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{{Short description|Variant of the villain character type possessing "supernatural or superhuman powers"}} |
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A '''supervillain''' is a variant of the ] ] type common, often found in ] and ] and ] ]s. Supervillains often have colorful names, costumes, and/or other eccentricities, and most concoct complex and ambitious schemes to accumulate vast power and suppress their adversaries. |
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{{Other uses}} |
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]'', a film adaptation of the comic books based on ] and the ]. From left to right: ], ], ], and ].]] |
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A '''supervillain''' or '''supercriminal''' is a variant of the ]ous ]. It is sometimes found in ]s and may possess ] abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a ]. |
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Supervillains are often used as ] to ]es and other fictional ]es. Their extraordinary brainpower and/or superhuman abilities make them viable ]s for even the most gifted heroes. |
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==Description== |
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By most definitions, the first supervillain was ], the arch enemy of ]’s detective ], introduced in ]. Although Moriarty was the original criminal mastermind, ]'s Dr. ], introduced in ], can be credited for popularizing many of the typical characteristics of the modern supervillain, including his sadistic personality, his desire for ], and his use of sinister lairs and themed crimes and henchmen. Rohmer's work would later play a strong influence on the writings of ], whose '']'' novels and films have further popularized the image of the supervillain in popular culture. |
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Supervillains are often used as ] to present a daunting challenge to a superhero. In instances where the supervillain does not have superhuman, mystical, or alien powers, the supervillain may possess a genius intellect or a skill set that allows them to draft complex schemes or commit crimes in a way normal humans cannot. Other traits may include ] and possession of considerable resources to further their aims. Many supervillains share some typical characteristics of real-world ]s, ]s, ]s, ], corrupt ], ]s, and ], often having an aspiration of ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Charlotte |first=Ahlin |date=May 14, 2018 |title=10 Villains in Literature Who Were Apparently Based on Real People |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/10-villains-in-literature-who-were-apparently-based-on-real-people-9051874 |website=Bustle}}</ref> |
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==Notable supervillains== |
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The first supervillain who wore a bizarre costume was ], from the ] ] '']'', which preceded the first superhero, ]. |
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The ], ], ], ], ], ], the ], ], the ], ], ], ], and ] are some notable male comic book supervillains that have been ] in film and television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2008/06/18/the-joker-tops-supervillain-poll-199239/ |title=Joker tops supervillain poll |publisher=Metro.co.uk |date=2012-04-25 |access-date=2012-05-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Albert |first=Aaron |date=2012-04-10 |title=Top Ten Comic Book Super Villains |url=http://comicbooks.about.com/od/characters/tp/toptenvillains.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111173017/http://comicbooks.about.com/od/characters/tp/toptenvillains.htm |archive-date=2012-11-11 |access-date=2012-05-09 |publisher=Comicbooks.about.com}}</ref> Some notable female supervillains are ], ], ], ], ], ], and the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/15629-lethal-ladies-the-10-best-female-supervillains.html|title=Lethal Ladies; The 10 Best Female Supervillains|publisher=Newsarama.com|access-date=2013-10-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dockterman |first1=E |last2=Conniff |first2=K |title=Maleficent and 16 Other Famous Queens of Mean |date=31 May 2014 |url=https://time.com/2801704/maleficent-villains-wicked-witch-catwoman/ |access-date=2015-04-09 |publisher=Time Magazine}}</ref> |
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Just like superheroes, supervillains are sometimes members of groups, such as the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], and the ]. |
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Many supervillains are inspired by typical characteristics of real world ]s, ], and ]. |
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==Common Traits== |
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In the documentary ''A Study in Sherlock'', writers ] and ] said they regarded ] as a supervillain because he possesses genius-level intelligence and powers of observation and deduction, setting him above ordinary people to the point where only he can pose a credible threat to ]. |
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While supervillains vary greatly, there are a number of attributes that define the character. Most supervillains have at least a few of the following traits: |
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*A desire to commit spectacular crimes and/or ] through whatever means necessary |
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*A generally irritable and spiteful disposition |
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*A sadistic nature and tendency to revel in their sociopathic behavior |
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*A brilliant scientific mind that he or she chooses to use for evil (see also ] and ]). |
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*A tendency to speak in proper English with an extremely controlled, formal manner to demonstrate their intellect and superiority (a trait parodied by '']'''s Stewie). |
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*] abilities or some special skill, similar to those of superheroes |
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*An enemy or group of enemies that he or she repeatedly fights |
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*A desire for revenge against said enemies. The method of their revenge often goes beyond simply killing them to making them suffer before death such as using ]s. This tendency to prolong their enemies' deaths is often an instrumental part of why the supervillain fails to kill their foes. |
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*A dark and threatening-looking headquarters or lair, the location of which is usually kept secret from police, superheroes and the general public. However, some supervillains, who feel secure from prosecution for their crimes live and work in palatial buildings. Examples include Doctor Doom's castles in his country of ] and ]'s LexCorp office buildings. |
