Murder Makes You Crazy: Difference between revisions

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Normally, in [[Real Life]] (although there may be exceptions), a person is ''already'' crazy and/or violent before they contemplate murder. In television however, circumstances will cause you to commit murder, and then you keep killing. No, this trope is '''not''' about murder where you have to keep killing in order to ''hide the evidence''. Instead, it's about murder ''actually warping the mind'', either by [[My God What Have I Done|guilt]] or as the [[Never My Fault|process of rationalizing the murder]] sets in.

Normally, in [[Real Life]] (although there may be exceptions), a person is ''already'' crazy and/or violent before they contemplate murder. In television however, circumstances will cause you to commit murder, and then you keep killing. No, this trope is '''not''' about murder where you have to keep killing in order to ''hide the evidence''. Instead, it's about murder ''actually warping the mind'', either by [[My God, What Have I Done?|guilt]] or as the [[Never My Fault|process of rationalizing the murder]] sets in.

Usually this involves some lead-up event where they are sane but have decided to kill from being put into a situation where unless they are an [[Actual Pacifist]] they will practically be forced to murder because of a no-win situation. After doing the actual murder however, the act makes them evil, or in [[Murder Makes You Crazy|this trope]], insane.

The name of this trope is from [[Love Makes You Crazy]], so contrast this. Also related to [[It Gets Easier]], and possibly [[Shell Shocked Veteran]].

The name of this trope is from [[Love Makes You Crazy]], so contrast this. Also related to [[It Gets Easier]], and possibly [[Shell-Shocked Veteran]].

The difference between this and a normal [[Face Heel Turn]], is that it usually follows [[Break the Cutie|excessive amounts of guilt and gloom]], and results not in evil, but rather madness. Still, it can probably be viewed as a sister trope. Likewise for [[Slowly Slipping Into Evil]], since it isn't evil you slip into, but rather madness.

'''This is a trope specifically pertaining to murder (and insanity). Expect spoilers.'''

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== Comic Books ==

* In the Post-Crisis universe, ''[[Superman]]'' is forced to kill three Kryptonian criminals that wiped out an alternate version of Earth. Since there are no longer any officials to sentence them, Superman appoints himself [[Judge Jury and Executioner]] and uses kryptonite (keeping himself in a [[Kryptonite Proof Suit]] of course) to kill them. Superman was later so emotionally disturbed about this that he developed a [[Split Personality]] that took the form of an extreme [[Nineties Anti Hero]].

* In the Post-Crisis universe, ''[[Superman]]'' is forced to kill three Kryptonian criminals that wiped out an alternate version of Earth. Since there are no longer any officials to sentence them, Superman appoints himself [[Judge, Jury, and Executioner]] and uses kryptonite (keeping himself in a [[Kryptonite-Proof Suit]] of course) to kill them. Superman was later so emotionally disturbed about this that he developed a [[Split Personality]] that took the form of an extreme [[Nineties Anti Hero]].

== Film ==

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* There may be some [[Truth in Television]], in the cases of crimes of passion. More research would be needed though.

* There is an actual condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which happens mainly to ex-soldiers, and is pretty much the [[Real Life]] basis for the [[Shell Shocked Veteran]].

* There is an actual condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which happens mainly to ex-soldiers, and is pretty much the [[Real Life]] basis for the [[Shell-Shocked Veteran]].