# Villain

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Evil character or person

Several terms  redirect here. For other uses, see [Villain (disambiguation)](/source/Villain_(disambiguation)), [Villainy (disambiguation)](/source/Villainy_(disambiguation)), [Bad Guy (disambiguation)](/source/Bad_Guy_(disambiguation)), and [Badman (disambiguation)](/source/Badman_(disambiguation)).

Not to be confused with the feudal term [Villein](/source/Villein).

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Villain" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

[Count Dracula](/source/Count_Dracula) is an example of a villain in classic literature and film.

Theme from *[Mysterioso Pizzicato](/source/Mysterioso_Pizzicato)*, a [cliché](/source/Clich%C3%A9) silent movie cue for villainy [Play](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/Mysterioso_Pizzicato.mid/Mysterioso_Pizzicato.mid.mp3)[ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mysterioso_Pizzicato.mid)

A **villain** ([masculine](/source/Masculine_form)), or **villainess** ([feminine](/source/Feminine_form)), also **bad guy**, **baddy** or **baddie** (sometimes known as a "**[black hat](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/black_hat)**"),[1] is a [stock character](/source/Stock_character), whether based on a historical narrative or one of [literary fiction](/source/Literary_fiction). *[Random House Unabridged Dictionary](/source/Random_House_Unabridged_Dictionary)* defines such a character as "a [cruelly](/source/Cruelly) [malicious](/source/Malice_(law)) person who is involved in or devoted to [wickedness](/source/Wickedness) or [crime](/source/Crime); scoundrel; or a character in a [play](/source/Play_(theatre)), [novel](/source/Novel), or the like, who constitutes an important [evil](/source/Evil) [agency](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/agency) in the plot".[2] The [antonym](/source/Antonym) of a villain is a [hero](/source/Hero).

The villain's structural purpose is to serve as the opposite to the hero character, and their motives or evil actions drive a plot along.[3] In contrast to the hero, who is defined by feats of ingenuity and [bravery](/source/Bravery) and the pursuit of [justice](/source/Justice) and the greater good, a villain is often defined by their acts of selfishness, evilness, arrogance, cruelty, and [cunning](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cunning), displaying [immoral](/source/Immoral) behavior that can oppose or pervert justice.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Etymology

French villains in the 15th century before going to work, receiving their lord's orders.

The term *villain* first came into [English](/source/English_language) from the [Anglo-French](/source/Anglo-Norman_language) and [Old French](/source/Old_French) *vilain*, which in turn derives from the [Late Latin](/source/Late_Latin) word *villanus*.[4] This refers to those bound to the soil of the [villa](/source/Villa), who worked on the equivalent of a modern estate in [Late Antiquity](/source/Late_Antiquity), in [Italy](/source/Italy) or [Gaul](/source/Gaul).[5][*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)*]

*Vilain* later shifted to *[villein](/source/Villein)*,[6] which referred to a person of less than knightly status, implying a lack of [chivalry](/source/Chivalry) and [courtesy](/source/Courtesy). All actions that were unchivalrous or evil (such as [treachery](/source/Betrayal) or [rape](/source/Rape)) eventually became part of the identity of a villain in the modern sense of the word. Additionally, *villein* came into use as a term of [abuse](/source/Abuse) and eventually took on its modern meaning.[7]

The landed aristocracy of mediaeval Europe used politically and linguistically the Middle English descendant of *villanus* meaning "villager" (styled as *vilain* or *vilein*) with the meaning "a person of uncouth mind and manners". As the common equating of manners with morals gained in strength and currency, the connotations worsened, so that the modern word *villain* is no unpolished villager but is instead (among other things) a deliberate scoundrel or criminal.[8]

At the same time, the medieval expression "vilein" or "vilain" is closely influenced by the word "vile", referring to something wicked or worthless. As from the late 13th century, *vile* meant "morally repugnant; morally flawed, corrupt, wicked; of no value; of inferior quality; disgusting, foul, ugly; degrading, humiliating; of low estate, without worldly honor or esteem", from Anglo-French *ville*, Old French *vil*, from Latin *vilis* "cheap, worthless, of low value".[9]

