Line #125 Main/VillainTeamUp


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_joker_two_face_penguin.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:"If we’re all gonna try and kill the same guy anyway, it just makes sense to carpool."]]
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10	->''"How do my foes find each other?"''
11	-->-- ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''
12
13	If a {{Superhero}} has a RoguesGallery, it's an obvious plot for the villains to team up. A Villain Team Up is almost always for the sole purpose of ganging up on a hero or hero team and finishing them off ''once[[DramaticPause ...]] and for all!!!'' Villains will almost never team up to rob a bank together, or commit any other crime together. Usually this is because the typical RoguesGallery has villains with nothing in common at all, other than hating the hero.
14
15	This is also why they lose; unlike the heroic team they fight, [[NoHonorAmongThieves the villains never trust each other]]. One of them ''will'' {{betray\|alTropes}} the rest of the group. Usually after they've captured the heroes, thus letting the heroes escape. Some heroes can even cause a "solid" Villain Team Up to implode with FlawExploitation. For example, one of the villains with a case of ChronicBackstabbingDisorder will show no loyalty nor cooperation with one another. Other times, one of the villains has planned the whole team-up as a trap from the start. Cue AnAesop about ThePowerOfFriendship. This is one of few situations where [[StatusQuoIsGod maintaining the Status Quo]] is well {{justified\|Trope}}.
16
17	A variant is that instead of ganging up, they make the heroes RunTheGauntlet. If they get on reasonably well, they'll [[ArsonMurderAndAdmiration compliment each other on their evilness]]. If conditions are right, they may become a BigBadDuumvirate. While this is usually a one-shot team up, a LegionOfDoom is a recurring team of villains and are a major opposition together. Can easily lead to a JokerJury situation. When done badly can lead to instant VillainDecay, as the hero trashes six people who each used to be a threat to them on their own. This trope is the opposite of EvilVersusEvil. When a villain teams up with the hero, that's EnemyMine. When villains from different universes team up and appoint one of their own to lead them, that's CrossoverVillainInChief.
18
19	Compare EvilIsOneBigHappyFamily and LegionOfDoom. Contrast SuperTeam.
20
21	[[noreallife]]
22	----
23	!!Example subpages:
24
25	[[index]]
26	* VillainTeamUp/AnimeAndManga
27	* VillainTeamUp/ComicBooks
28	* VillainTeamUp/FanWorks
29	* [[VillainTeamUp/{{Film}} Film - Live-Action]]
30	* VillainTeamUp/{{Literature}}
31	* VillainTeamUp/LiveActionTV
32	* VillainTeamUp/ProfessionalWrestling
33	* VillainTeamUp/VideoGames
34	* VillainTeamUp/WesternAnimation
35	[[/index]]
36
37	!!Other examples
38	[[foldercontrol]]
39
40	[[folder:Films — Animation]]
41	* In ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'', Abis Mal accidentally becomes Jafar's master and is promised his third wish if they work together to kill Aladdin.
42	* DoubleSubverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''. When the evil grand vizier Zigzag goes to join the BigBad, the Mighty One-eye (who has an entire army of monstrous one-eyed men at his command), One-eye is unimpressed and has Zigzag thrown to his alligators. However, with his charisma Zigzag is able to convince the alligators to spare his life and help him out of the alligator pit. This impresses the Mighty One-eye enough to let him join him.
43	* This more or less happens in Don Bluth's ''WesternAnimation/{{Thumbelina\|1994}}'' when StalkerWithACrush {{Determinator}} Grundel blackmails slimy {{Jerkass}} Berkley Beetle to search for the title character.
44	* What might be the biggest villain team-up yet in film happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOBatmanMovie'' first with ComicBook/TheJoker and what is esentially the entire Batman's RoguesGallery, but then after [[spoiler:he escapes from the Phantom Zone he brings back; Franchise/KingKong, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Lord Voldemort]], [[Series/DoctorWho the Daleks]], [[Film/{{Gremlins}} the Gremlins]], [[Film/TheMatrix Agent Smith]], [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys]], {{Medusa}}, [[Film/ClashOfTheTitans1981 the Kraken]], [[Film/JurassicPark the T. rex and Velociraptors]], [[Literature/{{Dracula}} Count Dracula]], Film/{{Jaws}}, [[Film/TheMummy1932 the Mummy]], [[ComicBook/{{Superman}} Zod]], [[DemBones Skeletons]], and the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon.]]
