Favourite Villain(s)

[Cappy]

I've always had a mild fascination in antagonists/villains and their anatomy in television, literature, visual novels, comic books, games, movies, and other forms of media. There's a number of tropes and story mechanics you can incorporate with them and how they change as the story progresses, depending on the genre and tone of the story that's being presented. I've been studying them on and off for awhile now (Mostly off lately, but my interest has been building up.) And so, I started this thread. I wanted to ask everybody what their favourite villain or antagonist is, and for what reason(s). They don't necessarily have to be evil, they just have to exist as the antagonist in the story in some measure or fashion.

I'm personally undecided, because it's difficult when there's A LOT of different types of villains to choose from. From converts like Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender, to traditional comedy villains like Eggman/Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog (Games or mediocre cartoons, your choice), to more serious villains like Hawk from Berserk. And don't forget the villains that you love to hate, even if you hate them, remember that's exactly what they were made for.

What about you guys, what are your favourite villain(s)?

 

[SilentSilth]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

I'm on my phone, but I NEED to reply to this post.

While he's a newcomer, I'll say Handsome Jack. After work, I'll edit this post with an explanation as to why.

Explanation:

Handsome Jack is, without a doubt, a throwback to those villains of old; see, when you were a child, there didn't need to be an excuse for why the Villains did what they did - they just wanted it. Power, money, control over the world, what-have-you. Jack is very much the same - A cruel, insane villain with a penchant for spending money and finding ruthless ways to slaughter his enemies. He shows no remorse or thought for his violence, he just acts (or has someone act on his behalf). It gets your heart racing and your blood boiling knowing what he's done to several characters between Borderlands 1 and 2, and just the way he's able to 'trick' you makes you want to tear his head off. In short, a Villain you love to hate.

Now, for those of you who haven't played BL2, and really want to experience the storyline, don't click the spoiler text. Seriously.

Spoiler

Then you get to the 'halfway' point, where Gearbox Software slowly pulls the wool from your eyes and reveals more of Jack. Instead of this throwback to Villains of old, he's a father - one that cares deeply enough for his daughter that he locks her away, throwing billions of dollars at her defense. But for every bit of information that Gearbox teases you with, showing that he's 'not that bad', they do one of two things: Either showing you how vile his actions truly are; or by letting you in on his vile experiments, or killing a fan favorite character. By the end of the game, when the final moment came, and it was the choice of killing Jack or letting him live - I was torn. You learn so much about the man who's been trying to kill you for the past thirty hours, that it was hard for me to pull the trigger. Maybe it wasn't for other people.

A lot of this has to do with how Gearbox reveals Jack's backstory and his true motive; Really, if it weren't for the great story telling, there wouldn't be much behind Jack's character.

There's more characters that are my 'favourite' villains, but, for now, we'll just stick with Jack.

 

[ToxicShock]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Handsome Jack was a very successful villain. I loved getting all his messages. And then all at once, I fucking hated him.

Spoiler

During the battle with Bloodwing, he was so convincing, even I forgot what the last elemental effect was until the head exploded. He said he'd put the body in his museum, and you can later see it on display in Opportunity.

But even when I hated him, I know it was because he was written really well for me to hate him.



My favorite villain has always been Ridley. Pretty much my favorite character from video games, actually

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Favourite Villian eh? That's a tough one and I suppose sticking to fictional villians would be best hahaha. Lets see here... It would have to still be Professor James Moriarty. I was a huge fan of Holmes growing up

 

[Zelzar]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

I don't really remember many villains but these are some off the top of my head that I like. Also, fuck choosing only one favorite I take a group instead.

Mr. Scratch - Alan Wake: American Nightmare

Now since the introduction to him from the "Mr. Scratch" trailer, I have really grow fond of him. He's the type of psychopath who knows who he is and doesn't try to deny what he is. It's really hard to hate his personality, he really knows how to have fun in the horrible things he does. On the "Mr. Scratch" trailer, there is a short scene where he stares into the camera that pretty much explains who he his- "Yea, I'm a psycho, I have fun with it and you're my next victim bitch!"

The Zone/Wishgranter - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series

Now, I kinda grew a bit fond of it since i read S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Southern Comfort/Northern Passage, I liked the idea that the whole atmosphere of the zone was alive. And had the role of an abusive husband while the stalkers in the zone are wives. And no matter what they do, they individually either gets harshly punished or slightly awarded. And no matter how they try to leave, they always comes back to the zone (or how I like to think about it). Or if they have the will to kill themselves.
The Zone are kinda hard to think of having a role but I also might wanna mention The Wishgranter too.
It was explained of being an object of the Monolith Faction, I still believed the stalker rumours about it is true. That it can grant any wish but alter it with ironic twists and then letting The Zone grow more power and expand.

