when his popularity is peaked.
** Finn's football teammates who are also in glee club are still pretty popular, while still being friendly with the less popular members of glee.
** Other characters have become popular for a short stint. While they haven't become mean, they ultimately decide that popularity doesn't make them happy, and go back to how it was before.
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[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'': From the [[TheCheerleader cheerleading squad]] to the Van Buren sisters, all of Overland Park's most popular girls are all vicious, catty, backstabbing, manipulative, and superficial. {{Alpha Bitch}}es Mackenzie Zales and her rival Shay Van Buren are downright {{Sociopath}}s who have even committed crimes in order to maintain their status, and Brittany has a HairTriggerTemper that, when provoked, sends her on a rampage that would put the Hulk to shame.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'':
** All of the popular kids at Steve's high school are pretty much only there to give him adversity, from the brutal bullies giving him swirlies to the cheerleaders who reject and ridicule him.
** In "Mean Francine", Francine becomes a guidance counselor at Steve's school. Then, driven by memories of her own school experience, she manages to get on the good side of the meanest girls in the school, and her newfound popularity corrupts her to the point where she picks on Steve, ''her own son''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Sasha is a ToxicFriendInfluence on Anne. Her drive to be the best and have everyone kiss her feet carries from junior high to the new dimension, where she teams up with the BigBad who captured her and seeks to conquer the world at his side. Her competitiveness and need to be in the spotlight is so strong that most of the time, ''he'' follows ''her'' lead instead of the other way around.
* ''WesternAnimation/BraceFace'': Queen bee Nina Harper is so spiteful and vengeful that she has been nursing a grudge against her [[FormerFriendOfAlphaBitch former friend]] Sharon since second grade over something as small as broken toys. Even back then, she didn't even give Sharon the benefit of the doubt. She automatically assumed Sharon was the guilty party and shunned her ever since.
** Alison used to be Nina's BetaBitch, before she met and developed a friendship with the nerdy Conner. After Nina forced her to choose, Alison chose Conner and his friends, and since then has been seen as sweet and lovable.
* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': The popular crowd at Amity Park High lives to torment and humiliate Danny and his friends. Mostly, it's just JerkJock Dash Baxter who makes Danny's life at school hell, but occasionally, Paulina and their popular friends join in. Valerie herself was a member of Paulina's GirlPosse in the beginning, and was quite spoiled and entitled. When she fell out with her popular friends, she became much more humble and even went on to become an AntiHero and Danny's love interest.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': Three out of four of the cool kids at Timmy's elementary school are [[RichBitch Rich Bitches and Bastards]]. Veronica, the bottom of their clique, might be a good person, but it's too hard to tell when her [[IJustWantToBeYou life envy]] of Trixie has her bordering on AxeCrazy.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
** Inverted with Lois Griffin. She was revealed to be a mean [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] in high school who pulled off the most humiliating prank on an unfortunate girl, scarring her for life and motivating her to seek revenge on Lois in adulthood. Even though high school is behind her and her life has gone downhill since then, with her being an unaccomplished housewife with a fat, ugly, possibly retarded husband, she still exhibits some of her mean girl behaviors, even as a wife and mother.
** In the episode "Stew Roids," Connie D'Mico, [[AlphaBitch the most popular girl in school]] decides to make Chris, the biggest loser in school, a part of the cool clique. Eventually he surpasses Connie in popularity and has her excluded from the clique, and takes [[TheBully her role in tormenting the less popular kids]]. When Connie asks Meg to help her take Chris down, Meg, Connie's favorite target, tells her to "fuck off." Chris goes back to normal when they [[EnemyMine join forces to take him down]] after Chris decided to go after Meg.
[[/folder]]
