History YMMV / Otherland

* EvilIsSexy: Dulcie seems to think so regarding Dread.

* CompleteMonster: Johnny [[MeaningfulName Wulgaru]], alias [[IHaveManyNames Johnny Dark]], alias John [[PunnyName More Dread]], alias (John) [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Dread]], is a rapist, SerialKiller, PsychoForHire MisanthropeSupreme who was raised by his drug-addled prostitute mother for the precise purpose of being a weapon against the society she wanted revenge on. The BigBad, CorruptCorporateExecutive Felix Jongleur, views him as an attack dog: vicious, but useful when directed appropriately. However, he severely underestimates Dread's cunning and ambition, and when he sees the opportunity, Dread uses his {{Technopath}} psychic power to wrest control of the Otherland operating system away from his boss. He then launches an orgy of virtual destruction, indulging his sadistic tendencies by, among other things, torturing, raping, and killing the people of Dodge City. When the thrill of [[AGodAmI godlike power]] subsides, he then plans to use the resources of Jongleur's empire to wreak havoc in the real world. Meanwhile, the police team investigating Dread's trail of real world murders interviews a psychologist who describes him as one of the purest examples of a sociopathic personality that he'd ever seen -- [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]], no remorse, only a fierce intelligence and the skill to manipulate others.

* EvilIsSexy: Dulcie seems to think so regarding Dread; see AllGirlsWantBadBoys.

* HilariousInHindsight: Several characters refer to cinematic films as "[[Creator/{{Netflix}} net flicks]]".

** Orlando, naturally. Also, at the end, the Other.
** And possibly Paul Jonas.

* CompleteMonster: Johnny [[MeaningfulName Wulgaru]], alias [[IHaveManyNames Johnny Dark]], alias John [[PunnyName More Dread]], alias (John) [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Dread]], is a rapist, SerialKiller, PsychoForHire MisanthropeSupreme who was raised by his drug-addled prostitute mother for the precise purpose of being a weapon against the society she wanted revenge on. The BigBad, CorruptCorporateExecutive Felix Jongleur, views him as an attack dog: vicious, but useful when directed appropriately. However, he severely underestimates Dread's cunning and ambition, and when he sees the opportunity, Dread uses his {{Technopath}} psychic power to wrest control of the Otherland operating system away from his boss. He then launches an orgy of virtual destruction, indulging his sadistic tendencies by, among other things, torturing, raping, and killing the people of Dodge City. When the thrill of [[AGodAmI godlike power]] subsides, he then plans to use the resources of Jongleur's empire to wreak havoc in the real world. Meanwhile, the police team investigating Dread's trail of real world murders interviews a psychologist who describes him as one of the purest examples of a sociopathic personality that he'd ever seen -- [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]], no remorse, only a fierce intelligence and the skill to manipulate others.

* IronWoobie: Paul Jonas. The man spent eternity in the trenches of world war one and things got ''worse'' when he escaped. And he just kept going, and going, and going.

** Orlando, naturally. Also at the end, the Other.

* TrueNeutral: Kunohara remains resolutely neutral in the conflict between the heroes and the Brotherhood, reasoning that he sees no value in helping them considering how easily it could jeopardize his position...

* CompleteMonster: Johnny [[MeaningfulName Wulgaru]], alias [[IHaveManyNames Johnny Dark]], alias John [[PunnyName More Dread]], alias (John) [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Dread]], from the ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' series is a rapist, SerialKiller, PsychoForHire MisanthropeSupreme who was raised by his drug-addled prostitute mother for the precise purpose of being a weapon against the society she wanted revenge on. The BigBad, CorruptCorporateExecutive Felix Jongleur, views him as an attack dog: vicious, but useful when directed appropriately. However, he severely underestimates Dread's cunning and ambition, and when he sees the opportunity, Dread uses his {{Technopath}} psychic power to wrest control of the Otherland operating system away from his boss. He then launches an orgy of virtual destruction, indulging his sadistic tendencies by, among other things, torturing, raping, and killing the people of Dodge City. When the thrill of [[AGodAmI godlike power]] subsides, he then plans to use the resources of Jongleur's empire to wreak havoc in the real world. Meanwhile, the police team investigating Dread's trail of real world murders interviews a psychologist who describes him as one of the purest examples of a sociopathic personality that he'd ever seen -- [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]], no remorse, only a fierce intelligence and the skill to manipulate others.

