History Main / TheCorruptible

* The marine nation of Kul Tiras in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' have an order known as the Tidesages, mages and holy men who commune with the sea itself to maintain it as well as gain boons from it (such as blessing ships to be safe in the water or guiding fish into fishing nets.). But [[EldritchAbomination N'Zoth, one of the Old Gods]], is imprisoned beneath the waves, so the Tidesages will always hear his maddening whispers when speaking with the sea. Though they train themselves to resist the insidious words, by ''Battle for Azeroth'', many of the Tidesages have fallen to madness and now worship the Old God and serve his purpose.

* ''Film/AManForAllSeasons'' has Richard Rich, a young acquaintance of Sir Thomas More, who asks Thomas to use his influence to secure him a powerful position at the Royal Court. More, however, knows full well that Rich is corruptible, and instead recommends that Rich accept a job as a schoolteacher, where he won't be tempted. In the end, [[spoiler: Rich ''does'' get an important position- that of the attorney-general for Wales- given to him by More's rival and the {{villain}} of the piece, Thomas Cromwell. In exchange for the job, he [[MiscarriageOfJustice commits flagrant perjury]] that sends Sir Thomas More to the executioner. More's response? "Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world... but for Wales?"]]

* Sauron himself in ''Literature/TheSimarillion,'' actually. He starts out as a [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]] who resembles a giant housecat, and when he decides to bring some order to Middle-Earth, he thinks the best guy to help him is Morgoth, the Legendarum's CaptainErsatz of ''{{Satan}}!'' Naturally, this leads to him becoming a Demon of Oppression, and the archetypical EvilOverlord.

* In a comedic example, the Let's Player [=Jpw03=] of Dem Salty Bois (LetsPlay/LordMinion777, [=PatrckStatic=], and Garuku Bluemoon) began recording when he was 16, and thus [[ContracturalPurity used to be extremely clean]], but (due to playing with the rest, who are adults) slowly matured as he got older, losing some of his fragility and being more willing to make [[BlackComedyBurst riskier jokes]], to the point that "Jp's lost innocence" is a group in-joke.

* In a comedic example, the [=Let'sPlayer=] [=Jpw03=] of Dem Salty Bois (LetsPlay/LordMinion777, [=PatrckStatic=], and Garuku Bluemoon) began recording when he was 16, and thus used to be extremely clean, but (due to playing with the rest, who are adults) slowly matured as he got older, losing some of his fragility and being more willing to make riskier jokes, to the point that "Jp's lost innocence" is a group in-joke.

* In a comedic example, the [=Let'sPlayer=] Jpw03 of Dem Salty Bois (LetsPlay/LordMinion777, PatrckStatic, and Garuku Bluemoon) began recording when he was 16, and thus used to be extremely clean, but (due to playing with the rest, who are adults) slowly matured as he got older, losing some of his fragility and being more willing to make riskier jokes, to the point that "Jp's lost innocence" is a group in-joke.

* Rachel from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''. While Baam adores her, she is afraid of his overshadowing skill, fearing that he might take her place in the Tower and throw her back into the world they came from.

[[folder:Comicbooks]]
* Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos of the Star Wars: Clone Wars comic series is a perfect example of this trope. He is constantly fighting his darker urges and experiences so many [[HeelFaceTurn alignment]] [[FaceHeelTurn shifts]] that halfway through the series you have no idea what side he's on...and neither does he. He even has several climactic battles with his inner darkness while fighting an external darkness at the same time. The kicker? His master tells him that, even after his major victory over himself and the enemy, he is still not free from TheDarkSide. He will ''always'' struggle. What makes him a hero? ''He never gives up the fight.''

[[folder:FanFic]]

[[folder:Film]]
* Anakin Skywalker being The Corruptible drives the overarching plot of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' series.

* [[spoiler: Farva]] in ''Film/SuperTroopers''.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Dillon in ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' due to being a part machine hybrid with BigBad Venjix's technology inside him. The threat of being taken over completely was a major theme of the series. Of course, given what kind of show it is, there was little doubt that ThePowerOfFriendship and ThePowerOfLove would win out.
* Morgana from BBC ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' was shown as [[ScrewDestiny independent]], [[AmbitionIsEvil interested in gaining power]], [[TheSocialExpert manipulative]], self-focused (but not self-centered), [[ForHappiness and interested much more in personal consequences than political ones]]. None of this makes her evil, but the main character is an [[BecauseDestinySaysSo obedient/dutiful]], [[AmbitionIsEvil not interested in power]], [[ForGreatJustice politically scheming for the greater good]] young boy, whose moral views sometimes clash with hers. The writer had to make her evil, or to present her as an interesting alternate viewpoint, but their views are too contrary to Morgana's for them to choose this solution yet.
* Stefan Salvatore from ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''. He went from being the hero of the show to being the villain in season three. He became the Ripper, his sociopathic, remorseless alter ego without his humanity.
* [[spoiler: Zach]] on ''Series/{{Bones}}'' becomes this in season 4. Turns out his hyper-rationalization and tendency to look up to those he respects means that he can be persuaded to become [[spoiler: a serial killer's apprentice]].
* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', [[Characters/SupernaturalDemons Azazel (The Yellow-Eyed Demon)]] plays TheCorrupter for [[Characters/SupernaturalSpecialChildren the Special Children]] by manipulating their {{Fatal Flaw}}s (killing or threatening family and loved ones, promising power and glory, or exploiting feelings of loneliness or a desire for revenge).
[[/folder]]

