| 1 | %% |
| 2 | %% If there is more than one example of the trope in the work, each of them gets two bullets (**) on their own line. |
| 3 | %% Subtropes should not be listed in sub-bullets beneath their parent tropes. |
| 4 | %% See Administrivia/ExampleIndentationInTropeLists for details. |
| 5 | %% |
| 6 | %% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. |
| 7 | %% Please add context to the entries before uncommenting them. |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | %% Trope entries go in alphabetical order by trope name. Leading articles (a, an, the) are ignored for alphabetical purposes. |
| 10 | %% See Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings for details. |
| 11 | %% |
| 12 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1608568721097293000 |
| 13 | %% Please do not remove or replace without starting a new thread. |
| 14 | %% |
| 15 | [[quoteright:349:[[ComicBook/MarvelRising https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_eviloverlooker.png]]]] |
| 16 | [[caption-width-right:349:"I spy with my wicked eye, a bunch of losers!"]] |
| 17 | %% |
| 18 | %% Caption selected per crowner in Caption Repair thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/CaptionSuggestions4 |
| 19 | %% Please do not replace or remove without further discussion in the thread: |
| 20 | %% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1404492079030138900 |
| 21 | %% |
| 22 | ->''"Composition-wise, this cover is actually more interesting than the ones we're used to seeing. We actually have something that catches the reader's attention, with the menacing villain holding the symbols of the heroes by knives."'' |
| 23 | -->-- '''[[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]]''', ''[[https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/8303/daredevil_1964_306 Daredevil #306]]'' |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Box art or advertisement that features the villain's head "watching" the hero. Many posters and video boxes for Western animated films feature this trope, especially if they are from TheNineties, although since TheNewTens, this trope has seen something of a comeback. Sometimes, the villain looks like they are trying to grab the main characters or the MacGuffin. If the villain is actually this large, it probably overlaps with TallIsIntimidating. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | This trope is related to FloatingHeadSyndrome, though the latter is not typically viewed as fondly. For when a villain is overlooking a scene ''in-story,'' see DramaticHighPerching. |
| 28 | ---- |
| 29 | !!Examples: |
| 30 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 31 | |
| 32 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 33 | * ''Anime/DigimonTamers'': |
| 34 | ** Inverted. Impmon, intended at the time to be the BigBad (a direction later changed), is underneath the Tamers rather than above in his early promotional material. |
| 35 | ** A promotional poster for the ''[[Recap/DigimonTamersM1BattleOfAdventurers Battle of Adventurers]]'' movie attempts this trope with Gulfmon, but it looks like Gulfmon is looking away from the characters because of where his eye is. |
| 36 | * The Volume 9 cover of the ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' manga shows the eyes of [[ArcVillain Chrollo Lucifier]], drawn in an eerily realistic art-style, overlooking our four protagonists. |
| 37 | * ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': |
| 38 | ** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'': The visual for the Egypt arc has [[BigBad DIO]] looming over the heroes as he is FaceFramedInShadow. |
| 39 | ** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'': The third visual features Yoshikage Kira in his Kosaku disguise watching the protagonists in Morioh. |
| 40 | ** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'': The visual for the second-half of the story has the team being observed by Diavolo's King Crimson while reaching for the Stand Arrow. |
| 41 | %%* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi: Mou Hitotsu no Sekai'': A promotional poster shows Negi and Asuna posing in front with Fate Averruncus overlooking. Unusually, Fate's head and line of sight are turned slightly to the side to show his [[TheStoic effectively apathetic nature]] (rather than diabolic or megalomaniacal). |
| 42 | * ''Anime/SailorMoonCosmos'': Sailor Galaxia is looming above Princess Kakyu, the Sailor Starlights and Sailor Moon in the official poster. |
| 43 | %%* ''Anime/SaintSeiyaOmega'': The DVD cover for volume 2 of the Japanese release portrays Dragon Ryuhou, of all characters, like this, if the SlasherSmile he seems to be sporting is anything to go by. Anyone who's seen or at least read about the series knows this is [[CoversAlwaysLie far from the truth]]. |
| 44 | * On the cover of ''Manga/SukebanDeka'''s OVA, [[https://www.amazon.de/Sukeban-Deka/dp/B000087F31/ref=sr_1_26?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=sukeban+deka&qid=1608485589&s=dvd&sr=1-26 Remi overlooks the scene]] |
| 45 | * ''Anime/TweenyWitches'': Grande, the BigBad, overlooks the Magical Girl Squad on the DVD cover for volume 7 of the Japanese release. |
| 46 | * ''Anime/MyHeroAcademiaHeroesRising'': [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/heroes_rising.png In the poster]], Nine's head looms over the group shot of Class 1-A, while his minions look off to the side. Also looking sinister on top is Hawks, whose involvement with the villains is unmentioned in the film proper. |
| 47 | [[/folder]] |
| 48 | |
| 49 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 50 | * ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': An official poster for Season 8 features a [[RedEyesTakeWarning red-eyed]] Huo Haha (the season's ArcVillain) in the background, visible above the Supermen and Big M. (who, incidentally, is the show's overall villain). |
| 51 | [[/folder]] |
| 52 | |
| 53 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 54 | %%* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': The Surgeon General on the cover for Issue #306. |
| 55 | %%* ''ComicBook/TheLionKing'': The first issue of the comic series has adult Simba and Nala in the foreground, while Scar sneers at them from the background. |
| 56 | %%* ''Web of ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Jackal on the cover for Issue #122. |
| 57 | %%* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'': [[VideoGame/SonicHeroes Neo Metal Sonic]] overlooks the heroes on cover A for Issue #10. |
| 58 | * ''ComicBook/{{Zion}}'': Some promotional images show the villain looking over his shoulder down at Desta in his Zion form. |
| 59 | * ''ComicBook/MarvelRising'' (2019): [[https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/cmx-images-prod/Item/758877/758877._SX1280_QL80_TTD_.jpg The cover of issue #3]] shows [[BigBad Morgan]] overlooking the heroes as if they're inside a crystal ball. |
| 60 | * ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': |
| 61 | ** [[https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/File:Supergirl_Who_Is_Superwoman.jpg The cover]] for ''ComicBook/WhoIsSuperwoman'' has the titular villain looking down at a worried-looking ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}. |
| 62 | ** ''ComicBook/DeathAndTheFamily'': The cover of the first issue features Silver Banshee's giant head looming over Supergirl and using her sonic scream to shatter her eardrums. |