45	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanReturnOfTheCapedCrusaders'', as is based on the 60s series, has The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin and Catwoman teaming up. They do [[spoiler:turn against Catwoman at some point]].
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Music]]
49	* The Music/PaulMcCartney song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDv3xt3W4H4 Magneto & Titanium Man]]" is about the titular Marvel comics supervillains teaming up to rob a bank, and dragging fellow supervillain Crimson Dynamo along for the ride.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Podcasts]]
53	* Villain Team-Ups are a common occurrence in ''Podcast/RedPandaAdventures''. The most prominent in the series is the Red Panda Revenge Squad, consisting of the Crimson Death, the Electric Eel, the Genie, Mordriel the Malevolent, and Professor Zombie. An AlternateTimeline version of this team up successfully killed the Flying Squirrel and information on ''how'' is used to sway the main timeline's Red Panda into helping a traveler from that world. When the group eventually forms in the main timeline, they very nearly succeed in defeating the Red Panda despite the mystery man having had years to work out how to beat them. The episode also brings up some of the issues that plague such team-ups, such as {{Insufferable Genius}}es and {{Large Ham}}s causing clashing egos, past team ups ending on a sour note restricting who to have join.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
57	* This was the point of the Vengeance expansion for ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'', with Baron Blade uniting a team of minor villains to take out the Freedom Five. More minor villains turned up to join the team with Villains of the Multiverse.
58	* The plot of the ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'' HalloweenEpisode adventure ''Monster Mash'' is that Randall Fox, a has-been ghosthunter, has arranged a Halloween event in TabletopGame/FreedomCity riffing on old horror movies, with the deliberate intent of riling up Silver Scream (the ghost of a 50s scream queen, who appears to seek vengence on those who disparage her life or career) so he can publically trap her. What he ''didn't'' count on was that one of the other films starred Emerald City's Madame Macabre (Elvira as magically-empowered villainess), who disrupts his binding ritual to get her own revenge on the event. While Macabre is initially annoyed that there's something else going on that spoils her big entrance, the default assumption is that the two former actresses will decide that their goals coincide and work together. However, it's possible for the heroes to convince one or both that the other is "upstaging" her, and needs to be taken care of ''before'' Randall is punished for his disrespect.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
62	* Tends to happen quite a bit in the Ride/DisneyThemeParks' stage shows.
63	** ''WesternAnimation/TheDisneyAfternoon Live!'' stage show that ran at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland]] in 1991 had [[WesternAnimation/TaleSpin Don Karnage]] and [[WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers Fat Cat]] teaming up to steal a top secret plane.
64	** ''Fantasmic!'' contains one between [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Queen Grimhilde]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ursula]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}} Chernabog]], and [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Maleficent]] in its original California version. For the Florida version, [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Jafar]], [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney Frollo]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} Hades]], [[WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians Cruella DeVil]], and [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Scar]] join in as well.
65	** From 2002 to 2005, Walt Disney World ran a daily stage show in which WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}} hosts a party at her castle and it gets crashed and taken over by [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Queen Grimhilde]], [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan Captain Hook]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Jafar]], and [[WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}} Shan-Yu]].
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
69	* Subverted in ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' when Cecilia enlists Saul’s legal assistance. Although Saul appears to be working for Cecilia, [[spoiler:he eventually starts giving assistance to the protagonist instead, telling him where to find Cecilia and Amanda after Amanda suddenly leaves, giving him free legal representation at his trial, and conspiring with Mortelli to neutralize all the evidence against him.]]
70	* In ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', while Bethany is in a bar plotting her next move to get the protagonist back, she meets Steve. In talking to him, they discover that their exes (the protagonist and Melody) are in a relationship together (professional and possibly romantic). Together, they plot to bring their exes down.
