History Main / SoftspokenSadist

Of course, this can possibly also go in quite the opposite direction, with the villain's gentle voice [[ObviouslyEvil highlighting]] their willingness to commit atrocities [[ForTheEvulz out of schadenfreude]], their [[BloodKnight enjoyment of combat]], their [[CardCarryingVillain total lack of shame towards their actions]], their [[ButForMeItWasTuesday casual disregard]] for human decency, or even their [[VillainousValour refusal to back down when confronted]].

Of course, this can possibly also go in quite the opposite direction, with the villain's gentle voice [[ObviouslyEvil highlighting]] their willingness to commit atrocities [[ForTheEvulz out of schadenfreude]], their [[CardCarryingVillain total lack of shame towards their actions]], their [[ButForMeItWasTuesday casual disregard]] for human decency, or even their [[VillainousValour refusal to back down when confronted]].

* Jamie Washington in ''VideoGame/SplinterCellDoubleAgent'' is kind of geeky with somewhat poor social skills and would be the lovable dork in any other story but in this one, he's a cold-blooded PyschoSupporter with absolutely no qualms about killing anyone.

* Jamie Washington in ''VideoGame/SplinterCellDoubleAgent'' is kind of geeky with somewhat poor social skills and would be the lovable dork in any other story but in this one, he's a cold-blooded PoisonousFriend with absolutely no qualms about killing anyone.

->''"Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments. Now, [ I'm probably not very frightening to a guy like you]], but these crazies, they can't stand it. ''sprays fear toxin into the face of the man he's talking to; the next lines are portrayed from the POV of the latter, and thus spoken in a VoiceOfTheLegion]'' They scream, and they cry. Much as you're doing now."''
-->-- '''Dr. Jonathan Crane''', ''Film/BatmanBegins''

->''"Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments. Now, [[GeekPhysiques I'm probably not very frightening]] to [[TheMafia a guy like you]], but these crazies, they can't stand it. ''[sprays [[SupernaturalFearInducer fear toxin]] into the face of the man he's talking to; the next lines are portrayed [[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness from the POV of the latter]], and thus spoken in a VoiceOfTheLegion]'' They scream, and they cry. Much as you're doing now."''

->''"Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments. Now, I'm probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies, they can't stand it. ''[sprays Fear Toxin into the face of the man he's talking to]'' They scream, and they cry. Much as you're doing now."''

%%* Nurse Ratched in ''Literature/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''.

** Harry's earlier encounters with [[TheDon Gentleman Johnny Marcone]] led him to think of Marcone this way, but it becomes apparent that Marcone cannot really be considered "evil", nor is he in any way sadistic, being far too pragmatic to be anything other than [[TrueNeutral ruthlessly efficient]].[[note]]Except where [[spoiler:[[BerserkButton children]]]] are involved.[[/note]]

* In Creator/VernorVinge's ''Literature/AFireUponTheDeep'', Flenser is described as having a voice like this.

* ''LightNovel/DateALive'': Unlike all other villains like [[CuteAndPsycho Kurumi Tokisaki]] (who is a homicidal maniac who has no composure when her crazy-side breaks out) and [[TheAce Minerva Liddell]] (who is a psychotic soldier who loses her cool when she is torturing someone), [[BigBad Isaac Westcott]] is fully capable of causing pain in other people without losing his clarity and calm.
%% * [[Creator/ShowHayami Sosuke Aizen]], [[Creator/KojiYusa Gin Ichimaru]], [[Creator/KosukeToriumi Szayel Aporro Grantz]] and [[Creator/DaisukeOno Shuukuro Tsukishima]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''.
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Of the four Dark Masters, Machinedramon is easily the most prolific killer, effortlessly slaughtering dozens of Numemon with no hesitation whatsoever and being willing to bring down entire cities to capture his targets. He also barely raises his voice above a cold, robotic whisper and has little interest in idle banter. It truly is something to hear him [[CallingYourAttacks call his]] [[WaveMotionGun Giga Cannon]] in a completely lifeless, quiet voice.
%%%% Zero context
%%%* [[Creator/AkiraIshida Xellos]] from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}''.

* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'':
** Itsuki's [[Creator/KoujiTsujitani smooth, mellow voice]] tends to hide his [[PsychoSupporter inner crazy]].
** [[Creator/MegumiOgata Kurama]] is a heroic example. He's always polite and charming, even though he's ''even more'' willing to brutally kill or maim (or both) his enemies than [[Creator/NobuyukiHiyama Hiei]], [[{{Foil}} who generally fights with a sort of controlled anger instead.]] In the manga, he takes particular pleasure in messily killing an opponent who threatened his [[MoralityPet mother]].
** A very disturbing example is Karasu during the Dark Tournament arc. While he's otherwise dismissive of his own allies and the other contestants, he takes a creepy liking to Kurama and is ([[SmugSuper mostly]]) [[FauxAffablyEvil polite to him while he calmly and elegantly goes on about how he'd love to kill the kitsune demon personally]]. His DissonantSerenity before and during the battle manages to ''scare Kurama''.
* [[Creator/MamoruMiyano Light]] [[Creator/BradSwaile Yagami]], VillainProtagonist of ''Manga/DeathNote'', who stays cool and calm even while delivering his judgments face-to-face. [[spoiler:Poor Naomi Misora.]]
** Later subverted, [[spoiler: once he is outed as Kira.]] By the final episode of the series, he [[VillainousBreakdown seems to have forgotten]] how [[LargeHam inside voices even work]].
* In the American dub of ''Anime/StarBlazers'' Desslok has an almost feminine voice, which makes him far more creepy than his original bog-standard Japanese villain growl.

