History Main / TheGodsMustBeLazy

If this trope is PlayedWith enough to possibly be sent to its LogicalExtreme or flipped entirely see TheAntiGod, LightIsNotGood, GoodIsNotNice, GoodIsNotSoft, MadGod, OrderIsNotGood, GodOfEvil, GodIsEvil, FallenAngel and GodAndSatanAreBothJerks.

If this trope is PlayedWith enough to possibly be sent to its LogicalExtreme or flipped entirely see TheAntiGod, LightIsNotGood, GoodIsNotNice, GoodIsNotSoft, MadGod, GodOfEvil, GodIsEvil, FallenAngel and GodAndSatanAreBothJerks.

The [[TropeNamer trope name]] comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil) see BenevolentGenie, DivineConflict, HeavenVersusHell, LightIsGood, GodOfGood and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone. Compare InMysteriousWays where [[AmbiguousSituation it is left unclear whether or not this trope is in effect]].

See also AlmightyIdiot, AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsFlawed, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, GoodIsBoring, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[ValuesDissonance and ethically]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]] see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist or are absent that's DevilButNoGod or GodIsDead. This might be the reason a work falls into Class 3 on the SlidingScaleOfDivineIntervention.

The [[TropeNamer trope name]] comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil) see DivineConflict, HeavenVersusHell, LightIsGood, GodOfGood and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone. Compare InMysteriousWays where [[AmbiguousSituation it is left unclear whether or not this trope is in effect]].

** The events of ''X'' lead right into ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'', where the [[OurTitansAreDifferent Titan]] [[TimeMaster Kronika]], who is displeased by Raiden's meddling with her intended course of history decides to take matters into her own hands and pull fighters from [[TimeyWimeyBall between multiple timelines]]. You know Kronika poses a serious threat to the realms when the Elder Gods ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness provide Raiden with precise instructions on what he needs to do to thwart her ambitions]]''. [[spoiler: Unfortunately they pay the ultimate price for their inaction over the eons when [[NatureIsNotNice Cetrion]] eliminates them to prove her loyalty to her mother Kronika and finish what her brother Shinnok started.]]
** [[spoiler: This trope along with [[JerkassGods divine douchebaggery]] are the reasons why Liu Kang decided to be more proactive and helpful in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' after his [[GodOfHumanOrigin ascension.]]]]

See also AlmightyIdiot, AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[ValuesDissonance and ethically]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]] see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist or are absent that's DevilButNoGod or GodIsDead. This might be the reason a work falls into Class 3 on the SlidingScaleOfDivineIntervention.

** Part of Beerus' duty as a God of Destruction is to wipe out [[PayEvilUntoEvil evil mortals who misuse the knowledge of the gods]], but he spends most of his time eating and sleeping, as shown in ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods''. He should have killed Majin Buu before he wiped out most of the Supreme Kais and left his universe with only the IncompletelyTrained Shin (who has been called Supreme Kai throughout ''Z''), but he slept through the whole thing ([[TooDumbToLive and if Shin had died, so would he]]). Also, not only did he let Frieza run rampant throughout the cosmos, he actually ''encouraged'' Frieza's actions by approving of his genocide of the Saiyans since he basically did his job for him. When Gods of Destruction from other universes are introduced, it's revealed that several of them are far more efficient than he.

* The whole point of Deism. An almighty figure created the universe, and after that either went away or just stopped interfering in the fabric of reality. European Enlightenment thinkers didn't believe this was a CosmicHorrorStory, because for them, Deism allows for the existence of God without the necessity of miracles and means that if you cannot accept the whole "God's will" thing at face value, scientists can get on with their business without fear of committing blasphemy. Their religious view is often ascribed to by those who think that people can control their own fate without divine intervention.

