History Main / EvilVirtues

* '''[[WillNotTellALie Honesty]].''' Though rare, some villains ''[[VillainsNeverLie don't]]'' [[ILied lie]], and insist that [[IGaveMyWord keeping a promise is a matter of honor]]. This does have the practical effect of people being more likely to trust them, even if they are known to be a villain. In organized crime settings, a villain will not get far without a reputation for honesty. This along with '''Humility''' below also makes their {{Breaking Speech}}es and {{The Reason You Suck Speech}}es more [[VillainHasAPoint accurate]] and [[BreakThemByTalking effective]].

* '''Creativity.''' When a villain is an EvilGenius or TheStrategist, they may be able to come up with good plans with whatever resources they have at their disposal, or even come up with OutsideTheBoxTatics, making it all the more likely for the hero to be caught off-guard.

* '''Flexibility''' While some villains believe their plan is infallible and are left at a loss when that plan ends up failing, some villains can actually [[XanatosSpeedChess adapt their plans on the fly if things don't work out as they intended]]. Their willingness to improvise can make them very effective in catching the enemy off-guard and ensure they don't go down so easily.

* '''Vigilance.''' Villains can be alert at all times, keeping their guard up and making it less likely for the hero to surprise them. Should they apparently defeat an enemy, they will not believe NoOneCouldHaveSurvivedThat and instead either DoubleTap or [[MakeSureTheyAreDead make sure the enemy is dead]]. This will make them CrazyPrepared in the rare event the enemy does manage to turn the tides, and in the case of mooks and soldiers, allow them to avert TheGuardsMustBeCrazy.

* '''Temperance.''' While many villains tend to do needlessly cruel actions ForTheEvulz, even when it doesn't benefit their goal, there are some villains who know restraint. [[EvenEvilHasStandards They may consider such actions too heinous for even them]], or because [[PragmaticVillainy they don't want to waste time, energy or resources doing something detrimental to their goal]]. This allows them to avoid carrying the VillainBall or performing StupidEvil actions.

Oh, and it lets them get all holier-than-thou and "NotSoDifferent" during a BreakingSpeech -- especially if the hero really ''is'' deficient in a virtue (or apparent virtue) the villain cherishes.

* '''Equality.''' Usually the remit of villains that see the bigger picture, if just because they are less concerned about any individual that suffers that their hands, but villains will often reward strength and punish weakness without caring who that person ''is''. TheSocialDarwinist may think only the strong should profit, but on the other hand ''any'' strong individual can profit.

* '''Gratitude.''' A villain may display gratefulness for various reasons, like helping them or [[SaveTheVillain saving their lives]]. They may [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe help you back in return]], make exceptions or ultimately do a HeelFaceTurn.
* '''[[WillNotTellALie Honesty]].''' Though rare, some villains ''[[VillainsNeverLie don't]]'' [[ILied lie]], and insist that [[IGaveMyWord keeping a promise is a matter of honor]]. This does have the practical effect of people being more likely to trust them, even if they are known to be a villain. In organized crime settings, a villain will not get far without a reputation for honesty. This also makes their {{Breaking Speech}}es and {{The Reason You Suck Speech}}es hold more weight.

* '''[[WillNotTellALie Honesty]].''' Though rare, some villains ''[[VillainsNeverLie don't]]'' [[ILied lie]], and insist that [[IGaveMyWord keeping a promise is a matter of honor]]. This does have the practical effect of people being more likely to trust them, even if they are known to be a villain. In organized crime settings, a villain will not get far without a reputation for honesty.

* '''Patience.''' Most heroes are HotBlooded, but bad guys are patient {{Chess Master}}s.

Villains are bad, it goes without saying. However, they can't be ''all'' bad for the simple reason that a character loaded down with '''all''' of the SevenDeadlySins (along with whatever other character flaws writers can think of) will be too lazy, gluttonous, envious, prideful, angry, lustful and miserly to ''do'' much of anything. A villain laden down with too many vices quickly becomes [[TheDevilIsALoser a loser]].

* '''Equality.''' Usually the remit of villains that see the bigger picture, if just because they are less concerned about any individual that suffers that their hands, but villains will often reward strength and punish weakness without caring who that person ''is''. The SocialDarwinist may think only the strong should profit, but on the other hand ''any'' strong individual can profit.

