What do you look for in a villain?
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I like a villan who actually believes he's doing good. Thing Saren from Mass Effect. He thought he was doing what was best for everyone.
The Britannian Emperor from Code Geass would also fit this.
The Britannian Emperor from Code Geass would also fit this.
an Evil laugh, sense of sarcasm, wit, and an obvious superiority complex. Case in point, Hazama/ Yuuki Terumi is one of my favorite villains of all time. A psychopath who takes the piss out of everything and constantly berates and insults his opponents. He's basically Spiderman if Spiderman was an absolute asshole.
But he's also not just a funny henchmen, he's also one of the VERY few characters who knows whats going on, and he uses this knowledge to screw with everything. The best way to sum it up is to check out the TV tropes page on Magnificent Bastard, because thats exactly what he his, and why he's awesome.
But he's also not just a funny henchmen, he's also one of the VERY few characters who knows whats going on, and he uses this knowledge to screw with everything. The best way to sum it up is to check out the TV tropes page on Magnificent Bastard, because thats exactly what he his, and why he's awesome.
Nah, speaking of the movies, if he really wanted to see the world burn in the way I imagine, there would be no turning of Two-Face, and no waiting for others to blow themselves up in the boats, just boom. Even including the comics and animated series, there would be no obsession with Batman. Seriously, Joker is awesome, but his total obsession with Batman gets in the way of his being evil so very often...jthm said:
Must like long walks on the beach, puppies...
Seriously, I think that Terry Pratchett's villains are some of the most evil, vile villains ever to face fiction. They're just so frustrating and hate-able - even if they weren't villains and their hobby was just, say, macrame, you get the feeling that they'd still me huge jerks.
Seriously, I think that Terry Pratchett's villains are some of the most evil, vile villains ever to face fiction. They're just so frustrating and hate-able - even if they weren't villains and their hobby was just, say, macrame, you get the feeling that they'd still me huge jerks.
All I want in a villain is for them to be a badass.
Basically, I want them to be a credible threat, and I want them to have some trait that makes them cool or interesting. I'm willing to let my "badass" requirement slide if the villain is sufficiently funny-like Team Rocket from Pokemon-but I'd rather have a villain who is both scary and funny, like The Joker.
A few examples: Q from Star Trek is unbelievably powerful, has a twisted sense of humor, and makes schemes for his own amusement; these traits combine to make him both threatening and cool. There's another character, from a different show, played by the same actor who portrayed Q: Discord, the chaos god. Discord has the same traits that make me like Q. The other major villain from the show Discord was in was also a badass; Nightmare Moon, who had enough power to be a serious threat, and was cool because she had a booming voice, an imperious demeanor, and the power to shapeshift to fool her enemies. There's also Sovereign from Mass Effect: he too was incredibly powerful, and would certainly have achieved his goal if it weren't for the hero. He was cool because his plan was to wipe out all advanced sentient life in the galaxy, and because he was a sentient spaceship.
Magicmad5511: You might like Littlefinger from "A Song of Ice and Fire."
DFskelleton: Weren't the other members of FOXHOUND just doing it because they were just insane? From what you said, I'd think that you would consider all of them excellent villains.
Basically, I want them to be a credible threat, and I want them to have some trait that makes them cool or interesting. I'm willing to let my "badass" requirement slide if the villain is sufficiently funny-like Team Rocket from Pokemon-but I'd rather have a villain who is both scary and funny, like The Joker.
A few examples: Q from Star Trek is unbelievably powerful, has a twisted sense of humor, and makes schemes for his own amusement; these traits combine to make him both threatening and cool. There's another character, from a different show, played by the same actor who portrayed Q: Discord, the chaos god. Discord has the same traits that make me like Q. The other major villain from the show Discord was in was also a badass; Nightmare Moon, who had enough power to be a serious threat, and was cool because she had a booming voice, an imperious demeanor, and the power to shapeshift to fool her enemies. There's also Sovereign from Mass Effect: he too was incredibly powerful, and would certainly have achieved his goal if it weren't for the hero. He was cool because his plan was to wipe out all advanced sentient life in the galaxy, and because he was a sentient spaceship.
Magicmad5511: You might like Littlefinger from "A Song of Ice and Fire."
DFskelleton: Weren't the other members of FOXHOUND just doing it because they were just insane? From what you said, I'd think that you would consider all of them excellent villains.
Delightful sadists like Juri from SSFIV, Terumi/Hazama from BlazBlue, I-No from Guilty Gear or Yamazaki from Fatal Fury/KoF.