** The TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms has an overgod who forces the other gods to stay hands-off on the world, preventing mass destruction from constant divine meddling. Like many other works the gods TakeAThirdOption and act through their respective churches, clerics, paladins and favoured mortals. Several of them like the Church of Bane run a city state (Zhentil Keep) while others like the Church of Tymora sponsor adventuring teams and Mystra has her [[TheChosenMany Chosen]] to act as her agents. The presence of the gods is a fact in the Forgotten Realms setting and their churches are collectively as influential as the Catholic Church in medieval Europe.

* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode The Painted Lady, the actual Painted Lady thanks Katara for protecting her people. At least it proves Katara did nothing wrong pretending to be a spirit to help people. But when her people needed help, the spirit… waited for a human who would do her job?

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina but InUniverse [[BrokenAesop it doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, monsters coming to wreak havoc sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to try FightingYourGod to KillTheGod; alternatively the one actively forsaking their GodJob can be branded a LoserDeity.

The [[TropeNamer trope name]] comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil) see HeavenVersusHell and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone. Compare InMysteriousWays where [[AmbiguousSituation it is left unclear whether or not this trope is in effect]].

See also AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[ValuesDissonance and ethically]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]] see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist or are absent that's DevilButNoGod or GodIsDead. This might be the reason a work falls into Class 3 on the SlidingScaleOfDivineIntervention.

* In ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', while the Elder Gods give each realm a "protector god" to watch over their charges and defend them against supernatural threats, in reality they're powerless to do their duties; most of the threats that the protector gods are ''supposed'' to help defend against are from out of realm eager to conquer the little piece of reality they're supposed to be watching over, and they have no jurisdiction - or powers - once that happens. Plus, the Elder Gods are more likely to yank the gods from the front lines than to, y'know, let them do their jobs thanks to their overdeveloped ObstructiveCodeOfConduct and AlienNonInterferenceClause. The most any god can do without outright rebelling is to train warriors to deal with the oncoming threats themselves.
** Taken to ridiculous extremes in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. [[spoiler: When [[ShockAndAwe Raiden]] and [[TheChosenOne Liu Kang]] ask them to stop [[EvilOverlord Shao Kahn]]'s blatant rule-breaking and Earthrealm invasion, the Elder Gods refuse to act since he hasn't ''technically'' broken any rules. The only way to get them to act is for Raiden to ''surrender'' to Shao Kahn; when Kahn nearly kills him anyway the Elder Gods '''FINALLY''' step in, empowering the thunder god so he can finish Kahn once and for all. And that was after Raiden ''[[IdiotBall had blundered his way through visions he'd received]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero and gotten his allies whittled down to virtually nothing]]''.]]
** Goes even further during the main story in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''. [[EverybodyHatesHades Shinnok]], a former Elder God acquires an amulet created by the Elder Gods that has the ability to destroy the fabrics of reality itself. The Elder Gods do not stop him and it takes [[SmallNameBigEgo Johnny Cage]] and Raiden to stop Shinnok and seal him in the amulet. Later on, [[spoiler: [[EvilSorcerer Quan Chi]] manages to release Shinnok before being killed by [[RevengeBeforeReason Scorpion]]. Shinnok proceeds to lay the smackdown on the heroes, go to the Sky Temple and the infect the life force of Earthrealm as he bathes in it to gain incredible power. The world is in danger yet the Elder Gods still stand by and do nothing at all. Shinnok even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] how spineless the Elder Gods have become. Shinnok is stopped not by the Elder Gods, but by Johnny and [[DrillSergeantNasty Sonya Blade]]'s daughter [[BadassNormal Cassie Cage]]. The Elder Gods' continued lack of motivation affects Raiden who, after using his own life force to cleanse Earthrealm becomes extremely disillusioned and declares to use his powers to protect Earthrealm at all costs.]]
** The events of ''X'' lead right into ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'', where the [[{{Precursors}} Titan]] [[TimeMaster Kronika]], who is displeased by Raiden's meddling with her intended course of history decides to take matters into her own hands and pull fighters from [[TimeyWimeyBall between multiple timelines]]. You know Kronika poses a serious threat to the realms when the Elder Gods ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness provide Raiden with precise instructions on what he needs to do to thwart her ambitions]]''. [[spoiler: Unfortunately they pay the ultimate price for their inaction over the eons when [[NatureIsNotNice Cetrion]] eliminates them to prove her loyalty to her mother Kronika and finish what her brother Shinnok started.]]