## Classical literature

In classical literature, the villain character is not always the same as those that appear in modern and postmodern incarnations, as the lines of morality are often blurred to imply a sense of [ambiguity](/source/Ambiguity) or affected by historical context and cultural ideas. Often the delineation of heroes and villains in such literature is left unclear.[10] Nevertheless, there are some exceptions to this, such as [Grendel](/source/Grendel) from *[Beowulf](/source/Beowulf)*, who is unambiguously evil.

[William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare) modelled his [archetypical](/source/Archetypical) villains as three-dimensional characters and acknowledged the complex nature that villains display in modern literature. For instance, he made [Shylock](/source/Shylock) a sympathetic character. However, Shakespeare's incarnations of historical figures were influenced by the propaganda pieces coming from Tudor sources, and his works often showed this [bias](/source/Bias) and discredited their reputation. For example, Shakespeare famously portrayed [Richard III](/source/Richard_III_of_England) as a hideous monster who destroyed his family out of [spite](/source/Spite_(sentiment)).[11] Shakespeare also ensured that [Iago](/source/Iago) in *[Othello](/source/Othello)* and Antonio in *[The Tempest](/source/The_Tempest)* were completely void of redeeming traits.

## Folk and fairy tales

### Russian fairy tales

In an analysis of Russian [fairy tales](/source/Fairy_tale), [Vladimir Propp](/source/Vladimir_Propp) concluded that the majority of stories had only eight "[dramatis personae](/source/Dramatis_personae)", one being the villain.[12]: 79 This analysis has been widely applied to non-Russian tales. The actions within a villain's sphere were:

- a story-initiating villainy, where the villain caused [harm](/source/Harm) to the hero or his family

- a conflict between the hero and the villain, either a fight or other competition

- pursuing the hero after he has succeeded in winning the fight or obtaining something from the villain

When a character displays these traits, it is not necessarily tropes specific to the fairy tale genre, but it does imply that the one who performs certain acts to be the villain. The villain, therefore, can appear twice in a story to fulfill certain roles: once in the opening of the story, and a second time as the person sought out by the hero.[12]: 84

When a character has only performed actions or displayed traits that coincide with Vladimir Propp's analysis, that character can be identified as a pure villain. Folklore and fairy tale villains can also play a myriad of roles that can influence or propel a story forward. In fairy tales, villains can perform an influential role; for example, a [witch](/source/Witch) who fought the hero and ran away, and who lets the hero follow her, is also performing the task of "guidance" and thus acting as a helper.[12]: 81

Propp also proposed another two [archetypes](/source/Archetypes) of the villain's role within the narrative, in which they can portray themselves as villainous in a more general sense. The first is the [false hero](/source/False_hero): This character is always villainous, presenting a false claim to be the hero that must be rebutted for the [happy ending](/source/Happy_ending).[12]: 60 Examples of characters who display this trait, and interfere with the success of a tale's hero, are the Ugly Sisters in [Cinderella](/source/Cinderella) who chopped off parts of their feet to fit in the shoe.[13]

Another role for the villain would be the dispatcher, who sends the hero on their [quest](/source/Quest). At the beginning of the story, their request may appear benevolent or innocent, but the dispatcher's real intentions might be to send the hero on a journey in the hopes of being rid of them.[12]: 77

The roles and influence that villains can have over a narrative can also be transferred to other characters – to continue their role in the narrative through another character. The legacy of the villain is often transferred through that of [bloodlines](/source/Bloodline) (family) or a devoted follower. For example, if a [dragon](/source/Dragon) played the role of a villain but was killed by the hero, another character (such as the dragon's sister) might take on the legacy of the previous villain and pursue the hero out of revenge.[12]: 81

