Villains and evil laughs

[InvaderShy 18]

Since we were kids and tuned in our favourite TV program we've heard things like: "Bwahahahahaha...!"

 

Sometimes it was funny, sometimes it was boring. Yes, I'm talking about the evil laugh: the stereotypical villain's trait.

 

Mayhap some of you find it funny, but in my case I loathe it. I mean, it's as stupid as a villain revealing his/her evil plan to the hero/ines. I really can't get why in any story, the writers have to include the evil laugh.

 

And the excuse: "It's a show meant to children" is worthless. Since I know, every child mocks at any show, foremost, because of the evil laugh and argue they don't like it. Which give me the idea that some studios have a stereotypical idea on how children perceive the reality or they just want to tease on them. 

 

Unless you are creating a Harmless villain evil laugh could be considered partially useful, but it doesn't fit in other type of villain. For me, a real villain, a true bastard, an authentic scoundrel has no evil laugh. In short, evil laughs are useless and don't have any important role on building a villain.

 

Harmless villain link (if you're interested): http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HarmlessVillain

 

Well, what do you say? 

[Equin Starbeat 22]

     My favorite villain is in mlp and he is very chaotic. DISCORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Painted Lattice 131]

First I have to wonder why they do the evil laugh to begin with.

 

I think that it either

A) is used to show how sadistic the villain is and how much s/he enjoys being evil,

or B ) shows their detachment from reality--their lacking sanity and broken morals.

 

In the case of B. I like the evil laugh very much, but the laugh has to be done in a certain way... not over the top, and in a creepy, unnatural fashion. I like it because it's twisted, it's unnatural, and it's unnerving. Makes you feel uncomfortable. (Because people are supposed to laugh when they're happy, but when a psycho twisted villain gives a freakish laugh it's a sign that something is horribly wrong)

 

I think it's okay for Discord to laugh but I mean all the villains have laughed besides him, even Sombra I think. The show can risk being a bit subtler and less cliché.

 

Kids will still get the point.

 

Another not-creepy laugh I enjoy is Invader Zim's because it's hilarious.

 

Anyway, to wrap up, I just want to say that there are many different types of villains and different strokes for different folks and all. My personal favorite villains though are the ones that are mentally cracked, are complete and total monsters--flat-out evil and loathsome like Johann from Monster, or are manipulative buckers. Looking around on the villains wiki I also found out that I'm very fond of abstract Eldrich-abomination type monsters like Dementors from HP or Cthulhu, just to throw out examples.

 

edit: Can you tell I just love, love, LOVE villains? Been obsessed with them lately. Writing them, researching them, etc. -_-

Edited February 9, 2014 by PaintedLattice

[Sweet Pen 1,348]

Villains with their laughs are the best thing in the world.

[GameytheGeemer 147]

If it isn't over the top, and is just a normal laugh done in evil situations, such as getting news that the 10 million dollars you had wired into the account of your man hunter that they payed to murder the heroes or something.

 

If done like that than it is quite effective and building of a true villain. But it's easy to do very wrong.

[Castle Bleck 19,172]

Sombra has best MLP evil laugh:

 

[Scootalove 10,684]

It depends on the evil laugh being executed well, but it's easy to do it wrong. If the laugh shows how much the villain loves being evil or how sinister they can be, I'll go with it.

[Judgement 445]

It depends. Many bad guys are cheap and do a pathetic laugh. In the past I've seen some good villians that have a really dark and creepy laugh. I like it when the laugh is creepy. It makes me like the villian more.

[Mutemutt 772]

I actually like evil laughs. They are essentially just a sort of personality trait akin to giving someone an accent as well as a simple statement of "being evil is oh so much fun" from the villain. Evil laughs come in many different flavors: from Zetta's boisterous "AAhahahahahaaa", to Shatotto's haughty "Oohohoho", to Monokuma's snickering "Upupupu". Okay, Monokuma's isn't exactly a standard evil laugh, but still...

 

 

 

I think that it either A) is used to show how sadistic the villain is and how much s/he enjoys being evil, or B ) shows their detachment from reality--their lacking sanity and broken morals.

 

My thoughts exactly. I'm more a fan of type A) laughs though; those deliciously evil, mocking, condescending laughs.  

[crazitaco 596]

I LOVE villains (just look at my signature ), and especially their evil laughs. Evil laughs can be over the top silly, which is fun, actually make the villain seem powerful and intimidating, or add a touch of crazy to the villain. In other words, evil laughter is almost never a bad thing in my book. The only time i don't like evil laughter is when a lame or weakly written villain is using it, or if its used too many times. Mostly because it cheapens the effect. Over the top silly laughter is great for the more comedic villain, but if its being used for a serious dark villain then there's something wrong.

Edited February 15, 2014 by crazitaco

[The Taxman 274]

Evil laughs can work sometimes. I'm not very fond of those kinds of villains, though. I'm more fond of scheming villains. Soft-spoken villains. What Tv Tropes calls a 'Magnificent Bastard' or a 'Noble Demon'.

[Darker 1,351]

Evil laughs are the only clichés that don't suck.

[DubWolf 16,634]

The peanut gallery mostly states that it depends on context and the villain, and I agree. You don't see Darth Vader laughing ever (though you do see Sidius laugh in the 6th movie). Kids shows, yeah you'll see villains laugh since it's supposed to be a bit comical and not so dark.

[Invincible 2,090]

It's not always noticeable in every show or movie, but, depending on a VA's skill, the tone of certain lines or vocal gestures can illustrate much of their personality and character. A sound of laughter is no different. I particularly like villains with cold, maniacal laughter. Not the obnoxious kind of maniacal laughter, but the kind that chills you to the core - the kind that you know that you've encountered an exceptionally sadistic, unpredictable foe.

 

In fact, if i had to sort some of my favorite villains by laughter:

 

-The joker. In the Batman animated series for instance, he had this amazing laughter, laughing even at the most inappropriate moments. In the batman beyond movie, his laughter was outright frighteningly malicious. 

 

-Kristoph Gavin. If any of you ever finished AJ:AA, you might have noticed how the "coolest defense in the west" breaks down on the stand after his 7 year plot to ruin Phoenix Wright goes down the drain. He then proceeds to laugh one of the creepiest laughs ever.

 

-The predator. Right before he attempts to blow himself up along with Schwarzenegger in a classic Hollywood-script suicide tactic, the freakish alien lets out a sadistic, evil guffaw.