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Web Animation]]
74	* A MassiveMultiplayerCrossover web series example, the Los no Frollos organization in ''WebAnimation/TheFrolloShow'' consists of [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt Stocking, Scanty, Kneesocks, Corset]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} Hades]], [[Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand Batiatus]], Marco Antonio Regil, Hans Frollo [[spoiler:([[BrainwashedAndCrazy not willingly]])]], Achmed Frollo, [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Jafar]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Gwonam]], Yusuf, [[VideoGame/CarnEvil Umlaut]], [[WebVideo/HitlerRants Hitler, Günsche]], Dmitri Frollo, [[UsefulNotes/JosefStalin Stalin]], [[WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove Yzma]], [[WesternAnimation/AdventureTime Lemongrab]], Wilford Brimley, WebVideo/TheIrateGamer, and Best Hercules. It eventually unravels when [[spoiler: Stocking is revealed to be a WellIntentionedExtremist to minimize consequences]], [[spoiler:half of the members are killed off or KO'd]], and [[spoiler:Wilford backstabs the organization and becomes the biggest threat to the world after absorbing [[VideoGame/YumeNikki Madotsuki's]] sorrows, forcing the remaining members to [[EnemyMine team up with Frollo and his allies]]]].
75	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Neo uses Little Miss Malachite's services to track down Cinder, seeking revenge for Roman's death while in Cinder's employment. During their fight, Cinder convinces Neo that her blame is misplaced, and that the person she needs to target for revenge is Ruby. Neo stops fighting Cinder when she is given a demonstration of the Fall Maiden's full power, but becomes a little irritated with Cinder's suggestion that they talk it out because she doesn't speak, something Cinder momentarily forgets.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Webcomics]]
79	* One story in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' has [[CardCarryingVillain Fructose Riboflavin,]] the [[SpacePirates Pirates of Ipecac,]] and [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Galatea]] all teaming up, although the pirates are there against their will, and it's arguable that Galatea [[UnwittingPawn doesn't really understand what's going on.]]
80	* The Hat and Robo-Cube in ''Webcomic/StickmanAndCube'', although this is more of a [[PuppeteerParasite hostile takeover]] on The Hat's part.
81	* At the climax of ''Webcomic/EveryoneIsHome'''s Sephiroth arc, Sephiroth brings an army of video game villains to wipe out the other Smash fighters. The team-up lasts until [[spoiler:the Phantom Thieves (and Kirby) use their respective HeelFaceBrainwashing techniques on Sephiroth]], at which point the villains lose their respect for him and go home.
82	* As it's based on the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series (specifically the game mentioned above), this happens in ''[[http://as.crowdedstreet.net/Something/ Burning Stickman Presents...Something!]]'', with a third villain, original to the comic actually being the one to put Sigma and Wily together. Naturally, all three are planning to betray the hell out of each other, though to their credit, they're planning to do it ''after'' the Evil Plan plays out.
83	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
84	** The team of [[BigBad Lord Xykon]] and [[TheDragon Redcloak]] started off as this. The prequel shows that the two first met when Redcloak saw Xykon obliterate a garrison of paladins and, as Redcloak's brother says, "Let's suggest a team-up with him, [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel]] style!"
85	** [[spoiler:General Tarquin]] joins forces with Nale and the Linear Guild.
86	* ''Webcomic/TalesFromThePit'': [[http://tumblr.com/ZrlFax863NGZ The Rules Manager and the copier team up to defeat MaRo!]] Their evil plan: make duplicate copies of the relevant rules to prevent Mark's new mechanic from seeing print!
87	* In ''Webcomic/RPGWorld'', [[BigBad Galgarion]] and [[spoiler:Jeff, Eikre's rival]] are hired by [[EvilCorp South Corp]] to take out the main group of heroes. While Galgarion is using South Corp for his own ends, he invites [[spoiler:Jeff]] to do the same, effectively making [[spoiler:him]] his [[TheDragon Dragon]].
88	* In ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}'' a number of villains from the earlier issues (including Dr. Eggman and [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Giovanni]]) team up to take over [=CWCVille=] when Chris was away.
89	* Ian and Anita in the grand finale of ''Webcomic/ErrantStory''.
