Most Tragic Villain

[RussetRanger]

Off the top of my head?

Dave from Season 5 of Desperate Housewives.
Heathcliff...... Wuthering Heights, anyone? Especially Laurence Oliver's take on him.
Dexter


And with Mr. Freeze, never has such a guy bereft of emotion shown such sadness in how he speaks. NOT ARNOLD'S PERFORMANCE! Mmkay!?

 

[Nieroshai]

I nominate Anakin/Vader, even though he is a bit cliche. His entire motivation for going to the dark side is not lust for power but fear of loss. Everything he's ever called his own was stripped away from him, so when given a chance to gain power to make it stop, he siezes it. Of course his fear and consequential need to be in control result in him destroying what he loves, and is left with nothing, not even his own life, to call his own. Literally now owing his very existence to the Empire, he then tries to prevent its descent into chaos the only way he knows how; to control it with an iron fist to prevent all change, not just bad change. To this end, he secretly wants to destroy the Emperor so he can be the one to "save" the galaxy. His final closure lay in his son, who proved to him that even lost causes could be salvaged, and Padme's death was not the death of hope.

At least, that's how I look at it. While I have a few other favorites, Vader tops the list because of why he did what he did.

 

[The Shade]

Skull Kid from the Legend of Zelda, for sure.

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?

-----------

OT: Some of the best villains of all time are the tragic ones.

Personally, I would put forward Ben, from Lost.

Spoiler

I admit, he doesn't fall into the normal parametres of the tragic villain, but his emotional moments are heartbreaking in the show. His speech as he bluffs to Keamy (fans know the scene I'm talking about) is devastating. And don't even get me started on the confrontation when he takes Locke to see Jacob in the statue base. That line that Jacob says, "What about you? and Ben's look of utter devastation when he hears it... powerful stuff. I doubt I've ever felt so sorry for a bad guy as I did in that show.

EDIT: Also, Snape.

 

[octafish]

Preston Payne AKA Clayface from Batman. I always feel sorry for that poor sap.

 

[Outcast107]

A lot of good ones people stated.

I nominate Anakin/Vader, even though he is a bit cliche. His entire motivation for going to the dark side is not lust for power but fear of loss. Everything he's ever called his own was stripped away from him, so when given a chance to gain power to make it stop, he siezes it. Of course his fear and consequential need to be in control result in him destroying what he loves, and is left with nothing, not even his own life, to call his own. Literally now owing his very existence to the Empire, he then tries to prevent its descent into chaos the only way he knows how; to control it with an iron fist to prevent all change, not just bad change. To this end, he secretly wants to destroy the Emperor so he can be the one to "save" the galaxy. His final closure lay in his son, who proved to him that even lost causes could be salvaged, and Padme's death was not the death of hope.

At least, that's how I look at it. While I have a few other favorites, Vader tops the list because of why he did what he did.

Yeah vader is also good. Yeah the first three had him acting like a little ***** at times. Though what do you expect from a guy who train not to use hardly any emotions, can't get attach to love ones and lost almost everyone close to him and is still losing them.

 

[shadow_Fox81]

Ever seen the death scene in throne of blood (or spiders web castle(i think it has two names)) its basically Akira kurosawa presensts Macbeth but that death scene i feel for the guy.

(mostly because i felt for Macbeth, something about a villain that was once good but corupted by social and spiritual evils appeals to me)

 

[Kenami]

Andrew Ryan. Everyday.

So much for wanting your own peaceful, capitalistic utopia.... Under the ocean

Uh... no, actually. He only created Rapture for his own ends, and his ideals were not capitalist, he was into objectivism. From what I gather, that basically means your only goal in life is to serve yourself and no-one else. He was a douchebag who cared about nothing but his own interests, and he got what was coming to him when that all collapsed around him.

Someone who follows objectivism would never create a society for like-minded objectivists (not sure if that's a real word) to live in, because doing something for other people is exactly what that philosophy opposes.

Thats kinda why I struck it out.

He was trying to create a world free of the oppressions of goverment and religion. And even tho he failed at that and became the villain a villain he was still, in my mind one of the most tragic villains I could think of. Because hey, who doesn't want to live free of the restrictive straps of the "enlightened" man?

