Villains

The baddies. The mad scientists, the corrupt executives, the evil witches and wizards, the corrupt politicians, the mortal aspects of pure evil, and, more often than not, the people (or otherwise) that instigate the conflict and the story.

Despite how one is supposed to cheer for the hero to succeed, there has always been a long standing interest in the villains. Some are renowned for their intelligence and cunning Evil Plan, others are awe-inspiring with simply how evil they can be, and yet others are respected because of their determination. No matter how many times the hero kicks in the door and stops their plans, they're always back at it soon enough, with another dark scheme to further their evil goals. On the other hand, not all villains can achieve that secret admiration.

It is said a hero is only as good as their rivals. Thus, a good story has to have a well-written villain, somebody that earns respect. After all, what is a hero without a villain to challenge them? This.

Compare The Index Team. -

Tropes

 * Zero-Percent Approval Rating
 * A God Am I
 * Absolute Xenophobe
 * Activist Fundamentalist Antics
 * Adaptational Villainy
 * The Adjectival Man
 * Adorable Evil Minions
 * Affably Evil
 * African Terrorists
 * The Aggressive Drug Dealer
 * AI Is a Crapshoot
 * Airborne Mook
 * Alas, Poor Villain
 * Aliens and Monsters
 * Aliens Are Bastards
 * Alpha Bitch
 * Always Chaotic Evil
 * Animal-Themed Superbeing
 * Amoral Attorney
 * Antagonist in Mourning
 * Antagonistic Offspring
 * The Antichrist
 * Anti Role Model
 * Anti-Villain
 * Arc Villain
 * Arch Enemy
 * Archnemesis Dad
 * Armies Are Evil
 * Arms Dealer
 * Arrogant Kung Fu Guy
 * Artifact of Doom
 * As Long As There Is Evil
 * The Assimilator
 * Ax Crazy
 * Bad Boss
 * The Bad Guys Are Cops
 * Bad Guy Bar
 * Bad Guys Play Pool
 * The Bad Guy Wins
 * Bad Samaritan
 * Bad Santa
 * Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad
 * The Baroness
 * Bastard Bastard
 * Because I'm Good At It
 * Beta Test Baddie
 * Better the Devil You Know
 * Beware the Silly Ones
 * Biblical Bad Guy
 * Big Bad
 * Bigger Bad
 * Big Bad Duumvirate
 * Big Bad Ensemble
 * Big Bad Friend
 * Big Bad Wannabe
 * The Big Bad Shuffle
 * The Big Bad Wolf
 * Big Red Devil
 * Bit Part Badguys
 * Black Cloak
 * Black Knight
 * Black Shirt
 * Black Widow
 * The Bluebeard
 * Blob Monster
 * Blondes Are Evil
 * Blond Guys Are Evil
 * Evil Albino
 * White-Haired Pretty Boy
 * Bloodbath Villain Origin
 * Bodyguard Babes
 * Breaking Out the Boss
 * Breakout Villain
 * The Brute
 * The Bully
 * The Butcher
 * Byronic Hero
 * The Caligula
 * Card-Carrying Villain
 * Carnival of Killers
 * Cartoonish Supervillainy
 * Cast As a Mask
 * Character Alignment:
 * Lawful Evil
 * Neutral Evil
 * Chaotic Evil
 * The Chessmaster
 * Child Eater
 * Eats Babies
 * Child-Hater
 * Childhood Memory Demolition Team
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder
 * Chronic Villainy
 * Circus of Fear
 * Civilian Villain
 * Classic Villain
 * Clock King
 * Commie Nazis
 * Complete Monster
 * The Computer Is Your Friend
 * The Conqueror
 * Conqueror From the Future
 * Conflict Killer
 * Contagious AI
 * Corporate Samurai
 * Corrupt Bureaucrat
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive
 * Corrupt Hick
 * Corrupt Politician
 * The Corrupter
 * The Corruption
 * Cosmopolitan Council
 * Crazy Jealous Guy
 * Crazy Survivalist
 * Create Your Own Villain
 * Creepy Child
 * Creepy Doll
 * Creepy Uncle
 * Criminals
 * Cruella to Animals
 * Cult
 * Culture Police
 * Daddy's Little Villain
 * Dangerous Deserter
 * Dark Action Girl
 * Dark Chick
 * Dark Magical Girl
 * Dark Messiah
 * Dark Mistress
 * Dastardly Whiplash
 * Deadly Doctor
 * Deceptive Disciple
 * Demonic Dummy
 * Depraved Bisexual
 * Depraved Dwarf
 * Depraved Homosexual
 * Depraved Kids' Show Host
 * Designated Villain
 * Despotism Justifies the Means
 * Devil but No God
 * Devil in Plain Sight
 * Diabolical Dog Catcher
 * Diabolical Mastermind
 * Digitized Hacker
 * Dimension Lord
 * Disc One Final Boss
 * Disproportionate Restitution
 * Disproportionate Retribution
 * Dirty Communists
 * Dirty Cop
 * Dirty Coward
 * The Dog Was the Mastermind
 * The Dragon
 * Dragon Ascendant
 * Dragon Their Feet
 * Dragon With an Agenda
 * Dragon-in-Chief
 * Co-Dragons
 * Demoted to Dragon
 * Driven to Villainy
 * Dystopia Justifies the Means
 * Egomaniac Hunter
 * Eldritch Abomination
 * The Empire
 * The Emperor
 * Emperor Scientist
 * Enemy Mime
 * Enemy to All Living Things
 * Enemy Within
 * Super-Powered Evil Side.
