Originally Posted by
Lightning Rider
These are the categories I tried to come up with, just for fun, that in my opinion encapsulate pretty much all DC villains (and comic book or fictional villains in general).
The Visionary Dictator
This villain is someone who seeks to gain as much influence and control as possible in order to become a global leader, or substantially reshape the social order in their vision. They're typically extremely intelligent and have a deep-rooted ideological conviction that creates the conflict in the story. An "ends-justify-the-means" mentality is also typical of this villain, often in spite of a noble cause. Their personality is egotistical and disciplinarian.
Examples: Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Black Adam, Ra's Al Ghul, Vandal Savage, General Zod, Gorilla Grodd, Ultra-Humanite, Oceanmaster, Count Vertigo, Poison Ivy
The Cosmic Demon
This character is an entity with power far beyond that of the typical comic book character. They have the ability to alter the forces of nature and the universe, and create threats on the grandest of scales. These villains tend to lack a human personality given their grandiose form of existence and single-mindedness.
Examples: Darkseid, the Anti-Monitor, Despero, Black Hand, Nekron, Ares, Trigon, Neron, Mongul
The Computer
This list would be incomplete without including the many forms of robotic and digital threats faced by DC heroes. Whether designed to threaten the world or simply self-aware in their quest to dominate, computer threats are cold single-minded inorganic machines that have no motivation other than to follow their programmed objective.
Examples: Braniac, Amazo, Red Volcano, Brother Eye & the OMACs
The Revenge Seeker
This villain has suffered some personal harm or tragedy at the hands of the hero, or a group of people the hero represents. This type of villain may have life goals of their own which do not involve defeating the hero, but their most prominent motivation is pure revenge. This revenge can be death, or the creation of tragedy in the hero's life.
Examples: Reverse Flash, Zoom, Black Manta, Superboy Prime, Red Hood (Jason Todd), Toyman, Cheetah, Mr. Freeze, Hank Henshaw, Hugo Strange
The Gangster
These types of villains aren't necessarily out to take over the world, or inflict harm for the sake of it. Their number one motivation is greed, and they bypass the law in order to satiate it. These characters are often selfish, in it for themselves, but have the ability to inspire fear and loyalty among other criminals through violence and rugged leadership.
Examples: Black Mask, Penguin, The Rogues (led by Captain Cold), the Court of Owls, the Royal Flush Gang, Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni
The Professional
Similar to the gangster, the professional isn't often out to take over the world and doesn't usually get any personal satisfaction out of killing or hurting people. Money is usually enough to make them happy. A key difference, however, is the attention they pay to their craft, which they apply hands-on, and their individualist style in getting the job done. These loner killers and saboteurs often have a personal code, and take pride in a job well done.
Examples: Deathstroke, Deadshot, Bane, Catwoman, KGBeast, Cheshire, Merlyn
The Psycho
The psycho villain's principal characteristic is that they don't see reality the way the rest of the normally-functioning world does. They're either convinced of experiencing things that aren't really there, have some uncontrollable obsession, don't have any empathy or connection to other living things, or simply have a warped and distorted perception. Although a psycho villain's motivations may vary, they all usually share the same behavior, which consists of unpredictable attempts at chaos and destruction. This villain can't be reasoned with, as they often forego concern for their own safety in their insanity.
Examples: The Joker, Harley Quinn, Szasz, Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, Professor Ivo, Dr. Alchemy, The Ventriloquist, Two-Face, Bizarro
The Plotter
The plotter's ego is enormous, matched only by their intelligence. These hyper-smart villains are usually compensating for a lack of physical strength. They seek the personal satisfaction of accomplishment through defeating the hero, and sometimes seek acknowledgement for their competence as well. The plotter often uses technology to create extremely elaborate and detailed plans that anticipate the hero's behavior.
Examples: The Riddler, The Key, Clock King, The Calculator, The Turtle, T.O. Morrow
The Mindless Monster
As the name suggests, the mindless monster is an incredibly strong and destructive threat, but has no complex thoughts or emotions. They are almost always enraged, and attack full force without much of a plan. The mindless monster may have a past identity or alternate form that is or resembles a human, which often creates a moral dilemma for the hero.
Examples: Doomsday, Man-Bat, Parallax, the Red Lanterns
The Thug
This villain has no remarkable motivations, no penchant for leadership, no committed ideology, but have an affliction or ability which makes them uniquely capable. They're in it to get-rich quick and often get manipulated by smarter villains with grander plans.
Examples: Metallo, Killer Croc, Clayface, Solomon Grundy, Sportsmaster
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