| 63 | * ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': |
| 64 | ** The cover of ''ComicBook/ThePhantomZone'' #1 features the heads of Dru-Zod, Va-Kox, Az-Rel and other Kryptonian criminals grinning down on Superman and other characters. |
| 65 | ** "ComicBook/LuthorUnleashed": Inverted. The cover features Superman's giant head fearfully staring down at the figures of the new and more dangerous Luthor and Brainiac. |
| 66 | %%** "Reign of the Super-Man": Combined with FloatingHeadSyndrome in the artwork for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's early short story, (As a side note, the "Super-Man" here--a bald villain--inspired Superman foes the "Ultra-Humanite" and Lex Luthor.) |
| 67 | * ''ComicBook/DangerGirl'': [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Danger_Girl_Poster_Color_by_J_Scott_Campbell.jpg This cover]] has Major Maxim in this role. |
| 68 | * ''ComicBook/StarTrekTheNextGenerationDoctorWhoAssimilation2'': The Cyber-Borg Controller appears as one on the [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/startrek/images/7/7d/Assimilation2Issue8_Cover_A.jpg/revision/latest cover]] of the final issue. |
| 69 | * ''ComicBook/ResidentAlien'': [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_small/6/65567/2427697-19671.jpg The cover]] to ''Welcome to Earth'' issue #2 shows a silhouette of Harry's face overlooking some government agents, except that Harry isn't a villain or even an antagonist. |
| 70 | * ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': |
| 71 | ** ''ComicBook/TheGreatDarknessSaga'' presents two examples: |
| 72 | *** In the cover of ''[[https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/File:Legion_of_Super-Heroes_Vol_2_294.jpg Legion of Super-Heroes #294]]'', Darkseid's giant head appears looming over the Legionnaires. |
| 73 | *** [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/0/0c/Legion_of_Super-Heroes_The_Great_Darkness_Saga_Deluxe_TPB.jpg In the cover of the Deluxe Edition]], a grinning Darkseid is looking down on the team. |
| 74 | ** ''ComicBook/TheEarthwarSaga'': The final issue's [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/0/02/Superboy_and_the_Legion_of_Super-Heroes_245.jpg cover]] features a massive Mordru looking menacingly and triumphantly down on Superboy, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl and Karate Kid. |
| 75 | * ''ComicBook/TankVixens'': Issue #1 shows Udda von Schteppenslammer overlooking the titular vixens. |
| 76 | * ''ComicBook/{{Nnewts}}'': |
| 77 | ** On the cover of the first book, [[TheDragon Wizzark]] is the overlooker. |
| 78 | ** Averted with the cover of the second book, where [[BigGood Anthigar]] is the overlooker. |
| 79 | ** On the cover of the third book, [[spoiler:Herk's [[ReforgedIntoAMinion Lizzark form]]]] is the overlooker. |
| 80 | [[/folder]] |
| 81 | |
| 82 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 83 | * [=Hrodvitnon's=] artwork for the ''[[Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' fanfiction ''[[Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon Abraxas]]''[='=] seventeenth chapter depicts Ghidorah's "[[ExpendableClone shed skin]]" [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonTitansAndOtherCreatures MaNi]] (an unused earlier design of him anyway) towering over and leering down at the heroic kaiju named Thor. |
| 84 | * The [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jaune_arc_lord_of_hunger_max_size.png cover art]] for ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'' depicts Darth Nihilus, who is the main villain, towering over the protagonist Jaune. |
| 85 | %%* ''Fanfic/KitsuneNoKenFistOfTheFox'': The cover shows [[AdaptationalVillainy Gaara]] overlooking Naruto. |
| 86 | %%* ''VideoGame/MegaManUnlimited'': Some promotional artworks have Bass doing this (looking ''away'' from the heroes in one case). One has him near the bottom instead, with the 9 Robot Masters looming above everyone. [[spoiler:Unsurprisingly, neither of them are the actual main villains; Dr. Wily is.]] |
| 87 | * The [[https://www.deviantart.com/adonovan94/art/Ultimate-Evil-Cover-Art-478094568 original cover art]] of ''Fanfic/TheUltimateEvil'' features [[WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures Shendu]] overlooking through flames Valerie Payne, the target of his VillainousCrush. |
| 88 | [[/folder]] |
| 89 | |
| 90 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 91 | * ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven2'': The poster has Red attempting to grab Gabriel's Horn. |
| 92 | * ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'': The box art has the Joker's (green-tinted) head doing this. |
| 93 | * ''WesternAnimation/DarkFury'': On the cover, Chillingworth's head is watching over Riddick. |
| 94 | * Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon: |
| 95 | ** ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' |
| 96 | ** ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'' |
| 97 | ** ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'': The theatrical poster. The [=VHS/LaserDisc=] cover has Frollo almost shunted off the top. |
| 98 | ** ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'': The Beast overlooks everyone else on the original poster in cloud form, making it a case of CoversAlwaysLie since he's not the villain, or at least tried to project that appearance to anyone who's not familiar with the classic story. |
| 99 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'': One of the posters has one of these. |
| 100 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'': The first poster and video cover have Ursula and King Triton as the overlookers. Ursula is [[BigBad the main villain]], while Triton is more of an AntiHero [[CharacterDevelopment who gets better]]. |
| 101 | ** ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'': Inverted. BigBad Hades and his minions are ''below'' everyone else in the poster to correspond with his domain as Lord of the Underworld. |
| 102 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'': A variation on the back cover for the box, with [=McLeach=] being to being to scale with the other characters as he stands behind them with a hate-filled glare. |
| 103 | ** ''WesternAnimation/Wish2023'' has King Magnifico hovering over Asha and Valentino with Star under his chin. |
| 104 | * ''WesternAnimation/FernGullyTheLastRainforest'': On the video box art, Hexxus is seen in the background trying to grab the main characters. There is even a poster like [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ferngully_the_last_rainforest_ver1.jpg this]]. |
| 105 | * ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfter'': Subverted. On the cover, Snow White and the Dwarfelles are front and center, with the Shadow Man glaring malevolently at them from behind a tree. This is a case of CoversAlwaysLie, as the character in question is actually Snow White's harmless, mute StalkerWithACrush ([[spoiler:actually the prince under an enchantment]]), and the film's ''actual'' villain is nowhere to be seen on the cover. |
| 106 | * ''WesternAnimation/HeidisSong'', by Creator/HannaBarbera: One of the posters has two of them. |
| 107 | * ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal2000'': Most of the covers featuring the villain Tyler show him above the {{Stripperiffic}} heroine Julie. In one, it's his face in the clouds; in another, it's just his eyes; and in another one, he's [[ScaryImpracticalArmor fully armored]]. |
