To-do list:
Power rangers, doom patrol, sinara, bubba moon, ninjago shatterspin, cut sandbox, the americans, something killing boom
https://powerrangers.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Power_Rangers_(Boom!_Studios)
Alright, so the second book of Pale Lights wrapped up. After surviving the horrific entrance exam to the Watch, the elite, God-Killing peacekeepers of the world, our four protagonists head off to Scholomance to be taught how to be badass.
Everyone's arcs are still ongoing, but to expand on my previous post here:
- Protagonists:
- Tristan, even though he has the misfortune to be the target of a bounty by some unknown party, continues to be an absolute delight of a rat. He runs rings around the bounty hunters; gets assigned to do some basic spywork as an entrance exam to spy school, which he escalates to getting his hunters' mentor framed for arson; gets into a rivalry with a magic bird, befriends said magic bird, and names it after a hell priest to fuck with his teammates; and, on an off week, spends days out in the wilderness navigating a web of betrayals to get into a deicide class.
- Song has an initial stumbling, as her perfectionism and controlling tendencies push away her teammates and lead into a prolonged nervous breakdown. But she recovers, and orchestrates the total defeat of Tristan's bounty hunters. The only issue is that the villainous act she was all but confirmed to have done in the last book has turned the other direction, and it's more ambiguous if she actually did it.
- Of the other two, Maryam hasn't done anything notably amazing or evil yet, while Angharad continues to be a reckless pawn for others.
- Other students:
- Tupoc also continues to delight. He deliberately goes out of his way to piss off every single person he comes into contact with, including his own teammates, yet always slinks his way out of the consequences. Everyone wants to kill him, but he's dancing just close enough to the line without crossing it that no one's tried yet, and still he's flourishing. He's an asshole and I love him.
- Imani Langa is a spy forcing Angharad to steal a devil-making device. Hasn't done much else yet, but I'll keep an eye on her.
- Teachers:
- Tristan's "Abuela", now known as "Nerei Name-Eater", is established to be the monster under the bed of the secret police of the world government. Hasn't appeared much, but her training of Tristan establishes her as a methodical terror of an assassin.
- Hage, a devil and Tristan's spy teacher. Again, good mentorship and spy lessons, though nothing too substantial yet.
- There are a few other teachers that are pretty fun, such as our protagonists' asshole mentor Wen and Maryam's completely insane magic teacher, but they haven't done too much yet.
Maybe a few others—the aforementioned hell priest and Lucifer himself—sound promising, but I'll obviously wait for them to become story relevant before seriously considering them.
Everyone's arcs are ongoing, but to expand on my previous post here:
- The Red Maw, the Fisher, and the remaining four on Tristan's murder list have so far stayed out of focus.
- Tupoc continues to remain a delightful asshole, but none of his Well-Intentioned Extremist goals are eliminated, and what snippets we get of his backstory seem to reinforce his dedication to this goal. I could see him leaning this way somewhere down the line, but as of the moment I feel more confident he'll hit for MB.
- Scholomance itself, the "summer home" of Lucifer, is alive, capable of murder, extremely sadistic and really hates kids. The Watch uses it as a school for the specific purpose of weeding out the week, and it was even shut down some years ago because the mountains of corpses it was building up were "unsustainable" even by their standards. That being said, there may be some agency issues with gods like it, and it hasn't done too much on page yet—only torturing to death a single bounty hunter Tristan and Song give to it as payment for their safe passage.
- We get more snippets of Lucifer, and though he remains shrouded what little we have seems to frame as a being with good intentions, if with cruel methods—he's an anarchist dedicated to toppling thrones.
- The High Queen of Malan, implied to be the immortal Queen Branwen of myth, sponsors the colonization and enslavement of Maryam's people, while her agents are blackmailing Angharad into stealing one of Lucifer's devil-making devices. Hasn't appeared in person yet, but seems set to be a major antagonist.
- Professor Kang is an asshole teacher who hates and tries to kill Song. Personality-wise, he's basically early book Snape, but hasn't done much else.
- Finally, the closest thing to an Arc Villain for the book is the 49th cabal, a rival team to our protagonists that are after a bounty on Tristan's head. Murdering another Watchman is illegal, but trafficking him to some unknown, likely horrible fate is just enough within the rules they're willing to risk it. Douchebags, but not going over baseline, and the leaders are handed what's basically a death sentence once they're caught.
- Arc Villain: The Sentinels as a whole are the most common enemy and main threat in the first season. Initially appearing as mere tools for Gyrich and Trask's anti-mutant agenda, used for enforcing bigoted projects such as the Mutant Registration Act and mutant slavery in Genosha, the Sentinels eclipse the scope of the pair's ambitions in the final three episodes of the season: "Days of Future Past" deals with preventing a Bad Future where the Sentinels have taken over the entire world, which is followed shortly thereafter by Master Mold gaining self-awareness and betraying its creators in favor of global conquest. The Sentinels return as the main antagonists of season 1 of the revival, though Bastion takes prominence as their leader.
- Sentinel Number Two is the leader of the second generation of Sentinels, carrying out Larry Trask's rash orders to capture and execute countless mutants before turning on his creator when he's revealed to unknowingly be a mutant himself. Though initially just a typical Sentinel programmed to protect humanity, Number Two goes through its own evolution after an attempt to end the source of all mutations by destroying the sun, gaining self-awareness and setting out to conquer the world. The maddened Sentinel repeatedly attempts to cause a solar flare that will sterilize the entire population of the Earth, paving the way for the Sentinels to engineer a new, mutation-free human race once the old generation is extinct and leaving Number Two as eternal ruler of the planet.
- Catwoman: Lonely City:
- Selina Kyle, a decade after the death of Batman, is released from prison and sets out to uncover her lover's final secret. Despite her age, Selina remains just as wily a thief as ever, orchestrating several successful heists with the help of her fellow rogues.
- Edward Nygma, having long since retired his wacky identity as the Riddler, has become a successful grifter and blackmailer with the help of his daughter Edie. Upon running into Selina, Nygma agrees to help in her heist of the Batcave, quickly proving himself an excellent actor able to provide cover for their schemes. Notably, Nygma volunteers his knowledge of abandoned underground rails as a getaway for their heist from Arkham Asylum, and later deduces the location of the Helmet of Fate in order to steal and gift it to Jason Blood in return for his assistance.
- Marvel 2099 (Earth-928):
- Doctor Doom himself, upon finding himself displaced into a dystopian future,
- Ravage 2099: Sophia Striker, once the first lady to President Graeme Stryker, became known as "Seeress" after corporations ruined the entire planet. The Seeress became The Dragon to Dethstryk—the new Graeme—and, secretly loathing what her husband had become, plotted for decades to undermine him. After a number of failed uprisings she attempted by convincing would-be Mutroud rebels to attempt coups, the Seeress eventually turned to manipulating Ravage, trying to use him as a pawn in her attempts to thwart Dethstryk. In spite of numerous setbacks, the Seeress is the one to screw Dethstryk over once and for all, installing a posthumous "death program" to depower Dethstryk, leaving him to the mercy of Ravage, and using her last moments to try and ensure peace between the humans and the Mutroids.
- Gotham City Society of Fireproof Women:
- A Faulty Sword:
- Nemesis is the Greek Goddess of Grudges, Blood Feuds, and the Unjustly Slain. Centuries ago she created the Army of Nemesis, an unstoppable force of evil that horrified the Olympians and caused Zeus to kill her. Possessing Harmonia in modern times, Nemesis hijacks her plan to awaken the Army, and when Jason Todd—one of Harmonia's servants—raises his voice at her without realizing who she is, Nemesis responds by inflicting horrific visions of the Joker torturing him to force him to massacre a bar full of innocents in petty retribution. Nemesis later tricks Wonder Woman into killing both her and Harmonia, activating the Army and sending them to destroy all life on earth so that the Olympians will starve to death, while the alternate versions of Harmonia throughout the multiverse will be eternally trapped in insanity without the Army to end their pain. While her plan is foiled, the Army nevertheless manages to kill hundreds of innocents and four dozen heroes.
- "Two", an amalgamation of "the worst parts of the worst Damian Waynes from across the multiverse", is a depraved Serial Killer created by Harmonia to aid in her plot to divide and conquer the Batfamily. Utterly obsessed with usurping the mantle of Batman, Two delights in causing whatever havoc is asked of him—from massacring Black Mask's gang, to helping create Anti-Fear Toxin that is released into a crowded ballroom to endanger dozens—if it gives him the opportunity to kill Bruce, all while he happily tortures and guts any innocents he comes across in his mission. A vicious misogynist on top of everything else, Two develops a sick interest in Stephanie Brown and seeks to break her into becoming his possession, even threatening to bomb nearly two hundred thousand innocents to draw her out and beat her into submission. Two is completely devoid of Damian's standard nobility, ultimately rejecting Bruce's offer of rehabilitation and spitefully killing himself just to hurt his father more.
- A Faulty Sword:
work with cain to massacre black mask goons. break out scarecrow. Colombian neckties a guy. bury a friend by billie eilish. happily admits he doesn't know how to communicate with someone without hurting them: "Why should I? It gets me what I want." "distillation" of parts. Reveal identities. Target Harper school
The Empire Ever Dark
Once the people of a sprawling underground kingdom, the drow—or Firstborn, as they prefer to be called—were natives of Calernia whose Twilight Sages held mastery over death. However, the Empire Ever Dark's fortunes took a downward turn when their ambitions outgrew their abilities, as their attempts to wage war on the Kingdom Under instead led to the dwarves massacring swathes of their people. Quickly approaching the ruination of the Firstborn, two sisters butchered the arrogant Twilight Sages and petitioned the Gods Below for one last chance to stave off annihilation. The result forever twisted the Everdark into a world of eternal madness and murder, populated by hundreds of demigods seeking to assert their dominance over one another.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: When you gain another drow's life force/magical energy/knowledge by killing them and harvesting the "Night" from their corpse, and your society is based around Asskicking Leads to Leadership, the concept of loyalty or swearing oaths seems rather odd. Mighty Soln is seen as one of the most trustworthy of the sigil-holders in Great Lotow, and only because it formally ends alliances before betraying its allies.
- Combat by Champion: Their society emphasizes the powerful tribal chief (sigil-holders), lieutenants (rylleh), and other "Mighty" in the hierarchy over the "cattle" of the rest of the citizens and soldiers in a sigil. As a result, if the sigil-holder and rylleh are killed, the majority of a sigil will surrender.
- Fantastic Rank System: The drow under the leadership of Sve Noc roughly follow this under the ideal of Asskicking Leads to Leadership. As such, in a given sigil (tribe), the ranks from least to most Night are:
- Nisi: The lowest class of drow, meaning "meat" in the language of Crepuscular. This refers to a drow that has had most-to-all of their Night taken. They can be killed for roughly any reason and are often used as laborers and slaves, often leaving the Everdark to avoid this fate. Their lifespan is around 60 years.
- Dzulu: "Person" in Crepuscular, generally denoting they have enough Night to "no longer be meat" but not enough to be considered Mighty.
- Ispe: The lowest class of Mighty, drow warriors. They have a handful of interesting tricks but none of the dangerous Secrets. Roughly as dangerous in a fight as the average fae soldier.
- Pravnat: Drow that hold one or two dangerous Secrets; essentially, ipse that show promise.
- Jawor: The middle ranks of Mighty with the most variance in ability. Pretty much the "officer" tier of a sigil.
- Rylleh: A sigil-holder's most powerful subordinates and their inner circle. Must have twelve Secrets to their name and kill an existing rylleh to advance here. They also tend to pull a starscream at some point to take over the sigil. As a result, they have a very high turnover rate.
- Sigil-holder: The chief of their own independent sigil whose word is law. They can live for thousands of years.
- Klingon Promotion: Drow can only gain status by harvesting the Night from the bodies of others. The more powerful, the more Night a drow has. This makes it very tempting to take out one's leader and absorb his power.
- Non-Human Non-Binary: Drow consider the powerful ("The Mighty") to be above such concepts as gender. Referring to powerful drow with anything other than a gender-neutral term is seen as an insult.
- Overly Long Name: Ivah and Rumena's bonus POV chapters reveal they both have incredibly long names. It's assumed that this is a trait shared by the rest of their race, though no others have shared their full names out loud or in narration.
- Shadow Walker: One of the more common Night tricks for drow to use is to turn into/slink into a puddle of darkness and re-emerge later—for example, to dodge an attack. Some drow, like the Longstride Cabal, take this one step further and use the Night for long-distance travel.
- Soldier vs. Warrior: Firmly on the "Warrior" side, much to their detriment when the organized, better equipped "Soldier" dwarves invade and begin effortlessly massacring them.
- Vestigial Empire: They live in the ruins of the massive Underground Cities carved with ancient poetry and the defaced art of their once-great civilization.
Sve Noc
Drow sisters who, in a plea to save their race from extinction, made a deal with the Gods Below that turned them into quasi-deities. After besting Catherine Foundling, the Sovereign of Moonless Nights, in a battle, they ingest the power of Winter, complete their apotheosis, and make a deal with the Black Queen to become her Patron God.
- Always a Bigger Fish: Sve Noc ends up handing the Sovereign of Moonless Nights one of her most substantial defeats, despite the power of Winter making her a Physical God at that point.
- Anarcho-Tyranny: Their pre-godhood rulership of the drow has hints of this. As the Priestesses of Night, Sve Noc’s authority is absolute; however, their only mandate is to follow the Tenets of Night. These rules essentially boil down to The worthy take, the worthy rise. As a result, the Drow are complete Social Darwinists, and the only law is the will of the strong.
- Creepy Crows: Sve Noc’s physical manifestation is of a pair of crows after assimilating the Winter godhead. However, they also tend to be a Supernatural Fear Inducer to most mortals who look directly at them for more than a second at a time.
- Deal with the Devil: Upon making a plea to the Gods to save the drow from extinction, the Wandering Bard arrived to give them the ability to manipulate the Night. Though this saves their race, it also plunges their society into what is effectively a perpetual self-inflicted genocide.
- Deity of Human Origin: They started out as normal drow with a standard lifespan. After gaining the power of Night and Winter, they became gods.
- Domain Holder: The Drow homeland is surrounded by an invisible boundary making the tunnels to the Empire Everdark inaccessible to outsiders and leading intruders down dead ends. It’s implied that this boundary, termed "the Gloom," is their domain as even Named as strong as the Ranger can’t bypass it.
- Eldritch Abomination: Looking into their feathers is enough for the Grey Pilgrim to hear distant screams and begin to smell blood, while Robber was given some of the most horrifying nightmares of his life just by being near them.