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*A theme by which he or she plots his crimes. For example, ] plots his crimes around the concept of duality and ] plots his around movie ]. |
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*Although super villain “team-ups” occasionally occur and some supervillain teams exist (such as the ] and ]), most supervillains do not collaborate with one another but employ a team of simple-minded and expendable ] to assist them. |
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*A strong commitment to their criminal profession to the point where they will quickly resume their activities in their favourite area immediately after escaping ] or recovering from serious injury. |
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*A ] or origin story that explains how the character transformed from an ordinary person into a supervillain. The story usually involves some great ] that marked the change. In the case of many supervillains, including Dr. Doom, ] and, in some incarnations including the television series ], Lex Luthor, this story involves a one-time friendship with their future foe. |
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*A general contempt for ordinary civilians, lackeys, and basically anyone who gets in their way. |
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*A difficulty with accepting reponsibility for personal mistakes and setbacks in favor of blaming their heroic enemies instead, even when they completely not at fault. |
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] is an archetypal evil criminal genius and mad scientist created by English author ] in 1913. The ] became integral to stereotypical cinematic and television depictions of Chinese villains. Between 1965 and 1969 ] played Fu Manchu five times in film, and in 1973 the character ].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Maynard|first=William Patrick |url=https://www.blackgate.com/2016/06/12/blogging-marvels-master-of-kung-fu-part-one/ |title=Blogging Marvel's Master of Kung Fu, Part One |magazine=Black Gate |date=12 June 2016 |access-date=2019-09-10}}</ref> |
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One thing that supervillains do not share is motivation; characters choose to become supervillains for many different reasons: |
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The ] arch-villain ] (whose scenes often show him sitting on an armchair stroking his cat, his face unseen) has influenced supervillain ]s in popular cinema, including ] like ] and M.A.D. Cat from the '']'' animated series, ] and ] from the ], or ] from the animated TV series '']''. |
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Some, such as the ] and ], are portrayed as outright evil. Some, such as ] and the ], have fallen under some corrupting influence. Some, such as ] and ], are criminally insane and incapable of controlling their murderous urges. Some, such as ] and ], are simply thugs with superhuman abilities. Some, such as ] and ], are ]s, who torment heroes for their own pleasure. A few, like the ]’s enemy Magneto, have laudable goals, such as Magneto’s desire to protect his people, ], from persecution, but use extreme and violent methods. |
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The overarching villain of '']'', Emperor ], leads the tyrannical ], and was inspired by real-world tyrannical leaders.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rinzler |first=J. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-U0PAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT34 |title=The Making of The Empire Strikes Back |publisher=Del Rey |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84513-555-3 |location=London |pages=23 |oclc=506251987 |quote=The best way to set up a super-villain is to take the biggest villain you've got and make him afraid of the super-villain. The Emperor is even more powerful than ]. He's the classic ] character ... |author-link=J. W. Rinzler}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 21, 2002 |title=Star Wars: Attack of the Clones |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html |url-status=dead |magazine=] |location=New York |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020605161308/http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html |archive-date=June 5, 2002 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |quote=The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's ] or ] or ].}}</ref> |
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Many supervillains are portrayed as an inversion of their foe. For example, ] constantly tries to contain his animalistic urges, while Sabretooth fully embraces his. ] is a humorless character with a foreboding appearance, but who is dedicated to good. The Joker, on the other hand, is a comical character with a colorful appearance, who is actually evil. Both ] and the Green Goblin are accidents of science, but while Spider-Man is an underdog who uses his gifts to help and protect the innocent, the Goblin is an elitist who uses his powers to try to disrupt and dominate society. These contrasts help build-up the ] grandeur of superhero and villain relationships and allows the villain to serve as a ] for the hero. |
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==See also== |
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==Supervillains you should know about== |
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{{Portal|Comics}} |
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* ], arch-enemy of the ]. |
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{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em| |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ] |
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* ] from the two-part movie ]. |
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* ] |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ] |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ] |
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* ] from the ] series of film. |
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* ] |
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* ], arch-enemy of ] in '']''. |
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* ] |
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* ], main adversary in various ]-related ] and ]. |
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* ] |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ] |
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* ] (also referred to as Slade), the main adversary of the ] in both the comic and animated series. |
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* ] |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ] |
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* ], leader of criminal syndicate "M.A.D." in the ] animated series. |
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* ] |
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* ], adversary of the ] and the ] superhero community in general. |