%%* Mukuro and Byakuran from ''Manga/Reborn2004''.
%%%* [[TheBeautifulElite Iason]] [[FetishizedAbuser Mink]] of ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi'' as part of his BeautyIsBad persona.
* Kanzaki from the ''Manga/{{Area 88}}'' TV anime is a ManipulativeBastard who betrayed his best friend. In contrast to his ominous voice and mannerisms in the OVA, his voice comes across as reserved and completely ''normal'' in the TV series -- which makes his villainy all the more chilling.
* Vincent Nightray from ''Manga/PandoraHearts'', [[AmbiguouslyEvil though not exactly evil]], has done quite a few morally ambiguous things and takes any chance he gets to act needlessly sadistic. [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9f010htqE1rek056o1_1280.jpg This picture]] sums it up quite nicely.
* [[spoiler:Kyubey]] in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' [[spoiler:was voiced by [[Creator/EmiriKatou the same woman]] as [[Manga/LuckyStar Kagami Hiiragi]] and [[LightNovel/BakeMonogatari Mayoi Hachikuji]] and shares their high, thin voices, and seems to be like another cutesy MagicalGirl series mascot. [[CosmicHorrorStory This is not]] [[BlueAndOrangeMorality the case]].]]
* ''Anime/CardfightVanguard'': Picture it, a boy with [[ShrinkingViolet Aichi]]'s unfailing politeness and [[BigBad Ren]]'s sadistic personality. That's [[spoiler:how Aichi acts under [[FaceHeelTurn the manipulation of Ren]]]].
* For the most part, Russia from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''. Despite being a huge man who finds it amusing to bully, he usually speaks in a soft, high, [[PsychopathicManchild childlike]] voice and he has a sweet, [[StepfordSmiler gently smiling,]] blushing face to match.
* Illumi Zoldyck from ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' is very [[DissonantSerenity serene]] and [[TheStoic rarely emotes at all]], but he's just as (if not ''more'') sadistic as [[MonsterClown Hisoka]]. Chrollo Lucifer is the same way.
* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'': Mahito, the [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters Human]] Disaster [[TheHeartless Curse]] appears as a friendly, though odd looking young man and has a gentle, playful voice. If given the opportunity, he is going to take his sweet time to talk about all the NightmareFuel, MindRape and BodyHorror he just inflicted/is about to inflict on someone in the same manner he talks about games or the quirks of his co-villains.
* ''Franchise/KagerouProject'': The series' BigBad, [[spoiler:the Wide-Open Eyes Snake]], is like this so long as he's possessing [[spoiler:Kenjirou]], but if he's on his own or possessing [[spoiler:Konoha]], [[EvilIsHammy all bets are off.]]

* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' has Torch Weaver. He's a constantly grinning, overweight blond man who looks like a stereotypical suburban dad. He's even a teetotaler and prefers using "shucks" and "golly" instead of actual cursing. He is also a bounty hunter and a professional pyromaniac who has little reservation using his flamethrower on defenseless targets. According to him, he even burned his wife and child alive.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Jack "The Drought", one of the most dangerous pirates alive and a gigantic hulking brute that can transform into a mammoth and is known for being completely immune to bargaining (to the point his response to any attempts to reason with him seems to just be "sever a limb and move on") and rampages so bad places struck by him look like an actual drought's ground them down over the years. All of this would lead one to think of a bloodthirsty, bombastic man, but he ''never'' raises his voice, just speaking like he's relaxed or even bored at all times even when [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique torturing people for information]] or [[ColdBloodedTorture for fun]].
* William James Moriarty of ''Manga/MoriartyThePatriot'' is far from a sadist, but he's a quiet, polite, softspoken SerialKillerKiller voice by the soft-voiced Creator/SomaSaito, who is hardly known for a deep voice.
* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': In the anime, Rui's voice rarely rises above a murmur and shows barely any emotion, regardless of what's going on - even when he's talking about how furious he is at Tanjiro and Nezuko. He's also, for most of his time onscreen, an abusive monster who tortures and kills other demons to force his chosen "family" to go along with his twisted familial roleplay scenario, and that's not even going into how viciously he goes after Tanjiro when they fight.

* Kurt Gerhardt in TheNineties ''ComicBook/{{Foolkiller}}'' series. He was said by a drug kingpin to be crazier than ComicBook/ThePunisher, yet he was not the boiling angry man with a gun that was Frank Castle. His modus operandi was always to have a Socratic debate with his intended target, just so that he could uncover a logical fallacy or hole in their argument. The coda of each debate always being his bottom line followed by "I think you're a fool. I kill fools". It was always important to Gerhardt that his targets knew why they were being killed; equally important that witnesses understood as well.

* Bradley Uppercrust III in ''WesternAnimation/AnExtremelyGoofyMovie'' has a light, mild voice, and is so evil he has [[spoiler: life-threatening assault, arson, and attempted murder]] under his belt. The vast majority of the other series antagonists are saints compared to him.
* ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'' has the BigBad [[spoiler:Commander Rourke]], who always speaks pleasantly no matter what heinous things he's discussing. Even when the chips are down and he's finally be pushed to anger, he ''still'' talks quite calmly:
-->'''[[spoiler:Rourke]]:''' Well, I gotta hand it to ya, you're a bigger pain in the neck than I would have ever thought possible. I consider myself an even-tempered man. It takes a lot to get under my skin, but congratulations, you just won the solid-gold kewpie doll!