| 108 | * ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheMovie'': The film poster/video/DVD cover notably has an eerily similar layout to the ''Jimmy Neutron'' example listed shortly below, which was also part of the Nickelodeon brand. |
| 109 | * ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'': On the poster, the Screenslaver overlooks the Parr Family. |
| 110 | * ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': The poster depicts King Goobot looking down at the heroes. |
| 111 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime'': The artwork for the poster and the VHS release depicts Sharptooth standing atop a cliff, looking down at the heroes as they walk across a fallen tree. |
| 112 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Lightyear}}'': On [[https://twitter.com/PixarsLightyear/status/1522218306110861318 the theatrical poster,]] Emperor Zurg's silhouette, with GlowingEyesOfDoom, appears above the heroes. |
| 113 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1'': On the new poster, Sunset Shimmer's eyes appear in the mirror above human versions of the main cast. |
| 114 | * ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolfTheTigerProwess'': One of the official pieces of artwork features Lord Japper overlooking the goats, Wolffy, and Leopold and Counselor (both Lord Japper's minions). |
| 115 | * ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'': One of the promotional items from Burger King was a card that showed Mewtwo looking down at our heroes, complete with an EvilLaugh. ([[http://www.themewtwocodex.com/uploads/1/3/5/5/13555436/9409057_orig.jpg Card is marked as number one.]]) |
| 116 | * ''Anime/{{Promare}}'': Kray overlooks everyone else in the key visual of the film, [[spoiler: making it a case of SpoilerCover since he's EvilAllAlong]]. |
| 117 | * ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'': The Wolf can be seen in the upper left corner of the film poster, his ominous eyes-on-black background juxtaposed with the otherwise colorful poster. |
| 118 | * ''WesternAnimation/SinbadLegendOfTheSevenSeas'': Eris towers in the background of the poster, looming over the heroes. |
| 119 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpiritStallionOfTheCimarron'': The American cover of the DVD case features the Colonel's ethereal head looking over his shoulder at the heroes with hatred in his eyes. |
| 120 | * ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverseTheMovie'': The poster has the mysterious villain (Spinel) looming over Steven and the Crystal Gems while partially in shadow, looking down at them sinisterly. |
| 121 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'': On the official poster, Bowser towers over the rest of the cast, looking down on them menacingly. |
| 122 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'': Rothbart. |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryTheMovie'': The film poster/VHS cover features Tom chasing Jerry (which only happens for a few minutes in-film) while the face of the [[BigBad villainous]] [[FatBastard fat lady]] watches them with utter rage in cloud form. |
| 124 | * ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'': The film posters have Unicron, both his planet form and his robotic head, prominently in the background behind the main cast. Funnily enough, since Unicron is the size of a planet, for once this skewed perspective is actually proportionally correct. |
| 125 | * ''WesternAnimation/WatershipDown'': The DVD cover has General Woundwort looking down at the refugee rabbits and Kehaar. |
| 126 | * ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBearsTheMovie'': The poster has the main antagonist, Agent Trout, glaring down at the Bears. |
| 127 | [[/folder]] |
| 128 | |
| 129 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 130 | * ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'': The film has a poster with just the eyes of an Infected hanging in the sky over a silhouetted Jim. |
| 131 | * ''Film/TheAlzheimersCase'': The hitman Ledda is portrayed this way on the movie posters, with the cops in the foreground. |
| 132 | * ''Film/{{Arachnophobia}}'': This film is a fairly subtle example. Take a good look at the moon on the poster/cover. |
| 133 | * ''Film/BatmanForever'': Inverted. The villains are actually towards the bottom of the poster while [[DarkIsNotEvil Batman]] looms above them. |
| 134 | * ''Film/{{Blade}}'': The poster of the first film show the vampire antagonist Deacon Frost ominously watching over the Daywalker Blade in a blood-red background. |
| 135 | * ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Some posters have Red Skull's eyes looming over Cap. |
| 136 | * ''Film/ChildsPlay'': The original poster. |
| 137 | * ''Film/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon1990'': The poster only shows the bad guy's HellishPupils overlooking the moon. |
| 138 | * ''Film/DeathTrain'': Subverted. The cover makes it seem like Patrick Stewart is the villain overlooking Pierce Brosnan, but he's actually the latter's [[TheSpymaster Spymaster]] and unambiguously on the side of the good guys. The real villain is a RenegadeRussian played by Christopher Lee. |
| 139 | * ''Film/{{Descendants}}'': The main boxart for ''Descendants 2'' features Uma in the background overlooking the [=VKs.=] |
| 140 | * ''Film/TheDevilsAdvocate'': An alternate theatrical poster shows the Devil looming over the protagonist and his wife. |
| 141 | * ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' has [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Narissa]] overlooking the heroes. [[spoiler: And during the climax, she gets ScaledUp, so the dragon on the poster is also her.]] |
| 142 | * ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIIIJasonTakesManhattan'': After the "I ♥ NY" -posters for were taken down due to complaints from New York Tourism Committee, they were replaced with a poster of Jason looming over the city. |
| 143 | * ''Film/FrightNight1985'': The villain as an evil cloud. |
| 144 | * ''Film/FrightNight2011'': The poster, although Jerry does kinda merge into the whole sky around the lower side. |
| 145 | * ''Film/FrightNightPart2'': The film follows the prequel. |
| 146 | * ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'': |
| 147 | ** ''Film/Godzilla2000'': The American Poster shows Orga watching Godzilla. |
| 148 | ** ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': The character-specific poster of the movie's BigBad, [[Characters/MonsterVerseKingGhidorah King Ghidorah]], shows him towering over and leering down at a squadron of fighter jets. |
| 149 | * ''Film/GoneGirl'': Zigzagged. [[spoiler:Amy's eyes are seen at the top of the poster, but it looks like a simple case of FloatingHeadSyndrome. In fact, this is a subtle clue of who the true villain of the movie is.]] |
| 150 | * ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'': Michael Myers' BlackEyesOfEvil looming over the frightened-looking protagonists. |
| 151 | * ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'': Michael Myers' BlackEyesOfEvil looming over the frightened-looking protagonists. |
| 152 | * ''Film/TheHauntingOfMollyHartley'': The poster does this with [[spoiler:Joseph, who is revealed in the last ten minutes to be part of a Satanic cult]]. |
| 153 | * ''Film/HeroAndTheTerror'': The poster shows [[SerialKiller Simon Moon]]'s eyes menacingly hovering over a stern-looking Chuck Norris packing heat. |
