Bad Guys Play Pool: Difference between revisions

Line 1:

[[File:BadGuyBar_6751.jpg|link=Batman ~~the~~ Brave And The Bold ~~(Animation)~~|frame|Some bad guys wear polka dots, others zebra stripes, but they ''all'' love shootin' pool.]]

[[File:BadGuyBar_6751.jpg|link=Batman: The Brave And The Bold|frame|Some bad guys wear polka dots, others zebra stripes, but they ''all'' love shootin' pool.]]

Line 7:

With a capital "T"

And that rhymes with "P"

And that stands for Pool!|[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI "Ya Got Trouble"], ''[[~~The Music Man (Theatre)|~~The Music Man]]''}}

And that stands for Pool!|[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI "Ya Got Trouble"], ''[[The Music Man]]''}}

Pool. Doesn't seem like a particularly evil game, right? Despite accusations that the cueball is "possessed," "cursed," or "hates me personally," pool typically isn't what comes to mind when you say "things a bad guy would enjoy."

Line 22:

* Possibly used in ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''; Greed was playing pool in a bar...

* One of the players in ''[[Princess Nine]]'' is recruited at a pool-hall. Yes, she's the delinquent of the group.

* In ''[[~~Black Butler (Manga)|~~Black Butler]]'', there is a scene of people playing pool. The protagonist is among them (Who is sort of an [[Anti-Hero]]), as well as the bad-guy for that chapter. There's also a metaphor involving getting rid of evil, being evil, and some other things involving the pool table.

* In ''[[Black Butler]]'', there is a scene of people playing pool. The protagonist is among them (Who is sort of an [[Anti-Hero]]), as well as the bad-guy for that chapter. There's also a metaphor involving getting rid of evil, being evil, and some other things involving the pool table.

* ''[[Code Geass]]'': a bunch of [[Grey and Gray Morality|antagonist-ish]] characters play pool right after {{spoiler|nuking Tokyo}}. Something of a subversion as all of them were rather put off by the guy who actually did it (who incidentally wasn't playing).

** This, however, wasn't so much because of the act being carried out, but rather his sudden change in behavior, when he volunteered to assassinate [[The Emperor]].

Line 42:

* Not a villain, but Heath Ledger's character in ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You]]'' hangs out in a bar playing pool to emphasize his mysteriousness and show how outside the norm he is compared to the other students.

* ''Superman Returns'', although this is slightly played with since the pool table is on Lex Luthor's yacht.

* In ''[[That Was Then This Is Now]]'', there's no fight scene in the bar/pool hall itself, but the protagonist and his friend end up getting mugged by a couple of thugs outside, after winning a considerable amount of money off of them playing pool. The bartender shows up, shotgun in hand, to drive the goons off, and the boys walk away unharmed. {{spoiler|The bartender himself, however, gets a bullet in the head for his troubles.}}

* In ''[[That Was Then, This Is Now]]'', there's no fight scene in the bar/pool hall itself, but the protagonist and his friend end up getting mugged by a couple of thugs outside, after winning a considerable amount of money off of them playing pool. The bartender shows up, shotgun in hand, to drive the goons off, and the boys walk away unharmed. {{spoiler|The bartender himself, however, gets a bullet in the head for his troubles.}}

* The pool hall where [[Jackie Chan]] makes his famously ill-advised attempt to learn Afro-American slang in ''[[Rush Hour]]'' is a pretty rough place, if not actually criminal (in most cases).

* Taking a cue from ''Pinocchio'', below, the headquarters for the Foot Clan in the ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (~~Film~~)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' live action movie has a huge game room filled with typical '80s/'90s delinquent kid activities to keep their underage <s>[[Unwitting Pawn|Unwitting Pawns]]</s> [[Ninja]] [[Mook|Mooks]] pacified, including a series of pool tables.

