Top 10 Mistakes Most Villains Make

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Many fictional villains have superhuman, supernatural, or magical abilities. While these powers can be an asset to them, oftentimes they lead to the villains’ death or disfigurement - case in point: “Iron Man 3.” In some cases, their abilities are literally corrupting them and eating away at their body or mind. Death by one’s own abilities is not always a gradual thing though, as many powers are so potent, or explosive, that they kill quickly merely by acquiring them. Regardless of how it happens, villains’ acquisition or use of such abilities can prove their undoing, like in “Kung Fu Panda 3.”

Some villains are better than others at getting a handle on their powers... until they forget about even having them. After super-powering their way along for 90 minutes of comic action, suddenly the villain will react as any normal person would react, instead of using their abilities to escape injury or death. For instance, when Superman has him in a headlock, Zod seemingly forgets that he can fly - though he does remember he has heat vision at least! Most people with super powers probably wouldn't forget about them, even if their life was in danger. Although this mistake is often made by heroes as well, when villains make it, it generally goes much worse for them.

Arrogance is the hallmark of many a villain, and their certainty in their superiority, particularly over the hero, is a frequent, classic, and often fatal mistake. Heroes can often come from humble beginnings or else appear unimpressive next to the power and might of the villain. Even facing a hero with superpowers doesn’t stop baddies from their unwavering belief in their own supremacy. You’d think bad guys would recognize when they don’t have a chance, but unfortunately for them, the idea that the protagonist could possibly vanquish them rarely enters their minds until it’s too late. Right, Trinity?

This works in theory, but rarely in practice. Villains will kidnap the hero’s family, friends, or love interest in the hopes of getting them to comply with their demands, whatever they may be. In the real world, this would probably work. But fiction has its own set of rules. If a protagonist’s loved ones are in danger, it will only make them more determined to thwart the antagonist, which they almost always do - especially if they have “a very particular set of skills, skills [that they] have acquired over a very long career.” This principle also applies to killing the hero’s loved ones, as this only makes them more driven to stop the villain and to use said skills to make them “a nightmare for people like them.”

Typically, the simplest solution is usually the correct one. Villains often subscribe to a…different…philosophy. Villains tend to favor plans that are needlessly complex and convoluted (ahem, “Futurama”’s Robot Devil). To accomplish their goals the way they want, they have to complete a ton of steps or else they must acquire whatever McGuffin the plot demands. Of course, while their plans are entertaining to watch unfold, they also given the hero ample opportunities to stop them or escape. From a meta-perspective, villains will probably always need to have these kinds of schemes – because otherwise they’d win.

Talk about reach exceeding grasp. Villains frequently come to ruin when they pursue their ambitions. There’s nothing wrong with going after your goals, so long as ambition is tempered by morality and intelligence – two qualities that numerous villains lack. The bad guys always seem to fail because they go after what they want with single-minded intensity, to the point where they ignore obvious warning signs and display a distinct lack of caution. Hello, Steppenwolf and Justin Hammer! This is especially evident in villains who back-stab their way to the top. The lesson is – if you’re going to be a villain, be smart about it.

If evil organizations have HR departments, they must get a hell of a lot of complaints! Villains tend to be awful people in general and terrible to those around them, particularly their henchmen or other underlings. Whether the abuse is verbal or physical, villains like to throw their weight around at those closest to them, particularly when things aren’t going their way. Kronk is just trying his best, okay, Yzma?! Their mistreatment of the ones who serve them often comes back to bite baddies in the end, as their much-abused minions will turn on them in a climactic moment - #sorrynotsorry Scar - helping the protagonists instead and bringing about the downfall of the villain.

A common flaw among villains is that they seek out power that is beyond their comprehension. These powerful forces can take the form of an ancient, mystical power, an alien being, technology, or just a bigger bad guy. Whatever their origin, villains will pursue these things to make the power their own, regardless of all the warning signs. Even if, by some miracle, they manage to harness the force for themselves, it is basically inevitable that things will end badly for them. Bottom line – villains need to study up if they’re going to pursue a power out of their depth. Those Nazis had it coming though, didn’t they, Indy?

The phrase “I should have killed you when I had the chance” goes hand in hand with this blunder. Villains rarely take the opportunity to kill the hero when they should, or worse, leave them unattended in an easily to escape trap or death machine. Many a James Bond movie demonstrates this. In some cases, death is considered to be too merciful by the villains, who want the hero to suffer rather than die, which is what Bane does to Batman. Whatever the circumstances, villains are unlikely to stop doing this any time soon, because, frankly, often the script demands it.

Villains love a good gloat. They’re a smug, evil bunch and they often want heroes to know just how much they’ve failed or how utterly without hope their situation is before they die. This is usually done in the form of a monologue and more often than not, it will all somehow just come out of their mouths even if they intend to explain themselves and get distracted. You know, just like Syndrome. Of course, by telling the hero their plan and then falling prey to our previous entry, villains usually guarantee their defeat, because by putting all the pieces together for the hero, the villain has given them exactly what they need to stop them. Many villains would probably succeed more regularly if they just learned to shut up.