Smug Snake/Western Animation: Difference between revisions

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** Gladstone Gander in the ''[[DuckTales (1987)]]'' cartoon. See the comics section.
** Gladstone Gander in the ''[[DuckTales (1987)]]'' cartoon. See the comics section.
*** Though Gladstone's Smug Snake characteristics were notably more subdued in his animated incarnation than in the original comic books. The episode "Dime Enough For Luck" even goes so far as to portray him in a fairly sympathetic light.
*** Though Gladstone's Smug Snake characteristics were notably more subdued in his animated incarnation than in the original comic books. The episode "Dime Enough For Luck" even goes so far as to portray him in a fairly sympathetic light.
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** [[Aladdin (Disney film)|Jafar]]. He thinks he is very clever, and does manipulate the heroes quite a bit, but in the end his lust for power prevents him from thinking through the consequences of his actions, {{spoiler|specifically that being a genie would force him to live in a lamp and grant wishes,}} which proves to be his undoing. He even has a bit of a snake theme going on.
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*** Unlike most of these smug snakes, Jafar graduated to a [[Magnificent Bastard]] in the second movie.
* {{spoiler|Pong Krell}} from ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]''
* {{spoiler|Pong Krell}} from ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]''
* ''[[Shrek]]'' examples:
* ''[[Shrek]]'' examples:
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* The nudist aliens from the ''[[Futurama]]'' movie ''Bender's Big Score''. You'd think that scamming the entire Earth and forcing its population to the outskirts of the solar system would make them [[Magnificent Bastard]]s, but no. Maybe if they didn't do everything, ''everything'', in the most profoundly annoying way possible (and also if they didn't look the way they do, eeuuuugh). But that's spammers for you.
* The nudist aliens from the ''[[Futurama]]'' movie ''Bender's Big Score''. You'd think that scamming the entire Earth and forcing its population to the outskirts of the solar system would make them [[Magnificent Bastard]]s, but no. Maybe if they didn't do everything, ''everything'', in the most profoundly annoying way possible (and also if they didn't look the way they do, eeuuuugh). But that's spammers for you.
** It didn't help that their plans worked only because [[Idiot Plot|the entire population of Earth seemed to willingly drop all of what IQ points they had left]] and the [[Killer Rabbit|Nibblonians]] inexplicably lost all of their competence.
** It didn't help that their plans worked only because [[Idiot Plot|the entire population of Earth seemed to willingly drop all of what IQ points they had left]] and the [[Killer Rabbit|Nibblonians]] inexplicably lost all of their competence.
* Slade from ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]''. He's a creepy guy, but his manipulations leave a lot to be desired (such as telling Robin that he enjoyed fighting his friends.) It's mostly because [[Evil Cannot Comprehend Good|he can't understand or control the heroes as much as he'd like to.]] And the fact that he's widely perceived to be a pedophile doesn't help. He has his moments of magnificence though, especially after becoming Trigon's henchman.
* Slade from ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]''. He's a creepy guy, but his manipulations leave a lot to be desired (such as telling Robin that he enjoyed fighting his friends.) It's mostly because [[Evil Cannot Comprehend Good|he can't understand or control the heroes as much as he'd like to]], and grabs the [[Villain Ball]] tight when he's feeling the urge to be particularly sadistic. The fact that he's widely perceived to be a pedophile doesn't help. He has his moments of magnificence though, especially after becoming Trigon's henchman and graduating to [[Magnificent Bastard]].
** Unlike some other Smug Snakes, Slade does learn from his mistakes. After getting his butt kicked by the whole team, he makes sure that he never winds up fighting them all at once again (at least until he gets superpowers of his own) and after his manipulations of Robin failed because they hinged only on their being [[Not So Different]], he systematically deconstructed the mind of his next apprentice, {{spoiler|Terra}} (and turns her into [[People Puppets|a person puppet]] without her knowledge if that fails). Unfortunately, he's never able to lose the old [[Villain Ball]] (sometimes being a sadistic sociopath is a problem), and therefore never crawls out of full Smug Snakehood, though he does get better towards the end (see his [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] against Trigon's demon warrior.)
** Unlike some other Smug Snakes, Slade does learn from his mistakes. After getting his butt kicked by the whole team, he makes sure that he never winds up fighting them all at once again (at least until he gets superpowers of his own) and after his manipulations of Robin failed because they hinged only on their being [[Not So Different]], he systematically deconstructed the mind of his next apprentice, {{spoiler|Terra}} (and turns her into [[People Puppets|a person puppet]] without her knowledge if that fails). Unfortunately, he's never able to lose the old [[Villain Ball]] (sometimes being a sadistic sociopath is a problem), though he does get better towards the end (see his [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] against Trigon's demon warrior.)