* At the start of ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaV'', the four CPU goddesses ([[Creator/{{Sega}} Neptune]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} Blanc]], [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 Noire]], and [[UsefulNotes/XBox360 Vert]]) have slacked off from their work because there is no more threat from any piracy group. Histoire kicks them out to do some work in which, Neptune finds herself [[BadassDecay going from level 99 back to level one]]. Oh and thanks to them slacking off, someone started a group to ''actually kick the gods out'' and become independent from their rule (which is one of the main plots of the game).
* Inverted in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' where Etro causes problems by being too ''active''. [[spoiler: Saving the heroes from their crystalized fate and reuniting them with their loved ones at the end of the last game distorts the 'true' timeline which directly leads to the death of Yeul. She is a seeress whose visions shorten her life span and the distortions in time increase the frequency of her visioons which leads to a premature death. This motivates Cauis to become the game's BigBad. The power to see visions was given to her by Etro to better govern her city. The only thing she did that did NOT backfire was choose Lightning to be her [[TheChampion champion]].]]

For [[JustForFun/IJustThoughtItMeant the unrelated but similar-sounding trope]] see TheGuardsMustBeCrazy.

In a setting where there are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] or the [[TakeAThirdOption equivalent forces]] of cosmic evil and good, evil will go out into the world and raze villages, kill people and destroy the countrysides. Meanwhile, {{God}} will only exist as a symbolic force to inspire heroes. Either that or you'll have the PowersThatBe (such as a CelestialBureaucracy) incapable of or unwilling to stop a rogue GodOfEvil. Either way they won't have a hands-on approach.

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina but InUniverse [[BrokenAesop it doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, monsters coming to wreak havoc sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist, or choosing to try FightingYourGod to KillTheGod; alternatively the one actively forsaking their GodJob can be branded a LoserDeity.

Another explanation is that good "plays by the rules" and both sides promised not to interfere... but in practice [[ILied evil lies]] and [[WorthIt figures losing a few minions is a cheap price for the unopposed everywhere else]]. Inevitably [[TheCavalryArrivesLate the angels and such only come once the mortals have done all the hard work]] or when [[FromBadToWorse things have gotten so bad]] only a DeusExMachina could possibly stop them. Any proactive good-aligned celestial beings will inevitably be worse than the basest villains [[WellIntentionedExtremist in practice if not intent]], [[KnightTemplar intent as well as practice]] or simply quickly done away with.

It may also be that it's actually more acceptable to show the forces of evil than the forces of good. For instance you have shows like ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' where TheDevil is a main character; conversely there was ''Series/JoanOfArcadia''. Guess which one the MoralGuardians really brought the hammer down on? And some religions dislike the display of images of their deities. It might also be more about the fact that if you have good-mortals-plus-angels vs. evil-mortals-plus-demons then the battle is too even, so to have the good mortals fighting against impossible odds the angels have to sit it out because [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdogs are who the audience is supposed to root for]].

This trope is influenced by changes in attitudes towards RealLife conflict in the 20th century. Just declaring war and rolling in troops is something the "bad guys" did (like UsefulNotes/WorldWarII [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]]) while inspiring resistance forces from afar with weapons and supplies but letting the fight ultimately be up to the locals is more the "good guys" style. (Yes, there's quite a lot of asterisks and quotation marks to this in the real world.)

See also AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]] see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist that's DevilButNoGod. This might be the reason a work falls in Class 3 on the SlidingScaleOfDivineIntervention.

The [[TropeNamer trope name]] comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil) see HeavenVersusHell and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone. Compare InMysteriousWays where [[AmbiguousSituation it is left unclear]] whether or not this trope is in effect.

