History Main / Heel

* Several characters in ''Manga/SekaiDeIchibanTsuyokuNaritai'', as it's an anime about female pro-wrestling. The heels usually wear masks and usually utilizes underhanded tactics like using a shinai for a submission hold, or having their assistants hamper their opponent.

Virtually all the heel managers, from Wrestling/MrFuji to [[Wrestling/JamesMitchell Father Mitchell]], are chickenshit. That's because most of them went to wrestling school but were too small, or didn't have the right look. Same with a lot of referees. Of course, you have photographers like Wrestling/JimCornette and Wrestling/PaulHeyman, who hung around it for so long that they got roped in.[[note]]There are only a few babyface managers, and most of the time they came across as a hype man/cheerleader. But some of them are iconic such as Arnold Skaaland (who managed Wrestling/BrunoSammartino), Wrestling/BobBacklund, and Cousin Slim of The Scufflin' Hillbillies.[[/note]]

* Discussed in one issue of ''Franchise/ArchieComics''. Reggie spends half the issue heckling and booing a wrestler who in turn is spitting threats and insults at him. Later on Reggie gets a flat tire and ''[[BullyingADragon that same wrestler]]'' pulls over to help. Reggie's terrified until the wrestler reveals he's a MeanCharacterNiceActor and explains that, as the heel, he's ''supposed'' to be hated by the audience and that it's all part of the act. Then he replaces Reggie's tire and asks him to keep up the heckling at the next match.

* Jake Roberts was unfortunate in that steroids didn't have the desired muscle-building effect on his body, and he just got fatter. But he still looked the part.

** However, he toned this down quite a bit after Super Bowl 50, when the Denver Broncos defense force-fed him a large slice of humble pie. The following season, all the opponents for the Carolina Panthers followed the example of the Denver Broncos and played complete smashmouth defense on him, resulting in Cam Newton taking some incredibly vicious hits and the Panthers having a 6-10 season.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has Fire Nation Man, an Earth Kingdom professional bender who dresses like a Fire Nation soldier, waves their flag, preaches their greatness, and bends sand to resemble fire. Unsurprisingly, and intentionally so, he's the resident HateSink among the fans who gets easily taken down by popular benders like The Boulder while the fans cheer on his defeat.

6. The '''{{Bitch|Alert}}'''. Female heels used to fulfill one of two roles: Scary hag or big bruiser. (See TheGiant or "Psycho" above.) A good female babyface is a potential role model for young girls, so her clothes are meant to convey tradition and athleticism. Everything about the bitch is alluring: provocative entrance poses, boob zippers, illusion netting simulating nudity, and so on. They lean toward the 'woman of loose morals' stereotype ([[PsychoLesbian homoeroticism]] included), pompous attitude, and an obsession with shiny things.

* In ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'', the model of Navi typically employed by -- or found operating autonomously as -- criminals is called a [=HeelNavi=]. They have a more intimidating appearance than regular Navis, and usually a mean, thuggish personality to match. In the poorly-translated fourth game they were referred to as "[[BlindIdiotTranslation HealNavis]]" instead.

** Incineroar, the final form of ''[[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Sun and Moon's]]'' Fire starter, is explicitly categorized as the "Heel Pokémon", is part [[CombatPragmatist Dark]] rather than Fighting, and is described as being a dirty enough fighter to even attack non-combatants like the opposing Pokémon's Trainer. Incineroar represents ''puroresu'', the Japanese take of the American-based professional wrestling (similar to characters like [[Franchise/StreetFighter R. Mika]]). One thing that defines this is despite his heel status, he is still cheered by the audience, as heels in puroresu operate in a slightly different way. [[FriendToAllChildren They're also said to especially enjoy the cheers of young Pokémon and children.]]

** Many of the recurring boxers, such as Bald Bull, Great Tiger, or Vodka Drunkenski fit the "Monster"/"Foreign" trope nicely. Bear Hugger represents literally every single stereotype of his country at once, although he's more of a NatureHero than your typical heel. (The best part is that the studio who made the game is Canadian.)