- Modernized God: They invoke this in making Cat "First Under the Night"; regularly interacting with a (relatively) normal human is intended to keep them more tuned into the state of their society and less set in their ways.
- Psychic Block Defense: They provide this for Catherine. The sisters can ward off the Choir of Mercy's attempt to peer into her and their connection to her makes it impossible for Agnes to see into her future directly. They can also, with greater effort, protect Catherine from The Hierarch's Indict.
- Reasoning with God: The climax of Book Four has Cat not only convincing them not to kill her but getting them to make her their prophet.
- Religion of Evil: Considering they tend to be informally referred to as the goddesses of theft and murder and their society is built on the tenets of forcibly taking all the power you can, it’s no surprise that heroes aren’t huge fans of their worship.
- The Sacred Darkness: After experiencing their second apotheosis, Sve Noc begins to move into this role while Night advances from being the clear inferior to Light and the quintessential Power at a Price (exclusive and essential to the drow), to being Light’s equal and opposite and the Shared Life Energy of all believers in Sve Noc (capable of use by anyone).
- Sibling Yin-Yang: The siblings have a Red Oni, Blue Oni dynamic with Komena being an aggressive warrior and Andronike being a reserved priest.
- Sword and Sorcerer: Andronike, a former Twilight Sage (drow mage-priest) is the sorcerer to Komena, a former member of the Empire Ever Dark’s warrior caste.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: They aren’t exactly happy about watching the drow devolve into a pack of squabbling sigils, wherein 90% of the population are actively subjugated; however, the alternative was total extinction, so they have no real choice.
Komena, the Youngest Night
A former soldier under General Rumena in the time of the Empire Ever Dark, before aiding her sister in saving their people by making a bargain with Below. Komena became one of the two Priestesses of Night, and is easily the more aggressive of the two.
- Imposter Forgot One Detail: Komena introduces herself to Catherine in Black's visage. Unfortunately for her, she messes up her guise by claiming fate to be a "useful tool", not aware of Black's sheer hatred for the very concept.
- So Unfunny, It's Funny: Sve Noc's time as gods have left them disconnected from mortality. Catherine, upon becoming their high priest, begins bantering with them as a way of keeping them connected to their subjects; Komena's subsequent efforts at humor are quite enjoyable due to how much they leave to be desired.
Andronike, the Eldest Night
Once one of the Twilight Sages, Andronike turned on them when she learned of their genocidal aspirations. With her beloved sister Komena, Andronike sacrificed the Sages themselves to earn an audience with the Gods Below and ensure the Firstborn's survival, subsequently becoming half of Sve Noc.
The Losara Sigil
Catherine's personal sigil. Its true translation is "Lost and Found", the closest phrase they have for "Foundling" in Crepuscular. After the Exodus from the Everdark, the Losara is charged with effectively serving as the new priesthood of the Firstborn, overseeing the oaths that hold sigils together and the distribution of Night.Mighty Ivah'idimas'iyanya'ajolig, Lord of Silent Steps
One of the first Firstborn encountered by Catherine, Akua, and Indrani as they venture into the Everdark, a former rylleh who was stripped of Night and left for the surface in vain hope of regaining its strength. After getting its ass thoroughly kicked, Ivah wisely agrees to act as the trio's guide to the Everdark. Though it initially only follows the Black Queen out of fear and ambition for power, Ivah is quickly radicalized to her cause, remaining one of her most steadfastly loyal followers throughout the rest of the story.
- Flash Step: In the first battle with the Rumena, Ivah figures out how to "skitter" through the edge of Arcadia, allowing it to move super fast and leave afterimages in its wake.
- High Priest: Ivah's unwavering loyalty, combined with its role in recreating the Night and resurrecting Sve Noc, leads to Catherine naming it her replacement as First Under the Night.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: When Ivah first meets Catherine, it's part of a warband attempting to kill or enslave her. After witnessing her effortlessly mop the floor with several of its companions, it wisely surrenders.
- Les Collaborateurs: After realizing the Losara Queen's colonialist ambitions, and coming to understand just how thoroughly the Firstborn have already destroyed themselves, Ivah willingly throws its lot in with Catherine so that her subjugation of the Everdark can be used to forge something from their grave of an empire.
- Master of Illusion: Its Winter powers allow Ivah to craft illusions, which it uses to distract enemies and keep them striking at shadows during combat.
- Mr. Exposition: Its primary role in the Everdark arc is to explain the culture and customs of the drow.
- Noiseless Walker: Ivah was titled Lord of Silent Steps for a reason. Though it's already a master of stealth, its specialty is walking without making a sound.
- Red Baron: Ivah's title of Lord of Silent Steps, though initially one that holds true power, is reduced to this once Sve Noc eats Winter. Ivah retains the title long after it loses the bulk of its magical might, with its stealth skills remaining nigh-unrivaled by the rest of the Firstborn.
- Stealth Expert: Ivah is a prodigy at sneaking around. Upon gaining Winter powers, its primary focus is developing new skills to ambush enemies, and it continues to refine these skills even after it loses the power behind its title.
- Undying Loyalty: Catherine and several of her allies believe it to be just as opportunistic and willing to backstab her as the rest of its race, but Ivah's inner narration reveals that it holds nothing but respect for its Losara Queen, even being willing to reject godhood in deference to her ideals.
The Rumena Sigil
The dreaded monsters of Great Strycht, led by the Youngest Night's former mentor and favored enforcer.
Mighty Rumena'ivedran'ikole "Tomb-Maker", General of the Southern Expedition
Easily one of the oldest of the Firstborn, Rumena was a legendary general in the glory days of the Empire Ever Dark. In disgust of the Twilight Sages' incompetence, Rumena aided the plans of his subordinate Komena and her sister to kill them and make a deal with Below. It subsequently became Sve Noc's chief enforcer as the Everdark devolved into ruin, ending the lives of any who would challenge the Tenets of Night.
- Deadpan Snarker: Probably the most infamous example in the series; Rumena is the only person on the entire continent to consistently get the better of Catherine via mockery. According to Word of God, she will never be able to overcome its so-called "Secret of Scathing Retorts."
- Dishing Out Dirt: Rumena's Secret of Stone allows it to manipulate the earth itself.
- The Dragon: Sve Noc's oldest and most loyal ally who helped them to defeat the Twilight Sages and secure their rise to power. It retains this role in the present, serving as the Sisters' most prominent agent in capturing Catherine so she can be sacrificed.
- Genius Bruiser: On top of being one of the most powerful Firstborn, its also one of the cleverest. Although Catherine assumes it would quickly fall to the Saint of Swords in a fair fight, Rumena's proficiency with Night allows it to easily hold its own against her during the Prince's Graveyard, surviving no worse for wear.
- Red Baron: "Tomb-Maker", a nickname earned when Rumena collapsed an entire city just to kill Kurosiv.
- Time Abyss: The last remaining General of the Empire Ever Dark's armies before Night existed, and thus one of the oldest drow in existence.
Mighty Borislava
The Jindrich Sigil
The "runner-ups" to the Rumena Sigil as the most terrifying beings in Great Strycht.
Mighty Jindrich
Mighty Lasmir
The Peerage
Several sigil-holders who were forced to bend the knee and join Catherine's cabal, but were granted Winter titles for their trouble.Ivah, the first of their number, has its tropes in the Losara section above.
- De-power: The Peerage's Winter titles were lost when Sve Noc ate Winter, though some shades of their power remain.
- Join or Die: How the bulk of them were recruited. Catherine manipulated most of the major sigil-holders of Great Lotow into a meeting, then teleported them all to Arcadia and refused to let them out unless they joined her cabal.
Mighty Soln, Lord of Shallow Graves
One of the sigil-holders of Great Lotow who was forcibly conscripted into the Peerage. It survives her battle with Sve Noc and joins the Exodus in the Prince's Graveyard.
- Blood Knight: Like the rest of its race, Soln loves killing. When the Dead King unveils himself at the Peace of Salia, it, Rumena, and Jindrich—rather than reacting in horror at the presence of the Hidden Horror, like everyone else—immediately get into a bidding war over who gets the first chance to kill him.
- The Reliable One: Though not quite as competent as Ivah, Soln is nonetheless one of the more intelligent and resourceful Firstborn to make up the Peerage, with Catherine silently regarding it as one of her favorites.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Despite being one of the more prominent Firstborn representatives, it disappears from the plot shortly before the Battle of Hainaut.
Mighty Zarkan
One of the sigil-holders of Great Lotow forced to join the Peerage. After the Prince's Graveyard, it joins Rumena's sigil as a rylleh.
The Ten Generals
Ten of the most powerful Firstborn in the Exodus. They are charged with leading Sve Noc's forces into battle in the War on Keter.- Hero of Another Story: Their exploits in the north against the Dead King go largely untold. We never even get to meet Jutren the Tenth General before it's killed off, nor do we even learn the names of the Fifth and Ninth Generals—Catherine indicates that one of them is Radosa "The Hushing Dread", though she never clarifies which one, and it too dies before it ever comes into prominence.
- Red Baron: Nearly all of them have special titles, save Jutren.
Mighty Radegast "The Guest", the First General
The mightiest of the Firstborn, capable of possessing others.- Body Surf: Its Secret allows it to quickly possess other Firstborn and move from battlefield to battlefield.
- The Ghost: Its exploits are offscreen for most of the story. It only physically appears very briefly in the final epilogue as the leader of the Firstborn party attending Ashur's signing of the Liesse Accords.
- Super-Strength: Radegast is allegedly so strong that it's able to ragdoll its fellow Generals even when operating through the possessed.
Mighty Radhoste "The Dreamer", the Sixth General
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Is briefly mentioned at the beginning of Book 6. The next we hear of it, it's been killed offscreen shortly before the Battle of Hainaut takes place.
Mighty Vesena "Spear-Biter", the Seventh General
The first of the Ten Generals introduced in the story.
Mighty Ysengral "The Cradle of Steel", the Eighth General
One of the Generals defending Serolen against Kurosiv's rebellion, alongside Rumena.
- Decapitation Presentation: It enjoys catapulting the heads of its victims back into enemy lines.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Ysengral is first mentioned as a particularly dangerous sigil-holder during Ivah's introduction and interrogation, shortly before Catherine first enters the Everdark. It eventually gains a larger role in the Serolen arc.
- Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge: It viciously hunts and hoards knowledge of how to make weapons, ensuring its armory is one of the best in the Everdark
- Trap Master: Traps are Ysengral's specialty, so much so that it became its sobriquet.
- Villainous Friendship: Both Ysengral and Rumena are unrepentant killers, but it's implied they share a friendship. The two work together to stave off Kurosiv's Traitor Generals, and Ysengral was the one who invented Rumena's "Tomb-Maker" epithet as a compliment to the old general.
The Traitor Generals
Three of the Generals, led by Mighty Kurosiv, eventually betray Sve Noc out of dissatisfaction with the Losara's new rules, intent on returning the Firstborn to their days of wanton murder and backstabbing.Mighty Kurosiv "The All-Knowing", the Second General
Loc Ynan / Fate-Giver, The Leech
Once a noble of the Empire Ever Dark, Kurosiv threw it all away to allow Rumena and the Sisters to overthrow the Twilight Sages, intent on taking over the Empire in the inevitable civil wars that would follow. Kurosiv's ambitions would lead to it becoming a lifelong nemesis of Rumena as it sought to usurp the Sisters, culminating in a heretical alliance with the Dead King himself.- Arch-Enemy: Kurosiv was Rumena's most recurring enemy throughout the centuries, always returning from the dead to plague him.
- Back from the Dead: Kurosiv's deadliest Secret allows it to return from seeming death, and it has survived seven clashes with Rumena this way. Its luck runs out after Catherine arranges for all the Night to be drained from its body, ensuring it cannot call upon its age-old trick to escape its eighth death.
- Big Bad Wannabe: For all its schemes, Kurosiv fails to realize that the Dead King plans on betraying it to steal the Night for himself.
- A God Am I: Even before killing Sve Noc, Kurosiv already believed itself the rightful god of the Firstborn. Upon openly rebelling, it heretically calls itself Loc Ynan, or "Fate-Giver."
- Godhood Seeker: Kurosiv's lifelong ambition is to usurp Sve Noc as god of the Night, and it intends to sacrifice its entire race to be the sole wielder of the substance.
Mighty Moren "Bleakwomb", the Third General
- Alas, Poor Villain: Its final moments are to forlornly look at the snow it has conjured as it waits for Catherine to execute it, sadly agreeing with her that it's "beautiful."
- Co-Dragons: It and Ishabog are Kurosiv's most powerful acolytes.
- An Ice Person: Moren's biggest Secret is the ability to create freezing storms.
- Unwitting Pawn: Moren is the most outspoken defender of Kurosiv's benevolence, unaware that the Fate-Giver intends to slaughter the entire Firstborn race.
- Weak, but Skilled: Moren is not as strong as the likes of Rumena, but its Secrets ensure that it never has to be in a fair fight.
Mighty Ishabog "The Adversary", the Fourth General
- Co-Dragons: It and Moren are Kurosiv's most powerful acolytes.
- Ear Ache: Rumena rips one of its ears off in a battle to piss if off.
- The Social Darwinist: Implicitly its belief. Ishabog's sigil is only comprised of the strongest Mighty, retaining no nisi or dzulu among them whatsoever.
- Uncertain Doom: Ishabog's final fate is not revealed. Considering it's last seen getting into a fight with Rumena, shortly before Sve Noc is reborn with full control of the Night and who gets to wield it, its chance aren't looking too good.
- Underestimating Badassery: Ishabog derides Rumena for its faith in Catherine's ability to kill Kurosiv. Rumena gladly shows it that it is the one overestimating itself.
Others
The Longstride Cabal
A cabal of powerful Mighty, exactly two hundred in number, dedicated to hunting powerful opponents.
- Challenge Seeker: The entire purpose of the Longstrides is bringing about "the death of those they deem worthy."
- Klingon Promotion: The only way to join the cabal, once invited, is to kill one of their members.
The Kingdom of the Dead
The Necrocracy that lies to the north of Procer, and one of the most infamous Evil polities on Calernia. Once the proud kingdom of Sephirah, an ambitious young prince orchestrated the complete annihilation of its people to fuel his rise to godhood. Claiming the Name of the Dead King, he proceeded to rule his undead hordes with an iron fist for millennia from his capital city of Keter, carefully plotting a time when he can end all that may stand in the way of his quest for greater power.
