History PlayingWith / TheDreaded

* '''Zig Zagged''': There's no rhyme or reason to who stands and who runs; trained soldiers who outnumber Evulz turn and run while heavily outnumbered conscripts hold their ground. The heroes are terrified, but children fearlessly stand up to the villain.

* '''Untwisted''': Evulz seems like a HarmlessVillain surrounded by comic relief henchmen. It's later revealed [[NotSoHarmlessVillain that said henchmen all have long blood-soaked criminal careers]], yet are still reduced to goofy bumbling idoit in Evulz presence.

** ... and '''''GodOfEvil'''''.

* '''Discussed''': "That's the problem. No one will fight him, everyone is frightened. Even if we could beat him, the question is, who'd be mad enough to try?"

** Even ''{{Satan}}'' [[HorrifyingTheHorror shudders]] when he hears the Evulz's name.

** Hero Example: [[TheHero Hiro]] is a NiceGuy once ya get to know him, but due to his reputation of being a ''really'' [[LightningBruiser powerful]] [[MagicKnight do-gooder]] who's [[GoodIsNotSoft merciless towards bad guys,]] [[HateSink especially the more]] [[CompleteMonster viler ones,]] and thus, he's feared by a lot of villains with the [[DirtyCoward more cowardly ones]] [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leaving immediately once or before he arrives]] while the civilians generally love him, [[GladHesOnOurSide they're grateful for his protection and would be quivering on their boots if he's on the side of evil]].

** Hero Example: Hiro is a WellIntentionedExtremist whose his methods are quite different from the conventional heroes.

* '''Downplayed''': In a show where most villains are treated [[HarmlessVillain as comic fodder]], Evulz is [[KnightOfCerebus taken seriously, without any jokes or slapstick, even when he's not being particularly dangerous.]]

** Hero Example: Hiro is a SociopathicHero who [[SerialKillerKiller kills serial killers]] and [[EatTheRich rich]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive corporate]] [[ThereAreNoGoodExecutives executives]], to the point even the CorruptPolitician Bob [[PoliteVillainsnRudeHeroes are scared of him]].

* '''Justified''': Evulz really is that scary. Whether through magic, appearance or a reputation for slaughtering entire towns singlehandedly, people have reason to flee at the sound of his approach.