History Main / ProperlyParanoid

** After spending years alone in the Ever After with his trauma from Atlas and experiencing new betrayals while waiting for Team RWBY to arrive, Jaune Arc starts going through SanitySlippage and becomes increasingly mistrustful for Afterans. This causes problems for Team RWBY, and the Afterans themselves, as he won't listen them due to his belief that they're too clever, too stupid or too manipulative. Once Team RWBY realise how unstable Jaune has become, they begin to listen to the Afterans more than their old friend... until it turns out that Jaune's instincts were right all along. [[spoiler:Jaune is adamant that the Curious Cat cannot be trusted. The Cat is manipulative, appears to help Afterans Ascend to the Tree for its own motives and sugar-coats a process that is really a form of death through LossOfIdentity and DeathOfPersonality. In Volume 9, Episode 8, the Cat's true motive for helping Team RWBY go to the tree is revealed when it's revealed they've been deliberately breaking down Ruby's state of mind with the intention of possessing her and escaping the Ever After.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Ironwood's FatalFlaw is his paranoia and mistrust, but it also means he's right about a lot of things, too. He's right to suspect Ozpin hiding something from his own BenevolentConspiracy, he's right about Haven being the second target after Beacon, and he's right not to trust Leo. He's right to suspect that the villains are using an Atlesian hacker and that they would be willing to use a refugee evacuation as a cover for infiltration and sabotage. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, many of the decisions he makes in response to his paranoia turn out play into the villains hands, dooming the Kingdom of Atlas instead of protecting it. Some of things the heroes could have used for their own plans therefore get missed because of how unstable and unreliable Ironwood becomes; this leaves them vulnerable to being infiltrated by Cinder and Neo when they're evacuating the kingdom's refugees, the very thing Ironwood feared.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Ironwood's FatalFlaw is his paranoia and mistrust, but it also means he's right about a lot of things, too. He's right to suspect Ozpin hiding something from his own BenevolentConspiracy, he's right about Haven being the second target after Beacon, and he's right not to trust Leo. He's right to suspect that the villains are using an Atlesian hacker and that they would be willing to use a refugee evacuation as a cover for infiltration and sabotage. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, many of the decisions he makes in response to his paranoia turn out play into the villains hands, dooming the Kingdom of Atlas instead of protecting it. Some of things the heroes could have used for their own plans therefore get missed because of how unstable and unreliable Ironwood becomes; this leaves them vulnerable to being infiltrated by Cinder and Neo when they're evacuating the kingdom's refugees.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
** From the minute she returns home, Weiss is suspicious of her younger brother Whitley's friendly behavior, pointing out how odd it is for him to speak respectably about Winter or support Weiss herself when she knows Whitley has never liked either of them. While Whitley claims that it means he's growing up, Weiss is right to be suspicious; Whitley is just pretending to support her knowing that her rebellious behaviour will lead their father to disinherit her just as he did Winter, leaving him as the sole heir because he behaves like the perfect son.
** Unlike most of the world, Ironwood knows about Salem; he knows about the Relics and the Maidens, and the threat that's facing the world. He knows who was behind the fall of Beacon Academy, and he knows the other three Academies are in danger. However, his decision to cut off Dust trade with the rest of the world to cut off supply to the villains drives Jacques up the wall, given that it cuts into his business profits. Ironwood has obtained intel that Haven is the next target, and he doesn't trust Haven's headmaster to deal with the matter properly. He's also still angry over Beacon's fall, feeling Ozpin never listened to his advice. He therefore decides to seal up Atlas, preventing anyone from coming or going and implies he'll take control of the entire kingdom if he has to. Jacques points out this is extreme, echoing Glynda's earlier observation that Ironwood struggles to trust people. [[spoiler:Unbeknown to them, Ironwood's instincts about Haven are correct: the headmaster is in league with Salem.]]
** Another Ironwood example has him stopping evacuations from Mantle to Atlas out of fear that some of Salem's agents may have snuck in among them. [[spoiler:While he was wrong about them, the moment RWBY tried a second evacuation on their own, Cinder and Neo did exactly that and took a lot of lives in the process before Cinder ultimately reclaimed the Staff for Salem's agenda.]]