| 154 | * ''Horrors of War'': The poster does this with Adolf Hitler and his zombie hordes. |
| 155 | * ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'': [[http://dannylim.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/inglourious-basterds-new-poster1.jpg This]] movie poster. |
| 156 | * ''Film/JohnCarpentersVampires'': On the posters, the vampire lord Jan Valek is shown as a face in the clouds overlooking the heroes. |
| 157 | * ''Film/KaamelottPremierVolet'': Has a StackedCharactersPoster for the home video release (the page's picture) with two columns of stacked heads of characters from the film. The head of Lancelot (the BigBad) ominously dominates the right column (and is the biggest on it). |
| 158 | * ''Film/LionOfTheDesert'': The Poster for the film, about the life of Libyan anti-colonial rebel Omar Mukhtar, depicts Benito Mussolini glowering over his troops and tanks as they clash with the rebels, with the central villain General Rodolfo Graziani in the foreground. |
| 159 | * ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie'': The poster shows the eyes of Ivan Ooze looming over the heroes. |
| 160 | * ''Film/NewJackCity'': The three heroic police officers are downright minuscule compared to the sinister-looking Nino Brown looming over them in a badass pose. |
| 161 | * ''Film/NoCountryForOldMen'': The film adaptation portrays Anton Chigurh this way. The effect is actually ''very'' creepy, especially since [[spoiler:this is one story where justice and logic be darned, TheBadGuyWins]]. |
| 162 | * ''Film/ThePassage'': Some versions of the poster depict Captain von Berkow looming behind the main characters looking through binoculars. |
| 163 | * Lampshaded by the [[https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2E4ZGFmZTgtMDVkYS00ZTk0LWIzYWMtODk5OGVmYmEyMzEzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk4OTc3MTY@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg final poster]] for ''Film/Scream2022''. Not only does Ghostface loom large over the entire cast, but the {{tagline}} is literally "The Killer is On This Poster". [[spoiler:It's right, as Richie is right there towards the front of the cast, while Amber is on the left, towards the back.]] |
| 164 | * ''Film/ShriekIfYouKnowWhatIDidLastFridayTheThirteenth'': Parodied. The killer is shown above the other characters on the cover, but his expression is too goofy to be anything close to threatening. |
| 165 | * One of the posters released with the second trailer of ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'' has a large Robotnik grinning evilly and looming behind a running Sonic. |
| 166 | * ''Franchise/StarTrek'': |
| 167 | ** ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'': The poster shows the very large, very angry [[EyepatchOfPower eye]] of General Chang glaring down at the Enterprise-A from the background. |
| 168 | ** ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'': The poster does this in a pretty interesting manner. Data and Picard are wary of an approaching army of Borg drones underneath them, but the Borg Queen, the film's BigBad, is hovering over them both. |
| 169 | ** ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection'': The poster features the Enterprise-E flying towards the giant face of the movie's main villain (who actually has a rather minor role in the film, considering how prominently he's shown on the poster). |
| 170 | ** ''Film/StarTrek2009'': [[http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/star_trek_poster08.jpg One poster]] does this with Nero. Oddly, most of the posters and DVD covers for the 2009 film do this with ''Kirk''; one could be forgiven for assuming that Christopher Pine plays the villain (although that film's Kirk is arguably an AntiHero). |
| 171 | ** The poster / cover art for the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' documentary ''What We Left Behind - Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' features Ira Steven Behr looking down at and holding the space station in his hands, despite him not being a villain but rather the main showrunner of the series and also one of two directors of the documentary. |
| 172 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': |
| 173 | ** ''Film/ANewHope'': A giant[[note]]seriously; the Death Star is next to his head, and it looks about the size of a grapefruit in comparison[[/note]] translucent blue Darth Vader head in the background. He doesn't appear to actually be looking ''at'' the heroes, more sorta past them, but to be fair it's hard to tell with the mask. |
| 174 | ** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': Darth Vader stares at the center, sometimes slightly off center with a lightsaber in hand. Emperor Palpatine appears in some posters along with the Imperial Fleet which are flying towards the center. In some posters, Boba Fett replaces Palpatine and stares at the center. |
| 175 | ** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': Darth Vader's mask is in the background, with the second Death Star behind him. |
| 176 | ** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': Darth Maul. |
| 177 | ** ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'': Played with. [[BigBad Count Dooku]] is nowhere to be seen, but his henchman [[TheDragon Jango Fett]] is on the lower right. |
| 178 | ** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': A faint image of Darth Vader with the helmet on. |
| 179 | ** ''Film/TheForceAwakens'': Kylo Ren, though depending on the poster, he's either staring to the left away from the heroes or right at the center. |
| 180 | ** ''Film/RogueOne'': A spectral image of Darth Vader behind the heroes, as though breathing down Jyn's neck. |
| 181 | ** ''Film/TheLastJedi'': Inverted. The hooded head overlooking the others in many promotional materials is [[TheHero Luke Skywalker]]. |
| 182 | ** Film/{{Solo}}: Subverted. No major villain is prominent on most posters. |
| 183 | ** ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'': The poster released at [=D23=] 2019 shows Rey and Kylo Ren duel, with the ominous, spectral visage of [[spoiler:Emperor Palpatine]] looking on. Another poster shows Kylo Ren staring on. |
| 184 | * ''Film/StreetFighter'': InvertedTrope. The hero, Colonel Guile, is towering over the villain, M. Bison, who is MilkingTheGiantCow. |
| 185 | %%* ''Film/TheTimeMachine2002'' |
| 186 | * ''Film/TheUntouchables1987'': The poster has a giant UsefulNotes/AlCapone in SinisterShades, smoking a cigar and smirking over the Untouchables. |
| 187 | * ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' has Malekith in the upper left background, looking ominously. |
| 188 | * ''Film/WarlockIIITheEndOfInnocence'': The poster shows the Warlock at the top staring intently at the viewer with a KubrickStare, as he holds the protagonists in his cupped hands. |
| 189 | * ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': The eponymous BigBad. |
| 190 | * ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'': One of the posters in colors (the page's picture) has a giant [[Characters/NewGodsDarkseid Darkseid]] head in the background behind the Justice League. |
| 191 | [[/folder]] |
| 192 | |
| 193 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 194 | * ''Literature/BrideOfTheRatGod'': Two covers show the Rat God looking menacingly over Christine, who holds her [[PrettyInMink fur wrap]] around her in terror. |
| 195 | %%* ''Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'': ''War with the Evil Power Master'' |
