Poll: Are villians overpowered?

[no one really]

In all the tv-series, movies, games, books etc... There is usually 1 villian and a handfull of heroes or just one hero with one/several sidekicks.
The team of heroes have massive trouble with this one man/woman and the villian will often escape in the end to make room for a sequel. In addition, the villian usually takes his/her sweet, sweet time discribing his/her weakness, story and plan: leaving the heroes time to escape his/her grasp and defeat him/her.

Granted, the villian often has a sidekick and an army, but they are unneccecary, seeing as they seldom do anything but run away, or getting their "knickers in a twist" as Yahtzee would delicately put it.

So, why do you think it takes several good guys to defeat the bad guy?

 

[Deviltongue]

Villains are severely underpowered. They are usually beat after a 30 second fight with the main hero. the only reason superheros use teams is because they'll punks and they believe in overwhelming force, and not a fair fight. Heroes Suck.

 

[blinkgun96]

Villains need to be overpowered to be considered a serious threat, as to being alone the strong often crush the weak, plus a single enemy is easier to combat and allows for a sense of a united effort for the common good.

 

[no one really]

Villains are severely underpowered. They are usually beat after a 30 second fight with the main hero. the only reason superheros use teams is because they'll punks and they believe in overwhelming force, and not a fair fight. Heroes Suck.

Yes, while the villian is often beaten he is not defeated, as they appear later in the same franchise. often more and more powerfull as it goes on. I am aware this doesnt happen in every hero story, but in (at least) over 3/4 of them.

 

[Quaxar]

Not to forget the hero's victory gains much more kudos if he beats an overpowered mutant from the sewers who shoots rockets out of his nose and kills millions on a daily base.

 

[ChaoshadowZero]

I dunno, I think most villains are overpowered

But look at Aizen from Bleach, massively overpowered but still has an army behind him

Edit: And an army that is definitely not cowardly

 

[Cpt. Red]

Villains are just strong enough to show how strong the hero is for winning over him.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

They're not always overpowered, ever play Fable II?

Anyways, so the deed seems like that much more of an accomplishment.
Beating the Uber-World destroying Demon from Ultra-Hell feels like it took more effort than killing the group of Rag-Tag Villians who were decent together.

 

[Cobra Dude]

That is a good point, and I would have to say that the heroes are too forgiving and they hold back and all that wussy stuff. So they usually throw the villain in jail til he gets out (somehow)and goes back to his old ways. It seems to be a reoccurring process...

 

[Galad]

the heroes need the sidekicks to help with the villain's army. Or to get them out of the trap the villain set up.

 

[no one really]

I dunno, I think most villains are overpowered

But look at Aizen from Bleach, massively overpowered but still has an army behind him

That's why I use words "often" and "usually"

 

[Crimsane]

Because someone's gotta have the sex appeal to help sell the story, someone needs to be the comic relief and someone has the be the serious one who actually gets things done. Too many bases to cover for just one person. Meanwhile, the villain generally gets to enjoy just being "evil", although he might have a sexy sidekick to help sell copies.

 

[Spacewolf]

the villan has risen from a bunch of back stabbing traitorous group therefore he must be strong enough to be able to survive without assistance while heros are ussualy trained to cover eachothers weaknesses rather than overcome them on there own

 

[voodont]

I dunno, I think most villains are overpowered

But look at Aizen from Bleach, massively overpowered but still has an army behind him

He has a point.

Though in all reality, I think that for the most part, villains are underpowered, but given supreme intelligence. For instance, Superman is probably the single most overpowered character ever created, but he constantly has trouble with a regualar human because Superman A)Won't kill him.
or
B)Luther is at least 10 times smarter, and uses that to find weaknesses and exploit them

Thats my opinion at least.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

I dunno, I think most villains are overpowered

But look at Aizen from Bleach, massively overpowered but still has an army behind him

He has a point.

Though in all reality, I think that for the most part, villains are underpowered, but given supreme intelligence. For instance, Superman is probably the single most overpowered character ever created, but he constantly has trouble with a regualar human because Superman A)Won't kill him.
or
B)Luther is at least 10 times smarter, and uses that to find weaknesses and exploit them

Thats my opinion at least.

Consider supermans main weakness: lack of anything resembling a personality. And kryptonite.


In general, villians are like people with final stand in MW2: They're rather easy to take down, you just have to make sure they're dead.

 

[Mahha]

Even thou they seem overpowered at the beginning of the series, film, etc. they lose their strength, power before competing with the good guys - or the good guys find a weak spot and beat him that way.

But I guess it's human nature... a powerful and evil guy gets beaten by an underpowered hero that farts rainbows and loves all gods creations. And the hero is usually cunning and the villain is so self-centred and confident of his might that he just laughs at the hero. It kinda stinks of that whole light vs. darkness business.

 

[no one really]

the villan has risen from a bunch of back stabbing traitorous group therefore he must be strong enough to be able to survive without assistance while heros are ussualy trained to cover eachothers weaknesses rather than overcome them on there own

That's a really good point. But villians can be brought up in a rich family where they get everything they want, as well as a tough enviroment were everyone is out to get you.

 

[no one really]

I dunno, I think most villains are overpowered

But look at Aizen from Bleach, massively overpowered but still has an army behind him

He has a point.

Though in all reality, I think that for the most part, villains are underpowered, but given supreme intelligence. For instance, Superman is probably the single most overpowered character ever created, but he constantly has trouble with a regualar human because Superman A)Won't kill him.
or
B)Luther is at least 10 times smarter, and uses that to find weaknesses and exploit them

Thats my opinion at least.

Yeah, that's another thing: Villians often leaves the hero(es) to die, and seldom sees their death. Like in superman, Lex Luthor allways leaves Superman alone to fend for himself, ignorant that someone can come to rescue him.

It doesn't make any sence... : S

Oh, and welcome to the escapist.
I am honored you chose my topic as your first :'-)

 

[ssgt splatter]

Villians need to be overpowered to provide a serious problem for the heros to fix. Besides, villians are always cooler than the heros anyway.