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* ] |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ], in various incarnations, adversary of the fictional hero community in general. |
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* ], arch-enemy of ] during the early years of the film series. |
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* ] from the ] series of film. |
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* ], the prototype of the modern supervillain, adversary of the fictional hero community in general. |
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* ], the arch-enemy of Spider-Man. |
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* ], the cannibalistic serial killer in ''Red Dragon'', ''Silence of the Lambs'', and ''Hannibal''. |
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* ] from the ] series of film. |
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* ], adversary of ], the ] precursor to ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy of Batman. |
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* ], arch-enemy of the ]. |
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* ], adversary of ] on ]. |
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* ] from the ] Video Games and movie., |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ] from the ] series of film. |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ] in both comics and ancient mythology. |
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* ], arch-enemy of the ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ], one of the primary bosses of the ] fighting game series. |
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* ], from the ] animated series. |
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* ] from the ] series of film. |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ] from the ] series of films. |
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* ], adversary of ], and arguably the first supervillain. Holmes described him as “the ] of crime.” |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ], the ] and the ]. |
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* ], adversary of ] in ]. |
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* ], the embodiment of evil in many ]. |
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* ] from the movie ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy of the ]. |
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* The ] Lords from the '']'' film series: ] (also known as ], Galactic Senator, Chancellor and Emperor), ], ] (formerly Jedi Master ]) and ] (formerly Jedi ]), adversaries of the ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy adversary of ]. |
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* ], self-identified adversary of ]. |
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* ], adversary of ]. |
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* ] (also known as "You-Know-Who" and "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named"), arch enemy of ]. |
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* ], arch-enemy of ]. |
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==References== |
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==Parodies of supervillains== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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]''.]] |
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Because the supervillain is such a common but distinct character type in modern fiction, several ] have been created. Some of the most well-known include: |
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* ], Mr. Burns on ], in various episodes, as when he builds a device to block out the sun: "He's gone from regular villainy to cartoonish super-villainy!" At least one episode featured a shot of Mr. Burns with the ] playing. |
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* ], the talking baby of the TV series '']''. In earlier episodes attempted to control the weather to rid the world of broccoli, and his biggest aspiration is to complete his matricidal efforts. |
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* ], adversary of the comedic spy ] |
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* ], from the cartoon series '']'', a diminutive lab mouse bent on global conquest. |
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* ], the hyperactive ] and superhero-wannabe from the computer animated film '']'' The Underminer, from the same film, parodies the popular "themed" supervillians. |
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* ], the incredibly brilliant yet relatively young ] with remarkably little common sense from the Nevonia series of books. |
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* ], from ], is a stereotypical, self-important anime Evil Overlord who wishes to conquer the world, even though his evil organization consists solely of himself and a rather spastic, incompetent teenage girl. |
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* ], who appears briefly in an episode of ]. A generic supervillain who once dated Stacy Lavelle (creator of Malibu Stacy) and is forbidden to go near Death Mountain (where he keeps all his stuff) as part of his parole. His main tools are his 'Collosso Boots'. |
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* ], from obscure underground cult hit ], is a parody of the typical mad scientist. |
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* O'Malley, the main villain and common adversary of both sides in the ] series ], is an over-the-top supervillain ] who wants to "crush every living soul into dust", and who frequently uses cliche and ridiculous dialogue such as "You foolish fools will never defeat me! You're far too busy being foolish!" and "Prepare for an oblivion, for which there is no preparation!". |
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* ], the recurring alterego of ] 4th grader Butters, seeks to spread fear and chaos as revenge upon the world that has forsaken him, i.e., made him socially unpopular, but has a problem with scale. Exploits include attempting to destroy the ozone layer by spraying regular aerosol cans, and flooding the planet by leaving the backyard hose on. |
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* ] from ] |
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* ] from ] |
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==External links== |
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*{{Wiktionary-inline}} |
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*{{Commons category-inline|Supervillains}} |
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{{Superhero fiction}} |
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{{Stock characters}} |
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{{Comics}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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The dictionary definition of supervillain at Wiktionary
Media related to Supervillains at Wikimedia Commons