90	* The final storyline of ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDoctorMcNinja'' has the Doc become cursed with bad luck, leading most of his notable past adversaries to decide to kill him at the same time and team up to do so: [[BigBad King Radical]], [[VillainousHarlequin Donald McBonald]], [[TheAhnold Frans Rayner]], {{Dracula}}, and even the Doc's morally ambiguous clone Old [=McNinja=]. Oh, and the [[SitcomArchNemesis birdosaurus]].
91	* When some of [[Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella Wonderella's]] lamer enemies with edible themes team up against her, she just sees an opportunity to not buy Thanksgiving food. With one of them even being a turkey, they were kind of asking for it.
92	** In [[http://nonadventures.com/2010/06/12/shock-and-awful/ another strip]] Wonderella [[DiscussedTrope discusses]] and [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructs]] the Villain Team Up when fighting two minor supervillains, pointing out that it makes villains seem weak because they can't succeed on their own, and the hero only looks better when they win. Conversely, ''Hero'' Team Ups are a lot more impressive since they're usually combating a gigantic, world-ending threat.
93	* ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'':
94	** Celesto Morgan, Jacob Deegan and the Chosen all teamed up for the "Storm of Souls" arc, each for different reasons: Celesto wanted revenge on Dominic for his hand in killing Amelia Travoria (later shifting to "cleansing" the world with the titular Storm), Jacob wanted revenge of Rillian for stripping some of his necromantic powers after the former started this mess with his experiments and the Chosen wanted to unleash the Storm on the world.
95	** The "March Across Maltak" arc saw Jacob join forces with the Shintula orc tribe. Jacob wanted to study the mass death on Maltak while the Shintula sought to extend their dominance over the land. This one didn't work out as Jacob ticked off the Shintula chief enough to [[spoiler:get himself beaten to death]].
96	** During the final arcs, the Infernomancer teamed up with [[spoiler:King David and the Beast]]. The Infernomancer was just in it for the power boost, not indicating he supported their goal of [[spoiler:wiping out all non-human life and chomping up the now-barren bits of the planet.]]
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Web Original]]
100	* WebVideo/HeroHouse gives us numerous examples, from multiple franchises, though Skeletor and Hordak are the most prominent.
101	* In the web novel, ''Literature/TheImpossibleMan'', the villains team up to form The Amalgamated Union of Malicious Malcontents.
102	* In "Ayla and the Birthday Brawl" of the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', Hekate's unseen master makes her team up with The Necromancer so she has a safe haven from a true Sidhe curse. The same unseen figured gets Don Sebastiano to give them intel, and The Necromancer gets his Children of the Night, the Felonious Four, and Obsession to help him.
103	* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', the city's villains are smart enough to temporarily set aside their differences against common OmnicidalManiac threats.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Web Videos]]
107	* ''WebVideo/HitlerRants'':
108	** The Hitler Council in hitlerrantsparodies' videos consists of the aforementioned ''Film/{{Downfall}}'' Hitler, the [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler real life Hitler]], ''The Bunker'' Hitler, ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' Hitler, ''The Last Ten Days'' Hitler, ''Film/{{Valkyrie}}'' Hitler, and ''War and Remembrance'' Hitler. Cooperation rarely goes well in the organization, and [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyegWs_ffuf3n2-FqJN1OUPcJUVqHy6m4 a war]] breaks apart among them when the ''Downfall'' Hitler assassinates ''Valkyrie'' Hitler. [[spoiler: In said war, the real Hitler teams up with [[Series/StarTrekEnterprise the Na'kuhl]] to help him defeat the other Hitlers.]]
109	** There are times when Fegelein may team up with other pranksters to pull an antic on Hitler. Usually this is Himmler, whom tends to act as a mentor to Fegelein.
110	* In the renowned ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' LetsPlay '{{Blog/Boatmurdered}}', a rather hilarious one occurs, when a group of goblins decide to team up with the elephants who were already holding the fortress under siege:
111	-->''"I think they're starting their own little town in there, elephants and goblins living together in peace and harmony, joined only by burning hatred for dwarves."''
112	* ''WebVideo/{{Jreg}}'': In ''Centricide'', from the centrist perspective, this happens whenever the 4 Extremists hang out to oppose centrism. The ideologies that get along better end up with VillainousFriendship.
113	[[/folder]]

Context Main / VillainTeamUp