* CompleteMonster: Johnny [[MeaningfulName Wulgaru]], alias [[IHaveManyNames Johnny Dark]], alias (John) [[NamesToRunAwayFrom Dread]], alias John [[PunnyName More Dread]], is a rapist, SerialKiller, PsychoForHire MisanthropeSupreme who was raised by his drug-addled prostitute mother for the precise purpose of being a weapon against the society she wanted revenge on. The BigBad, CorruptCorporateExecutive Felix Jongleur, views him as an attack dog: vicious, but useful when directed appropriately. However, he severely underestimates Dread's cunning and ambition, and when he sees the opportunity, Dread uses his {{Technopath}} psychic power to wrest control of the Otherland operating system away from his boss. He then launches an orgy of virtual destruction that makes Jongleur's dreams of world domination look positively tame by comparison. Meanwhile, the police team investigating Dread's trail of real world murders interviews a psychologist who describes him as one of the purest examples of a sociopathic personality that he'd ever seen -- [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]], no remorse, only a fierce intelligence and the skill to manipulate others.

* CompleteMonster: John Dread is a rapist, SerialKiller, PsychoForHire MisanthropeSupreme who was raised by his drug-addled prostitute mother for the precise purpose of being a weapon against the society she wanted revenge on. The psychiatrist who treated him as a child notes that he was the scariest human being he'd ever seen. Felix Jongleur employs him as an attack dog, setting him loose on the Brotherhood's enemies and otherwise letting him indulge himself, as long as he doesn't draw too much attention.

* NightmareFuel: So very much. If it involves John Dread, it's going to be fairly horrible, particularly when he gets godlike power. Also, the Other inspires nightmares in its power and inhumanity.

* AlasPoorVillain: It is arguable that the audience is intended to feel some small degree of sympathy for Jongleur, as he's given a very fleshed out FreudianExcuse, BadDreams, and a very nasty death. He's unquestionably the author of all of the evil that occurs in the story, so at some point the justifications ring hollow.

* CompleteMonster: John Dread, so very much, to the point of being deliberately [[InvokedTrope invoked]].

** And possibly Paul Jonas.

** Let's face it, Finney and Mudd are this trope as well, along with their many incarnations throughout Otherland.

* AlasPoorVillain: It is arguable that the audience is intended to feel some small degree of sympathy for Jongleur, as he's given a very fleshed out FreudianExcuse, BadDreams, and a very nasty death. Of course, he's unquestionably the author of all of the evil that occurs in the story, so at some point the justifications ring hollow.

* NightmareFuel: So very much. And NightmareFuelUnleaded, and HighOctaneNightmareFuel. If it involves John Dread, it's going to be fairly horrible, particularly when he gets godlike power. Also, the Other inspires nightmares in its power and inhumanity.

* AlasPoorVillain: It is arguable that the audience is intended to feel some small degree of sympathy for Jongleur, as he's given a very fleshed out FreudianExcuse, BadDreams, and a very nasty death. Of course, he's unquestionably the author of all of the evil that occurs in the story, so at some point the justifications ring hollow.
* GrowingTheBeard: The first book, before the characters really get into Otherland, reads like something of a JustifiedTutorial. It's very clear that the series is written as a coherent whole, rather than four separate novels, and the plot doesn't get into full gear until the second book.

* IronWoobie: Paul Jonas. The man spent eternity in the trenches of world war one and things got ''worse'' when he escaped.

* NightmareFuel: So very much. And NightmareFuelUnleaded, and HighOctaneNightmareFuel. If it involves John Dread, it's going to be fairly horrible, particularly when he gets godlike power. Also, the Other inspires nightmares in its power and inhumanity.

* TheWoobie: Orlando, naturally. Also at the end, the Other.

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: The Other doesn't care how many people it kills as long as it [[spoiler:ends its own suffering and [[TakingYouWithMe takes Jongleur with it.]]]]