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{{trope}}
'''Basic Trope''': The hero(es) travel(s) to the future and discover [[Crapsack World|it sucks]].
* '''Straight''': The hero skips a couple of decades, [[Human Popsicle|one way]] [[Time Travel|or another]]. He emerges in an [[Big Brother Is Watching|oppressive]], [[Fascist but Inefficient|badly run]] [[Dystopia]].
* '''Exaggerated''': The hero skips a couple of decades, and emerges to see the galaxy taken over by [[Religion of Evil|Satanist]] [[Commie Nazis]].
* '''Justified''':
** The dystopia in question is a [[Villain World]], brought about due to protagonist's absence.
** The [[Crapsack World]] is the result of a secretive villain or organization, which the heroes had no idea existed.
* '''Inverted''': The villain skips a couple of decades, and discovers that a [[Utopia]] has been built in his absence.
* '''Subverted''': The hero arrives and sees that [[The Bad Guy Wins|the bad guy has won]]. However, the villain in question is a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]], and the world he had created [[The Extremist Was Right|is actually a utopia]].
* '''Double Subverted''':
** Upon closer examination, the villain's "utopia" turns out to be [[Brave New World (novel)|shallow and hedonistic]].
** The "utopia" is comfortable and runs like clockwork, but most people [[Stepford Smiler|are troubled psychologically]].
* '''Parodied''':
** The so-called "bad future" is actually perfectly normal... wait a minute, where are all of the cheesy snacks?! [[Big No|NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!]]
** The hero travels an hour into the future, and in his brief absence, the entire world has been conquered by an army of cyborg lawn gnomes.
* '''Deconstructed''':
** The hero(es) could only be on even terms with the villain in their present because they had the government on their side. With all of this government's resources turned ''against'' them, they all end up killed [[Fate Worse Than Death|or worse]] in a very short time.
** It turns out that even [[Black Shirt|Black Shirts]] and the [[Big Bad]] aren't really enjoying the situation, because [[Dystopia Is Hard]] to maintain.
* '''Reconstructed''': However, the dystopian future has also spawned a secret [[La Résistance|resistance force]] that is more than willing to give the hero the help he needs to fight back. Seeing what's at stake if they lose to the villain strengthens their resolve to defeat him/her/it for good. 
* '''Zig Zagged''': The heroes travel into the future to find themselves in a city of ominous dark buildings covered in propaganda. Turns out, all the inhabitants enjoy material luxury, year round free heating and freedom. Then it turns out, the heating is provided by giant baby ovens.
* '''Averted''': The future turns out to be [[Post Cyber Punk]] - lots of fancy new technology, but nothing dystopian.
* '''Enforced''': This is a good way for the work to go [[Darker and Edgier]] for a limited time - or even permanently, if the writers are so inclined.
* '''Lampshaded''': "I leave for mere twenty years, and they screw everything up. [[Deadpan Snarker|Great]]."
* '''Invoked''': [[Samurai Jack|The villain deliberately sends the hero into a future where he has conquered the world to try and break his will.]]
* '''Defied''': The hero goes back in time and [[Set Right What Once Went Wrong|sets right what once went wrong]].
* '''Discussed''': "Ten bucks says the future is bollocks."
* '''Conversed''': "What did this guy expect from the future, exactly? Freedom, truth and beauty just like in his own time?"
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Bad Future]]
[[Category:Playing With]]