| 196 | * ''Literature/ReturnOfTheLivingDead'': The original paperback cover has a giant disembodied zombie head and hands looming behind a woman in a black void, seemingly about to grab her. |
| 197 | * ''Literature/ScaryStoriesForYoungFoxes'': Mr. Scratch is the shadowy fox lurking behind Mia and Uly. Every illustration of the character consciously invokes this trope, emphasizing the threat and power he demonstrates over every fox who crosses his path. |
| 198 | [[/folder]] |
| 199 | |
| 200 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 201 | %%* ''Series/The10thKingdom'': Subverted with the Troll King. He is doing this on the DVD cover, but he is [[TheManBehindTheMan neither the real BigBad of the miniseries]] nor even impinges very much on the plot, particularly since he only briefly menaces the heroes in Parts 1 and 2. He's actually much more of TheRival for the BigBad. This might be a borderline case of BillingDisplacement, since while Dianne Wiest is greatly respected and a well-known actress, Ed O'Neill is probably more popular. Or it could be a bit of canny advertising to misdirect the audience. |
| 202 | * ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Every DVD case has Angelus looking over Angel's shoulder. |
| 203 | %%* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': |
| 204 | %%** The Season 1 graphic novel collection has 2 different front covers, both of which feature Sylar's head looming over the main cast. |
| 205 | %%** On the cover for the Season 2 DVD, the main cast stands in the foreground at Times Square while Sylar's head grins down at them from an overhead billboard. |
| 206 | * ''Series/{{House}}'': Inverted. Season One box set features the main cast looking down at you in a circle with a surgical light over all of their heads as if you were a patient. |
| 207 | * ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Morgoth's shadow leaning over the dying Trees of Valinor in the pilot, suggests he's admiring his handiwork. |
| 208 | %%* ''Series/ThePrisoner2009'': The top half of the poster is occupied by a menacing close-up of 2's eyes stacked on top an image of 6 with Rover rising behind him, posed to suggest he is facing insurmountable odds. |
| 209 | * ''Series/StormOfTheCentury'': Some covers show [[EvilSorcerer Andre Linoge]] ominously hovering over the small town he is menacing throughout the miniseries. |
| 210 | * ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'': The main poster for the post-series special "The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex" shows Evil Alex holding and overlooking a crystal ball with the real Alex trapped inside. |
| 211 | [[/folder]] |
| 212 | |
| 213 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 214 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_26jcMP4kM "Chaos X - Hellfire (a Frollo Cover)"]], a FilkSong for ''WebAnimation/TheFrolloShow'', features [[spoiler:[[BigBad Wilford Brimley]]]] as an Evil Overlooker in a fairly crowded shot. He's flanked by [[Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand Batiatus]] and Marco Antonio Regil (although by the time [[spoiler:Wilford]] becomes the true BigBad, Marco has [[EnemyMine teamed up]] with Frollo to stop him). |
| 215 | %%* Music/IronMaiden's ''[[http://allmusic.galeon.com/caratulas/i/ironmbnw1.jpg Brave New World]]'' and ''[[http://allmusic.galeon.com/caratulas/i/Iron_Maiden-Rock_In_Rio-Frontal.jpg Rock in Rio]]'' ([[http://mob135.photobucket.com/albums/q122/skjack99/Iron%20Maiden%20Rock%20In%20Rio/Poster.jpg especially the DVD]]) turn the band's mascot Eddie into an overlooking cloud. |
| 216 | * Music/MichaelJackson's ''Music/{{Dangerous|Album}}'' has his eyes overlook everything on the album cover. |
| 217 | [[/folder]] |
| 218 | |
| 219 | [[folder:Pinball]] |
| 220 | * ''Pinball/IronMaidenLegacyOfTheBeast'': The [[https://littleshopofgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/img_0478.jpg Pro version's backglass]] depicts [[BigRedDevil the Beast]]'s face overlooking the rest of the picture in the upper-left corner. |
| 221 | %%* ''Pinball/StreetFighterII'': Downplayed. M. Bison's floating head is rather small and easy to overlook. |
| 222 | %%* ''Pinball/{{Krull}}'': The Beast watches Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa on the backglass. |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 226 | * ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': |
| 227 | ** 2001 promos show an infected Kanohi Hau overlooking either the Toa or the island of Mata Nui. As the infected Hau represented [[BigBad the evil Makuta]] early on, this is meant to symbolize his hold over the island and TheCorruption he spreads throughout it. |
| 228 | ** The poster for the 2004 Toa Metru set-line shows a Vahki enforcer robot watching over the assembled Toa Metru heroes. Its prototype teaser pic meanwhile shows a mysterious shadowy figure, later revealed to be a prototype for the toy of Krekka, a character [[DumbMuscle who would have been far less suited]] for such a role. |
| 229 | [[/folder]] |
| 230 | |
| 231 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 232 | * The box art for ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars 2]]'' shows the Orange Star Commanders (main heroes) in the foreground, the Black Hole Commanders (bad guys) behind them looming over them, and a giant BigBad behind and above ''them''. |
| 233 | * ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': The main cover features C looming over Ann and Ayane in the cyberpunk city. The menacing black dragon that's also behind the two is his OneWingedAngel form, Nidhogg. |
| 234 | * The poster for ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate''[='s=] "UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper" DLC had Jack looming over Evie, knife in hand. |
| 235 | * ''VideoGame/BangOnBallsChronicles'': [[BigBad Bob Boss]] is shown watching [[PlayerCharacter Bob]] and his cohorts in [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bangon_5.jpg the box art]], with an expression of visible annoyance. The title card for [[HubLevel the Bobbywood Studios Lot]] similarly shows him watching Bob, but this time with an expression of pure fury. |
| 236 | * ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''[='s=] box art features Gruntilda overlooking Banjo and attempting to grab him. |
| 237 | * The Wii version of ''VideoGame/ABoyAndHisBlob'' has the main villain boss watching. |
| 238 | * ''VideoGame/CadenceOfHyrule''[='s=] box art shows BigBad Octavo above his minions, with heroes Cadence, Link, and Zelda at the bottom. |
| 239 | * The cover art of the first ''VideoGame/{{Contra}}'' game had Java above Bill and Lance, while its sequel, ''Super C'', had Gava overlooking our heroes. ''VideoGame/ContraIIITheAlienWars'' had Gava and Big Fuzz overlooking the heroes on its cover art also. |
| 240 | * ''VideoGame/Disgaea5AllianceOfVengeance'': The Makai Senki Disgaea 5 (First Press Limited Edition) Japanese [[SpoilerCover cover]] has Liezerota on top looking down on Killia, [[spoiler: who ended up as the FinalBoss, albeit reluctantly.]] |
| 241 | %%* ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokai'': Cell does this with a smirk on his face. |
| 242 | * ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'': |
| 243 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'': The Japanese box art has Hargon's giant head grinning down on the heroes while Malroth's face looms over all of them. |
