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{{Short description|Variant of the villain character type possessing "supernatural or superhuman powers"}}
[[image:doomlee.jpg|215px|thumb|Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypical supervillains. Art by [[Jim Lee]].]]
{{pp|small=yes}}
A '''supervillain''' is a variant of the [[villain]] [[fictional character|character]] type common, often found in [[comic books]] and [[action movie|action]] and [[science fiction]] [[film]]s. Supervillains often have colorful names, costumes, and/or other eccentricities, and most concoct complex and ambitious schemes to accumulate vast power and suppress their adversaries.
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Batman villains 1966.jpg|thumb|Supervillains of the United Underworld from the 1966 film ''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]'', a film adaptation of the comic books based on [[Batman]] and the [[Batman (TV series)|1960s television show of the same name]]. From left to right: [[Penguin (character)|Penguin]], [[Riddler]], [[Catwoman]], and [[Joker (character)|Joker]].]]


A '''supervillain''' or '''supercriminal''' is a variant of the [[villain]]ous [[stock character]]. It is sometimes found in [[comic book]]s, and may possess [[superhuman]] abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a [[superhero]].
Supervillains are often used as [[foil (literature)|foils]] to [[superhero]]es and other fictional [[hero]]es. Their extraordinary brainpower and/or superhuman abilities make them viable [[antagonist]]s for even the most gifted heroes.


==Description==
By most definitions, the first supervillain was [[Professor Moriarty]], the arch enemy of [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]’s detective [[Sherlock Holmes]], introduced in [[1891]]. Although Moriarty was the original criminal mastermind, [[Sax Rohmer]]'s Dr. [[Fu Manchu]], introduced in [[1913]], can be credited for popularizing many of the typical characteristics of the modern supervillain, including his sadistic personality, his desire for [[world domination]], and his use of sinister lairs and themed crimes and henchmen. Rohmer's work would later play a strong influence on the writings of [[Ian Fleming]], whose ''[[James Bond]]'' novels and films have further popularized the image of the supervillain in popular culture.
Supervillains are often used as [[foil (literature)|foils]] to present a daunting challenge to a superhero. In instances where the supervillain does not have superhuman, mystical, or alien powers, the supervillain may possess a genius intellect or a skill set that allows them to draft complex schemes or commit crimes in a way normal humans cannot. Other traits may include [[wiktionary:megalomania|megalomania]] and possession of considerable resources to further their aims. Many supervillains share some typical characteristics of real-world [[dictator]]s, [[gangster]]s, [[mad scientist]]s, [[trophy hunting|trophy hunters]], corrupt [[businesspeople]], [[serial killer]]s, and [[terrorism|terrorists]], often having an aspiration of [[world domination]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Charlotte |first=Ahlin |date=May 14, 2018 |title=10 Villains in Literature Who Were Apparently Based on Real People |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/10-villains-in-literature-who-were-apparently-based-on-real-people-9051874 |website=Bustle}}</ref>


==Notable supervillains==
The first supervillain who wore a bizarre costume was [[The Lightning]], from the [[1938]] [[film]] ''[[Fighting Devil Dogs]]'', which preceded the first superhero, [[Superman]].
The [[Joker (character)|Joker]], [[Lex Luthor]], [[Doctor Doom]], [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]], [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]], [[Deathstroke]], the [[Green Goblin]], [[Loki (Marvel Comics)|Loki]], the [[Reverse-Flash]], [[Black Manta]], [[Ultron]], [[Thanos]], and [[Darkseid]] are some notable male comic book supervillains that have been [[Film adaptation|adapted]] in film and television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2008/06/18/the-joker-tops-supervillain-poll-199239/ |title=Joker tops supervillain poll |publisher=Metro.co.uk |date=2012-04-25 |access-date=2012-05-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Albert |first=Aaron |date=2012-04-10 |title=Top Ten Comic Book Super Villains |url=http://comicbooks.about.com/od/characters/tp/toptenvillains.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111173017/http://comicbooks.about.com/od/characters/tp/toptenvillains.htm |archive-date=2012-11-11 |access-date=2012-05-09 |publisher=Comicbooks.about.com}}</ref> Some notable female supervillains are [[Catwoman]], [[Harley Quinn]], [[Poison Ivy (character)|Poison Ivy]], [[Mystique (character)|Mystique]], [[Hela (character)|Hela]], [[Viper (Madame Hydra)|Viper]], and the [[Cheetah (character)|Cheetah]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/15629-lethal-ladies-the-10-best-female-supervillains.html|title=Lethal Ladies; The 10 Best Female Supervillains|publisher=Newsarama.com|access-date=2013-10-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dockterman |first1=E |last2=Conniff |first2=K |title=Maleficent and 16 Other Famous Queens of Mean |date=31 May 2014 |url=http://time.com/2801704/maleficent-villains-wicked-witch-catwoman/ |access-date=2015-04-09 |publisher=Time Magazine}}</ref>