## Animated villains

Animation is home to several different villains. [Winsor McCay](/source/Winsor_McCay) in *[How a Mosquito Operates](/source/How_a_Mosquito_Operates)* had a cartoon [mosquito](/source/Mosquito) torment a human being and in 1925, [Walt Disney](/source/Walt_Disney) created [Pete](/source/Pete_(Disney)) as an antagonist for the *[Alice Comedies](/source/Alice_Comedies)* with Pete later becoming an antagonist of [Mickey Mouse](/source/Mickey_Mouse) and his friends and the first Disney villain. [Fleischer Studios](/source/Fleischer_Studios) later had [Bluto](/source/Bluto) as the antagonist of the *[Popeye](/source/Popeye_the_Sailor_(film_series))* cartoons. [Hanna-Barbera](/source/Hanna-Barbera) created [Tom](/source/Tom_Cat) as an antagonist of [Jerry](/source/Jerry_Mouse). Likewise, the [Looney Tunes](/source/Looney_Tunes) had villains like [Elmer Fudd](/source/Elmer_Fudd), [Yosemite Sam](/source/Yosemite_Sam), [Marvin the Martian](/source/Marvin_the_Martian), [Wile E. Coyote](/source/Wile_E._Coyote), and [Blacque Jacque Shellacque](/source/Blacque_Jacque_Shellacque).

In 1937, Disney made the movie *[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs](/source/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film))* and it had the [Evil Queen](/source/Evil_Queen_(Disney)) as its antagonist. Since then, Disney made a lot of animated movies with villains based on fairy tale villains. [Disney Villains](/source/Disney_Villains) became a major part of that franchise.

[Saturday-morning cartoons](/source/Saturday-morning_cartoon) also had villains like [Dick Dastardly](/source/Dick_Dastardly), [Muttley](/source/Muttley) and [Snidely Whiplash](/source/Snidely_Whiplash). Since then, cartoon villains have had a reputation for being one-dimensional.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In modern animation, animated villains that are more significant and fleshed out have become increasingly common as cartoons have begun to be favored by adults. Shows such as *[Adventure Time](/source/Adventure_Time)*, *[Gravity Falls](/source/Gravity_Falls)*, and *[Rick and Morty](/source/Rick_and_Morty)* range from child to adult cartoons but are all watched by a largely older audience.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Sattar Sharmin and Sanyat Tania have argued that animated villains frequently fall into two categories: women who exhibit undesirable traits, or men displaying feminine traits. Specifically, they claim that female villains are often portrayed as ugly or venal, while male villains tend not to be.[14] Zachary Doiron has additionally argued that animated villains are frequently based on homophobic stereotypes.[15]

## Villainous foil

The [Wicked Witch of the West](/source/Wicked_Witch_of_the_West) from *[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz](/source/The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz)* is an example of a literary villain.

Villains in [fiction](/source/Fiction) commonly function in the dual role of adversary and [foil](/source/Foil_(literature)) to a story's heroes. In their role as an adversary, the villain serves as an obstacle the hero must struggle to overcome. In their role as a foil, they exemplify characteristics that are diametrically opposed to those of the hero, creating a contrast distinguishing heroic traits from villainous ones.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Other have pointed out that many acts of villains have a hint of wish-fulfillment,[16] which makes some readers or viewers identify with them as characters more strongly than with the heroes. Because of this, a convincing villain must be given a [characterization](/source/Characterization) that provides a [motive](/source/Base_motive) for doing wrong, as well as being a worthy adversary to the hero. As put by [film critic](/source/Film_critic) [Roger Ebert](/source/Roger_Ebert): "Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph."[17]

## Portraying and employing villains in fiction

The [actor](/source/Actor) [Tod Slaughter](/source/Tod_Slaughter) typically portrayed villainous characters on both stage and screen in a [melodramatic](/source/Melodramatic) manner, with mustache-twirling, [eye-rolling](/source/Eye-rolling), [leering](/source/Leering), [cackling](/source/Evil_laughter), and [hand-rubbing](/source/Hand-rubbing).[18][19]

