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