President Evil: Difference between revisions
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The villain's leaderly reputation varies between [[Villain with Good Publicity]] and [[0% Approval Rating]]. Sometimes, the heroes go into the country and foment [[La Résistance|a rebellion]] to get the villain kicked out; naturally, this often leads to someone ''even worse'' stepping up (as with [[Hitler's Time Travel Exemption Act]]) and an [[Enemy Mine]] storyline to [[Reset Button|restore the status quo]]. Or, the "oppressed masses" are actually [[Gullible Lemmings]] who ''like'' their leader, and might not be oppressed at all!
Similar to the [[Evil Overlord]], but with an international scope. See also [[The Caligula]], which is this trope turned [[Up to Eleven]], ''sans'' the Democracy. [[Our Presidents Are Different|A Different sort of President.]] Not to be confused with [[The Grim Adventures of Billy
Almost always overlaps with [[Corrupt Politician]] or [[Sleazy Politician]]. In terms of the ranks of [[Authority Tropes]], the tropes that are equal are [[God Save Us From the Queen]], [[The Woman Wearing the Queenly Mask]], and [[The High Queen]]. The next steps down are [[The Evil Prince]], [[Prince Charming]], [[Prince Charmless]], [[Warrior Prince]], [[The White Prince]], [[The Wise Prince]], and all [[Princess Tropes]]. The next step up is [[The Emperor]].
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** It's actually more of a multi-arc crossover—he remains president for several years, and becomes more involved in the rest of the DC continuity (for example, framing [[Batman|Bruce Wayne]] for murder in a lengthy arc in ''that'' comic). Surprisingly, though, he's not any more evil than usual; he's no more corrupt or power mad than when he was a regular [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]]. The only time he really snaps is a relatively short arc where he tries to frame Superman for a Kryptonite comet heading to Earth, and then loses it—this is what gets him impeached. Going on a killing spree with your old Apokoliptian powersuit will do that.
** [[Walkyverse|Shortpacked]] has a [http://www.shortpacked.com/toynewsi/sp-tni229.png great deal of fun] with this one from time to time.
* Dr. Doom, archenemy of the ''[[Fantastic Four (Comic Book)|Fantastic Four]]'', is probably the best-known, ruling Latveria, an archetypical [[Ruritania]]. He's been deposed a couple times, but always manages to get back in. A big reason for this is, not only was the monarch he replaced a far worse despot, but it seems to be the case with anyone who successfully overthrows him; every time it happens, the citizens of Latveria are glad to have him back.
** And, of course, in the 2099 series of comics, Doctor Doom literally became President Evil when he managed to become President of the United States. Though in that series, he was basically the HERO compared to the soulless evil corporations he was fighting.
*** And he was succeeded by a President who was ''worse'' than the corporations. For added irony, this drug-addicted psychopath claimed to be [[Captain America (comics)|Steve Rogers]].
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== Literature ==
* In ''[[Harry Potter
** There were several attempts at justification in-story, mostly of the "Direct Parallels To Nazi Germany" variety. Voldemort and his most infamous Death Eaters {{spoiler|stayed in the shadows, so mostly semi-legit followers/not-necessarily-enemies like Umbridge were the public face of the DE government; the general wizarding public were lied to as to what was really being done to half-bloods and muggle-borns, and those that did suspect the truth were either too scared to act (remembering Voldemort at his height, 20 years earlier) or were otherwise neutralized (like they attempted to do with the Weasleys).}}
* In the ''[[Left Behind]]'' series, Nicolae Carpathia starts out as the president of Romania, and moves on to become Secretary-General of the UN (later called the Supreme Potentate of the Global Community). He's [[the Antichrist]].
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* Senor Steel, the president-dictator of Blanca Grande in the [[Doc Savage]] novel ''The Freckled Shark''.
* President Snow of [[The Hunger Games]] definitely qualifies.
* The [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] does this a lot. The current{{when}} story arc features a retired Imperial Admiral as president. [[Punch Clock Villain|Not so bad]], until you remember that she oversaw the construction of the Death Star, the enslavement of genius children to build it, and [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|the bombardment of several pacifist planets]].
** {{spoiler|And the most recent{{when}} book in the current{{when}} story arc ends with [[Eldritch Abomination|Abeloth]] becoming president and the Sith in partial control of the Senate.}}
* Despite appearing only briefly the President in ''[[Friday the 13th|Jason X: Death Moon]]'' is quite obviously a lunatic.
▲== Live Action TV ==
* U.S. President Charles Logan and Russian President Yuri Suvarov from ''[[24]]''.
* In ''[[Read All About It]]'', Dunedon, the evil ruler of Trialveron, is also secretly Don Eden, mayor of our heroes' home town on Earth.
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** In Series 1, a Slitheen wearing the skin of a mid-level politician manages to become Acting Prime Minister by offing the real one and being the highest ranking elected official around during a time of crisis. Presumably he would have been replaced as soon as the panic subsided, but it gives the Slitheen all the time in power they need to spark a nuclear war and destroy the earth.
** In "The Five Doctors", Borusa, Lord President of Gallifrey, seeks to manipulate the Doctor's first five incarnations into recovering Time Lord founder Rassilon's fabled secret of immortality for himself so that he might rule Gallifrey forever.
* In ''[[Torchwood
* ''[[Babylon 5
** His final act as president before offing himself is to set all [[Kill Sat]]s in Earth's orbit to fire at the planet. Luckily, the good guys manage to stop them in time.
* Various alternate realities in ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' where Senator Kinsey managed to become President.
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*** Nothing beyond "Stop the SGC from using the Stargate so that the National Institute of Defense can use it to make Earth safe by killing anything that isn't from Earth", anyway.
