History Main / VillainousHarlequin

A Villainous Harlequin (if female) will often be the PerkyFemaleMinion of the QuirkyMinibossSquad, rarely going any higher on the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil. Compared to the Monster Clown - which is genuinely threatening- she is closer to an IneffectualSympatheticVillain. She has shades of TheTrickster in her [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny impulsive]] and anarchic ways, but [[TooCleverByHalf lacks the intelligence necessary]] for this trait to provide any real danger. Whether male or female, a Villainous Harlequin may fancy him or herself as a SmugSnake, but his or her childish demeanor and outlandish appearance (which can range from traditional jester costumes to [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes impossibly cool]] outfits and [[PimpedOutDress incredibly impractical]] [[ElegantGothicLolita poofy dresses]] if female) ruins any chance of anyone taking him or her seriously. Expect temper tantrums when [[VillainBall his/her plans inevitably fail]], and for him or her to either be a ChewToy of TheDragon or a member of the GoldfishPoopGang.

* Played with in regards of the Royal Jester in ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker 2''. Everyone ''thinks'' he's a bad guy and going talk to him actually drops your daughter's social reputation each time, but he's actually a rather good-hearted fellow... if a bit of a TricksterMentor to the heroine. Who ''can'' choose being a Jester as her main work in the end, if some requirements are met (specifically, having him give her his Royal Harp after several visits, as well as possessing a strong Constitution and very high Art and Conversation skills).

* Reflekta, the akumatized form of Juleka Couffaine, from "WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug", who wants people to notice her by converting people into clones of herself. Her colourful appearance making a huge contrast compared to her normal self.

The Villainous Harlequin is the product of the popular view of TheJester, which is that of an [[PluckyComicRelief idiotic buffoon]]. (This is despite the fact that TheJester was [[ObfuscatingStupidity one of the most insightful members]] of a king's court, due to his position outside the usual social ranks.) Interestingly, in some Renaissance art [[TheGrimReaper Death]] itself is often portrayed dressed in motley, or "pied" clothing, which is often conflated with the true Harlequin outfit. The more danger a Villainous Harlequin poses to [[TheHero the protagonists]], the closer he or she gets to MonsterClown.

* The Joker goes back to his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Harlequin feel in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold.'' Even so, he is hilariously no less Made of Awesome than in the comic books or The Dark Knight.

* The Clown from the Crime Circus. Like the rest of the circus crew, he lacks to the power or skill necessary to be truly threatening.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', Peeves the poltergeist is an example. He regularly plays tricks on the students and staff, including pouring water or ink over them, and enjoys winding up Argus Filch, the grumpy student-hating caretaker.

** Peeves: Wandering at night, ickle firsties? Tut tut tut. Naughty naughty, you'll get caughty.

* ''WebComic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'': One of the Doctor's [[StarterVillain lesser]] opponents is Donald [=McBonald=], the unscrupulous clown (and mime) who owns the [[BlandNameProduct McBonald's]] burger chain.

* In Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' Clopin has shades of this. He's mostly ChaoticNeutral but turns downright malicious during "Court of Miracles".

* ''Literature/{{Foundation}} and Empire'' has Magnifico Giganticus, who plays the SadClown part so well at first that nobody even suspects him of being a villain. [[spoiler:In fact, he's the Mule himself.]]
* In ''Murder Must Advertise'', Literature/LordPeterWimsey takes on the persona of a sinister harlequin in order to infiltrate a murderous drug ring.
* ''[[Franchise/LandOfOz Dorothy of Oz]]'' by Roger S. Baum featured a jester who went evil after getting his hands on a MagicWand.

* Quackerjack from ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'', pictured above.

* Papillon from ''Manga/BusouRenkin'' fits this due to his [[SissyVillain campy behavior and dress]] and being AffablyEvil.

* Quackerjack from ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck''.

* WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder gives us the mischievous Dr. Screwball Jones, a deviously daffy prankster who, ironically enough, is the only villain that Wander takes seriously. He even gets a whole VillainSong!

* Luan Loud of WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse can sometimes veer into this territory, especially during the April fools episodes.

The Villainous Harlequin is the product of the popular view of TheJester, which is that of an [[PluckyComicRelief idiotic buffoon]]. (This is despite the fact that TheJester was [[ObfuscatingStupidity one of the most insightful members]] of a king's court, due to his position outside the usual social ranks.) Interestingly, in some Renaissance art {{Death}} itself is often portrayed dressed in motley, or "pied" clothing, which is often conflated with the true Harlequin outfit. The more danger a Villainous Harlequin poses to [[TheHero the protagonists]], the closer he or she gets to MonsterClown.

** Zorn and Thorn from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''. They are twin jesters that serve under Queen Brahme's court, and during the game they try to capture Garnet to stole her Eidolons. After the events of Disk 2, they start to work for Kuja.

* Kefka in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' is initially presented as a Villainous Harlequin. ''That'' [[MonsterClown perception]] [[MagnificentBastard doesn't]] [[AGodAmI last]] [[BigBad long]]. Good thing we still have Ultros.
** Zorn and Thorn from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''.

* The [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] GreenLantern foe the Harlequin (aka Molly Mayne), who he later ended up marrying.

* Deathjester in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'', who lapsed into MonsterClown at times.

* ''ComicBook/SensationComics'': When Countess Draska Nishki and her International Spies, Inc. first show up they throw a MasqueradeBall at which several of her murderous lackies dress as clowns, and then pull guns on the Holliday Girls.

* ''WesternAnimation/SuperMansion'' Groaner, who is a villainous prop comic who doesn't seem to be out to actually (intentionally) hurt anyone and has actually accompanied the heroes on a number of missions, but still does things like set a house on fire with a brush so he can make a joke about "brushfires" and actually came closest to beating the league by stealing one of their expense cards and using it to cause them to go overbudget.

* Will in ''Manga/PokemonSpecial''. In every other continuity he's strictly a good guy though.