For the unrelated but similar-sounding trope see TheGuardsMustBeCrazy.

See also AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]] see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist that's DevilButNoGod.

** [[spoiler: This trope along with [[JerkassGods divine douchebaggery]] are the reason why Liu Kang decided to be more proactive and helpful in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' after his [[GodOfHumanOrigin ascension.]]]]

* Near the end of the third season of ''Film/PressStart Adventures'', Count Vile, who had defeated Satan in combat and taken the reigns of hell, is told by God to pick up his slack with punishing the eternally damned or else the BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil will be off and reality will fall apart. [[spoiler:Vile fails to do so, but before everything is wiped out, Vile realizes through God's actions that God is just as lazy and irritable as he is. He then convinces God that he can be lazier and restore the balance by not rewarding the people in Heaven, pointing out that it evens out if there are no punishments or rewards. God agrees and reality is restored.]]

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'' are notorious examples. The planet is filled with multitudes of incredibly dangerous demons (to the point where a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent superpowered demonic virus in human form]] is considered mundane), rampant evil deeds and potential apocalypses are common, hell dimensions have frequent recruiting and their deities are known to take a stroll on Earth with impunity, yet representatives of The Side of Good are almost nowhere to be seen. The best the PowersThatBe do is send infrequent, frustratingly vague visions to a single person and the Slayer [[spoiler:was eventually revealed as a human invention that used demonic powers]]. Angel and his crew even lampshade this, outright calling the Powers That Be such names as "The Powers That Screw You" and "The Powers That Sit on Their Behinds."
** And as noted in the trope description, the one divine being who decided to come and try to fix the world for humanity (Jasmine) did so by very... questionable means. She's not really one of the Powers That Be, [[TheOldGods claiming to pre-date them]]. She's a being of Order that could have brought unity and peace to the world, at the expense of free-will and individuality.

** All these entities do act, but usually in indirect ways, as they are bound by [[MutuallyAssuredDestruction Pax Arcanum]], even Exarchs. For example, Corpus Author (one of the premier Ascended mages of Mysterium) still writes books and creates artifacts for non-Archmage level mages to find and gives advice to non-ascended archmages, while General, Exarch of Forces sends ochemata to create more war and strife to divide humanity and futher its own power.

* ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'': For all the series hypes him up to be the ultimate BigGood and GodOfGood, Mata Nui has willingly admitted that he was pretty apathetic towards the beings of the Matoran Universe,[[note]]Just look at the Toa Empire universe, where Toa Tuyet set up TheEmpire and commited multiple genocides without any intervention from Mata Nui[[/note]] hence the reason Makuta Teridax was able to pull off his plan right under Mata Nui's nose. Afterwards, his guilt over the Makuta's crimes leads him to becoming TheAtoner [[spoiler: and then willingly becoming a SealedGoodInACan after he realizes his people no longer need him to lead them]].

* ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'': The only rule that the Powers That Be actually enforce is "you can't buy your way into heaven." The people who try that get what's coming to them, but you don't get any sympathy if your ticket is stolen.
* Philemon, from the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series, is the ultimate mass of all positive and benevolent emotions and acts in humanity. He's locked in an eternal war with Nyarlathotep, his EvilCounterpart, who's born of all evil acts and thoughts of humanity. Likes to empower kids and send them to do the job.
** Philemon and Nyarlathotep [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil have rules limiting their power use, to keep one or the other from kicking over the table in a full-power ambush]]. Nyarlathotep invests his allotment in a single agent, who uses the power as a crutch and barely develops it further. Philemon [[FridgeBrilliance built a cosmic vending machine to give a little power to any who asks]], then offers incentives to [[LevelGrinding grow that power on their own]], [[GoodIsNotDumb multiplying his investment]] with ThePowerOfFriendship. No one death can ruin his plans, barring [[VideoGame/Persona3 exceptional]] [[VideoGame/Persona4 circumstances]]. The one time Philemon does act directly at the end of ''[[VideoGame/Persona2 Innocent Sin]]'', he's so drained afterward that he's ''still'' recovering as of ''VideoGame/Persona5'', set seemingly decades later.
* ''VideoGame/Persona5'': While the GreaterScopeVillain creator of the Palace seems to be spreading access to his EldritchLocation to multiple individuals and filling an underground labyrinth with monsters, the BigGood Igor just sits in his room and fuses new {{Guardian Entit|y}}ies for you. [[spoiler:Subverted when it turns out: a) the Greater Scope Villain has been impersonating Igor, explaining his general disinterest. b) The real Igor created MrExposition Morgana to help you, and his assistant Lavenza has been appearing to you as a ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth throughout the game.]]