*** Other ''Teen Titans'' main villains, such as Brother Blood from Season 3 and The Brain from Season 5, also count. Both are very threatening, but their inflated egos prove to be their undoing in the end.
*** Other ''Teen Titans'' main villains, such as Brother Blood from Season 3 and The Brain from Season 5, also count. Both are very threatening, but their inflated egos prove to be their undoing in the end.
* Admiral Zhao from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]''. While he ''was'' capable of great feats of firebending power and brilliant tactical decisions, his lack of self-control and anything resembling humility just made the viewership wish that Aang and/or Zuko would pile drive him into the nearest hard surface. Repeatedly.
* Admiral Zhao from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]''. While he ''was'' capable of great feats of firebending power and brilliant tactical decisions, his lack of self-control and anything resembling humility just made the viewership wish that Aang and/or Zuko would pile drive him into the nearest hard surface. Repeatedly.
** Seriously, the asshole ''tried to kill the moon'' for no reason other than to assuage his own vanity. And if his plan had actually worked, it's fairly likely that it would have just gotten him offed by Ozai, as killing the moon hurts the Fire Nation as much as it does everyone else.
** Seriously, the asshole ''tried to kill the moon'' for no reason other than to assuage his own vanity. And if his plan had actually worked, it's fairly likely that it would have just gotten him offed by Ozai, as killing the moon hurts the Fire Nation as much as it does everyone else.
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*** [[Big Bad|Fire]] [[Evil Overlord|Lord]] [[Complete Monster|Ozai]] was probably glad to have an excuse to dispose of his annoying big brother, and that Iroh stopped Zhao's plans was more about preventing their conquest of the Northern Water Tribe than about the moon (the Fire Lord would certainly present it as such if asked). While Ozai is himself a Smug Snake to boot, he's at least a little cleverer than Zhao and likely ''would'' have offed him once the full force of the negative effects kicked in. 'Course, this without him taking into account that ''he'' promoted the egotistic asshole to Admiral ''in the first place''. Go figure.
*** No, Ozai considered Iroh a traitor for saving the moon.
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**** Not really. [[Big Bad|Fire]] [[Evil Overlord|Lord]] [[Complete Monster|Ozai]] was probably just glad to have an excuse to dispose of his annoying big brother, and that Iroh stopped Zhao's plans was more about preventing their conquest of the Northern Water Tribe than about the moon (the Fire Lord would certainly present it as such if asked). While Ozai is himself a Smug Snake to boot, he's at least a little cleverer than Zhao and likely ''would'' have offed him once the full force of the negative effects kicked in. 'Course, this without him taking into account that ''he'' promoted the egotistic asshole to Admiral ''in the first place''. Go figure.
** Kind of made better when you realize that you can [[Ironic Echo]] his own words at the screen as the Ocean Spirit Drags him under.
** Kind of made better when you realize that you can [[Ironic Echo]] his own words at the screen as the Ocean Spirit Drags him under.
{{quote|'''Zhao:''' You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace! Then, at least you could have lived!}}
{{quote|'''Zhao:''' You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace! Then, at least you could have lived!}}
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* Alluro in ''[[Thundercats]]'' is so smug, he'll lounge on his enemies' tank waiting for them to return, and his actual method of combat is to attempt to psyche them out into thinking they can't possibly win against him. As he's taller, broader-shouldered, and more muscular than any other cast member, he could probably handle himself quite well in a fight, [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|but he never actually gets physically involved]], and so his psyche-out attempts always wind up backfiring.
* Alluro in ''[[Thundercats]]'' is so smug, he'll lounge on his enemies' tank waiting for them to return, and his actual method of combat is to attempt to psyche them out into thinking they can't possibly win against him. As he's taller, broader-shouldered, and more muscular than any other cast member, he could probably handle himself quite well in a fight, [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|but he never actually gets physically involved]], and so his psyche-out attempts always wind up backfiring.
* Seen in an RAF [[Cold War]] instructional film warning of the dangers of HISS (Hostile Intelligence ServiceS) represented by a smug cartoon snake with a [[Fake Russian]] accent. All his dupes were naturally caught by the vigilant RAF police, but the evil HISS would just go on to the next victim.