* Strong Bad from ''Tag Team Wrestling'' (1983), who was later recycled as the star of ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner''.

2. The '''[[TheFightingNarcissist Narcissist]]'''. Overinflated, good-looking heel. [[ArrogantKungFuGuy They know they are better]] than anyone else on the roster, and that adds to the ego, which gives them great heat. Go look at the wildly-popular [[UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship UFC]]. Look at people like Tito Ortiz or UsefulNotes/ConorMcGregor. If they were pro wrestlers, they would be heels. They talk shit constantly, and fans actually pay money with the hopes of seeing them lose. (Which is a win/win for the company.) But they don't run away (well, unless you're Tito), or use steel chairs, or call for interference. They take on the #1 contender and either demolish them or go down swinging.

1. The '''[[MilesGloriosus Chickenshit]]'''. Bog standard heel from the golden age. (You know the type, the ones who kept [[Wrestling/FreddieBlassie Fred Blasse]] in business.) They [[CombatPragmatist cheat]] a ton, exaggerate about everything, change the rules each time they lose, use [[HumanShield bystanders as shields]], and win on [[DisqualificationInducedVictory technicalities]]. Plus, they have that punchable face which is damn-near a blueprint for CheapHeat.

3. '''GorgeousGeorge'''. The spiritual father of all polyamorous wrestlers, Wrestling/GeorgeWagner invented the modern concept of the heel and pro wrestling itself, in addition to having a big influence on sports in general (see "Real Life" entry). The stuff he did was pioneering, from having the ring and the referee "purified" with disinfectant to that time when he stopped a match just so that he could have "Florida Air" imported to him via air canister. In Lucha libre, there is a similar gimmick known as ''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=q90qoprevzur2tmeetneu70a "Exóticos"]]'', but they are more likely to be baby faces.

4. The '''[[ForeignWrestlingHeel Foreigner]]'''. Foreign accents signal to the audience that you won't be getting much mic time. So why not make it work for you? Just keep bringing up local differences and claiming that your country's better. "Your local sports team is unsatisfactory!" "The inhabitants of this city have a higher level of body odor than average!" "I almost forgot to mention that all your local women are overweight and unattractive!" The natural predator of the AllAmericanFace.

5. The '''[[AxCrazy Psycho]]'''. Often more a danger to themselves than to others, nevertheless capable of going great lengths to prove no one is tougher than them. Several wrestlers created the prototype for a particular type of heel. Incidentally, this was the pre-steroid age; by the 80s, everyone was pretty gassed up working for [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince]], but meanwhile in the territories, heels looked like ordinary tough guys. [[Wrestling/DrDeathSteveWilliams Dr. Death]], "Dirty" Dick Slater, Ray "The Crippler" Stephens, and Wrestling/BrayWyatt today--those guys don't look like male models who watch what they eat. They look like hard-drinking men who you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

->''Jake the Snake could teach a class on the art of being a psycho heel. Apparently there's a good reason to call Wrestling/DeanAmbrose "The Lunatic".''\\\

Special mention can be made for '''[[BrainsAndBrawn Managers]]''' (sometimes known as valets). It's implied that they're handling the business side of their client's career. And let's face it, most people in the world who can cut great promos are not good athletes. (And some of the best in-ring workers are terrible on the mic!) Managers can also have stories and be compelling characters in their own right. When [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Rusev]] made his debut, Lana spoke for him, and Rusev looked to her when he was getting beat by a tough opponent. Lana also offered sex appeal, and became involved in two different love triangles (in kayfabe) with Rusev—first with Wrestling/DolphZiggler and later with Wrestling/BobbyLashley.

