History Main / SmitingEvilFeelsGood

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/DeathNote'', initially protagonist Light Yagami only killed the worst of criminals and resorted to more humane ways to eliminate the pettier ones. As he starts killing more and more criminals, Light becomes increasingly sadistic. Eventually, Light comes to view everyone who so much as disagrees with him as evil and has no qualms with killing them.

* Minsc is more than a bit deranged, and he's certainly ''delighted'' when he gets a chance to start "butt kicking for goodness."
-->'''Minsc:''' ''Evil, meet my sword. Sword, meet evil!''
** Dame Aylin in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'' is more a case of "smiting evil feels cathartic" in that, while she's always eager to destroy evil as the daughter of a moon goddess, she becomes especially violent when taking down [[spoiler: Balthasar, the necromancer who trapped her in a soul prison for 100 years to be killed repeatedly as part of an evil ritual. She's even more vicious against Ketheric Thorm, thrashing at his body repeatedly after he's dead while shouting about delivering divine justice; an understandable reaction to his machinations being ultimately responsible for her imprisonment, but also for trying to capture and mind control her girlfriend. She also shows similar viciousness against Lorroakan, a wizard who is trying to imprison her again.]]
* From ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'':

-->'''Hectan:''' You ''killed'' me! (''[[ImMelting melts away]]'')\\

* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'': Minsc is more than a bit deranged, and he's certainly ''delighted'' when he gets a chance to start "butt kicking for goodness."

** It's also notably averted for God Himself. He ''does'' have the moral authority to judge sin, and He '''will''',[[note]]'''[[Literature/BookOfExodus Deuteronomy]] 32:35a:''' ''"Vengeance is [[OmniscientMoralityLicense mine]], I will repay," says the '''Lord'''.''[[/note]] but He sure doesn't ''like'' doing it. The ''Literature/BookOfEzekiel'' states it outright:

* Literature/TheBible speaks against this. Protecting people is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleansing_of_the_Temple fine]], feeling relieved that bad people can no longer hurt you is fine, telling people honestly that they're sinning is fine- but ''gloating'' about their punishment, or saying that they got what they deserved, assumes a moral high ground on the speaker's part that they do not have. There's no one who has never committed any sin (except Jesus), so it's better to stop them from doing wrong again, and even better to forgive them. Justice is good, but mercy is even better.
-->''"Vengeance is [[OmniscientMoralityLicense mine]], I will repay," says the '''Lord'''.''\\
(...)\\
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the '''Lord''' will see and disapprove and turn His wrath away from him."

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': During the original series, [[Characters/DragonBallSonGoku Son Goku]] ''really'' enjoyed beating up and even killing the bad guys. This can be seen when he mercilessly beats up Mercenary Tao for killing Bora, chases down Officer Black when he was retreating, [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beats]] Tambourine senseless, stops just short of killing him just to drag out his pain, and then vaporizes him as he tries to flee, and smiles after beating on King Piccolo; in the dub, King Piccolo even states that [[NotSoDifferentRemark he and Goku both delight in causing pain to their enemies]]. He gets over this trait from the Piccolo Jr. Saga onwards, showing mercy and even sympathy to his enemies.

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/DeathNote'', initially [[VillainProtagonist protagonist]] Light Yagami only killed the worst of criminals and resorted to more humane ways to eliminate the pettier ones. As he starts killing more and more criminals, Light becomes increasingly sadistic. Eventually, his definition of "evil" becomes "anyone who disagrees with me" as he [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope jumps further and further off the slippery slope]].

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/DeathNote'', initially [[VillainProtagonist protagonist]] [[LightIsNotGood Light Yagami]] only killed the worst of criminals and resorted to more humane ways to eliminate the pettier ones. As he starts killing more and more criminals, Light becomes increasingly sadistic. Eventually, his definition of "evil" becomes "anyone who disagrees with me" as he [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope jumps further and further off the slippery slope]].

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': During the original series, Goku ''really'' enjoyed beating up and even killing the bad guys. This can be seen when he mercilessly beats up Mercenary Tao for killing Bora, chases down Officer Black when he was retreating, [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beats]] Tambourine senseless, stops just short of killing him just to drag out his pain, and then vaporizes him as he tries to flee, and smiles after beating on King Piccolo; in the dub, King Piccolo even states that [[NotSoDifferentRemark he and Goku both delight in causing pain to their enemies]]. He gets over this trait from the Piccolo Jr. Saga onwards, showing mercy and even sympathy to his enemies.

* Ryu Hayabusa from ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden''. Killing evil/bad guys would grant him "karma" that would enhance his strength. Thus, not only his sense of justice drives him to slay evil whenever he sees one, he does get something good out of it along with "satisfaction".
* The ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'' character [[spoiler:Akane]] invests ''major'' amounts of money and time into not only exposing the people who murdered [[spoiler:her as a child]] but making their punishment as psychologically torturous as possible. In the third game, this leads her into conflict with Junpei (who will kill to survive and do so eagerly, [[spoiler:hence their united purpose in the incinerator scene]] but never for any other reason) and Carlos (who she is tricked into believing killed her LoveInterest).