* ''Film/JamesBond'':
** [[DiabolicalMastermind Ernst Stavro Blofeld]] is known to speak with a gentle, even tone for the majority of his screentime, even when [[BlofeldPloy punishing subordinates for incompetence]], concocting a plan for world domination, or threatening to kill Bond. He sounded ''much creepier'' during the one time where he raised his voice against his minions for failing to kill 007 in ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice''.
** Lyutsifer Safin, the BigBad from ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' has a soft voice courtesy of Creator/RamiMalek.
* ''Film/ComingHomeInTheDark'': Mandrake never seems to raise his voice above casual conversation, and is a psychopath who kills people indiscriminately, even teenagers.
* Garland Greene from ''Film/ConAir'' almost always have a [[DissonantSerenity dissonant smile]] on his face, takes time out of their criminal escape to have a tea party with a cute little girl, and is more than happy to pleasantly talk to whoever sits by him. At the same time, he gets the full [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lecter]] treatment when being transported, has nearly all the other hardened criminals on the plane ''terrified'' of him for the atrocities he's committed, and the things he talks about? He calmly discusses his murders and his twisted views on semantics and human psychology without a shred of regret for the things he has done. [[KarmaHoudini And he gets away in the end]].
%%* Angel Eyes from ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''.
* ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'': Dr. Hannibal Lecter, notorious cannibal and serial killer, is a soft-spoken man who never raises his voice.
* ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'': Col. Hans Landa acts very softspoken and polite, all an act to keep people off guard as he interrogates them.
* Mr. Blonde from ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' is a very cool-headed, soft-spoken individual who always exudes a casual aura. This makes it all the more unnerving when [[AxCrazy he slaughters a store's worth of people after the alarm goes off]], or when he calmly describes to a captured cop [[PsychoForHire how much he will enjoy]] giving him a slow, painful death.

* Sir from ''Film/TruthOrConsequencesNM'' is an icy, calm ProfessionalKiller who never raises his voice, even when he's cutting off someone's fingers or in a massive shootout wielding a shotgun.
* Anton Chigurh from ''Film/NoCountryForOldMen'' embodies this trope to a disturbing degree.

* ''Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1940'' has Jaffar, an EvilVizier and EvilSorcerer who raises his voice once, in order to cast a spell at sea. It sort of gets rid of the common "who would trust ''that'' guy" FridgeLogic about more ObviouslyEvil viziers: he sounds extremely trustworthy. Too bad he isn't.
* Toht (the bespectacled Nazi) from ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' is usually smirking and speaks with a halting, breathy delivery as if he's on the verge of chuckling.
* Dr. Jonathan Crane is easily the most softspoken character in ''Film/BatmanBegins.'' [[spoiler:He also sprays people with a toxin designed to cause intense panic attacks, tries to burn people alive, and gives his fear toxin to someone who supposedly told him the plan was to hold the city to ransom.]]
%%* Mister Teatime in the adaptation of ''[[Literature/{{Discworld}} Hogfather]]''.

%%* Nurse Ratched in ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''
* In ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'', Marty finally comes face to face with the BigBad, Cosmo, who he's thought long dead. Cosmo speaks casually of crashing entire countries' economies. Plus this little gem:
-->'''Cosmo:''' I cannot kill my friend. ''[to his henchmen]'' Kill my friend.
* HAL 9000 of ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' has this, overlapping with CreepyMonotone.
* Creator/RichardBurton's portrayal of O'Brien in the film release of ''Film/NineteenEightyFour''. He never raises his voice and, in his own creepy way, actually seems to think he is being ''kind'' in torturing Winston.
* ''Film/{{Nightbreed}}''. A major contributing factor to how creepy the psychotic Dr. Decker is is how calm and collected he always remains even during his hands-on murders.
* ''Film/HenryPortraitOfASerialKiller'': Henry rarely raises his voice, and his apparent shyness almost comes across as endearing. [[spoiler: Trusting him, however, will get you killed, as Becky finds out the hard way.]]
* Christopher Guest's portrayal of Count Rugen in ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' is a particularly scary example, because almost the ''entire'' rest of the film falls soundly in the LargeHam category.
-->''"As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Well, really, that's all this is. Except that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I've just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don't know what that would do to you. So, let's just start with what we have. What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest -- how do you feel?"''

* ''Film/TheGodfather'':
** Don Vito's voice is so quiet it's sometimes hard to tell that he's actually saying words. He's also probably the most powerful criminal in New York.
** Michael Corleone, the series' VillainProtagonist, is polite, icy, and ruthless. He remains totally calm even as he gives the order to [[spoiler:murder his own brother.]] The only time in the first two movies that he raises his voice is when [[spoiler:Kay reveals that she got an abortion to spite him]]. He's... [[HairTriggerTemper decidedly less collected]] in ''Part III''.
* Cobra Commander from ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation''.
* Solomon Lane from ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation'' never raises his voice above a whisper, but that doesn't hide the callousness in his words and actions. [[spoiler:Even after being imprisoned for two years under constant interrogation, causing his SanitySlippage and ravenous desire for revenge by the time of ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout'', he still has the same quiet pattern of speech.]]
* Kylo Ren from ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' has many fans of his oddly relaxing and mesmerizing voice. His behavior is hardly timid.
* Darth Maul from ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' sees much, says little, and says it calmly and quietly.