Just like superheroes, supervillains are sometimes members of groups, such as the [[Injustice League]], the [[Sinister Six]], the [[Legion of Doom]], the [[Brotherhood of Mutants]], the [[Suicide Squad]], and the [[Masters of Evil]].
Many supervillains are inspired by typical characteristics of real world [[dictator]]s, [[mafia|mobsters]], and [[terrorism|terrorists]].
==Common Traits==


In the documentary ''A Study in Sherlock'', writers [[Stephen Moffat|Steven Moffat]] and [[Mark Gatiss]] said they regarded [[Professor Moriarty|Professor James Moriarty]] as a supervillain because he possesses genius-level intelligence and powers of observation and deduction, setting him above ordinary people to the point where only he can pose a credible threat to [[Sherlock Holmes]].
While supervillains vary greatly, there are a number of attributes that define the character. Most supervillains have at least a few of the following traits:
[[Image:vader.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Darth Vader.]]
*A desire to commit spectacular crimes and/or [[global domination|rule the world]] through whatever means necessary
*A generally irritable and spiteful disposition
*A sadistic nature and tendency to revel in their sociopathic behavior
*A brilliant scientific mind that he or she chooses to use for evil (see also [[mad scientist]] and [[evil genius]]).
*A tendency to speak in proper English with an extremely controlled, formal manner to demonstrate their intellect and superiority (a trait parodied by ''[[Family Guy]]'''s Stewie).
*[[Superhuman]] abilities or some special skill, similar to those of superheroes
*An enemy or group of enemies that he or she repeatedly fights
*A desire for revenge against said enemies. The method of their revenge often goes beyond simply killing them to making them suffer before death such as using [[deathtrap (plot device)|deathtrap]]s. This tendency to prolong their enemies' deaths is often an instrumental part of why the supervillain fails to kill their foes.
*A dark and threatening-looking headquarters or lair, the location of which is usually kept secret from police, superheroes and the general public. However, some supervillains, who feel secure from prosecution for their crimes live and work in palatial buildings. Examples include Doctor Doom's castles in his country of [[Latveria]] and [[Lex Luthor]]'s LexCorp office buildings.
*A theme by which he or she plots his crimes. For example, [[Two-Face]] plots his crimes around the concept of duality and [[Mysterio]] plots his around movie [[special effects]].
*Although super villain &#8220;team-ups&#8221; occasionally occur and some supervillain teams exist (such as the [[Legion of Doom]] and [[Sinister Six]]), most supervillains do not collaborate with one another but employ a team of simple-minded and expendable [[henchmen]] to assist them.
*A strong commitment to their criminal profession to the point where they will quickly resume their activities in their favourite area immediately after escaping [[prison]] or recovering from serious injury.
*A [[back story]] or origin story that explains how the character transformed from an ordinary person into a supervillain. The story usually involves some great [[tragedy]] that marked the change. In the case of many supervillains, including Dr. Doom, [[Magneto (comics)|Magneto]] and, in some incarnations including the television series [[Smallville]], Lex Luthor, this story involves a one-time friendship with their future foe.
*A general contempt for ordinary civilians, lackeys, and basically anyone who gets in their way.
[[Image:B251.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The criminally insane Joker from ''Batman'' #251. Art by [[Neal Adams]]]]


