History Main / VillainsBlendInBetter

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' cartoon, Starfire's villainous sister Blackfire quickly adapts to Earth cultures upon landing, and even has a normal pattern of speech compared to Starfire's regular confusion and odd {{Verbal Tic}}s.

* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'': Jimmy gets on fairly well in [[AHellOfATime Miseryville]], but is still every now and then confused by the town's [[{{Cloudcuckooland}} bizarre customs]] and [[ToonPhysics nonsensical laws of physics]]. His homicidally insane StalkerWithACrush and the only other human being[[AmbiguouslyHuman (we think)]] in the town, Heloise, on the other hand, never shows ''any'' behavioural signs of being originally from Earth. It gets to the point that in one episode, when Jimmy questions how a bird can talk, Heloise sarcastically asks "Remind me where you're from again?"

*** The Founders of the Dominion, changelings all, can flawlessly impersonate people, allowing them to act as TheMole in various Alpha/Beta Quadrant governments. Odo, the TokenHeroicOrc, can't even get a humanoid face completely right. {{Justified}} in that by changeling standards Odo is barely a teenager, and has never had any real training by his people. The Founders have centuries more experience.

* Both played straight and subverted in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' -- when Luthor and Flash trade minds in a FreakyFridayFlip plot, the majority of the Legion of Doom, despite Flash's rather poor acting skills, never catch on and merely presume Luthor has just finally lost it. Luthor, meanwhile, is ''instantly'' exposed by Doctor Fate, who was in Flash's mind at the time, and spends the rest of the episode on the run from the rest of the Watchtower's inhabitants -- unfortunately for them, Luthor is quick to adapt to his new-found superpower and uses it in [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique ways that the normal Flash refuses to]]. In the villain camp the only one to know what's going on is [[ForgotAboutTheMindReader Grodd,]] who's unsure how to handle the information because he hates both Flash ''and'' Luthor and doesn't want to help one by hurting the other, so he resolves to [[PassThePopcorn just watch the whole thing play out for his amusement.]]

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': While Sasha is shown to have difficulty adjusting to life outside her isolated village, [[spoiler:none of the [[TheMole Titan Shifters]] from outside the Walls seem to have had any issue passing themselves off as refugees from Wall Maria. Considering that the society within the Walls was ''supposed'' to have been isolated for a century, it gives an early nod to the AncientConspiracy at play within the upper ranks of society.]]

* Katushiko Jinnai in ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' almost immediately becomes the supreme general of the [[BigCreepyCrawlies Bugrom]].
** It helps that being transported to El Hazard specifically gave him the superpower to '''control Bugrom'''.
*** Except in the ''Wanderers'' continuity, where his only ability was to merely ''communicate'' with Bugrom. It is unclear whether he controlled the Bugrom or communicated with them in the first OVA series as it was only apparent that he got along with them very well somehow. In ''The Magnificent World'' however, it definitely helped that he supposedly fit a prophecy regarding a [[TheChosenOne messenger who would lead the Bugrom to victory]]...
* ''Anime/ReCreators'' is about fictional characters coming to life in the real world, akin to ''Film/LastActionHero'' mentioned below. Magane Chikujoin couldn't look more ObviouslyEvil if she tried (black, purple and red uniform, shark teeth, creepy mannerisms and a somewhat NonstandardCharacterDesign), despite this nobody seems to find anything strange with her and she has a great time cheating, stealing and murdering to her heart's content, even becoming somehow the owner of a ''penthouse''. Meanwhile the good guys mostly come from fantasy or sci-fi stories and, as such, have a harder time getting adapted to the real world.

* In ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'', Nathaniel, the evil queen's minion, has no trouble fitting into New York. He even comes up with various disguises and gets at least two jobs while there. Oh, and he apparently knows how to drive. Queen Narissa doesn't even attempt to fit in, but she does know how to use an elevator, and can hold plausible conversations [[spoiler: when explaining why the poor girl fell unconscious after eating an apple]].
** Inverted at the end, when [[spoiler:we briefly see Nancy marrying Edward in the animated world, and she seems to be getting along just fine.]]

* Unlike most Gods, ComicBook/{{Ares|DC}} from the ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' comics is adjusted to the modern world, often wearing casual clothing, knowing how to use computers, operate machinery, and able to pass as an ordinary person.
** His [[ComicBook/{{Ares|Marvel}} counterpart]] in Franchise/MarvelUniverse has been able to adjust very well both before and after his HeelFaceTurn – as a villain he managed to become the leader of terrorist organizations in all the world and as a good guy he quickly found a job and became a completely normal parent. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] because he was spending all his free time between Ancient Greece and the modern Age of Heroes causing and taking a part in Earth's conflicts, so he really has time to learn.