* ''Film/TheKillers1964'': Jack Browning is a vicious, murderous criminal, but he's always calm and collected and never raises his voice. When Sheila refuses to stop caressing Johnny, saying simply "I like it here" when Jack tells her to leave, he calmly says "Well, I can fix that." Then he [[WouldHitAGirl slaps her across the face]].
%%* The spoilerific revealed antagonists from Christopher Nolan's first feature ''Film/{{Following}}'', ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'', and ''Film/ArtSchoolConfidential''.
* ''Film/Dracula1931'': The titular Dracula often speaks in a genteel, albeit theatrical, tone of voice, as befitting his aristocratic persona.
* [[BigBad Hans Gruber]], the leader of the gunmen from ''Film/DieHard'', speaks with a smooth, even tone of voice for the majority of his screentime, whether he is intimidating the hostages, or issuing orders to his thugs. [[spoiler: Hans' manner of speaking actually highlights his casual willingness to sacrifice the lives of his hostages for his own personal gain.]]
* [[BigBad Top Dollar]] from ''Film/TheCrow'' is amazingly charismatic and calm almost all the time. Though he does have a couple of moments where he loses his temper and hollers, even when being outright insulted and disrespected by a low-level {{Mook|s}} he keeps his cool and even agrees maybe he's "not as big as he thinks." Then he tosses the mook someone else's torn-out eye and, still being chillingly calm, tells the man that's what happened to the last guy who talked back to him like that. Then he runs him through the throat with a sabre for the hell of it, without ever once breaking composure.
* John Kramer, the Jigsaw killer from the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films. Regardless of his actions, he always speaks in a low, calm voice. The only time he raises his voice in the series is in an argument with Detective Mark Hoffman while blackmailing him.
* Collins, the mercenary leader with [[VillainousValour balls of steel]], from ''Film/TripleThreat2019'', delivers many of his lines in a casual tone befitting a psychopath who is desensitized to violence.
* Dr. Stevens, the evil prison Psychologist in ''Film/TrustNo1'' usually speaks with a gentle voice which highlights his lack of empathy
* ''Film/{{Dredd}}'': Ma-Ma, a ruthless drug lord, seems too tired and strung out to raise her voice.

* In ''Literature/{{Masques}}'', the ae'Magi. He is universally considered a very nice and kind man, and his mild-mannered behaviour contributes to this. He even ''murders'' people with a kindly smile on his face.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' Lord Roose Bolton is mild-mannered, courteous, and speaks so softly that others have to listen closely to hear anything he says. He's as cold-blooded a lord as the Seven Kingdoms can offer, with no qualms whatsoever about murder, rape and betrayal. However, he's very careful to avoid developing a reputation of being AxCrazy, unlike his son Ramsay who has no such restraint.

* ''Literature/DragonBones'': [[spoiler: Bastilla]] talks to Ward in the same soft voice like [[spoiler: she]] always did even after betraying their TrueCompanions and murdering one of them. Ward notes how much this creeps him out.
* Nurse Ratched in ''Literature/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''.
* In Creator/VernorVinge's ''Literature/AFireUponTheDeep'', Flenser is described as having a voice like this.
* Lord Vetinari of ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', in his scarier moments, though he's at least nominally a good guy.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** Nicodemus is two thousand years old and in a willing partnership with a FallenAngel who feeds off pain and suffering. His demeanor is usually completely calm, reasonable, and friendly, and, when he (only occasionally) slips, he quickly regains control. Harry specifically notes that when Nicodemus laughs, it is with the rich laugh of the supremely confident, rather than the typical sadistic EvilLaugh of a CardCarryingVillain (and Harry's had enough experience to tell the difference). The fact that most of Harry's enemies are DrunkOnTheDarkSide to one degree or another makes Nicodemus' reserve all the more noticeable.
** Harry's earlier encounters with [[TheDon Gentleman Johnny Marcone]] led him to think of Marcone this way, but it becomes apparent that Marcone cannot really be considered "evil", nor is he in any way sadistic, being far too pragmatic to be anything other than [[TrueNeutral ruthlessly efficient]].[[note]]Except where [[spoiler:[[BerserkButton children]]]] are involved.[[/note]]
* ''Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant'': [[spoiler: When [[TheDreaded Mevolent]] finally speaks, his voice is described as very quiet and gentle. He's an eight-foot-tall psychopathic warlord who tried to enslave the mortal world, and in the alternate dimension succeeded.]]
* "In the Deathroom", a short story from Creator/StephenKing's collection ''Literature/EverythingsEventual'', features a bland and soft-spoken TortureTechnician (with hints of MadScientist) named Heinz, who's described as looking and sounding like the pitchman from an Excedrin commercial.

* ''Series/StrangersFromHell'': Moon-jo rarely raises his voice and speaks calmly even when telling a victim he's about to tear out their teeth.

* [[TortureTechnician Desaad]] from ''{{Series/Smallville}}'', who never loses the creepy, even tone as he kills tons of people by [[CruelAndUnusualDeath making them bleed to death from the inside]].
-->'''Desaad:''' When is the last time [[TheSmartGirl you]] had a [[BreakTheCutie good, hard cry]]?

* The Reaper from ''Series/CriminalMinds''. He's condescendingly soothing while stabbing Hotch in "Faceless, Nameless". In "100", he uses a cool, conversational tone to taunt Hotch on speakerphone while calmly playing toy soldiers with Hotch's son. He even covers the kid's ears and spells out "D-I-E-S". He plays it so well, the kid isn't even sure if he's a bad guy. This is seconds before he [[spoiler:murders Hotch's ex-wife while he listens]].
* In ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "What's in the Box", Sterling Holloway (his second time on this list!) plays a mysterious but malevolent television repairman who acts the role of the friendly old blue-collar worker, who gives an exasperated man some extra perks in his cable, and then gets to watch, smile, and subtly gloat as his "product" ruins two lives, never dropping the benign facade.
* In ''Series/TheXFiles'':
** The Cigarette-Smoking Man has a pleasant, avuncular New England accent. (Except for the times he has a pleasant, avuncular [[OohMeAccentsSlipping Canadian accent]].)
** The death fetishist Donald Pfaster from the season 2 episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS02E13Irresistible Irresistible]]" has an unsettling soft voice.