* Raimundo from ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'', whose temporary FaceHeelTurn is the main plot of the first season finale. After an attempt at "defying orders for the greater good" backfires and inadvertently helps the villains, Master Fung gives him nothing but harsh words while his friends get promoted. As Raimundo starts to question whether he wants to stay on the team, Wuya offers him a "more rewarding" path.

* Heidi Turner from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', whose boyfriend [[FatBastard Eric Cartman]] is slowly turning her into a female version of himself, by tricking her into eating unhealthy foods to make her fatter and convincing her that Kyle (and Jews in general) are terrible people (after Kyle nearly convinced her to leave Cartman).

* Boromir from ''TheLordOfTheRings'' is the member of the Fellowship most open to the Ring's seduction, though he's a good and honorable man otherwise. He does fall to it eventually, but is horrified by what he almost does and becomes TheAtoner briefly before [[RedemptionEqualsDeath completely redeeming himself]] via HeroicSacrifice.
** Isildur himself also qualifies big-time -- without his fall to the evil influence of the Ring, it would not have survived the fall of its master. The race of Men in general are easier to corrupt to evil than the other major races, though there are those who resist such corruption.
** Gollum even more so. He fell to the Ring's influence almost immediately after finding it and murdered his best friend for it.
** In point of fact, Sauron's downfall was ultimately a consequence of his inability to conceive that any individual could defy this trope for long where the One Ring is concerned. He was almost right actually.

* [[spoiler: Bastila]] in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. In her defense, at least part of this was due to her bond with [[spoiler: the amnesiac Revan]].

* Averted in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''. The Villian Alliance assumed [[spoiler:Bakugou]] would be this. But when [[spoiler:they kidnapped him and offered him an invitation to their ranks, he flat out told them no way.]]

* Morgana from BBC ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' was shown as [[ScrewDestiny independent]], [[AmbitionIsEvil interested in gaining power]], [[TheSocialExpert manipulative]], self-focused (but not self-centered), [[ForHappiness and interested much more in personal consequences than political ones]]. None of this makes her evil, but the main character is an [[BecauseDestinySaysSo obedient/dutiful]], [[AmbitionIsEvil not interested in power]], [[ForGreatJustice politically scheming for the greater good]] young boy, whose moral views sometimes clash with hers. The writer had to make her evil, or to present her as an interesting alternate viewpoint, but their views are too contrary to Morgana's for them to choose this solution yet.

!Examples:

* ''ShinMegamiTensei'': Almost every game in the main series features a Law Hero and a Chaos Hero to offset the HeroicMime protagonist. Inevitably, each will be drawn into their designated faction, often by a combination of choice and circumstance... and then they'll try to draw the protagonist in too. These characters are never portrayed unsympathetically at the outset, yet they remain all-too-susceptible to JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope when things get bad enough.

* [[spoiler: Bastila]] in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''.

* Whispy Woods from the ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' series. Whatever evil force is corrupting Dream Land this time, Whispy pretty much always ends up under its sway and is fought as the first boss.
** King Dedede is an odd example, as he's nominally the series' BigBad, but developed into more of a bullying-but-lovable FriendlyEnemy to Kirby. Therefore most Kirby games have you fight him when he's been possessed, mind-controlled, or transformed by the game's true villain. The number of times he's been fought as a boss when he's being controlled may outnumber the boss battles where he's acting of his own will.

* The marine nation of Kul Tiras in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWorldcraft'' have an order known as the Tidesages, mages and holy men who commune with the sea itself to maintain it as well as gain boons from it (such as blessing ships to be safe in the water or guiding fish into fishing nets.). But [[EldritchAbomination N'Zoth, one of the Old Gods]], is imprisoned beneath the waves, so the Tidesages will always hear his maddening whispers when speaking with the sea. Though they train themselves to resist the insidious words, by ''Battle for Azeroth'', many of the Tidesages have fallen to madness and now worship the Old God and serve his purpose.

* Heidi Turner from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', whom her boyfriend [[FatBastard Eric Cartman]] is slowly turning her into a female version of himself, by tricking her into eating unhealthy foods to make her fatter and convincing her that Kyle (and Jews in general) are terrible people (after Kyle nearly convinced her to leave Cartman).

* Averted in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia. The Villian Alliance assumed [[spoiler:Bakugou]] would be this. But when [[spoiler:they kidnapped him and offered him an invitation to their ranks, he flat out told them no way.]]