The most interesting villains are those with a backstory and a reason why they act the way they do. The kind that make you think, "wow, I'd do the same thing/kill as many people/be that much of a jerk in his position."

The Most Badass villains are those who simply enjoy the feel of being evil and can't be negotiated with, either because they want ultimate power or because they feel a special tickle as they snap a neck.

There are many excuses to be a villain, but what are the best you've heard, or can come up with?

Examples:

They killed my wife...vengeance must be had!

my father was a villain.

The rabbits make me do it!

You get the idea...

My friend at college once said this to me;

"The players of the Horde on WoW are only the bad guys because they are geeks, who feel the need to be bad ass to express themselves as an intimidating person because in real life thei're repressed and have no friends"

I laughed for ages.

There's some truth in there though. All of the Horde people I know in real life are all the stereotypial 'geek' kinds, and all the alliance people I know in real life are closer to what is stereotypically normal.

I don't know why, maybe he is right?

so that people wouldn't depend on me to save their lives

im usually on the side of good, but games like Fable and Fable 2 made me lean towards the side of evil because having people follow you all day and block your path all the time gets really annoying.

I'm only a villain because holding countries to ransom with orbital superweapons is an easier route into power than democracy.

"Playing Alliance gives little kiddies the chance to be the hero they always wanted to be. Playing Horde gives me the chance to punch those little kiddies in the face."

I always loved that quote.

My reasons are 'just because'. I really have no reason to be a good guy or bad guy, I just choose whatever, and I do either well(in games of course).

Because when you're crazy people don't expect you to be sane, but you can be anyways.

I'm a villain because I'm just that badass. And it's so much fun.

*Twitch.* The children.. they just don't stop...

Ago Iterum:
My friend at college once said this to me;

"The players of the Horde on WoW are only the bad guys because they are geeks, who feel the need to be bad ass to express themselves as an intimidating person because in real life thei're repressed and have no friends"

I laughed for ages.

There's some truth in there though. All of the Horde people I know in real life are all the stereotypial 'geek' kinds, and all the alliance people I know in real life are closer to what is stereotypically normal.

I don't know why, maybe he is right?

I always thought it was the other way around. Alliance filled with 'little kiddies' and Horde the mature and old folks.

cainx10a:

Ago Iterum:
My friend at college once said this to me;

"The players of the Horde on WoW are only the bad guys because they are geeks, who feel the need to be bad ass to express themselves as an intimidating person because in real life thei're repressed and have no friends"

I laughed for ages.

There's some truth in there though. All of the Horde people I know in real life are all the stereotypial 'geek' kinds, and all the alliance people I know in real life are closer to what is stereotypically normal.

I don't know why, maybe he is right?

I always thought it was the other way around. Alliance filled with 'little kiddies' and Horde the mature and old folks.

Kids do typically want to be the hero.

I guess there are exceptions in every case.

I think revenge is the best back-story for any villain. Because its easier to sympathize with the villains point of view - it can also be used to show the power of emotion.

Simple excuses ("because...thats why") just make th character seem pure evil. Now whilst that may suite a few situations, I find game, films or an median, more entertaining when you are even slightly unsure if you want he "bad guy" to fail.

As a villain, I want to be named Mothership Q and have a faithful budgie companion I want to call Senior Bird.
My excuse is my tragic view on humanity and the feeling that people need to suffer under my hand.

I've always been on the bad guys side when I watched cartoons and the protagonists always pissed me off.

Plus I love dicking around with people and watching them get all flustered and irrational.

Labyrinth:
I'm a villain because I'm just that badass. And it's so much fun.

*Twitch.* The children.. they just don't stop...

Taste good with gravy though.

I'm mainly choose the evil side because it affords you an easier route to get what you want. It's a lot easier to rise to power if you don't have to worry about what who your going to have to backstab and a lot easier to make money if you don't have to worry about who you need to profiteer off of.

That and because I like the feeling of being evil and hate small childrens....

Because, smiley face.

Oh me, I'm just filling in for captin doom. I'm actually the janitor.

