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