* Taking a cue from ''Pinocchio'', below, the headquarters for the Foot Clan in the ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' live action movie has a huge game room filled with typical '80s/'90s delinquent kid activities to keep their underage <s>[[Unwitting Pawn|Unwitting Pawns]]</s> [[Ninja]] [[Mook|Mooks]] pacified, including a series of pool tables.

* The famous [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RITE-FiW5Gg bar scene] from ''[[Terminator]] 2''.

* Shown in ''Four Brothers'' with {{spoiler|the corrupt cop, shortly before he kills the good one.}}

Line 50:

* In ''Brighton Beach Memoirs'', Eugene's brother Stanley loses all his money in a rough pool hall, made somewhat less intimidating by the fact that the hustler is Jason Alexander.

* In the original ''[[Bedazzled]]'', the devil himself plays pool. This borders on [[Subverted Trope|subversion]], however, seeing as [[Satan Is Good|this devil isn't so bad]].

* In ''[[All the ~~Kings~~ Men]]'', the corrupt commissioners of Konoma County (...[[Added Alliterative Appeal|Wow, that wasn't even intentional]]) all hang out at the local pool hall.

* In ''[[All the King's Men]]'', the corrupt commissioners of Konoma County (...[[Added Alliterative Appeal|Wow, that wasn't even intentional]]) all hang out at the local pool hall.

* The gang members at the bar in ''[[Steel (~~Film~~)|Steel]]''.

* The gang members at the bar in ''[[Steel (film)|Steel]]''.

* They never get around to actually playing in the movie, but the young ladies who play hostess to ''[[The Warriors (~~Film~~)|The Warriors]]'' have a pool table in their hangout. And a [[Bar Brawl]] does break out, including a fine display of [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy|shooting]].

* They never get around to actually playing in the movie, but the young ladies who play hostess to ''[[The Warriors (film)|The Warriors]]'' have a pool table in their hangout. And a [[Bar Brawl]] does break out, including a fine display of [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy|shooting]].

* In "[[The Da Vinci Code]]" [[Sinister Minister|Bishop Aringarosa]] plays pool with one of the cardinals while discussing [[Evil Albino|Silas]].

== Literature ==

* In [[Horatio Alger Jr]]'s ''The Erie Train Boy'', the hero Fred is sent into a seedy bar in Canada where he plays pool with a robber to endear himself to him and get access to his stolen loot.

* In [[Horatio Alger, Jr.]]'s ''The Erie Train Boy'', the hero Fred is sent into a seedy bar in Canada where he plays pool with a robber to endear himself to him and get access to his stolen loot.

* Gwendolyn Brooks' poem "We Real Cool", subtitled "The Pool Players: 7 at the Golden Shovel".

{{quote| We real cool. We

Line 72:

** Brooks--during a reading at the Guggenheim--said the poem has been "...banned here and there because of the word 'Jazz'," the line frequently having been interpreted as a euphemism for sex. Not intentional, she averred: but [[Deadpan Snarker|also remarked]], "I have no objection if it helps anybody."

* In Donna Tartt's ''The Little Friend'', Harriet, believing a local boy is responsible for the death of her brother, sends her friend to spy on him in the pool hall.

* In [[~~Time Scout (Literature)|~~Time Scout]], Kit Carson has been trying ''for years'' to beat [[That One Boss|Goldie Moran]] at pool.

* In [[Time Scout]], Kit Carson has been trying ''for years'' to beat [[That One Boss|Goldie Moran]] at pool.

* Becca Fitzpatrick's [[Hush Hush]] loves this trope, having several characters say that the [[Designated Love Interest]], Patch, is a bad person [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|simply because he plays pool]]. It's true, but for [[The Sociopath|a whole lot of other reasons]].

* Becca Fitzpatrick's [[Hush, Hush]] loves this trope, having several characters say that the [[Designated Love Interest]], Patch, is a bad person [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|simply because he plays pool]]. It's true, but for [[The Sociopath|a whole lot of other reasons]].

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* ''[[Fresh Prince of Bel Air]]'' has an episode where Philip has to go up against a villainous pool shark. [[The Fresh Prince of Bel Air ~~(TV)~~/Awesome|And completely kicks ass.]]