* Inverted in ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}''. The forces of Paradisio (Heaven) are actually more active than the forces of Inferno, to the point where the only demon-characters we see have to be painstakingly summoned by our heroine. However, the trope's basic spirit -- antagonistic divine forces are everywhere while helpful ones are only rarely seen -- remains: the angels of Paradisio [[LightIsNotGood are the game's main enemies and present a far greater threat to humanity than the demons of the Inferno]]. ([[GodAndSatanAreBothJerks Not that the demons are much better]].)
* In ''VideoGame/GrimGrimoire'', the LegionsOfHell have a unofficial representative in the school's Sorcery teacher, the devil Advocat. The school is also threatened by the return of the mighty devil Grimlet, who intends to conquer the whole kingdom and has the power to do it. The only Heavenly presence in the story is a homunculus created with an angel serving as her core ([[OurSoulsAreDifferent ie: soul]]), and she doesn't even remember being an angel in the first place; she even doubted whether or not she really was an angel. This disparity gets even worse if one considers the possibility that the angel didn't willingly ''consent'' to become the homunculus in the first place -- and there's been been no apparent response or reprisal from Heaven, one way or the other. Last but not least: Should this homunculus commit HeroicSacrifice to defeat Grimlet with the angel within, the angel is never actually seen or heard from -- there's just an impressive devil-roasting lightshow. All traces of the homunculus or angel vanish immediately after the job is done, without so much as a "See ya, later." By contrast, both devils get multiple appearances and speaking parts.
* Taken to its slightly illogical conclusion in ''VideoGame/BlackAndWhite''; good-aligned Gods ''can't'' launch apocalyptic fireballs or armies [[KarmaMeter without becoming evil]]. Even zapping an enemy creature while he's trying to eat your citizens, a clear case of self-defense, is evil, never mind something as aggressive as stopping an evil army preemptively. While evil-aligned Gods can just kill the populace and take over enemy cities, Good ones are supposed to simply make converts and keep the populace of his or her cities in good shape. [[StayInTheKitchen Good apparently stays home and minds the kitchen]].
** Being [[GoodIsNotNice lawful nice]] ''sucks''.
** Good civilizations can become a paradise of eternal summer, which does make everything and everyone super productive. This is amazingly useful, but so mindbogglingly difficult to achieve it's enough to make anyone drop white-hot boulders onto the villages of the unbelievers in near-terminal impatience.

* This trope motivates a NecessarilyEvil villain in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', and he is taking steps to rectify it. [[spoiler:Trias the Betrayer believes that the forces of Good allowing the [[ForeverWar Blood War]] to continue without getting involved is slowly tainting the universe and making it more and more evil (and he may very well be right). It inspired him to attempt to [[RageAgainstTheHeavens assault Mount Celestia]] with an army of devils in the hope that the forces of Good would counter-attack and start involving themselves in the war.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'': [[spoiler:God decided that after sealing the Demon Lord that humanity and the elemental spirits could fix the sealed world while he just sat backed and watched, even as the Demon Lord came back and pretended to be him. Made even worse by him showing you just how much stronger then the Demon Lord he actually is.]]

