Chancellor Palpatine (Star Wars) — Orchestrated a galactic civil war while leading the Republic and secretly controlling the Separatists, dismantling democracy from within to establish the Galactic Empire.

Emperor Arcturus Mengsk (StarCraft) — Used the Zerg to devastate civilian populations during his revolution, then established the authoritarian Terran Dominion, betraying the ideals of the revolution and those who helped him rise to power.

President Alma Coin (The Hunger Games) — Led the rebellion against the Capitol while planning to establish a new dictatorship under her own rule, even proposing another Hunger Games using Capitol children to consolidate power.

Secretary Alexander Pierce (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) — Secretly served HYDRA while occupying senior positions in S.H.I.E.L.D. and the World Security Council, exploiting those institutions to establish a global totalitarian order.

Donald Trump.

Joel (Last of Us) - Ends up killing a doctor while rescuing Ellie from the Fireflies, turns out the villain of the second game Abby is the daughter of said doctor. When she meets him, she takes him away and beats him to death with a golf club, where the plot moves to Ellie as the main character

Nucky (Boardwalk Empire) - Ends up killing his protege Jimmy in season 2 after Jimmy betrays him, in the finale of the show, Nucky gets confronted by Jimmy’s son Tommy years later, wanting revenge for killing his dad, and Nucky gets killed by him to end off the show

1. If a popular fan theory in the sopranos is correct that Ralph Cifaretto is an avatar of the devil, backed up by many quotes he says in reference to the lyrics of the song “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, like “Please, allow me to introduce myself” and “Were you there, when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain?", then that means Tony Soprano beat the devil to death because he killed their race horse.

2. In the stranger mission “I know you” in rdr1, John can encounter a man in a suit and top hat who knows about his various past sins and gives him various missions involving helping people or not helping those people, the last mission takes place on johns ranch in which John becomes enraged at the man and shoots him three times, which does nothing and he seemingly vanishes into thin air after the mission ends, confusing John.

(The three bullets also mean the three deaths at that happen on the ranch at the end of the game too)

Anita (Far Cry 4): Once she overthrew Pagan Min and took out opposing Golden Path leader Sabal, she utilizes her power not to reform or rebuild, but to round up civilians to fight off remnants of Min's army and work on opium fields

Malashenko (World in Conflict): A fervent supporter of socialism and devoted to his cause of freeing the American proletariat, except for when the Americans started resisting, he started rounding them up to have them executed until his superior officer Colonel Orlovsky talks him out of it

I say 'cure' in quotes since, depending on the disability and the context, it may not even have a cure or it's less of a cure, more a very helpful accomodation... and sometimes the cure is more of a curse in disguise. Bonus tragedy if they could've gotten the 'cure' without villainy.

Otto Octavius in Marvel's Spider-Man (2018):

May be the poster boy for this trope. Otto suffers from a neuro-degenerative disease that threatens to render his entire organic body immobile, so he works on making artificial limbs he could use to live when his mobility is taken away. The 'tentacles' are connected to him through a nerves interface, and has the side effect of bringing out the worst in him when he uses them for too long... although it's less the tentacles turning him villainous, and more bringing out what was already there, i.e his visceral hatred for Norman Osborn. When Norman screws him over again, putting his 'tentacle research' in danger, he snaps and turns into a complete villain. At the very end of the game after his defeat, Otto begs and screams for mercy... because they're going to take away 'his arms' in prison.

Walter Skykes in Warehouse 13:

(I haven't watched the show in forever so feel free to correct me if I make a mistake) Walter was bound to a wheelchair ever since his childhood, until he came across Carlo Collodi's (the guy who wrote Pinochio) Bracelet, an artefact that gives its wearer extraordinary control and strength of their body, letting Walter walk again. But like pretty much any artefact in the series, it has a heavy price: Wear it long enough, and it will rob its user of their ability to give and recieve love, as well as an addiction to the bracelet itself. When the Warehouse staff learned of the bracelet, and that it was in possession of a child, they took it away from Walter... but it was too late. Walter couldn't go back to his life wheelchair bound, he was vengeful towards the staff and desperate to get the bracelet back, resulting in his villainy. For bonus tragedy, during his grand finale, an artefact that brings 'peace' was used on him to attempt to stop him from blowing up the Warehouse... and it worked, negating the dark effects the bracelet had instilled in him, leaving Walter horrified at what he's become. He disables the bomb and apologizes before dying of his injuries.