** Another Ironwood example has him stopping evacuations from Mantle to Atlas out of fear that some of Salem's agents may have snuck in among them. [[spoiler:While he was wrong about them, the moment RWBY tried a second evacuation on their own, Cinder and Neo did exactly that and took a lot of lives in the process.]]

* UsefulNotes/HardangerFiddle players ''can'' fit the trope, especially when they become obsessed with keeping their instruments at their absolute best. Consider that this instrument has eight or nine strings, and the effort of fine tuning can take several minutes. And then there is a number of other things to remember. A classical worst-case scenario is people fiddling ''inside the fiddle'' to adjust the small piece of wood between the outer walls. When they do this ''every time'', they fit the trope perfectly, but they are also considered a bit on the pathological side. Somebody even made an evening prayer to prevent them from going down that path.

* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Riff spends a good chunk of the comic paranoid that Aylee will revert to her "primal instincts" and go on a killing spree. While this paranoia is unusually assholish for Riff]the inventions he's made out of his paranoia ''have'' ultimately saved the group multiple times.

* Invoked by Gordon Freeman in episode 28 of ''Machinima/FreemansMind''. While his paranoia does allow him to accurately predict enemy strategies and avoid traps, he proceeds to delve into the absurdly paranoid… including telepathic owls.

%%* "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell.-Zero-Context Example

* "I Think I'm Paranoid" by Music/{{Garbage}}.
* "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell.

** Turned UpToEleven when dealing with the Simurgh, where it's literally impossible to be paranoid ''enough''. Whatever plan you make to counter or contain her influence, she has already forseen and accounted for.

See also CassandraTruth and YouHaveToBelieveMe. Sometimes overlaps with OmniscientMoralityLicense. Contrast with TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong and TheParanoiac, whose fears are generally proven wrong, and ImproperlyParanoid, which is what happens when someone ''thinks'' he is being this trope but instead is letting his paranoia push him to (often [[ConflictBall conflict-enabling]]) conclusions. This is one of the ways through which TheCloudcuckoolanderWasRight.

* In ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'', Dennis is the first character to get the idea that something’s fishy about the summer school class. He thinks something bigger is at play, and he goes a step further: the object of whoever is behind the class is aiming to humiliate him. [[spoiler:He’s not completely wrong on either count: Dr. Mosely, who runs the program, is actually a scientist conducting an experiment on the class, and Dennis’s role in the experiment is to creep out all the girls in the class so they’ll fall into the protagonist’s arms.]]

*** His paranoia has been weaponized [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2012-02-26 at least once]] (including the next comic).

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Whateley Academy is actively trying to instill a form of this attitude in its students. As staff members have been heard to state outright, the point of the school isn't so much to produce superheroes or — villains — or even provide a formal education (though it does that, too) as to train young mutants to survive in a world in which many people ''are'' out to get them.

** Except for Gunny Sergeant Bardue, whose behaviour is less Properly Paranoid and more simply JerkAss. He beats up a young student for demonstrating how his illusions work because the illusion, which was quite clearly only an illusion, resembled an antique pistol. He later hurls a car at a student that has no mutant ability, with the intent of forcing her latent mutation to manifest. Not only is the manifestation of a mutant power actually none of his concern, it may have been a life-destroying change for the student, such as if her power manifested by turning her permanently into a monstrous form. And that's assuming that she had a latent mutation that would react to, and be able to defend against, a car hurtling towards her.

** Considering that MurphysLaw is one of the most destructive forces in the universe...
--->'''Spaceship Inspector:''' You WANT me to find if you've made a mistake?\\
'''Florence:''' Definitely. If I've missed anything and we don't find it, Mother Nature will, and she's ''very'' unforgiving of engineering shortcomings.