 * Enemy Without
 * Enfant Terrible
 * Enigmatic Minion
 * Eunuchs Are Evil
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones
 * Even Evil Has Standards
 * Even Mooks Have Loved Ones
 * Evil All Along
 * Evil Chancellor
 * Evil Chef
 * Evil Counterpart
 * Evil Debt Collector
 * Evil Diva
 * Evil Duo
 * Evil Former Friend
 * Evil Genius
 * Evil Gloating
 * Eviler Than Thou
 * Evilutionary Biologist
 * Evil Is Cool
 * Evil Is Not a Toy
 * Evil Is Sexy
 * Evil Knockoff
 * Evil Laugh
 * Un Evil Laugh
 * Evil Luddite
 * Evil Matriarch
 * Evil Mentor
 * Sensei for Scoundrels
 * Evil Minions
 * Archived Army
 * Mooks
 * Elite Mooks
 * Faceless Goons
 * Gas Mask Mooks
 * Giant Mook
 * Henchmen Race
 * Hordes From the East
 * King Mook
 * Kung Fu-Proof Mook
 * Mascot Mook
 * Merciful Minion
 * Mook Lieutenant
 * Mecha-Mooks
 * Middle Management Mook
 * Mook Face Turn
 * Mook Promotion
 * Minion With an F In Evil
 * Night of the Living Mooks
 * Nocturnal Mooks
 * Personal Mook
 * Psycho for Hire
 * The Psycho Rangers
 * Punch Clock Villain
 * Halfhearted Henchman
 * Quirky Miniboss Squad
 * Superpowered Mooks
 * Evil Old Folks
 * Evil Orphan
 * Evil Overlord
 * Evil Plan
 * Evil Poacher
 * The Evil Prince
 * Evil Reactionary
 * Evil Sorcerer
 * Evil Twin
 * Evil Uncle
 * Evil Vegetarian
 * Evil Versus Evil
 * The Extremist Was Right
 * Face of an Angel Mind of A Demon
 * Fair Play Villain
 * Fallen Hero
 * Fallen Angel
 * The Family That Slays Together
 * Family Values Villain
 * Fantasy Axis of Evil
 * Fantasy Forbidding Father
 * Fashionable Evil
 * Fashion Victim Villain
 * The Fatalist
 * Fat Bastard
 * Fat Sweaty Southerner in A White Suit
 * Faux Affably Evil
 * Femme Fatale
 * Fetus Terrible
 * Feudal Overlord
 * The Fighting Narcissist
 * Filler Villain
 * Film Felons
 * Five-Bad Band
 * Forced Into Evil
 * Four Eyes, Zero Soul
 * For the Evulz
 * Forgotten Friend, New Foe
 * Friendly Enemy
 * From Nobody to Nightmare
 * The Fundamentalist
 * Galactic Conqueror
 * The Gambler
 * The Generalissimo
 * General Failure
 * General Ripper
 * Generic Doomsday Villain
 * Giggling Villain
 * The Gimmick
 * Girl Scouts Are Evil
 * Glory Hound
 * Glorious Leader
 * God Is Evil
 * God of Evil
 * Goldfish Poop Gang
 * The Government
 * The Group
 * Graceful Loser
 * Greedy Jew (a Dead Horse Trope}
 * Hair-Raising Hare
 * Hand Stomp
 * Hanging Judge
 * Hannibal Has a Point
 * Hannibal Lecture
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech
 * Harmless Villain
 * Hate Sink
 * Headless Horseman
 * The Heartless
 * The Heavy
 * Heel
 * Heel Face Mole
 * Helpful Mook
 * Heroic Comedic Sociopath
 * Heroes Act Villains Hinder
 * Hero-Killer