Lord Deadgrave & Mr. Wonderful - Mogworld

Now, Lord Deadgrave plays pretty much like ever typical "evil wizard". He have a huge dark castle, he lives in a pretty much in a polluted area, monsters are living inside the corridors, he pillages the villagers, loves torture the intruders, is a master of dark magic that he can resurrect independent corpses. (Won't spoil the story), and of course has an evil voice with an evil laugh.
But when he's not in work, he is different to the typical evil villians who rule their minions with an iron hand. He calls them employes, he remembers all the resurrected corpses names, he promises them a low budget musical production every month, he lets them keep whatever the corpses gets during pillages, he listens to the complains and suggestions and grants them when he can, and he have nice conversations once and a while.
So how to describe Dreadgrave? He is a "nice evil necromancer".

Now how about Mr. Wonderful, he's a psychopath. He loves killing people and a great fan to the most evil wizard in the world. (Not Dreadgrave) But because of the circumstances the world suffers, he can no longer kill people and his idol have lost his grace by the people created by the world problems. He's like a kid who can't play with his toys because there's a giant fence in between.
So Mr. Wonderful comes as a pretty tragic character, a man who can no longer be who he is, and his dreams shattered by the world. So he tries to keep himself in character of who he is with the tiny silvers he have left, while trying to hold back his anger knowing that killing the people who annoys him can't really die.

Hannibal Lecter (Played by Brian Cox) - Manhunt

Now, I'm just go over quickly that Anthony Hopkins is a better Lecter.
But Brian Cox really has a different take on the role that I really enjoy. He's a fast-talker, he's obnoxious, he's a dick, but he can get inside your head in seconds. I kinda felt threatened that he can really turn the tables and send you into the edge of insanity. Kinda how he can just read your whole biography in mere seconds by looking a you and use it to manipulate you. And by the way he talks, he really gets under your skin and I just wanted to hit him in the head. But still, Hopkins is the better Lecter. He just gives a stronger performance, even though at times it felt like he was a Bond villain.
So yea, Anthony Hopkins is amazing, but I enjoy Brian Cox better. Maybe it's because of my personality.

 

[Host]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Curses, you make me choose just one? Fiend. Still, Magus will win on technicalities and for having a very significant influence on my life.

 

[Wonderboy]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Well... Hmm... There's a whole bunch, but I'm gonna toss

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from the Disney movie "The princess and the frog." There are loads, but I feel he's under appreciated.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Well... Hmm... There's a whole bunch, but I'm gonna toss

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from the Disney movie "The princess and the frog." There are loads, but I feel he's under appreciated.

Yeees! <3 I love this guy.

And uh. Handsome Jack. He made that much of an impact on me.

Oh, oh! Rattlesnake Jake from Rango!

 

[Cappy]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

There's no problem with choosing more than one. I also figured I'd throw Robotnik/Eggman out as "One of my favourites" rather than my most favourite. Because he isn't. And to elaborate, I mean the Eggman from the videogames, the early Sonic games to be specific.

I love Eggman from a comedy perspective, he's focused, intelligent, skilled, and when he puts his head to it, he can even RUN FASTER THAN SONIC THE FUCKING HEDGEHOG. (For short distances). His downfall is his insistence to use certain methods and achieve certain ideals through the "RIGHT wrong way". He has a twisted sense of morality and masculinity that makes him get his ass spanked in the end every time, because he's too proud to just drown sonic in a well designed secure poison vat. He has to make sure Sonic falls due to his own incompetence, or defeat sonic personally with one of his greatest creations!

Spoiler

He is stopped and defeated at every turn, but he keeps at it, and continues to play by his own rules hoping some day to conquer the world and put that damn hedgehog in it's place. And then he'll be able to pursue technology in any way he likes, with the respect of all Mobius, OR ELSE! (I also believe that he had an interesting backstory relating to his grandfather in some of the more recent games. If I didn't hate the more recent games I would have incorporated it into this post.)

 

[XSI]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

For me it would be either A.M. or SHODAN

AM, so powerful, yet in the end, all he really is is a simulated consciousness on a computer. He knows it, and he hates it. He's not necessarily evil, just insane.

SHODAN, I find it a bit hard to explain this one.

Edit: Also, for comedy reasons, this guy

Spoiler

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Oh, I almost forgot. One Villain I have major sympathy for is Clu2 in the new Tron movie. All he wanted was a purpose!

 

[lurker]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

In all fairness Cap I think we all respect the old 'comic' style of villains like Robotnik (I WON'T CALL HIM EGGMAN YOU CAN'T FORCE ME) in one way or another. Characters like Wiley, Neo Cortex and so on always have their own way of doing things, even if it's led to their downfall EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's mostly common with older franchises but I guess shades of this show up even in the more gritty reboots and recent games. Seriously, WHY do Space Pirates have doors designed specifically around Samus's power beams, or Kaos (from Skylanders) having to use elemental minions that can be easily countered by a hero of the opposite element? And why doesn't Dr. Fetus just make an entire fortress hall of salt? WHY IS MOST OF THE VILLAINS DOCTORS!?!

