History Main / EVilOverlord

* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': Has the King of the Chimera Ants Meruem. Who was literally born to be the most powerful of his species and destined to conquer the world. At first he fits the entire criteria such as seeing everyone from humans to his own species as inferior and won’t hesitate to kill them, being born with immense unfathomable power, and taking over a nation in order to create an army to begin his conquest. [[spoiler: He surprisingly he grows from this after his encounter with Komugi, becoming an [[NobleDemon honorable]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-Intentioned]][[VisionaryVillain visionary]] who seeks to rule the world and end inequality along the way]].

* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': Has the King of the Chimera Ants Meruem. Who was literally born to be the most powerful of his species and destined to conquer the world. At first he fits the entire criteria such as seeing everyone from humans to his own species as inferior and won’t hesitate to kill them, being born with immense unfathomable power, and taking over a nation in order to create an army to begin his conquest. [[spoiler: He surprisingly he grows from this after his encounter with Komugi, becoming an [[NobleDemon honorable]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist well-Intentioned]][[VisionaryVillain visionary]] who seeks to rule the world and end inequality along the way]].

However, Olga ends up being a {{subversion}} over time. To begin with, she is actually the DiscOneFinalBoss since she is [[FallenPrincess ousted]] and later gets a HeelFaceTurn. As the readers see her HiddenDepths throughout the story ([[AdaptationExpansion especially]] in the remastered version), it is revealed that her motivation for starting the ForeverWar against Eostia is not some generic [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]], or conquest for that matter. Rather, it is her {{wrath}} for the FantasticRacism and subsequent enslavement of the dark elves, which leads to her prejudiced hatred of humanity as a whole. Last but not least, for all her flaws, especially the time where she [[EtTuBrute sacrificed]] one of her cities to the orcs, she's neither a [[AGodAmI megalomaniac]] nor an [[MadeOfEvil incarnation of evil]].

* GWAR counts as this as well, along with their enemies Cardinal Syn and the Master.

-->-- '''Darkseid''', ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', "[[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS2E25E26ApokolipsNow Apokolips... Now! (Part 2)]]"

He usually lurks in an [[EvilTowerOfOminousness intimidating fortress]] in a [[{{Mordor}} near-uninhabitable landscape]], plotting to TakeOverTheWorld (if he [[VillainWorld doesn't already rule it]] or has already taken over parts of it), with hordes upon hordes of beastlike warriors (who may be none too bright) at his beck and call.

Not to be confused with the video game ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' and its sequels, nor the novel series ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'' (although they both feature one of these guys as the protagonist).

* Emperor Beld and Wagnard from ''Anime/RecordOfLodossWar''.

** [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] with Thanos. Unlike Darkseid ([[DarkseidDuplicate his primary inspiration]]), Thanos isn't interested in ruling or conquering worlds, specially under his creator Creator/JimStarlin. However, he has been depicted as a straight example in recent years since ''ComicBook/{{Infinity}}''.

** [[MagnificentBastard General Tarquin]] is one of the [[TheManBehindTheMan Men behind the Dragon]] to the Empress of Blood. He's found his chances of survival are improved by acting as a mercenary commander for other Evil Overlord wannabes rather than sitting on the throne himself, but he still runs the show along with his [[SinisterMinister snakefolk cleric friend]] [[spoiler:and, it turns out, the other four members of his old adventuring party]]. He's also ([[FauxAffablyEvil convincingly]]) so AffablyEvil that it is approaching DracoInLeatherPants levels of sympathy among a portion of the fandom. Others, it seems, like him less with every strip.

In battle, the Evil Overlord can be a variety of things, but he is generally the [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking most powerful of his forces]]. He can be (and is quite often) a physical warrior [[TinTyrant decked in armor]] and usually [[FrontlineGeneral fighting on the frontlines]]. Some overlords, however, rely more on [[SorcerousOverlord magical power]] and may be frail and weak in battle, but world-bendingly powerful when they have time to scheme and prepare. Others [[OrcusOnHisThrone just tend to hang behind the action]].