| 244 | ** The cover for the 3DS version of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'' features this, with Dhoulmagus sinisterly overlooking the good guys ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and a couple of Slimes]]), who are charging headlong into battle. |
| 245 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'': In the reveal trailer, [[BigBad King Carnelian]], [[CoDragons Hendrik and Jasper]] can be seen looking down at the party from Heliodor Castle. [[spoiler:Ultimately subverted in the game itself, as only Jasper is evil; Carnelian is BrainwashedAndCrazy and Hendrik is an AntiVillain who pulls a HeelFaceTurn halfway through the game]]. |
| 246 | * ''VideoGame/{{Fahrenheit}}/Indigo Prophecy'''s title screen has the Oracle [[http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/184429-indigo-prophecy-xbox-screenshot-the-start-screens.jpg overlooking the main cast.]] |
| 247 | %%* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': |
| 248 | %%** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'': The BigBad watches Marth and his army. |
| 249 | %%** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem'': The BigBad in both forms. |
| 250 | %%** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'': Both Zephiel and Idenn/Idoun's head in the background (although only Idenn/Idoun is really looking). |
| 251 | %%** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden'': Someone's head on its cover. |
| 252 | %%** The third game's box art is pretty much reused for ''Shadow Dragon''[='s=]. [[http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/Starwolf_UK/Fe_stuffs/XmasthruMarch.jpg point of sale.]] |
| 253 | %%** Gaiden's box art onlooker is [[spoiler:the human form of Duma]]... as learned 25 years later in the remake, Shadows of Valentia. |
| 254 | * ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'' has this trope for the box art of ''1'', ''2'', and ''Mercenary'' having a [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Helghast]] [[RecycledInSpace soldier]] on the front. The Helghast have become so iconic ([[EvilIsCool and]], [[UnintentionallySympathetic ironically]], [[RootingForTheEmpire popular]]) that the series has them taking up most of the marketing for the game. |
| 255 | * Some of the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' games have this, like ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn''. Specifically, ''[[VideoGame/KirbysAdventure Nightmare in Dream Land]]'' [[http://www.emuparadise.me/GBA/boxart/0775.jpg does this]] with Meta Knight. |
| 256 | * ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'': |
| 257 | ** The box art for ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIII'' features the villain Manannan doing a crystal ball version of this. |
| 258 | ** The box art for ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVII'' 1.0 (for DOS 5/Windows 3.1) features Malicia looking down over a tornado sucking in Rosella and Valanice. Version 2.0 (for Windows 95) has different box art. |
| 259 | %%* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'': Malak glares down at Bastila. |
| 260 | %%* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'': Nihilus. |
| 261 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': |
| 262 | ** [[https://zelda.gamepedia.com/File:WW_Scene.jpg One poster]] for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', also used for the cover in certain versions, has Ganondorf doing a variation on this, in that his back is turned toward the viewer but he is also looking over his shoulder. This carried over into [[https://zelda.gamepedia.com/File:The_Wind_Waker_Scene_HD.jpg the HD version's box art]]. |
| 263 | ** In the box art of the 3DS rerelease of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', the Moon becomes this. |
| 264 | * The [[http://www.magicball.net/files/images/j/a/q/jaquette.preview.JPG box art]] for ''VideoGame/LittleBigAdventure 2'' contains a cloud, shaped like Dark Monk, looking menacingly over Twinsun. |
| 265 | * The cover of ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'' has [[MadScientist Dr. Fred's]] face sporting a SlasherSmile visible in the sky behind the mansion. [[spoiler:Subverted in that Dr. Fred turns out to be just a brainwashed pawn of TheManBehindTheMan.]] |
| 266 | * ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' has Saren's eyes looming over Shepard. |
| 267 | * The cover art for ''VideoGame/MasterOfDarkness'' depicts Dracula as such, though it's different for each version. The Master System version's cover art depicts an illustrated Dracula looking down at Dr. Social as the former summons an army of monsters from within his cape to attack the latter, while the Game Gear version's cover art depicts a photo-realistic Dracula looking down at his castle. |
| 268 | * One of the unlockable backgrounds in ''VideoGame/MetalSlug Anthology'' has Morden looming over Marco, Tarma, Eri, and Fio. |
| 269 | * ''Franchise/MegaMan'': |
| 270 | ** The ''[[UpdatedRerelease Complete Works]]'' rereleases for ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan6'' feature this. |
| 271 | ** ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'' does this on its "[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/Megaman9cover.jpg cover]]" (it's download-only), in order to emulate the cheesy box art the games had in the NES era. |
| 272 | ** The European box art for ''VideoGame/MegaMan1'' as well. |
| 273 | ** Also the European box art for ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'' does this. |
| 274 | ** [[BigBad Sigma]], in the [[http://blog-imgs-42-origin.fc2.com/h/a/k/hakuya028/PSD3D031.jpg final shot]] of the intro to ''VideoGame/MegaManX4''. |
| 275 | * ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'': |
| 276 | ** The Western box art for ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' has a red, distinctive silhouette of Ridley overlooking Samus as she lands on Planet Zebes. |
| 277 | ** The cover of ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' shows Dark Samus' translucent head peering forward in the upper left corner. |
| 278 | ** The main promotional art for ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' shows Samus in the foreground with the silhouetted E.M.M.I.s looking at her from some cliffs in the background. |
| 279 | * ''VideoGame/NoStraightRoads'' has the silhouettes of Tatiana and the NSR Megastars looking down on Mayday and Zuke in the box art. |
| 280 | * The box art for the ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' games often feature the EvilOverlord posing menacingly in the background while the Minions take the forefront. |
| 281 | * ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': |
| 282 | ** The covers for all of the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series games show the main characters being watched by evil-looking Pokémon with glowing red eyes and are almost completely covered in shadow. |
| 283 | ** The cover of ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity'' has [[ObviouslyEvil Hydreigon]] looming over the main characters. [[spoiler:In a rather ingenious move by the creators, the significance of this ends up changing ''completely'' once you actually play the game and find out that he's not only the BigGood and one of major driving forces behind the plot, but also ends up becoming a part of the team. The fact that he's not portrayed in an overtly evil fashion like the Pokémon on the covers of the previous games (he just [[FaceOfAThug looks]] evil, but isn't ''acting'' evil) may have clued some players on it, though.]] |
