@mamascribbles's post on Artfol
i’m curious! what makes a villain truly terrifying or badass to y’all?
for me, it’s:
1. when they can keep calm in every and any situation (and if they do get angry it’s because that anger was already there by default; they don’t throw temper tantrums)
2. when they can play on a motivation or philosophy that most of us have in some way, cuz then it makes the audience sit there like “oh sh** that could be me if life somehow wore down my conscience”
3. when they use their charms to manipulate the heroes and the audience alike (i.e. they’re suave and sometimes even attractive)
4. all of the above lmaoMay 3, 2022
for me, it’s:
1. when they can keep calm in every and any situation (and if they do get angry it’s because that anger was already there by default; they don’t throw temper tantrums)
2. when they can play on a motivation or philosophy that most of us have in some way, cuz then it makes the audience sit there like “oh sh** that could be me if life somehow wore down my conscience”
3. when they use their charms to manipulate the heroes and the audience alike (i.e. they’re suave and sometimes even attractive)
4. all of the above lmaoMay 3, 2022
#questions
#qotd
#villains
Comments
Totally agree with your first point. Villains with explosive emotions are scary, but not as scary as a character that keeps their cards close to their chest. I also think villains that don't have any real motives are pretty horrifying! Like, they do horrific stuff but they just like to do it. They're really unpredictable and have absolutely no stakes in what happens, so they can't be reasoned with or threatened. Pretty terrible.
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•Villains who have a genuine good side but are unpredictable. Once someone thinks they’re the exception they get betrayed. Especially if the villain can’t control this and is truly kind at heart.
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•For me It’s a villain that has been beat down by the world so hard that he just stopped caring and now just wants to see the world burn 
basically like Joker
basically like Joker•
•I have a villain OC with the first trait, and he’s also persistent. VERY persistent
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•Tbh for some reason I have a hard time finding characters disturbing, terrifying or badass-
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•All of the above ^
But I'd like to add:
-villain who has nothing to loose and everything to gain if they succeed even once
I love that type, they can be pretty terrifying if they're written well!
But I'd like to add:
-villain who has nothing to loose and everything to gain if they succeed even once
I love that type, they can be pretty terrifying if they're written well!
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•villains who know everything there is to know about the hero and uses that information to toy with them. they kill or ruin the lives of the people the hero loves, or maybe they know bits of their dark past and use that to break them mentally. it’s the most frustrating thing to watch because of how helpless the hero becomes but it makes it so satisfying watching them break free from that.
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•Truly terrifying: when they want to take everything down with them when they’re almost beat. Like whyy just die already why do you have to ruin it for everyone. And badass: when they hate their enemies but they are kind to their friends. A lot of villains turn on the people who care for them, but I don’t like those villains lol
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•When they are really intelligent and can see your every move or has something up their sleeve.
Like Aizen from Bleach, but to be fair, he also has a ton of luck wich is almost bullshit.
Like Aizen from Bleach, but to be fair, he also has a ton of luck wich is almost bullshit.
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•I always am terrified by the villains who's logic is just almost right. Like their big evil point almost makes sense. Like they're about to kill a whole bunch of people but then they explain why and you're like "oh dang that actually makes sense oh my god no". Like its bad and awful. But dear God they've almost got a good plan.
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•A character that won't give up their goal even if it means hurting innocent people I suppose? 
This is tricky for me.
This is tricky for me.•
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their falsity, their hypocrisy, their guts to charm someone just to stab them when they least expect it or well, the typical crimes everyone is obviously scared of irl
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•They are sassy, they are slim and smooth and chill, they have a very devious personality, and that stuff, and they can handle difficult situations with ease
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•I'd say generally psychopathic/sociopathic tendencies.
The power to do something horrific and being completely unpredictable.
The other characters clearly are fearful of them and foreshadow their 'coming' by building up visually or verbal how terrifying they are long before they even show up in the story.
The power to do something horrific and being completely unpredictable.
The other characters clearly are fearful of them and foreshadow their 'coming' by building up visually or verbal how terrifying they are long before they even show up in the story.
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