Heel champions didn't draw in Madison Square Garden the same way Face champions do. The main examples of this are Wrestling/BuddyRogers and [[Wrestling/SuperstarBillyGraham "Superstar" Graham]]. Even Randy Savage, fairly or not, was running out of steam, and (for that matter) Wrestling/RicFlair never took off in [[{{Wrestling/WWE}} WWF]], either. The only heel they ever pushed long and hard was Wrestling/TripleH, and it seems they've learned their lesson since then. Because while there's money in a babyface [[OneManArmy fighting off a swarm of heels]], there's very little draw in a heel champion [[TheBadGuyWins gobbling up faces]] the same way. Considering how many hours of television they have to fill, they need a constant stream of fresh challengers, and the best way to sort through them ''and'' draw money is with a babyface on top. It's a proven formula since 1984.

* Wrestling/AndreTheGiant would tour the world as "guest heel," to prevent VillainDecay, and then return for another short run. Contrary to popular belief, he was a {{face}} for most of his career before this.
* Dario Cueto is a heel authority figure who puts the heroes through hell, but he does it in a way which he knows the fans (or 'believers') will enjoy. Example: ''"Sorry, Son of Havoc, in order to get that title shot you need to go through another hurdle with even more VIOOOOLLLENCE and Dario hates waiting so it's now!!"'' Dario is also sympathetic in a way that most heel bosses aren't. The way he interacts with Sexy Star is particularly interesting. Because Sexy Star is a purely heroic character, the old standby of villain-hates-hero would normally be in effect, but here it isn't. Dario gave her a pep talk before her No Mas match about standing up to abusers and overcoming evil people. True, it was from his own pro-violence perspective but he did seem to honestly want to help her succeed. The fact their characters are both abuse survivors is touched on here as Dario's mother used to beat him.

* Wrestling/CurtHennig played the narcissist with elements of TheAce. His "West Texas Redneck" persona was a blend of country singer and 'Black hat' cowboy.

* The Great Kabuki created many of the tropes for the evil Japanese, such as scary masks, a sumo-based origin story, and ninja-style cheating techniques like blowing dust or the green mist/spit. (Technically he was preceded by the Filipino Rey Urbano, but evil Filipino never really took off)

** He portrayed himself as a crooked politician throughout 2004 and 2005 (complete with a "cabinet" of henchmen wrestlers) who handed out American flags to spectators. In late 2005 and early 2006, he transformed into a [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain xenophobic redneck]] who taunted Wrestling/ReyMysterioJr (He did this to Wrestling/EddieGuerrero, too, in 2004.)

* Wrestling/ShawnMichaels was just another long-haired blond in a federation stacked with long haired blonds, so he had to turn the heat somehow. By the mid-nineties and the incident known as the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob, he was already hated for what he did to his former tag partner, Marty Janetty.

* Wrestling/StevenRegal played the EvilBrit with aplomb. These days he remains a firm, but fair neutral party on ''[[{{Wrestling/WWENXT}} NXT]]''--unless he's pushed too far by a wrestler. He’s like a British Dario Cueto minus the outright murder boner.
* Jake Roberts was unfortunate in that steroids didn't have the desired muscle building effect on his body, and he just got fatter. But he still looked the part.

* Wrestling/SgtSlaughter was a big-name wrestler in his day. He was doing Coke commericials and became an on-screen character in ''[[WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero G.I. Joe]]''. (He helped stop Golobulus from exposing the world to his mutagenic spores.) When the Gulf War was turned into a WWF storyline, [[TheQuisling he defected to Saddam Hussein]] and was teamed with his longtime foe The Iron Sheik. Slaughter recieved real-life death threats from viewers over this. Forming the Triangle of Terror with Col. Mustafa and General Adnan might have been ridiculous, but man, did it work in terms of getting Slaughter over as a heel and promoting Hogan as the hero of the United States. Actually, the worst part of the Gulf War storyline was repackaging The Iron Sheik, Iranian legend, into Iraqi sympathizer Colonel Mustafa. [[{{Qurac}} Totally ignoring the acrimonious history between the two mideast nations]].
* Wrestling/JackSwagger even has it in his name. He represents the dark side by-product of America's two halves, a proud [[WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant Anglo-Saxon]] and jingoistic jerk.

