The Baroness: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

A female baddie with a chilly disposition and more than a touch of the [[Dominatrix]] about her. In [[Darker and Edgier]] versions, this will often mean a love of (other people's) pain and suffering. [[Lighter and Softer|Softer]] portrayals reduce this to a fervent militarism and [[Knight Templar|devotion to the ideals of whichever totalitarian bunch she works for]]. Naturally, she'll usually be seen sporting a German or Russian accent, along with either a natty military uniform or something black and form-fitting. Whether or not she's vulnerable to good-guy seduction and subversion is highly variable. However, she's invariably attracted to power (which the hero lacks and the [[Big Bad]] has).

Is this trope laced with sexism and homophobia? Of course. It hails from mid-20th-century spy and adventure stories like [[Ian Fleming]]'s [[James Bond|Bond novels]], which are full of that sort of malarkey. However, in these surroundings, the Baroness will almost undoubtedly also be the [[Rule of Cool|coolest]] female character in the whole story. It also comes from the very real femdom fetish. Some guys are into [[Hot Amazon|"strong" women]].

 

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* Aversion: The "Baroness" in ''[[Scrapped Princess]]'' is in her sixties, and not evil so much as in a different faction.

* Haman Karn from ''[[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam|Zeta Gundam]]'' and ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ|Gundam ZZ]]'' is a badass [[Lady of War]] [[Ace Pilot]], powerful newtype, and the leaderess of the Neo Zeon fascist military group in the Universal Century Continuity. Despite her ice queen exterior, she carries the torch for Char and, later on in the story, is clearly attracted to and attempts to seduce Judau Ashta, who is much younger than her. She's also a master [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulator]] who doesn't let any situation get out of her control, and in her increasingly obsolete Quebley damn near kills Judau repetedly.

** Rosamia Badam, also of ''Zeta'' has this as her exterior. On the inside she's actually a frightened child, terrified that the sky is going to fall on her. The contrast is stark.

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing]]'''s Lady Une is a [[Split Personality|DID]] sufferer, with a nice side (that's all about peace and love and tranquility) and a hardcore militaristic side that would probably spook Rosa Klebb herself. She serves as [[Magnificent Bastard|Treize Khushreneda]]'s [[The Dragon|enforcer]] throughout the show; unsurprisingly, she has a crush on him.

* Gestapoko, the first "Punishment Councilor" from ''[[Kekko Kamen]]''.

* Cornelia from ''[[Code Geass]]''. The [[Picture Drama]] even featured her wearing a BDSM-fetishistic swimsuit.

** Villetta as well, who, for bonus points, actually IS a baroness.

* Miyazaki delights in turning this trope on its head - both Lady Mononoke of ''[[Princess Mononoke]]'' and Kushana of ''[[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind]]'' start out as Baronesses, but are eventually seen as sympathetic characters with hearts and morals in the end.

* In the Manga/Brotherhood adaption of ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'', Lust is this. Olivia Mira/Olivier Milla Armstrong, iron-fisted queen of the Briggs fortress, is very much a Sexpot Rosa Klebb, being a young, nice-looking lady with immunity to Mustang's charms (deeming him weak and foolish), and, this far, not a singe instance of using her looks to get what she wants. It's yet to be seen if she will have to choose between her pride and her ambition, and which one she will sacrifice.

* Kalifa from ''[[One Piece]]'' (sexpot variation).

 

* Baroness Paula Von Gunther, Nazi spymistress from the ''[[Wonder Woman]]'' TV series and [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] comics.

** Until her [[Heel Face Turn]] in [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] comics, becoming the Amazons' resident [[Gadgeteer Genius]]/[[The Professor]]. She also acted, in part, as [[The Medic]], inventing the Purple Healing Ray used on Wonder Girl in her first origin.

* Contessa in the second volume of ''[[Dogby Walks Alone]]''.

* The second-ever story arc of the ''[[The Phantom (comic strip)|The Phantom]]'' newspaper strip ("The Sky Band") featured a female [[Sky Pirate]] captain who was the sexy version and fulfilled basically every stereotype listed on this page, including [[Show, Don't Tell|Shown Not Told]] whipping of disobedient subordinates. [[Ur Example|She was not known by name, but only as "the Baroness."]] The strip was first published [[Older Than They Think|in 1936]].

** It's worth noting that when Hasbro approached Marvel about doing a [[G.I. Joe]] comic book, they simply dusted off an unused proposal for a [[Nick Fury]] vs HYDRA series and changed the names. Thus HYDRA became COBRA and The Viper became The Baroness. The only significant difference between the characters is the color of their leather bodysuits. Black for the Baroness, green for Madame Hydra.

* Madame Masque from ''[[Iron Man]]'' was one of these, a leader in the Mafia-esque Maggia operation. In a rare twist, she was obviously of the sexpot variety (given her typical superheroine knockout figure), but her face was horribly scarred, thus leading to her adoption of the metal facemask from which her moniker derives.