## Villains in film

In 1895, [Thomas Edison](/source/Thomas_Edison) and [Alfred Clark](/source/Alfred_Clark_(director)) made *[The Execution of Mary Stuart](/source/The_Execution_of_Mary_Stuart)* depicting [Mary, Queen of Scots](/source/Mary%2C_Queen_of_Scots) being [decapitated](/source/Decapitated). It describes neither Mary nor her executioner as villains (though at the time, it was deemed so realistic that audience members believed an actual woman had been beheaded in the making of that film.) In 1896, [Georges Méliès](/source/Georges_M%C3%A9li%C3%A8s) made a horror film titled *[The House of the Devil](/source/The_House_of_the_Devil_(1896_film))* which had [The Devil](/source/The_Devil) as an antagonist. Edison's *[The Great Train Robbery](/source/The_Great_Train_Robbery_(1903_film))*, released in 1903 had the bandits who rob the train as its villains. In 1909, there was a feature length adaptation of *[Les Misérables](/source/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables)* with [Javert](/source/Javert) as a villain and in 1910, [Otis Turner](/source/Otis_Turner) had a Wicked Witch as the villain of a short film adaptation of *[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz](/source/The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz_(1910_film))*. In 1914, [Lois Weber](/source/Lois_Weber) made a film of *[The Merchant of Venice](/source/The_Merchant_of_Venice)* with [Phillips Smalley](/source/Phillips_Smalley) as a villainous [Shylock](/source/Shylock).

The 1915 film *[The Birth of a Nation](/source/The_Birth_of_a_Nation)* has "Northern carpetbaggers" inciting black violence as its villains.[20] The 1916 film *[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea](/source/20%2C000_Leagues_Under_the_Sea_(1916_film))* has a man named Charles Denver as its villain. In the same year, *[Snow White](/source/Snow_White_(1916_film))* had Queen Brongomar as a villain. The 1923 film *[The Ten Commandments](/source/The_Ten_Commandments_(1923_film))* has the main character's brother be a villain due to his commitment to breaking all of the [Ten Commandments](/source/Ten_Commandments). In 1937, [Walt Disney](/source/Walt_Disney)'s *[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs](/source/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film))* had the [Evil Queen](/source/Evil_Queen_(Disney)) as a villain. In 1939, *[The Wizard of Oz](/source/The_Wizard_of_Oz)* had [Wicked Witch of the West](/source/Wicked_Witch_of_the_West) as its villain. In the 1940s, serial films about [superheroes](/source/Superhero) introduced supervillains as characters like Dr. Dana in *[Batman](/source/Batman_(serial))*. The 1949 film *[Samson and Delilah](/source/Samson_and_Delilah_(1949_film))* has [Hedy Lamarr](/source/Hedy_Lamarr) as the villainous [Delilah](/source/Delilah) and [George Sanders](/source/George_Sanders) as the villainous Prince of [Gaza](/source/Gaza_City).

In 1953, [Byron Haskin](/source/Byron_Haskin) made a film of *[The War of the Worlds](/source/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1953_film))*. Like the book, it has [Martians](/source/Martians) as villains.

[Cecil B. DeMille](/source/Cecil_B._DeMille)'s 1956 remake of *[The Ten Commandments](/source/The_Ten_Commandments_(1956_film))* had two main villains. [Ramesses II](/source/Ramesses_II), played by [Yul Brynner](/source/Yul_Brynner) and [Dathan](/source/Dathan) played by [Edward G. Robinson](/source/Edward_G._Robinson). (It also had [Nefertari](/source/Nefertari) be a [Lady Macbeth](/source/Lady_Macbeth) figure egging Ramesses on.)

