Take Over the World/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A villain seeks to rule the world.

  • Straight: Emperor Evulz seeks to rule the world with an iron fist.
  • Exaggerated: Emperor Evulz seeks to rule the universe with an iron fist.
  • Downplayed: Emperor Evulz seeks to rule the city with an iron fist.
  • Justified: The current world leaders are incompetent, and Evulz is an Anti-Villain seeking to bring the world into order.
    • Alternatively, Evulz loves commanding his Mooks and wants to rule more than just an army.
  • Inverted: Evulz is seeking an heir to his global empire, and as soon as he finds one, he will give up his throne.
  • Subverted: Evulz claims he wants to rule the world, but this is a lie to inspire his Mooks.
  • Double Subverted: Because he's going to rule alone.
  • Parodied: Everyone wants to take over the world.
    • Evulz attempts to take over the world and finds out it's already been taken over by the Ancient Conspiracy.
  • Deconstructed: Emperor Evulz is crushed under the workload of ruling the entire earth.
  • Reconstructed: Emperor Evulz enlists the help of his dragon when he needs a break.
  • Zig Zagged: Evulz lies to his Mooks about wanting to rule the world, but the lie part is they're not getting any of it; he's going to rule alone. The Hero tells him how much responsibility this would be, at which point Evulz offers to split the workload. Evulz has no idea what to do when The Hero says no.
  • Averted: Evulz has no desire to rule anything, except maybe his Mooks.
  • Enforced: "We need a motivation for this villain that's both ambitious and dangerous. Let's have him try to rule the world!"
  • Lampshaded: "I'll rule the world! Because everyone else is doing it!"
  • Invoked: "Maybe this idiot will listen to me when I am ruler of the entire world!"
  • Defied: The world already has a ruler, and he is much more powerful than Evulz.
  • Discussed: "You know, I bet this guy wants to rule the world." "Why, because he's evil? Not all evil people want to take over the world. Some want to destroy it."
  • Conversed: "Have you ever noticed how many villains just want to rule the world?"

Back to, you guessed it, Take Over the World.