* {{Wrestling/Vader}} would tour as a "heel for hire" for a few months mostly in the states, then very regularly in Japan, Germany and even Mexico.

* The SickeninglySweethearts pseudo TagTeam is a fairly popular heel archetype with several variations. Where Wrestling/ExoticAdrianStreet and obvious imitators like Wrestling/RicoConstantino or Paredyse were {{Gorgeous George}}s who only had touchy feely females like Miss Linda, Miss Jackie and CJ Lane around [[AmbiguouslyGay to confuse fans about their sexuality]], Wrestling/ChrisCandido and Wrestling/TammyLynnSytch were both totally straight, and managed to be among the most hated people in Wrestling/{{SMW}} precisely because they were ''always'' all over each other. Other examples include Tarzan Goto and Despina Montagas, Wrestling/StevieRichards and [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]], Jamie Noble and Nidia, Mike Bennett and Wrestling/MariaKanellis, The Savage Gentlemen and Lady Frost, each with their own spin on it.

6. The '''{{Bitch|Alert}}'''. Female heels fulfill one of two roles: Scary hag or big bruiser. (See TheGiant or "Psycho" above.) A good female babyface is a potential role model for young girls, so her clothes are meant to convey tradition and athleticism. Everything about the bitch is alluring: provocative entrance poses, boob zippers, illusion netting simulating nudity, and so on. They lean toward the 'woman of loose morals' stereotype ([[PsychoLesbian homoeroticism]] included), pompous attitude, and an obsession with shiny things.

** In ''Film/RockyIII'', Rocky has a “Boxer vs Wrestler” match with Thunderlips (a pre-stardom Wrestling/HulkHogan), a literal wrestling Heel playing a [[TheFightingNarcissist Narcissist]] gimmick.

* Wrestling/StephenRegal played the EvilBrit with aplomb. These days he remains a firm, but fair neutral party on ''[[{{Wrestling/WWENXT}} NXT]]''--unless he's pushed too far by a wrestler. He’s like a British Dario Cueto minus the outright murder boner.

6. The '''{{Bitch|Alert}}'''. Female heels fulfill one of two roles: Scary hag or big bruiser. A good female babyface is a potential role model for young girls, so her clothes are meant to convey tradition and athleticism. Everything about the bitch is alluring: provocative entrance poses, boob zippers, illusion netting simulating nudity, and so on. They lean toward the 'woman of loose morals' stereotype ([[PsychoLesbian homoeroticism]] included), pompous attitude, and an obsession with shiny things.

7. The '''[[WrestlingMonster Monster]]'''. ''"From PartsUnknown...",'' a menace capable of demolishing top stars, modern heroes and legends of the industry. Usually doesn't talk much. The idea is to sell them as a threat without having to compete to be "the best" in the main event scene. They mainly fight against guys [[EvilIsBigger below their height/weight class]], whether it be in tag team or singles action. Having a 'small' guy who can defeat the big guy on an even playing field is a great way to build them up. Note that the Monster has considerable overlap with TheGiant and the WildSamoan.

[[quoteright:288:[[Wrestling/HulkHogan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/HollywoodHogan002_15.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:288:"As far as I'm concerned, all this crap in the ring represents the fans out here."]]

->''[[Wrestling/SherriMartel Sherri]] was as much of a threat on the outside of the ring as inside, and really seemed to delight in watching the wrestlers she managed hurt people. Wrestling/AJLee is an anomaly because, though she was a jealous bitch in-character, she got over without focusing on her looks.''\\\

The [[Main/CombatCommentator Color Commentator]] is often a former wrestler providing his expert opinions. Heel announcers usually end up taking the side of the bad guy, to better egg the fans on. Wrestling/JesseVentura, Wrestling/JerryLawler, The Honky Tonk Man and Wrestling/RandySavage; all of them former heels turned color commentators.

