History Main / PsychoticSmirk

* When Randy Orton latest would viciously stomping the heads of other wrestlers (most of them legends), presumably giving them career ending concussions. Right before Orton does the move, he gets a sinister look in his eyes and gives a smirk.

* Gendo Ikari from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' smiles like this whenever something falls into place in his plans, although he usually camouflages it by leaning forward on his desk with his hands folded in front of his face. At most other times, his face is carefully held to an emotionless deadpan -- when he smiles ''openly'', it's never good news for anyone but him.

** A non-villainous example is when Grumman's XanatosGambit to [[spoiler: prevent Bradley, A.K.A Wrath, from being able to reach Central, when Mustang's assault happens, which either Bradley will not return to Central due to a training exercise or does return and his train is destroyed while over a bridge planted with explosives, possibly killing him]], pulls off. Grumman has this reaction when he hears that the later happened. It's even better in the anime where the opening notes of the [[CrowningMusicofAwesome ending theme]] play right when he does this.

* The VillainProtagonist of ''Film/MrBrooks'' employs a particularly impressive smirk during his CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

* Gendo Ikari from ''Series/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' smiles like this whenever something falls into place in his plans, although he usually camouflages it by leaning forward on his desk with his hands folded in front of his face. At most other times, his face is carefully held to an emotionless deadpan -- when he smiles ''openly'', it's never good news for anyone but him.
* Itachi from ''{{Naruto}}'' seems to consider this his favourite expression. Of course, he only has three; frowning, blank stare, and smirking. If he smirks...you're in trouble. Direct, immediate, trouble, that is. Most likely he's just reversed your attack and you're about to kill yourself unless you stop.

** [[Characters/MCULoki Loki]] wears an enigmatic, tight-lipped smile at least once in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' (when he comes to bargain with Laufey), ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' (before ripping out an eye of his victim in Stuttgart) and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' (while staring down Kurse from his cell). Being more unstable in ''The Avengers'', he often sports a SlasherSmile instead. By ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', his expression softens to a SmileOfApproval ([[spoiler:on the bridge during the final battle]]) or [[WhenHeSmiles genuine happiness]] ([[spoiler:in his last scenes of the movie]]).
** [[Characters/MCUThanos Thanos]] is quite fond of this expression. He wears that smirk in TheStinger of ''The Avengers'' and several times throughout ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''.

** The picture that used to be above comes from the finale, while Azula is suffering from her VillainousBreakdown. As time goes on, it degenerates into a full-on SlasherSmile.

** [[Characters/MCULoki Loki]] wears an enigmatic, tight-lipped smile at least once in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' (when he comes to bargain with Laufey), ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' (before ripping out an eye of his victim in Stuttgart) and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' (while staring down Kurse from his cell). Being more unstable in ''The Avengers'', he often sports a SlasherSmile instead. By ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', his expression softens to a SmileOfApproval ([[spoiler: on the bridge during the final battle]]) or [[WhenHeSmiles genuine happiness]] ([[spoiler: in the last scene of the movie]]).

** [[Characters/MCUThanos Thanos]] Thanos is quite fond of this expression. He wears that smirk in TheStinger of ''The Avengers'' and several times throughout ''Infinity War''.

** [[Characters/MCUThanos Thanos]] has this smirk in the ''The Avengers'' in TheStinger.

** [[Characters/MCULoki Loki]] in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' , ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' is a master at the enigmatic, tight-lipped smile, although he [[SlasherSmile shows a bit more teeth]] in ''The Avengers''.
** Also from ''The Avengers'': [[spoiler:Thanos]] in TheStinger.

** [[Characters/MCULoki]] Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' , ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' is a master at the enigmatic, tight-lipped smile, although he [[SlasherSmile shows a bit more teeth]] in ''The Avengers''.

* Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' is a master at the [[http://geektyrant.com/storage/post-images-2011/tom-hiddleston-loki.jpeg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1302803410485 enigmatic, tight-lipped smile,]] although he [[SlasherSmile shows a bit more teeth]] in ''The Avengers''.

* Pictured above, Light from ''Manga/DeathNote''. Three words: "Exactly as planned." One smirk he busts out is so momentous, it's accompanied by a sudden earthquake in the cinematography.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfThStorm'' has Doctor Strange, who usually has a GrinOfAudacity on his face, but sometimes it turns into one of these. It's usually a prelude to a reminder that for all [[BewareTheSillyOnes his sometimes quirky mannerisms]], there is a ''reason'' that this man has a reputation as TheDreaded sufficient to baulk ''gods.''

* [[DragonBallZ Vegeta's]] psychotic smirk was one of his trademarks as a villain, given just before blasting someone to Hell (or the [[NeverSayDie Next Dimension]], for those of you who go by the earlier dub).
** Cell's final form on ''DragonBallZ'' seemed to do this all the time. There's one particular example on the cover of ''[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/Dbzbox.jpg DragonballZ Budokai]]''.

** Russia is the [[http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u290/Verging/Hetaliatrope.png king of this]] in the series. Almost ''anytime'' he smiles, his smile is like that of a [[SlasherSmile serial killer]]. Or [[SilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lector]]. ''Especially'' when he wants you to [[MemeticMutation become one with him]]

* Any newscast about the January 8, 2011 shooting in Tucson will inevitably show [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Photograph_of_Jared_Lee_Loughner_by_Pima_County_Sheriff%27s_Office.jpg this mugshot]] of the assassin, Jared Lee Loughner. May overlap with SlasherSmile.

* Norman Bates from ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' [[spoiler: specifically at the end after he's caught]].

* Arnold Vosloo's smirk is probably the main reason he got the part of Imhotep in ''Film/TheMummyTrilogy.''

* Pretty much the whole point of ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' is seeing OliverReed grin creepily.

* At the start of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Miranda is seen first conferring with [[MartinSheen The Illusive Man]] and then watching over Shepard with a genuinely warm smile. She reappears after losing contact trying to aid Shepard, flashes a smirk at Wilson, before killing him for trying to lead Shepard into a trap and abandon her to die.

[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/DeathNote http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/deathnote_tetrismoment5.jpg]]]]

* Hilary Briss on ''TheLeagueOfGentlemen'', who has this hideous, almost mocking smile.