* Adelai Niska, ''Series/{{Firefly}}'''s resident psychotic crime lord, can be very soft-spoken in the tone of a kindly old man. The fact that he does this while he's [[ElectricTorture zapping the living daylights out of you]], [[EarAche cutting off your ear]], or [[ColdBloodedTorture even worse things]] makes him ''utterly rutting creepy''.
* Marlo Stanfield from ''Series/TheWire''. He's very soft-spoken and almost never raises his voice--even when ordering the murder of a man and his family.

* The [[PuppeteerParasite Goa'uld]] Tanith in ''Series/StargateSG1''. Unlike most of his kind, who are very much of the LargeHam variety, Tanith preferred to coldly taunt his enemies before utterly destroying them. Politely wiped out a civilization.
** Ba'al, after spending [[GoingNative too much time]] on Earth, eventually stopped using his Goa'uld-voice entirely, with his later interaction with [=SG-1=] was conducted in a rather pleasant, if sardonic, tone of voice. No one is fooled that he's not still the same guy who repeatedly used a Sarcophagus to revive Jack after torturing him to death.
* Wynn Duffy from ''Series/{{Justified}}'', played by Jere Burns, is a ruthless Dixie Mafia henchman, but he has a very soft, almost meek voice.
* On ''Series/BurnNotice'', Anson Fullerton, the DiabolicalMastermind behind Michael's burning, affects this, in keeping with his PsychoPsychologist persona. Played by Jere Burns, as with Wynn Duffy above.
* Arnold Rothstein from ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'' is polite and soft-spoken - but he's a ruthless gangster, who once tricked a man into choking to death just for his own amusement.
* In ''Series/BabylonFive'' Captain Sheridan gets captured and is brought to a TortureTechnician to be physically and mentally broken until Sheridan disavows his cause and publicly supports the fascist regime of [[PresidentEvil President Clarke]]. The torturer is a skinny, balding, older man with glasses who looks and sounds as if he should be teaching math to children.
* The killer in the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' episode "Hubris". [=McCoy=] tells the jury that he's going to ask them to realize that this "nicely dressed, soft-spoken young man" is a murderer.
* In the third season of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'', the Governor very rarely raises his voice, but he definitely enjoys killing.

* In NBC's 2013 ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' series, serial killer Hannibal Lecter speaks calmly and softly at all times.
* Wyatt from ''Series/PrisonBreak''. He sounds like he's telling his son a bedtime story, just as he's about to kill you.
* Gustavo Fring from ''Series/BreakingBad'' and ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' is a kingpin who rarely ever raises his voice, to the point that he's a lot more menacing when he does raise it.
* Emmett Milbarge from ''Series/{{Chuck}}''. Imagine the gentle-voiced Buster Bluth of Arrested Development, only he's a sociopath and has delusions of authority. That's Emmett, and both characters are played flawlessly by Tony Hale.
* The [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Nightmare Man]] of ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' is a classic example of this trope, with a very soft, quiet voice and an absolutely unnerving presence.
* ''Series/KissMeFirst'': Adrian, whose voice is always a very soothing, even tone, never rising in anger or alarm, yet he also enjoys manipulating people to kill themselves or others at his bidding.
* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': Surprisingly, the Joker starts out as this, not becoming the LaughablyEvil MonsterClown he is famous for being until he undergoes considerable SanitySlippage between the show's fourth and fifth seasons. He makes a big deal in the fourth season about [[BlatantLies being much more reasonable and sane]] than [[AxCrazy his brother]], the show's first CaptainErsatz of the Joker, but his calm demeanor only serves to highlight just how unhinged he is, and [[DissonantSerenity actually makes him creepier]].
* ''Series/Daredevil2015'':
** Wilson Fisk always speaks quietly, sometimes even awkwardly, and can come across as a man not used to speaking publicly... until he's pissed and is about to let loose on someone he wants to destroy for personal reasons.
** James Wesley manages to top his boss, always using a polite, strictly business tone while threatening people's loved ones to get them to do jobs for him.
* ''Series/{{Fargo}}'': Lorne Malvo, the sociopathic BigBad of the first season, speaks in a soft, very soothing tone, and never raises his voice.

* [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} CLAUDIUS]]. Dear God, Claudius.

* In ''Theatre/MarginForError'', the Consul speaks calmly and unctuously so long as he feels assured of himself, especially when he's issuing veiled threats.

* Leon in ''VideoGame/StarFox'' is implied to be a sadist in more ways than one. Character-wise, however, he fits.
* Dutch Van Der Linde of ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' has a rather quiet, soft voice, which contrasts sharply with his violently insane nature.

* Lord Ghirahim in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' frequently swings between this trope and EvilIsHammy, but even when he has his temper under control, he still threatens to beat Link within an inch of his life and talks rather casually about burning him to a crisp in the Earth Temple.
* ''VideoGame/BioShock1'': {{Subverted|Trope}} with [[spoiler:[[BitchInSheepsClothing Atlas (alias Frank Fontaine)]]]], who spends a good two-thirds sounding friendly, jovial and humane before TheReveal gives us his [[BrooklynRage actual voice]]. [[VideoGame/BioShock2 Sofia Lamb]] plays it straight (ala her TautologicalTemplar personality). Both were designed to contrast Andrew Ryan's LargeHam persona.

