Basic Trope: A character's selflessness is revealed to be just the opposite.
- Straight: Dr. Omnium, Science Hero and altruist extraordinaire, is considered by the public to be a beacon of heroism, rationality, and most importantly, hope. The man's unlucky underlings and overlooked paramour know he's in it mainly for the ego boost and kudos from his many admirers.
- Exaggerated: Omnium is transparently self-obsessed, and confesses regularly to anyone who will listen that he's Only in It for the Money and fame.
- Downplayed: While possessing some noticeable Ted Baxter-esque qualities, Omnium is still a passionate scientist who has dedicated his life to pursuing the greater good.
- Justified: Being one of the world's top scientific minds has gone to Omnium's head.
- Inverted: Dr. Imperius, Mad Scientist and antihumanist deluxe, claims to only have his own interests in mind when he turns a block of derelict slum houses into a park free of charge.
- Subverted: Despite the bluster, Omnium has a genuine desire to make life better for others, and always strives to put his own needs aside when the chips are down, even at the cost of his own well-being.
- Parodied: Everyone of note makes copious mention of Omnium's altruistic efforts when his actions paint him as anything but.
- Zig Zagged: Omnium's desire for glory and accolades come and go whether he's riding high on one of his latest achievements or not. Such as it has been since his youth.
- Averted: Omnium
doesn't have anyone's intrests in mind but his own. - Enforced: The darker parts of Omnium's conceit, coupled with his decidedly eccentric worldview, are subtle hints at his true nature.
- Lampshaded: Because he recognizes he sorely needs one, Omnium has hired a special assistant to constantly point out the discrepancy between what he says and how he acts.
- Invoked: Omnium's reply to any accusation of selfishness on his part is: "Of course I am. Everyone is. We're only human, we all have our own needs and wants, but they don't make our contributions to the world any less important or useful."
- Defied: After accepting blistering accusations from his doubters and critics, Omnium silences them all by inventing a machine to undo all his ill-gotten gains and redistribute them to those in need. The power supply is his own Life-Force, and the results of its use eventually wipe him from existence entirely.
- Exploited: People are well-aware that Omnium is an egotist, but give him a pass most of the time because he's just that amazing, and a pretty fun guy to boot.
- Discussed: In a personal interview, Omnium himself points out the irony of his situation: a beloved, wealthy "rock star" scientist at the center of media attention claiming to support the common man through his work, which is decidedly less-than-burdensome thanks to his prior successes. He muses that, if it weren't for his support team and staff, he would have far more trouble keeping an even keel.
- Conversed: The "Not So Different" Remark is a frequent riposte of Dr. Imperius during his frequent arguments with his colleague.
- Implied: Omnium's desire to apply and expand the sum of human knowledge is only rivaled by the emotional highs he gets from his exploits.
- Deconstructed: Despite his intelligence, Omnium has very little self-awareness, and as such his selfish actions are entirely unintentional. Despite any negative consequences they may cause, he still thinks he's helping.
- Reconstructed: Omnium subscribes to the philosophy of Enlightened Self-Interest, meaning he is fully aware of his own desires and does his best to balance them with meeting the needs of others.
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