** Blue Eyes is a seductress that uses her sexuality to lure her targets in and kill them (she seems to be at least somewhat caring, though.)

** Maxine also wears skintight outfits and enjoys performing genetic surgery and drug experiments on victims captured by The Guild. She also keeps her [[Les Yay|female hostage in the nude]] [[Ho Yay|for some reason.]]

 

 

* Parodied with Frau Farbissana in ''[[Austin Powers]]''.

** The trope is played with in the second movie, with Frau going from Klebb to sexpot, due to Dr. Evil traveling back in time and stealing Austin's mojo.

* ''[[James Bond (film)|James Bond]]'' villainesses Rosa Klebb in ''[[From Russia with Love]]'' and Irma Bunt in ''[[On Her Majesty's Secret Service]]'', either/both of whom could have been the model for Frau Farbissana. Mike Myers says he was aiming at Klebb, but the German accent and worshipful attitude to the [[Big Bad]] are closer to Bunt.

** It's worth noting that, in the book, Rosa Klebb was, as Tatiana learned firsthand, the very antithesis of sexy - and a [[Psycho Lesbian]]. She was still easily as cruel and ruthless as they come, though.

** Anya from ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' is a goody who starts off as the Sexpot type, but rapidly [[Defrosting Ice Queen|defrosts]].

* Madame Sebastian (Leopoldine Konstantine) in the Hitchcock film ''[[Notorious]]'' is a sterling example of the trope, far more ruthless than her Nazi agent son ([[Claude Rains]]).

* Nina from the movie ''[[Bulletproof Monk]]''.

* ''[[Ninotchka]]'', played by Greta Garbo, is an older example of this trope, from 1939, and a goody.

* Choi from ''[[The Mummy Trilogy|The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor]]''.

* ''[[Grindhouse|Werewolf Women of the SS]]''.

* Baroness <s>Bombast</s> Bomburst from ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'', whilst dressing mostly in lace and frills, does have the German accent and a basement full of stolen children.

* Miss Hardcastle (aka "the Fairy") from ''[[That Hideous Strength]]''. She's the head of the NICE's police force and a Sadist. That's right, an evil policewoman who gets excited by burning female suspects with cigars, ''in a book by C.S. Lewis''.

* Triumvir Ilya Volyova of the ''Nostalgia for Infinity'' in [[Alastair Reynolds]]' Inhibitor series is very much this in the Rosa Klebb style. [[Grimdark|She's one of the heroes.]]

* Baroness Nicola Ceaucescu from Paul Park's ''Roumania'' series is an excellent example of the Sexpot Baroness, and is also named after a [[wikipedia:Nicolae Ceaucescu|real-life former Romanian dictator]].

* [[Star Wars Expanded Universe|Any Hapan]].

** For a given definition of "class", perhaps. She looks and acts as though she rents by the hour.

*** Well, she ''was'' a late-1500s woman-of-the-town who was dying of a vicious STD before the Master turned her. She seemed to begin to revert to this whenever her will wasn't being enslaved to the [[Draco in Leather Pants|sheer]] [[Complete Monster|monstrousness]] of her would-be childe.

* Jara in ''[[Big Bad Beetleborgs]]'' and Horribelle during the second season.

* As mentioned above, Helga from ''[['Allo 'Allo!|Allo Allo]]'' is a Sexpot Baroness. Curiously, she was briefly replaced by a Rosa Klebb when her character went on a sabbatical.

* [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Tess]] [[Dark Action Girl|Mercer]], the ''[[Smallville]]'' version of [[Superman: The Animated Series|Mercy Graves]], is this. She's as pretty as any sexpot version and has a definite [[Broken Bird]] vibe, but also possesses the icy demanour and [[Misanthrope Supreme|bitterness towards humanity]] more commonly associated with the Rosa Klebb. As for the [[Les Yay]]:

{{quote|'''Lois:''' "What is it with you and the physical violence?"

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'', female Shadow Lords tend to have this vibe, which flavor depends on what the player is aiming for.

* Gretel Von X from the game ''Incursion'' is a particularly tarted-up version of this trope.

* ''[[Mutants and Masterminds]]'' Freedom City setting has an ''[[Alternate Reality]]'' ''[[Evil Twin]]'' of the ''[[Distaff Counterpart]]'' of a ''Batman'' ''[[Captain Ersatz]]'', the Raven, known as Madam Sin, who falls very much into this trope.

 

== Videogames ==

** Arguably, the same could be said for mob princess Viola Cadaverini.

* The Addon in ''[[Dragon Age]]'' has one in...well, ''The Baroness''. She's one of the very few characters in the game whose name is never mentioned, even though she is one of the bosses.