* [[spoiler:Iris Sepperin]] in ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'' may certainly speak politely, but [[spoiler:that doesn't stop her from causing suffering for others for her own entertainment]].
* Osmund Saddler, the leader of Los Illuminados from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''. This quality makes him all the more creepier, seeing how he managed to convert an entire village to his insane cult with pure charisma, even before they were injected with [[HatePlague Las Plagas]].
* Jamie Washington in ''[[VideoGame/SplinterCell Splinter Cell: Double Agent]]'' is kind of geeky with somewhat poor social skills and would be the lovable dork in any other story but in this one, he's a cold-blooded PoisonousFriend with absolutely no qualms about killing anyone.
--> '''Jamie:''' [[spoiler:''[after shooting a hostage if Sam refuses to]'']] Sorry... ''[chuckles sheepishly]'' S-sorry.
* Akechi Mitsuhide from ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'', a consummate CombatSadomasochist, speaks using a seductive yet sinister purr in both the [[Creator/ShowHayami Japanese]] and [[Creator/VicMignogna English]] versions. However, in the Japanese, he tends to turn into a LargeHam when excited.
* ''VideoGame/TwistedWonderland'':
** Azul Ashengrotto when he's the ArcVillain; he's a classy and polite gentleman who engages in mafia-like antics, [[PowerParasite stealing other people's powers]] and enslaving them via magical contracts.
** Jade Leech is calm and well-mannered man in [[PolarOppositeTwins stark contrast]] to his twin brother, but on occasion shows himself to be just as sadistic as his brother and Azul.
* Julian Day, a.k.a. Calendar Man in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' is very soft-spoken. To date, he's only raised his voice (making it much rougher) once.
** In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'', Scarecrow was a LargeHam GigglingVillain. After his mauling at the hands of Killer Croc, he returns with a [[Creator/JohnNoble new voice actor]] in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'', where he is stoic, calm, and collected, [[ColdHam with every single line dripping with utter contempt and hatred]], and a newly fueled desire to [[HopeCrusher utterly break Batman in every way possible]].
-->'''Scarecrow:''' Shhhhh... It's okay to be afraid.

* [[BreakoutVillain Hazama]] of ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''. He is a [[BeautyIsBad quite handsome]] FauxAffablyEvil man, who is always polite and soft-spoken to everyone despite creeping them all out at the same time. (To further emphasize this, the Japanese version of the game has him referring to himself with [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns "watakushi"]], a very humble pronoun, and call everyone with the formal albeit somewhat distant "anata".) However, it's soon revealed that he's a {{Sadist}} who happily [[{{Troll}} trolls]] the hell out of everyone until [[MindRape their mind breaks.]] He cares about [[LackOfEmpathy nobody]] [[ItsAllAboutMe but himself]] and will happily kill you if he wants to, all the while sporting a PsychoticSmirk.
* In ''VideoGame/WelcomeToTheGameII'', the leader of the Noir cult [[spoiler:is Adam, that guy with the soft, somewhat-effeminate voice. He continues to speak in a calm voice even as he’s interrogating Clint and, [[MultipleEndings in one ending]], orders him killed]]. Also, [[spoiler:the Dollmaker speaks in a low voice even as he’s threatening Clint with a knife]].
* Police Chief Brian Irons in the ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'' is more calm and collected compared to his original incarnation where he was a LargeHam. In the remake, he rarely raises his voice, but he has no issue with threatening to kill Claire if Sherry doesn't do what he says. The only time he loses it is when [[spoiler: Sherry throws acid on his face.]]
* Yurina of ''VideoGame/BulletGirlsPhantasia'' is very sweet, motherly, and soft-spoken. Her voice does not change one bit when she outright tortures her friends and enemies to discipline them, gain information, or get revenge for previous slights.
* WarGod Ares is given a soft and deep voice in ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'', and is one of the least hammy of the Olympians. He is always cordial and polite to Zagreus when contacted, even as he delights in Zagreus' destruction on his way out of the Underworld.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' have Sephiroth as this. He never raises his voice beyond a calmly smug tone, even as he's mocking Cloud over his failures.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' have Seymour as this. At the beginning, he seems like a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, although perhaps a bit of a jerk due to his high position as a Maester. It's not until TheReveal and his death when he hams up everything.
* ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'' gives us the Monster, also known as Lemon Demon, [[SuddenlyVoiced the only character in the game whose songs have actual lyrics]] that, despite their usually upbeat instrumentals, talk about dark themes such as [[ImAHumanitarian eating the protagonist and his girlfriend]] or otherwise mutilating them, which he often sings about in a quiet tone unless excited.
* In ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'', the ArcVillain of Cyrus' story, [[spoiler:Lucia]], is one. She never raises her voice once until the final confrontation between the two, where she becomes excited as she offers a WeCanRuleTogether offer with Cyrus, and [[VillainousBreakdown loses it]] when he refuses her offer on the grounds that [[spoiler:[[NotSoDifferentRemark while they are both passionate in their pursuit of knowledge]], [[NotSoSimilar Lucia wants to keep the knowledge she discovers for herself for the sake of gaining power, while Cyrus wants to share knowledge with others so that everyone can benefit]]]].