* ''[[Fresh Prince of Bel Air]]'' has an episode where Philip has to go up against a villainous pool shark. [[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Awesome|And completely kicks ass.]]

* One episode of ''[[Firefly]]'' starts with the discussion of slave-trading over a game of holographic billiards.

** Mal even tells Inara to get out, since there's a thief about. {{spoiler|Mal Reynolds, of course. Once the slaver victim finds out, cue [[Bar Brawl]]. Note that as far as Mal's concerned, his presence is playing the trope straight.}}

Line 87:

** Beyond simply playing the game, Rothstein also tells a particularly chilling anecdote about a man and a billiard ball trick...

* Kilo, a gangster in the Season One episode "Confidence Man" of ''[[Lost]]'', threatens Sawyer who borrowed money from him while playing pool.

* An episode of ''[[Law ~~and~~ Order ~~(TV)~~|Law and Order]]'' played with this trope. Lenny Briscoe posed as a guy asking for a hit while playing pool with a Mafioso. The Mafia guy was dumbfounded that the guy who could play pool that well was a cop.

* An episode of ''[[Law & Order|Law and Order]]'' played with this trope. Lenny Briscoe posed as a guy asking for a hit while playing pool with a Mafioso. The Mafia guy was dumbfounded that the guy who could play pool that well was a cop.

* ''[[The Sopranos]]'' crew are often found shooting pool in the Bing's back room.

* Comically subverted on ''[[Gossip Girl]]'' where [[Jerkass|Chuck Bass]] owns a pool table, but the only person who ever uses it is his goody-two-shoes best friend Nate.

Line 111:

== Theatre ==

* In ''[[~~The Music Man (Theatre)|~~The Music Man]]'', Harold Hill gets River City riled up over the idea that pool, just recently introduced to the town, will corrupt their children. He makes excuses for billiards, which River City already has, saying that it's the pockets in a pool table "that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum."

* In ''[[The Music Man]]'', Harold Hill gets River City riled up over the idea that pool, just recently introduced to the town, will corrupt their children. He makes excuses for billiards, which River City already has, saying that it's the pockets in a pool table "that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum."

Line 117:

* [[Psycho Supporter|Venom]] from [[Guilty Gear]] takes this [[Up to Eleven]] with a fighting style based on pool.

* The Pool minigame in ''[[Grand Theft Auto San Andreas]]'' and ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]''. You can place bets- and if you lose, simply [[Evil Pays Better|mug the winner]] and take your stuff back.

* ''[[~~Luigis~~ Mansion ~~(Video Game)~~|Luigis Mansion]]'': Slim Bankshot, one of the escaped ghosts, is a billiards prodigy. Subverted, he is an optional ghost and does not attack Luigi unless Luigi attacks first.

* ''[[Luigi's Mansion|Luigis Mansion]]'': Slim Bankshot, one of the escaped ghosts, is a billiards prodigy. Subverted, he is an optional ghost and does not attack Luigi unless Luigi attacks first.

* [[Left 4 Dead|Nick]] Isn't evil, but he's had a very troublesome past and really isn't a nice guy. He's even got a line in there "God I love pool"

== Web Comics ==

* There's a ''[[Lackadaisy Cats]]'' episode where [[Professional Killer|Mordecai]] watches his new coworkers play pool at the Marigold while talking to their boss, who owns the place.

* ''[[~~Homestuck (Webcomic)|~~Homestuck]]'''s Midnight Crew intermission features The Felt, a [[Gang of Hats|pool-themed gang]] of villainous [[Time Master|Time Masters]].

* ''[[Homestuck]]'''s Midnight Crew intermission features The Felt, a [[Gang of Hats|pool-themed gang]] of villainous [[Time Master|Time Masters]].

** For what it's worth, [[Diabolical Mastermind|Diamonds Droog]], the Midnight Crew's second-in-command, uses a pool cue as his [[Weapon of Choice]].