** Except for Gunny Sergeant Bardue, whose behaviour is less Properly Paranoid and more simply JerkAss. He beats up a young student for demonstrating how his illusions work because the illusion, which was quite clearly only an illusion, resembled an antique pistol. He later hurls a car at a student that has no mutant ability, with the intent of forcing her latent mutation to manifest. Not only is the manifestation of a mutant power actually none of his concern, it may have been a life-destroying change for the student, such as if her power manifested by turning her permanently into a monstrous form. And that's assuming that she had a latent mutation that would react to, and be able to defend against, a car hurtling towards her. WhatAnIdiot!

* You don't need enemies to be properly paranoid. Florence of ''Webcomic/FreeFall'' is an engineer specializing in nuclear power plants and space ship engines. She considers four independent fully-redundant safety systems an absolute minimum for anything important. She developed this habit contending with nothing worse than Murphy's Law. Considering how destructive a nuclear or space ship catastrophe can be, it's good to be that paranoid.
** Considering that MurphysLaw is one of the most destructive forces in the universe...
--->'''Spaceship Inspector:''' You WANT me to find if you've made a mistake?\\
'''Florence:''' Definitely. If I've missed anything and we don't find it, Mother Nature will, and she's ''very'' unforgiving of engineering shortcomings.

* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Riff spends a good chunk of the comic paranoid that Aylee will revert to her "primal instincts" and go on a killing spree. While this paranoia is [[MoralDissonance unusually assholish for Riff]], the inventions he's made out of his paranoia ''have'' ultimately saved the group multiple times.

Bob is convinced that there's someone, or a group of someones out to get him or someone else. He takes incredible precautions to protect himself. For his efforts, Bob is called paranoid, insane, a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, a ControlFreak, a ConspiracyTheorist or any of a host of other (most probably rude) names.

There ''is'' someone out to get Bob and his family and friends -- and they ''are'' using all sorts of devious devices and schemes that would succeed… if the person enacting the security lockdown weren't doing her job. Sadly, only Bob, the opposing forces, (and sometimes the audience) know that the full-body frisking of the girlfriend and the security questionnaires that ''nobody'' can pass clean are mandatory for survival.

* ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy'', the roleplaying game of ''Warhammer 40000'', is a game system where Paranoia is a talent; it grants bonuses and you have to pay XP to acquire it. To contrast, in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'' it's a crippling mental disorder.
* As the name implies, this is completely justified in ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}''. The skill High Alert / Focused Paranoia / Scam Radar isn't about asking ''if'' there's a threat -- there are loads of them all the time -- but ''which one'' is most immediately relevant.
* ChaoticEvil creatures in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' -- as well as anyone living close to them -- usually are leery to the extreme.
** The Drow are justifiably paranoid about their enemies and as such tend to get killed by their friends. [[MortonsFork Conversely]], if one spends too much time looking over the shoulder at one's allies... according to Drizzt Do'urden, "Those who watch their backs meet death from the front." Even technically ChaoticGood followers of Eilistraee tend to be very jumpy, as most of them are ex-Lolthites and know what to expect all too well. Any non-disguised Drow outside of their territory--above ground or below--usually are attacked on sight, [[VanHelsingHateCrimes without asking for their purpose or something]], by almost anyone else not too busy running away, which usually is a Properly Paranoid reaction as well.
** Dispater, one of the Archdukes of Hell, is paranoid and cautious in the extreme. He never leaves his impenetrable fortress, has both halves of his court spying on each other, and even the way he fights is more defense then offense. The thing is, in Hell ''everyone'' is out to get you, (even Asmodeus has people plotting against him, but he is aware of every plot) so he's ''smart'' for doing all of that!
** Most players also tend to become this. In a world where monsters look like rocks, plants, items, clothing, walls, ceilings, and other innocuous objects, attacking the treasure chest isn't paranoia, it's good tactics. You never know what might be a Mimic...

