Tropescilloscope: I Did What I Had to Do
An after-the-fact justification for morally questionable but necessary actions. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Zombie Stories
Biopic
All Men Are Perverts
Kids Are Cruel
French Films
Only One Name
Drugs Are Bad
Your Head A-Splode
The Ditz
Fantastic Racism
Corpsing
Soft Glass
Older Than They Look
Stealth Hi/Bye
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Film Noir Index
Nice Hat
Double Entendre
Bury Your Gays
What You Are in the Dark
Reasonable Authority Figure
Animal Motifs
Hidden Depths
The Ace
Demonic Possession
The Stoic
The Dragon
Disguised in Drag
Not So Different
Victoria's Secret Compartment
Broken Pedestal
Intrepid Reporter
Time Skip
Dark Reprise
Ascended Extra
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Mood Whiplash
Make It Look Like an Accident
Deliberately Monochrome
Coming-of-Age Story
Visual Pun
Jump Scare
Captain Obvious
Evil Sounds Deep
A God Am I
Jerk Jock
Moment Killer
Those Wacky Nazis
Flashback
The Oner
Hypocritical Humor
Diabolus ex Machina
Ax-Crazy
Nothing Is Scarier
Destination Defenestration
Adults Are Useless
All There in the Manual
Evil Is Hammy
Shower Scene
Spiritual Successor
Reckless Gun Usage
Your Cheating Heart
Country Matters
Eyepatch of Power
Dying Moment of Awesome
'80s Hair
Scare Chord
MacGuffin
The Stinger
Science Fiction Films
Eagleland
Intergenerational Friendship
Real Life
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Bolivian Army Ending
Even Evil Has Standards
Papa Wolf
Killed Mid-Sentence
Neck Snap
Plot Hole
Have a Gay Old Time
Small Name, Big Ego
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Poor Communication Kills
Mythology Gag
Punch-Clock Villain
Heroes Want Redheads
Covers Always Lie
Alas, Poor Villain
Wicked Cultured
Spanner in the Works
The Film of the Book
One Steve Limit
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Mooks
She Cleans Up Nicely
What Happened to the Mouse?
Ass Shove
The Musical
Pet the Dog
Funny Background Event
Half the Man He Used to Be
Offscreen Teleportation
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
You Have Failed Me
Vomit Discretion Shot
Rule of Funny
After the End
Meet Cute
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Aside Glance
Eiffel Tower Effect
Not So Stoic
Mind Screw
Drowning My Sorrows
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
The Dreaded
Empathic Environment
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
Death by Sex
Be Careful What You Wish For
War Is Hell
Bowdlerise
Didn't Think This Through
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Anguished Declaration of Love
Decoy Protagonist
Morality Pet
Pyrrhic Victory
Armor-Piercing Question
Unusual Euphemism
She's Got Legs
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Knight Templar
Bottomless Magazines
Failed a Spot Check
Adapted Out
Death Glare
Composite Character
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Brutal Honesty
Canadian Movies
Get Out!
Random Events Plot
The Load
Redshirt Army
Narrator
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Tempting Fate
Parental Abandonment
Say My Name
Riddle for the Ages
Bald of Evil
Age Lift
Department of Redundancy Department
The Alleged Car
Soundtrack Dissonance
Famous Last Words
Ominous Latin Chanting
Dutch Angle
As You Know
Badass Bookworm
Black Dude Dies First
Heroic BSoD
Rewatch Bonus
Bar Brawl
The Alcoholic
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Extremely Short Timespan
Karmic Death
You Killed My Father
Based on a True Story
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Death of a Child
Black Comedy
Foreshadowing
Blood from the Mouth
The Chessmaster
Implacable Man
Slasher Smile
HeelFace Turn
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
The X of Y
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Crapsack World
Sadistic Choice
Sassy Black Woman
A Date with Rosie Palms
Hero of Another Story
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
timeperiod
Cold-Blooded Torture
Toplessness from the Back
Fanservice
Insult Backfire
Fourth Date Marriage
Monumental Damage
Dumb Blonde
Loads and Loads of Characters
Dwindling Party
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Due to the Dead
Affably Evil
Worthy Opponent
Punny Name
NO INDOOR VOICE
Really Gets Around
Shout-Out
Big Eater
Canon Foreigner
Race Lift
Arranged Marriage
Big Damn Heroes
Crucified Hero Shot
Chekhov's Gunman
The Casanova
Redemption Equals Death
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Historical Villain Upgrade
Improbable Weapon User
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Logo Joke
Guns Akimbo
Not So Above It All
20 Minutes into the Future
Trailers Always Spoil
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Earn Your Happy Ending
Blood Knight
Dissonant Serenity
Took a Level in Badass
Villain Song
Up to Eleven
Together in Death
True Companions
Babies Ever After
Antagonist Title
Auto Erotica
Faux Affably Evil
Rich Bitch
Genre Throwback
Authority Equals Asskicking
One-Man Army
Video Credits
Funny Foreigner
Hope Spot
Red Right Hand
The Cameo
Artistic License Geography
Hollywood Law
Rape as Drama
Catch-Phrase
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Framing Device
Five-Man Band
Accidental Murder
The '80s
Same Language Dub
Vitriolic Best Buds
Mercy Kill
Historical In-Joke
Sports Stories
Adaptational Attractiveness
Made of Explodium
The Mafia
Anyone Can Die
The Big Guy
Idiot Ball
The Starscream
Noodle Incident
Setting Update
Instant Death Bullet
The Chick
Super Strength
Boom, Headshot!