[[Fu Manchu]] is an archetypal evil criminal genius and mad scientist created by English author [[Sax Rohmer]] in 1913. The [[Fu Manchu moustache]] became integral to stereotypical cinematic and television depictions of Chinese villains. Between 1965 and 1969 [[Christopher Lee]] played Fu Manchu five times in film, and in 1973 the character [[Zheng Zu|first appeared in Marvel Comics]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Maynard|first=William Patrick |url=https://www.blackgate.com/2016/06/12/blogging-marvels-master-of-kung-fu-part-one/ |title=Blogging Marvel's Master of Kung Fu, Part One |magazine=Black Gate |date=12 June 2016 |access-date=2019-09-10}}</ref>
One thing that supervillains do not share is motivation; characters choose to become supervillains for many different reasons:


The [[James Bond]] arch-villain [[Ernst Stavro Blofeld]] (whose scenes often show him sitting on an armchair stroking his cat, his face unseen) has influenced supervillain [[Trope (literature)|trope]]s in popular cinema, including [[Parody|parodies]] like [[Dr. Claw]] and M.A.D. Cat from the ''[[Inspector Gadget (1983 TV series)|Inspector Gadget]]'' animated series, [[Dr. Evil]] and [[Mr. Bigglesworth]] from the [[Austin Powers (film series)|''Austin Powers'' film series]], or [[List of Madagascar (franchise) characters#The Penguins of Madagascar TV series|Dr. Blowhole]] from the animated TV series ''[[The Penguins of Madagascar]]''.
Some, such as the [[Red Skull]] and [[Professor Moriarty]], are portrayed as outright evil. Some, such as [[Darth Vader]] and the [[Green Goblin]], have fallen under some corrupting influence. Some, such as [[Joker (comics)|The Joker]] and [[Sabretooth (comics)|Sabretooth]], are criminally insane and incapable of controlling their murderous urges. Some, such as [[The Sandman (Marvel Comics)|Sandman]] and [[Juggernaut (comics)|Juggernaut]], are simply thugs with superhuman abilities. Some, such as [[Mr. Mxyzptlk]] and [[Q (Star Trek)|Q]], are [[trickster]]s, who torment heroes for their own pleasure. A few, like the [[X-Men]]&#8217;s enemy Magneto, have laudable goals, such as Magneto&#8217;s desire to protect his people, [[mutant (fictional)|mutants]], from persecution, but use extreme and violent methods.


The overarching villain of ''[[Star Wars]]'', Emperor [[Palpatine]], leads the tyrannical [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]], and was inspired by real-world tyrannical leaders.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rinzler |first=J. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-U0PAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT34 |title=The Making of The Empire Strikes Back |publisher=Del Rey |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84513-555-3 |location=London |pages=23 |oclc=506251987 |quote=The best way to set up a super-villain is to take the biggest villain you've got and make him afraid of the super-villain. The Emperor is even more powerful than [[Darth Vader|Vader]]. He's the classic [[devil]] character ... |author-link=J. W. Rinzler}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 21, 2002 |title=Star Wars: Attack of the Clones |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Time Magazine|Time]] |location=New York |publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020605161308/http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html |archive-date=June 5, 2002 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |quote=The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's [[Julius Caesar]] or [[Napoleon]] or [[Adolf Hitler]].}}</ref>
Many supervillains are portrayed as an inversion of their foe. For example, [[Wolverine (comics)|Wolverine]] constantly tries to contain his animalistic urges, while Sabretooth fully embraces his. [[Batman]] is a humorless character with a foreboding appearance, but who is dedicated to good. The Joker, on the other hand, is a comical character with a colorful appearance, who is actually evil. Both [[Spider-Man]] and the Green Goblin are accidents of science, but while Spider-Man is an underdog who uses his gifts to help and protect the innocent, the Goblin is an elitist who uses his powers to try to disrupt and dominate society. These contrasts help build-up the [[myth|mythic]] grandeur of superhero and villain relationships and allows the villain to serve as a [[foil (literature)|foil]] for the hero.