In 1960, the film *[Spartacus](/source/Spartacus_(film))* had [Marcus Licinius Crassus](/source/Marcus_Licinius_Crassus) as its villain. In the same year, the film *[Psycho](/source/Psycho_(1960_film))* had [Norman Bates](/source/Norman_Bates) as a villainous protagonist. The 1962 film *[To Kill a Mockingbird](/source/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird_(film))*, like the book, had [Bob Ewell](/source/Bob_Ewell) as its villain. Other 1960s films like *[The Guns of Navarone](/source/The_Guns_of_Navarone_(film))* and *[The Great Escape](/source/The_Great_Escape_(film))* had [Nazis](/source/Nazis) as their villains.

Beginning with *[Dr. No](/source/Dr._No_(film))* in 1962, every *[James Bond](/source/James_Bond)* film has had a villain.

There were also villains in 1960s children's film. For instance, *[101 Dalmatians](/source/101_Dalmatians_(1961_film))* and the 1966 *[Batman](/source/Batman_(1966_film))* both had villains. The former having [Cruella de Vil](/source/Cruella_de_Vil) and the latter being the first time comic book supervillains were adapted to film.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the *[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars)* films introduced [Darth Vader](/source/Darth_Vader) and [Emperor](/source/Emperor) [Palpatine](/source/Palpatine).

1980s films had villains like [Khan](/source/Khan_Noonien_Singh) in *[Star Trek](/source/Star_Trek)*, [John Kreese](/source/John_Kreese) in *[The Karate Kid](/source/The_Karate_Kid)* and its sequels, [Skynet](/source/Skynet_(Terminator)) in the *[Terminator](/source/Terminator_(franchise))* films, [Biff Tannen](/source/Biff_Tannen) in the *[Back to the Future](/source/Back_to_the_Future)* films, [The Joker](/source/The_Joker) in [Batman](/source/Batman_(1989_film)) and [Dark Helmet](/source/Dark_Helmet) in *[Spaceballs](/source/Spaceballs)*.

1990s films had villains like General Mandible in *[Antz](/source/Antz)*, [Dennis Nedry](/source/Dennis_Nedry) in *[Jurassic Park](/source/Jurassic_Park)*, Edgar in *[Men in Black](/source/Men_in_Black_(1997_film))*, [Van Pelt](/source/Van_Pelt) in *[Jumanji](/source/Jumanji_(film))*, Rameses in *[The Prince of Egypt](/source/The_Prince_of_Egypt)*, Carrigan in *[Casper](/source/Casper_(film))* and Shan-Yu in *[Mulan](/source/Mulan_(1998_film))*. The *Star Wars* prequels also introduced several villains in addition to those the franchise already had.

Early 2000s films like the [*Spider-Man* trilogy](/source/Spider-Man_(2002_film_series)), *[The Dark Knight Trilogy](/source/The_Dark_Knight_Trilogy)*, the *[Harry Potter](/source/Harry_Potter_(film_series))* films, *[The Lord of the Rings](/source/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(film_series))* films and *[Avatar](/source/Avatar_(2009_film))* all had villains like, [Green Goblin](/source/Green_Goblin), [Two-Face](/source/Two-Face), [Lord Voldemort](/source/Lord_Voldemort), [Saruman](/source/Saruman) and [Miles Quaritch](/source/Miles_Quaritch).

In the 2010s, the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](/source/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe) and the [DC Extended Universe](/source/DC_Extended_Universe) have had several notable supervillains such as [Thanos](/source/Thanos_(Marvel_Cinematic_Universe)) and [General Zod](/source/General_Zod).

## Female villain

[Louhi](/source/Louhi), the wicked queen and mistress of [Pohjola](/source/Pohjola), is a villain of the Finnish epic poetry compilation *[Kalevala](/source/Kalevala)*. [Rya](/source/Rya_(rug)) of *Louhi stealing the sun and the moon*, Joseph Alanen, c. 1909.