Yeah, he probably got what was coming to him when his world collapsed around him. But isn't that the tragedy?

Also why is someone not considered tragic if they only live to serve themselves? That doesn't make them a bad person, just a selfish one. Big difference.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

I'm probably gonna take some flak for introducing Michael Bay to this thread... but...

Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel played by Ed Harris from The Rock (1996).

First of all, I think this movie is somewhat of a fluke in the career of Michael Bay. Yeah, it's pretty obviously a Summer popcorn action flick, but for being one of those (and from Michael Bay no less), it's a surprisingly decent movie with a reasonably deep villain. Deeper than the average Summer popcorn action flick and Michael Bay movie, anyway.

So, back on topic. Hummel.

Spoiler

So the guy is pretty much a real-life GI Joe. To quote Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair, "Three tours in Vietnam, Panama, Grenada, Desert Storm; three Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars and the Congressional Medal of - Jesus. This man is a hero."

The government he gave so much of himself for betrayed him in the end by refusing to acknowledge the deaths of a number of men under his command during covert operations. All he wanted for his men was at the very least military burials, but despite trying everything he could to convince the government, he got nothing from them for his men.

Feeling betrayed by his country and guilt for not being able to do right by his men, he began planning a way to force the government into giving his men their burials that he could enact after his wife passes away (he didn't want her to see what he felt he had to do).

Using his rank to fake an inspection, Hummel and his men broke into a naval weapons depot using non-lethal force to steal missiles containing VX gas. Hummel and his men then occupied Alcatraz island and set up missile batteries capable of launching an incredibly deadly strike on San Francisco.

Hummel demanded that the government give his fallen comrades their military burials, pay the men currently helping him using money from illegal government arms sales, and allow he and his men safe passage out of the country - or else he'd launch the missiles.

Rather than giving in to the threat, the government chose to send in a Navy SEAL team to disable the missiles. Hummel's men ambushed the SEALs, and though Hummel wanted to capture them alive to be released later, the situation turned to chaos - Hummel shouting for everyone to cease fire the entire time, but going unheard.

Later Hummel tries to convince Goodspeed and Mason, the last survivors of the SEAL incursion, to give themselves up by threatening to execute a hostage. Mason gives himself up, and accurately reads that Hummel isn't a monster, and had no intention or desire to kill anyone.

In the end a few of Hummel's men turn on him when they find out that all along Hummel's plan was a bluff based upon the threat of force with no actual intention to gas San Francisco. Hummel and his second in command, Major Baxter, try to stop the men who wanted to launch the remaining missiles but were both killed in the process.

In his dying moments Hummel expresses guilt over what he's done, and tells Goodspeed and Mason where the last remaining missile battery is so that they can prevent the attack on San Francisco.

 

[spartan231490]

The portrayal of Doc Ock in Spiderman 2 was pretty tragic.

Although there is also Golem from Lord of the Rings. Even at his most evil you can't help but pity him.

I help it. I feel very little pity for Smeagle, and none for Golem.

Most tragic villain? Denna, from Sword of Truth series. I won't spoil it, but if you've read Wizard's First Rule, you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Loud Hawk]

General Francis X. Hummel from The Rock

All he wanted was to compensation for the families of the soldiers that had been "shit on and pissed on by the Pentagon." as Commander Anderson put it.

 

[II2]

Andrew Ryan. Everyday.

So much for wanting your own peaceful, capitalistic utopia.... Under the ocean

Uh... no, actually. He only created Rapture for his own ends, and his ideals were not capitalist, he was into objectivism. From what I gather, that basically means your only goal in life is to serve yourself and no-one else. He was a douchebag who cared about nothing but his own interests, and he got what was coming to him when that all collapsed around him.

Someone who follows objectivism would never create a society for like-minded objectivists (not sure if that's a real word) to live in, because doing something for other people is exactly what that philosophy opposes.

Actually, exactly the kind of thing objectivists would get all over.

You're describing mindset of Frank Fontaine, whose actions and chain reactions ruined rapture.

Before madness and paranoia took him, Andrew Ryan was the archetype of a "Randian Hero" (google it), which makes his plight and villainy tragic.