Revenants
The keystones to the Dead King's military might. Revenants are the undead souls of Named heroes and villains who have fallen to Neshamah's hordes, raised to now fight on his behalf. Though only wielding shadows of their former power, they remain some of his deadliest killers.
King Edward Fairfax VII, The Good King
The Thief of Stars
The Spellblade
The Skein
Scourges
Ten of the deadliest Revenants fielded by the Dead King. Though none save the Prince of Bones hold any true elite position in his army, the fear they strike in their enemies resulted in them gaining a special designation—and, in consequence, heavier weight in Creation. The Dead King, not one to ever pass up an advantage, quickly capitalized on this to make them his shock troops.
- Evil Counterpart: Once they're reduced to just five members, they greatly resemble the Woe. They even serve as their climactic opponents in the final chapter before the clash with the Dead King himself.
- The Heavy: Due to Neshamah preferring to avoid getting personally involved in conflicts, the Scourges instead lead his forces.
Albrecht Papenheim, The Prince of Bones (formerly Lone Sentinel)
The Lord of Last Stands
The commander of Neshamah's invincible Grey Legion. Widely believed to be an ancient Iron King slain centuries ago, Word of God confirms that his true identity is that of Klaus Papenheim's legendary ancestor who fended off the undead hordes for an entire year before finally falling to their blades.
- The Dragon: The closest Neshamah has to a proper second-in-command, serving as his most powerful Revenant and top general.
- Red Baron: Klaus refers to him as the Lord of Last Stands in deference to his legendary commitment to keeping out the dead, even when it became clear that it would cost him his life.
The Stitcher
Suspected of being a healer when she was alive, the Stitcher now creates monsters and abominations to further Keter's march.
Adehard Barthen, The Pale Knight / Axeman (formerly White Knight)
In life, Adehard Barthen was a hero from the House of Barthen—the Goethal's predecessors as rulers of Brus. In death, he has become a self-proclaimed "hound to the Enemy", serving as a terrifying champion for the Dead King's cause.
The Hawk (formerly Archer)
Neshamah's best sharpshooter, an undead villainous archer. Her primary aspect is suspected to be the simple but devastating ability to kill whatever she shoots, making her one of the deadliest tools in Keter's arsenal and one of the most recurring thorns in Catherine's side.
- Arch-Enemy: Due to their similar choice of weapons, Indrani sees the Hawk as her personal nemesis.
- Master Archer: Absurdly good with a bow and arrow. Word of God confirms that she used to be an Archer herself.
The Wolfhound
The bodyguard of the Scourges. As a lone agent he's not too troublesome, but his aspects allow him to shore up the defenses of other Scourges and make them that much harder to defeat.
The Drake
A strangely talkative and amiable Revenant, and one that is very difficult to kill.
- Back from the Dead: The Drake releases one of his teeth whenever he dies. Should some poor soul grab it, they will be possessed by the Drake.
- Face–Heel Turn: The Drake is one of the most talkative Revenants. Though he implies that he was tortured into joining the Dead King, his apparent agency and anger at being "so close" to something before his death imply he willingly agreed to serve Neshamah for some unknown reason.
The Mantle
Once a priestess in life, the Mantle's soul has since been bound to generate curses and combat the Night of Sve Noc on Keter's behalf.
The Varlet
An undead assassin and master of poisons.
- Hero Killer: The Varlet is the onteto kill kill Hune, one of Catherine longest-serving subordinates.
The Tumult / Archmage
One of the best sorcerers in the Dead King's service. The Tumult—or the Archmage, as heroes call him—is an incredibly powerful Revenant capable of wielding a wide variety of magical disciplines, with a preference for generating storms.
The Seelie
The last of the Scourges to be introduced, an enchantress and illusionist who specializes in magically charming her opponents.
Subjects
Sephirah
- Harley Quinn (2019):
- The Riddler, real name Edward Nygma, is reimagined here as "Gotham's funniest villain". Helping start an Arkham breakout by smuggling Poison Ivy an orange seed, Nygma later assists in her scheme to get Harley to finally break up with the Joker by forcing him to choose between saving her or Batman from a vat of fake acid. Later captured by Harley and Ivy and forced to run in a giant hamster wheel, Nygma reveals just how easily he could escape by humiliating Dr. Psycho before returning to the wheel, content to watch Harley's crew continue to fail while his constant exercise leaves him in the best shape of his life. Eventually teaming up with Psycho, Nygma organizes a hostage situation at Wayne Tower so he can steal a telepathic amplifier helmet, delivering it to Psycho so the two can take over the Parademons and conquer the world. Even after the duo are defeated, the Riddler cheerily continues to construct death traps throughout the city while still remaining friendly with Harley and Ivy.
- Season 2: Mister Freeze sought to cure his darling wife Nora from her terminal illness, seeking funding through organized crime. Joining the Injustice League to take control of the No Man's Land that Gotham has devolved into, Freeze manages to save Harley's life by convincing the other members to allow him to simply freeze her in a block of ice rather than kill her for the trouble she's caused. When Harley and her crew come after him in revenge, Freeze easily incapacitates all of them with plans to use Harley in the first of his human trials, before agreeing to allow Ivy to try to find a cure first while he prepares his prisoners a delicious meal. When Ivy finds a cure that requires a fatal blood transfusion, Freeze quickly steps forward, stating that he's only continued living in his "godforsaken" condition in the hope of saving Nora, and dies with one final heartbreaking goodbye to his beloved wife.
- MB:
- Worm: Marquis, Faultline, Number Man, Citrine
- Twig: Sy, Gordon
- Pact: Rose Sr., Andy, The High Drunk, Fell, Corvidae, Alister Behaim
- Pale: Miss, Rook, Marcicia, Toadswallow
- Umbrella Academy: Five, Lila
- Star Wars: Synara, Kreel, Zed
- Sandman: New Corinthian
- Superman & Lois: Steel
- Pale Lights: Tristan Abrascal, Tupoc Xical
- PGTE: Louis (Fatal, Red Flower, coup, Scribe, peace, Truce, Contend 28, 32 convened, grand, west 1)
- Harley: Talia
- Alpha-1, Dayne, Rita clone, Zedd(wait until after love potion resolved), Astronema
- Doom (Fantastic Four animated series, Incredible Hulk 1996, Secret Wars)
- This Is How You Lose the Time War
- sensei
- Echo
- CM:
- Pact: Ms. Lewis, Gerhild
- Pale: Family Man
- Pale Lights: Red Maw, Fisher
- Master Vile(S3), Dark Specter, Praetor
- hexxus
- Wyrd Sisters
- Marduk
- Outkast, Bliss
is praetor connected to grid?
Master Vile: has rita kill the son of resistance leaders she had befriended, supposedly ripped the leaders limb from limb. Sends Tengus to attack middle school for mcguffin, kill anyone in their way. Enough destruction that Zordon believes the universe to be "dying."
- Soundwave, a walking music player intended to be upgraded into a new body for the crippled Megatron, instead gained self-awareness and set out to steal the AllSpark Key so as to evolve machines into the dominant species, even extending an offer to the Autobots to join his revolution. Returning after his apparent destruction with new robotic minions in tow, Soundwave drugs and captures the Autobots, placing their minds in a virtual world where they're human while he reprograms them to follow his commands. Upon being discovered by Sari, Soundwave takes advantage of the redistribution of his original toy model to brainwash every human in the city and impede her search for help. Adapting to complications in his plans with ease, Soundwave manages to escape even with his body once again destroyed, free to return for revenge another day.
The Woe
- Hakram Deadhand of the Howling Wolves, the Adjutant, is Catherine's oldest, most reliable ally and the closest to her Dragon amongst the Woe. A formerly ambitionless orc who found his passion aiding Catherine in her opposition to the arrogant High Seats of Praes, Hakram is instrumental in overseeing the paperwork and bureaucracies that come with her growing power base, ensuring the smooth operations of her spy networks, supply distributions, and other administrational duties, all while doubling as a capable warrior who earned his sobriquet through his ability to defeat even a Duke of Autumn despite his frequent maimings. Desiring to be more than a mere extension of Catherine's will, Hakram rises as the first Warlord seen in centuries by rallying the Clans of the Steppes to march on Ater and take the rights they've been long denied at swordpoint, before leading his Horde against Keter and towards a new future for their kind.
- Masego, the Hierophant, is the magically prodigious son of the Warlock and the Woe's expert in all things blasphemous. Obsessed with dissecting Creation itself after seeing the pocket dimension he was raised in be casually destroyed, Masego joins the Fifteenth Legion during the Liesse Rebellion as The Apprentice, quickly striking up a strong friendship with Catherine as he aids her against Akua's diabolism. Further assisting Catherine in the destruction of the Summer Court after transitioning into the Hierophant, Masego also bolsters Callow's magical arsenal against the Tenth Crusade, and although he loses his magic after his possession by the Dead King, he retains the knowledge necessary to remain an unrivaled prodigy. Creating the Autumn Crown and the Severance blade to destroy the lich; devising a method to steal stories from the Intercessor; and raising Sve Noc into a Choir of Below, Masego's audacious achievements reach their apex when he gains his revenge by catching and eating the fleeing Dead King's soul once the lich's body is slain by the Severance, forging his own godhead to emerge as a deity in the dawn of the Age of Order.
- Indrani, the Archer, is the lithe physical powerhouse of the Woe and their most dangerous—yet surprisingly insightful—killer. Originally a slave girl freed by Hye Su, Indrani took to her teacher's violent beliefs with gleefully wholehearted embrace, reforging herself into a pleasure-seeking thrill-chaser. Befriending Catherine and joining her Woe at the opportunity for murderous yet exciting escapades, the Archer demonstrates herself to be a nigh-unstoppable One-Woman Army and perceptive bodyguard able to proactively protect the Black Queen from assassination attempts, and—despite her hedonistic and provocative attitude—is unquestionably indispensable when it comes to efficiently decimating enemies, even leveraging her own temporary death to wake Masego from the Dead King's possession. Later reconciling with her fellow students from Refuge to defeat their old mentor and claim the Name of Ranger as her own, Indrani spends the years after the War on Keter wandering the world in search of adventure, but always makes time to return to those she loves.
- Vivienne Dartwick, the Thief, is the least morally bankrupt member of the Woe but still a ruthless and brilliant operator. The daughter of a Callowan baron spared in the Conquest, Vivienne took to the streets to rob Praes blind in retaliation for her mother's murder, eventually joining the Lone Swordsman's rebellion as a strikingly competent hero. Vivienne takes over Callow's Thieves' Guild before being swayed to Catherine's side, stealing the Arcadian sun to defeat Summer and playing an instrumental role in slaying Akua. Reforging her criminal underlings into the Jacks, a loyal network of spies and assassins, Vivienne also goads the Regal faction of Callow's nobles into ordering an assassination on Hakram as an excuse to execute them for treason, removing weak links that could be exploited by Procer. While always a capable and confident pilferer, Vivienne matures remarkably after losing her original Name and adapts to handle the politics of rule in Catherine's stead, even stealing the entire Thirteenth Legion from Praes to become the Princess. In her coronation as Queen of Callow, Vivienne takes up the Foundling name to honor her friend and ensure an orphan will always be prepared to restore dignity to the crown.
The Dread Empire of Praes
- Eudokia, the Scribe, is Amadeus' spymistress and one-woman bureaucracy. Originally an orphan taken in by the School of Gulls, Eudokia survived their deadly initiation and orchestrated the deaths of the entire staff and student body in revenge for her trauma. Later joining the Calamities, Eudokia's efficiency ensures Black rules Callow uncontested for years, unearthing numerous rebel plots and nascent heroes through their Eyes of the Empire while cowing the criminal Dark Guilds into obedience. The "Webweaver" also uses her ability to make corpse-puppets to craft the myth of the unseen yet ever-feared Assassin, whose legendary, morbidly hilarious killings would draw attention away from her as Amadeus' secretary. When Malicia releases the Dead King, Eudokia helps her masterfully orchestrate a Proceran coup that risks annihilating the entire country, only to then foil the plot in a gambit to convince Amadeus that the Empress must be deposed for her madness. Even when she applies her invaluable prowess to Catherine's cause, Scribe chooses to remain utterly devoted to her old leader to the point where she nearly assassinates Catherine in revenge for his death, confident that Hye Su will complete the task should she fail. Hyper-competent and fanatically loyal to the one man she deems worthy of making use of her talents, Scribe's skills at espionage are near unrivaled by any in Calernia.
- Lady Ime is Malicia's spymistress who, alongside Scribe, cultivated the Eyes of the Empire into one of the most extensive spy networks in all of Calernia, eventually proving to rival even the Circle of Thorns as they orchestrate a coup in the Proceran capital under their very noses. Upon recognizing that Malicia's schemes in the War on Keter are only digging her grave deeper, Ime collaborates with Amadeus in his plan to destroy the Dread Empire and save Malicia's life, secretly smuggling the imprisoned Grem One-Eye's battle plans to Abreha's rebellion while stealing Sargon Sahelian's soulbox to force him to support Amadeus' ploy. Loyal to the point where she would go behind the Empress' back to save her from her own out of control plots, Ime continues to competently serve Alaya even after her betrayal is revealed, standing out in the end as a worthy match for her Calamity counterpart.
- Dread Emperor Traitorous was infamous for his habit of double-crossing anyone he could, believing treason to be "more art than act." Traitorous most famously started numerous cabals with the intent to overthrow himself, successfully usurping his own throne countless times and leaving his co-conspirators unaware of his true identity until it was too late. Additionally managing to betray a villain with the Name of Betrayer; trade the soul of a single gnat for infernal enlightenment; fake a redemption to a Choir of the Heavens; and even kill a Hashmallim by tricking it into perdition, Traitorous notoriously stated that, rather than be on the right side of history, he would prefer to be on all sides instead. Utterly audacious in his brazen love for treachery, Traitorous's reign ultimately ended when he committed suicide and framed over a hundred different people for his murder.
- Dread Emperor Irritant, the "Oddly Successful," was known for his ability to find victory through the strangest of tactics. Frequently using his defeats at the hands of heroes to further his own plans, Irritant would repair the palaces they destroyed in order to save Praes from economic slumps; prevent rebellions by allowing heroes to defeat armies he had no intention of paying; and set multiple, incompatible heroic bands after himself to dilute their chances at success. One of Irritant's most successful tactics was to abdicate from the throne and retire to become "a humble shoemaker", ensuring his honorable heroic opponents would have no justification for slaying him—a ploy that worked so well he was able to use it on three separate occasions, crafting surprisingly nice shoes each time. Able to manipulate narratives through failure so he could never be slain for good, Irritant made his mark as an eccentric yet strangely and hilariously competent Dread Emperor.