The term **villain** is the universal term for characters who pose as [catalysts](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/catalyst) for certain ideals that readers or observers find immoral, but the term "villainess" is often used to highlight specific traits that come with their female identity—separating them, in some aspects, from their male counterparts. The use of the female villain (or villainess) is often to highlight the traits that come specifically with the character and the abilities they possess that are exclusive to them. For example, one of the female villain's greatest weapons is her alluring beauty, sexuality or emotional intelligence. The perversion of inherently female traits in [storytelling](/source/Storytelling) also alludes to the [demonic](/source/Demon) display of the [succubus](/source/Succubus) and their affinity for utilizing their beauty as a weapon—a trait utilized by many female villains throughout modern fiction and mythology. However, this is not always the case. As seen often in animated films, female villains are portrayed with "ugly" appearances to contrast the beauty of the protagonist, in turn associating unattractiveness with evil. This paints female villains in a negative light compared to their heroine counterparts and showcases the duality of the female villain character.[21]

## Use of the term "villain" to describe historical figures and real-life people

The ethical dimension of history poses the problem of judging those who acted in the past, and at times, tempts scholars and historians to construct a world of black and white in which the terms "hero" and "villain" are used arbitrary and with the pass of time become interchangeable. These binaries of course are reflected to varying degrees in endless movies, novels, and other fictional and non-fictional narratives.[22]

As processes of [globalization](/source/Globalization) connect the world, cultures with different historical trajectories and political traditions will need to find ways to work together not only economically, but also politically. In this evolving framework of globalization, tradition, according to political theorists like [Edmund Burke](/source/Edmund_Burke), historical figures perceived and evaluated as either positive or negative become the embodiment of national political cultures that may collude or collide against one another.[23]

The usage of villain to describe a historical figure dates back to Tudor propaganda, pieces of which ended up influencing [William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare)'s portrayal of [Richard III](/source/Richard_III_of_England) as a spiteful and hunchback [tyrant](/source/Tyrant).[11]

## Sympathetic villain

This section needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

[Frankenstein's monster](/source/Frankenstein's_monster), an example of a sympathetic villain

The **sympathetic villain**, **anti-villain** or **tragic villain** is one with the typical traits of a villainous character but differs in their [motivations](/source/Motivation). Their intention to cause chaos or commit evil actions is driven by an ambiguous motivation or is not driven by an intent to cause evil. Their intentions may coincide with the [ideals of a greater good, or even a desire to make the world a better place](/source/Utilitarianism), but their actions are inherently evil in nature. An anti-villain is the opposite of an antihero. While the antihero often fights on the side of good, but with questionable or selfish motives, the anti-villain plays a villain's game, but for a noble cause in a way that the audience or other characters can sympathize with. They may be more noble or heroic than an antihero, but the means to achieve their ends are often considered exploitative, immoral, unjust, or simply evil. Characters who fall into this category are often created with the intention of humanizing them, making them more relatable to the reader/viewer by posing the "how" and "why" behind their motivations rather than simply creating a one-dimensional character. Because of their motives, many of these types of villains are commonly nicknamed "anti-villains".

American writer [Brad Warner](/source/Brad_Warner) has argued that "only cartoon villains cackle with glee while rubbing their hands together and dream of ruling the world in the name of all that is wicked and bad".[24] American writer [Ben Bova](/source/Ben_Bova) recommends to writers that their works not contain villains. He states, in his *Tips for writers*:

In the real world there are no villains. No one actually sets out to do evil . . . Fiction mirrors life. Or, more accurately, fiction serves as a lens to focus on what they know in life and bring its realities into sharper, clearer understanding for us. There are no villains cackling and rubbing their hands in glee as they contemplate their evil deeds. There are only people with problems, struggling to solve them.[25]

Following up on Bova's point, American writer [David Lubar](/source/David_Lubar) adds that the villain "may be driven by greed, neuroses, or the conviction that his cause is just, but he's driven by something, not unlike the things that drive a hero."[26]

