The Soulless: Difference between revisions
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When people use the phrase "soulless monster," they usually mean the person they're referring to [[Kick the Dog|isn't acting]] like a (decent) human being, not that they actually lack a soul and are a monster.<ref>* (well, a literal as opposed to a [[Complete Monster|figurative one, anyway]])</ref> In fiction, some characters really ''are'' soulless, and often act like monsters because of it.
When a character loses their [[Our Souls Are Different|Soul]], they normally become a listless [[Empty Shell]] or transform into [[The Heartless]];
If they do get it back, expect a reaction along the lines of ''"[[My God, What Have I Done?]]!"'' as the backlogged ennui catches up with them. At least, they can get better.
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{{examples}}
== [[Multiple Media]] ==
* Vampires are typically said to have no souls, having lost them along with their morality. This is often stated to be the reason they have no reflection.
* Zombies are usually depicted as soulless, mindless creatures.
* When a [[Ridiculously Human Robot]] is depicted seriously, there is often debate over whether it even ''can'' have a soul. The Trope [[Just a Machine]] often overlaps.
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* The Homunculi in the ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' anime.
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* In ''[[Secret Six]]'', {{spoiler|Ragdoll}} was born without a soul, something highly valued in Hell; only a handful of beings since the beginning of time have been born like that. Like Sebastian Faust, being soulless doesn't seem to have had any impact - {{spoiler|Ragdoll}} is the comparative 'white sheep' of a family of utter monsters.
* {{spoiler|Lyla Miller}} of [[X Factor]] has recetnly demonstrated the ability to bring people back to life, in addition too {{spoiler|[[Phrase Catcher|Knowing Stuff]] }}. The only problem is they come back sans their soul, resulting in them feeling next to no joy from anything, and being a little bitter. {{spoiler|This was first used on formerly [[Fun Embodied]] Guido, and the worry she had done this to Jamie after he [[Comic Book Death|"died"]] and woke up nearly caused Monet to kill her/leave the team.}}
* ''[[Ghost Rider]]'' villain Master Pandemonium sold his soul to Mephisto in exchange for demonic powers. He claims that the [[Red Right Hand|star-shaped hole in his chest]] is the result of this.
== [[Film]] ==
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== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
* Vampires in ''[[Angel]]'' and ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' have no souls. Instead a demon takes up residence in the body, having all the original person's memories and seemingly believing themselves to be that person. Essentially a human soul is replaced with a demonic one, but retains the same mind.
** Angel
** Also, the [[Angel]] episode ''I've Got You Under My Skin'' reveals {{spoiler|what happens when a human is born without a soul. The [[Enfant Terrible|boy]] ended up being possessed by a body snatching demon. He responded by [[Eviler Than Thou|imprisoning it within him]] and tried to burn his family alive. When it was exorcised the demon let itself be killed, more afraid of the void inside the child than death.}}
*** {{spoiler|More like the boy was a complete sociopath, and the demon explained this condition in terms of him not having a soul. Possibly soullessness is either the cause or a side effect of all sociopathy in this Verse.}}
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* In the ''[[Ravenloft]]'' setting:
** This is true for nine out of ten citizens of Barovia who are not Vishanti. The soulless ones seem human for all practical purposes, but they are, in effect, born out of the consciousness of Barovia's ruler, the Darklord Strahd von Zarovich. He subconsciously causes these loyal subjects to come into being to feed his massive ego. Soulless Barovians are dour, grim, cynical folk, who can experience no emotions except fear; while not cowards, they learn from childhood to fear the night and "That Devil Strahd" as they call their king. As a vampire, Strahd cannot draw nourishment from drinking the blood of soulless Barovians, and if a soulless Barovian leaves his domain, he or she fades away into nothing. The few ''with'' souls are more energetic and emotional, and seem to be part of the curse that made him a Darklord. When one of them dies, his or her spirit is trapped in Barovia for years - possibly decades - before being reincarnated in a body that resembles the one they previously had. The reason for the soulless Barovians is [[Fridge Logic|actually easy to discern]]; the souls of the original residents of Barovia can never go to any afterlife, and are instead reincarnated endlessly; however, after many centuries the population has grown, and more children are born than there are souls available. This is why Strahd is constantly tormented by women who look exactly like Tatyana, the woman he loves but can never have. They all ''are'' Tatyana given new life.
*** This is expanded in the 5th Edition, where this phenomenon is not unique to Barovia. Any Domain with positive population growth spawns soulless citizens, their presence endlessly reminding the Darklords
** Also in Ravenloft, Tindal, The Amazing Soulless Man, a barker at the Carnival. He has no reflection or shadow; while his memory of the event is a little vague, he claims his soul fled from him due to a magical experiment gone wrong. {{spoiler|In truth, [[Inverted Trope|he has it backwards]]; he ''is'' the escaped soul of an [[Evil Sorcerer]] named Tindafulus who botched one of his diabolical spells. Oddly, Tindal is a far more benevolent person than Tindafulus is.}}
* ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' features a zombie literally called the "Soulless One".
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