* The Judge from ''Series/TheGoodPlace''. When the main characters have ''finally'' convinced her that Afterlife system isn't properly judging humanity, she decides that the solution isn't to design a better afterlife, but to just press a button that [[spoiler:erases all humans on Earth and the Afterlife, then hope that whatever evolves next will be better]].

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina but InUniverse [[BrokenAesop it doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, monsters coming to wreak havoc sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to KillTheGod; alternatively the one actively forsaking their GodJob can be branded a LoserDeity.

Another explanation is that good "plays by the rules" and both sides "promised" not to interfere... but in practice [[ILied evil lies]] and [[WorthIt figures losing a few minions is a cheap price for the unopposed everywhere else]]. Inevitably [[TheCavalryArrivesLate the angels and such only come once the mortals have done all the hard work]] or when [[FromBadToWorse things have gotten so bad]] only a DeusExMachina could possibly stop them. Any proactive good-aligned celestial beings will inevitably be worse than the basest villains [[WellIntentionedExtremist in practice if not intent]], [[KnightTemplar intent as well as practice]] or simply quickly done away with.

This trope is influenced by change in attitudes about RealLife conflict in the 20th century. Just declaring war and rolling in troops is something the "bad guys" did (like UsefulNotes/WorldWarII [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]]) while inspiring resistance forces from afar with weapons and supplies but letting the fight ultimately be up to the locals is more the "good guys" style. (Yes, there's quite a lot of asterisks and quotation marks to this in the real world.)

In a setting where there are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] or the [[TakeAThirdOption equivalent forces]] of cosmic evil and good, evil will go out into the world and raze villages, kill people and destroy the countrysides. Meanwhile, {{God}} will only exist as a symbolic force to inspire heroes. Either that or you'll have the PowersThatBe (such as a CelestialBureaucracy) incapable of or unwilling to stop a rogue GodOfEvil. Either way, they won't have a hands-on approach.

In a setting where there are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] or the [[TakeAThirdOption equivalent forces]] of cosmic evil and good, evil will go out into the world and raze villages, kill people and destroy the countrysides. {{God}} meanwhile, will be only exist as a symbolic force to inspire the heroes. Either that or you'll have the PowersThatBe (such as a CelestialBureaucracy) incapable of or unwilling to stop a rogue GodOfEvil. Either way, they won't have a hands-on approach.

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina, but InUniverse [[BrokenAesop it doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks, but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, monsters coming to wreak havoc sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios, this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to KillTheGod; alternatively, the one actively forsaking their GodJob can be branded a LoserDeity.

Another explanation is that good "plays by the rules" and both sides "promised" not to interfere... but in practice, evil [[ILied lies]] and figures losing a few minions is a cheap price for the unopposed everywhere else. Inevitably, [[TheCavalryArrivesLate the angels and such only come once the mortals have done all the hard work]] or when [[FromBadToWorse things have gotten so bad]] only a DeusExMachina could possibly stop them. Any proactive good-aligned celestial beings will inevitably be worse than the basest villains [[WellIntentionedExtremist in practice if not intent]], [[KnightTemplar intent as well as practice]] or simply quickly done away with.

It may also be that it's actually more acceptable to show the forces of evil than the forces of good. For instance, you have shows like ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' where TheDevil is a main character; conversely, there was ''Series/JoanOfArcadia''. Guess which one the MoralGuardians really brought the hammer down on? And some religions dislike the display of images of their deities. It might also be more about the fact that if you have good-mortals-plus-angels vs. evil-mortals-plus-demons then the battle is too even, so to have the good mortals fighting against impossible odds the angels have to sit it out because [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdogs are who the audience is supposed to root for]].

This trope is a bit influenced by a change in attitudes about real-life war & conquest in the 20th century. Just declaring war and rolling in the troops is something the "bad guys" did (like UsefulNotes/WorldWarII [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]]), while inspiring resistance forces from afar with weapons and supplies but letting the fight ultimately be up to the local is more the "good guys" style. (Yes, there's quite a lot of asterisks and quotation marks to this in the real world.)