* Both played straight and subverted in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' -- when Luthor and Flash trade minds in a FreakyFridayFlip plot, the majority of the Legion of Doom, despite Flash's rather poor acting skills, never catch on and merely presume Luthor has just finally lost it. Luthor, meanwhile, is ''instantly'' exposed by Doctor Fate, who was in Flash's mind at the time, and spends the rest of the episode on the run from the rest of the Watchtower's inhabitants -- unfortunately for them, Luthor is quick to adapt to his new-found superpower and uses it in [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique ways that the normal Flash refuses to]].

* Speaking of ''{{Transformers}}'', it ought to be surprising how often the Decepticons manage to persuade humans that the Autobots are evil. The ''Decepticons''. The ''DECEPT''icons. The unsubtly-scary-looking Decepticons.

* In ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'', Old Biff has no trouble fitting into 1955 when he goes back in time to give himself the almanac. Justified in that he likely remembers how things were in TheFifties, he's conservatively dressed, and he looks like an unassuming elderly man. Compare him to Marty, who ''always'' sticks out like a sore thumb upon first arrival.

** In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', the Founders of the Dominion, changelings all, can flawlessly impersonate people, allowing them to act as TheMole in various Alpha/Beta Quadrant governments. Odo, the TokenHeroicOrc, can't even get a humanoid face completely right. {{Justified}} in that by changeling standards Odo is barely a teenager, and has never had any real training by his people. The Founders have centuries more experience.

* In ''Film/LastActionHero'', CowboyCop Jack Slater and hitman Mr. Benedict are action movie characters who end up in real world New York City. Jack has difficulty understanding why cars don't explode when you shoot them and becomes despondent after about five minutes of exposure to "our" CrapsackWorld, whereas Mr. Benedict (after spending a similar period being bemused that murdering people in the streets has no immediate consequences) is elated to have found a world where "the bad guys can win!" The Ripper has no trouble blending into a movie premiere wearing his freakish villain costume consisting of a yellow raincoat, dirty long hair and a collapsible axe, but only because he's mistaken for his actor showing up in character, and even then he's quickly pulled aside by the actual actor's agent, who chastises him for his behaviour and attempts to order an emergency tuxedo for him.

** Downplayed in ''Film/TheTerminator.'' The T-800 knows exactly how to find his target, disguise, weapons etc., while Reese seems to be simply lucky. He's also far more willing and able to do these things, since unlike Reese, he has absolutely no compunction about cold-blooded murder, and he comes across as calm and stoic, lacking Reese's shellshock and histrionics. However, the Terminator can't really fake nuance with people very well, and if he can't get what he falls back immediately on brute force, which only puts him at greater and greater risk of alerting police as the film continues. Not the point where the Terminator asks for a "phased plasma rifle with a 40-watt range" at a gun store.

** Downplayed in ''Film/TheTerminator.'' The T-800 knows exactly how to find his target, disguise, weapons etc., while Reese seems to be simply lucky. However, the Terminator can't really fake nuance with people very well, and if he can't get what he falls back immediately on brute force, which only puts him at greater and greater risk of alerting police as the film continues. Not the point where the Terminator asks for a "phased plasma rifle with a 40-watt range" at a gun store.

* In ''Film/LastActionHero'', CowboyCop Jack Slater and hitman Mr. Benedict are action movie characters who end up in real world New York City. Jack has difficulty understanding why cars don't explode when you shoot them and becomes despondent after about five minutes of exposure to "our" CrapsackWorld, whereas Mr. Benedict (after spending a similar period being bemused that murdering people in the streets has no immediate consequences) is elated to have found a world where "the bad guys can win!" The Ripper has no trouble blending into a movie premiere wearing his freakish villain costume consisting of a yellow raincoat, dirty long hair and collapsible axe, but only because he's mistaken for his actor showing up in character, and even then he's quickly pulled aside by the actual actor's agent, who chastises him for his behaviour and attempts to order an emergency tuxedo for him.

** ''Film/{{Thor}}:'' Loki has an easier time getting around 21st century Midgard than his brother. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that Thor had been BroughtDownToNormal while Loki could use his magic to hide from humans. It was also hinted that this wasn't the first time Loki visited Midgard since he knew enough about American fashion to don some nice suits whenever he visited.