** For a RareFemaleExample, the Dark (Elf) Queen Olga [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Discordia]] is set up as this the old-fashioned way. She lurks in an [[EvilTowerOfOminousness intimidating fortress]] (the Black Fortress) amid a {{Mordor}} in [[GrimUpNorth the North]] (Garan), with the AlwaysChaoticEvil fantasy races [[TheWomanBehindTheMonsters under her command]]. She's [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking the most powerful among her forces]] due to her [[LadyOfBlackMagic sorcerous powers]], yet [[OrcusOnHerThrone hangs behind the action]]. Moreover, she has attributes of a SatanicArchetype (e.g. {{Pride}}, [[MsFanservice beauty]], association with [[PlayingWithFire fire]] and [[DarkIsEvil dark]], rebellion against the [[CrystalDragonJesus Goddess Reborn]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] the [[IHaveManyNames many names]]).\\

** ''Comicbook/TheWarlord'': One of the more common types of foe, with Deimos being the most dangerous and most persistent.

* The Lord Marshal of the Necromongers in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick''. The supreme ruler of a tyrannical [[ReligionOfEvil death cult]] / conquering civilization of superhuman warriors, his goal is to subjugate and destroy every world in the cosmos and lead them to a promised land of darkness they call the Underverse, which he has visited in his pilgrimage. Outright supernatural himself, and [[http://www.legionxxiv.org/riddicklord03.jpg he's got the look down pat]].

* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse: Darkseid makes his first live action film appearance in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''. He spearheaded an invasion of Earth in the distant past, and in present-day he can be seen among his court on the [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace aptly named]] Apokolips, surrounded by hundreds of Parademon soldiers and dominating them by his [[LargeAndInCharge sheer height, massive presence]] and GlowingEyesOfDoom.

* Light Yagami or Kira more or less becomes this in the second half of ''Manga/DeathNote''.

* Claw from ''Manga/KimbaTheWhiteLion''.

** Olga [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Discordia]], the Dark (Elf) Queen, is set up as this the old-fashioned way. She lurks in an [[EvilTowerOfOminousness intimidating fortress]] (the Black Fortress) amid a {{Mordor}} in [[GrimUpNorth the North]] (Garan), with the AlwaysChaoticEvil fantasy races [[TheWomanBehindTheMonsters under her command]]. She's [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking the most powerful among her forces]] due to her [[LadyOfBlackMagic sorcerous powers]], yet [[OrcusOnHerThrone hangs behind the action]]. Moreover, she has attributes of a SatanicArchetype (e.g. {{Pride}}, [[MsFanservice beauty]], association with [[PlayingWithFire fire]] and [[DarkIsEvil dark]], rebellion against the [[CrystalDragonJesus Goddess Reborn]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] the [[IHaveManyNames many names]]).\\

* ''Manga/OnePiece'' has Kaido "of the Beasts", who lords over battalions of underlings and territories under his command [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority purely for his combat ability]].

** ''Comicbook/{{Superman}}'''s ComicBook/LexLuthor, in some incarnations, resembles a modern Evil Overlord: a CorruptCorporateExecutive with a skyscraper fortress and a suit of PoweredArmor for when he needs to get his hands dirty. However, he keeps up his VillainWithGoodPublicity status meticulously.
** ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} embodies[[note]] and yes, literally "embodies"; he's the AnthropomorphicPersonification of Tyranny[[/note]] virtually every aspect of this trope, on a cosmic scale. There's a reason he's the one quoted at the top of the page.

** ComicBook/DoctorDoom, is probably the closest you could get to the classic depiction in a modern setting. He's the ruler of Latveria, and while his official title shifts between "dictator" and "absolute monarch", he is consistently an autocrat. Unlike most Evil Overlords, he isn't oppressive to his people, he actually makes it a point to maintain the prosperity of his subjects but due to his personal issues he likes to keep them isolated from the outside world and in a near-medieval [[{{Ruritania}} Ruritanic]] state. He is also a MadScientist who wears PoweredArmor, and a [[SorcerousOverlord surprisingly powerful sorcerer]] who wants to TakeOverTheWorld, because he genuinely believes that the world would be a more peaceful place under his rule (he has looked into a number of alternate universes, and the one he saw where Victor Von Doom had succeeded in conquering the whole world was a total utopia)
** EldritchAbomination DimensionLord Dormammu seeks to conquer every realm there is so he can impose his will on all life and afterlife. He is also worshipped by lots and lots of beings (many of them are magical ones, mind you) across all reality, and most of them are happy to act as his [[{{Mooks}} foot soldiers]]
** Mephisto, the Marvel Universe's primary SatanicArchetype also fits the bill. Bonus points for his home dimension being a classic FireAndBrimstoneHell.
** The ''ComicBook/XMen'' villain ComicBook/{{Apocalypse}} takes this role in the BadFuture ruled by him and the AlternateHistory ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' timeline, where he conquered North America and divided the world among himself and his generals. Given his SocialDarwinist beliefs, he rules his domains as dog-eat-dog hellholes where only those he considers strong enough are allowed to live.
** ComicBook/{{Loki}} takes on this role sometimes, but it doesn't usually last long.
** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk's evil alternate self the ComicBook/{{Maestro}} in ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulkFutureImperfect'' who ruled as a brutal despot in a [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalyptic society]] with an iron fist and lives off as a hedonist that surrounds himself with concubines. He is still a dangerous foe, since he has Banner's intellect, the Hulk's strength augmented several times and absolutely no moral inhibitions.