!!'''Examples:'''

* The trope image is of "Hollywood" Wrestling/HulkHogan, who remains the most famous babyface of all time. When Hogan's face act got old and the fans turned on him (and his longest WCW Championship reign of all time despite joining in '94, to give it some sort of perspective), just turned his back on them and aligned with the Wrestling/NewWorldOrder at ''Bash at the Beach '96'', resulting in the crowd throwing trash at him and even one fan leaping up to attack Hogan.

** Invoked in ''Film/RockyII'', where Apollo Creed starts a harassment campaign to draw Rocky into a rematch, his PR guy warns him that, by picking on the underdog “People’s Champion”, he’s setting himself up as the bad guy.

* Early in their career, Music/TheRollingStones were strategically marketed as the Heels to [[Music/TheBeatles the Beatles]]' [[{{Face}} Faces]]. Their manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham was responsible for lines such as ''Melody Maker's'' headline "Would You Let Your Sister Go With a Rolling Stone?" and the memorable press announcement for their first New York visit: "The Rolling Stones, [[UncleanlinessIsNextToUngodliness who haven't bathed in a week]], arrived here yesterday."

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWuJRRCTHrg This]] Music/{{Vocaloid}} music video, "Seraphim On the Ring", portrays Luka Megurine and MEIKO as this, being AxCrazy[[note]]Just look at those [[SlasherSmile Slasher Smiles]]![[/note]], devil-themed bad girls clad in black in contrast to Miku and Rin, who are portrayed as [[{{Face}} Faces]] and wear white, angel-themed outfits. Antics they get up to include [[GlassJawReferee smacking the referee (Len) aside with a folding chair]], grabbing the announcer (KAITO) by the hair and [[GrievousHarmWithABody throwing him at their opponents]]...

->See you in the ring, sucker! Bring a towel to throw in!

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[[quoteright:350:[[Wrestling/HulkHogan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wwe2k14_render_hulkhogan_hollywood_12529_512.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"As far as I'm concerned, all this crap in the ring represents the fans out here."]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Wrestling/HulkHogan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/HollywoodHogan002_15.jpg]]]]

2. The '''[[TheFightingNarcissist Narcissist]]'''. Overinflated, good-looking heel. [[ArrogantKungFuGuyThey know they are better]] than anyone else on the roster, and that adds to the ego, which gives them great heat. Go look at the wildly-popular [[UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship UFC]]. Look at people like Tito Ortiz or UsefulNotes/ConorMcGregor. If they were pro wrestlers, they would be heels. They talk shit constantly, and fans actually pay money with the hopes of seeing them lose. (Which is a win/win for the company.) But they don't run away (well, unless you're Tito), or use steel chairs, or call for interference. They take on the #1 contender and either demolish them or go down swinging.

2. The '''[[TheFightingNarcissist Narcissist]]'''. Overinflated, good-looking heel. They know they are [[ArrogantKungFuGuy better]] than anyone else on the roster, and that adds to the ego, which gives them great heat. Go look at the wildly-popular [[UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship UFC]]. Look at people like Tito Ortiz or UsefulNotes/ConorMcGregor. If they were pro wrestlers, they would be heels. They talk shit constantly, and fans actually pay money with the hopes of seeing them lose. (Which is a win/win for the company.) But they don't run away (well, unless you're Tito), or use steel chairs, or call for interference. They take on the #1 contender and either demolish them or go down swinging.

6. The '''{{Bitch|Alert}}'''. Female heels fulfill one of two roles: Scary hag or big bruiser. The reason why American women's wrestling is still booked like a teen drama is due to the way Wrestling/TheFabulousMoolah trained her girls ([[SexSells enough to sell magazine photos]]), and that was by her own example: [[CatFight A hair whip, scratches, slaps,]] snapmare, headlock, and that's it. A good female babyface is a potential role model for young girls, so her clothes are meant to convey tradition and athleticism. Everything about the bitch is alluring: provocative entrance poses, boob zippers, illusion netting simulating nudity, and so on. They lean toward the "woman of loose morals" stereotype ([[PsychoLesbian homoeroticism]] included), pompous attitude, and an obsession with shiny things.

