View source for Broken Pedestal/Playing With

{{trope}}
'''Broken Pedestal''': A character's mentor or idol becomes loathed by them for evil actions.
* '''Straight''': Bob once taught Chris noble martial arts, and Chris uses his ninja powers to catch Bob committing crimes.
* '''Exaggerated''': Bob, once a pacifist and a lover of kittens, has crossed the [[Moral Event Horizon]] and is barely recognised as Chris' original mentor, such is the atrocity of his crimes.
* '''Justified''': [[Face Heel Turn|Bob became was forced into a life of crime from living in a]] [[Crapsack World]].
* '''Inverted''':
** Bob used to train villains to commit crimes, and now does good acts instead.
** Alternately, Chris is the one who starts committing crimes using the training he got from Bob, [[A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil|much to Bob's disgust when he finds out.]]
* '''Subverted''': Chris has misinterpreted Bob's actions; he is in fact a Good person
* '''Double Subverted''': Then Chris learns about all the [[Moral Event Horizon|downright nasty crimes]] Bob has committed.
* '''Parodied''': Chris becomes disillusioned with Bob for [[Narm|horrendous crimes]] [[Impossibly Tacky Clothes|against fashion]].
* '''Deconstructed''':
** Chris spirals into depression over the intense hypocrisy of Bob's good teachings and his current evil actions.
** Alternatively, Chris finally realizes that Bob was always a simple asshole instead of the [[Knight in Sour Armor]] he always thought he was; it's just that he (and Bob) have never let himself admit it.
* '''Reconstructed''':
** Chris takes strength from his original teachings, and they allow him to call out his ex-mentor for his descent into villainy.
** Alternatively, Chris realizes that what Bob does doesn't really matter as long as Chris is still a good person.
* '''Zig Zagged''':
** Bob appears to be committing crimes, but then it turns out he has good intentions behind them, according with his original teachings. Then Chris learns this is just a cover-up to commit horrendous acts - it then transpires someone told him this, and it is a [[Blatant Lies|blatant lie]]. 
** Chris catches Bob in a [[Face Heel Revolving Door]].
* '''Averted''': Bob has always been the same noble teacher.
* '''Enforced''': The writers decide Bob needs some [[Character Development]].
* '''Lampshaded''': "You were once the noblest man on Earth, Bob. Now, I can't hold you in the same light I used to. Look at what you've done!"
* '''Invoked''': Bob decides to go under an alias and commit crimes in another city. The city where Chris is now policing.
* '''Defied''': Bob is highly disillusioned by the [[Crapsack World]], but decides keeping his principles is more important, especially with all the people he influenced over his life looking up to him.
* '''Discussed''': "That Bob has started [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|beating up pensioners, raping kittens, and littering]] - how long before Chris finds him, and loses all faith in him?"
* '''Conversed''': "Chris is going to be so pissed when he finds Bob doing all this stuff."
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A true Troper would use the link back to [[Broken Pedestal]]. You taught me that. So...why?

{{reflist}}
[[Category:Broken Pedestal]]
[[Category:Playing With]]