The Fifteenth Legion/The Army of Callow
- Special Tribune Robber is a gleefully malicious goblin considered half-mad even by his own species' standards, and is one of Catherine's earliest, staunchest supporters. Having gotten into the War College by spitting in the faces of the Matrons and their cruelty, Robber establishes himself as a mischievous yet ruthlessly reliable sapper whom Catherine assigns to a "war of vultures" against Akua, sabotaging the highborn's forces throughout both Liesse campaigns. Successfully leading his detached cohort in increasingly audacious missions to harass, kidnap, assassinate, and spy on Catherine's enemies throughout the years, Robber ultimately sacrifices himself to save the Grand Alliance's armies by destroying one of the Dead King's Crab monster-fortresses, charging into certain death with nothing but pride in his service to his Black Queen.
- Juniper "The Hellhound" of the Red Shields is a prodigy tactician viewed by many as the next Grem One-Eye. Already the ruthless captain of the Imperial War College's First Company when Catherine meets her, Juniper constantly puts the Squire on the back foot throughout their war games, impressing her enough to be offered the position of legate in the Fifteenth Legion. Juniper's steel trap of a mind quickly proves to be invaluable as they move from campaign to campaign, slaughtering enemies ranging from devils to fae as she incorporates into her tactics whatever new resources Catherine throws at her with ease. Soon rising to general of the Fifteenth and eventually marshal of the Army of Callow, Juniper shares just as much responsibility as Catherine for their troops' undefeated record in combat, growing from a girl who dreamed of winning her heroes' battles better than them to the marshal who undeniably bested them.
The Principate of Procer
- First Prince Cordelia Hasenbach is one of Catherine's greatest enemies-turned-allies and a steadfast bulwark against Calernia's madness. As only a teenager, Cordelia discovered Malicia's responsibility for the massive civil war consuming Procer and sought to save her nation from destruction. Through years of warfare, assassinations, and a web of alliances and betrayals, Cordelia rose from the ashes as the victor of her cold war with the Dread Empress, with all her opponents either bending the knee or dead at her feet. Despite the countless lives that would be lost from the endeavor, Cordelia organizes the Tenth Crusade to distract her political opponents and unite the Principate for their endless war with the Evil polities to the north, but—when faced with defeat because of her inexperience in such stories—is quick to swallow her pride and ally with Catherine to finally destroy the Dead King, handily proving herself superior when it comes to combatting the corrupt politicking in the way of the Black Queen's campaign. The First Prince proves time and again to be prepared for whatever it takes to stave off the dead, even weaponizing an angel corpse and being willing to annihilate all of Calernia if it means saving the world from Keter's march before she's convinced to embrace her humanity over callous duty. A master of diplomacy constantly outsmarting her ungrateful subjects' efforts to overthrow or undermine her, Cordelia stands tall through legions of death and madness to ensure her people survive.
The League of Free Cities
- Kairos Theodosian, the Tyrant of Helike, was once the sickly heir of Helike, only to take charge of his destiny by embracing Below and butchering his way to power. Starts a civil war within the League, Kairos enacts dozens of insane schemes to force the election of the madman Anaxares as Hierarch, with his machinations confounding the Calamites, Hanno, and the Wandering Bard herself. Kairos joins the continent-wide "Uncivil Wars" by professing "eternal friendship" to all sides and running a massive gambit of lies, alliances, and betrayals with every faction at the Prince's Graveyard, ultimately being cursed to speak the truth lest the Ophanim smite him. Kairos nonetheless arranges for Anaxares to enter into a deadlock with the Seraphim and invokes his curse by prematurely declaring victory, distracting the Ophanim from stopping the Hierarch's iron will from crippling their fellow Choir. The Tyrant's designs free Catherine to war on the Dead King, setting into motion the end of their era through either Calernia's reformation or its annihilation—but, in preference of Catherine's victory, Kairos posthumously enacts one last betrayal to ensure half his army joins her cause. With delightedly audacious plans effectively making him a High Priest for Evil itself, Kairos is a throwback to the over-the-top villains of old, and dies proudly declaring that he has slain the Age of Wonders as he's greeted with applause by the Gods Below.
- Basilia Katopodis, Kairos Theodosian's prize general, chooses to follow the Tyrant's posthumous declaration for the people of Helike to "do as [they] will" by declaring bloody war on Malicia's allies in the League. Basilia compensates for her weakened army by attacking quickly and viciously, while helping to facilitate coups in Nicae and Stygia so she can install her own vassals and unite the western cities of the League into the Empire of Aenia. Recognizing the foolishness in attempting to conquer all of the Free Cities, Basilia instead navigates their complicated politics to establish the imperial office of Aenia as the Protector of the League. The newly-crowned Empress, now charged with leading the League's armies against foreign enemies, is able to finally bring them into the War on Keter, while carving out an advantageous position for her descendants to fulfill her ambition to unite the Free Cities.
The Kingdom of the Dead
- Neshamah "Trismegistus" Be-Iakim, the Dead King, is the legendary "Hidden Horror" of Calernia and one of the greatest monsters of the Age of Wonders alongside the Wandering Bard. Orchestrating his rise to power so thoroughly that even the Bard couldn't stop him, Neshamah tricked his subjects into sacrificing themselves to undeath and ascended into a lich-deity, audaciously seeking to survive Last Dusk to escape the control of the Gods themselves. Upon conquering one of the Hells, Neshamah waged a millennia-long war against the Intercessor, surviving the stories weaved to slay him while swelling his undead hordes with every crusade. With countless innovative war machines, abominations, and schemes within schemes up his sleeves, Neshamah declares war on all life on Calernia upon finally exposing the Bard's malevolence so that he can rid her of her pawns once and for all, conducting brutal battles against Catherine and using every loss to bleed his enemies to always emerge stronger than before. Even when Catherine survives horrors that nearly slaughter the Grand Alliance several times over, the Dead King unveils an elder dragon that will devour everything as the ultimate deterrent to killing him, refusing to go down without an epic final battle that takes all of Catherine's wits and power. Philosophical and praiseful to his peers yet monstrously unrelenting in his quest to bring doom and death to all who could stand in his way, Neshamah proves himself the pinnacle of villainy and one of Catherine's toughest, most intelligent foes in her quest for peace.
The Winter Court of Arcadia
- Larat is the Prince of Nightfall, assisting the King of Winter in his scheme to break the eternal cycle of Arcadia that has trapped the fae in monotonous, repetitive stories. Seeking even greater freedom than this, Larat aids Catherine against the Summer Court in exchange for seven crowns and one, which would allow him to form his own fae Court once Summer and Winter are destroyed from the King's machinations. Leading The Wild Hunt, Larat binds himself to Creation by pledging their services to the Queen of Moonless Nights, serving as Catherine's "treacherous lieutenant" and personal hound of war until her promise is fulfilled. When the crown of the Twilight Court is offered as his payment, Larat immediately abdicates from the apotheosis it brings before Catherine can kill him, transforming the Hunt into something unprecedented and leaving them free to do whatever they desire.
- The King of Winter, once the Prince of Bleak Solstice, rules the Winter Court during Catherine's reign as the Lady of Marchford and seeks to escape the monotonous cycle of acting out stories that the fae are trapped in. Ordering an invasion of Marchford to draw Catherine into his machinations, the King baits her into entering the Winter Court's capital of Skade and killing the Duke of Violent Squalls, subsequently crowning her the Duchess of Moonless Nights. The King proceeds to charge her with defeating Summer, with her Winter title ensuring that the city she rules over will be dragged into the next cycle to make new stories should she fail. Catherine follows the King of Winter's plot, killing off many fae nobles and unwittingly removing potential rivals to his power in the process, and ultimately forces the Queen of Summer to marry the King in order to both unmake and merge the two courts, with the newly crowned King of Arcadia Resplendent granting Catherine vassalage from his rule in thanks.
The Dominion of Levant
- Tariq "Fleetfoot" Isbili, the Grey Pilgrim, abdicated as heir to the Holy Seljun in his youth in favor of alleviating unnecessary suffering, mentoring younger heroes and slaying countless villains. Fearing that Catherine will become a threat akin to the Dead King, the "Peregrine" becomes one of her greatest obstacles in both sheer power and knowledge of stories as he almost assassinates her through a redemption arc, infects a town with a plague to capture Amadeus, and nearly entraps Catherine in a pattern of three. Tariq nevertheless allies with Catherine once she outwits him in order to face the Dead King's schemes, pledging his support out of both atonement for his misguided antagonization and acknowledgement that his black-and-white views are outdated with the changing times. The Grey Pilgrim always remains empathetic despite holding nothing as more important than the greater good, going on to overcome the Intercessor's manipulations by discerning her involvement in the Hainaut campaign; helps the Ophanim learn artificial smiting to teach future heroes; deduces how to destroy the Drake's bodies; and mentors the Mirror Knight into becoming a responsible hero. Tariq ensures the next generation is prepared for the coming new era and advises Catherine on how to best enact her Age of Order before giving his life for her dream, saving her armies by sacrificing his entire bloodline to drag down a star on the Dead King's hordes.
- Ishaq "Deathless" Rabia, the Barrow Sword, began as a mere woodcutter before assembling an unruly band to search for hidden treasure. Ishaq outmaneuvered his teammates' efforts to usurp command while letting them be whittled down, claiming his Namesake sword Pinon for revenge when betrayed by the sole other survivor. Ishaq goes on to join the Truce and Terms as one of Catherine's more competent underlings, exploiting his newfound amnesty to demand the Majilis make him a noble in all but name by adding him to the Rolls as its first open villain. The Barrow Sword happily serves the Black Queen—proficiently taking to tasks ranging from defeating the Drake to delaying heroes during her ascension into the Warden—so that she will reward his loyalty by smoothing over this process, while dragging her further into the debates to set precedent for future villains to appeal to the Warden should they ever be cheated. Though initially inexperienced, Ishaq grows into a capable commander and Catherine's chosen successor as the representative for the champions of Below, even cleverly making use of Night to annihilate the nigh-invincible Wolfhound's soul—a feat that secures his claim as first of the Barrow's Blood.
The Empire Ever Dark
- Mighty Ivah'idimas'iyanya'ajolig, upon losing its Night, left for the surface in vain hope of regaining its might, only to instead meet Catherine Foundling and agree to become her guide to the horrors of the Everdark. Ivah is left in awe of her power and gifted the Winter title of Lord of Silent Steps for its loyalty, adapting to its newfound eldritch abilities with unrivaled ease as it slaughters and ambushes its way through rival Firstborn. Ivah quickly becomes the most trusted of Catherine's Peerage, negotiating the surrender of enemy sigils and coaching her on the customs best suited to efficiently subjugate powerful Mighty. Continuing to act as a deadly scout for the drow Exodus and teaching its tricks in subterfuge to Rumena's spies, Ivah is charged with enforcing the new oaths binding sigils together and competently leads the Losara priesthood in Catherine's stead, increasing its membership tenfold. Later slaying the false god Kurosiv and refusing to claim the Night for itself in favor of restoring Sve Noc to life, Ivah's unflinching embrace of Catherine's selfless ideals leads to it being named the next First Under the Night, shepherding the growing Faith of Crows in the aftermath of the war.
- Mighty Rumena'ivedran'ikole Tomb-Maker is The Dragon to Sve Noc and one of the oldest Firstborn in the Everdark. Originally the mightiest of the Twilight Sages' generals, Rumena allied with the Sisters to kill them and save the Firstborn from their genocidal aspirations, becoming Sve Noc's loyal champion in striking down ambitious Mighty who would challenge their authority and endanger the bargain with Below to keep the drow alive. Capturing Catherine Foundling to sacrifice her and cement Sve Noc's hold over the stolen power of Winter, Rumena nonetheless herds the Firstborn into battle against the Grand Alliance on her behalf when she is instead made First Under the Night, cleverly holding its own against the Saint of Swords during the conflict. Further amassing a massive sigil with an oath to personally tear down the gates of the Crown of the Dead within nine years, Rumena leads the drow in the War on Keter and fulfills its pledge after aiding in the final death of its nemesis Kurosiv, thoroughly proving that its might is matched only by its dry wit.
The Kingdom Under
- Sargon Isaru, the Herald of the Deeps, is a dwarf who sought to reform his kingdom's cruel caste system, gaining command of the Fourteenth Expansion into the Everdark and enacting brutally methodic massacres of any sigils they come across to create colonies for dwarven commoners. Agreeing to bring much-needed supplies for the Grand Alliance's armies in exchange for the city of Keter as a new haven—after a previous attempt to leverage the lives of everyone in Procer by effectively ransoming his aid for three major cities—the Herald nonetheless swears to honor this lesser deal with all his might. When the King Under the Mountains refuses his efforts to aid Calernia, the Herald defiantly kills him and declares his bloodline unfit to rule so as to plunge the Kingdom Under into civil war, leaving him free to recruit reinforcements unmolested and consolidate power far away from the chaos of the succession struggle. Going on to relinquish the many spirits he's captured over the years to finally conquer his dwarven Greed, the Herald is crowned king of the dwarven nation of Kishar after helping topple Keter, intending to carve forward a path of change and freedom for all.
Others
- Iseul Su, the charming Admiral-in-Exile of the Asadal navy's Southern Fleet, led his crew in a daring journey across the tumultuous Tyrian Sea to Calernia. Turning his small fleet into a crew of Pirates, Iseul made a name for himself as a dashing rogue when robbing trade ships, sparing the lives of those who didn't fight back yet meeting resistance with steel gleefully in hand. When confronted by the deadly Lady Borean, elven champion of the xenophobic Forever King, Iseul saved his crew by binding his heart to hers, ensuring that if one of them died so too would the other, and promised to kill them both should she harm his men. Managing to woo Borean over the course of a decade, Iseul responds to the revelation that she broke the binding early with nothing but confidence that she "wouldn't be able to resist keeping [him] around," and his cutthroat spirit of adventure proves instrumental in molding their daughter Hye into the legendary Ranger.