==See also==
==Well-known supervillains==
{{Portal|Comics}}
* [[Abomination (comics)|Abomination]], arch-enemy of the [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]].
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Agent Smith]], arch-enemy of [[Neo (The Matrix)|Neo]].
* [[Archenemy]]
* [[Brainiac (comics)|Brainiac]], adversary of [[Superman]].
* [[Crime]]
* [[Chucky (movie)|Charles Lee Ray]], from the [[Child's Play]] series of films.
* [[Rogues gallery]]
* [[List of Batman family enemies#Classic rogues gallery|List of Batman family enemies]]
* [[List of Superman enemies]]
* [[List of Spider-Man enemies]]
* [[List of Spawn villains]]
* [[Evil Overlord List]]
* [[Mad scientist]]
* [[List of comic book supervillain debuts]]
* [[List of female supervillains]]
* [[Lists of villains]]
}}


==References==
* [[Cigarette Smoking Man|The Cigarette Smoking Man]], arch-enemy of [[Fox Mulder]] in ''[[The X-Files]]''.
{{Reflist}}
* [[Cobra Commander]], main adversary in various [[G.I. Joe]]-related [[comic books]] and [[animated series]].
* [[Darkseid]], adversary to the [[New Gods]] and the [[DC Comics]] superhero community in general.
* [[Davros]], adversary of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]].
* [[Deathstroke]] (also referred to as Slade), the main adversary of the [[Titans (comics)|Teen Titans]] in both the comic and animated series.
* [[Dr. Claw]], leader of criminal syndicate "M.A.D." in the [[Inspector Gadget]] animated series.
* [[Doctor Doom]], adversary of the [[Fantastic Four]] and the [[Marvel Comics]] superhero community in general.
* [[Doctor Octopus]], adversary of [[Spider-Man]].
* [[Doctor Zin]], arch-enemy of [[Jonny Quest]] and his family.
* [[Dracula]], in various incarnations, adversary of the fictional hero community in general.
* [[Ernst Stavro Blofeld]], arch-enemy of [[James Bond]] during the early years of the film series.
* [[Freddy Krueger]] from the [[Nightmare On Elm Street]] series of films.
* [[Fu Manchu]], the prototype of the modern supervillain, adversary of the fictional hero community in general.
* [[Glenn Talbot]], military conspirator, rival of [[Bruce Banner]], ex-hubby of [[Betty Ross]] and adversary of the Hulk.
* [[Green Goblin]], the arch-enemy of Spider-Man.
* [[Gul Dukat]], arch-enemy of [[Benjamin Sisko]] from [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]].
* [[Hannibal Lecter]], the cannibalistic serial killer in ''Red Dragon'', ''Silence of the Lambs'', and ''Hannibal''.
* [[Jason Voorhees]] from the [[Friday the 13th (film series)|Friday the 13th]] series of films.
* [[John Sunlight]], adversary of [[Doc Savage]], the [[pulp magazine]] precursor to [[Superman]].
* [[Joker (comics)|The Joker]], arch-enemy of Batman.
* [[Kang the Conqueror]], arch-enemy of the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]].
* [[Khan Noonien Singh]], adversary of [[Captain Kirk]] on [[Star Trek]].
* [[King Ghidorah]], arch-enemy of [[Godzilla]].
* [[King Koopa]] from the [[Super Mario Bros]] Video Games and movie
* [[Kingpin (comics)|The Kingpin]], arch-enemy of [[Daredevil]].
* [[Leader (comics)|The Leader]], arch-enemy of the [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]].
* [[Lex Luthor]], arch-enemy of [[Superman]].
* [[Loki (comics)|Loki]], adversary of [[Thor (comics)|Thor]] in both comics and ancient mythology.
* [[Magneto (comics)|Magneto]], arch-enemy of the [[X-Men]].
* [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]], arch-enemy of [[Iron Man]].
* [[The Master]], arch-enemy of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]].
* [[Megatron]], from the [[Transformers (toyline)|Transformers]] animated series.
* [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]] from the [[Halloween (film)|Halloween]] series of films.
* [[Ming the Merciless]], adversary of [[Flash Gordon]].
* [[Penguin (comics)|The Penguin]], adversary of [[Batman]].
* [[Professor Moriarty]], adversary of [[Sherlock Holmes]], and arguably the first supervillain. Holmes described him as &#8220;the [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] of crime.&#8221;
* [[Ra's al Ghul]], adversary of [[Batman]] and [[Superman]].
* [[Red Skull]], adversary of [[Captain America]].
* [[Riddler]], adversary of [[Batman]].
* [[Sabretooth (comics)|Sabretooth]], adversary of [[Wolverine (comics)|Wolverine]].
* [[The Sandman (Marvel Comics)|Sandman]], adversary of [[Spider-Man]], the [[Fantastic Four]] and the [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]].
*[[Saruman]], adversary of [[Gandalf]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.
* [[Satan]], the embodiment of evil in many [[major world religions]].
* [[Shredder (TMNT)|The Shredder]], arch-enemy of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]].
* The [[Sith]] Lords from the ''[[Star Wars]]'' film series: [[Palpatine|Darth Sidious]] (also known as [[Palpatine]], Galactic Senator, Chancellor and Emperor), [[Darth Maul]], [[Darth Tyranus]] (formerly Jedi Master [[Count Dooku]]) and [[Darth Vader]] (formerly Jedi [[Anakin Skywalker]]), adversaries of the [[Jedi Knights]].
* [[Skeletor]], arch-enemy adversary of [[He-Man]].
* [[Syndrome (character)|Syndrome]], self-identified adversary of [[the Incredibles]].
* [[Two-Face]], adversary of [[Batman]].
* [[Lord Voldemort]] (also known as "You-Know-Who" and "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named"), arch enemy of [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]].
* [[Violator (comics)|Violator]], arch-enemy of [[Spawn (comics)|Spawn]].