* Seen in an RAF [[Cold War]] instructional film warning of the dangers of HISS (Hostile Intelligence ServiceS) represented by a smug cartoon snake with a [[Fake Russian]] accent. All his dupes were naturally caught by the vigilant RAF police, but the evil HISS would just go on to the next victim.
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* How did this page make it so far without mention of [[Aladdin (Disney film)|Jafar]]? He thinks he is very clever, and does manipulate the heroes quite a bit, but in the end his lust for power prevents him from thinking through the consequences of his actions, {{spoiler|specifically that being a genie would force him to live in a lamp and grant wishes,}} which proves to be his undoing. He even has a bit of a snake theme going on.
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** Unlike most of these smug snakes, Jafar graduated to a [[Magnificent Bastard]] in the second movie.
* Gibbs of ''[[Titan Maximum]]'', despite being both [[Dangerously Genre Savvy]] and the [[Only Sane Man]] is this due to his incredibly smug nature and the fact that his victories are invalidated by the fact that his opposition is a team of incompetent jackasses, thus mostly succeeding more out of their own failures than anything else.
* Gibbs of ''[[Titan Maximum]]'', despite being both [[Dangerously Genre Savvy]] and the [[Only Sane Man]] is this due to his incredibly smug nature and the fact that his victories are invalidated by the fact that his opposition is a team of incompetent jackasses, thus mostly succeeding more out of their own failures than anything else.
** Troy from ''Titan Maximum'' might also count. "T-R-O-Y! Why? Because I rock!"
** Troy from ''Titan Maximum'' might also count. "T-R-O-Y! Why? Because I rock!"
* Lucius Heinous VII on ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'' fancies himself a [[Magnificent Bastard]] and feared [[Evil Overlord]], but more often than not he's outwitted by his employee [[Enfante Terrible|Heloise]]. He also treats everyone around him like garbage, including his [[Yes-Man]] Samy and his [[Dragon]] Molotov. But what do you expect from someone whose [[Satan]]?
* Lucius Heinous VII on ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'' fancies himself a [[Magnificent Bastard]] and feared [[Evil Overlord]], but more often than not he's outwitted by his employee [[Enfante Terrible|Heloise]]. He also treats everyone around him like garbage, including his [[Yes-Man]] Samy and his [[Dragon]] Molotov. But what do you expect from someone whose [[Satan]]?
* ''[[The Simpsons]]''
* ''[[The Simpsons]]'' examples:
** [[Evilly Affable|Mr. Burns]] sometimes takes Smug Snake to a ridiculous extreme. For example, one episode involved a plan on Burns' part to [[Kick the Dog|block sunlight from reaching Springfield]], and a town hall meeting was held about it. During the meeting, the town was being shown what Burns' oil drilling operation did to Bart's pet dog, who was shown needing to use wheels just to walk down the hallway. Burns walks in at EXACTLY this moment, and, with a big smirk on his face, says this:
** [[Evilly Affable|Mr. Burns]] sometimes takes Smug Snake to a ridiculous extreme. For example, one episode involved a plan on Burns' part to [[Kick the Dog|block sunlight from reaching Springfield]], and a town hall meeting was held about it. During the meeting, the town was being shown what Burns' oil drilling operation did to Bart's pet dog, who was shown needing to use wheels just to walk down the hallway. Burns walks in at EXACTLY this moment, and, with a big smirk on his face, says this:
{{quote|'''Burns:''' Oh, those wheels are squeaking a bit. Perhaps I could sell him a little oil.}}
{{quote|'''Burns:''' Oh, those wheels are squeaking a bit. Perhaps I could sell him a little oil.}}
:: However he met his downfall at the fact he was too impulsive. As he later admits in the second of the two parter, nobody could touch him so he felt like he could do anything. He spots Maggie holding a lollipop and decided to act something he wanted to do earlier: steal candy from a baby. During the struggle, the gun he was holding slip out of his holster and into Maggie's hand, accidentally going off and shooting Burns.
*** However he met his downfall at the fact he was too impulsive. As he later admits in the second of the two parter, nobody could touch him so he felt like he could do anything. He spots Maggie holding a lollipop and decided to act something he wanted to do earlier: steal candy from a baby. During the struggle, the gun he was holding slip out of his holster and into Maggie's hand, accidentally going off and shooting Burns.
