Villain Tropes I'm Over

Villains are fun. We love reading and watching and writing bad guys. But there are a whole bunch of tropes that go with them that I'm just done with. So bear with me and let's talk about them. Not to say that any of these can't work in some situations or for comedic effect, they're just my personal pet peeves.

British

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with villains being British. But you notice any mildly cheesy villain in almost anything is a post British gentleman? Or a turns out to be (because they were in disguise for some reason)? Even un-cheesy movies do this a lot. I just don't know why they all have to be, "Oh yes, and I'm totally British, old chap. Ha!".

Bad Stereotypes

To go with the British thing, a lot of other low budget villains are stereotypes. Mean jocks. Russian dudes with strong accents. Swarthy Mexicans. Super sexy females. Sometimes this is done for humor, but I still think it's something that should be left behind.

Dumb Minions

If I was a villain, I would just go around gathering an army of stupid goons. I'd personally interview each one of them and select the best candidates for the job. I want all my lackeys to be fully prepared and trained for their jobs so they don't make stupid slip-ups that cost me my victory.

Rude to Minions

And why are all the villains so derogatory towards those who work under them? No one's going to listen to you if you're mean all the time. That's when you end up having people switch sides on you because the hero was nice to them. Villains should be nice to their underlings, making sure they have days off, remember their birthdays and families, and keep up their moral. So when the hero tries to corrupt them, they're fully loyal to you.

Dark and Broody Villains

Sure, I like one of these as much as the next person. But I love it even more when the villain is completely goofy. They can be silly and dorky and still want to bring eternal darkness on the world. Look at ones like Megamind or Gru.

The Sexy Female

Can you hear me rolling my eyes across the internet? Because I am. Why do they always have a sexy female in a slinky costume with them? Or the villain is the sexy female in the slinky costume? We all know it's an appeal to the male audience, but it's belittling to women. Just because they're bad guys doesn't mean they can't wear a a decent costume and proper armor in battle.

Leaving the Hero to Their Doom

No villain has figured out yet that if you leave the hero in the death trap, hopeless situation, or facing some awful beast, they won't die. They'll escape when as soon as the villain leaves and bring their whole plan crashing down. Villains should stay in the room until they are absolutely sure the hero is dead, then cut off their head or something to make sure. (Plus, isn't it cooler if the hero escapes while the villain is right there?)

World Domination/Ending

I've said this before, but why are all villains bent on ruling and/or ending the world? Ruling the whole planet sounds hard and likely to end badly. And ending the world sounds like an even worse idea (especially since the villain probably lives here too). Why can't they just want to rule the Vatican or something? Or just have some other evil plan besides those two?

What are some villain tropes you're done with? Do you agree with any of these? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

Stop Making Bad Guys

Character Archetypes: The Villain