7. The '''[[WrestlingMonster Monster]]'''. ''"From PartsUnknown...",'' a menace capable of demolishing top stars, modern heroes and legends of the industry. Usually doesn't talk much. The idea is to sell them as a threat without having to compete to be "the best" in the main event scene. They mainly fight against guys [[EvilIsBigger below their height/weight class]], whether it be in tag team or singles action. Having a "small guy" who can defeat the big guy on an even playing field is a great way to build them up. Note that the Monster has considerable overlap with TheGiant and the WildSamoan.

8. The '''[[RepulsiveRingmaster Authority Figure]]'''. A rich asshole with their own federation. These people hold positions of power (often real, sometimes {{kayfabe}}) in the promotion itself. They can pull off the "I have an entire NY investment firm backing me" vibe, along with some very-serious suited men who accompany them because they have to keep tabs on their investment.

9. The '''[[TheBrute Enforcer]]'''. More often then not, a bodyguard/powerhouse in a [[PowerStable wrestling faction]]; usually implied to be tweener or anti-hero. It's similar to when the cops radio for some backup muscle for when things get too out of control. They can lure their opponents into a trap and let their bodyguards do some wreckage.

->''Wrestling/ArnAnderson dealt punishment and protected the other [[Wrestling/TheFourHorsemen Horsemen]], earning the nickname "The Enforcer". He was efficient and brutal in the ring, but it was all professional. {{Wrestling/Chyna}} was Wrestling/TripleH's personal henchwoman who rarely talked but would twist you into a fucking pretzel if Trips told her to.''\\\

Heel champions didn't draw in Madison Square Garden the same way Face champions do. The main examples of this are Wrestling/BuddyRogers and [[Wrestling/SuperstarBillyGraham "Superstar" Graham]]. Even Randy Savage, fairly or not, was running out of steam, and (for that matter) Wrestling/RicFlair never took off in [[{{Wrestling/WWE}} WWF]], either. The only heel they ever pushed long and hard was Wrestling/TripleH, and it seems they've learned their lesson since then. Because while there's money in a babyface fighting off a swarm of heels, there's very little draw in a heel champion gobbling up faces the same way. Considering how many hours of television they have to fill, they need a constant stream of fresh challengers, and the best way to sort through them ''and'' draw money is with a babyface on top. It's a proven formula since 1984.

Special mention can be made for '''[[BrainsAndBrawn Managers]]''' (sometimes known as valets). It's implied that they're handling the business side of their client's career. And let's face it, most people in the world who can cut great promos are not good athletes. (And some of the best in-ring workers are terrible on the mic!) Managers can also have stories and be compelling characters in their own right. When [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Rusev]] made his debut, Lana spoke for him, and Rusev looked to her when he was getting beat by a tough opponent. Lana also offered sex appeal, and became involved in a love triangle with Rusev and Wrestling/DolphZiggler.

[[quoteright:350:[[Wrestling/HulkHogan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wwe2k14_render_hulkhogan_hollywood_12529_512.png]]]]

Recently a new breed of Heel has started to emerge. In a post-{{Kayfabe}} world, it's pretty hard to draw heat, since many {{Smark}}s are liable to cheer for effective Heel work, and many casual fans think the Heels are [[EvilIsCool cooler]] than the good guys. After all, why get mad when you know it’s all fake? Therefore, some Heel wrestlers have experimented with trying to deliberately look like a bad worker or like they don't respect the wrestling business to rile up the fans. Tactics include wrestling boring and repetitive matches, trying to look like you don't care about what you're doing, acting like a SpotMonkey, emphasising excessive pageantry rather than good in-ring work, appearing ignorant of wrestling history/trivia, or the ultimate heat magnet: being a part-timer. Even the {{Wrestling/WWE}} has given this a try, giving Wrestling/EvaMarie increasingly long and elaborate entrances without her ever locking up.
----

[[quoteright:288:[[Wrestling/HulkHogan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/HollywoodHogan002_15.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:288:"As far as I'm concerned, all this crap in the ring represents the fans out here."]]