== Western Animation ==

* Pool is used as an example of "vice" in Disney's ''[[Pinocchio (Disney)|Pinocchio]]'', leading to a somewhat [[Hilarious in Hindsight]] moment where Jiminy Cricket chastises Pinocchio for "[[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|Drinking! Smoking! Playing pool!]]''"

* Pool is used as an example of "vice" in Disney's ''[[Pinocchio (Disney film)|Pinocchio]]'', leading to a somewhat [[Hilarious in Hindsight]] moment where Jiminy Cricket chastises Pinocchio for "[[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|Drinking! Smoking! Playing pool!]]''"

* In the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' short "[[The Dover Boys]]", a spoof of turn of the 20th Century [[Melodrama|"Mellerdramas"]], bad guy Dan Backslide "that coward, bully, cad and thief of Roquefort Hall" is first seen playing pool in "a tavern of unsavory repute" so vile that the Boys and their lady love have to avert their eyes as they bicycle past.

* ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' has a pool hall that, other than the bar, is quite literally nothing but at least a dozen pool tables. Some rather unsavory characters hang out here. Gamblers frequently are seen here, too, as Blacky Gackston works from this hall.

** It's explicitly noted that the bar belongs to Montana, leader of one of the show's two Quirky Miniboss Squads. His superior, [[Big Bad|Tombstone]] also has a pool table in his office, and is seen playing. Green Goblin also plays pool, getting every ball in the pocket but one, and he blows up the one remaining.

* There's a pool table in the [[Bad Guy Bar]] for Flash villains in ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]''. The players flee when Batman enters the bar and it's later melted by a deflected shot from Trickster's snot gun.

* An episode of ''[[~~Gargoyles (Animation)|~~Gargoyles]]'' had Elisa playing pool with some gangsters in an attempt to convince them she had gone crooked.

* An episode of ''[[Gargoyles]]'' had Elisa playing pool with some gangsters in an attempt to convince them she had gone crooked.

* Our first (and, for all intents and purposes, last) look at the Ts' lair in ''[[~~Batman Beyond (Animation)|~~Batman Beyond]]'' is of their leader playing some kind of futuristic pool that involves the ball ''exploding'' when it lands in the corner pocket. Then Batman drops in, at which point Fat T promptly attacks him with the cue. It doesn't take.

* Our first (and, for all intents and purposes, last) look at the Ts' lair in ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' is of their leader playing some kind of futuristic pool that involves the ball ''exploding'' when it lands in the corner pocket. Then Batman drops in, at which point Fat T promptly attacks him with the cue. It doesn't take.

* There's also a pool table in the villain's club in ''[[Batman ~~the~~ Brave And The Bold ~~(Animation)~~|Batman the Brave And The Bold]]'', surrounded by very colourful and very silly villains. Someone in the DC animation team must like this trope.

* There's also a pool table in the villain's club in ''[[Batman: The Brave And The Bold|Batman the Brave And The Bold]]'', surrounded by very colourful and very silly villains. Someone in the DC animation team must like this trope.

** Actually, [[Genius Bonus|they're playing billiards.]]

* ''[[~~School House~~ Rock]]'' and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsMPO3chgAo Naughty Number Niiiiiine]

* ''[[Schoolhouse Rock]]'' and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsMPO3chgAo Naughty Number Niiiiiine]

* Featured in the bar Puff and Onyx hang out at in the ''[[Static Shock]]'' episode "Consequences".

* Averted in the ''[[Aladdin (Disney)|Aladdin]]'' sequel; Genie and Carpet play pool, as part of a [[Running Gag]] that no matter what game they play, Carpet will ''always win''.

* Averted in the ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]]'' sequel; Genie and Carpet play pool, as part of a [[Running Gag]] that no matter what game they play, Carpet will ''always win''.

{{quote| '''Genie''': "Pool's a man's game, so being a rug he'll be at a disadvan..."

(Carpet breaks and sinks all the balls at once, finishing with the eight-ball)