- Each of the possible versions of Catherine Foundling shown in the Fourfold Crossing prove to be just as ruthless and brilliant as the real one. All three weather Praesi civil wars and Proceran invasions to emerge as the de facto ruler of Callow, while responding to Akua's overwhelming might with a defiant sword through the arrogant noble's throat:
- Had Catherine never come across a girl being raped in an alley, General Foundling would have risen through the War College to the top of the Fourteenth Legion through murder and bloody warfare. Assassinating the senior officers of the Fourteenth to take command and allying with the Sahelians in their war to overthrow Malicia, General Foundling would have recruited the pockets of Callowan rebellion that emerged in the midst of the chaos into her legion, leading them in breaking the legendary generals who had taken their kingdom in the Conquest. Shattering the Legions of Terror and keeping Grem One-Eye occupied while Akua conquers the Empire, General Foundling takes Callow for herself in the wake of the devastation, executing the remaining Imperial governors while refusing the kingdom's crown in preparation for further bloodshed.
- Had Catherine lost in the Pit and never earned enough money to enroll in the War College, the Tolltaker would have joined the Dark Guilds of Callow to become the most feared crime lord alive. Rising to the top of the Smugglers' Guild in all but name, the Tolltaker would have cowed the Thieves and Assassins through sheer brutality that filled the gutters with blood, with her will soon holding just as much sway in Callow as that of the Empress herself. Assassinating Imperial governors, selling out or aiding rebellions on a whim, and having the figurehead of Procer's "liberation" effort killed in the middle of his own army out of nothing more than amusement and a loss of faith in the kingdom she had once dreamed of saving, the Tolltaker would have always managed to survive through the chaos she fueled, fighting for no greater cause or plan other than the dance of death against the monsters of the Wasteland.
- Had Catherine been saved by the Lone Swordsman instead of Amadeus, the White Knight would have united William's band of heroes into a sword against the Empire. Ruthlessly executing Imperial spies, governors, and generals wherever they went, the White Knight's band would have slain the Warlock after killing his son and allowing half of Summerholm to burn, spurning Procer's aid while spreading the spark of rebellion across Callow. Despite the horrific collateral damage caused by her warfare, the White Knight would have nonetheless claimed her Name after a brutal fight to the death with the Black Knight, rallying her graveyard of a kingdom to march forth and finally reclaim their home.
What's the work?
A Practical Guide to Evil is one of the best books I've ever read. I did a massive deep dive about a year ago, but I recently did a reread just to make sure I didn't miss anything. And, sure enough, there was one minor character I unfairly dismissed.
To summarize the basic plot: the series follows Catherine Foundling, a young orphan from the archetypical Good Kingdom of Callow, which was finally conquered around two decades ago by their perennial archfoe, the Dread Empire of Praes. Catherine, knowing rebellion will be too costly, instead decides to join the Empire in order to work her way up the ranks and enact reforms to return her people to glory, in spirit if not in name. Things go a little too well for her, and she soon finds herself the newly crowned "Black Queen" of Callow.
Naturally, this creates enemies. On top of the Dread Empire gunning for her head in order to get Callow back under control, she also has to contend with the genocidal lich of the north—the infamous Dead King—along with the Principate of Procer, a neighboring nation that has just gotten out of a decades-long civil war started and inflamed by the Dread Empress. They're understandably looking for a little payback... and maybe new lands to conquer to restore their strength. Unfortunately for a weakened Callow, which acts as a buffer between the Dread Empire and the Principate, they're right there for the taking.
Things... escalate, to say the least. And with all the warfare and alliances and backstabs that subsequently sprout, the major players are in need of some competent spymasters.
Who is Louis de Sartrons?
Louis is the current leader of the Circle of Thorns, an ancient cabal of spymasters who are fanatically loyal to the Principate... specifically the Principate as a nation, not any of the individual rulers. As such, they're primarily focused on gathering information on foreign affairs, so as to not meddle in politics at home. During the aforementioned civil war, the Circle provided information to every side, favoring no one. (It's never explained why they didn't do anything about the Dread Empire meddling in the war, but given the sheer amount of chaos going on, plus the fact that the various rulers fighting for power didn't even care so long as the Praesi helped fund them, I think it's safe to say that stopping them would have involved too much of the "playing kingmaker" they want to avoid)
When the noble Cordelia Hasenbach takes power as "First Prince," Louis sets to loyally serving her; though only officially recorded among Procer's bureaucracy as a "middling" diplomat, Louis has enough reach for his forces to infiltrate and gather info on every nation and ruler on the continent, inserting spies within the forces of even Cordelia's own allies as he consistently and efficiently brings her updates on foreign plots. Even before Cat becomes a genuine threat for Cordelia to worry about, the Circle is able to begin gathering information on things as minor as her preferred wine through their contacts with the smugglers her minions employ to get the drink.
Blindsided by Arch-heretic news. No big meetings that they could find, arranged by Saint.
has spies in the Arsenal
Mitigating factors?
So the reason I originally dismissed him was because... well, he allows a massive coup to occur under their very noses. Looking things over, it's quite unfair to lay that much blame on them; the Circle of Thorns is effectively the CIA. It's focused on collecting intelligence abroad in foreign countries. The only way they could be blamed for the coup is because they trusted their colleagues to be able to do their damn jobs
- Felicia Hardy, the current Black Cat, is a brilliant master thief that steals for the thrill of it—but only choosing to rob those who can afford it or "deserve" it. In the main game proper, Cat leads Spidey on a hunt for her Cat Dolls, challenging him to stop her from stealing $50 million dollars worth of loot. This was all a ruse, with the loot being a lure to distract Spidey while her Dolls shut down the police department's security systems, allowing Cat to recover her confiscated equipment. In "The Heist" DLC, Black Cat is working to steal Maggia drives that contain financial information for Hammerhead, telling Spider-Man that the Maggia don has her son hostage and letting him believe he might be the father to get him to help—all of which is a complete fabrication so she can steal the drives for herself, before promptly faking her own death. Black Cat resurfaces one last time to save Spider-Man from Hammerhead and give him information on how to take him down for good. A thief at heart, Felicia nonetheless has a strong conscience and genuinely loves Peter, while still being willing to fully use this to her ruthless advantage.
- Lonnie Lincoln, known to all as "Tombstone", is a soft-spoken, ruthless chop shop operator and mobster. Tombstone has plagued New York for years as one of Spider-Man's most persistent foes, and despite their long history as enemies, Tombstone holds a mutual respect for the wallcrawler no matter how many times the hero foils him. Tricking out vehicles and tech to better serve the Inner Demons gang in exchange for profit, Tombstone brutally kills one of his minions as punishment for a sloppy job, taking too much pride in the work of his gang to allow laziness. On the side, Tombstone concocts a temporary inhalant that grants the users his power of invulnerability, using bribery and thefts to create the concoction while planning to become the city's sole supplier. Even when his powers are stripped, his arm busted and his plan ruined by Spider-Man, Tombstone cheerfully reiterates that he'll be back for more "thrills" against the hero in no time.
- Aaron Davis, Miles' affable uncle, is the retired mercenary Prowler. Quickly deducing that Miles is the new Spider-Man, Aaron begins to worry about his nephew's well-being and returns to his criminal activities for the sake of protecting Miles from the machinations of Roxxon executive Simon Krieger and the Tinkerer. When Miles reveals that his friend Phin is the Tinkerer, Aaron convinces Miles to infiltrate her group by lying to Phin that he wants to help her cause. Afterwards, when Miles tells Aaron that Phin has discovered his identity and that he plans to meet up with her, Aaron informs Roxxon where they can capture the Tinkerer on the condition that they don't harm Spider-Man. Later, Aaron tranquilizes and imprisons Miles as he's heading to Roxxon Plaza, countering his efforts to escape with a diverse set of tricks and gadgets as he ensures his nephew stays out of danger even at the cost of other innocent lives. Despite his selfish nature, Aaron did everything in his power to protect his family until Miles made him see the error of his ways, and publicly reveals all of Krieger's crimes at the cost of turning himself in.
- Spider-Man (PS4):
- Taskmaster has been hired by a mysterious organization to evaluate Spider-Man, choosing if he's worthy of being recruited. He does this by setting up challenges all over Manhattan to be completed, even in places where he didn't start a conflict. After Spider-Man completes some of these challenges, Taskmaster ambushes him for a surprise fight, attempting to kill him with the techniques he's memorized. Upon realizing his opponent still has some tricks left, he quits early to gain more data for a second fight. After being defeated again, he tries to persuade Spider-Man to join with the six figure payment his client offers, taking his subsequent refusal in stride. In the end, Taskmaster departs with a smoke bomb, escaping without facing justice.
- "The Heist" DLC chapter: Walter Hardy, the former Black Cat, is just as devious as his daughter. Faking his death years ago to protect himself and his daughter from the Maggia, Hardy manages to get a hold of Spider-Man’s phone number and disguises himself as a cop right on top of a police station. Calling himself Detective Mackey, Hardy tricks Spider-Man into uncovering loot he hid years ago. When Spider-Man finishes up, Hardy leaves with his loot, knowing Spider-Man won't tell Felicia the truth because he is a "decent guy," and bids farewell as he asks Spider-Man to look after his daughter. While only featured in a simple side-mission, Hardy more than lives up to his anecdotes as a brilliant criminal.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=6vic3f9h1cy5qivsenw8llok&page=5685#comment-142101
Tarantula spider geddon 0, ben urich velocity robbie
- Monster of the Week: Double Subverted. Kuro is the first antagonist not to be defeated in his debut episode… only to see his plans foiled in the next one, leaving his appearances limited to the two-parter adapting his arc from the manga. His impact on the plot ceases completely after that, leaving Kuro with a severely limited presence compared to a proper Arc Villain like Arlong.
—-
does favours for neighbors, including getting rid of problems 8 5. gets guns to Mags.
Styles himself as a seventh choir being to confuse what he really is, scare others. 6 7. Causes fire spirit to go to astrologer, create rifts with sisters. told to stop duncan, goes to mess with his wife. backs down when Blake asks Rose to ask him to. peaces out of conquest fight. Gets mirror to catch conquest.
What's the work?
Pact is the second novel by Wildbow, author of the infamously dark web serial Worm. Whereas Worm had a sci-fi take on superheroes, Pact instead focused on a world of hidden magic. Of course, it was just as depressing and horrifying. On top of the universe literally conspiring against the main character, Blake, there's also a massive pantheon of Lovecraftian demons that are slowly but surely eating away at existence. Their very being is poison to reality, and it is an inevitable that, one day, they will end it all.
That's all far out of Blake's control. He's more concerned with surviving another day. Back when he didn't know magic was real, he was just a runaway from a family of backstabbing sociopaths, all out to screw each other over and receive the inheritance of their matriarch, Granny Rose... who, to Blake's misfortune, decided to leave it all to him (and his mirror-sister Rose Jr., it's complicated, just go with it). Unfortunately, Granny Rose was also a feared diabolist, who has made enemies out of pretty much the entire town due to her work with those aforementioned demons. Even more unfortunately, Blake and Rose Jr. have also inherited all of Granny Rose's massive debts.
In this world, the universe runs on karma. Uphold deals, tell the truth, and the universe will be kind to you. Break oaths, lie, or—oh, I don't know—work with eldritch monstrosities that rend apart existence through their presence alone? Your lifespan is probably short, and the universe will repeatedly punch you in the nuts in revenge, usually culminating in a graphic death. And if that's not enough to clear the "debt" you owe for your mishaps? The debt gets passed down to your children.
That said, there is a way out. If you accumulate so much karmic debt that it's physically impossible for you to clear it away before your demise, you can always turn to the law firm of Wolfram & Hart Mann, Levin and Lewis. This is a group of diabolists who have sold their souls to demons; a few centuries of doing their dirty work, they'll clean away the debt for you and release you to a mortal, non-damned life once again.
Too good to be true? Congratulations, you have a brain cell. Which brings us to one of the two Big Bads.
Who is Ms. Lewis?
The other Big Bad, the Barber, is certainly bad enough... but he's also a demon, which are presented with serious agency issues. One imp from an earlier arc gleefully sabotages his own chances to take over Toronto just so he can try to kill Blake; they physically cannot help themselves from being Always Chaotic Evil, and any proclamations otherwise by the Barber are both clearly biased and far too ambiguously worded.
challenges and executes enemy champion (cracks axe so next blow to head doesn't kill him). butchers a bunch of the hawks when they attack as a test until Griffith beats him. bites Griffith's sword to disarm him. one-man vanguard, distract enemies so hawks can flank. infiltrates and assassinates count, accidentally kills kid.
warrior who has killed thousands. buthcers hawks, knocks down guts with tail, knocks out griffith when he moves to help. sees crimson, leaves with warning to Guts.
- Louis de Sartrons is the current head of Procer's ancient cabal of foreign intelligence spies, the Circle of Thorns. A highly experienced spymaster who has loyally served the Principate's interests for decades, Louis is responsible for orchestrating all manner of assassinations throughout Calernia, waging a shadow war with the Eyes of the Empire
Okay. So. I need to clarify this very quickly; none of the below is ever outright stated in the text, being left to implication that only becomes obvious in hindsight.
“I can’t speak for the others, but I would respect you for it, I would understand. In the end, however, business is business, and we have our obligations.” 2 4,6
- Boba Fett, the greatest Bounty Hunter in the galaxy, is "just a simple man trying to make his way." Growing from an impulsive child to a skilled hunter, Boba is able to face off with even Jedi and constantly outwits and traps his quarries. Gaining a name for himself, Boba tracks the Millennium Falcon to Bespin City on behalf of Darth Vader and, after losing the carbonite-frozen Han Solo, engages in the Bounty Hunter Wars, where he expertly infiltrates his enemies to recover Han. Escaping the Sarlaac, Boba is taken in by a tribe of Tuskens whom he helps corner a Pyke train trespassing through their lands. Later saving Fennec Shand, Boba assists Din Djarin with his missions, returning to Tatooine to kill Bib Fortuna and take over the fallen Jabba's organization. Managing to navigate the treacherous politics of Mos Espa, Boba makes enemies into allies via ruling by respect and eventually kills his old nemesis and mentor Cad Bane through his wits and the skills he learned from the Tuskens, cementing himself as the best there is in his ruthless profession.
Steel: from other universe where superman possessed by Zod. married to lois, died. built super suit. tried to lure him into trap in space to depower him with red sun weapon, but got displaced. stages attacks on nuclear plants to study superman. damages suit in rematch while searching for kryptonite, distracts superman with bomb in ship. approaches sam in drone to convince him to help. sets up rv of doom. approaches lois as reporter investigating edge. tracks and shoots kal in fight with subjekt. sneak in mine to find x. goes to attack x shipment. convinces lois to arrange meet with superman, he sets up red sun trap. run over by twins. attacked by subjekt in prison, he activates alarm so he and superman can kill each other. grabs kryptonite weapon to kill other one, but lois convinces him to spare clark. fights zod, convinced to help free him instead of kill. saves lois from larr. figures out way to depower eradicator.
