Thread:Forum:Trope Talk/Reluctant Mad Scientist

The trope's name is horrendous. The scientist (or engineer) doesn't need to be reluctant or insane. All that matters is that he creates something that could potentially be used for evil, and isn't portrayed as evil. A completely willing scientist or engineer that displays none of the typical marks of a fictional madman that will work for anyone who pays him because he is more concerned far more about his work than how that work will be applied, and continues this view after his work has been used with horrific applications, explicitly qualifies. I think either the name or the definition needs to change. Also I think there is potential to split the trope up into at least 2 tropes e.g.: one of which actually requires the scientist (or engineer) to been coerced into compliance (perhaps with the requirement that the coercion is done by an evil faction), and another one where the morality of the 'character' is pretty much ignored and is more than likely treated (at least at first, a change of viewpoint later on might be a spoiler) more as a living Applied Phlebotinum that just pumps out inventions for whoever has it and: feeds it money, requested equipment, and attends to its metabolic needs; than a person with moral responsibility.