Rousing Speech
Chekhov's Gun
The Hero
Break the Haughty
Pay Evil unto Evil
Let's Get Dangerous!
Daylight Horror
Black Comedy Rape
Obviously Evil
Truth in Television
Fatal Family Photo
Properly Paranoid
Playing Gertrude
Defrosting Ice Queen
The Lost Lenore
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Gainax Ending
Villain with Good Publicity
It's Personal
Big Fancy House
Insistent Terminology
Big Brother Instinct
Manly Tears
Light Is Not Good
Badass Normal
Cool Car
Ungrateful Bastard
Calling the Old Man Out
Twist Ending
Butt-Monkey
Kubrick Stare
All There in the Script
Romantic Comedy
Sequel Escalation
Russian Films
Only Known by Their Nickname
Precision F-Strike
Revenge
Refuge in Audacity
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Everyone Has Standards
Dual Wielding
Ghost Fiction
The Remake
Rule of Cool
Sinister Minister
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Stuff Blowing Up
Depraved Bisexual
Man on Fire
Cat Fight
Central Theme
Brick Joke
Green-Eyed Monster
Overly Long Gag
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Agony of the Feet
Broken Aesop
Documentary
Easily Forgiven
Darker and Edgier
Rule of Three
Heel Realization
Market-Based Title
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Adaptational Badass
The Place
Early Installment Weirdness
Male Frontal Nudity
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Curb-Stomp Battle
Blatant Lies
Not What It Looks Like
Line-of-Sight Name
Spell My Name with an "S"
The Voiceless
Epic Fail
Those Two Bad Guys
Freudian Excuse
Interrupted Suicide
Japanese Films
Arc Words
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Malevolent Masked Men
Red Eyes, Take Warning
Artistic License Law
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Camera Abuse
Evil-Detecting Dog
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
Retired Badass
Celebrity Paradox
Police are Useless
Kick the Dog
No Ending
Take a Third Option
Never My Fault
Character Development
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Death by Adaptation
Black Best Friend
My Beloved Smother
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
Mad Scientist
Batman Gambit
Scenery Gorn
Stalker with a Crush
Back from the Dead
The Power of Love
The Reveal
Large Ham
The '90s
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Good Is Not Nice
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Gorn
Italian Films
All for Nothing
Action Girl
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Meaningful Echo
Demoted to Extra
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Friend to All Children
Kill 'em All
I Need a Freaking Drink
Dogged Nice Guy
Naked People Are Funny
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Disney Death
Death by Irony
Dirty Old Man
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
I Have Your Wife
Knife Nut
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Star-Crossed Lovers
Mexican Standoff
Those Two Guys
Alliterative Name
Novelization
Index of Film Westerns
Our Zombies Are Different
Not Using the "Z" Word
MayDecember Romance
Facial Horror
Accidental Misnaming
Villain Opening Scene
Stepford Smiler
Children Are Innocent
Hollywood Darkness
Crazy-Prepared
Actually Pretty Funny
Made of Iron
Meaningful Name
Abusive Parents
Break the Cutie
Horror Films
The Hero Dies
Mugging the Monster
Groin Attack
The Dog Bites Back
The Stoner
Villain Ball
An Arm and a Leg
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Cloudcuckoolander
Ambiguous Ending
Cool Old Guy
Bare Your Midriff
Casting Gag
My God, What Have I Done?
Catapult Nightmare
Improbable Aiming Skills
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Deconstruction
Cain and Abel
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Dramatic Gun Cock
In the Back
Maybe Ever After
Sequel Hook
Fake Shemp
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Crazy Jealous Guy
Took a Level in Jerkass
Only in It for the Money
What the Hell, Hero?
