LogFAQs > #925488362

Today's trope is Woobie Destroyer of Worlds. Here is the link: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds

This is a character with omnicidal and/or Ax-Crazy tendencies, or well, a character who wants to destroy everyone in the story, and is suddenly in a position to do so (on a small or large scale); but in contrast to other characters, he/she has some plausible, outright tragic reason to do so. In some cases, the other characters outright sympathize with this one (whether or not the audience does too is out of the equation here), all the while accepting that they must be stopped. Sometimes, the character is even portrayed as likeable, just... not with the right mindset.

The essential element is that the destroyer has been pushed beyond all reason. This may or may not make them The Woobie, but either way they are portrayed as having a crappy existence. This is a character who, by definition, is constantly beaten up, kicked around, and lives an all-around miserable life. Should they lose everything and everyone they trust (be it through betrayal or in other cruel ways), and then just so happen upon the instrument of revenge against the cruel, heartless world that brought them so much pain, one need not be a genius to figure out whom the character will cast their hateful gaze upon. Think of this person as a Jerkass Woobie, only with the jerkassery replaced by insanity (though many characters do fulfill both tropes).

TL,DR: These characters have been driven to evil by tragic circumstances. Their actions are terrible, but they remain sympathetic or pitiable to some extent despite this.

Nominations:
Mr Freeze (DC Comics)
Carrie White (Carrie)
Lucy (Elfen Lied)