- Phase I: Light of the Jedi: Marchion Ro, "Eye" of the Nihil, was their chief navigator, torturing the elderly, near-comatose Mari San Tekka to provide information on hyperspace Paths through which the Nihil can plunder worlds. Seeking to rule the Nihil, Marchion would engineer the Great Hyperspace Disaster to spread chaos throughout the Outer Rim and inspire mass destruction of his own forces against the Republic, putting the Nihil under his thumb to forge them into an empire of his own. Capturing Jedi Master Loden, Marchion has him and seven innocent people tortured for almost a year in order to weaken Loden's connection to the Force. Orchestrating the devastating attack on the Republic Fair that results in the deaths of thousands, Marchion proceeds to lead brutal campaigns and raids that slaughter countless innocents along the Outer Rim, before unleashing the monstrous Nameless to reduce the Jedi to stone husks; crashing the Starlight Beacon station onto the populated world of Eiram; and utilizing super weapons to devastate entire fleets. Consumed by an egotistical need to dominate and simply despising the notion of being told by anyone what to do, Marchion plans to annihilate the entire Republic and Jedi Order to sate his unending pride.
Corinthian recreated. sent to find Daniel, threatens Matthew when he hesitates. sneaks into morgue, eats eyes to see Loki. murders his way through svartalfheim, knows Loki is tricking him by shapeshifting into Morpheus. Keeps hold as he shapeshifts into monsters, Daniel, fire, etc. eats eyes, finds Daniel.
- Superman & Lois: John Henry Irons is one of the last survivors of a universe where Superman was swayed to Morgan Edge's side and helped destroy the world, and upon finding himself in a new world sets out to prevent the same apocalypse from occurring.
What's the work?
Pact is the second novel by Wildbow, author if the infamously dark web serial Worm. Whereas Worm had a sci-fi take on superheroes, Pact instead focused on a world of hidden magic. Of course, it was just as depressing and horrifying. On top of the universe literally conspiring against the main character, Blake, there's also a massive pantheon of Lovecraftian demons that are slowly but surely eating away at existence. Their very being is poison to reality, and it is an inevitable that, one day, they will end it all.
That's all far out of Blake's control. He's more concerned with surviving another day. Back when he didn't know magic was real, he was just a runaway from a family of backstabbing sociopaths, all out to screw each other over and receive the inheritance of their matriarch, Granny Rose—who specified that only a granddaughter would receive the fortune. On the night of her death, Granny Rose gifted the fortune to one of Blake's cousins, Molly... who mysteriously dies herself some months later.
In the middle of the night, Blake is approached by his own reflection in the mirror, who has gained a mind of its own—and is also now a gender swapped version of himself, Rose Jr.—and informs him of Molly's death. And that he's the next in line to inherit the fortune.
...Unfortunately, that fortune turns out to be knowledge of magic. And their family's centuries-long history with demons and diabolism, which has understandably earned them the enmity of every other magical player in town. Things quickly begin escalating, but it eventually becomes clear that all the ensuing havoc was orchestrated by a certain dead someone.
Who is Granny Rose Thorburn?
The latest matriarch in a long generation of powerful diabolists, Granny Rose is the secret architect behind most of the misfortune that befalls her own family—all for the sake of bettering the world. As mentioned previously, demons are literal poison to the world, and even interacting with them—say, like diabolists do—damages the foundations of reality. Unfortunately, interaction is necessary:
- Someone needs to fight these goddamn demons.
- The way the magic system is set up ensures the creation of dynasties of practitioners, where new generations are forced to carry on their branches of magic. The Thorburns, naturally, are one of these dynasties.
- The demons personally interfere to ensure they can gain access to and poison reality. They've created a magic law firm,
Wolfram & HartMann, Levin, & Lewis, to provide escape to diabolists from the mega karma they accumulate from their crimes against existence, in exchange for their service.
Granny Rose sought to break this system—or, at the very least, deny the lawyers future recruits from her family line. She made an alliance with the Behaim clan, the perennial arch-foes of the Thorburns, and taught their leaders how to counter diabolism for when her grandkids came to power. Her own family she set against each other using the promise of the inheritance—the "only a granddaughter can inherit" thing resulted from A) the Thorburn dynasty specifically requiring a matriarch, and B) a binding oath she made when she was a young and stupid 10-year-old to never teach her children about magic, but that works out wonderfully for her in the present. As the family devolves into more petty and flat-out evil methods to sabotage each other and gain Granny Rose's favor, they also make themselves self-destructive, ensuring the granddaughters will become too incompetent to stand against the Behaims should they find themselves the new matriarch. They'll slowly be whittled down, until the Thorburns are extinguished and the lawyers have nothing.
Of course, because they're lawyers, they have a million binding contracts in place that ensure Granny Rose has to put in a token effort at finding an heir. So she does. Molly, one of the better granddaughters, goes first... and is quickly killed after a few months. This was planned. Molly took the brunt of the heat from the Behaims, allowing some reprieve for Granny's intended heir... Ross. Ross Thorburn, who was always there. He was competent and intelligent enough that Granny made "kill the entire family" her plan B—plan A became "get Ross in charge so he can use his wits to take the fight straight to the lawyers." But, of course, the matriarch needs to be... well, a matriarch. So Granny summons a demon, as one does, and posthumously using Molly's death as power for a ritual, has the infernal creature split Ross in two—Blake and Rose Jr. Rose Jr. is the true heir; while Blake fights their enemies, taking the brunt of all the magical karma and risking his life in setting up their power base, Rose Jr. will safely learn the ropes of magic from within her mirror. Once she learns enough, Blake is set to self-destruct—his undying need to risk himself to help others will see him inevitably perish fighting something too big and too mean to defeat, and Rose Jr. will become human to finally take her place as matriarch. The splitting ritual also made Rose Jr. barren; magical contracts or not, she can't produce an heir. One way or another, the Thorburns end with this generation.
This... hits a few bumps in the road. For the most part it goes fine—Blake defeats the overlord of Toronto, aka a horseman of the apocalypse, and has a bunch of allies assembled for Rose Jr. to begin planning against the lawyers. Unfortunately, when it's time for him to self-destruct, he picks an absence demon—a creature that erases things completely from existence. Rose Jr. and all of his allies are left disoriented when he inevitably dies, having to sort their way through their shattered memories as they try to figure out what the hell they were supposed to be doing, why they all know each other/are friends, and who the hell is this Blake guy that this undead boogeyman claims to be? (Blake comes back as an undead boogeyman, long story).
Too much of a bastard?
Sets up her entire family to die.
Now, to be clear, this is from the author of Worm. Orchestrating the deaths of one's entire family would only be, like, the 50th most evil thing to happen in the first half of the series alone. And, while they may not deserve death, they're all... kind of complete assholes. Again, backstabbing sociopaths. The youngest literally is a textbook sociopath, and may or may not have become a murderous witch hunter in the sequel. The inheritance dispute refined their worst traits, but those traits were already present. Turning against your own family is seriously less vile when it's this family [lol]
—
- Imp, aka Aisha Laborn, is consistently the most comedic yet unexpectedly confident member of the Undersiders.
- Faultline is the leader of Palanquin, a crew of mercenaries who will do any job short of murder for the right price.
- Marquis, Amy's father, was the former kingpin of Brockton Bay and is one of the most charming villains in the setting.
- The Number Man, former founding member of the Slaughterhouse Nine and one-time best friend of Jack Slash as the villain Harbinger,
- Ciara, formerly the infamous villainess Glaistig Uaine and later the legendary hero Valkyrie, remains one of the most calculating capes Taylor ever encounters.
- Citrine
- Calle
- Climax Boss: For both season 3 and the show as a whole.
- Disc-One Final Boss: The Chroma Conclave are the main antagonists for the first half of the series, with the very first episode dealing with the machinations of their least powerful member. After a brief detour to deal with the Briarwoods, the remaining four dragons arrive in full force to ravage Tal'Dorei over the course of the second and third seasons, giving Vox Machina the toughest battles of their lives. However, despite all this build up they are not the ultimate villains of the show, with the remaining seasons dealing with the lingering plot thread of the Whispered One.
- Final Boss: After Thordak is killed, Raishan takes over as the final threat for season 3 and the Chroma Conclave arc as a whole. While not as immediate a threat nor as climactic a confrontation as the war against the Cinder King, the green dragon's ambitions to take control of his soon-to-be hatched army nonetheless remains a grave danger to the world, necessitating one last battle to end the Conclave for good.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Season 2 set Ripley up as a major antagonist to Vox Machina going forward; despite never personally confronting them in that time, her team-up with Umbrasyl caused no shortage of trouble, and after the black dragon's death she was left as their primary opponent in the hunt for the Vestiges. However, despite her grand ambitions for the relics, Ripley is ultimately taken out partway through the third season.
- Big Bad Ensemble: The Cinder King is the main antagonist of the Chroma Conclave arc spanning the second and third seasons, leading the eponymous pact of dragons in laying siege to Tal'Dorei and plundering the continent's riches. His plan to hatch an army of dragons is unambiguously the greatest threat to the world at large, but his apathy to directly confronting Vox Machina means that both seasons have an additional threat to cause more immediate trouble for the party. Season 2 sees Umbrasyl and Ripley as the preeminent threats, with the black dragon ransacking Westruun for gold on behalf of the Cinder King before the doctor turns his ambitions to the Vestiges. Season 3, meanwhile, reveals Raishan's part in the creation of the Conclave as she schemes to overthrow the red dragon, followed by her short-lived plans to usurp the dragon army after the climactic battle to slay Thordak.
- Big Bad Ensemble: She and Thordak are the main antagonists of the Chroma Conclave arc spanning the second and third seasons, though she only takes a prominent role in the latter half. While the Cinder King may be their leader and most powerful member, it was Raishan who freed him from the Plane of Fire and assembled the other dragons on his behalf. When he refuses to honor their deal, she orchestrates his downfall by allying with Vox Machina, intending to usurp his plans in the wake of his death to lead her own conquest.
- Big Bad: Thordak is the main antagonist of the Chroma Conclave arc spanning the second and third seasons, leading the eponymous pact of dragons in laying siege to the entirety of Tal'Dorei and plundering the continent's riches. While he's an Orcus on His Throne for most of the arc who remains apathetic to hunting down Vox Machina, and other, more prominent threats like Umbrasyl, Ripley, and Raishan get more focus, these other major villains are respectively his subordinate, an obstacle on the way to confronting him, and taking advantage of what he has already set in motion. The Cinder King remains the most powerful member of the Conclave and the unambiguous greatest threat to the world at large, with the dragon army he intends to hatch with the Conclave's plundered gold spelling doom for all.
- Big Bad:
- Season 1: Lady Delilah and Lord Sylas Briarwood are the tyrants of Whitestone, who massacred Percy's family to take over and now work to summon their malevolent patron, the Whispered One. Acting as the Final Boss is Orthax, a demon who empowers Percy in his quest for revenge and gains in strength as he claims more souls, which fuels the vendetta into a murderous obsession until Orthax is able to possess Percy in the finale.
- Season 2: The Chroma Conclave, a pact of four ancient dragons led by Thordak the Cinder King, raze Emon and move on to plunder Tal'Dorei of its riches, setting Vox Machina on a quest to retrieve powerful weapons known as the Vestiges of Divergence to slay them. The black dragon, Umbrasyl, is The Heavy who recruits the Herd of Storms to pillage Westruun, and becomes personally involved with the hunt for the Vestiges when he forms a Big Bad Duumvirate with Dr. Anna Ripley, a surviving collaborator of the Briarwoods seeking the Vestiges' power for her own designs.
- Season 3: Thordak takes central stage, using the Conclave's plundered gold to incubate an army of dragons he plans to use to take over the world. The green dragon, Raishan, is revealed to be the one who released Thordak from his imprisonment and assembled the Conclave on his behalf, and takes over as the Final Boss for the final episode after Thordak is killed.
- Big Bad:
- Kraghammer & Vasselheim: K'Varn the Mad is a mutated beholder who has used the Horn of Orcus to take over the denizens of the Underdark, planning an invasion of the surface. While he's killed halfway through the arc, the bulk of the remaining episodes deal with safely containing his horn before it can cause any more damage. The white dragon Rimefang and the rakshasa Hotis are the Final Bosses, acting as the party's targets in the Slayer's Take mini-arc that closes out the storyline.
- The Briarwoods: The titular Briarwoods, Delilah and Sylas, are the masterminds behind the Whitestone coup who slaughtered Percy's family to take over the city-state
- The Chroma Conclave: Thordak the Cinder King is the leader of the eponymous Conclave, a pact of four ancient dragons that arrive to raze Emon and plunder Tal'Dorei of its riches.
- Taryon Darrington:
- Vecna: Vecna is successfully summoned by the resurrected Briarwoods
- Big Bad:
- Come Together:
- The Bad Guys:
- The Bright Queen's Favor:
- Swords and Angels:
- Family Ties:
- Weird Magic: Lucien, Molly's former self who has taken back his body after his death, is the leader of the Tomb Takers and the Nonagon
—
The leader of Palanquin, a mercenary gang that will do any job short of murder for the right price, Faultline is one of the many gang leaders operating in the city of Brockton Bay. One of the first things we learn about her is that she has a bitter rivalry with Tattletale of the Undersiders, stealing one of her potential hires to add to her own supervillain team. She's also an effective team leader, recruiting and nurturing the strengths of several Case 53s to become a feared fighting force capable of evading the top heroes of the nation on high-risk jobs.
She makes a few sparse appearances throughout the early story, agreeing to help stop the massive gang war kicked off by Lung and Bakuda's ABB—though only once she's paid, of course—before setting her sites on a bigger target. Her Case 53 teammates naturally want to know about their origins, so—once they pay her—she begins investigating into Cauldron, quickly uncovering both rumors about people selling powers and a luck-powered girl in Vegas who managed to escape the organization before they could erase her memories. They hunt her down and offer her a place with Palanquin, returning to Brockton Bay to attack a rival gang, the Merchants, who have gotten their hands on some Cauldron vials, utterly decimating them in the process.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Parahumans/comments/17uso19/faultline_really_is_the_best_of_the_best/
Is she a bastard?
The "do any job short of murder" thing probably raised a few eyebrows, but contrary to the book's reputation the setting isn't constant death and horror. The average supervillain generally adheres to "The Unwritten Rules": basically, if you don't kill, rape, go after an enemy in their civilian identity, or target their loved ones or what have you, then the heroes won't have any incentive to go after you with full force. Faultline and her crew ardently stick to these rules, but nonetheless remain competent thieves and enforcers whose activates support the criminal underworld.