* ''VisualNovel/RoseGunsDays'' Season 3 introduces [[spoiler:Gabriel Kaburaya, [[TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard Special officer in charge of countermeasures against organised criminal activities]]]]. This ManOfWealthAndTaste very rarely shows any other expression than a soft smile... and wants to "[[KnightTemplar try and drench his own hands in mafia blood]]". He also does ''something'' to Butler in the toilets that isn't shown nor described but is unlikely to be anything pleasant -- with the same gentle smile.
* The Creature from ''(Don't) Open Your Eyes''. They talk in a gentle and whisper-like tone throughout the course of the Visual Novel. But soon, [[spoiler:they tell you that you're a liar due to you not opening your eyes, yet describing them only within your mind. The real ending makes the creature bash your head against your own bedroom wall, it's only then that their quiet voice grows to a threatening growl as they demand you open your eyes to look at them.]]

* ''WebVideo/AskThatGuyWithTheGlasses'': Ask That Guy's voice tends to remain calm and even cheerful as he goes on about the bizarre murders, rapes, kidnappings, and assorted other crimes he's committed.

** If you thought Blue Diamond was bad, the show takes it UpToEleven with ''White'' Diamond, who [[HorrifyingTheHorror terrifies even the other Diamonds]]. Unlike the temperamental Yellow or the mournful Blue, White speaks with a genuinely pleasant, calm tone at all times. Her words, even when they're [[SugaryMalice dripping with]] CondescendingCompassion, are always sweet and kind, and her face is [[PerpetualSmiler always fixed into a smile]]. Oh, and she also has the power to [[TheVirus completely overwrite any other Gem's mind and personality]] to [[TheAssimilator become an extension of herself]], without ever raising her voice or sounding even remotely ruffled.

* ''Literature/DragonBones'': The person who [[spoiler: eventually betrays the heroes]] afterwards talks softly to Ward, as if nothing happened. It creeps him out.

* The BigBad of ''Series/KamenRiderKuuga'', N·Daguva·Zeba, speaks softly and never yells, acts arrogantly, or trash talks like his subjects, despite being the most evil and sadistic of his brethren.

* Collins, the mercenary leader with [[VillainousValour balls of steel]], from ''Film/TripleThreat'', delivers many of his lines in a casual tone befitting a psychopath who is desensitized to violence.

%%%* [[TheBeautifulElite Iason]] [[BastardBoyfriend Mink]] of ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi'' as part of his BeautyIsBad persona.

->''"Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments. Now, I'm probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies, they can't stand it."''\\
(Sprays [[SupernaturalFearInducer Fear Toxin]] into the face of the man he's talking to)\\
''"They scream, and they cry. Much as you're doing now."''

* Franchise/DragonBall:

* Spider-Man's enemy Tombstone is a large, albino mobster whose teeth have been filed to points. He's vicious enough to hold his own against Marvel's other colorful gangsters (Hammerhead, Silvermane, the Kingpin, etc.), strong enough to fight Spider-Man, and his dialogue balloons are always edged with a dotted line to underscore how soft his voice is.

-->'''[[spoiler:Rourke:]]''' Well, I gotta hand it to ya, you're a bigger pain in the neck than I would have ever thought possible. I consider myself an even-tempered man. It takes a lot to get under my skin, but congratulations, you just won the solid-gold kewpie doll!

* [[BigBad Ajax]], also known as [[DoNotCallMePaul Francis]], from ''Film/Deadpool2016'' speaks with a gentle British accent in every appearance he has in the film, save for once raising his voice to get Wade’s attention; his voice is at odds with his role as a [[SuperHumanTrafficking slaver]] and [[TortureTechnician Torturer]].
* Film/JamesBond:

* Dr. Jonathan Crane is easily the most softspoken character in ''Film/BatmanBegins.'' [[spoiler:(He also sprays people with a toxin designed to cause intense panic attacks, tries to burn people alive, and gives his fear toxin to someone who supposedly told him the plan was to hold the city to ransom.)]]

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', when he isn't being a zealous would-be ruler, is overwhelmingly cool and polite. When the Avengers are all gathered on the [[spoiler: flying aircraft carrier]], the [[spoiler: imprisoned]] Loki actually seems to be the calmest of them all. And even though, when things stop going his way, [[EvilIsHammy he breaks that pattern]], he's right back to it at the very end.

-->"As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Well, really, that's all this is. Except that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I've just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don't know what that would do to you. So, let's just start with what we have. What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest -- how do you feel?"

-->"You can fight, and all of you will die. Or you can surrender, in which case only ''most'' of you will die."

* Solomon Lane from ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation'' never raises his voice above a whisper, but that doesn't hide the callousness in his words and actions. [[spoiler:Even after being imprisoned for two years under constant interrogation, causing his SanitySlippage and ravenous desire for revenge by the time of ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout'', he still has the same quiet pattern of speech]].

* ''Film/{{The Killers|1964}}'': Jack Browning is a vicious, murderous criminal, but he's always calm and collected and never raises his voice. When Sheila refuses to stop caressing Johnny, saying simply "I like it here" when Jack tells her to leave, he calmly says "Well I can fix that." Then he slaps her across the face.

* [[BigBad Top Dollar]] from ''Film/TheCrow'' is amazingly charismatic and calm almost all the time. Though he does have a couple of moments where he loses his temper and hollers, even when being outright insulted and disrespected by a low-level {{Mook}} he keeps his cool and even agrees maybe he's "not as big as he thinks." Then he tosses the mook someone else's torn-out eye and, still being chillingly calm, tells the man that's what happened to the last guy who talked back to him like that. Then he runs him through the throat with a sabre for the hell of it, without ever once breaking composure.

