History Main / MonsterLord

* The MMORPG ''VideoGame/{{Runescape}}'' has this with their versions of vampire-like creatures called "vampyres". The order of ascending power goes like: juvenile, juvinate, vyrewatch, vyrelord(lady), and lastly the Drakan siblings who reign over all vampyres. Notably the lowest-tier partially resemble feral [[{{Film/Nosferatu}} Nosferatu]] expies and the higher-tier vampyres have a more 'refined' form.

Supertrope of InsectQueen, VampireMonarch, and DemonLordsAndArchdevils. See TheBeastmaster, a more watered-down version of this. See also the MonsterProgenitor, who is usually the top Monster Lord of its kind. Compare and contrast with MaoTheDemonKing.

Supertrope of InsectQueen, VampireMonarch, and DemonLordsAndArchdevils. See TheBeastmaster, a more watered-down version of this. See also the MonsterProgenitor, who is usually the top Monster Lord of its kind. Compare and contrast with DaimaoTheDemonLord.

Supertrope of InsectQueen, VampireMonarch, and DemonLordsAndArchdevils. See TheBeastmaster, a more watered-down version of this. See also the MonsterProgenitor, who is usually the top Monster Lord of its kind.

* ''Series/VanHelsing2016'' has the Elders, vampires blessed with special abilities by the power of [[MonsterProgenitor the Dark One]] himself. The first Elder introduced LooksLikeOrlock, has psychic abilities, and can shapeshift. The second, known as the B'ah, looks like a withered corpse of a woman and is a master of PoisonedWeapons. The third, [[EvilUncle Jacob Van Helsing]], looks like a normal human but like the first can also shapeshift. And the fourth, [[spoiler: [[PsychopathicManChild Sam]]]], upon his ascension becomes a HornedHumanoid, though even before then is shown to be capable of surviving things even a vampire shouldn't be able to.

Some monster or non-human species have [[SupernaturalElite aristocracies]] with {{Blue Blood}}s that just so happen to actually have [[AlienBlood blue blood.]] And rarely, lowborn monsters (frequently [[ViralTransformation former humans]]) can aspire to earn such titles with "heroic" deeds, political savvy, or by dint of AsskickingEqualsAuthority. Beyond that though, some Monster Lords are physiologically different from rank and file {{Mook}}s. Maybe the species as a whole has a caste system, and over time the leaders have become a different "[[OurMonstersAreDifferent race]]" that is more powerful by nature. Other monster races may have a life cycle where old or "mature" mooks become lords if they grow really powerful, use a magic ritual, or they have a ''really'' [[TheDeterminator strong willpower]]. Likely to be the BigBad, or at least a major villain, [[DarkIsNotEvil though this may not necessarily be the case]].

* The Old Ones in ''Series/BeingHumanUK'', centuries-old vampires who live in isolated castles in Central Europe. They largely don’t care about the outside world and leave the rest of the vampires to their own devices, but when they do venture out, everyone bows and scrapes. They’re immune to typical weaknesses like holy symbols and hot being able to enter homes uninvited, and are a extremely old, wealthy and politically powerful in a world where the majority of vampires don’t live to see triple digits and barely scrape by. The undisputed supreme ruler of all vampires, Mr Snow, is rumoured to be the first ever vampire who sold his soul to the devil for immortality, and all vampires are genetically programmed to obey him.

* Boss Nass (portrayed by '''Creator/BrianBlessed!'''), the [[FishPeople Gungan]] leader in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', looks a lot different from the other Gungans. The ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Legends]]'' continuity explains that he's a member of the Ankura race of Gungans, which constitutes a minority but nonetheless maintains a strong presence among the Gungan leadership.

Some monster or non-human species have [[SupernaturalElite aristocracies]] with {{Blue Blood}}s that just so happen to actually have [[AlienBlood blue blood.]] And rarely, lowborn monsters (frequently [[ViralTransformation former humans]]) can aspire to earn such titles with "heroic" deeds, political savvy, or by dint of AsskickingEqualsAuthority. Beyond that though, some Monster Lords are physiologically different from rank and file {{Mook}}s. Maybe the species as a whole has a caste system, and over time the leaders have become a different "[[OurMonstersAreDifferent race]]" that is more powerful by nature. Other monster races may have a life cycle where old or "mature" mooks become lords if they grow really powerful, use a magic ritual, or they have a ''really'' [[TheDeterminator strong willpower.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' 2 has the Arch Vile, which is not only the most powerful non-boss monster, but also one of the most human in its appearance. It has the power to bring dead monsters back to life.
* ''KingdomHearts'' has Organization XIII for the Nobodies.
* Popularized by the TropeCodifier ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'', medieval [[JapaneseRPG j-RPGs]] often have their BigBad played by a "Maoh," a loose term often translated as [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils "Demon King"]]. It has become the series tradition for a BigBad since the [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIII 3rd installment]] in 1988. Whatever species they actually are, they tend to rule over the local monsters and command some kind of [[BlackMagic dark magic]]. Unless it's just a [[VideoGame/OdinSphere negative title]].

** The [[UrExample very first character]] to use the title in a video game was none other than [[BigBad Bowser]] of ''SuperMarioBros'' in 1985. He's a particularly tough Koopa whose children are also much tougher than your run-of-the-mill baddies.

** ''[[VideogGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has Dremora Lords as a high-level enemy. They have almost twice as much health as a regular Dremora, do a bit more damage, have a stronger magical barrier, and almost always come with a Deadric or Ebony weapon (compared to regular Dremoras, who are more likely to have Dwemer or Dreugh weapons.) And from a distance, [[BossInMooksClothing they look exactly the same]].

* In ''VideoGame/MonsterGirlQuest'' this trope is used by its very name. Technically it's the title awarded to the [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority most powerful monster in the world]], though in practice, every Monster Lord has been part of the bloodline of Alipheese Fateburn, [[MonsterProgenitor the original creator of monsters]] and considered the opposite of [[{{God}} Ilias]]. The current (16th) Monster Lord happens to be [[spoiler:[[TheHero Luka's]] traveling companion and romantic interest Alice, while the 8th Monster Lord [[AliceAllusion Black Alice]] is one of the main antagonists]].

* Gorillas usually live in troops led by a single mature patriarch. True to form, this patriarch is visually distinct from the other members of the troop by the [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience silver fur on his back]] (which is why he's called a "silverback"). Most of the other troop members are the silverback's mates and children, but he may have several subordinate "blackbacks" -- adolescent male hangers-on who aren't quite old enough to have the distinctive silver fur.

* High Orcs in the ''Monster Girl Encyclopedia'' aren't just orcs with darker skin and [[AnAxeToGrind a mean axe]]: High Orcs are immensely strong and can bowl over even heavily armored knights and have the wits to command war parties. Their very presence emboldens the often cowardly orcs into rampaging marauders and their body odor drives them into a sexual frenzy. However, if a man actually *beats* a High Orc, the orcs immediately collapse onto the floor and beg for mercy. The High Orc herself also has a 180 in personality, going from a belligerent warlord to soft, loving, and devoted wife to the man.

** They exist as a class in the MegamiTensei series.

** The second was Ganon in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda.'' [[TropeMaker The others]] before ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' were Valarys in ''Hydlide Special,'' [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Azathoth]] in ''Jaseiken Necromancer,'' and Lucifer in ''MegamiTensei.''