 * Hero Syndrome
 * Heteronormative Crusader
 * He Who Fights Monsters
 * Hidden Agenda Villain
 * Hidden Villain
 * Hijacked By Ganon
 * Historical Villain Upgrade
 * Hive Queen
 * The Horde
 * Hungry Menace
 * Illegal Guardian
 * I'm a Humanitarian
 * Implacable Man
 * In Love With Your Carnage
 * Incidental Villain
 * Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain
 * Intellectually Supported Tyranny
 * Interim Villain
 * Invasion of the Baby Snatchers
 * Invincible Villain
 * Jack the Ripper
 * Jackass Genie
 * The Jailer
 * Jerk Jock
 * Jerkass Gods
 * Jerkass Has a Point
 * Jerkass Woobie
 * The Juggernaut
 * Just Between You and Me
 * Just Like Us
 * Just the First Citizen
 * Just You and Me And My Guards
 * Kaiju
 * Karma Houdini
 * Kick the Dog
 * Kick Them While They Are Down
 * Killer Cop
 * Killer Space Monkey
 * Knight of Cerebus
 * Knight Templar
 * Last Villain Stand
 * Laughably Evil
 * Legion of Doom
 * The Legions of Hell
 * Lesbian Vampire
 * Les Collaborateurs
 * Light Is Not Good
 * Living Doll Collector
 * Living Motion Detector
 * Living Shadow
 * Living With the Villain
 * Loony Fan
 * Love to Hate
 * Lower Class Lout
 * Mad Artist
 * Mad Bomber
 * Mad Doctor
 * Mad Scientist
 * Magnificent Bastard
 * Bastard Understudy
 * Mailer Daemon
 * Make My Monster Grow
 * Make the Bear Angry Again
 * Make Way for The New Villains
 * The Man Behind the Man
 * The Man Behind the Curtain
 * Man of Wealth and Taste
 * Maniac Monkeys
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Master of Illusion
 * Master Poisoner
 * Master Race
 * Meet the New Boss
 * Mega Microbes
 * Mike Nelson, Destroyer of Worlds
 * Misanthrope Supreme
 * Mistaken for Granite
 * Mister Danger
 * The Mole
 * Monster Clown
 * Monster Sob Story
 * Monster Suit
 * Moral Event Horizon
 * Morally-Ambiguous Doctorate
 * Morally-Ambiguous Ducktorate
 * Moral Sociopathy
 * Murder, Inc.
 * Murderous Mannequin
 * Multiversal Conqueror
 * Mysterious Mercenary Pursuer
 * My Country, Right or Wrong
 * My Master, Right or Wrong
 * Mysterious Backer
 * A Nazi By Any Other Name
 * Nazi Grandpa
 * Near Villain Victory
 * Nebulous Criminal Conspiracy
 * Nebulous Evil Organisation
 * Necessarily Evil
 * Necromantic
 * Nietzsche Wannabe
 * No Antagonist
 * Noble Demon
 * Noble Top Enforcer
 * No One Sees the Boss
 * Non-Action Big Bad
 * Non-Malicious Monster
 * No One Respects the Spanish Inquisition
 * No Song for The Wicked
 * Not Evil, Just Misunderstood
 * Nothing Can Stop Us Now
 * Not Me This Time
 * Not-So-Harmless Villain
 * Obviously Evil
 * Omnicidal Maniac
 * One Bad Mother
 * One-Winged Angel
 * Opposing Sports Team
 * Orderlies Are Creeps
 * Out, Damned Spot!
