Power Is Sexy

What is it about power that can make someone weak in the knees? Perhaps it's the control issues, to be dominated by someone that's just more than you, or is it something that just brings out our primal lust?

"Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac."

—Henry Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State 1973-1977

Naturally, the Super-Trope of many dominant/subordinate relationship based tropes. Also related is Evil Is Sexy, seeing as how evil is often simply a means of attaining power.

Examples of Power Is Sexy include:

Fan Works

It's common in fan fiction for a character to gain a Story-Breaker Power and Bam! Tenchi Solution.
- Naruto is the main offender of this trope.

Film

Parodied in Spaceballs, as Dark Helmet play this very straight in his pathetic and very private Show Within a Show: He's playing with dolls, and the doll representing the princess falls for the doll representing himself on the basis of him being so powerful.

Dark Helmet (as Vespa): Oh no! I hate you I hate you I hate you! Leave me alone! And yet, I find you strangely attractive.
Dark Helmet (as himself): Of course you do! Druish princesses are attracted to money and power, and I have both.

In Captain America: The First Avenger, this appears to be the reason why the blond secretary flirted with Steve. During the debriefing scene with Colonel Phillips, she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. And later, when Steve asked to speak with Howard Stark, she wasn't even about to give him the time of the day until she recognized him. When she did, she was all over him.

Literature

In Slave World, one of the main reasons Jenny falls in love with Lady Isobel is seeing her power over other people. An even greater aphrodisiac is that her discreetly forceful attitude makes it clear that she's used to having people bend to her will.

Live Action TV

A good example is found in Francis Urquhart, the scheming Tory politician, in House of Cards. To assist his bid for political power, he has an affair with a young and attractive journalist. At an early stage in this process, she comments on his attractiveness and one of her colleagues mentions the charismatic effect of power.

Video Games

In Dragon Age, a female Warden can make a remark to this effect when Alistair reveals his heritage.

Web Comics

In The Order of the Stick, Evil Overlord Tarquin has had many wives, and the women still like him.

Web Original

Discussed in this Cracked article.

Western Animation

In Family Guy, Peter and the guys play "who would you do?"

Peter: Hey, you guys, here's one for you. Let's say none of us were married, all right? If you could have any woman in the world, who would it be?
Snip
Cleveland: I would go with Margaret Thatcher.
All: Margaret Thatcher?
Peter: Why the hell Margaret Thatcher?
Cleveland: Oh, so nobody here thinks power is sexy? Not one of you finds power sexy?

In The Incredibles, Bob Parr (as Mr. Incredible) meets Mirage in a volcano and asks why the operation is situated in such a place. She responds, "[My boss] is attracted to power... so am I."