What makes a villain good?

Matt Timson · 15 January, 2008, 11:22:30 AM

"Who is Number None?"

I wanted the Brotherhood of Dada to win as well.

The Adventurer · 15 January, 2008, 01:18:12 PM

I like a villain to be completely ruthless, but competent, and be able to really hurt his opponent so that opponent has to really fight to win the day. Because if there's no real struggle for the hero, what's the point? That's the problem with 99% of your cookie cutter villains, they're so weaksauce you know the hero is going to win in the end. So any conflict is superficial at best.

Which is why I think PJ Maybe is one of the best villains in fiction.

ThryllSeekyr · 15 January, 2008, 03:01:29 PM

The Adventurer said.....

I like a villain to be completely ruthless, but competent, and be able to really hurt his opponent so that opponent has to really fight to win the day. Because if there's no real struggle for the hero, what's the point?
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This touched a nerve. Something that reminds me of some of the things that I feel need to deal with in everday life as a adult..

Not that I would ever dare to call myself a hero.

But I guerss everybody struggles, some people more than others.

So, according to what has just been said above.

I would call Bureaucracy a villain.

Anyway, isn't this how Vogons from Douglas Adams
'Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy' operate.

As a after thought and now that I have refreshed my memoryon what the exclopedia Galactica has to say on Vogons. It does actueally say that they are not EVIL and that Bureucratic is one of the many things that they are instead.

But I would like a second opinion with that.

Link: http://www.earthstar.co.uk/vogon.htm" target="_blank">Vogons..

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/39/Vogon_poetry2.jpg/200px-Vogon_poetry2.jpg">

vzzbux · 15 January, 2008, 10:55:22 PM

I think the ultimate villain has to have been Palpatine from star wars. Pure evil, sneaky, twisted, manipulative, sly, secretive, ruthless, merciless. I could go on forever.

V

Peter Wolf · 15 January, 2008, 11:09:38 PM

I dont need to say anything.V takes the words out of my mouth and posts them.

Dont know the character in question but all those qualities are what i would say.

A degree in Cunning from Oxford/Cambridge or higher than that.Good use of the English vocabulary and well spoken.Abused at home and in the playground.They still havent got over it so they wish to have absolute power to make up for their massive inferiority/insecurity problems.

ThryllSeekyr · 15 January, 2008, 11:10:59 PM

Villians on Scooby Doo generally have good cleaning skills.

Though I'm not sure if that is a essential to a proffession of villiany.

House of Usher · 16 January, 2008, 08:51:45 AM

Palpatine??? *smacks forehead in disbelief!*

JudgePrager · 16 January, 2008, 11:03:05 AM

Serious omission - they need to be British. Think Grand Moff Tarkin, Sher Khan, any character played by Alan Rickman...

johnnystress · 16 January, 2008, 11:44:51 AM

haha

Anyone see the awful update of Jeckyl and Hyde that was on Sky1 last week ?
American accent when he was Dr Jeckyl, English accent as Mr Hyde

Dog Deever · 16 January, 2008, 09:54:41 PM

Oh that was really really shit, Johnny. I gave up on it near the end and went to sleep instead.

johnnystress · 16 January, 2008, 10:38:49 PM

hah! me too!

ThryllSeekyr · 17 January, 2008, 03:24:22 AM

JudgePrager said....

Serious omission - they need to be British. Think Grand Moff Tarkin, Sher Khan, any character played by Alan Rickman.
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Alan Rickman...

I was going to mention his character from the first 'Die-Hard' Movie. A Hans or Victor Gruber before

Just off the top of my head...

Then there is also his brother who was played by Jeremy Irons in one of the sequels. Out for revenge over the death of his brother.

Both were northern European, well Educated, well Dressed, sophisticated all that stuff that seems obiviouas about criminal masterminds.

Anyway, did Pat Mills pay homage to this in the Slaine Book of Invasions with Elfric and his Brother Morholt who were both killed also.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfric_%28comics%29" target="_blank">More on the Villainous Elfric.

Funt Solo · 17 January, 2008, 08:45:29 PM

A chess board.

Roger Godpleton · 19 January, 2008, 11:22:20 AM

RACISM

House of Usher · 19 January, 2008, 11:36:28 AM

Yeah, racism, true. That does make a villain instantly unlikeable and recognizable as the bad guy.

Very often I'll pick up and look at, even buy, a comic because there's a supervillain with a swastika on his chest on the cover.