-->--'''[[Wrestling/JakeRoberts Jake "The Snake" Roberts]]''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Pz9RGuJ3k addresses]] Wrestling/RandySavage

1. The '''[[MilesGloriosus Chickenshit]]'''. Bog standard heel from the golden age. (You know the type, the ones who kept [[Wrestling/FreddieBlassie Fred Blasse]] in business.) He [[CombatPragmatist cheats]] a ton, exaggerates about everything, changes the rules each time he loses, uses [[HumanShield bystanders as shields]], and wins on [[DisqualificationInducedVictory technicalities]]. Plus, he has that punchable face which is damn-near a blueprint for CheapHeat.

2. The '''[[TheFightingNarcissist Narcissist]]'''. Overinflated, good-looking heel. He knows he is [[ArrogantKungFuGuy better]] than anyone else on the roster, and that adds to the ego, which gives them great heat. Go look at the wildly-popular [[UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship UFC]]. Look at people like Tito Ortiz or UsefulNotes/ConorMcGregor. If they were pro wrestlers, they would be heels. They talk shit constantly, and fans actually pay money with the hopes of seeing them lose. (Which is a win/win for the company.) But they don't run away (well, unless you're Tito), or use steel chairs, or call for interference. They take on the #1 contender and either demolish them or go down swinging.

5. The '''[[AxCrazy Psycho]]'''. Often more a danger to himself than to others, nevertheless capable of going great lengths to prove no one is tougher than him. Several wrestlers created the prototype for a particular type of heel. Incidentally, this was the pre-steroid age; by the 80s, everyone was pretty gassed up working for [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince]], but meanwhile in the territories, heels looked like ordinary tough guys. [[Wrestling/DrDeathSteveWilliams Dr. Death]], "Dirty" Dick Slater, Ray "The Crippler" Stephens, and Wrestling/BrayWyatt today--those guys don't look like male models who watch what they eat. They look like hard-drinking men who you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

6. The '''{{Bitch|Alert}}'''. Female heels fulfill one of two roles: scary hag or big bruiser. The reason why American women's wrestling is still booked like a teen drama is due to the way Wrestling/TheFabulousMoolah trained her girls ([[SexSells enough to sell magazine photos]]), and that was by her own example: [[CatFight A hair whip, scratches, slaps,]] snapmare, headlock, and that's it. A good female babyface is a potential role model for young girls, so her clothes are meant to convey tradition and athleticism. Everything about the bitch is alluring: provocative entrance poses, boob zippers, illusion netting simulating nudity, and so on. They lean toward the "woman of loose morals" stereotype ([[PsychoLesbian homoeroticism]] included), pompous attitude, and an obsession with shiny things.

7. The '''[[WrestlingMonster Monster]]'''. ''"From PartsUnknown...",'' a menace capable of demolishing top stars, modern heroes and legends of the industry. Usually doesn't talk much. The idea is to sell him as a threat without having to compete to be "the best" in the main event scene. They mainly fight against guys [[EvilIsBigger below their height/weight class]], whether it be in tag team or singles action. Having a "small guy" who can defeat the big guy on an even playing field is a great way to build them up. Note that the Monster has considerable overlap with TheGiant and the WildSamoan.

* Discussed in one issue of ''Franchise/ArchieComics''. Reggie spends half the issue heckling and booing a wrestler who in turn is spitting threats and insults at him. Later on Reggie gets a flat tire and ''[[BullyingADragon that same wrestler]]'' pulls over to help. Reggie's terrified until the wrestler points out that, as the heel, he's ''supposed'' to be hated by the audience and that it's all part of the act. Then he replaces Reggie's tire and asks him to keep up the heckling at the next match.