I also want to mention Muzan from Demon Sayer, who wants to be able to walk in the sun... but he's not tragic, he was a complete POS from beggining to end. His death/defeat isn't sad, it's cathartic.

Loki (Mcu)
Evelyn (EEAAO)
Have the exact same compelte control over the infinite multiverse by the end of their respective story.

-Diane and Adam [Honey I Blew Up The Kid]

-Otohime and Shirahoshi [One Piece]

-Angrboda and Fenrir/Jormungandr [Norse Mythology]

Friday the 13th is very weird. We technically have 2 time jumps from an 11 year old Tommy Jarvis to a 17 year old one in part 5 pushing the franchise into the early 90s. And then a ten year time jump aging Tina in part 7 from 7 to 17. Meaning part 7, Jason takes manhattan and Jason goes to hell are all in the 2000s.

Also in part 3, the final girl remembers Jason attacking her years ago in the woods, which could be plausible except she remembers Jason looking like he does in part 3. Which looks nothing like part 2 Jason and part 2 takes places literally the day before part 3. Also in part 4, there’s a character implied to be some outdoorsman who’s been hunting Jason for months if not years to avenge his sister. Except his sister was killed in part 2, which is like 3-4 days before part 4 meaning he just found out about it.

Terminator 2 has a very weird inconsistency with the timeline. We know terminator 1 takes place in 1984 with a 19 year old Sarah Connor. In terminator 2, there’s asylum doctors say Sarah in 29 meaning it’s been ten years since the first movie and 1994. 10 years minus the 9 months to deliver a child and John Connor is 9 years old but already smoking and driving a motorcycle.

The KND - Codename: Kids Next Door

MiB - Men in Black

Now this happening to Deku was kinda funny because I hate him.

But this trope is rarely done right.

Essentially it's either because of:

1. The author inserts themself into the character so he could be 'loved' regardless by other characters to prove it wasn't superficial.
2. The author wants to prove something like the Mc's morality was same all along and power didn't corrupt him.

the former is the most infuriating of all and happens all the time in korean manhwas.

AND THE MOST ANNOYING THING IS THAT WHEN THIS *ONLY* HAPPENS/IS APPLIED TO THE MC.

They punish the mc for *taking the easy way* but let's not pretend the people born with powers and quirks totally deserve it either. Like they too won the genetic lottery mate. Rules for thee but not for me kinda thing.

Infact MHA is the perfect example for this. Deku broke his bones, worked probably the hardest among his group but he's still narratively undeserving of his power.

Infact it was his dream of being hero and losing it makes it cruel.

The suit his friends gave him was just a pity bandage on top of it.

This kinda happens in rezero too... Although ofc subaru hasn't lost his powers at least yet. But the story and narratives clearly differentiates between the mc and the natives. And how it treats them.

Like the main character who's from outside the world. Losing his ability is portrayed as natural. But when done with a native it's like they have lost a limb.

It's kinda valid because they were literally born with it. It's almost as normal as swinging one's arm.

But the problem happened when the author is hypocrite about it.

There are only a few instances where this is done right.

My favourite one was Novel's Extra. minor spoiler The mc loses his powers. But given he was from 'outside' of the world. It's kinda reasonable. Tho I guess I was satisfied with the ending

EDIT:

On second thoughts. I wouldn't hate it if this was done in Solo Leveling or most of any Chinese Donghuas

Issho/Fujitora (One Piece), using his Press-Press Fruit

Fuuko (Undead Unluck), using her Unluck

Carrie (Carrie), using her psychic powers when she was a child

Gremmy (Bleach), using V the Visionary

Karasu (One Piece), uses his Soot-Soot Fruit to divide his body into a murder of crows made of soot.

Hyrein (World Trigger), uses his trigger Alektor to summon a bunch of animal-shaped trion bullets, including: birds, fish, lizards, bees and jellyfishes.