* [[TortureTechnician Desaad]] from ''{{Series/Smallville}}'', who never loses the creepy, even tone as he kills tons of people by [[NightmareFuel making them bleed to death from the inside]].

** The death fetishist Donald Pfaster from season 2 episode "Irresistible" has an unsettling soft voice.
* In the ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Star Trek: TOS]]'' episode "Wolf in the Fold," John Fiedler played a serial-killing alien, and he spoke in the same tremorous, timid voice he used when he was playing [[WesternAnimation/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh Piglet.]]

* The killer in the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' episode "Hubris." [=McCoy=] tells the jury that he's going to ask them to realize that this "nicely dressed, soft-spoken young man" is a murderer.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'' / ''Series/BetterCallSaul'': Gustavo Fring is a kingpin who rarely ever raises his voice, to the point that he's a lot more menacing when he does raise it.
* Emmett Milbarge from Chuck. Imagine the gentle-voiced Buster Bluth of Arrested Development, only he's a sociopath and has delusions of authority. That's Emmett, and both characters are played flawlessly by Tony Hale.

* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': Surprisingly, [[Comicbook/TheJoker the Joker]] starts out as this, not becoming the {{laughably evil}} {{monster clown}} he is famous for being until he undergoes considerable {{sanity slippage}} between the show's fourth and fifth seasons. He makes a big deal in the fourth season about [[BlatantLies being much more reasonable and sane]] than [[AxCrazy his brother]], the show's first {{captain ersatz}} of the Joker, but his calm demeanor only serves to highlight just how unhinged he is, and [[DissonantSerenity actually makes him creepier.]]
* ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'': Wilson Fisk always speaks quietly, sometimes even awkwardly, and can come across as a man not used to speaking publicly...until he's pissed and is about to let loose on someone he wants to destroy for personal reasons.

--> ''Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
--> quick, and quiet and clean he was.
--> Back of his smile, under his word,
--> Sweeney heard music that nobody heard...''

* ''VideoGame/{{Bioshock|1}}'': Subverted with [[spoiler: [[BitchInSheepsClothing Atlas (alias Frank Fontaine)]]]], who spends a good two-thirds sounding friendly, jovial and humane before TheReveal gives us his [[BrooklynRage actual voice]]. [[VideoGame/BioShock2 Sofia Lamb]] plays it straight (ala her TautologicalTemplar personality). Both were designed to contrast Andrew Ryan's LargeHam persona.

* [[spoiler:Iris Sepperin]] in ''{{VideoGame/Rosenkreuzstilette}}'' may certainly speak politely, but [[spoiler:that doesn't stop her from causing suffering for others for her own entertainment]].

--> '''Jamie [[spoiler:(After shooting a hostage if Sam refuses to)]]:''' Sorry... (chuckles sheepishly) s-sorry.

** [[spoiler: Akechi also count in this. During the third semester, while out of combat, Akechi speaks in a generally calm and serious manner that would hide his true personality if not for his dismissive and blunt speech. In combat, however...]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': Dark Danny rarely raises his voice and talks in a genuinely charming and polite tone but he also craves destruction ForTheEvulz and makes no effort to hide that.

--> '''Donbot:''' That scab's gonna have a little on the job "accident" tomorrow.
--> '''Joey:''' With all due respect Donbot, I don't think we should rely on an accident happening. Let's kill him ourselves.

'''Bugs:''' Oh, well, never mind then. No point tryin' to get back to da Oith if it -- zuh?!

-->'''Pythor''': Humbly, I am Pythor P. Chumsworth.
* One of the villains the protagonists of ''WesternAnimation/PennZeroPartTimeHero'' encounter is [[SpellMyNameWithAThe The Milkman]], who's voiced by Creator/PaulReubens and speaks in a polite, friendly tone while doing things that are... [[FauxAffablyEvil neither polite nor friendly, to say the least]].

---> '''Blue Diamond''': I want to know what [Rose Quartz] thinks we're going to do with her. ''Because I want to do something '''worse'''''.

* [[MadScientist Flug]] from ''WesternAnimation/VillainousCartoonNetwork Villainous]]'' rarely raises his voice and is generally a huge NervousWreck, but he's still very much a villain, as seen at the end of the WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls Orientation Files episode; when he has Mojo Jojo strapped to an exam table in his lab, he's clearly having an ''amazing'' time calmly explaining how [[ColdBloodedTorture the toxin he's about to inject him with]] [[FateWorseThanDeath won't kill him, but it'll be so agonizing that he might wish that it would.]]

* [[BreakoutVillain Hazama]] of ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''. He is a [[BeautyIsBad quite handsome]] FauxAffablyEvil man, who is always polite and soft-spoken to everyone despite creeping them all out at the same time. (To further emphasize this, the Japanese version of the game has him referring to himself with [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns "watakushi"]], a very humble pronoun, and call everyone with the formal albeit somewhat distant "anata".) However, it's soon revealed that he's a {{Sadist}} who happily [[{{Troll}} trolls]] the hell out of everyone until [[MindRape their mind break.]] He cares about [[LackOfEmpathy nobody]] [[ItsAllAboutMe but himself]] and will happily kill you if he wants to, all the while sporting a PsychoticSmirk.

* [[Creator/ShowHayami Sosuke Aizen]], [[Creator/KojiYusa Gin Ichimaru]], [[Creator/KosukeToriumi Szayel Aporro Grantz]] and [[Creator/DaisukeOno Shuukuro Tsukishima]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''.

(Sprays [[SupernaturalFearInducer Fear Toxin]] into the face of the man he's talking with)\\