Product Placement
Adaptation Dye-Job
B-Movie
Bloodier and Gorier
Self-Deprecation
Bond Villain Stupidity
folderlabel
Parental Substitute
Cassandra Truth
Meaningful Background Event
In Name Only
Bland-Name Product
Animated Credits Opening
Big Bad Duumvirate
An Aesop
The Atoner
Dramedy
The Vamp
The '70s
Double-Meaning Title
Daddy's Girl
La Résistance
Undying Loyalty
Action Survivor
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Reality Has No Subtitles
Eye Scream
Karma Houdini
Manchild
Protagonist Title
Off with His Head!
World of Ham
As Himself
Evil Brit
Imagine Spot
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Closed Circle
It's All About Me
Early-Bird Cameo
Guile Hero
Hypocrite
Fan Disservice
Contrived Coincidence
Vampire Fiction
A Father to His Men
The End... Or Is It?
Historical-Domain Character
Evil Plan
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Improvised Weapon
Dramatic Irony
Determinator
Television Movie Index
Adorkable
Hair-Trigger Temper
Creative Closing Credits
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
The Lancer
Badass Boast
Cluster F-Bomb
Apocalypse How
Combat Pragmatist
BrotherSister Incest
Irony
Rasputinian Death
Dirty Coward
Rated M for Manly
Adaptation Expansion
Lock and Load Montage
Body Horror
Laughing Mad
Credits Gag
Foregone Conclusion
The Sociopath
Artistic License Physics
Bittersweet Ending
Fanservice Extra
Our Vampires Are Different
Heroic Sacrifice
Parental Neglect
Comically Missing the Point
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Mundane Made Awesome
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Despair Event Horizon
Dark and Troubled Past
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
Disney Villain Death
All Just a Dream
Actor Allusion
Dropped a Bridge on Him
Call-Back
Bring My Brown Pants
Token Minority
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Honor Before Reason
Beard of Evil
Smug Snake
Put on a Bus
Scenery Porn
The Faceless
Cool Guns
Gold Digger
Unreliable Narrator
Alpha Bitch
Action Genre
Fish out of Water
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Fate Worse than Death
Male Gaze
Disproportionate Retribution
Frame-Up
Distracted by the Sexy
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Betty and Veronica
The Brute
Real Life Writes the Plot
Attempted Rape
Smoking Is Cool
Artistic License Gun Safety
And Starring
Chiaroscuro
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Exact Words
BFG
Sanity Slippage
Establishing Character Moment
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Call-Forward
N-Word Privileges
Training Montage
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Missing Mom
Bait-and-Switch
Disappeared Dad
Love Triangle
Black and Gray Morality
Continuity Nod
Psychopathic Manchild
Would Hit a Girl
Villainous Breakdown
Awesome, but Impractical
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Big-Bad Ensemble
Music Stories
Wham Shot
Non-Indicative Name
The Cavalry
Humiliation Conga
Greater-Scope Villain
Kill It with Fire
The Great Depression
Re-Cut
Fantasy Films
Outrun the Fireball
Villain Protagonist
Works Set in World War II
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
How We Got Here
Bloody Hilarious
Anti-Villain
Bond One-Liner
Ms. Fanservice
Historical Hero Upgrade
Defiant to the End
Artistic License History
Badass Grandpa
Handicapped Badass
Silence Is Golden
Not Quite Dead
Last-Name Basis
Stylistic Suck
From Bad to Worse
Serious Business
Hero Antagonist
Expy
The Mole
Romantic False Lead
Serial Killer
Yandere
Dark Action Girl
Pretty Little Headshots
Abhorrent Admirer
Word of God
Tranquil Fury
Happily Married
Bullying a Dragon
Here We Go Again!
Femme Fatale
Face Death with Dignity
Horror Comedy
Title Drop
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Australian Movies
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Fainting
Informed Ability
Captain Ersatz
Author Avatar
Pragmatic Villainy
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Genre Savvy
Adult Fear
Tagline
Evil vs. Evil
Woman Scorned
Bad Boss
Police Brutality
Motor Mouth
Becoming the Mask
Military and Warfare Films
Sole Survivor
Silent Movie
Sealed Evil in a Can
Amoral Attorney
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Faking the Dead
Fun with Acronyms
Shut Up, Hannibal!
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Book-Ends
Car Fu
Naïve Newcomer
Dirty Cop
Epic Movie
Superhero
Whole Plot Reference
Adaptational Villainy
Bi the Way
The Ghost
Fire-Forged Friends
Flipping the Bird
Taking the Bullet
Dies Wide Open
Important Haircut
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Jerkass
Henpecked Husband
Posthumous Character
Shirtless Scene
Well-Intentioned Extremist
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
One-Word Title
Skewed Priorities
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
Chase Scene
For Want of a Nail
Mistaken for Gay
Woman in White
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Straight Gay
Card-Carrying Villain
Ironic Echo
Stock Footage
Loophole Abuse
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
Major Injury Underreaction
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Storming the Castle
Laser-Guided Karma
Chekhov's Skill
Genre Shift
Fatal Flaw
Conspicuous CG
Oh, Crap!