** It's actually kind of funny when you go back to replay ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', and realize that [[TheChessmaster Manfred von Karma]] was paranoid enough to [[spoiler: retrain a parrot, on the off chance that ''somebody'' *coughcough* might cross-examine her]]. [[MakeTheDogTestify Guess what happens.]] However, [[spoiler:while the parrot was retrained to not say the most incriminating thing, Phoenix managed to use the other things it says to link the owner to DL-6.]]
** In the last case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'', the international spy known as "the phantom" is terrified of having his identity revealed, insisting that there are assassins nearby who will kill him if he's discovered. As it turns out, [[spoiler:he's shot by a sniper on a nearby rooftop through the roof of the courtroom the phantom himself bombed the moment he takes his last mask off, though he survives the shot.]]

* Ivan, much to Gian's surprise as Ivan appears to be the opposite at first appearance, from ''VisualNovel/LuckyDog1'' turns out to be incredibly paranoid about the people around him -- he's forced his men on a number of occasions to eat the food they bring in case it's poisoned. This is because, when he was younger, somebody he was close to set him up and he almost died, and he doesn't feel completely welcomed into the mafia. As it turns out some of the people betraying the mafia were his own men and his overly precautious nature saves his and Gian's lives on multiple occasions.

* Invoked by Gordon Freeman in episode 28 of ''Machinima/FreemansMind''. While his paranoia does allow him to accurately predict enemy strategies and avoid traps, he proceeds to delve into the absurdly paranoid... including telepathic owls.
* Flaky might come across as being irrationally nervous and the character has a boatload of phobias in ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', but considering what usually ends up happening to the HTF gang, and the [[EverythingTryingToKillYou somewhat unusual delivery mechanisms of said fates,]] her fears seem rather justified... but unfortunately her caution rarely pays off due to FinaglesLaw being in effect.

** Lieutenant Shore "Pi" Pibald, paranoid to the point of insanity -- or "as irrational as his namesake" -- though fortunately, in a mercenary company of violent sociopaths, this isn't a bad thing. However, he's intelligent enough that he's been correct about his suspicions on at least three notable [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2008-03-13 occasions]].

--->'''Kevyn''': I went straight for the most reckless, potentially-deadly activity I could imagine. It looks clever, but it's actually paranoid pessimism.

** Are buzzsaws on a train really necessary? [[http://www.sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=142 God, yes]] As for why... [[http://www.sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=167]] WARNING- NightmareFuel ahead.

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Whateley Academy is actively trying to instill a form of this attitude in its students. As staff members have been heard to state outright, the point of the school isn't so much to produce superheroes or -- villains -- or even provide a formal education (though it does that, too) as to train young mutants to survive in a world in which many people ''are'' out to get them.

** [[spoiler: Gambino, again, went to his friend Edmund with concerns about his security force being absent early in March 2010. Edmund dismissed him as paranoid and told him to go home and get some sleep. Cue vampire assassin...]]

* ''WebVideo/TheAutobiographyOfJaneEyre'': Jane senses that something is off from the moment she came to be Adele Rochester's tutor. In episode 13, her suspicions are confirmed as far as the strange happenings in the house go, though she doesn't know the mystery yet. However, it's also the episode when she admits that Mr Rochester is all right, and she expected him to be horrible -- neglectful or abusive to Adele and possibly to herself.

* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', Lord Vyce is determined to hunt down and kill the Entity, despite Linkara's insistance that he killed it. [[spoiler: And "The Sleepwalker" arc reveals that Vyce is indeed right, as a fragment of the Entity has possessed Linkara since its defeat. However, he loses the "Properly" part when he once again thinks it's still alive, even after witnessing the Entity kill itself again.]]