* '''[[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes Love]].''' Despite LoveRedeems, a surprising number [[UnholyMatrimony love either their spouses]], [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas parents]], [[DaddysLittleVillain children]], or even friends/underlings while remaining evil. Of course, it's worth mentioning that LoveMakesYouEvil and [[LoveMakesYouCrazy Crazy]]. With Love as a villain's virtue, the result is often UnholyMatrimony.

Contrast MrViceGuy, where a hero has an emblematic vice, VirtueIsWeakness, where the villain explicitly rejects all good traits, and CompleteMonster, for villains who have no redeeming qualities (except for maybe ambition, valor, determination and diligence).

Contrast MrViceGuy, where a hero has an emblematic vice, VirtueIsWeakness, where the villain explicitly rejects all good traits, and CompleteMonster, for villains who have no redeeming qualities.

-->-- ''{{Series/Scrubs}}'', "My Butterfly"

* '''Determination.''' Sometimes when a villain [[VillainousValor keeps on trying despite]] being stomped into the ground a million times, and still gets up and [[{{Determinator}} keeps going after his goals]] regardless of the constant beatings, you have to at least admire their tenacity somewhat. In general, [[VillainousBreakdown villainous breakdowns]] are significantly less common (though also more unexpected) than a [[HeroicBSOD hero falling to bits after a major defeat]].

This can mostly overlap with PureIsNotGood, as being evil with most of the virtues can lead to that dirrection.

This trope is very, ''[[OmnipresentTropes very]]'' common' in fact, it also qualifies as {{universal|tropes}}. Listing examples here would just be an exercise in futility.

* '''Gratitude''': A villain may display gratefulness for various reasons, like helping them or [[SaveTheVillain saving their lives]]. They may [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe help you back in return]], make exceptions or ultimately do a HeelFaceTurn.

* '''Resourcefulness.''' Another 50/50 split, resourceful villains are ''exceedingly'' dangerous because they will defy heroes TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty.

Even if they only have one vice, a villain is going to need a big heaping of icky good traits in order to accomplish their goals. They don't have to be an AntiVillain,[[note]](Though villains with enough virtues usually end up switching categories, if not pull a HeelFaceTurn)[[/note]] they just need to have one or more [[VirtueViceCodification virtues]] to get by. The reason for this is both practical and artistic. Practically, a villain with a virtue of some kind will have a way to put their schemes in motion and [[TheAntagonist effectively oppose]] TheHero. Without these virtues, authors would have to resort to making them a GenericDoomsdayVillain to get anything done. Artistically, it helps make the villain a RoundedCharacter, and helps make them [[DynamicCharacter dynamic]] if their virtue and vice are [[CharacterDevelopment somehow in conflict]].

This trope is very, ''[[OmnipresentTropes very]]'' common. Listing examples here would just be an exercise in futility.

* '''Gratitude''': A villain may display gratefulness for various reasons, like helping them or [[SaveTheVillain saving their lives]]. They may [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe help you back in return]], make exceptons or ultimately do a HeelFaceTurn.

* '''[[HonorAmongThieves Loyalty]]''' is a pretty even split between heroic and villainous. This isn't being a LawfulEvil RulesLawyer mind you, because these types can still be TheStarscream, but PowerOfTrust brand loyalty where even a ChaoticEvil type will avoid betrayal.

* '''Humility.''' Not all villains are smug and arrogant. Some are down to earth, personable, and modest. Common in a NoNonsenseNemesis, and a large part of what makes them terrifying foes. They acknowledge their own fallibility and rarely shoot [[ShootTheMessenger advisors for doing their job ]] or [[YouHaveFailedMe minions for failure]] of ThePlan. They will not be [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu enraged by insults]]. They are not concerned with [[EvilIsHammy making a spectacle]] or EvilGloating. This is a villain who ''will'' [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just shoot the hero]] or calmly inform them [[YouAreTooLate that the plan has already succeeded]]. If they give a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech it will likely be both [[VillainHasAPoint accurate]] and [[BreakThemByTalking effective]].

In The Pantheon/TropePantheon, this trope is represented by [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Vayne Carudas Solidor]] from the video game ''Final Fantasy XII''.