- Otherverse:
- Gerhild the Redcap Queen is a vicious, powerful Goblin Queen and the Greater-Scope Villain of the setting. Rising from the slums of Detroit to command an army of goblins, Gerhild has her minions wipe out several towns, including Port Hope and Maggie Holt's hometown. Beginning their reign of terror by leaving disturbing displays of tortured animals in front of schools, Gerhild's goblins move on to committing mass arson that leaves entire neighborhoods in flames and murdering families in their own homes, terrorizing the town's inhabitants until they are slowly but surely wiped out. Upon encountering Maggie and her dads, Gerhild briefly contemplates killing whichever two will leave the survivor with more grief before instead binding Maggie to experience two more rounds of "blood, darkness, and fire," leading to a chain of events that escalate the battle for Lordship of Jacob's Bell to the point where the town is almost claimed by Barbatorem before falling to the Abyss.
- Pact:
- The woman currently holding the title of "Ms. Lewis" at the Occult Law Firm of Mann, Levin, and Lewis is The Heavy of the partners and a depraved sadist underneath her polite demeanor. Having committed acts so evil that the universe had to manifest an event "akin to the Black Death" to cover it up before she became a lawyer, Ms. Lewis has served the firm for centuries to give demons a greater foothold on the world in exchange for wiping clean her own debt, passing the time by using her cordial façade to lull her victims into a false sense of security and draw out their torment. Working to ensure the Thorburn diabolist line joins them, Ms. Lewis elects to torture Rose into compliance and slaughter her friends by summoning murderous illusions of their lost loved ones, before aiding Barbatorem in claiming Lordship over Jacob's Bell and plunging the town into ruin. Even upon the demon's defeat, Ms. Lewis attempts to summon the demon lord Ornias in a final effort to deny the Thorburns victory.
- The Hyena is a monstrous goblin that has left a trail of destruction in its wake since before the new world was settled. So vicious and sadistic that it is likened to a demon, the Hyena's signature is to maul its victims but only half-devour them, leaving hundreds of Others and the ghosts of its human victims in mutilated states that cause them to lash out in pain at anyone and everything around them. Taking its ruined slaves with it wherever it decides to hunt, the Hyena's latest haunt in Toronto leads to it chasing Evan Matthieu until the boy dies of exposure, with the goblin taking glee in forever continuing the torment with his ghost.
- Pale: The Family Man
- Pact:
- Rosalyn D. Thorburn Senior is the matriarch of the Thorburn diabolist clan and the posthumous instigator of the story's events. With her bloodline plunged into massive karmic debt by her ancestors, Rose plotted to end her family so as to deny Mann, Levin, and Lewis future recruits, working with Aimon Behaim to extend her lifespan and orchestrate a massive conspiracy against her own heirs. Rose, still required to attempt to set up a legacy, encouraged a brutal inheritance dispute to ensure her heirs will be too self-destructive to last against the rest of the town, providing meager advice to meet the bare minimum of her obligations. Upon identifying an ideal heir capable of fighting the firm in one of her male grandchildren, Rose used Molly's death to power the Barber and split "Ross" into Blake and Rose Jr.; the former takes the brunt of their enemies' hostility and protects the latter, who safely learns what she needs as a temporary vestige and is unable to bear children to continue her line. Able to play the firm for complete fools, Rose Sr.'s machinations ultimately result in their failure to claim Jacob's Bell and unwittingly secure her bloodline a more optimistic, accepted role in the supernatural community.
- Andy is one of Jacob's Bell's resident witch hunters, the enforcers and hitmen of the city's supernatural council. Frequently reining in his less stable sister Eva, Andy unleashes her to utterly decimate their targets,
- Jeremy Meath, the High Drunk of Dionysus
- Isadora
- James Corvidae
- Alister Behaim is a prodigy chronomancer and the next in line for leadership of the Behaim Circle, combining Laird's competence with Aimon's desire to break the status quo.
- Twig:
- Sylvester Lambsbridge begins as the devastatingly intelligent manipulator of the Lambs before evolving into the first of the new generation of Nobles. Sy emerges from the conflict as The Lord Simon as he brings empowerment and freedom to the malcontents and misfits of the Crown States, allying with the Lord King himself to wage war on the rest of the world and wipe out the Academies once and for all.
- Gordon Lambsbridge is the initial leader of the Lambs.
Every season has its own main antagonist. The Overlord, the embodiment of all evil and darkness, is arguably the greatest threat of the entire series, as almost every major antagonist has some ties to his influence. Most notably, the Overlord created the Great Devourer and used it to corrupt Lord Garmadon himself, making him responsible for all the carnage the two.
- Pilot: Lord Garmadon, the son of the First Spinjitzu Master and brother of Master Wu, was banished to the Underworld years ago for attempting to steal his father's powerful Golden Weapons, usurping Samukai as ruler of the Skulkin during his exile. In the present, he commands Samukai to once again steal the weapons, manipulating his treacherous minion into claiming them for himself so he will be overloaded by their power and create a portal for Garmadon to escape his banishment.
- Season 1 (Rise of the Snakes): Pythor, the last of the Anacondrai, unites the four other Serpentine tribes behind his leadership to wage war on humanity in revenge for their imprisonment. He ultimately plans to awaken the Great Devourer, a massive serpent the Serpentine worship as their goddess, to consume everything in Ninjago, and the beast becomes the Final Boss after seemingly eating Pythor in the finale.
- Season 2 (Legacy of the Green Ninja): Garmadon is The Heavy who initially merges the Golden Weapons into a powerful superweapon and takes over the Serpentine, enacting various schemes to prevent his prophesied defeat at the hands of his son, Lloyd. After losing control of the Serpentine and finding the Dark Island, Garmadon is demoted to The Heavy for the Overlord, the ancient embodiment of evil and nemesis of the First Spinjitzu Master, who reawakens his Stone Army to wreak havoc on Ninjago. turn all of Ninjago evil before possessing Garmadon in the finale.
- Season 3 (Rebooted): The Overlord returns in the form of a digital virus to take over Borg Industries and produce the Nindroid army, working with Pythor to steal Lloyd's Golden Power and become the Golden Master.
- Season 4 (Tournament of Elements): Master Chen, Garmadon's former Evil Mentor, is revealed to be responsible for orchestrating the Serpentine War that saw the snakes locked away years ago. In the present, he and Garmadon's old rival, Clouse, organize the titular tournament to steal the contestants' elemental powers, intending to turn themselves and their followers into Anacondrai warriors so they can start a new war.
- Season 5 (Possession): Morro, the Elemental Master of Wind, was a former student of Wu who was denied the mantle of the Green Ninja and got himself killed trying to prove his worthiness. After his death, he returns from the Cursed Realm as a ghost to possess Lloyd, seeking to free his mistress, the Preeminent (aka the Cursed Realm itself), so they may curse the other Sixteen Realms.
- Season 6 (Skybound): Nadakhan, the djinn captain of the Sky Pirates, is released by Clouse and sets out to steal the souls of the Ninja, intent on empowering himself to terraform Ninjago and recreate his home realm. However, his sympathetic goals are gradually subverted by an obsession with marrying Nya and subsequently gaining the ability to grant infinite wishes for himself, alienating his crew with his all-consuming quest for power.
- Dark Island canon graphic novel trilogy: Clouse, having survived the destruction of the Cursed Realm as a ghost, plans to step out of his master's shadow and conquer the world from the Dark Island. He frees Nadakhan's crew to help him capture and enslave sailors to mine Dark Matter, intent on using the material to destroy the Temple of Light, reunite the island with Ninjago, and see the world overwhelmed by darkness.
- Day of the Departed special: The ghost of Master Yang is the inventor of Airjitzu and the one responsible for cursing Cole into a ghost. On the night of the titular holiday, Yang tricks Cole into bringing him the Yin Blade so he can resurrect himself, summoning Pythor and the ghosts of past villains (Samukai, General Kozu, General Cryptor, Master Chen, and a reformed Morro) to attack the other ninja as a distraction.
- Season 7 (The Hands Of Time): The titular Hands of Time, Krux and Acronix, turned against their fellow Elemental Masters after the Serpentine War to take over Ninjago, only for Acronix to be sent hurtling into the future. Krux, having captured Kai and Nya's parents to build him weapons and created an army of Vermillion Serpentine, reunites with his brother in the present to reclaim their stolen powers, intent on returning with their army to undo their past defeat.
- Season 8 (Sons of Garmadon): The Quiet One, aka Jade Princess Harumi, is the leader of the titular criminal biker gang, who blames the Ninja for failing to stop the Great Devourer before it killed her parents and worships Garmadon for slaying the beast. Harumi hunts for the three Oni Masks in order to resurrect Garmadon's evil Oni side and conquer Ninjago, remaining the Dragon-in-Chief when her idol is returned as she instructs him on mastering his demonic powers.
- Season 9 (Hunted): Lord Garmadon and the Sons of Garmadon are the main threats to Lloyd and Nya, successfully taking over Ninjago and reducing it to a lawless dystopia. However, Wu and the original four ninja face their own opponent in the First Realm in the form of the Iron Baron and his Dragon Hunters, and must overthrow his tyrannical rule before they can return to help Lloyd confront his father once more.
- Season 10 (March of the Oni): The Omega, the leader of the demonic Oni, arrives in Ninjago to defeat the power of Creation and begin the destruction of the Sixteen Realms.
- Season 11 (Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu):
- The Fire Chapter: Aspheera, the Serpentine witch-empress of the Pyro Vipers, is accidentally released from her tomb by the ninja and sets out on a destructive quest for revenge against Wu for his part in locking her away.
- The Ice Chapter: General Vex, who manipulates the amnesiac Zane into becoming the Ice Emperor and conquering the Never Realm.
- Season 12 (Prime Empire): Unagami is the A.I. emperor of the titular video game, who wants revenge on his creator for abandoning him and turns players into energy to power his portal to the real world.
- Season 13 (Master of the Mountain): The Skull Sorcerer, King Vangeles, uses the Skull of Hazza D'ur to enslave the Geckles and Munce, forcing them to mine Vengestone.
- The Island miniseries: Chief Mammatus, leader of the Keepers, is The Heavy who captures the ninja after assuming they intend to steal the Storm Amulet they have sworn to protect. The Keepers eventually attempt to sacrifice them to appease the evil storm spirit Wojira (actually a fake created by Ronin to scam the Keepers out of their treasures).
- Season 14 (Seabound): Prince Kalmaar is the racist, genocidal heir to the throne of Merlopia who seeks to wipe out all surface dwellers by awakening Wojira, an ancient, chaotic spirit that once ruled the seas before the First Spinjitzu Master fought it to create Ninjago. When the Ninja interfere in Kalmaar's plot, he murders his father and frames them for the crime, crowning himself king and bringing the serpent out of its slumber. Wojira itself, after being steered into a destructive rampage, becomes the Final Boss when Kalmaar loses control of it and is devoured in the finale.
- Season 15 (Crystalized): The Crystal King, aka the Overlord returned, recruits Harumi to build a Vengestone army he can use to conquer the world and crystallize all life into his zombie slaves, ultimately intending to corrupt the Ninja to seize control over the power of Creation itself. Harumi herself is The Heavy who personally oversees the Crystal King's plans while he remains banished from the physical world, assembling the "Crystal Council" (Pythor, Aspheera, the Mechanic, the Skull Sorcerer, and a new model of Mister E) and stealing the Golden Weapons to summon him back to Ninjago.
- Season 1: Heinrich Joseph Nest is The Master of the vampiric Order of Aurelius based in Sunnydale, seeking to escape from his prison so he can open the Hellmouth. Darla is The Dragon and his most active agent, responsible for turning Angel into the monstrous Angelus and joining him on a destructive rampage for well over a century before his soul was eventually restored.
- Season 2: Angelus led Drusilla, Spike, and Darla in their chaotic escapades in the past, and upon losing his soul decides to wreak havoc on Buffy—partially out of disgust for how she made him feel "human" as Angel, partially For the Evulz—by killing Jenny Calendar and attempting to awaken the demon Acathla to suck the world into hell. Spike and Drusilla themselves are the initial main antagonists who come to Sunnydale to heal the latter's sickness only to be Demoted to Co-Dragons once Angelus returns, with Spike eventually betraying him after getting sick of his abuse.
- Season 3: Mayor Richard Wilkins is an immortal sorcerer who founded Sunnydale on top of a Hellmouth and works to cover up the town's strange happenings, all to secure his rise to power and ascension into a demonic god. Faith Lehane, the new Slayer, becomes The Dragon after her Sanity Slippage from isolation and repeated traumas drive her to acts of violent sadism, with the Mayor accepting her unconditionally.
- Season 4: Adam is a monstrous hybrid of man, demon, and machine created by the Initiative, a government program investigating Sunnydale. He goes rogue immediately after coming to life, allying with Spike to arrange a massacre of the Initiative and their magical prisoners to create an army of Super-Soldier hybrids from the fallen. Professor Maggie Walsh is his creator and the Disc-One Final Boss leading the Initiative in their kidnappings and tortuous experiments on Sunnydale's magical populace, but she's anticlimactically killed off by Adam upon activating him to deal with Buffy.
- Season 5: Glorificus, aka Glory, is a Hellgod devouring the sanity of innocents to maintain her own mind after being banished from her home dimension for her cruelty. She now seeks the Key in order to return, uncaring that doing so would tear apart reality, and her search is what spurns the Key's guardians to disguise it as Buffy's new sister, Dawn.
- Season 6: The Trio—Warren Mears, Jonathan Levinson, and Andrew Wells—team up to become supervillains and take over Sunnydale, but are generally little more than annoyances. Warren turns out to be the worst of them as he murders his ex-girlfriend, forces the others into continuing their exploits when they get cold feet, and kills Tara while trying to shoot Buffy. However, this only gets him killed off by an enraged Willow, who has been an Unwitting Instigator of Doom throughout the season under an addiction to dark magic and becomes the Final Boss when she decides to end the world in a fit of nihilistic grief.
- Season 7: The First Evil, the personification of evil itself, tries to take advantage of the imbalance caused by Buffy's resurrection to wipe out the Slayer line, ordering its followers to wipe out all the potential Slayers while psychologically torturing the Scoobies. Caleb, a misogynistic Serial Killer preacher, is brought in as The Dragon late into the season to wipe out the Watcher Council and personally fight Buffy on behalf of the incorporeal First.