* Finn and Jake from ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' live on this, as does the Flame Princess, in a more unhinged sense. In fact, Finn has a song that references this trope, "If you're an evil witch, I will punch you for fun!"
* The Land of Dreams from ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'', despite being a SugarBowl in nearly every other regard, thoroughly enjoy punishing Zordrak and the Urpneys any time they bother them, and several bouts quickly decline into them [[DisproportionateRetribution pummeling or tormenting them]] [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown long after their threat has been vanquished]] (Urpneys have been killed in the past, albeit indirectly as [[YouHaveFailedMe punishment from Zordrak]]). This trait was toned down and eventually subverted in later episodes, likely due to writers catching on it made the heroes UnintentionallyUnsympathetic against the [[PragmaticVillainy far less sadistic]] [[TrappedInVillainy Urpneys]].
* Rainbow Dash of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has a ''little'' too much fun beating up changelings in "A Canterlot Wedding" and ultimately declares it to be the best wedding ever. A later episode, as a CallBack, shows that she happily dreams about beating the crap out of the bad guys as well.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' shows Anakin, who also openly shows joy in fighting the separatists. His Padawan Ahsoka also qualifies, albeit to a lesser extent.
* Although Korra from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' does not really kill anyone, if she can avoid it, she has a lot of fun fighting bad guys.

* John Matrix in ''Film/{{Commando}}''. A bunch of mercenaries kidnap his daughter. He's going to kill every last one of them, and enjoy himself while doing so. "You're a funny guy. I'll {{kill you last}}." Later "You said you'd kill me last!" *grins grimly* "ILied"

* Literature/TheBible speaks against this. Protecting people is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleansing_of_the_Temple fine]], feeling relieved that bad people can no longer hurt you is fine, telling people honestly that they're sinning is fine- but ''gloating'' about their punishment, or saying that they got what they deserved, assumes a moral high ground on the speaker's part that they do not have. There's no one who has never committed any sin, so it's better to stop them from doing wrong again, and even better to forgive them. Justice is good, but mercy is even better.

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn His wrath away from him"

* ''ComicBook/HolyTerror,'' by the [[Creator/FrankMiller same author]], was going to be a Batman story until later in the game than anyone involved seems to want to admit. The Fixer (aka 'Batman in brown minus the ears and cape') is motivated pretty much ''entirely'' by this trope. He enjoys every second of being horrifically brutal and murderous... to terrorists, so nobody's complaining. At least, in-universe. Out of universe, it's hard to get behind a "hero" who just wants to get his murder on but thankfully picked AcceptableTargets. (Well, when [[Series/{{Dexter}} done just so]], that can make for a compelling character, but we really don't get to know the Fixer beyond his love of giving terrorists what's coming to them.)

** Raiden feels very much the same, worrying about feeling good when he fights and kills humans and cyborgs. However, he appears to let himself completely loose when fighting full on robots like UMGs.

-->''[After picking up a [[GatlingGood Gatling]] [[{{BFG}} Laser Minigun]]]: Imagine the evil that can be destroyed with this tool!

-->''[After picking up a [[GatlingGood Gatling]] [[BFG Laser Minigun]]]: Imagine the evil that can be destroyed with this tool!

* One interpretation of ComicBook/JohnConstantine's motivation; he constantly rails against the injustices of the world, blaming those that rule it. Some of his acquaintances believe he's not a champion of the oppressed so much as an [[AllergicToRoutine adrenaline junkie]] who uses powerful and amoral opponents as a source of schadenfreude.
-->'''Clarice''': Sticking your hand in something nasty, getting good and pissed off, getting the blood flowing--vintage John Constantine.

[[/folder]]

* ''LightNovel/TheHeroLaughsWhileWalkingThePathOfVengeanceASecondTime'' is about a team of sadistic vigilantes who enjoy torturing and killing the FakeUltimateHero VillainWithGoodPublicity types responsible for the CrapsackWorld they live in.

* ''Fanfic/JustAnUnorthodoxThief'' seems to be working on an inversion with respect to [[LightNovel/FateZero Kirei Kotomine.]] Since summoning the Assassin who was known as Lupin the Third, Lupin has been talking to Kirei about ''how'' he has fun being more important than ''why'' he has fun. Kirei considers himself a very sinful man, not a hero like the trope description expects. But Lupin is widely admired and impressive, partly for who he targets. Lupin seems to be slowly teaching Kirei that imitating him will lead Kirei to an enjoyable lifestyle, as long as he would PayEvilUntoEvil. It doesn't matter if Kirei enjoys killing people, so long as the people he's killing are people that deserve to be killed.

-->"But here's something for you to think about, at least. What goes around comes around. And sometimes you get what's coming around." He paused for a moment, frowning faintly, pursing his lips. "And sometimes you are what's coming around."

-->"I still like a good fight, Rosanna. I just choose them more carefully now."

* In ''Series/BurnNotice'', both Michael and Fi have {{Berserk Button}}s for villains who hurt children. Fi particularly [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim chomps at the bit to kill such people]] (or recurring villains who've been troublesome {{Manipulative Bastard}}s to Michael in the who-burned-me arc), although she'll defer to Michael's judgment if such would be tactically unwise (or detrimental to Michael getting answers he needs) at the time. But if she does get the green light, she'll smile when she does it.

* Literature/TheBible warns against this. Protecting people is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleansing_of_the_Temple fine]], feeling relieved that bad people can no longer hurt you is fine, telling people honestly that they're sinning is fine- but ''gloating'' about their punishment, or saying that they got what they deserved, assumes a moral high ground on the speaker's part that they do not have. There's no one who has never committed any sin, so it's better to stop them from doing wrong again, and even better to forgive them. Justice is good, but mercy is even better.