| 284 | * ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'': |
| 285 | ** [[http://www.bigbadbob113.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/professor-layton-and-the-diabolical-box-ds-boxart.jpg Occurs in the box art for]] ''[[VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheDiabolicalBox The Diabolical Box]]''. |
| 286 | ** [[http://lusipurr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Professor-Layton-and-the-Last-Specter-Box-Art.jpg And again with]] ''[[VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheLastSpecter The Last Specter]]''. |
| 287 | * The main ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2'' visual shows a giant shadow of Maligula looming behind the protagonist Raz. |
| 288 | * Both the North American and Japanese cover art for ''VideoGame/QuackShot Starring WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' depict WesternAnimation/{{Pete}} as this. The North American box art depicts him standing atop a mountain, trying to crush Donald with a boulder, while the Japanese box art depicts him shaking his right fist at Donald while clinging onto his plane's rope ladder with his left hand. |
| 289 | * [[LateArrivalSpoiler While the original box art avoided this]], ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica X''[='s=] American box art features Wesker in the background (The European cover instead featured a close-up of Claire's face). |
| 290 | * The box art for ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'' features Charnel ominously looking down on the PlayerCharacter, [[HelloInsertNameHere Eldred]], holding a Manalith in his long clawlike fingers. Easily the evilest of the game's five gods, he's notably not the BigBad of the game. |
| 291 | * The American box art of ''VideoGame/ShiningForceII'' ([[AmericanKirbyIsHardcore which has little to do]] [[CoversAlwaysLie with the actual game]]) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_Force_II has this.]] |
| 292 | * A picture for ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII'' has the ArchangelGabriel holding [[TheHero Aleph]] in a case of PietaPlagiarism, with the ArchangelMichael, ArchangelRaphael, and ArchangelUriel, the BigBadTriumvirate of the first two-thirds of the game, as the overlookers. |
| 293 | * ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''[='s=] Mega Drive version does this on the cover, with Eggman slamming a "2" into the ground. |
| 294 | * The poster for ''VideoGame/SolCresta'' depicts [[TheDragon Dita]] doing this. |
| 295 | * ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny]]'' arguably [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/image/959863.html?box=124368 does this...]] The "arguably" coming from whether you see ''VideoGame/GodOfWar''[='=]s Kratos as an AntiHero or a VillainProtagonist. |
| 296 | * [[BigBad Mr. X]] in the [[http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/5/9/6/21596_front.jpg Japanese cover art]] for ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 2''. |
| 297 | * ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': |
| 298 | ** Cackletta for ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'', then the Shroobs in [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime the sequel]]. |
| 299 | ** [[https://www.mariowiki.com/File:GalaxyBosses.jpg A promotional poster]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' shows Mario and one of the Lumas flying through space while being watched by [[BigBad Bowser]], [[OverlordJr Bowser Jr.]], as well as every single boss encountered in the game (specifically [[WarmupBoss Dino Piranha]] (but not his [[IncendiaryExponent fiery form]]), [[PlayingWithFire King Kaliente]], [[BigCreepyCrawlies Bugaboom]], [[ColossusClimb Megaleg]], [[WickedWitch Kamella]], [[GiantSpider Tarantox]], [[BullfightBoss Topmaniac]], [[TunnelKing Major Burrows]], [[ThreateningShark Kingfin]], [[GiantHandsofDoom Bouldergeist]], and [[AnIcePerson Baron Brr]]). |
| 300 | ** This is also true with one promotional artwork for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''. |
| 301 | * SHODAN does this on the box for ''VideoGame/SystemShock2''. Now, TheReveal is [[SpoilerOpening no longer surprising]]. |
| 302 | * Done on the cover of the ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' video game, with Megatron looking on from the background. |
| 303 | * The cover of the first ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'' has [[DarkActionGirl Selvaria]] [[TheDragon Bles]] doing this. |
| 304 | * ''VideoGame/WintermoorTacticsClub'': How Principal Enfield appears in the game's promotional imagery. |
| 305 | * ''[[http://bootleggames.wikia.com/wiki/File:Wh2pro.jpg World Heroes 2]]'' for the Famicom (not to be confused with the [[VideoGame/WorldHeroes official game]]) has Mario overlooking the rest of the cast. (Apart from [[VideoGame/FatalFury Mai Shiranui and Lawrence Blood]], [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer who aren't on the cover]].) Yes, apparently Mario's the VillainProtagonist in a game which has Bowser and [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII M. Bison]] as playable characters. |
| 306 | * The ''VideoGame/XMenLegends'' games have Magneto and Apocalypse, respectively. |
| 307 | %%* Speaking of Bison, he's posed like this on the ''Champion Edition'' arcade cabinet. This is an homage to General Washizaki from ''Manga/RikiOh'', one of Bison's [[http://streetfightermiscellany.com/sfm/sfmimages/katobison.png main influences.]] |
| 308 | * ''VideoGame/YsIVTheDawnOfYs'': [[spoiler:Arem]], the true main antagonist of the game, overlooks the other characters [[spoiler:while in full armor and shadowed]] in the image for this game's trope page. |
| 309 | [[/folder]] |
| 310 | |
| 311 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 312 | * ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': |
| 313 | ** The [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/phoenixwrightresize.jpg cover]] of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' features both the Judge and Edgeworth as possible examples (though the Judge is [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} hardly what you'd call evil]], [[spoiler:and even Edgeworth [[HeelFaceTurn isn't much of a villain]] after Case 2]]). |
| 314 | ** The games as a whole feature this with the artwork unlocked after beating each case. This can, in fact spoil, who the guilty party is for people who haven't played the games before.[[note]]You can erase saved data on the cartridges to avoid this. See the manual on how to do it; it involves holding certain buttons pressed when loading the game from the DS start screen.[[/note]] |
| 315 | ** Usually, the main promotional artwork piece for each entry (the ones that show all the game's major recurring characters) will usually have the game's main prosecutor in this role. The [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/phoenix_wright_ace_attorney_justice_for_all_8big1.jpg one]] from ''Justice For All'', for example, has both Franziska von Karma and Miles Edgeworth showing up as this, but only the former is actually facing towards the foreground [[spoiler:because Edgeworth is a definite good guy here]]. |
| 316 | ** The main piece of promotional [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aceattorneyslider11.jpg artwork]] for ''Trials and Tribulations'' shows Godot in this role. |
