History Main / TheBadGuyWins

We're all used to [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin heroes winning out over the bad guys]]. The bad guys get theirs, justice is done, and the heroes walk away happy. Sometimes [[BittersweetEnding things are a little more bittersweet]], but we at least expect the villain to lose in the end. One can even get away with a DownerEnding where it ends badly for the heroes, but many of these kinds of endings are "nobody wins" affairs where everybody pays the price ([[KillEmAll fatally]] or not). Even if the villain wins in these kinds of endings, it's usually [[PyrrhicVillainy at great enough personal cost to the villain that they are utterly ruined as a result]].

DoomedByCanon often requires this trope. If the BigBad's {{backstory}} involves the Big Bad attaining all kinds of success to get him or her [[StartOfDarkness into the position that started the story]], the {{Prequel}} requires them to win -- and [[KillEmAll kill off any major characters]], no matter how sympathetic, who do not make it to the original story, especially when the original story mentions the villain killing them. More generally, {{Villain Protagonist}}s will benefit from this trope, particularly in video games where the player [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential takes on the role of a bad guy]].

Some stories may attempt to use this trope, yet still try to soften the blow. Perhaps the villain's goal is [[TheExtremistWasRight ultimately a good thing]]. Or the heroes aren't really that different after all and [[AssholeVictim their loutish behavior keeps us from feeling too sorry for them]]. Or [[VillainProtagonist the villains were the main characters to begin with]], possibly earning them the audience's favor, especially if EvilIsCool. Another variant is for the villain to create a VillainWorld that the heroes must topple in a future story. In the case of video games with MultipleEndings, it is common for at least one ending to have the villain succeed in whatever their plan is, but [[NoCanonForTheWicked this is rarely the true/canon ending]], which is typically a GoldenEnding instead.

Some stories may attempt to use this trope, yet still try to soften the blow. Perhaps the villain's goal is [[TheExtremistWasRight ultimately a good thing]]. Or the heroes aren't really that different after all and [[AssholeVictim their loutish behavior keeps us from feeling too sorry for them]]. Another variant is for the villain to create a VillainWorld that the heroes must topple in a future story. In the case of video games with MultipleEndings, it is common for at least one ending to have the villain succeed in whatever their plan is, but [[NoCanonForTheWicked this is rarely the true/canon ending]], which is typically a GoldenEnding instead.

Some stories may attempt to use this trope, yet still try to soften the blow. Perhaps the villain's goal is [[TheExtremistWasRight ultimately a good thing]]. Or the heroes aren't really that different after all and [[AssholeVictim their loutish behavior keeps us from feeling too sorry for them]]. Another variant is for the villain to create a VillainWorld that the heroes must topple in a future story. In the case of video games with MultipleEndings, it is common for at least one ending to have the villain succeed in whatever their plan is, but this is rarely the true ending, which is typically a GoldenEnding instead.

Some stories may attempt to use this trope, yet still try to soften the blow. Perhaps the villain's goal is [[TheExtremistWasRight ultimately a good thing]]. Or the heroes aren't really that different after all and [[AssholeVictim their loutish behavior keeps us from feeling too sorry for them]]. Another variant is for the villain to create a VillainWorld that the heroes must topple in a future story.

* By the end of ''WebAnimation/MadnessCombat 11: Expurgation'', [[spoiler:Hank and Sanford are dead and [[BigBad The Auditor]] is free to continue his reign over Nevada unopposed.]]

** "Hulk vs. Doomsday" [[labelnote:*]]Played straight with Doomsday[[/labelnote]] has Doomsday stabbing Hulk with several poisionous spikes before delivering a savage NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to the Hulk before ripping his head off, to which Doomsday does a roar of victory, leaving the implication that Doomsday will continue his rampage with no one to stop him.

** "Hulk vs. Doomsday" [[labelnote:*]]Played straight with Doomsday[[/labelnote]] has Doomsday stabbing Hulk with several poisionous spikes befor delivering a savage NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to the Hulk before ripping his head off, to which Doomsday does a roar of victory, leaving the implication that Doomsday will continue his rampage with no one to stop him.

* ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' has several instances of villains winning their battles, with at least six instances of villains triumphing over heroes (though some are played with as a few of the "villains" are more of particularly violent AntiHero[=s=] than true villains).

* {{TheBadGuyWins/Toys}}

Some stories may attempt to use this trope, yet still try to soften the blow. Perhaps the villain's goal is [[TheExtremistWasRight ultimately a good thing]]. Or the heroes are really NotSoDifferent after all and [[AssholeVictim their loutish behavior keeps us from feeling too sorry for them]]. Another variant is for the villain to create a VillainWorld that the heroes must topple in a future story.

** In [=XTale=], X-Tale Frisk and Chara try to stop [=XGaster=] from messing with their timeline. [[spoiler: Cross intervenes and their world is destroyed.]]
** In 0.0, Chara makes off with half of Sans' soul.
** In 0.2, Chara escapes Underfell with Snowdin.
** In 0.3, [[spoiler: X-Chara comes back from the dead, Ink starts losing emotions, and Chara steals the Underswap cast except for Papyrus, Chara and Sans. The Underswap timeline is destroyed, and Swap Chara and Papyrus die there.]]
** In 0.4, [[spoiler: Outertale, Underswap, and Underfell Sans die, along with their timelines, and all of the multiverse CORE!Frisk failed to save and [=XGaster=] is revived.]]

** "Sephiroth vs Vergil" [[labelnote:*]]Technically an EvilVsEvil example[[/labelnote]] has the former using Supernova to burn Vergil, causing the latter`s HealingFactor to ber overridden. While Vergil is initially successful in using his sword to escape the attack, his wounds leave him vulnerable to being stabbed and bisected by Sephrioth.