** In ''Film/TheTerminator'', the T-800 knows exactly how to find his target, disguise, weapons etc., while Reese seems to be simply lucky. However, at one point the Terminator asks for a "phased plasma rifle with a 40-watt range" at a gun store.
** In ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', the T-1000 can look and act like any human it encounters, while the T-800 is easily recognizable to those who have already encountered one and survived, though the last bit could be quite rare apart from the protagonists. Additionally, the T-1000 is able to [[FauxAffablyEvil put forth a front of friendliness]] in its police officer disguise, while the T-800 is TheStoic.

** In [[Film/{{Highlander}} the first film]], [=MacLeod=] hangs onto the past as an antique dealer, and uses his old mentor's sword. In contrast, the Kurgan embraces the newest music and fashions, and wields a high-tech collapsible sword.

*** Inverted in the episode "Mirror, Mirror", in which our heroes manage to bite their tongues and play evil in the brutal Terran Empire, while their alternates were unable to suppress instincts gained from a lifetime of {{Klingon Promotion}}s and {{Realpolitik}}. As a result, Mr. Spock, preeminent SmartGuy that he is, instantly realized what is going on and has them hauled to the brig. Spock himself [[LampshadeHanging points this out]], saying something to the effect of "It is easier for a civilized man to appear barbaric than for a barbarian to appear civilized." Though this also could be attributed to Roddenberry's insistence on the Federation being a {{Utopia}} - the alternates would have had far less trouble blending in on Deep Space Nine or Voyager. More prosaically, the mirror universe versions didn't realize the need to hide their natures until it was ''far'' too late to do so.

* Inverted in Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia''. The children are always quickly accepted by the Narnians, but Queen Jadis was openly mocked for trying to take over England.

* Unlike most Gods, Ares from the ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' comics is adjusted to the modern world, often wearing casual clothing, knowing how to use computers, operate machinery, and able to pass as an ordinary person.
** His [[ComicBook/{{Ares}} counterpart]] in MarvelUniverse has been able to adjust very well both before and after his HeelFaceTurn – as a villain he managed to become the leader of terrorist organizations in all the world and as a good guy he quickly found a job and became a completely normal parent. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] because he was spending all his free time between Ancient Greece and the modern Age of Heroes causing and taking a part in Earth's conflicts, so he really has time to learn.

As a corollary, it will generally be easier for the villains to convince the locals that they're friendly than it will be for the heroes to convince them that they're not evil. Even if the evilness of the villains is [[RedRightHand writ large enough]] to be detectable from space ([[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast via]] {{Namedar}}). This mostly seems to result from the hero's stubborn refusal to shut the hell up about how great it was back in their world and to refuse to take on any native culture. They will wear the same outfit they had when they came in and constantly complain about the local food. This isn't helped by the fact that the hero will usually insist on going around shouting at people near-hysterically about how they're from the past/another planet/what-have-you and how utterly evil the villain is, [[YouHaveToBelieveMe in a fashion that only makes them come across like a complete lunatic]]. The villain on the other hand will immediately trade in his duds for local wear and tuck into the native cuisine with gusto. He will never mention that he is from another world and be immediately accepted.

* The villain Silverthorn in ''Series/TheGirlFromTomorrow'' traveled from the year 2500 to 1990 and fit in better than Alana, who lived in the year 3000. Justified in that Silverthorn was older and Alana just a teenager and that Silverthorn had access to technology from the year 3000 that he used to his advantage, but it was also due to the fact that Silverthorn lived in post-apocalyptia and the selfish instincts he developed there aided his rise up the corporate ladder in 1990, whereas in 3000 the world was most of the way into being rebuilt into a utopia.

* A strange variation happens in ''Film/JustVisiting'': while the medieval protagonists have to go through the standard FishOutOfTemporalWater routine when transported to the present, the utterly incompetent wizard that sent them there manages to follow them, and somehow purchase clothes, spell components and ''rent a hotel room'' with no problems. This was averted in the original ''Les Visiteurs'' by having the person helping them not be the original wizard but rather [[spoiler:a modern descendant of his]].

** In ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', the T-1000 can look and act like any human it encounters, while the T-800 is easily recognizable to those who have already encountered one and survived, though the last bit could be quite rare apart from the protagonists. Additionally, the T-1000 is able to [[FauxAffablyEvil put forth a front of friendliness]] in it's police officer disguise, while the T-800 is TheStoic.