| 317 | ** ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'' plays with this. Klavier is the nicest prosecutor the series has had so far and thus is not featured in this role in the game's [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Apollo_Justice_-_Ace_Attorney_6big_8906.jpg promotional piece]]. [[spoiler:His brother Kristoph, on the other hand...]] |
| 318 | ** ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies Dual Destinies]]'' continues the [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aceattorney5_4013.jpg trend]] by portraying Simon Blackquill in this way. [[spoiler:Though like Edgeworth before him, he turns out to be [[DarkIsNotEvil much less villainous]] than he seems.]] |
| 319 | ** ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'' has Prosecutor [[LightIsNotGood Nahyuta Sadhmadhi]] keeping the [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/key_art.jpg tradition]] alive. [[spoiler:And like Edgeworth and Blackquill, he is revealed to not be villainous at the end]]. |
| 320 | * ''VisualNovel/GalaxyAngel'': The animated opening of the second installment, Moonlit Lovers, ends with an image of Nefuria overlooking the six Angels. [[SpoilerOpening It serves as a clue that she's going to be the game's true villain]]. |
| 321 | [[/folder]] |
| 322 | |
| 323 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 324 | %%* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': |
| 325 | %%** A widely circulated fan poster of Season 3 features the head of the BigBad O'Malley doing some Evil Overlooking of the main cast. |
| 326 | %%** A similar fan poster of Season 4 featured the Alien in a similar position, although it was revealed rather early in the season that the Alien was actually ''not'' the new villain (it was still O'Malley). |
| 327 | * ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlueZero'': The Blu-ray cover has Shatter Squad at the bottom and [[BigBad Zero]] looming over them in the background. |
| 328 | [[/folder]] |
| 329 | |
| 330 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 331 | %%* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'': The third book, ''The Warsun Prophecies'', has Tycho's eyes looming over Gabe. |
| 332 | * ''Webcomic/KlonoaDreamCrusaders'': Inverted. On the comic's cover page, Klonoa, the hero, and Noctis Sol, the LivingMacGuffin, are the overlookers, while Chipple, Guntz, and Nightmare Klonoa, who are antagonists[[note]]Chipple and Guntz are heroes, but they are BrainwashedAndCrazy at the time. Nightmare Klonoa really is evil, though.[[/note]] are front and center. |
| 333 | * ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': The cover of the Creator/SevenSeasEntertainment edition of [[https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/811DGwzPO2L.jpg Book 1]] features the Purple One looking out menacingly from the top, behind the title. |
| 334 | [[/folder]] |
| 335 | |
| 336 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 337 | * ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'': Parodied in the review of the ''Film/BatmanReturns'' graphic novel adaptation, which has in its preview image something that looks less like Christopher Walken's character from the movie (the CorruptCorporateExecutive Max Shreck) than "just" Creator/ChristopherWalken looking out across Gotham City. |
| 338 | * ''Film/NoobLaQueteLegendaire'': The image that plays the role of the official poster has the antagonist's eyes and forehead over a smaller scale line-up of the protagonists. |
| 339 | * ''WebAnimation/DrCrafty'': [[https://www.deviantart.com/drcrafty/art/Crafty-Concoction-I-need-a-Hero-Academia-823455635 The poster for his Season 3 Finale arc]], ''I Need a Hero Academia'', has the show's BigBad Doctor Mindstein right down the middle, looming over the Crafty characters and [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia the students of UA High School Class 1-A]]. |
| 340 | [[/folder]] |
| 341 | |
| 342 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 343 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': |
| 344 | ** The first poster for Season 2 has Sasha in the middle section looking down menacingly at Anne at the bottom. |
| 345 | ** On the official Season 2 poster, King Andrias is far back in the crowd in dark shadow, seeming to look sinisterly at Anne with interest, alluding to his true nature. |
| 346 | ** Downplayed in the season two title sequence, where Marcy holding the Music Box looms over Anne and Sasha, foreshadowing her role as [[spoiler:the one who manipulated them and deliberately started the chain of events that led to girls [[TrappedInAnotherWorld ending up in Amphibia]]]]. However, her actions were borne out of desperation and DidntThinkThisThrough, as opposed to any actual malice towards her friends. |
| 347 | * ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': |
| 348 | ** [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender The original cartoon]]: |
| 349 | *** The poster for Book 1 depicts the Gaang down the front, with Zuko, the StarterVillain, looming over them evilly. This is also shown prominently in "The Ember Island Players" when the in-universe poster showing the ShowWithinAShow is pretty much exactly the same as the poster for Season one. |
| 350 | *** The poster for Book 3 has Ozai, the BigBad, looming behind Aang in the Avatar State. |
| 351 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': The SDCC poster features Amon, the BigBad for season 1, looming over Korra, Mako, and Bolin. |
| 352 | * The DVD cover for ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfVoxMachina'' shows the titular RagtagBunchOfMisfits under the gaze of the second ArcVillain, Thordak the Cinder King. |
| 353 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/ButtUglyMartians'': The title sequence ends with Emperor Bog looming over the show's heroes. |
| 354 | * ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'': [[https://twitter.com/HazbinHotel/status/1738983111122444315 The second poster for Season 1]] has Adam, the BigBad of the first season, smiling over the cast. |
| 355 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Madballs}}'': The VHS cover of "Escape from Orb" shows the main villain Wolf Breath as a giant face menacingly watching over the Madballs. |
| 356 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In the Season 2 poster, Emperor Belos is seen on a bridge watching Luz, Eda, and King as the three wander the Boiling Isles. |
| 357 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/OperationZERO'': The cover features Grandfather looking down on the KND, who as the cover implies are standing between him and the world. |
| 358 | * ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'': Season 1's title sequence ends with a giant Baron Draxum looming behind the turtles, as if to grab them. In Season 2, he replaced by [[spoiler:Shredder]]. |
| 359 | * ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'': [[https://sun9-33.userapi.com/impf/6Blx4WuUrHNo_gMXQjy1zWRCb2dEHR82oZnMow/ZioG8oG3V10.jpg?size=819x1024&quality=96&proxy=1&sign=6910119e7c181d5439322be4cbae3f00 The poster for the final season]] has Rapunzel and Eugene swinging with the corrupted Cassandra watching them meanacingly. |
| 360 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': The interior art for Season Two DVD features the Monarch looming over portraits of the main characters. |
| 361 | [[/folder]] |
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