** ZigZagged with ComicBook/{{Thanos}}. Unlike Darkseid (his primary inspiration), Thanos isn't interested in ruling or conquering worlds, specially under his creator Jim Starlim. However, he has been depicted as a straight example in recent years since ''ComicBook/{{Infinity}}''.
* ComicBook/{{Arawn}} seems like a textbook example at first a fell being [[TinTyrant clad in dark armor]] and known by [[SarcasmMode many colorful names]] such as Lord of the [[{{Mordor}} Burning Lands]], [[EveryoneHatesHades King of the Underworld]] and [[GodOfEvil God of Wrath]], to name a few. However, [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype he turns out to be a pretty tragic figure with a sad backstory]], as he tells the readers.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Solus from ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' is the god-like ruler of Earth-001 and patriarch of an immortal clan that sustains themselves on [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing totems]].
* One of the more common types of foe in ''Comicbook/TheWarlord''. Deimos was the most dangerous and most persistent.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SpidermanUnlimited'' has the High Evolutionary, the authoritarian lord of the Counter-Earth that has enslaved humanity beneath the boots of his Bestials minions. He also looks the part with his spikes and long cape.

-->-- '''Darkseid''', ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', "Apokolips... Now! (Part 2)"

* Mumm-Ra in ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' is an demonic mummy that inhabits a sinister pyramid and is said to be the source of all evil in the Third Earth. As such he cannot ever be destroyed due to his body being restored AsLongAsThereIsEvil. While he doesn't command armies, he has a few pawns in the Mutants of Plun-Darr and the other villains of the week that agree to work with him.

->''"I am power unlike any you have known: absolute, infinite, and unrelenting. You have no choice but to prepare for a long dark future as my subjects--and my slaves."''
-->-- '''ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}''', ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', "Apokolips... Now! (Part 2)"

* The ''Franchise/{{Ben 10}}'' franchise has good ol' Vilgax, the series' first BigBad. As the show has more of a RoguesGallery approach than all evil coming from one guy, he's got plenty of competition:
** Milleous, aka "Lord Emperor Milleous, Light of the Incursion Empire, Destroyer of Galaxies, Keeper of the Conquest Ray, all beings tremble-" (that's the farthest anyone's ever gotten when trying to say the title.) At first the Incursions were played for comedy, but have recently come in force to become the series' new BigBad.

* Trigon the Terrible from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. Being the ruler of a Hell-like who sought to conquer everything that exists qualifies.

* [[TheCaligula Emperor Ganishka]] of Kushan in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. He [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty kidnaps]] Queen Charlotte and creates a demonic army by dropping pregnant women into an EldritchAbomination, after which their corrupted children rip themselves out of their mothers' wombs and devour them. Playing this trope straight is probably the only reason that ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' isn't a complete [[DeconstructorFleet deconstruction]] of HeroicFantasy.
** Instead it moves it into straight DarkFantasy territory.

* Lord Tedd in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', but his [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-05-17 self-proclaimed]] "[[SubordinateExcuse voluntary servant]]" (it's not entirely clear what position she holds, but it's important) thinks he's a good guy under "[[PoisonousFriend corrupting influence]]".

* Queen Esmerelda of ''Anime/MagicalWitchPuniechan'' is the queen of the supposed MarySuetopia Magical Land. She's also an massively evil being who issues slave labor for public transportation, ruthlessly dispatches with protesters and gained her position via slander and mudslinging against the previous rulers. The main character Punie is a MagicalGirl Evil Overlord in training.