* In ''Webcomic/SamAndFuzzy'', Malcolm has various crazy cryptic rants about a conspiracy involving [[spoiler:the hunter in white, the corporation that kills to control the message, the man with two faces and space gophers. They all turn out to be a true (even the space gophers) and a result of his hairstyle accidentally picking up secret transmissions from Sin records]]
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Tarvek warns Gil that he has a lot of nasty cousins who would be eager to take the Lightning Throne if Tarvek doesn't do so and that Gil would definitely prefer Tarvek to any of them. Martellus then shows up to claim the crown and proves Tarvek very right with his incredibly violent ways.
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' has this in the form of [[spoiler: Beta Bro Strider.]] This character takes some actions that are absolutely horrifying to those around them, and even now with the information we have they are still considered excessive force, but to see the motivation they have [[spoiler: knowing that Bro was being tortured by Lord English's presence in Lil Cal his entire time with Dave]] makes you think.

* After discovering that they are werewolves, the main cast of ''Webcomic/CryHavoc'' (with the exception of Hati) become paranoid that the Vatican and Aesir churches are out to get them, this even goes so far that they tactically sweep and clear rooms they enter, carry multiple weapons on them at any time, and plan on how to kill their only allies should they be surprised.
* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', Jack believes that the Court tracks students [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=703 through their food]]. Naturally, even a student quite disillusioned with the Court asks him why they would do it in such a ridiculous way. [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=726 Jack's right.]]
* [[http://xkcd.com/525/ One]] ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' comic has the character [[BluffTheEavesdropper announce "I know you're listening" to empty rooms, on the off chance he's right]].
* One ''Webcomic/{{mezzacotta}}'' character [[http://www.mezzacotta.net/archive.php?date=1950-10-06 says]] this is why you humans cannot be allowed to leave Earth.
* You don't need enemies to be properly paranoid. Florence of ''Webcomic/FreeFall'' is an engineer specializing in nuclear power plants and space ship engines. She considers four independent fully-redundant safety systems an absolute minimum for anything important. She developed this habit contending with nothing worse than Murphy's Law. Considering how destructive a nuclear or space ship catastrophe can be, it's good to be that paranoid.
** Considering that MurphysLaw is one of the most destructive forces in the universe...
--->'''Spaceship Inspector:''' You WANT me to find if you've made a mistake?\\
'''Florence:''' Definitely. If I've missed anything and we don't find it, Mother Nature will, and she's ''very'' unforgiving of engineering shortcomings.

* Narrowly averted in ''Webcomic/{{Plume}}'' - [[spoiler:Aricon]], terrified of assassins, went to such lengths in order to prevent his murder, Corrick started to daydream about killing him.

* ''WebComic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'': Yes, there is in fact a [[https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/jerk-society Jerk Society]] out to get you.
* ''Webcomic/{{Bastard|2014}}'': In an early chapter, Jin's father helps an old lady cross the street and the woman's grandson is played up as being overly angry and suspicious. Of course, we the readers know that there ''is'' something very wrong with the man who helped his grandmother and that his comments about there being many kinds of weirdos out there were justified.

* ''Music/{{Paranoid}}'' by Music/BlackSabbath.

* ''Webcomic/{{Bastard}}'': In an early chapter, Jin's father helps an old lady cross the street and the woman's grandson is played up as being overly angry and suspicious. Of course, we the readers know that there ''is'' something very wrong with the man who helped his grandmother and that his comments about there being many kinds of weirdos out there were justified.

Bob is convinced that there's someone, or a group of someones out to get him or someone else. He takes incredible precautions to protect himself. For his efforts, Bob is called paranoid, insane, a CloudCuckoolander, a ControlFreak, a ConspiracyTheorist or any of a host of other (most probably rude) names.

!!Example subpages:

!!Other examples:

* ''ComicStrip/{{Candorville}}'': Subverted. Saxon Knechu describes himself as justifiably paranoid, but within two panels he admits he's even more paranoid than [[spoiler:a {{Dhampyr}} outcast]] needs to be. Lemont thinks he's AxeCrazy and delusional, [[spoiler:but he's completely sane, and the story he's telling is true]].