* Evil Governor Colonel Montoya from ''[[Queen of Swords]]''.
* In a couple of ''[[Smallville]]''{{'}}s [[Bad Future]]s, [[Manipulative Bastard|Lex Luthor]] is shown to either be President, or running for it, as a very intimidating [[Man in White]] with a [[Red Right Hand]].
** In the [[Distant Finale]], set in 2018, {{spoiler|Lex has just been elected. Uh-oh.}}
* A
== Music ==
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* The [[Big Bad]]s of ''[[Fallout]] 2'' and ''[[Fallout]] 3'' are President Evils, focused on cleansing the post-apocalyptic world of any dangerous mutants. Given that, under their standards, the vast majority of the irradiated planet's surface-dwelling population would qualify as a dangerous mutant, including most of the good guys, this is obviously not a fun plan. Subverted by President Tandi and Kimball of the NCR, though Kimball is a jingoistic imperialist.
* Andrew Ryan of ''[[BioShock (series)]]'' is the president/founder/king of Rapture.
* From ''[[Final Fantasy]]'':
* Subverted with [[Final Fantasy VIII]], Vinzer Deling, president of the (mostly portrayed as) antagonistic Galbadian nation is made out to be the Big bad when the plot kicks off, only to be killed very early on by his [[The Dragon|Dragon, Edea]].▼
** President Shinra in all versions of ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. A cruel, egotistical, narcissistic, and greedy man who gained his power and retains it through bribery, he is willing to drain the very planet of life energy simply for profit. The destruction of Sector 7 and the mass-murder of its inhabitants in order to eliminate Avalanche was his idea. {{spoiler|He eventually [[Asshole Victim|gets what he deserves]] courtesy of [[Big Bad|Sepiroth]].}}
▲** Subverted with [[Final Fantasy VIII]], Vinzer Deling, president of the (mostly portrayed as) antagonistic Galbadian nation is made out to be the Big bad when the plot kicks off, only to be killed very early on by his [[The Dragon|Dragon, Edea]].
* Karasov in [[Republic the Revolution]]. He rules [[Ruritania|Novastrana]] with an iron fist, siphons money from the national stock exchange, uses his political and military power to imprison and/or murder his enemies, is above the law and he damn well knows it. {{spoiler|Until the [[Rebel Leader|man whose parents he arrested]] ten years ago comes back to [[La Résistance|lead a revolt]].}}
== Web Comics ==
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** Debateable, as its possible Canada really had become an evil nation even worse than Nazi Germany in this alternate future.
* In the novel ''[[A Girl Who Brought Down the World]]'', Christopher Winnifred Vega <ref>a [[Captain Ersatz]] of [[Sonichu|Christian Weston Chandler]]</ref> is made President of the US thanks to a massive conspiracy. In due time, he ravages the entire world in an attempt to bring in a girl he had fallen in love with years ago who had no interest in him.
* In ''[[SCP Foundation]]'' lore, Dr. Bright acted as President of the United States by posing as [[George W. Bush]] after the latter was killed in a hunting accident; this was primarily done to foil the schemes of [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-4444 SCP-4444], an interdimensional being who had taken possession of Al Gore. While this was obviously done out of necessity (much like anything the Foundation does), it resulted in [[Noodle Incident| (for unspecified reasons)]] Bright being forbidden from ''ever'' running for public office (or installing himself as ''any'' sort of Head of State) again, as that is now on the [[Long List]] of things he is not allowed to do.
== Western Animation ==
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* Technically only Governor Evil, but when Nathan Explosion was elected governor of Florida in ''[[Metalocalypse]]'', Florida ended up decimated and abandoned due to his rampant disregard for life. Crime was up, the economy was in the tank, etc. He ''did'' try to help Florida by putting on a concert, but that ended up summoning a hurricane. The funniest part? He's ''still'' regarded as the greatest governor Florida ever had.
* Not technically president, but "his dishonor" the Mayor from ''[[Action League NOW]]'' can qualify for this. He does everything from kidnapping children, stealing priceless artwork, melting his chief nuclear safety adviser, causing massive train wrecks (he wanted the insurance money), unleashing ancient mummy curses, taking out NFL quarterbacks, and even trying to blow up Washington D.C., all complete with a huge grin on his face, and evil pointed eyebrows. But despite all his acts of villainy, he's never removed from office.
* In ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'', the aliens Kang and Kodos impersonate [[Bill Clinton]] and Bob Dole during the 1996 election, figuring one of them would be elected. When Homer reveals the truth, the aliens claim that American citizens have to vote for one of them anyway and voting for a third party would be pointless. The ending of the episode shows that Kang has been elected President, and he proceeds to enslave humanity and forcing them to build monuments. Homer claims it's not his fault, as he voted for Kodos.
* Evil Morty from ''[[Rick and Morty]]''; not that previous rulers of the Citadel were much better, of course, but the newly elected Evil Morty has no intention of being the puppet the Council wanted him to be, brutally murdering them and anyone else who opposes him. Possibly he believes [[Dystopia Justifies the Means]], but his true goals are, for now, unknown.
** Also, President Curtis (the actual President of the United States in the series) is pretty corrupt, as he tends to take advantage of Rick's skills whenever a crisis comes up and ''then'' take credit for it. In the second episode where he appears, Rick gets sick of it, leading to an actual fight between them, which shows the guy fitting the [[President Action]] Trope too. In later episodes, Curtis hesitates to send aid to part of the country, first asking if he won that state in the election, and in an even later one, his Vice President is revealed to be a [[The Dukes of Hazzard| Boss Hogg expy]] (maybe ''slightly'' more competent than Hogg), whom Curtis admits he keeps around simply to gain white votes.
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