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What do you like in a villain?


Alpha-neos

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  • 6 months later...

Mainly evil, and has to be considered a true threat to their rivals. Also they need to be threatening.

A villain who's so good he doesn't need to think about the heroes being a problem.

A villain that begins being something so small and weak, but truly is unstoppable and limitless.

A villain who enjoys what he's doing while insanity fuses with the darkness of the villain.

A villain who has a unique motivation, and even if it's not unique, give it a unique use of it.

Good design, not too cheap nor too complicated.

A victory moment where they prove gloriously they superiority over the heroes.

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To be so utterly charismatic, so damn charming, or so undoubtedly dutiful, you find yourself agreeing a couple of times with his/her plans for mass genocide or something, because he/she almost convinces you that it truly is for the greater good.

 

A good example of this is Saren from Mass Effect or Redeye from Fallout: Equestria.

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The trait i most like in a villain, while optional, is Intelligence and sophistication. Using elaborate plans and traps laid out for the protagonist and company, the villain plays their foes as they as if they were a game of chess. The plans that are set in motion beforehand, even ones that take a long time to come to fruition (especially such ones!), are often the best, imho. I also like a dominant villain that possesses leadership skills and can use his minions effectively.

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I like villains with fleshed-out personalities. Villains with their own fears, hopes, flaws, motivations, backstories... they help make a villain more interesting. And like Dattebayo said, a good villain will make you agree with their plans a couple of times.

Edited by SparklingSwirls
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A good villain:

 

-Is not easily moved by the enemy's morals or whatever they believe (couch sunset shimmer)

-Wins more battles than loses them (maybe not)

-Changes his enemies, not necessarily a change of faction, (scars them; maybe saves them; etc.)

 

I've got nothing. The Joker is a good villain :umad:!

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There are lots of different villain types I enjoy, but I think my favorites are the ones that are evil, know they're evil, and LOVE being evil, like Kefka from Final Fantasy VI or Discord to an extent. Generally, the more unapologeticly evil they are, the more I'll like them.

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Here. Let me give you a list.

 

  1. Villains that are just creepy. And not 'creepy because my design has blood on it and I killed your parents' creepy, just the creepy feeling that happens whenever the villain appears on screen. If pulled off correctly, it's an amazing affect that makes the audience creeped out. If you want an example of 'OH GOD THIS VILLAIN IS FREAKING CREEPY', Homura Akemi after the whole 'Bitch i'm Satan' scene should suffice.
  2. Villains with backstories that explain WHY THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Chrysalis's backstory was that she needed food for her hive, and she was growing desperate. Loki's backstory was that he was tortured into submission by the Mad Titan and forced to go all apocalypse in the Avengers when he fell. And preferably it's a relatable backstory that makes you go 'awww... poor villain'.
  3. Villains with personalities. I love villains with sassy, trickster, manipulative personalities. But seriously, villains that have likable, sassy, trickster personalities are my favorites ever.
  4. The villains still need to pose a threat, though, and have a reason for hating the heroine. Or in some cases, a reason for going against the hero/ine while still liking them. 'What!' you say. 'Villains that like the hero/ine but they're fighting against the hero/ine? No such villain exists!'. Actually, yes, villains like those do exist. Lucifer from Supernatural and Homura Akemi (AGAIN) from Madoka Magica: The Rebellion Story are pretty good examples here.
  5. Probably just me but I like villains that have some form of a creepy obsession with the hero. If pulled off, I start shipping them so hard get the chills. Examples are Homura Akemi (AGAIN AGAIN), Lucifer (AGAIN), and Jim Moriarty. They're all sooo muuuccchhh funnn! And as creepy as hell, but I love all three of 'em anyway.
  6. If they have family, they actually care about their family just a little, okay? Not like Scar who just killed his brother he grew up with without a second thought. Loki is a great example here! and so is lucifer, but anyone who doesn't watch supernatural would think that's really really creepy
  7. Wins some battles, but loses some too. 

And that's all I can think of at the moment so yeah.

 

EDIT: I just noticed two of my absolute favorite villains ever are Satan. ...yay.

Edited by Shift
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-Meaning

Nightmare Moon is jealousy, Discord is absolute freedom... villains should exist to point out a problem in the world.

-Wit and cunning

A villain should be smart enough to pose an actual threat.

-Relatable qualities.

I love villains who I can see a bit of myself in.

-Balance

I do not, however, love villains who are seen as pure chaotic evil with no justification whatsoever. (Unless the villains specifically designed to be that way to serve their meaning, like Discord.)

  • Brohoof 1
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I really like a villain that can actually just being a villain for a while and have supper with the protagonist, and even have a really good time of it.