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]

[[folder:Sequential Art]]
* Creator/GahanWilson did a [[http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/09/21/my-paranoia-vindicated-gahan-wilson/ one-panel comic]] for ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' which shows a psychiatrist asking his patient "When did you first become aware of this imagined 'plot to get you,' Mr. Potter?" ...while crooking his finger at two grinning black-cloaked assassins who are creeping in through the office door.
[[/folder]]

* Anyone who is not this in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' should be, because ''[[EverythingTryingToKillYou the entire universe REALLY IS out to get you]]''.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* Lord Shojo, ruler of Azure City in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. Best summed up by this:
-->'''Shojo:''' Paranoia? I rule a city where I have to [[ObfuscatingInsanity fake senility]] just to avoid [[DecadentCourt being assassinated.]] [[RPGMechanicsVerse I took Improved Paranoia like 5 levels ago]].

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'', in wide range. Lieutenant Shore "Pi" Pibald, paranoid to the point of insanity -- or "as irrational as his namesake" -- though fortunately, in a mercenary company of violent sociopaths, this isn't a bad thing. However, he's intelligent enough that he's been correct about his suspicions on at least three notable [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2008-03-13 occasions]].
--> '''Narrator''': It's a good thing he's not in therapy. [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2008-06-08 This]] would undo months of progress.

* The characters in ''The Last Stage'' by WebVideo/NatOneProductions exhibit this trope throughout the story by necessity.
** Cell leader [[CodeName PATRICK]] makes sure that his teammates are really themselves every time he meets them again by spraying them with dangerous chemicals that have the added benefit of showcasing whether or not someone has been affected by the paranormal.
** The entire crew constantly are checking for tails, making sure their hotel rooms aren't bugged, and are actively suspicious of almost every person they encounter out in the field.
* [[Literature/WhateleyUniverse Whateley Academy]] is actively trying to instill a form of this attitude in its students. As staff members have been heard to state outright, the point of the school isn't so much to produce superheroes or -- villains -- or even provide a formal education (though it does that, too) as to train young mutants to survive in a world in which many people ''are'' out to get them.

* In ''WebVideo/MarbleHornets'', Alex starts constantly filming himself midway through producing his student film. After J watches the tapes, he starts filming himself as well. What they find is disturbing, to say the least.

* Invoked by Gordon Freeman in episode 28 of ''Machinima/FreemansMind''. While his paranoia does allow him to accurately predict enemy strategies and avoid traps, he proceeds to delve into the absurdly paranoid... including telepathic owls.

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic becomes paranoid that his allies will seek to oust him as President of WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}. [[spoiler:He's right, but it's only after he threatens them with [[NoKillLikeOverkill twenty tons of dynamite!]]]]
** Subverted with WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick, who he never really notices making several thinly-veiled assassination attempts for her own ends.

* ''WebVideo/TheAutobiographyOfJaneEyre'': Jane senses that something is off from the moment she came to be Adele Rochester's tutor. In episode 13, her suspicions are confirmed as far as the strange happenings in the house go, though she doesn't know the mystery yet. However, it's also the episode when she admits that Mr Rochester is all right, and she expected him to be horrible -- neglectful or abusive to Adele and possibly to herself.
* ''LetsPlay/{{Markiplier}}'' is ''horrified'' by mannequins and suits of armor. Any time he walks into a room where either or both are present, he will freak out. Unless, of course, the angel statue is somewhere around.
* ''Film/TheFlyingMan'': Mike is afraid that the murderous vigilante will crash their arms deal. Rob tells him not to worry. Guess who shows up?
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', when the insects around a police station so much as ''move strangely'', the cops take it as a sign that the [[TheDreaded Skitter]] is spying on them, and freak out accordingly. As the reader knows, she is.

* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', Lord Vyce is determined to hunt down and kill the Entity, despite Linkara's insistance that he killed it. [[spoiler: And "The Sleepwalker" arc reveals that Vyce is indeed right, as a fragment of the Entity has possessed Linkara since its defeat. However, he loses the "Properly" part when he once again thinks it's still alive, even after witnessing the Entity kill itself again.]]