Cult of Personality: Difference between revisions

 

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* Light Yagami from ''[[Death Note]]''. The devotion he inspires is so strong that he gets three other people ([[My Friends and Zoidberg|four if we count]] {{spoiler|[[My Friends and Zoidberg|Higuchi]]}}) to commit mass murder on his behalf. He gains {{spoiler|Rem's}} loyalty as well despite the fact that she hates him ( {{spoiler|[[Black and Gray Morality|because his motives are]] [[Pure Is Not Good|more pure]] [[Complete Monster|than Higuchi's]]}}).

 

* R'as al Ghul in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga|Batman Begins]]'' has a literal cult built up around him.

 

* Napoleon in ''[[Animal Farm]]'', as evidenced by Boxer's motto "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right."

* The Wizard in ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]'' has a Cult of Personality that extends to the far reaches of Oz, and even takes in the very real witches from whom he hides. Whether this cult is an intentional tactic or grew around him on its own is hard to say for sure, given the later ''Oz'' books' rather sketchy grasp of continuity. However, given how ''The Land of Oz'' (the second book) describes him kidnapping and hiding the legitimate heir to the throne of Oz, it seems likely the cult of the Wizard was orchestrated and cultivated.

** ''Potter'' [[Fan Works]] often dial these cults [[Up to Eleven]], until both sides are effectively [[Church Militant|militant religions]] with demigod leaders who can do no wrong in the eyes of their followers, who will undertake any task and suffer any torment for them.

 

* The song "Cult of Personality" by [[Living Colour]] explores the phenomenon from the point of view of the subject of such a cult, but includes comments that are subversive of the purpose of a Cult of Personality, encouraging the listener to break free from the groupthink in which they're trapped.

* Tommy, from the [[Rock Opera]] of [[Tommy|the same name]] by [[The Who]], seems to accidentally inspire a Cult of Personality around himself while he is unware of the world at large. Ultimately this is a [[Subverted Trope|subversion]], though, because when he regains his senses and tries to actually direct and ''use'' his cult following, they turn on him.

 

* David had one build up around him in ''[[The Bible]]'', to the jealousy of Saul, who attempted to kill David because he feared David would use said personality cult as a pretext to a popular revolt against him, a fear that proved groundless.

** David's own son Absalom had one which he encouraged so he could usurp his father. It backfired on him and fell apart after his death.

 

* "Trust the Computer! The Computer is your friend!" Among all the other things included the 24-hour propaganda in ''[[Paranoia (game)|Paranoia]]'''s Alpha Complex is a heavy dose of personality cult centered on the Computer.

 

* One of the motivations driving Judas in ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' is his belief that Jesus is building a Cult of Personality around himself that will inevitably grow so large and loud that it will draw the Romans down on their heads -- and possibly on the heads of the rest of Judea.

 

* Jet's little gang in ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' may be small, but it's a cult of personality nonetheless.

 

* Practically every dictator or other authoritarian head of state in the last century or so has at least ''attempted'' to grow a Cult of Personality around themselves; many, like [[Romania|Nicolae Ceaușescu]] and [[Yugoslavia|Josip Broz Tito]] were successful, at least in the relative short run. However, the two most prominent examples have to be [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Josef Stalin]]. It's hard to decide which of them is the [[Trope Codifier]], although both qualify for the role; perhaps they both are, collectively.

* The Kim family, rulers of [[North Korea]]. The state-owned press in North Korea is effusive in its unending praise when it comes to covering them, to the point that to outsiders it seems almost like an embarrassing parody. For instance, despite the Communist rejection of religion all the Kims are and have been painted as semi-divine, "a great person born of heaven". The latest Kim, Kim Jong-un, is a case in point. Everything good that happens is because of him; everything bad that is even reported is a defiance of the natural order because it flies in the face of Kim's intentions for the land and people.

 

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[[Category:Pages Original to All The Tropes]]

[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]