Anti-Villain: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
[[File:DarkLordReasonable.jpg|frame]]
{{quote|''"As he had all the wickedness against which damnation is denounced and for which hell fire is prepared, so he had virtues which have caused men in all ages to be celebrated."''|'''Edward Hyde''' ([[The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde|no relation]]), on [[Oliver Cromwell]].}}
{{quote|''"As he had all the wickedness against which damnation is denounced and for which hell fire is prepared, so he had virtues which have caused men in all ages to be celebrated."''
|'''Edward Hyde''' ([[The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde|no relation]]), on [[Oliver Cromwell]].}}


The [[Anti Villain]] is a villain with heroic goals, personality traits, and virtues. Their desired ends are good, but their means of getting there are evil. Alternatively, their desired ends are ''evil'', but they are far more ethical or moral than most villains and they thus use fairly benign means to achieve it, and can be downright heroic on occasion.
The '''Anti-Villain''' is a villain with heroic goals, personality traits, and virtues. Their desired ends are good, but their means of getting there are evil. Alternatively, their desired ends are ''evil'', but they are far more ethical or moral than most villains and they thus use fairly benign means to achieve it, and can be downright heroic on occasion.


They reach a kind of critical mass that makes them more good than normal villains but not quite heroes, blurring the line between hero and villain the same way an [[Anti Hero]] does.
They reach a kind of critical mass that makes them more good than normal villains but not quite heroes, blurring the line between hero and villain the same way an [[Anti-Hero]] does.


[[Anti Villain]] is an attempt to humanize, to lighten up, a villain as opposed to [[Anti Hero]], which has a tendency to darken the hero. Side by side, it can become hard to tell them apart. The only reason some would even be considered evil at all is because they're the [[Designated Villain]]. Despite this humanizing [[Character Development|characterization]], they are rarely less dangerous; heroes won't know what to expect when [[Affably Evil|their enemy offers cookies]] and then [[Clear My Name|attacks their reputation]], without giving them an excuse to [[Thou Shalt Not Kill|rationalize]] killing them.
The Anti-Villain trope is an attempt to humanize, to lighten up, a villain -- as opposed to [[Anti-Hero]], which has a tendency to darken the hero. Side by side, it can become hard to tell them apart. The only reason some would even be considered evil at all is because they're the [[Designated Villain]]. Despite this humanizing [[Character Development|characterization]], they are rarely less dangerous; heroes won't know what to expect when [[Affably Evil|their enemy offers cookies]] and then [[Clear My Name|attacks their reputation]], without giving them an excuse to [[Thou Shalt Not Kill|rationalize]] killing them.


They are probably well aware that what they're doing is "evil", unlike the blinded [[Knight Templar]], but strive to maintain a facade of [[Slave to PR|good PR]]. They'll see it as a viable [[I Did What I Had to Do|means]] to a (possibly) good end.
They are probably well aware that what they're doing is "evil", unlike the blinded [[Knight Templar]], but strive to maintain a facade of [[Slave to PR|good PR]]. They'll see it as a viable [[I Did What I Had to Do|means]] to a (possibly) good end.


It's also possible to have a normal villain and turn them into an [[Anti Villain]] [[Villain Decay|over time]] by detailing their [[Start of Darkness]], giving them a [[Dead Little Sister]], a [[Morality Pet]], [[Pet the Dog|kind episodes]], or otherwise [[Retcon|retconning]] them into [[Heel Face Turn|submission.]] A [[Freudian Excuse]] may explain their actions, but rarely changes them into an [[Anti Villain]].
It's also possible to have a normal villain and turn them into an Anti-Villain [[Villain Decay|over time]] by detailing their [[Start of Darkness]], giving them a [[Dead Little Sister]], a [[Morality Pet]], [[Pet the Dog|kind episodes]], or otherwise [[retcon]]ning them into [[Heel Face Turn|submission.]] A [[Freudian Excuse]] may explain their actions, but rarely changes them into an Anti-Villain.


Villain types particularly prone to [[Anti Villain]]-dom (though each has its share of flat-out villains, too) include:
Villain types particularly prone to Anti-Villain-dom (though each has its share of flat-out villains, too) include:


* [[Affably Evil]]
* [[Ambiguously Evil]]
* [[Ambiguously Evil]]
* [[Byronic Hero]]
* [[Byronic Hero]]
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* [[Designated Monkey]]
* [[Designated Monkey]]
* [[Designated Villain]]
* [[Designated Villain]]
* Some examples of [[Even Evil Has Standards]]
* [[Fallen Hero]]
* [[Fallen Hero]]
* [[Friendly Enemy]]
* [[Friendly Enemy]]
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* [[Jerkass Woobie]]
* [[Jerkass Woobie]]
* Some examples of the [[Knight Templar]].
* Some examples of the [[Knight Templar]].
* [[My Country Right or Wrong]]
* [[My Country, Right or Wrong]]
* [[My Master Right or Wrong]]
* [[My Master, Right or Wrong]]
* [[Mysterious Backer]]
* [[Mysterious Backer]]
* [[Necessarily Evil]]
* [[Necessarily Evil]]
* [[Noble Demon]]
* [[Noble Demon]]
* [[Noble Top Enforcer]]
* [[Noble Top Enforcer]]
* [[Non Malicious Monster]]
* [[Non-Malicious Monster]]
* [[Not Evil Just Misunderstood]]
* [[Not Evil, Just Misunderstood]]
* [[Obliviously Evil]]
* [[Obliviously Evil]]
* [[Punch Clock Villain]]
* [[Punch Clock Villain]]
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* [[Tragic Villain]]
* [[Tragic Villain]]
* [[Utopia Justifies the Means]]
* [[Utopia Justifies the Means]]
⚫
* [[Villainy-Free Villain]]
* [[Well Intentioned Extremist]]
* [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]]
* [[Woobie Destroyer of Worlds]]
* [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]]
* [[Worthy Opponent]]
* [[Worthy Opponent]]