See Also: AllPowerfulBystander, GodIsInept, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]], see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist, that's DevilButNoGod.

The [[TropeNamer trope name]] comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil), see HeavenVersusHell and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone. Compare InMysteriousWays, where [[AmbiguousSituation it is left unclear]] whether or not this trope is at play.

For the unrelated but similar-sounding trope, see TheGuardsMustBeCrazy.

In a setting where there are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] or the [[TakeAThirdOption equivalent forces]] of cosmic evil and good, evil will go out into the world and raze villages, kill people and destroy the countrysides. {{God}}, meanwhile will be only exist as a symbolic force to inspire the heroes. Either that or you'll have the PowersThatBe (such as a CelestialBureaucracy) incapable of or unwilling to stop a rogue GodOfEvil. Either way, they won't have a hands-on approach.

* In ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', while the Elder Gods give each realm a "protector god" to watch over their charges and defend them against supernatural threats, in reality they're powerless to do their job; most of the threats that the protector gods are ''supposed'' to help defend against are from out of realm eager to conquer the little piece of reality they're supposed to be watching over, and they have no jurisdiction - or powers - once that happens. Plus, the Elder Gods are more likely to yank the gods from the front lines than to, y'know, let them do their jobs, thanks to their overdeveloped ObstructiveCodeOfConduct of non-interference. The most any god can do, without outright rebelling, is to train mortal warriors to deal with the oncoming threats, themselves.
** Taken to ridiculous extremes in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. [[spoiler: When Raiden and Liu Kang ask them to stop Shao Kahn's blatant rule breaking and Earthrealm invasion, the Elder Gods refuse to act, since he hasn't ''technically'' broken the rules. The only way to get them to act is for Raiden to ''surrender'' to Shao Kahn; when Kahn nearly kills Raiden anyway, the Elder Gods '''FINALLY''' step in, superpowering the thunder god so he can finish Kahn once and for all.]]
** Goes even further during the main story in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''. Shinnok, a former Elder God, acquires an amulet created by the Elder Gods that has the ability to destroy the fabrics of reality itself. The Elder Gods do not stop him and it takes the heroes Johnny Cage and Raiden to stop Shinnok and seal him in the amulet. Later on [[spoiler: Quan Chi manages to release Shinnok at the last minute before being killed by Scorpion. Shinnok proceeds to lay the smackdown on the heroes, go to the Sky Temple, and the infect the life force of Earthrealm with his corrupt power as he bathes in it to gain an incredible amount of power. The world is in danger, yet the Elder Gods still stand by and do nothing at all. Shinnok even lampshades how spineless the Elder Gods have become. Shinnok is stopped not by the Elder Gods, but by [[BadassNormal Cassie Cage]]. The inactions of the Elder Gods affect Raiden who, after using his own lifeforce to cleanse Earthrealm's corrupted lifeforce, becomes extremely disillusioned and declares to use his powers to protect Earthrealm at any cost.]]
** The events of ''X'' lead right into ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'', where Kronika, who is displeased with Raiden's continued intermeddling with her intended course of history, decides to take matters into her own hands and pull fighters from between multiple timelines. You know that Kronika poses a serious threat to the realms when the Elder Gods ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness provide Raiden with precise instructions on what he needs to do to thwart her ambitions]]''. [[spoiler: Unfortunately they pay the ultimate price for their inactions over the eons when Cetrion kills them all to prove her loyalty to Kronika and finish what her brother Shinnok started.]]

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina, but InUniverse [[BrokenAesop it doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks, but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, demons coming to wreak havoc on all mankind sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios, this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to KillTheGod.

