Top 10 Worst Villain Cliches

Villains are often the spice of any story, bringing the drama, tension, and stakes that keep you hooked. But let's face it - some villain tropes are so overused or poorly executed that they leave you rolling your eyes instead of gripping your seat.

Maybe it's a villain whose grand plan doesn't make any sense, or one who spends more time monologuing than actually being threatening. Or it could be something as simple as their ridiculous costume or the predictable way they meet their end.
The Top Ten
Wanting to rule over something

Even the villains in real life are doing it.

"I want to rule... THE WORLD!"

Having an evil laugh

I absolutely hated this cliché as a kid, and it definitely hasn't changed with age. The only time I've ever really enjoyed an evil laugh was when it was presented in an ironic way with a solid joke or punchline to back it up, like the self-aware, semi-absurdist humor of Emperor's New Groove.

Falling to their death
Having an extremely deep voice

Remember Falsetto Jones from Kim Possible?

Being crazy
Having a bad childhood

Naruto ruined this cliché. Does almost every single antagonist, main or minor, need a tragic past?

This honestly is a pretty good cliché and it provides a more three-dimensional personality and motive for a villain. But when it's overdone, as in the case of Naruto, then there's a problem.

This one is way too common. Especially the whole thing about the villain being bullied as a kid and wanting revenge on humanity for treating them that way. Even as a kid, I noticed this and hated it.

I feel like this is commonly overused in a lot of stories I read and isn't used in a sensible way.

Having henchmen with low intelligence

Can't the villain hire better ones? Or are they like the antagonist's cousins or something?

If they want to succeed then they need good help. It's just common sense.

Stormtroopers in a nutshell.

Giving the heroes enough time to survive

I mean, movies like Saw, that's the point of it. But yes, it is kind of stupid when the villain purposely lets the protagonist get away for whatever reason.

As a kid, I always hated this cliche because I wondered why they wouldn't annihilate the protagonist quickly if they had tried so hard to get them.

This was perhaps the worst thing about Despicable Me 3. When Bratt is about to laser Gru to death, they change scenes with Dru and Bratt, and every time they change to Bratt, the laser is like three meters further away than it was the previous scene. I was like "WHY!" when I saw it.

Being thought dead but actually surviving

Cough... Baby Driver...

Believing they are doing the right thing

Judge Claude Frollo is probably the best example of this cliche. He's a noble, he holds a lot of social power, and he's a Christian. So, of course, he thinks he's the good guy. Coupled with the fact that Frollo's actions are downright inhumane, even murderous, that makes his death all the more satisfying.

UPDATE: Frollo is not symbolic of all Christian peoples. His morals are the exact opposite. A true Christian should never harm anyone else because of their religion, sexuality, racial background, but should embrace it and treat them like real people. Frollo is so vile and deluded that you just cannot call him anything but a monster.

The Newcomers

? Calling people 'fools'

All the time.

? Giving a scary speech during the climax
The Contenders
Having an easy-to-escape death trap
Wearing dark clothing

Makes things too obvious.

Saying 'You will die' to the hero

On par with the CD-i Zelda games' dialogue, this is what happens when you're campy enough for a one-liner but not creative enough to come up with anything else.

Being naturally evil

I'm gonna take over the world because I'm EVIL! Then Imma rob Legoland because I'm EVIL!

Killing their own henchmen

This is ridiculous.

Being an animal commonly stereotyped as a villain
Wanting to kill everyone or destroy the world

I never really understood this one. In realistic terms, nobody would ever try to destroy the world. Another cliché that's similar to this one is the villain wanting to rule over the world. That is also an unrealistic goal and anyone with a brain can understand that.

Talking instead of killing
Hating the protagonist more than anyone else

Even cartoon villains must learn the hardest way possible.

Looking more effeminate or androgynous than the hero
Watching the protagonists through a magic orb

This is almost exclusively for fantasy stories, so it's not too common overall.

Smoking
Being a family member of the hero
Being associated with darkness

Nights help nature.

Wearing a longer coat than the hero
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