See also [[Villain Protagonist]], [[Hero Antagonist]], and [[Minion With an F In Evil]], as well as [[No Place for Me There]] . Another way for the Anti Villain to transcend conventional morality is to completely, utterly set aside limitations and achieve a moral fluidity that prevents himself from crossing the [[Moral Event Horizon]], becoming [[The Unfettered]]. For a broad covering of what [[Anti Villain|Antivillains]] can be, see the [[Sliding Scale of Anti Villains]]. Compare [[Sympathy for The Devil]], [[Cry for The Devil]], and [[Satan Is Good]]. See also [[Evil Virtues]].
See also [[Villain Protagonist]], [[Hero Antagonist]], and [[Minion with an F In Evil]], as well as [[No Place for Me There]]. Another way for the Anti-Villain to transcend conventional morality is to completely, utterly set aside limitations and achieve a moral fluidity that prevents himself from crossing the [[Moral Event Horizon]], becoming [[The Unfettered]]. For a broad covering of what Anti-Villains can be, see the [[Sliding Scale of Anti-Villains]]. Compare [[Sympathy for the Devil]], [[Cry for the Devil]], and [[Satan Is Good]]. See also [[Evil Virtues]].


Compare and contrast [[Unscrupulous Hero]], a character who is often essentailly a villain working for the heroes because [[Even Evil Has Standards]].
Compare and contrast [[Unscrupulous Hero]], a character who is often essentially a villain working for the heroes because [[Even Evil Has Standards]].

⚫
{{examples|Examples:}}

* [[Anti Villain/Anime|Anime]]
* [[Anti Villain/Comic Books|Comic Books]]
* [[Anti Villain/Fanfiction|Fanfiction]]
* [[Anti Villain/Film|Film]]
* [[Anti Villain/Literature|Literature]]
* [[Anti Villain/Live Action TV|Live Action TV]]
* [[Anti Villain/Music|Music]]
* [[Anti Villain/New Media|New Media]]
* [[Anti Villain/Professional Wrestling|Professional Wrestling]]
* [[Anti Villain/Tabletop Games|Tabletop Games]]
* [[Anti Villain/Theater|Theater]]
* [[Anti Villain/Toys|Toys]]
* [[Anti Villain/Video Games|Video Games]]
* [[Anti Villain/Western Animation|Western Animation]]
* [[Anti Villain/Webcomics|Webcomics]]


⚫
{{examples on subpages}}
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:The Slender Man Mythos (Franchise)/Characters]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Index With a Heart of Gold]]
[[Category:Index With a Heart of Gold]]
[[Category:Scott Pilgrim (Comic Book)/Characters]]
[[Category:Lit Class Tropes]]
[[Category:Lit Class Tropes]]
[[Category:Villains]]
[[Category:Villains]]
[[Category:index]]
⚫
[[Category:Anti Villain]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Latest revision as of 19:17, 5 February 2022

"As he had all the wickedness against which damnation is denounced and for which hell fire is prepared, so he had virtues which have caused men in all ages to be celebrated."

—Edward Hyde (no relation), on Oliver Cromwell.

The Anti-Villain is a villain with heroic goals, personality traits, and virtues. Their desired ends are good, but their means of getting there are evil. Alternatively, their desired ends are evil, but they are far more ethical or moral than most villains and they thus use fairly benign means to achieve it, and can be downright heroic on occasion.

They reach a kind of critical mass that makes them more good than normal villains but not quite heroes, blurring the line between hero and villain the same way an Anti-Hero does.

The Anti-Villain trope is an attempt to humanize, to lighten up, a villain -- as opposed to Anti-Hero, which has a tendency to darken the hero. Side by side, it can become hard to tell them apart. The only reason some would even be considered evil at all is because they're the Designated Villain. Despite this humanizing characterization, they are rarely less dangerous; heroes won't know what to expect when their enemy offers cookies and then attacks their reputation, without giving them an excuse to rationalize killing them.

They are probably well aware that what they're doing is "evil", unlike the blinded Knight Templar, but strive to maintain a facade of good PR. They'll see it as a viable means to a (possibly) good end.

It's also possible to have a normal villain and turn them into an Anti-Villain over time by detailing their Start of Darkness, giving them a Dead Little Sister, a Morality Pet, kind episodes, or otherwise retconning them into submission. A Freudian Excuse may explain their actions, but rarely changes them into an Anti-Villain.

Villain types particularly prone to Anti-Villain-dom (though each has its share of flat-out villains, too) include:

See also Villain Protagonist, Hero Antagonist, and Minion with an F In Evil, as well as No Place for Me There. Another way for the Anti-Villain to transcend conventional morality is to completely, utterly set aside limitations and achieve a moral fluidity that prevents himself from crossing the Moral Event Horizon, becoming The Unfettered. For a broad covering of what Anti-Villains can be, see the Sliding Scale of Anti-Villains. Compare Sympathy for the Devil, Cry for the Devil, and Satan Is Good. See also Evil Virtues.

Compare and contrast Unscrupulous Hero, a character who is often essentially a villain working for the heroes because Even Evil Has Standards.

Examples of Anti-Villain are listed on these subpages:
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