 

[Outcast107]

Ah I thought of another villain. Davy Jones from Pirates of the Carribean. A man in charge of taking the dead to their resting place if they died at sea. His only thing he look forward to was to see the love of his live after every 10 years. The one day he got off, she didn't show up.

Who else would go mad from having to work your ass off for ten long years, and just seeing the one you love so much for only one day then that love didn't show up at all? I mean it would tear your heart out.

 

[370999]

Lisa Trevor from Resident Evil. I can't say if she's a villain, but if someone is following you throughout the game trying to clobber you to death I think that qualifies.

SPOILERS!
Lisa is the victim of the Umbrella Corporation. She was used as a test subject to determine the effects of various viruses and what-not. The effects were not pleasant. But she survived and proved to be a good test subject. However, she grew increasingly violent and became more of a burden than an asset. They tried to get rid of her but failed. What's left of Lisa is a monstrous form of a girl. She's quite bonkers at this point. Driven insane by misery and pain and the deep longing for her long lost mother. When she finally does locate her mother's remains, she leaps to her death to join her somewhere beyond. However, due to the experiments Lisa is invulnerable to practically all physical damage. Not until the mansion where she lurks (and where the majority of the game takes place) blows up does she finally die. But still, what a tragic existence.

She always felt more of a tragic monster, an onstacel which made you hate Umbrella, yet I think she does count.

I did like some interpretations of Lex Luthor, a brilliant man doomed by his hubris and jealousy. I don't think he is the best as he is a comicbook character but yeah. Also Magneto.

 

[Outcast107]

Another villain I just recently found out is Veigar From League of Legends. He was a non-human who wanted to explore the world and with a few friends got enough money to go with a traveler. Though on one of the stops something happen and Veigar and his friends took the fall. Torture in prison he was slowly driven mad and when he escape he went around learning all kinds of black magic he can.

 

[Rawne1980]

Grey Seer Thanquol from the Gotrek and Felix novels (and his own now).

Not tragic as in he has a sob story for why he does it but more tragic as in he constantly fucks up any plans he makes and manages to blame others.

He quite literally screw up everything so far as wiping out an entire Skaven army by accidentally summoning a Bloodthirster of Khorne, leaving him the only survivor.

 

[Outcast107]

Read first page.
The only books mentioned are Harry Potter and sodding Ayn Rand.
The rest of you list comic super-villains and video game characters.

Fuck this site, seriously. People ask for tragic villains and the vast majority of you list Final Fantasy characters. Fucking laughable.

How about having a cup of shut the fuck up? Get off your high horse and quit being such a asshole when we are just having some fun with naming some tragic villains. Hell why are you on here anyways if you "list video game characters herp a derp"

 

[manic_depressive13]

Read first page.
The only books mentioned are Harry Potter and sodding Ayn Rand.
The rest of you list comic super-villains and video game characters.

Fuck this site, seriously. People ask for tragic villains and the vast majority of you list Final Fantasy characters. Fucking laughable.

You're right; maybe we should go to an internet forum that has users who are well-read and intelligent.

Spoiler

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[k-ossuburb]

Domville from Weaveworld.

Spoiler: WARNING, SPOILER

He was in love with Immacolata, the main villain of the book and in order to prove his love to her he wanted to prove himself her equal and became a necromancer. It went horribly wrong and he accidentally summoned The Surgeons from whatever pit of Hell they resided in to come after him with nothing but revenge in mind for waking them. They chased him across London to Immacolata where she did nothing to stop them from tearing him to ribbons, just before his last breath, when he was nothing but blood, he made one request of Immacolata; that she take his soul. She did, but not for his sake, it was so she could summon him at a whim as The Rake and force him to do her bidding or she'll simply let him remain alive, sliced to ribbons and devoid of bones. If you ask me, all parties involved were lucky he got hit by a train.

 

[MurderousToaster]

Read first page.
The only books mentioned are Harry Potter and sodding Ayn Rand.
The rest of you list comic super-villains and video game characters.

Fuck this site, seriously. People ask for tragic villains and the vast majority of you list Final Fantasy characters. Fucking laughable.

Video game characters?

On a gaming site!?

Seriously, I agree with you. Fuck this place and fuck the people here, for posting things from the medium for which this site exists. Heretical! Blasphemous!