* Maou from ''LightNovel/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'' was the demon king until Emilia defeated him. After fleeing to Earth, he's trying to regain his throne and TakeOverTheWorld by climbing the career ladder at [[WcDonalds MgRonalds]].

* ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'': Every decade an Demon Lord raises from the pits of Hell to destroy the cities of Man and overthrow the Gods. They represent an cyclical existential threat to the setting but here is the twist: the Demon Lord is an VillainOfAnotherStory since Goblin Slayer and his associates are too focused in exterminating goblins to focus on him, as such, its the job of [[HeroOfAnotherStory other adventurers]] to handle the Demon Lord and his generals.

* The protagonist Aur from ''LightNovel/MaouNoHajimekata'' is one (a VillainProtagonist to be exact). The setting gives a reason for why Aur decided to become a Demon Lord ([[MisanthropeSupreme revenge on humanity]] after an [[NoodleIncident unspecified betrayal]]), however it does not make him sympathetic, as he still goes on to commit many evil and extremely devilish deeds.

* ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'' has the main character. Although at first he isn't this trope, he is getting there as the novels go on. [[spoiler:By the time of Volume 9, he has officially become one.]]

** Vault later [[TheUsurper usurps]] Olga's role and [[PlayedStraight plays it straighter]][[spoiler: in the original version]]. A self-proclaimed king who wants to build a [[SexSlave Sex]] [[TheEmpire Empire]], he is the BigBad that resides in the same place as above and commands the same {{mooks}}, in addition to the Black Dog mercenaries that make up his entire ArmyOfThievesAndWhores. Unlike most examples, he ''does not'' have overwhelming power -- he would risk being on the receiving end of a CurbStompBattle courtesy of [[WorldsStrongestMan Kyril]] (which does happen twice), if he were to directly engage with TheAlliance. Therefore, he [[OrcusOnHisThrone spends most of his time in the fortress]] plotting [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs invasions]], [[VillainWithGoodPublicity securing alliances with his supporters]], and [[RapeDiscretionShot helping himself with the female dark elves captured throughout Garan]].

** The ''ComicBook/XMen'' villain Apocalypse takes this role in the BadFuture ruled by him and the AlternateHistory ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' timeline, where he conquered North America and divided the world among himself and his generals. Given his SocialDarwinist beliefs, he rules his domains as dog-eat-dog hellholes where only those he considers strong enough are allowed to live.
** Loki takes on this role sometimes, but it doesn't usually last long.
** ComicBook/IncredibleHulk's evil alternate self [[FutureMeScaresMe Maestro]] in ''Future Imperfect'' who ruled as a brutal despot in a [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalyptic society]] with an iron fist and lives off as a hedonist that surrounds himself with concubines. He is still a dangerous foe, since he has Banner's intellect, the Hulk's strength augmented several times and absolutely no moral inhibitions.
** Kang the Conqueror is notable for ruling various worlds like this across all of time. He is also partly responsible for the afromentioned Apocalypse turning out like he did.

He usually lurks in an [[EvilTowerOfOminousness intimidating fortress]] in a [[{{Mordor}} near-uninhabitable landscape]], plotting to TakeOverTheWorld (if he [[VillainWorld doesn't already rule it]] or has already taken over parts of it), with hordes upon hordes of beastlike warriors (who must be [[OurOrcsAreDifferent none too bright]], otherwise they would've overthrown him) at his beck and call.

* Everyone believes Ami to be one of these in Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi despite her best efforts to convince them otherwise.

* The Psyche Master from ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'', although it's played with as the only evil thing he ever did was take Empath away from Papa Smurf and raise him as a Psyche. (He's basically the series' {{Expy}} of the MCP from ''Film/{{Tron}}''.)
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/37557 The Charming Universe]]'': in which Franchise/HarryPotter becomes a "[[DarkIsNotEvil Benevolently]] [[DeadpanSnarker Snarky]] Dark Lord."

* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'': [[FallenHero Raiden]] becomes this after he CameBackWrong at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''. At first, he starts out as a WellIntentionedExtremist with of a bit of the HeWhoFightsMonsters and KnightTemplar personalities, but the thunder god becomes a straight villain after crossing the MoralEventHorizon by mass-zapping Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei to near-death just for questioning him. [[DisproportionateRetribution He's now more than willing]] [[AxCrazy to injure, kidnap and kill]] [[TheUnfettered anybody who questions him]], and many of his former allies realized this the hard way; they even call him a [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] [[AxCrazy monster]] who's now willing to [[OmnicidalManiac instigate]] [[ApocalypseHow Armageddon]] just for his [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]] [[ForTheEvulz gains]].
* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' has two examples.
** Olga [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Discordia]], the Dark (Elf) Queen, is set up as this the old-fashioned way. She lurks in an [[EvilTowerOfOminousness intimidating fortress]] (the Black Fortress) amid a [[GrimUpNorth northern]] {{Mordor}} (Garan), with the AlwaysChaoticEvil fantasy races [[TheWomanBehindTheMonsters under her command]]. She's [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking the most powerful among her forces]] due to her [[LadyOfBlackMagic sorcerous powers]], yet [[OrcusOnHerThrone hangs behind the action]]. Moreover, she has attributes of a SatanicArchetype (e.g. {{Pride}}, [[MsFanservice beauty]], association with [[PlayingWithFire fire]] and [[DarkIsEvil dark]], rebellion against the [[CrystalDragonJesus Goddess Reborn]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and]] the [[IHaveManyNames many names]]).
*** However, Olga ends up being a {{subversion}} over time. To begin with, she is actually the DiscOneFinalBoss since she is [[FallenPrincess ousted]] and later gets a HeelFaceTurn. As the readers see her HiddenDepths throughout the story ([[AdaptationExpansion especially]] in the remastered version), it is revealed that her motivation for starting the ForeverWar against Eostia is not some generic [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]], or conquest for that matter. Rather, it is her wrath for the FantasticRacism and subsequent enslavement of the dark elves, which leads to her prejudiced hatred of humanity as a whole. Last but not least, for all her flaws, especially the time where she [[EtTuBrute sacrificed]] one of her cities to the orcs, she's neither a [[AGodAmI megalomaniac]] nor an [[MadeOfEvil incarnation of evil]].
** Vault later usurps Olga's role and [[PlayedStraight plays it straighter]][[spoiler: in the original version]]. A self-proclaimed king who wants to build a [[SexSlave Sex]] [[TheEmpire Empire]], he is the BigBad that resides in the same place as above and commands the same {{mooks}}, in addition to the Black Dog mercenaries that make up his entire ArmyOfThievesAndWhores. Unlike most examples, he ''does not'' have overwhelming power -- he would risk being on the receiving end of a CurbStompBattle courtesy of [[WorldsStrongestMan Kyril]] (which does happen twice), if he were to directly engage with TheAlliance. Therefore, he [[OrcusOnHisThrone spends most of his time in the fortress]] plotting [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs invasions]], [[VillainWithGoodPublicity securing alliances with his supporters]], and [[RapeDiscretionShot helping himself with the female dark elves captured throughout Garan]].
* In ''Fanfic/QueenOfShadows'', due to [[RewritingReality alterations to the Book of Ages]], Jade finds herself in a new reality wherein she's taken over the life of the latest Queen of the Shadowkhan, making her ruler of an [[TheEmpire empire]] that's aggressively taking over Japan one island at a time. And try as she might to [[LesserOfTwoEvils minimize the damage]] while avoiding detection by the actual Shadowkhan, Jade is slowly BecomingTheMask and identifying more with them than the humans she's trying to protect.
** And then there's Shendu, who in this time period is ruling over half of China, and a chunk of Southeast Asia, with an iron fist.

*** However, Olga ends up being a {{subversion}} over time. To begin with, she is actually the DiscOneFinalBoss since she is [[FallenPrincess ousted]] and later gets a HeelFaceTurn. As the readers see her HiddenDepths throughout the story ([[AdaptationExpansion especially]] in the remastered version), it is revealed that her motivation for starting the ForeverWar against Eostia is not some generic [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]], or conquest for that matter. Rather, it is her {{Wrath}} for the FantasticRacism and subsequent enslavement of the dark elves, which leads to her prejudiced hatred of humanity as a whole. Last but not least, for all her flaws, especially the time where she [[EtTuBrute sacrificed]] one of her cities to the orcs, she's neither a [[AGodAmI megalomaniac]] nor an [[MadeOfEvil incarnation of evil]].