** Knight Commander Meredith from ''[[Dragon Age II]]'' is very much of the Rosa Klebb variety, especially after the events during the game cause her to place Kirkwall under military rule.

* Rider from ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' has aspects of this, despite the fact that she's Greek, not Eastern European. She actually has more disdain for her Master than her enemies and, more than once, considers just offing him, despite the consequences to herself.

* Salvatore the Great from ''[[Disgaea]] 3'', right down to the black leather military wear.

* [[The Voice|The Announcer]] from ''[[Team Fortress 2]]''. It's hard to picture her as anything other than a Rosa Klebb.

** The promos for the new Demoman/Soldier update include a comic showing the Announcer, a decidedly sinister female officially known as... [http://www.teamfortress.com/war/administrator/ The Administrator].

*** Yes, but Saxton will do [[Anything That Moves|anything female.]]

* Jihl Nabaat from ''[[Final Fantasy XIII]]''.

* [[The Dragon|Matriarch Benezia]] from ''[[Mass Effect 1]]''. {{spoiler|Well, until she snaps out of it.}}

** Miranda in ''[[Mass Effect]] 2'' fits every single description of the "Sexpot" version to a 'T'. She's, well, sexy, extremely devoted to Cerberus and their ideals, and has a [[Ice Queen|frosty]] exterior which begins to [[Defrosting Ice Queen|melt]] as she grows closer to Shepard. Despite her rigid personality, [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold|in the end, she is dedicated to helping humanity.]]

** {{spoiler|Morinth}} is a combination of the two archetypes. She's physically attractive, has a lust for power and dominance, and initially gives off a [[Dating Catwoman]] vibe. Despite that, personality-wise, she's a Rosa Klebb, who is ultimately immune to Shepard's charm and has no sympathy or regret for any of her actions.

* Meg from ''[[Rule of Rose]]'' fulfills surprisingly many requirements for this trope, probably entirely by accident: her fervent loyalty to the authority of the Aristocrats, which is embodied by her pseudo-romantic attraction to Diana, and her status as the group's [[Torture Technician]]. She even has the round glasses and the title! The main distinction from the standard examples of thus trope, of course, is that she isn't even in her teens yet.

* [[Bayonetta]] is an aversion, but she's more like a [[Captain Ersatz|Baroness Ersatz]].

**** The origin of Von Pinn is [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100510 revealed] at last. It turns out to be impossible. On the other hand, she, as we know her, ''is'' a product of Lucrezia's experiments.

* Butterfly of ''[[Collar 6]]'' is called "The Sadist from Hell" and is, so far, the closest thing the strip has to a [[Big Bad]], and in a society where consensual BDSM is the norm, she's seen as sadistic and evil for not getting the consent of her partners and using [[Mind Rape]] on them. To top it off, {{spoiler|she's also a literal baroness from Eastern Italy}}.

 

== Web Original ==

* In ''[[The Gamers Alliance]]'', the half-elven mage Shyralis holds King Marcus under a tight leash, going so far as to mindrape him if he tries to break free from her control. {{spoiler|Vaetris}} also shows a rather sinister and kinky side when she is revealed as the demonic Duchess of the Eastern Horde.

* The Empress of TAROT, from the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe]]'', looks like the sexpot version, but is actually a Rosa Klebb. She's icy, deadly, ruthless, and beautiful. She's actually [[Beethoven Was an Alien Spy|Catherine de'Medici]], kept young [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|after five hundred years]] through the power of black magic.

* A [[Psychopathic Womanchild]] version of the trope, [[The Nostalgia Chick]] is dominating, willing to rape if she doesn't get what she wants, is morally ambiguous and was ''this'' close to ruling ''[[Kickassia]]'' with an iron fist.

 

== Western Animation ==

* Natasha Fatale from ''[[Rocky and Bullwinkle]]'' ([[Played for Laughs]]).

* Parodied in ''[[The Venture Brothers]]'' with Molotov Cocktease.

* Red Claw on ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.

* ''[[Transformers]]'' has the Rosa Klebb version in Strika.

* Madame Rouge from ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]''. She's not ugly, but not supermodel pretty, has the sexpot body type more or less...and is a dangerous, brutal fighter who takes great pleasure in pounding Titans and their allies into the dirt. She will ''not'' be falling prey to any hero's charms, thank you very much. Oh, and she has a Russian accent. She'd get along just fine with [[Marvel Universe|Viper]] and the [[G.I. Joe|original Baroness]].

* Heloise on ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]''. True to form, she's in love with [[Oblivious to Love|Jimmy]].

* Lady Kale in ''[[Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders]]'' (whose armor even looks a lot like that of the Baroness!).

 

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Evil Is Sexy]]

[[Category:Mysterious Woman]]

[[Category:Dirty Communists]]

[[Category:Reichstropen]]

[[Category:Villains]]