It may also be that it's actually more acceptable to show the forces of evil than the forces of good. For instance, you have shows like ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' where TheDevil is a main character; conversely, there was ''Series/JoanOfArcadia''. Guess which one the MoralGuardians really brought the hammer down on? And some religions dislike the display of images of their deities. It might also be more about the fact that if you have good-mortals-plus-angels vs. evil-mortals-plus-demons then the battle is too even, so to have the good mortals fighting against impossible odds the angels have to sit it out because [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdogs are always who the audience is supposed to root for]].

See Also: AllPowerfulBystander, GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]], see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist, that's DevilButNoGod.

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina, but InUniverse it [[BrokenAesop doesn't work very well]], the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks, but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, demons coming to wreak havoc on all mankind sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios, this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to KillTheGod.

Another explanation is that good "plays by the rules" and both sides "promised" not to interfere on Earth... but in practice, evil [[ILied lies]] and figures losing a few minions is a cheap price for the unopposed everywhere else. Inevitably, [[TheCavalryArrivesLate the angels and such only come once the mortals have done all the hard work]] or when [[FromBadToWorse things have gotten so bad]] only a DeusExMachina could possibly stop them. Any proactive good-aligned celestial beings will inevitably be worse than the basest villains [[WellIntentionedExtremist in practice if not intent]], [[KnightTemplar intent as well as practice]] or simply quickly done away with.

See Also: GodsHandsAreTied, GoodIsImpotent, BeingGoodSucks, PowersThatBe, HaveYouSeenMyGod, NeglectfulPrecursors. Should the deities involved be [[JerkAss unpleasant]] or [[BlackAndGreyMorality incredibly]] [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality complex]], see JerkassGods and AbusivePrecursors. If the good deities aren't just lazy but flat-out don't exist, that's DevilButNoGod.

The trope-name comes from the film ''Film/TheGodsMustBeCrazy''. If this trope is averted (i.e. gods take a more active role in fighting evil), see HeavenVersusHell and GodIsGood. The villainous version of this is OrcusOnHisThrone.

In a setting where there are [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] and [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] or the [[TakeAThirdOption equivalent forces]] of cosmic evil and good, evil will go out into the world and raze villages, kill people and destroy the countrysides. {{God}}, meanwhile, will be only exist as a symbolic force to inspire the heroes. Either that or you'll have the PowersThatBe (such as a CelestialBureaucracy) incapable of or unwilling to stop a rogue GodOfEvil. Either way, they won't have a hands-on approach.

This is to prevent the feeling of DeusExMachina, but in-story it doesn't work well, the message seeming to be that GoodIsImpotent and BeingGoodSucks, but EvilIsCool and EvilIsEasy. The explanation for this is usually that {{God}} solving people's problems would prevent free will... but if you think about it, demons coming to wreak havoc on all mankind sure is screwing around with free will and the least the angels could do is get off their bums and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil keep a damn balance]]. In the worst case-scenarios, this can lead to characters enacting some form of {{revenge}} for [[SelectiveObliviousness such]] [[IgnoranceIsBliss ignorance]] by starting a RageAgainstTheHeavens, undergoing a HeelFaithTurn, becoming a NayTheist or choosing to KillTheGod.

Another explanation is that good "plays by the rules" and both sides "promised" not to interfere on Earth... but in practice, evil can lie and figures losing a few minions to humans is a cheap price for the unopposed everywhere else. Inevitably, [[TheCavalryArrivesLate the angels only come help once the mortals have done in the bad guys]] or when the bad guys have grown so powerful that only a DeusExMachina could possibly stop them. Any proactive good-aligned celestial beings inevitably be worse than the basest villains [[WellIntentionedExtremist in practice if not intent]], [[KnightTemplar intent as well as practice]] or simply quickly done away with.

This trope is a bit influenced by a change in attitudes about real-life war & conquest in the 20th century. Just declaring war and rolling in the troops is something the "bad guys" did (like UsefulNotes/WorldWarII [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]]), while inspiring resistance forces from afar with weapons and supplies, but letting the fight ultimately be up to the locals, is more the "good guys" style. (Yes, there's quite a lot of asterisks and quotation marks to this in the real world.)