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Narrative
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Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your BOOK!
— George S. Patton, Patton
I am determined to prove a villain And hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous, By drunken prophecies, libels and dreams, To set my brother Clarence and the king In deadly hate the one against the other. —Shakespeare, Richard III, Act I, Scene 1
Look at that outrageous markup! You magnificent bastard, I salute you!
— Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, The Simpsons
We all know the Chessmaster: cold, intelligent, calculating. His catspaws moving to shape events to his liking while he pulls the strings, the whole time secure in his fortress, never getting his hands dirty.
And then there is the Magnificent Bastard.
The Magnificent Bastard is what happens when you combine the Chessmaster, the Trickster, and the Manipulative Bastard (and sometimes throwing in a bit of Large Ham). He is bold, charismatic (though not necessarily lovable), independent, and audacious. Unlike the Chessmaster, who seeks to control every single minute aspect of a situation, the Magnificent Bastard opts to play the odds and wins regularly. Another differing characteristic is his willingness to move himself onto the playing field; he is his own most useful piece. The risks are obvious, but the strategic advantages are numerous. With charm, style, and an understanding of the human psyche, he can play people's emotions like a piano and often come up smelling of roses afterwards. His Trickster talents also allow for making adjustments to strategy on the fly, making for Xanatos Roulettes that can come out looking more like Xanatos Speed Chess or the craziest of Indy Ploys.
He can be at any level of the villainous hierarchy - Big Bad, The Dragon who's a Knight Templar or Puss In Boots, or a wild card trusted by none of the organized entities on either side. Also, the Magnificent Bastard is likely to appear as a protagonist, albeit a dark one, as his nature allows him to be more emotionally invested in his pieces.
The term was first used by General Patton in reference to Erwin Rommel in the film Patton. The Trope Codifier is Lionel Luthor of Smallville, who was given this nickname by the Television Without Pity boards.
Compare and contrast Smug Snake, who is a similar archetype but is less admirable or successful because he allows his ego to overtake his awesome. Can overlap with Crazy Awesome if the crazy has a strong element of cunning (although Crazy Awesome is more often a specifically heroic trope). Contrast the Complete Monster, whose acts fill the audience with hate and revulsion. For just the villainous charm, see Affably Evil, Evilly Affable, and Wicked Cultured. For just the ingenious planning, see The Chessmaster and Manipulative Bastard. The Magnificent Bastard is often a beneficiary of Jerkass Dissonance, although to be fair, he oftentimes earns it.
The Guile Hero is the heroic analogue to the Magnificent Bastard. Please confine heroic examples to that page.
Please confine discussion to the discussion page.
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