Dissonant Serenity: Difference between revisions

 

Another deceivingly harmless state of mind, although uncomprehending: [[Psychopathic Manchild]]. Also likely to overlap with [[While Rome Burns]]. [[The Comically Serious]] is this trope [[Played for Laughs]]. [[Tranquil Fury]] seems similar on paper but is ''very'' different in practice.

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* The Diclonii from ''[[Elfen Lied]]'' are masters of this, especially Lucy. The anime opens with her calmly walking through a high-security military unit, [[Full-Frontal Assault|stark naked]] but for a large metal helmet, gently humming to herself whilst hideously ripping apart and mutilating dozens of soldiers.

* Russia from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]''. He acts rather childish and sweet, even when saying something threatening or disturbing.

* Yoshii Kazuho from ''[[Texhnolyze]]'' always has a calm, pleasant smile on his face, even as he goes around shooting people and blowing them up with bombs.

{{quote|"My smile becomes more beautiful the angrier I get."}}

* Hosaka of ''[[Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun]]''. He always wears a calm smile and speaks in a polite manner even as he throws Shinobu out of a helicopter and [[Curb Stomp Battle|curb stomps]] Shungo with the intent to kill him in the last episode.

 

 

* Zirah from the ''[[Good Omens]]'' [[Fanfic]] ''[[The Sacred and the Profane]]'' to the effect that it [[Like a Badass Out of Hell|gets him kicked out of Hell]] because [[Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth|it so creeps out the other demons.]]

* When Tsuruya is almost thrown out of a school window to her death by one of Kyon's classmate in ''[[Kyon: Big Damn Hero]]'', Kyon dangles him out of a window by the ankle and interrogates him, while making [[Shout-Out|Shout Outs]] to The Dark Knight, among others.

{{quote|In his eye lit the passionless passion of slaughter}}

* In [[Forgotten Realms]] novel ''The Making of a Mage'' [[Does Not Like Magic|resentful]] Elminster (age 17) witnessed how one [[The Magocracy|magelord]] summoned and tried to command the incumbent Magister. Dorgon "Stonecloak" Heamiiolothtar was one of a handful of people who were given this title by the gods of magic rather that [[You Kill It, You Bought It|won in a fight]], but he kept it longer than anyone except Azuth.<ref>who "resigned" by ascension to godhood</ref> Dorgon poked "with mild curiosity" the artifact supposed to make him powerless, ascertained that it indeed ''is'' a challenge, teleported across the room and [[Beam Spam|beam-diced]] half of the magelords and they flunkies present at the party before anyone could reach the door. Then [[No Gravity for You|suspended in the air]] all present magelords, [[Mind Probe]]d, judged and beheaded them one by one. All the while wearing much the same expression, ignoring their spells and complaining about their inability to throw at him something really interesting.

* During Act I, Scene III of [[Shakespeare]]'s ''Julius Caesar'', a heavy storm hits Rome, the earth shakes, fire is seen in the skies and lions, ghosts and burning men walk the streets of Rome. And into this, enters Cassius, who smiles contentedly and calls it "a very pleasing night to honest men."

** Later Mark Antony imagines a similar situation in which Ceasar's ghost stands beside Ate, the Goddess of [[Revenge|Vengance]] "''come hot from hell'' ", he then yells "''"Havoc!"'' " and she lets go of the leashes to a pack of [[Hell Hound]]s borrowed from [[War God|Mars]] himself, engulfing the whole country of Italy in a bitter war that drags on so long that the people become so accustomed to the carnage that "''mothers shall but smile''" at the sight of their children's bodies being brought home so horribly mutilated that they are barely even recognizable anymore. Though the fact that these thoughts fill him with the warm an' fuzzies is another matter entirely, one with elements of several [[Revenge Tropes]] involved.

* ''Sisterhood'' series by [[Fern Michaels]]: In the book ''Collateral Damage'', Paula Woodley talks to Lizzie Fox about her husband Karl Woodley. She asks Lizzie if she's being too sadistic, and she says this in the tone of someone discussing the weather. Of course, she had been abused by her [[Complete Monster]] [[Domestic Abuser]] husband for years. No decent person could fault her for wanting to make him pay for that!

 

* From ''[[Doctor Who]]'': [http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s0/s0_04/audio/s0_04_aud_05.mp3?playlist=/doctorwho/playlists/s0_04/audio/s0_04_aud_05.xml&audio=1&date=&summary=Heavenly%20Host&promo=/doctorwho/medialibrary/s0/images/main-promo/s0_04_aud_05.jpg&info=&info2=&info3=&tag_file_id=s0_04_aud_05 Information: Kill. Kill. Kill.]

** The Cybermen can apply as well. The Daleks have one emotion (anger), but all that's left of the Cybermen is pure logic.

** Series 6 offers both the Antibodies ("You will experience a tingling sensation and then death") and the robots in the Two Streams hospital ("This is a kindness.") Basically, evil robots in the [[Whoniverse]] are either absolute monotone or this. No, the Daleks don't count, they're not robots.

*** Hello, Dalek.

* From Joss Whedon's ''[[Firefly]]'': River Tam displayed this trait in a few episodes. But then, she was batshit, so that is also to be expected.

* This the basis of the ''[[Xkcd]]'' "[http://xkcd.com/249/ Roller Coaster Chess]" ([http://xkcd.com/chesscoaster/ aspired] to [[Memetic Mutation|meme]]): people taking advantage of cameras on roller coasters to get in pictures of themselves pretending to focus on a game of chess instead of throwing their arms out and screaming like the rest of the riders.

* ''[[Frankie and Stein]]'' has Stein acting this way... a lot. From [[Grave Robbing]] grinningly, to stealing a brain with a grin on his face, to excitedly explaining what he's going to do next half-way through {{spoiler|creating his own Frankenstein's Monster}} with blood all over his face. Only, he's a little more upbeat than serene. [http://frankieandstein.com/2012/01/21/page-23/ This] strip, in particular.

 

 

 

 

* The Disaster Girl meme embodies this to the fullest, the picture being a girl no older than five smiling almost sinisterly into the camera while firefighters are putting out a burning house in the background.

* Title of a ''Sports Illustrated'' article: "Tom Maure Will Politely, Serenely Crush You."

* A fundamental characteristic of Hindu gods. Under absolutely no circumstances are they to be portrayed with anything other than a completely stoic, non-emotional face no matter what the situation is. A god can be neck-deep in demons and oceans of blood and fire, but he's gotta be cool about it.

* In a stare-down, the guy who stays composed in the face of bluster, threatening gestures, maybe even a brandished weapon or two can be far more intimidating than the other. Only a fool or someone supremely capable can remain calm in a volatile situation.

** It really helped him that he was being grilled on all the wrong issues and that his\Conservative core values were hardly questioned at all. Just as one example, the PM put forth a plan to buy jets to replace the ones that will be retired in 5 years. Instead of attacking the plan for only researching one company, supposed kick-backs, not a good value, etc, the opposition continuously and passionately argued that we simply shouldn't buy more jets. So, of course, Harper calmly explained that a country can't operate militarily without jets. That said, he acts calm under fire too.

* [http://www.cracked.com/blog/10-photos-capturing-moments-spontaneous-badassery/ #10 on this Cracked list]

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Madness Tropes]]

[[Category:Smile Tropes]]