Also characters who are/aren't evil and/but obsessed with power like Albert Wesker, DMC3's Vergil or KoF's Iori Yagami.
I also really like Dormammu from Strange Tales. He is the shit and he knows it.
All of them happen to be characters I main in fighting games. Huh. Imagine that.
Also characters who are/aren't evil and/but obsessed with power like Albert Wesker, DMC3's Vergil or KoF's Iori Yagami.
I also really like Dormammu from Strange Tales. He is the shit and he knows it.
All of them happen to be characters I main in fighting games. Huh. Imagine that.
I like villains to have a valid reason for what they do, even if that reason is vaguely irrational. Borderline sympathetic, with clear, if a bit insane, motivation. A few badass lines and an interesting psyche also do it for me.
Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a good example.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qn2J1-LP3sI/THe4ebb2wSI/AAAAAAAAAU8/7_iMjq17wiU/s1600/faith13.jpg
Both tortured and awesome. Epic villain.
Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a good example.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qn2J1-LP3sI/THe4ebb2wSI/AAAAAAAAAU8/7_iMjq17wiU/s1600/faith13.jpg
Both tortured and awesome. Epic villain.
a daaaaaark sense of humour
actually go read "King beyond the gate" yeah I would want villan like the invading barbarian king (fergot his name)
actually go read "King beyond the gate" yeah I would want villan like the invading barbarian king (fergot his name)
Believabilty. I can't stand the "I'm going to destroy the world because I'm evil!" Thing.
Also, I don't like villians who are just so silly and easy to beat that they don't even matter anymore. Like the Shredder from the old Ninja Turtles cartoon. They beat him every episode. On the other hand, I really like the Shredder from the newer Ninja Turtles cartoon. That Shredder beat the tar out of the turtles pretty much every time they met. He outpowered them so much, they didn't even beat him in the end.
Also, I don't like villians who are just so silly and easy to beat that they don't even matter anymore. Like the Shredder from the old Ninja Turtles cartoon. They beat him every episode. On the other hand, I really like the Shredder from the newer Ninja Turtles cartoon. That Shredder beat the tar out of the turtles pretty much every time they met. He outpowered them so much, they didn't even beat him in the end.
I like villians that have a decent justification for their villiany. I want to be able to say "I guess, if I was in his/her position, I'd do the same."
I like villians that are "dark reflections" of the heroes they are against (think the Batman rogues gallery, for example).
I like villians that behave like they are completely insane in order to carry out some of the most ridiculously overly-complicated schemes ever (The Dark Knight's Joker, for example.)
I like villians that are "dark reflections" of the heroes they are against (think the Batman rogues gallery, for example).
I like villians that behave like they are completely insane in order to carry out some of the most ridiculously overly-complicated schemes ever (The Dark Knight's Joker, for example.)
Sephiroth is the best example i can give. He is 36x stronger than your party, he is a cold, calculating oppent who strikes at the very hope you have. And to top it off, the moment you think you win, he laughs at it.
Otherwise comic appeal. Like General Knoxx in borderlands. He dosnt like his job, he dosnt wanns deal with you. This comes out pretty nicely, what with his suicidal tendancies and all.
Otherwise comic appeal. Like General Knoxx in borderlands. He dosnt like his job, he dosnt wanns deal with you. This comes out pretty nicely, what with his suicidal tendancies and all.
I like my villains to have a bit of complexity in their motivations. Though sometimes, simple is good...
I would look for someone who doesn't make all of the usual mistakes, and isn't too cliche.
If they're smart and witty, rather than over the top and easily defeated.
More or less, someone who follows the Evil Overlord List.
Also, someone who doesn't let the power get to their head, because when they do, they're more likely to get their butt kicked.
Someone who isn't over the top. Keeping your evil activities secret is good, because then people don't know you're plotting things, or that you're even evil. That way, the nice guy who was infront of you in the line at the local supermarket could be plotting to kill the Queen or something...
...or the President, for any Americans reading this. (Hooray for Britishness)
If they're smart and witty, rather than over the top and easily defeated.
More or less, someone who follows the Evil Overlord List.
Also, someone who doesn't let the power get to their head, because when they do, they're more likely to get their butt kicked.
Someone who isn't over the top. Keeping your evil activities secret is good, because then people don't know you're plotting things, or that you're even evil. That way, the nice guy who was infront of you in the line at the local supermarket could be plotting to kill the Queen or something...
...or the President, for any Americans reading this. (Hooray for Britishness)