TheGhostOfSin:
Taste good with gravy though.

Only if you get the right mixture of spices. Filthy little buggers. Fried strips of meat with a satay sauce works though.

One of my favorites is Trent from Kim Harrison's books. In an alternate universe where bio-engineering wiped out most humans, leaving Vampires, Witches, and Weres visible, Trent plays his own game: he keeps all three non-human groups and humans at arm's length, defies categorization (He isn't a Vampire, a Witch, a Were, or a human), and deals in Brimstone (an illegal drug), Biodrugs (even more illegal), and has no problem killing anyone who gets in his way.

And all because he needs the money for research. And I won't say what it is that he is researching, just to make all of you read the books. Suffice to say, once you find out, he's actually kind of worthy of some sympathy, if he weren't a twisted evil overlord who's dangerously intelligent and savvy.

Not sure why but I just prefer it when villains are evil simply because that's the way they are. No real inspiration they naturally just want to be evil or are completely psychotic. Adds to the villainy in their character through the lack of rationality I think.

I'm a villain because some kid in the "Make A Wish" program asked me to be.... So really, the villain is Terminally Ill Jimmy.

wewontdie11:
Not sure why but I just prefer it when villains are evil simply because that's the way they are. No real inspiration they naturally just want to be evil or completely psychotic. Adds to the villainy in their character through the lack of rationality I think.

I don't think you know what psychotic means.

bad rider:
Oh me, I'm just filling in for captin doom. I'm actually the janitor.

It's been a while since I've laughed out loud. Thanks.

As for me, it'd be power. Why do I want power? Power leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to divinity. You can see where I'm going with this...

The leading cause is usually a general misanthropic personality...that would be my excuse anyway.

My personal favourite is when they cease to see day to day tasks as reasonable. We've all been there. That asshole who cuts in the line in front of you then spends five minutes choosing what he wants to eat at McDonalds, probably not a brilliant example, but I'm talking a full on "Falling Down" scenario.

Looking at the state of the world I think everything being run by a single psychotic villan would actually be an improvement.
On one hand you can build giant sattelites (crap i forgot how to spell it) that rain death upon the land (I.E. command and conquer's Ion Cannon) On the other hand I'd have to have some paranoid security measures to make sure someone didn't "misfire" and hit me. Death by "friendly" fire is never fun.

I like the villains you can sympathize with.

Four Words;

I'm just a bully.

Because I have good ideas and the world would function better united under me.

Because I'm mentally unstable.

It's unintentional, in fact I'm trying to be good but am incredibly stupid and inept.

D_987:
I think revenge is the best back-story for any villain. Because its easier to sympathize with the villains point of view - it can also be used to show the power of emotion.

Simple excuses ("because...thats why") just make th character seem pure evil. Now whilst that may suite a few situations, I find game, films or an median, more entertaining when you are even slightly unsure if you want he "bad guy" to fail.

It's true it always feels good when you've realized you'd rather have the villain win (some heroes just aren't so great)

More movies/stories should have the villain win in the end, I think it makes for a better conclusion

I like villains who don't particularly think of themselves as evil, they just have conflicting ideas about what is considered "good".

TheGhostOfSin:

Labyrinth:

*Twitch.* The children.. they just don't stop...

Taste good with gravy though.

I thought that was orphans. Though I guess they are children most of the time.

Usually I'm on the good side. But of late I've been experiencing a bit of a transition over to the dark side. Mostly because I want revenge on so many people.

Clairaudient:

TheGhostOfSin:

Labyrinth:

*Twitch.* The children.. they just don't stop...

Taste good with gravy though.

I thought that was orphans. Though I guess they are children most of the time.

Oh god, actual quote from a guy in my Comp Sci class: "Fetuses taste good in a nice brown sauce." We couldn't stop laughing for 3 straight minutes. Even the teacher.

L.B. Jeffries:
I like villains who don't particularly think of themselves as evil, they just have conflicting ideas about what is considered "good".

That's actually my favorite kind of villain. Like Kain from Command & Conquer. The villains that think they are good and the good guys are evil.