## See also

- [Adversary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adversary)

- [Antagonist](/source/Antagonist)

- [Antihero](/source/Antihero)

- [Archnemesis](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/archnemesis)

- [Archenemy](/source/Archenemy)

- [Criminal](/source/Criminal)

- [Enemy](/source/Enemy)

- [Evil laughter](/source/Evil_laughter)

- [Heel (professional wrestling)](/source/Heel_(professional_wrestling))

- [List of soap opera villains](/source/List_of_soap_opera_villains)

- [Lovable rogue](/source/Lovable_rogue)

- [Nemesis (mythology)](/source/Nemesis_(mythology))

- [Raoul Villain](/source/Raoul_Villain)

- [Rival (disambiguation)](/source/Rival_(disambiguation))

- [Supervillain](/source/Supervillain)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-baddy-dictionary_1-0)** [The New Oxford Dictionary of English](/source/The_New_Oxford_Dictionary_of_English) (1998) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-861263-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-861263-X) – p.126 "**baddy** (also **baddie**) **noun** (pl. **-ies**) *informal* a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.".

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["villain"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140402110610/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/villain). *[Dictionary.com](/source/Dictionary.com)*. [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). Archived from [the original](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/villain) on 2014-04-02. Retrieved October 11, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["How to Write an Unforgettable Villain: Tips for Writing a Great Villain for Your Novel or Short Story"](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-an-unforgettable-villain-tips-for-writing-a-great-villain-for-your-novel-or-short-story). *MasterClass*. September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Robert K. Barnhart; Sol Steinmetz (1999). *Chambers Dictionary of Etymology*. New York: Chambers. p. 1204. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-550-14230-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-550-14230-4).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["villain"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181012053942/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/villain). *[Oxford Dictionaries](/source/OxfordDictionaries.com)*. Archived from [the original](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/villain) on October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [*The History of the Word 'Villain'*](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-villain-in-the-history-of-the-word-villain-isnt-the-villain). Retrieved August 22, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [*vile (adj.)*](https://www.etymonline.com/word/vile). Retrieved August 22, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["The greatest villains in literature"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/greatest-villains-literature/). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. September 8, 2017. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/greatest-villains-literature/) from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved March 26, 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-inquiriesjournal.com_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-inquiriesjournal.com_11-1) Blakeney, Katherine (2010). ["Perceptions of Heroes and Villains in European Literature"](http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/119/perceptions-of-heroes-and-villains-in-european-literature). *Inquires Journal*. **2** (1). Retrieved March 25, 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Propp_12-5) [Vladimir Propp](/source/Vladimir_Propp) (1968). [*Morphology of the Folk Tale*](https://archive.org/details/morphologyoffolk00prop) (2nd ed.). University of Texas Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-292-78376-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-292-78376-0). Retrieved September 5, 2019.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_14-0)** Sharmin, Sattar; Tania, Sanyat (January 2018). ["Gender Politics in the Projection of "Disney" Villains"](https://davidpublisher.com/Public/uploads/Contribute/5a2f76c6e2b71.pdf) (PDF). *Journal of Literature and Art Studies*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Brown, Adelia (2021). "Hook, Ursula, and Elsa: Disney and Queer-coding from the 1950s to the 2010s". *The Macksey Journal*. **2** (43): 7–9 – via Scholastica.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["The Birth of a Nation (1915) | Decent Films - SDG Reviews"](https://decentfilms.com/reviews/birthofanation#:~:text=There%20are%20offensive%20depictions%20of,the%20blacks%20to%20unruly%20behavior).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Sharmin, Tania; Sattar, Sanyat (January 2018). ["Gender Politics in the Projection of "Disney" Villains"](https://davidpublisher.com/Public/uploads/Contribute/5a2f76c6e2b71.pdf) (PDF). *Journal of Literature and Art Studies*. **8** (1): 53–57 – via David Publishing.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Miles, James (2010). ["Heroes and villains | The Historical Thinking Project Blog"](https://historicalthinking.ca/blog/598). Retrieved August 22, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Hanke, Katja; Liu, James (2015). ["Heroes and Villains of World History across Cultures"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4317187). *PLOS ONE*. **1** (1) e0115641. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2015PLoSO..1015641H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015PLoSO..1015641H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1371/journal.pone.0115641](https://doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0115641). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [4317187](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4317187). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [25651504](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25651504).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** [Brad Warner](/source/Brad_Warner) (2007). [*Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye*](https://archive.org/details/sitdownshutuppun00warn/page/119). New World Library. p. [119](https://archive.org/details/sitdownshutuppun00warn/page/119). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-57731-559-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-57731-559-9). Retrieved September 5, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** [Ben Bova](/source/Ben_Bova) (2008-01-28). ["Tips for writers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090821135403/http://benbova.com/tips2.html). *Ben Bova*. Archived from [the original](http://benbova.com/tips2.html) on 2009-08-21. Retrieved 2008-12-05.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** [Darcy Pattison](/source/Darcy_Pattison) (January 28, 2008). ["Villains Don't Always Wear Black"](https://www.darcypattison.com/writing/characters/villains-dont-always-wear-black/). *Fiction Notes*. Retrieved June 6, 2020.