 

I can count on one hand the number of villains like that that I know; with both hands cut off.

  • Brohoof 1
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I like Villains by there dark appearance, voice, but most of all................there intelligence, b/c thats where their strategies and tricks kick in. 

  • Brohoof 1
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I really like cunning villains, but in general I like villains alot - because without them, heroes have no purpose. if you think about it a world without villains may be ideal, but it would be very boring.

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There are so many different things to like in a villain. Most of the things I like have already been said in the forum.

But one of the things I really like in a villain is when they feel active or ever present to the main hero or the world that the story takes place.

Like, when the villain directly confronts the heroes, or does something to impede their progress I really appreciate it because it gives the heroes' journey a sense of danger from the main antagonist. Or when you can feel the villain's presence in the world of the story, you can see what they have done and why they should be stopped. Consequently I don't like when the villain just sort of sits back in their castle waiting for the hero to confront them.

I'll use Zelda villains as an example of each because I'm a zelda nerd.

1. Active villain - Ghirahim (Skyward Sword) & Vaati (Minish Cap)
2. Villain's Presence - Ganon (Link to the Past) & Skull Kid (Majora's Mask)
3. Lazy Villain - Ganondorf (ocarina of Time) & Bellum (Phantom Hourglass)

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  • 9 months later...
I'd like a villain that has some redeeming qualities and isn't just some total evil manifestation. As horrible and cruel as they can be, they should have something that can make them feel even a little more human, be it an innocent-ish backstory or good intentions gone very wrong, or something as simple as showing mercy or respect for a brief little moment. Sometimes... I would like if we were made to wonder if the villain is truly on the wrong side, as we may believe, or if there's actually some sense in what they do. :ooh: A decent sense of humor would also be nice. ^~^
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I'm not a big fan of villains. At least for me, most of them don't feel that charming or realistic, and thusly come off as generically evil. I see those sort of villains in many of my favourite series'.

 

The kind of villains I like though are the ones that are humorous. Not only that they're truly funny at times, but it's also kind of clever that their humour is trying to distract you from what they're really like. Some examples include Bill Cipher from Gravity Falls or Discord from MLP:FiM.

 

I also like villains that are really powerful. Not the unstoppable kind of powerful per se, but their powers have almost defeated the heroes, or that their powers might've even made them victorious one time. Again, Bill and Discord are two examples of that kind of villain.

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I like a villian that:

 

1. Has a developed backstory that isn't bland and uninteresting.

2. Has Power.  Honestly it doesn't matter how much they have as long as they can be beaten.

3. Has Weaknesses.  Mental and physical weaknesses are a core part to any villain imo.

4. Has an accurate explanation as to why they are a villain and why they do what they do.

5. Has a unique personality that isn't the same as all the others.

6. Looks cool and intimidating, or so friendly and cute that the villainous acts are unexpected.

7. Has some sort of special ability that sets him/her apart from the others.

8. Is likeable and can be related to on some level.

 

And that's everything that I require to be interested in a villain :)  

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What makes a great villain is cliche but it works that's if they are Shakespearean. Villains like this are great because they always are well thought out and in a way the character knows what drives them. I think if you make a villain likable you have failed you created more of an anti-hero than villain for them to truely be a villain you got hate them and like them for that reason not cause you empathize with them. I find some great villains are Joker, Blofeld, Reverse Flash, Moriarty, Red Skull and more. 

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I like villains that are unrepentantly evil. I'm talking the Mojo Jojo's and Lex Luthor's of the world; the one's that are so fully invested in their evil that they would give up infinite power and wisdom for the chance to steal ten cents out of the protagonists pocket.

 

I also like "dark horses," the ultra powerful villain turned anti hero who usually shows up in a given show, kicks all kinds of backside, then leaves within the span of an episode. The Kenpachi's and Sesshomaru's of the villain world.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I love a villain that is intelligent, clever, and one that likes to plan his moves. He may not be the most powerful, but he can out think you.

 

Thrawn and Sombra are the best examples of these, IMO.

  • Brohoof 1
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1. I like my villains to not conveniently overlook things that allow the heroes to win by pure chance.

 

2. I like when my villains sometimes actually win, particularly in a way that doesn't just bolster the hero's resolve or powers somehow.

 

3. I don't like them to suddenly turn good if they do lose. It's okay to be evil just for the sake of being evil, not just being mistakes in their lives.

 

If you can't tell, I'm sick of villains always losing because they're the villain. It makes the storytelling in pretty much everything too predictable.

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(edited)

I like their backstory, the reasons why they're doing what they're doing.

The more important it is for them, the better. Also, if their reasons are sad and unfair to them, it can be very interesting as the protagonists can feel (slightly) compassionate.

Edited by Blobulle
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