Characters can develop a relationship with their rivals that goes beyond simple hatred where they would ensure their enemies know it was them when something happens.

Joker (Under the Red Hood): During the Red Hood arc, Batman interrogates Joker and demands to know if he's behind the new Red Hood. Joker assures Batsy that if it was him, he would ENSURE Batman knew it was him. Makes sense. Joker hates when someone else has the limelight.

Drifter (Deadlock): During an interaction with Grey Talon, the archer asks Drifter, an ancient and blood thirsty vampire, if he was behind the murder of Talon's son, daughter-in-law, and his grandchildren. Drifter simply replies, "Wesley, if it has been me, I would have tied you down and made you watch.". Given that it seems to be a racially motivated crime (the wife was an ixian, demonic looking humanoid, and the kids are half ixian, and a huge part of the game's lore is centered around human supremacist groups trying to kill non-humans), I think the vampire is innocent... Of this specific crime.

Dave Bowman - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Dale Cooper/Dougie Jones - Twin Peaks: The Return

Persona 5 - Yusuke does this after Madarame basically tells him that he not only let Yusuke's mother die, but that he was basically using the young man to prop himself up as an artist.

Gamaran - Chapter 58. The previous chapter ended with Naoyoshi being stabbed by his brother Naokatsu even after the former protected the latter from a fight with Gama. In this chapter, Naoyoshi is in disbelief at his brother's action, saying that he only wanted to protect him. Naoyoshi, however, accuses him of caring only for his own advancement and even insults his common-born mother. Hearing those words from a brother he trusted all his life, Naoyoshi draws his own blade, and thanks his brother before preparing to do the deed.

X (2022): Kid Cudi plays guitar for Brittany Snow, who sings Landslide

House on the Edge of the Park (1980): David Hess sings while his character is assaulting a victim. David Hess was actually a composer before he was an actor, and he composed/performed the music for the movie Last House on the Left

Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961): Audrey Hepburn sings Moon River. The scene almost didn't make it into the film; she had to fight for it despite it now being considered one of the best musical scenes of all time

Whenever a piece of media out of nowhere adds dinosaurs.

- In Dandadan, later in the manga out of nowhere when passing through a museum we have dinosaurs which is hilarious because this page is literally just a png of the Jurassic Park 3 Spinosaurus with a filter on it.

- Fate/Grand Order, on LB7 we meet the deinos, who are just intelligent dinosaurs WITH FUCKING GUNS

1. Siege of Terra (WH40k): the culmination of the Horus Heresy where the forces of Imperial loyalists and traitors clashed in capital planet. The disorganization of many of the chaos primarchs ultimately aided in the defenders victory. However countless would be dead along with a crippled near death emperor that began a decline in the Imperium.

2. Siege of Vraks (WH40k): a secret Chaos aligned leader of the planet Vraks secedes from the imperium. The stockpiles of weapons and fanatical forces prove a tough nut to crack with initially bungled campaigns from Imperial forces and even Astartes and elite regiments taking 17 years to retake the world.

3. Siege of Troy (Mythology): a ten year war between the Achaeans and Trojans that sees countless champions of both sides killed, plague, and a final terrible slaughter against the Trojans.

4. Siege of Pogoren (This War of Mine): a game taking inspiration from civilian experiences of Sarajevo and other modern war zones where the regardless of ideology war is hell for civilians experiencing famine, disease, and violence.

5. War of Five Penny Kings (ASOIAF): while all wars in the setting suck, Septon Meribald’s account of how this war that concerned nobility killed countless commoners who died forgotten or returned broken.

6. Siege of Suiyang (IRL): an infamous siege of the An Lushan rebellion that devolved into cannibalism by the defending garrison.

7. Siege of Antioch (IRL): while marching toward Jerusalem the crusaders had a longer and more difficult time taking the city of Antioch, being reduced to near starvation, and finding themselves besieged after taking the city. A desperate charge and battle ultimately secured their survival and continued march.

8. Siege of Leningrad (IRL): one of the most hellish sieges of WWII the Nazis starved the civilians while many thousands of people starved, cannibalized, or died fighting.

