Villainous Breakdown/Playing With

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Basic Trope: A villain suffers an emotional or psychological breakdown as a result of their plans being defeated.

  • Straight: The previously calm and controlled Emperor Evulz responds to the failure of his plan at the hands of Amazing Girl with a screamed rant and physical violence against his minions.
  • Exaggerated: Emperor Evulz responds to his defeat by attempting to blow up the galaxy.
  • Downplayed: Emperor Evulz responds to his defeat with suppressed rage and a nervous twitch.
  • Justified: Emperor Evulz is not particularly well-adjusted at the best of times, and the shock of his recent experiences with the heroes has been gradually unhinging him. His plan's ultimate defeat at the hands of Amazing Girl was just the straw that broke the camel's back.
    • Emperor Evulz has spent years working towards his plans. Wouldn't you be jarred if someone crushed your life's work and goal?
  • Inverted: Amazing Girl suffers a Heroic BSOD upon suffering a major defeat at the hands of Emperor Evulz.
    • Emperor Evulz takes over the world and has a break down on the realization that now he has to run it.
    • Emperor Evulz's defeat taught him an important lesson about keeping emotions under control and he is far more collected in his future appearances.
    • Emperor Evulz was more than a little unhinged before he took over the world. Now that he's the new ruler, the constant trial by fire has made him dangerously competent at what he does.
    • After the typically hammy Emperor Evulz's plans are ruined, he unleashes Tranquil Fury, and becomes extremely dangerous.
    • Emperor Evulz goes mad with power as his plans succeed.
    • Evulz goes into a coma after being deafeated.
  • Subverted: Evulz only appears to be having a breakdown; he's actually lulling Amazing Girl into a false sense of security so that his back-up plan will catch her by surprise.
  • Doubly Subverted: Unfortunately for Evulz, Amazing Girl foils his back-up plan as well; this time, Evulz's breakdown is very genuine.
  • Parodied: Evulz responds to his defeat with a petty and childish temper tantrum which would make a four-year-old child embarrassed.
  • Deconstructed: Evulz's tantrum is just an example of how maladjusted, infantile and ultimately pathetic he is.
    • Evulz has a heart attack.
  • Reconstructed: Evulz's tantrum comes at the end of an amazingly unfortunate, stressful and humiliating series of defeats for him; who won't vent a little?
  • Zig Zagged: Evulz suffers rapid Mood Whiplash; it's hard to tell when he's genuinely having a breakdown and when he isn't (and when he's just messing with his minions).
  • Averted: Evulz manages to keep it together despite his plans falling apart.
  • Enforced: "Let's face it; Bob's a Large Ham, and it'd be a shame to waste that when he's playing Emperor Evulz. Let's write a scene at the end when he just snaps; give Bob a chance to really chew the scenery."
  • Lampshaded: "Heroes breaching my fortress walls! My plans in ruins! I AM INCREDIBLY PISSED OFF HERE, PEOPLE!"
  • Invoked: Amazing Girl knows Emperor Evulz's Berserk Button and is gleefully pushing it during the climactic battle precisely to trigger a breakdown on his part, thus destabilizing him and giving her the advantage.
  • Defied: Evulz takes mind-altering drugs and has had extensive brain surgery specifically designed to remove his capability of breaking down in a crisis.
  • Discussed: "The only way you'll win a battle against Evulz is if you make him angry. Very angry."
  • Conversed: "Wow, the villains in these comic books need some serious anger management lessons."
  • Played for Laughs: Evulz throws a screaming, crying hissy-fit upon being defeated by Amazing Girl.
  • Played for Drama: Evulz's breakdown makes him even more dangerous than he was before, as now there's nothing holding him back from simply killing Amazing Girl. And it is terrifying.

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