*** [[The End - or Is It?|Given Maggie's history with violence, perhaps she did it deliberately]].
*** [[The End - or Is It?|Given Maggie's history with violence, perhaps she did it deliberately]].
*** Accident nothing, it is quite likely from her [[Little Miss Badass]] role in the show that Maggie did that on purpose. It would not be the only time she deliberately shot someone. It is also quite likely that it was not about his trying to steal candy from her so much as everything else she did (note her angry facial expression in the town hall meeting right after what Marge said; Maggie seemed to understand on at least some level what is going on, which would fit right into her [[Wise Beyond Their Years]] portrayal.
*** Accident nothing, it is quite likely from her [[Little Miss Badass]] role in the show that Maggie did that on purpose. It would not be the only time she deliberately shot someone. It is also quite likely that it was not about his trying to steal candy from her so much as everything else she did (note her angry facial expression in the town hall meeting right after what Marge said; Maggie seemed to understand on at least some level what is going on, which would fit right into her [[Wise Beyond Their Years]] portrayal.
** Russ Cargill, the [[Big Bad]] of [[The Movie]], is quite the Smug Snake himself.
** Russ Cargill, the [[Big Bad]] of [[The Movie]], is quite the Smug Snake himself.
** Sideshow Bob. He is educated and indeed clearly a mastermind. But Bob is such a showman that more often then not, his schemes fail because he either misses a small clue or just loves to be theatrical in his work. To be fair, a lot of these small clues are easily missed. For the most part, Bob has very clever schemes; it is more often a matter of circumstance that they tend to fall apart. He does show SOME signs of being a Smug Snake , but is a very ambiguous example, and most definitely less of an example than Burns.
** Sideshow Bob. He is educated and indeed clearly a mastermind. But Bob is such a showman that more often then not, his schemes fail because he either misses a small clue or just loves to be theatrical in his work. To be fair, a lot of these small clues are easily missed. For the most part, Bob has very clever schemes; it is more often a matter of circumstance that they tend to fall apart. To be fair, he does show some [[Magnificent Bastard]] tendencies as well, and is most definitely less of an example of this than Burns.
* Cobra Commander from [[G.I. Joe]] was an intentional Smug Snake. Serpentor was a Smug Snake who at least seemed like he was intended to be a [[Magnificent Bastard]]. Destro and Tomax and Xamot were Smug Snakes who were almost certainly supposed to be Magnificent Bastards. Destro even comes kind of close sometimes. But it could be that [[Fridge Brilliance|they're all meant to be Smug Snakes since they're in a group called "Cobra."]]
* Cobra Commander from ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' was an intentional Smug Snake. Serpentor was a Smug Snake who at least seemed like he was intended to be a [[Magnificent Bastard]]. Destro and Tomax and Xamot were Smug Snakes who were almost certainly supposed to be Magnificent Bastards. Destro even comes kind of close sometimes. But it could be that [[Fridge Brilliance|they're all meant to be Smug Snakes since they're in a group called "Cobra."]]
* Blaineley from ''[[Total Drama Island]]'' has a very inflated image of herself but isn't in the same league as Heather or Alejandro when it comes to manipulation and ruthlessness.
* Blaineley from ''[[Total Drama Island|Total Drama World Tour]]'' has a very inflated image of herself but isn't in the same league as Heather or Alejandro when it comes to manipulation and ruthlessness.
** Justin from the previous season also qualifies. He boasts about being a great, manipulative strategist but it turns out that he's [[The Brainless Beauty]] whose manipulations rely solely on his good looks. When his face gets damaged, he barely poses a threat.
** Justin from the previous season also qualifies. He boasts about being a great, manipulative strategist but it turns out that he's [[The Brainless Beauty]] whose manipulations rely solely on his good looks. When his face gets damaged, he barely poses a threat.
*** [[Alpha Bitch|Courtney]] from that same season as well. As far as she got, try though she might, [[Tough Act to Follow|she was no Heather.]]
* In ''[[ChalkZone]]'', Reggie Bullnerd is ''very'' clearly stupid, but thinks he's smarter than he is anyway.
* In ''[[ChalkZone]]'', Reggie Bullnerd is ''very'' clearly stupid, but thinks he's smarter than he is anyway.
* In ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes|Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes]]'', Loki starts out as a [[Magnificent Bastard]] but as things begin to increasingly not go his way across the first season finale he undergoes a [[Villainous Breakdown]] and ends up a ranting, half-insane Smug Snake.
* In ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes|Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes]]'', Loki starts out as a [[Magnificent Bastard]] but as things begin to increasingly not go his way across the first season finale he undergoes a [[Villainous Breakdown]] and ends up a ranting, half-insane Smug Snake.
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