Hell Is That Noise
FaceHeel Turn
Red Shirt
Leitmotif
Politically Incorrect Villain
Homage
Fiery Redhead
Gender Flip
Artistic License Military
Translation Convention
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Film Series
Badass Longcoat
No Antagonist
The '50s
Death Seeker
Vacation Films
Adaptation Name Change
Bloodless Carnage
Love at First Sight
A Minor Kidroduction
Lampshade Hanging
Creepy Child
Mighty Whitey
Reality Ensues
Driven to Suicide
The Smurfette Principle
An Axe to Grind
Downer Ending
Author Appeal
Red Herring
Every Car Is a Pinto
Dull Surprise
Eldritch Abomination
Thriller
Insane Troll Logic
Darkest Hour
Hate Sink
Gilligan Cut
Badass in a Nice Suit
Scary Black Man
Nice Guy
The Bad Guy Wins
Anachronic Order
Only Sane Man
Berserk Button
As the Good Book Says...
Bad "Bad Acting"
Reality Is Unrealistic
Kick the Son of a Bitch
British Films
Tap on the Head
Affectionate Parody
Costume Porn
In Medias Res
Gone Horribly Right
Wrong Genre Savvy
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
Spiteful Spit
Wham Line
No OSHA Compliance
Sci-Fi Horror
Annoying Younger Sibling
He Knows Too Much
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Mr. Exposition
Deal with the Devil
Anti-Hero
This Is Gonna Suck
Evil Laugh
Obfuscating Stupidity
Chewing the Scenery
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Beta Couple
Madness Mantra
Did Not Get the Girl
Cat Scare
Pretty in Mink
Plucky Comic Relief
Neck Lift
Adaptation Distillation
Extreme Doormat
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Pragmatic Adaptation
Only a Flesh Wound
It Will Never Catch On
And I Must Scream
Married to the Job
Domestic Abuse
Ripped from the Headlines
He Who Fights Monsters
Retcon
Totally Radical
Never Trust a Trailer
Dressing as the Enemy
More Dakka
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Humans Are Bastards
Dark Is Not Evil
Psychological Thriller
Cowboy Cop
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Enemy Mine
Take That!
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
Almost Kiss
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Grievous Bottley Harm
Evil Is Petty
Deadpan Snarker
Gory Discretion Shot
I'm a Humanitarian
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Fat Bastard
Brainless Beauty
Advertised Extra
Ship Tease
Too Dumb to Live
Stealth Pun
Parental Incest
No-Sell
Would Hurt a Child
German Films
Slasher Movie
Lighter and Softer
Anachronism Stew
Award-Bait Song
Left the Background Music On
Creator Cameo
Christmas Movies Index
Amusing Injuries
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Mystery and Detective Films
Artistic License Biology
Cruel and Unusual Death
Drives Like Crazy
Overprotective Dad
Never Found the Body
Hong Kong Films
Big "NO!"
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Shown Their Work
Race Against the Clock
Ambiguous Disorder
Paper-Thin Disguise
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Public Domain Feature Films
Broken Bird
For the Evulz
Once More, with Clarity!
The Bully
Evil Counterpart
Manipulative Bastard
Running Gag
Hoist by His Own Petard
Sexy Discretion Shot
From Nobody to Nightmare
The '60s
Rule of Symbolism
Foil
Big Applesauce
Spared by the Adaptation
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Better to Die than Be Killed
"Awesome McCool" Name
Shipper on Deck
Room Full of Crazy
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Pimped-Out Dress
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Immune to Bullets
Developing Doomed Characters
Grey and Gray Morality
Taking You with Me
Expository Hairstyle Change
Does Not Like Shoes
Ambiguously Gay
Adaptational Heroism
Air-Vent Passageway
Beware the Nice Ones
Curse Cut Short
Final Girl
Camp Gay
Martial Arts Movie
Bavarian Fire Drill
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
Fingore
Jitter Cam
Match Cut
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Psycho for Hire
Slashed Throat
Bound and Gagged
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
Jerkass Has a Point
Mr. Fanservice
Film Noir
Arch-Enemy
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
Damsel in Distress
Sacrificial Lion
And the Adventure Continues
It Can Think
Deus ex Machina
Show Within a Show
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Asshole Victim
Retirony
Mama Bear
The Smart Guy
Recycled IN SPACE!
No Name Given
Cool Old Lady
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Bilingual Bonus
Blackmail
Animal Title Index
I Did What I Had to Do
The Un-Reveal
My Greatest Failure
Cool Shades
Eureka Moment
The Quiet One
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Gratuitous English
Wretched Hive
Leave the Camera Running
Big Bad
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Action Prologue