1. Piccolo (Dragon Ball) - Piccolo absorbs Kami to give him the strength to fight Cell.

2. Ornstein and Smough (Dark Souls) - when you defeat one of them, the other will absorb the power of his defeated comrade for Phase 2.

3. Allmother Narwa (Monster Hunter Rise) during the final story boss in the game, Narwa absorbs Ibushi to restore herself to full strength.

Honestly this trope never fails to make me laugh, idk if this counts as a "generic trope" but i don't see it much in media

Darkness (Konosuba): Just a crazy masochistic knight with a very tough body, prob the funniest person in the show, since she's very durable she always takes the hits for the team and towns-people, so from an outside perspective it looks like she's a lady knight sacrificing her body to save others but kazuma is always unimpressed since he knows she's just horny

Sarutobi (Gintama): Her masochism is more toned down than darkness but it's still a good amount since she's a stalker too, and some might think gintoki treats her too harshly but in one arc for eg. gintoki has her on a dog leash and collar searching for golden balls, shinpachi pointed out this might be too harsh so she then told him to shut up.

I would honestly watch/read/play a show/game if it has a character like this since i personally find it hilarious if done right.

It’s pretty common for women to voice young boy characters, like Bart Simpson and Tara Strong has many examples, but I think it takes a lot of talent for women to voice act grown men.

-Goku (Dragon Ball) was voiced by Masako Nozawa well into adulthood. Masako voiced Goku from the start and basically kept going until the cows came home.

-Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) in both Japanese and English is often voiced by women, notably Mayumi Tanaka and Colleen Clinkenbeard. Luffy is technically a teenager at the start of the show, but he’s 19 after a time skip so I count that as adult.

-Bobby Hill (King of the Hill) was voiced by Pamela Adlon (Née Segall) when the show originally aired from 1997-2009. When the show was rebooted in 2025 she reprised the role.

-Joey Pogo (Bojack Horseman) voiced by Hilary Swank, not a great example but I think she got pretty close to pulling it off. Joey is a brief gag character so she’s excused for not making it great.

The Ghost Stories (2000-2001) anime was more grounded for the content inside of it, following a horror theme. Siblings Satsuki and Keichiro face ghosts with their possessed cat Kaya under Amanojaku's rule serving as conflict, and the diary of Satsuki's mother as the backbone to their operation. The English dub (2005) was not this, and never was intended to be this.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (1987-) is as it states, and Diamond is Unbreakable (1992-1995) has this in spades. Efforts to translate it for the English crowd didn't originally come from the Japanese manga, but from the manga already fan-translated to Chinese before being again fan-translated to English. From that, we were blessed with Duwang is not Crash (2005) and all was bizarre.

It’s pretty common for young boys to be voiced by women, Bart Simpson is a notable example and Tara String has many examples, but I think it takes a lot of talent for men to voice act women.

-Linda Belcher (Bob’s Burgers) is voiced by John Roberts. I honestly didn’t know this until very recently. I think John does Linda’s voice a lot of justice.

-Nott the Brave (Critical Roll/Mighty Nein) is voiced by Sam Riegel. When you have the podcast in video form it’s easy to forget that Sam is doing a very convincing goblin woman.

Cow (Cow and Chicken) is voiced by Charlie Adler. I just learned this, and it’s what inspired this thread.

Honorable mention: Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (Venture Bros) acted by Doc Hammer. This one is honorable because when you start the show it’s blatantly obvious, but if you watch for long enough you kind of forget that her voice is just a man’s voice, which I think is credited to Doc’s talent and the writing. Her voice is deep because she’s a chain smoker with a very irritated throat, but like I said people tend to forget that with time.

Animal skeletons in Halloween decorations (IRL)- Halloween decorations tend to take creative liberties when making animal skeletons, usually adding new bones to areas that otherwise wouldn't have them.

Bogie Woods (Toriko)- a man with 4,000 bones, able to move them all as he pleases and able to control bodies, the only bone he truely needs is his sacrum.

Dodo Rider (PVZ2)- While most zombies tend to have decently realistic skeletons but still cartoonish when electricuted, it's shown that the Dodo Rider has a singular massive bone between the imp and dodo.

Deadpool (Marvel)- He is able to grow a new bone when watching Gossip Girl.