For a villain I personally respect/love to hate, I'm tossing Xehanort from Kingdom Hearts into the ring. As much as how I hate that he's devolved into the Zoidberg for the series (need a xanotos gambit maker? Why not Xehanort!) he's a respectable villain up to KH2, with Birth By Sleep being one of the high notes for the character. Unfortunately by what I hear Dream Drop Distance hasn't done the sod any favors...

 

[plmnko]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Hard question, there are a lot of villains and of many kinds but two are certainly on my top list at this moment.

Kefka from FF6 (it was really the first villain in a game than hate it) phycologicaly is all a case and he made all his goals.

The other is Hao Azakura from the manga shamman king a good story behind the character and he got so op at the end. The many events turn it into what he become at the end [no spoiler here]

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Ozymandias from Watchman? I mean... he succeeded, and it's even debatable whether or not he is a villain.

I still like Magneto's storyline. Always will.

The Jackal in FarCry 2. Again, another villain that succeeds.

The Joker in Batman: Arkham City. In a way, he also succeeds.

Just some interesting bad guys, and really with the exception of the Joker's madness, you can see where they're all coming from, and it's not as stark black as most villains try to be. They're human.

 

[Master_Bei_Shun]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Like: Seifer Almasy - Final Fantasy VIII

Seifer just showed that slim line between Hero and Villain, the Idea of a villain that is just another Hero with different Ideals is always interesting...

Love to Hate: Ganon - Legend of Zelda

Ganondorf shows that no matter your planning, no matter your physical prowess, it comes down to Rock Paper Scissors...

Love to Love: Majin Buu - Dragonball

Seriously... A Big pink bhudda... Free people cookies... Looney tunes-esqe arm stretching... And singing the "Imma little tea pot" song never looked so real.. Hanging out with Majin Buu would be the shit!

 

[Serifyn]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

Kefka from FF6 (it was really the first villain in a game than hate it) phycologicaly is all a case and he made all his goals.

This.

Skynet: From the Terminator series, a man-made supercomputer that became self-aware and tries to exterminate humanity for self preservation, Skynet is a microcosm of the human condition, but as an AI it conduct's itself with brutal efficiency and careful scheming, Skynet is the embodiment of humanity's self destructive nature, becoming realized at the exact moment we as a race complete our finest accomplishment of being god (creating another intelligent 'lifeform')

 

[IronAnt]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

The main antagonist from Berserk has always been a personal favorite of mine as well, as his long and detailed history with the protagonist is a long and fascinating one.

Then there is the villain/antagonist from Chrono Tigger who is another 'bad guy' who isn't exactly evil at the end of the day when you understand his motivations and end goals, but still antagonistic as hell.

Then there is Lavos itself, a creature that isn't even really evil. It is just a creature trying to survive.

I suppose I really like villains who become what they are through circumstances and goals, not their very nature being "Mwahahaha! I am evil! I will now go steal a kids good report card and pop another's balloon before setting fire to the toystore!" evil. Not that those and other types can't be fun/good, not at all.

 

[Nirakei]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

I've always liked antagonists who are only such because they're the victims (most of the Nier roster once you gain access to their backstories) or from tragic circumstance (Örn from Jar City).

 

[Cappy]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

The main antagonist from Berserk has always been a personal favorite of mine as well, as his long and detailed history with the protagonist is a long and fascinating one.

I agree, he's very well constructed and to an extent, interesting and unique. *Spoiler Alert, stop reading here if you've just started reading Berserk*, Not to mention, Hawk becomes a very powerful love to hate type character for anybody who closely empathises with the protagonist, guts.

And then things get even more complicated when he comes to earth to start a very... confusing revolution mixed with prophecies and strangeness. I know that I'm rooting for guts, and I think that Hawk is the perfect antagonist for the story. I know how I'd love to see the story end with Guts cleaving him in two like a pansy stereotypical elf filth that he is, with Guts getting the girl, saving the world, and overcoming his horrifying past filled with literal butthurt and emotional trauma.

That, is a villains job executed... Nicely.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Favourite Villain(s)

For me it would be either A.M. or SHODAN

AM, so powerful, yet in the end, all he really is is a simulated consciousness on a computer. He knows it, and he hates it. He's not necessarily evil, just insane.

SHODAN, I find it a bit hard to explain this one.

This explains a lot, XISC.

Anyway, the usual Joker/Hannibal Lecter/Frollo stuff, because they're awesome.

I also love me some Captain Hook - at least, from that

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movie. That taunt man, he's got goddamn style.

Hmm... I'm sorta blanking on other villains I love right now, though. There's Grahf, from Xenogears - he was badass - but I can't really think of any others at the moment. If we counted some of the stories on sup/tg/, I can recall

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and

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at the very least off the top of my head that I fuckin' love, too.

**EDIT**
There's also Zeruel from Eva (especially Rebuild, he's fuckin' baller in that) and

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, too, but they seem more monsters and less villains, in my opinion.

Also, Dark Helmet is funny.