For as long as mankind has had imagination, there have been countless Heroes and Villains that occupy universes and worlds both Fictional and Non-Fiction. To this day, we have villains that range to the Malevolent Lord of the Dark Side, Darth Vader, to the psychological evils that exist in human beings like Hannibal Lecter.
But the question is, What constitutes a great villian? As a person that plays video games, or watches movies, what do you feel makes a great villain? Is it the wardrobe, the way a character is performed by the actor, the things they say, the things they do, ETC?
Listing examples of either video games or movies, adding appropriate spoilers if it destroys the integrity of the movie or game to know what happens next, What is a villain you enjoy and why? What makes a villain memorable to you?
I'll list mine:
I consider Leonard Smalls from "Raising Arizona" a great villain because of his introduction, Nicolas Cage introducing him as the "Lone Biker of the Apocalypse" is more than enough to garner attention, but what's more, as opposed to the Silly nature of the movie, He portrays a sort of darkness not seen often in comedy. As Leonard develops, We might think of him as a silly character, until he warns of his motives in the movie.
I consider in Video Games the character Gigyas from "Earthbound" to be a memorable Villain. While the game didn't receive the recognition is deserved in the 90s and has become a sort of Different Game to not follow in the traditional RPG Sense like the Spirits of "Final Fantasy", Gigyas is a villain that has caught my attention because of how Unique a character can be. I will disclude a story about how Gigyas was conceived, since it has been spoken of so much that it has now become a sort of Urban Legend of sorts.
Gigyas is scary because for the most part, he never really had a physical body. Where People look at the body of evil, it follows typical characteristics: usually muscular, bronzed, interesting physical scars, What have you, this villain is merely a background image. Instead of falling in the norm of usual villains, here is one that taunts you during battle. Also, the fact this character is fighting teenagers, not the typically viewed 18-19 year old ones in more contemporary RPG's, but 14 year olds, sort of has this ominous feeling, that children that are just getting into High School have to face a force that is scarier than any schoolyard bully.
Those are two examples. If you have anyone to mention, please do. What constitutes a great villain to you?
But the question is, What constitutes a great villian? As a person that plays video games, or watches movies, what do you feel makes a great villain? Is it the wardrobe, the way a character is performed by the actor, the things they say, the things they do, ETC?
Listing examples of either video games or movies, adding appropriate spoilers if it destroys the integrity of the movie or game to know what happens next, What is a villain you enjoy and why? What makes a villain memorable to you?
I'll list mine:
I consider Leonard Smalls from "Raising Arizona" a great villain because of his introduction, Nicolas Cage introducing him as the "Lone Biker of the Apocalypse" is more than enough to garner attention, but what's more, as opposed to the Silly nature of the movie, He portrays a sort of darkness not seen often in comedy. As Leonard develops, We might think of him as a silly character, until he warns of his motives in the movie.
Suddenly, he isn't a man, he's a monster, and there is little to tempt him to do otherwise. Even during a final battle with Nic Cage's H.I. do we see that this villain does not lighten up, and though the movie was light hearted, it becomes dark, and killing this husband and wife and extorting a worried father for more money in exchange for his infant son is certainly a heinous act for a character in any movie.
I consider in Video Games the character Gigyas from "Earthbound" to be a memorable Villain. While the game didn't receive the recognition is deserved in the 90s and has become a sort of Different Game to not follow in the traditional RPG Sense like the Spirits of "Final Fantasy", Gigyas is a villain that has caught my attention because of how Unique a character can be. I will disclude a story about how Gigyas was conceived, since it has been spoken of so much that it has now become a sort of Urban Legend of sorts.
Gigyas is scary because for the most part, he never really had a physical body. Where People look at the body of evil, it follows typical characteristics: usually muscular, bronzed, interesting physical scars, What have you, this villain is merely a background image. Instead of falling in the norm of usual villains, here is one that taunts you during battle. Also, the fact this character is fighting teenagers, not the typically viewed 18-19 year old ones in more contemporary RPG's, but 14 year olds, sort of has this ominous feeling, that children that are just getting into High School have to face a force that is scarier than any schoolyard bully.
Suddenly the Universe hangs in the balance too. It's a scary thought, and in a video game with an "E for Everyone" rating too, something that by today's standards, might be too heavy to conceive with the audience out today.
Those are two examples. If you have anyone to mention, please do. What constitutes a great villain to you?