==External links==
==Parodies of supervillains==
*{{Wiktionary-inline}}
[[Image:Dr Evil.jpg|thumb|250px|Dr. Evil in ''[[Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery]]''.]]
*{{Commons category-inline|Supervillains}}
Because the supervillain is such a common but distinct character type in modern fiction, several [[parody|parodies]] have been created. Some of the most well-known include:
* [[Charles Montgomery Burns]], Mr. Burns on [[The Simpsons]], in various episodes, as when he builds a device to block out the sun: "He's gone from regular villainy to cartoonish super-villainy!" At least one episode featured a shot of Mr. Burns with the [[The Imperial March|Darth Vader theme]] playing.
* [[Stewie Griffin]], the talking baby of the TV series ''[[Family Guy]]''. In earlier episodes attempted to control the weather to rid the world of broccoli, and his biggest aspiration is to complete his matricidal efforts.
* [[Dr. Evil]], adversary of the comedic spy [[Austin Powers]]
* [[Pinky and the Brain|The Brain]], from the cartoon series ''[[Animaniacs]]'', a diminutive lab mouse bent on global conquest.
* [[Syndrome (character)|Syndrome]], the hyperactive [[evil genius]] and superhero-wannabe from the computer animated film ''[[The Incredibles]]'' The Underminer, from the same film, parodies the popular "themed" supervillians.
* [[Chris Hobson|Christopher Hobson]], the incredibly brilliant yet relatively young [[Mad scientist]] with remarkably little common sense from the Nevonia series of books.
* [[Il Palazzo]], from [[Excel Saga]], is a stereotypical, self-important anime Evil Overlord who wishes to conquer the world, even though his evil organization consists solely of himself and a rather spastic, incompetent teenage girl.
* [[Dr.Colossus]], who appears briefly in an episode of [[The Simpsons]]. A generic supervillain who once dated Stacy Lavelle (creator of Malibu Stacy) and is forbidden to go near Death Mountain (where he keeps all his stuff) as part of his parole. His main tools are his 'Collosso Boots'.
* [[The Evil Dr. Skull]], from obscure underground cult hit [[Genero Man]], is a parody of the typical mad scientist.
* O'Malley, the main villain and common adversary of both sides in the [[machinima]] series [[Red vs Blue]], is an over-the-top supervillain [[caricature]] who wants to "crush every living soul into dust", and who frequently uses cliche and ridiculous dialogue such as "You foolish fools will never defeat me! You're far too busy being foolish!" and "Prepare for an oblivion, for which there is no preparation!".
* [[Professor Chaos]], the recurring alterego of [[South Park]] 4th grader Butters, seeks to spread fear and chaos as revenge upon the world that has forsaken him, i.e., made him socially unpopular, but has a problem with scale. Exploits include attempting to destroy the ozone layer by spraying regular aerosol cans, and flooding the planet by leaving the backyard hose on.
* [[Sideshow Bob]] from [[The Simpsons]]
* [[Mandark]] from [[Dexter's Laboratory]]