## External links

- Quotations related to [Villain](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Villain) at Wikiquote

- Media related to [Villains](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Villains) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Stock characters List Archetype By role Protagonists Heroes Action hero Bard Chosen One Christ figure Dwarf Everyman Folk hero Knight-errant Dragonslayer White knight Mythological king Paladin Reluctant hero Superhero Cyberhero Legacy hero Super soldier Space marine Youngest son Antiheroes Byronic hero Superfluous man Lovable rogue Fool Man alone Outlaw Pirate Air pirate Space pirate Rake Tragic hero Trickster Tricky slave Supporting Sidekick Donor Imaginary friend Shoulder angel Straight man Redshirt Henchman Igor Consigliere Caporegime Goon squad Antagonists Villains Alazon Archenemy False hero Black Knight Double agent Evil twin Mole Dark lord Mad scientist Masked villain Supervillain Sympathetic villain Monsters Alien Bug-eyed monster Little green men Cyborg Demon Folk devil Evil clown Killer robot Killer toy Lovecraftian horror Minotaur Monster girl Mole people Mutant Goblin Orc Giant Cyclopes Ogre Troll Skeleton Slime Swamp monster Werewolf Hellhound Vampire Lesbian vampire Zombie Nazi zombie Zombie animal By stereotype Gendered Feminine Class S Laotong Damsel in distress Princess and dragon Final girl Girl next door Idealized Gibson Girl Princesse lointaine Southern belle Yamato nadeshiko Lady-in-waiting Fairy godmother Hag Cat lady Crone Loathly lady Witch Hooker with a heart of gold Ingénue Blonde Farmer's daughter Loosu ponnu Manic Pixie Dream Girl Strong female Dragon Lady Femme fatale Hawksian woman Jungle girl Queen bee Woman warrior Masculine Bad boy Jock Father figure Absent-minded professor Elderly martial arts master Mountain man Wise old man Ivan the Fool Jack Little Johnny Nice guy Prince Charming Cavalier Wizard Racialized American mappillai Barbarian Magical Negro Mammy Nice Jewish boy Noble savage Token Tragic mulatto White savior Classist Feral child Gentleman detective Gentleman thief Town drunk Village idiot By media Anime Bishōjo Bishōnen Magical girl Magical girlfriend Catgirl Seme and uke Truck-kun Tsundere Commedia dell'arte Brighella Columbina Harlequin Innamorati La Ruffiana Scapino Pulcinella Pierrot Vecchio Pantalone Il Dottore Il Capitano Zanni

Authority control databases International GND National France BnF data

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Villain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.