 * Outside Context Villain
 * Paid Harem
 * Path of Inspiration
 * Peek a Bogey Man
 * The Peeping Tom
 * People Puppets
 * Perky Female Minion
 * Perverse Puppet
 * Piggybacking On Hitler
 * Pirate
 * Ghost Pirate
 * A Pirate 400 Years Too Late
 * Plaguemaster
 * Planet Eater
 * Plot Irrelevant Villain
 * Poisonous Captive
 * Poisonous Friend
 * Poisonous Person
 * Poke the Poodle
 * Polite Villains Rude Heroes
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain
 * Predecessor Villain
 * President Evil
 * Psycho Ex-Girlfriend
 * Psycho Lesbian
 * Psycho Prototype
 * Psychopathic Manchild
 * Psycho Psychologist
 * Punch Clock Villain
 * The Punishment
 * A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil
 * Pure Is Not Good
 * Put Them All Out Of Their Misery
 * The Quisling
 * Rabid Cop
 * Raising the Steaks
 * Red Scare
 * Regularly-Scheduled Evil
 * Reliable Traitor
 * Religion of Evil
 * Regent for Life
 * The Remnant
 * Renegade Russian
 * Replacement Mooks
 * The Renfield
 * The Igor
 * Reptiles Are Abhorrent
 * Right-Hand-Cat
 * Right-Hand Attack Dog
 * Right-Wing Militia Fanatic
 * Rival Turned Evil
 * Rogue Agent
 * Rogues Gallery
 * Rogues Gallery Showcase
 * Rogues Gallery Transplant
 * Rogue Protagonist
 * Rule of Two
 * Ruthless Modern Pirates
 * Sadist Teacher
 * Scary Amoral Religion
 * Scary Dogmatic Aliens
 * Screwy Squirrel
 * Schoolyard Bully All Grown Up
 * Sealed Army in A Can
 * Sealed Evil in A Can
 * Sealed Inside a Person Shaped Can
 * Secret Circle of Secrets
 * Secret Police
 * Self-Made Orphan
 * Serial Killer
 * Shady Real Estate Agent
 * Siblings in Crime
 * Silent Antagonist
 * A Sinister Clue
 * Sinister Minister
 * Sinister Shades
 * Sissy Villain
 * Sixth Ranger Traitor
 * Sky Pirate
 * Slave Mooks
 * Sleazy Politician
 * Sliding Scale of Antagonist Vileness
 * Sliding Scale of Anti-Villains
 * Sliding Scale of Villain Effectiveness
 * Sliding Scale of Villain Threat
 * Smug Snake
 * Smug Super
 * The Social Darwinist
 * The Sociopath
 * Sociopathic Hero
 * This Index Is a Bitch
 * Soft Spoken Sadist
 * Sorcerous Overlord
 * Sorting Algorithm of Evil
 * Space Pirates
 * Stalker With a Crush
 * Prince Charming Wannabe
 * Standard Evil Empire Hierarchy
 * Standard Evil Organization Squad
 * The Starscream
 * Start of Darkness
 * Starter Villain
 * Stompy Mooks
 * Straight Edge Evil
 * Straw Hypocrite
 * Stronger Sibling
 * Submarine Pirates
 * Sudden Sequel Heel Syndrome
 * Super-Persistent Predator
 * Super Villain
 * Suspiciously Idle Officers
 * The Swarm
 * Swiper No Swiping
 * Taking You With Me
 * Taxidermy Is Creepy
 * Teens Are Monsters
 * Terrible Trio
 * Then Let Me Be Evil
 * They Look Just Like Everyone Else
 * This Cannot Be!
 * Those Two Bad Guys
 * Those Wacky Nazis
 * Token Motivational Nemesis
 * Tom the Dark Lord
 * Too Powerful to Live
 * Torture Technician
 * Tragic Villain
 * Treacherous Advisor
 * Trigger Happy
 * Tyke Bomb
 * Laser Guided Tykebomb
 * The Remnant
 * Ubermensch
 * Unhand Them, Villain!
 * Unholy Matrimony
 * Used to Be A Sweet Kid
 * The Usual Adversaries
 * Utopia Justifies the Means
 * The Vamp
 * Vampire Vannabe
 * Verbal Backpedaling
 * Very Punchable Man
 * Vile Villain Saccharine Show
 * Villain Antagonist
 * Villain Ball Magnet
 * Villains Blend in Better
 * Villain Corner
 * Villain Decay
 * Villainous Friendship
 * Villain Has a Point
 * Villain Protagonist
 * Extreme versions of an Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist (such as Peter Griffin or Eric Cartman)
 * Villain Song
 * Villainous Lament
 * Villain Love Song
 * Villain Recruitment Song
 * "The Villain Sucks" Song
 * Villain Sue
 * Villain Takes an Interest
 * Villain Team-Up
 * Villain With Good Publicity
 * Villainous Breakdown
 * Villainous BSOD
 * Villainous Cheekbones
 * Villainous Crossdresser
 * Villainous Crush
 * Villainous Glutton
 * Villainous Harlequin
 * Villainous Incest
 * Villainous Valour
 * Villainous Widow's Peak
 * Villain Opening Scene
 * Villains Act, Heroes React
 * Villains Out Shopping
 * Villains Want Mercy
 * Villainy Free Villain
 * The Virus
 * The Corruption
 * Visionary Villain
 * We Are Everywhere
 * We Have Reserves
 * Welcome to Evil Mart
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Western Terrorists
 * With Great Power Comes Great Insanity
 * What Measure Is a Mook?
 * Who's Laughing Now?
 * Wicked Cultured
 * Wicked Stepmother
 * Wicked Witch
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
 * The Worm That Walks
 * Worthy Opponent
 * Yellow Peril
 * Dragon Lady
 * You Have Failed Me
 * You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
 * Shoot the Builder
 * Young Conqueror