** "Ryu vs. Scorpion" [[labelnote:*]]Played with as Scorpion is also considered an AntiHero[[/labelnote]]has Scorpion incinerating Ryu in the netherworld. "Hulk vs. Doomsday", "Sephiroth vs Vergil", and "Gray vs Esdeath" all end with a straight version.

** In [=XTale=], X-Tale Frisk and Chara try to stop [=XGaster=] from messing with their timeline. [spoiler: Cross intervenes and their world is destroyed.}

** In 0.3, [spoiler: X-Chara comes back from the dead, Ink starts losing emotions, and Chara steals the Underswap cast except for Papyrus, Chara and Sans. The Underswap timeline is destroyed, and Swap Chara and Papyrus die there.]
** In 0.4, [spoiler: Outertale, Underswap, and Underfell Sans die, along with their timelines, and all of the multiverse CORE!Frisk failed to save and [=XGaster=] is revived.]

* ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' has five instances of villains triumphing over heroes. [[spoiler:"Godzilla vs. Gamera" has Godzilla destroy Gamera during an attack on a city and "Ryu vs. Scorpion" has Scorpion incinerating Ryu in the netherworld (though this is played with as both Godzilla and Scorpion are more of particularly violent AntiHero[=s=] than true villains). "Hulk vs. Doomsday", "Sephiroth vs Vergil", and "Gray vs Esdeath" all end with a straight version. The former has Doomsday delivering a savage NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to the Hulk before ripping his head off, leaving Doomsday to continue his rampage with no one to stop him. Sephiroth vs Vergil has the former overriding the latter`s HealingFactor and bisecting him. The latter has Esdeath successfully freezing Gray to death, leaving Fiore (which she earlier turned into a wasteland by the use of the Ice Storm Commander-in-Chief) ripe for her to conquer even if she [[AnArmAndALeg lost an arm]] and used all her trump cards in the process.]]

We're all used to [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin heroes winning out over the bad guys]]. The bad guys get theirs, justice is done, and the heroes walk away happy. Sometimes [[BittersweetEnding things are a little more bittersweet]], but we at least expect the villain to lose in the end. One can even get away with a DownerEnding where it ends badly for the heroes, but many of these kinds of endings are "nobody wins" affairs where everybody pays the price ([[KillEmAll fatally]] or not). Even if the villain wins in these kinds of endings, it's usually [[PyrrhicVillainy at great enough personal cost to the villain that he or she is utterly ruined as a result]].

DoomedByCanon often requires this trope. If the BigBad's {{backstory}} involves the Big Bad attaining all kinds of success to get him or her [[StartOfDarkness into the position that started the story]], the {{Prequel}} requires them to win -- and [[KillEmAll kill off any major characters]], no matter how sympathetic, who do not make it to the original story. More generally, {{Villain Protagonist}}s will benefit from this trope, particularly in video games where the player [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential takes on the role of a bad guy]].

This would overlap with HateSink, likely the Audience and MoralGuardians would likely increase their wrath.

* ''WebAnimation/MetaRunner'': Season 1 ends with [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Lucks]] landing a massive blow against the heroes: [[spoiler: He shoots Masa’s Meta Runner arm clean off, forces Sofia to surrender the incriminating info against [=TASCorp=] in exchange for Masa’s life, rattles MD-5 by letting Belle reveal Lucina’s demise and Tari’s mysterious involvement with it to them, gets Tari to surrender and join his company in exchange for MD-5’s freedom, and crushes Theo’s cartridge, holding him hostage within his own microchip and using him as collateral, threatening to permanently erase him if Tari or MD-5 try resisting him again. [[RayOfHopeEnding Tari and MD-5 share one more hopeful exchange before being taken away, and a backup of the incriminating data ends up in the hands of Belle]], but Lucks has totally won as far as he’s concerned.]]

** While not quite as bad as Volume 3, Volume 7 of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' didn’t exactly end on a high note. Ruby breaks Ironwood's trust by withholding information about the Relic of Knowledge, and Salem and Cinder's machinations cause him to lose all faith in Team RWBY and Ozpin, leading the general to cross the MoralEventHorizon by trying to kill Oscar. Additionally, Ironwood attempts to take matters into his own hands and decides to abandon Mantle and raise Atlas to keep Salem from getting the Relic of Creation, while leaving millions to die. In spite of Cinder failing to get the powers of the Winter Maiden and [[RobotGirl Penny]] receiving them instead, Neo scores a victory for the villains by stealing the Relic of Knowledge and creating a slight rift in Team JNR. [[AxCrazy Tyrian]] succeeds in killing Clover and framing [[TheJinx Qrow]] before escaping while he and Robyn are arrested. Team RWBY and JNR are on the run from Atlesian military, including Winter who is grievously injured, as Salem arrives with her army of [[AnimalisticAbomination Grimm]].

* While not quite as bad as Volume 3, Volume 7 of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' didn’t exactly end on a high note. Ruby breaks Ironwood's trust by withholding information about the Relic of Knowledge, and Salem and Cinder's machinations cause him to lose all faith in Team RWBY and Ozpin, leading the general to cross the MoralEventHorizon by trying to kill Oscar. Additionally, Ironwood attempts to take matters into his own hands and decides to abandon Mantle and raise Atlas to keep Salem from getting the Relic of Creation, while leaving millions to die. In spite of Cinder failing to get the powers of the Winter Maiden and Penny receiving them instead, Neo scores a victory for the villains by stealing the Relic of Knowledge and creating a slight rift in Team JNR. Tyrian succeeds in killing Clover and framing Qrow before escaping while he and Robyn are arrested. Team RWBY and JNR are on the run from Atlesian military, including Winter who is grievously injured, as Salem arrives with her army of [[AnimalisticAbomination Grimm]].