{{Superhero fiction}}
{{Stock characters}}
{{Comics}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Supervillains| ]]
[[Category:Superhero fiction themes]]
[[Category:Stock characters]]
[[Category:Stock characters]]
[[Category:Lists of fictional characters]]
[[Category:Supervillains|*]]


[[fi:Superroisto]]
[[de:Schurke]]
[[ja:怪人]]

Latest revision as of 05:18, 2 May 2024

For other uses, see Supervillain (disambiguation).
Supervillains of the United Underworld from the 1966 film Batman, a film adaptation of the comic books based on Batman and the 1960s television show of the same name. From left to right: Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, and Joker.

A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character. It is sometimes found in comic books, and may possess superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.

Description

Supervillains are often used as foils to present a daunting challenge to a superhero. In instances where the supervillain does not have superhuman, mystical, or alien powers, the supervillain may possess a genius intellect or a skill set that allows them to draft complex schemes or commit crimes in a way normal humans cannot. Other traits may include megalomania and possession of considerable resources to further their aims. Many supervillains share some typical characteristics of real-world dictators, gangsters, mad scientists, trophy hunters, corrupt businesspeople, serial killers, and terrorists, often having an aspiration of world domination.[1]

Notable supervillains

The Joker, Lex Luthor, Doctor Doom, Magneto, Brainiac, Deathstroke, the Green Goblin, Loki, the Reverse-Flash, Black Manta, Ultron, Thanos, and Darkseid are some notable male comic book supervillains that have been adapted in film and television.[2][3] Some notable female supervillains are Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Mystique, Hela, Viper, and the Cheetah.[4][5]

Just like superheroes, supervillains are sometimes members of groups, such as the Injustice League, the Sinister Six, the Legion of Doom, the Brotherhood of Mutants, the Suicide Squad, and the Masters of Evil.

In the documentary A Study in Sherlock, writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss said they regarded Professor James Moriarty as a supervillain because he possesses genius-level intelligence and powers of observation and deduction, setting him above ordinary people to the point where only he can pose a credible threat to Sherlock Holmes.

Fu Manchu is an archetypal evil criminal genius and mad scientist created by English author Sax Rohmer in 1913. The Fu Manchu moustache became integral to stereotypical cinematic and television depictions of Chinese villains. Between 1965 and 1969 Christopher Lee played Fu Manchu five times in film, and in 1973 the character first appeared in Marvel Comics.[6]

The James Bond arch-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld (whose scenes often show him sitting on an armchair stroking his cat, his face unseen) has influenced supervillain tropes in popular cinema, including parodies like Dr. Claw and M.A.D. Cat from the Inspector Gadget animated series, Dr. Evil and Mr. Bigglesworth from the Austin Powers film series, or Dr. Blowhole from the animated TV series The Penguins of Madagascar.

The overarching villain of Star Wars, Emperor Palpatine, leads the tyrannical Galactic Empire, and was inspired by real-world tyrannical leaders.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Charlotte, Ahlin (May 14, 2018). "10 Villains in Literature Who Were Apparently Based on Real People". Bustle.
  2. ^ "Joker tops supervillain poll". Metro.co.uk. 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  3. ^ Albert, Aaron (2012-04-10). "Top Ten Comic Book Super Villains". Comicbooks.about.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  4. ^ "Lethal Ladies; The 10 Best Female Supervillains". Newsarama.com. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
  5. ^ Dockterman, E; Conniff, K (31 May 2014). "Maleficent and 16 Other Famous Queens of Mean". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
  6. ^ Maynard, William Patrick (12 June 2016). "Blogging Marvel's Master of Kung Fu, Part One". Black Gate. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
  7. ^ Rinzler, J. W. (2010). The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. London: Del Rey. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-84513-555-3. OCLC 506251987. The best way to set up a super-villain is to take the biggest villain you've got and make him afraid of the super-villain. The Emperor is even more powerful than Vader. He's the classic devil character ...
  8. ^ "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones". Time. New York: Meredith Corporation. April 21, 2002. Archived from the original on June 5, 2002. Retrieved May 15, 2023. The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's Julius Caesar or Napoleon or Adolf Hitler.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Supervillain&oldid=1221822168"