- Wolfram & Hart is a law firm serving as a front for a trio of powerful demons known as "The Senior Partners", who have influenced humanity towards violence and evil since the very first cave man clubbed his neighbor. The Partners themselves remain unseen Greater-Scope Villains throughout the entire show, but their presence is felt throughout every season as their agents work to corrupt Angel into evil so he can aid them in an upcoming apocalypse that will decide the fate of all existence.
- Season 1: Wolfram & Hart is primarily represented by Lindsey McDonald, Lilah Morgan, and Lee Mercer, three up-and-coming associates at the firm who work with various villains encountered by Angel and eventually hire Faith to assassinate him. Their direct superior, Holland Manners, is introduced in the final two episodes by convincing a wavering Lindsey to commit to evil and orchestrating Darla's resurrection.
- Season 2: Darla is The Heavy, resurrected as a human to psychologically torment Angel and drive him to greater ruthlessness. Drusilla is recruited to re-sire her when she tries to pull a Heel–Face Turn, but this leads to the pair becoming entirely separate threats as they kill Manners and threaten Lilah and Lindsey into becoming their moles at the firm—though Manners' ghost briefly returns to continue representing the Partners as he drives Angel over the Despair Event Horizon. The Pylea storyline that closes the season has Silas as the Arc Villain overseeing the dimension's human slave trade on behalf of Wolfram & Hart.
- Season 3: Daniel Holtz is an 18th century vampire hunter whose family was slain by Angelus, and was offered to be brought to the present for revenge by Sahjhan, an intangible, time-traveling demon who wants to prevent his destined death at the hands of Angel's son. Unfortunately for Sahjhan's plans, Holtz instead decides to protect Angel's son, Connor, by kidnapping him to a hell dimension and raising him to hate his father. Lilah and the rest of Wolfram & Hart remain secondary threats who continue to interfere with Angel's life by also trying to kidnap Connor.
- Season 4: Jasmine, a fallen member of the Powers That Be, orchestrated Connor's birth and possesses Cordelia as a vessel for her own "birth" into our world, intending to brainwash the planet into a "paradise" devoid of free will and full of loyal followers for her to devour. Her Co-Dragons are the Beast, a demon who massacres the staff of Wolfram & Hart and blots out the sun to ensure her arrival; Angelus, who is freed from his curse and forcibly recruited into the Evil Plan before going on his own rampage; and Connor, who is aware of her true nature as her "father" but still supports her in hopes of finding a family, becoming the Final Boss when her inability to give him happiness drives him over the Despair Event Horizon.
- Season 5: Marcus Hamilton is The Heavy introduced late into the season as the new liaison to the Senior Partners, enforcing their malevolent will to counterbalance Angel and co. attempting to turn Wolfram & Hart's designs towards good. He also acts as the main muscle for the Circle of the Black Thorn, a cabal of the Partner's highest ranking agents whom Angel works to infiltrate by faking a slide into evil. Lindsey also returns as a Big Bad Wannabe, recruiting the Partners' initial liaison, Eve, to help him kill Angel in the hopes of getting invited into the Circle.
Comics
- The Origin: Lothos is a vampire king who has killed numerous Slayers in the past, and now travels to Los Angeles to raise an army and add Buffy to his ever-growing list of victims.
- Fray: Harth Fray, Melaka's twin brother who inherited the Slayer visions, was turned into a vampire by Icarus as a child. However, instead of becoming one of Icarus' servants, Harth instead managed to take over Icarus' vampire sect and sets out to use the knowledge granted by the visions to bring demons back to earth.
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
- Season Eight: [[spoiler:Twilight is a living dimension that brainwashes Angel into becoming the masked supervillain of the same name. Angel subsequently recruits a Legion of Doom of Buffy's various enemies to oppose the new Slayer army, reasoning that he's organizing all of the threats to Buffy when they would cause greater damage if allowed to run amok.
Unfortunately he's also been Brainwashed and Crazy by a sentient dimension, also named Twilight, that seeks to birth itself through Buffy and Angel.]]
- Season Nine: A Big Bad Duumvirate between Ax-Crazy rogue Slayer Simone Doffler and the magic absorber known as the Siphon, Severin, who blames Buffy for the emergence of the zompires. Simone attempts to become a "slaypire" by raising the Old One progenitor of vampires, Maloker, while Severin has a Heel–Face Turn after realizing he can't use Illyria's powers to prevent Twilight and sacrifices himself to create a new Seed of Wonder.
- Season Ten: D'Hoffryn (after a brief Big Bad Ensemble with the Sculpter, the Mistress, and the Glutton), taking advantage of the new and flexible rules of magic to amass more power for himself.
- Season Eleven: Joanna Wise, the mastermind behind the Pandora Project and the dragon attack, who wants to take all the world's magic for herself.
- Season Twelve: Harth Fray, having traveled from the future and gathered an army of demons (including the Mayor) to steal the Slayer powers for himself.
- Angel: After the Fall: Gunn, having been turned into a vampire and believing that he can save the world... though still doing normal vampire things like eating people. He eventually tries to coerce Illyria into rewinding time to before Los Angeles is dragged down to Hell, but she goes a step further and decides to just unmake reality (not that he minds). The Senior Partners could also count for, you know, dragging all of Los Angeles down to Hell, but besides sending an army of conduits they still remain The Unseen.
- Spike IDW series: Wolfram & Hart, with the Senior Partners themselves descending in a gambit to escape into another dimension before Twilight arrives. Drusilla and a serial killer named John, who lost his soul to Spike and wants it back, are brought in as muscle but quickly go rogue as they pursue their own goals and vendettas.
- Angel & Faith:
- Season Nine: Whistler, revealed to be responsible for Twilight and, after a bit of Sanity Slippage from the destruction of the Seed, tries to bring magic back to the world by creating a magic plague that would kill millions.
- Season Ten: Archaeus, the demon progenitor of the Master's vampire line, hoping to sway the sentient magic of Magic Town to his side. Drusilla also makes a return as The Dragon, gathering an army for him.
- Season Eleven: Some... plant... demon... zombie insect plague... thing created by Angel, Fred, and Illyria time traveling in an effort to stop said thing from emerging. An argument could be made for Angel being the Big Bad, his regrets and attempts to change his past causing the paradox that births the creature—regrets not helped by the past versions of Angelus and Darla they run into halfway through.
Who is Dread Emperor Terribilis II?
—
"Mercy might be the mark of a great man, but then so's a tombstone."
—
"Always mistrust these three: a battle that seems won, a chancellor who smiles and a ruler calling you friend."
—
"Two things must you face, when breaking a High Lord. Tall and ancient walls, manned by wrath. Then the seat of power, where old devils lie."
—
"Trust is the victory of sentiment over reason."
—
"Did you really think I wouldn't cheat just because I was already winning?"
—
"Never hold anything in a cage you can't put back in, should it get out."
—
"Do not make laws you do not intend to enforce. Allowing one law to be broken with impunity undermines them all."
—
"In the aftermath of a rebellion do not execute merely those who rebelled. Remove those that remained uncommitted as well, for any power not bound to you is a threat."
—
"Never wound a man you do not intend to kill."
—
"Rulers must exercise restraint. Every action ripples across Creation, bringing three unintended consequences for every one anticipated."
—
"Do not call a man loyal who still draws breath."
—
"All law is upheld through violence, but when violence itself becomes the law then only disorder can come of it. As prosperity requires order, to ensure prosperity a ruler must therefore suborn violence to law."
—
"Armies, like water, take the path of least resistance."
—
"Needing a second blow to take a head is an unforgivable sin for two professions: butcher and king."
————
"It's written that in the wake of the victory that broke the Fourth Crusade, on the shores of the Wasaliti, the High Lords sang Terribilis' praises and called him the greatest general Praes had ever seen. He lost his temper with them, and here's what he said: 'Speak not flattering untruths. Another such victory and I will rule an empire of ghosts.'"
—
"And after Okoro was taken its King Berengar Rohanon was dragged before the people in the place of Faded Jackals, where his hands were cut for having reached beyond his grasp and his head scalped for having dared to claim kingship over Praesi. His Dread Majesty ordered him driven into the Wasteland, bearing his hands around his neck and his scalp scribed with for all crusaders this warning: 'There is only one crown east of the river Wasaliti, and once more will you be taught to dread it.'"
—
"And so as night fell over the Blessed Isle, his Dread Majesty sent across the river the corpse of Prince Robert and the captured Princess Juliana, still bound in chains, for when released she had bit off the ear of the High Lord of Okoro. King Selwyn Fairfax rode halfway across the bridge, where he thus addressed His Dread Majesty: 'You have fought this war grimly on the field and gallantly beyond. Would that you had been born west of the river, under a virtuous star.' And so His Dread Majesty replied: 'For having been born east of the river I became instead a man to pluck stars from the sky. Is that not a higher virtue?'"
Known ruin, drunk bitter wine
Brewed in dying light of yore
Before triumph did resign
Rest beneath the sycamore
Yet as the western wind blew
My heart cried out for more.
Holding naught in my hand
So why not reach out and
Pluck the stars from the sky?
Of pettier kingdoms still
Clutching tight their stolen wen
Using them up to their fill
We become a people ruled?
The empire folly undid
Was raised by people subdued
Holding naught in my hand
So why not reach out and
Pluck the stars from the sky?
Beautiful, hungry devils
Let me face great hosts
In dark and bloody revels
I will burn the fields of red
And should arrant come the west
The river will be fed
Holding naught in my hand
So why not reach out and
Pluck the stars from the sky?
Danced with death as a lover
Long have I dreamt of my tomb,
And no dream lasts forever
I raise my hand to the sky
And one last time I succumb
To that old, beloved cry
Holding naught in my hand
So why not reach out and
Pluck the stars from the sky?
Pluck the stars from the sky?
His predecessor, Terribilis I, also has some pretty cool quotes and is famed for penning what is essentially this world's version of The Art of War, as well as improving the Empire's bureaucracy, but there's no major historical events attached to him, so I don't think there's enough to propose him. Putting his quotes here anyway in case anyone thinks it's worth it.
—
"It is a shallow soul who fights to the cry of 'might makes right'. The truth is more concise: might makes."
—
"Doubt is the mother of failure."
—
"Those who withstood the sword, I laid low with ink"
—
"It was written in faraway Mieza that law is what separates men and beasts. We know better, in Praes: law is what separates the beasts wild and tame."
—
"In the conduct of war offence is commonly preferable to defense; for in attacking a general acts according to their own designs, while in defense they act according to the designs of the enemy."
—
"A plan of war is the inevitable victim of circumstance; methods of war are superior, for they are the mother of many a plan."
—
"Victory in war comes by three parts: fighting, diplomacy and strategy. No single third is sufficient to bring victory alone, and each is neglected at great peril."
—
"An enemy may suffer a hundred defeats yet avoid being defeated; seek not victories, only victory."
—
Fight for Endworld and its sequel, Hearts of Vengeance, is a pretty fun Bionicle stop-motion series. Well, I say it's a Bionicle fan series, but really it's just Bionicle MOCs in an original, cosmic setting.
I enjoyed it a lot back in middle and high school, so I figured I'd give it a looksee. The actual plot is... kind of meh, as the creator has fully admitted to being in an edgelord phase when he was writing the story—and for that matter, completely making up the story as he went along, which resulted in numerous dropped plot points and characters before a surprisingly sudden finale. Probably the two biggest examples of this are the three Big Bads of FFE—Zaries, Zerec, and Drazen—instead becoming the protagonists of the series, with Zaries in particular getting five different backstories before effectively settling on a vague shrug. However, it more than makes up for it in absolutely baller fight scenes.
Quick note, I'll only be covering the events of FFE and HOV; there are two crossovers with another stop-motion series that, while filling in some important plot details, are impossible to fit into the original series' timeline. I'll reference info from there when necessary, but otherwise won't be covering those events—there's nothing disqualifying for anyone I have planned anyway.
Anyway, FFE is centered around the exploits of the spy organization DRAGA as it combats the Children of Doom, terrorists secretly being funded by an empire of beings known as the Zenthronians. However, all three sides are soon caught unawares as a mysterious demon calling himself Zaries and a race of cosmic demigods begins to interfere in their conflicts. HOV expands on the newcomers' origins and their own ancient war, as all players are revealed to be little more than pawns to the two elder gods battling for the fate of the multiverse.
—
Zaries is demon hunting weapon shipments from Children of Doom. Slayr and Lothrak killed and raised. Zerec best fighter. Zaries emerges to save others. Zerec puts up best fight, still killed. Possessed by Aeros. Drazen Dervius is no-nonsense leader of Doom, wanted weapon to kill Zaries. Has magic crystal embedded in arm, makes him even more powerful. Uses Zerec to blackmail Truth. Zaries able to beat Aeros, needs to call on Zerec to fight with skill. Creative use of powers. Find dagger, trap him. Zeron's family killed and himself scarred in "terrorist attack," left with multiple mental disorders. Zerec figures out how to use demon dagger to give himself more demon powers, summon Slayr. Zeron exerts control, Zaries uses opening to get Slayr to turn on Zerec. Zaries blows up Zerec, hand cut off. Lets Aeros in control. Zerec tries to split Aeros' power, realizes he's a bit much. Zaries let out. Nice to the others. Zeron not around to distract him, thrashes him. Zaries "crystallized" when Kaethrani attacked. Zerec pretty chill with it, Zaries lets him live to fed on Zeron's hatred of him. Remorse takes dagger. Drazen based most of his fighting style on the liklihood of opponents targeting blind side. Mutated healing factor, adapt to whatever killed him. Weaponized it, sought out Zaries to "copy" his powers. Zaries uses obvious strategy of brute strength and speed to wear down opponents. Drazen was going to slaughter Children of Doom. Was a refugee after the war, Devasorak slaughtered everyone, blinded and pretended to be dead. Devasorak turned Zeron into battery. Drazen decides to help Zaries separate. Zeron usurps Raths. Makes Zaries fight. There's an energy draining zombie. Zaries dissipates but brought back. Brings Drazen back. Bekom released Kaethrani as personal assassins. Exiled and trapped in body. Remorse director of ZIS. Zaries and Drazen teleport Zerec and Zeron, fight Devasorak. Nightmare Dragon "genomorph" made against Kaethrani, killed two. Zaries let himself get caught on purpose, convulted escape attempt.
Bomb thing, r-word.
1: He was probably still wasted from drinking all that whiskey.2: He appears to be very ADHD.3: He's all-around crazy; he doesn't really have a normal concept of danger.
And, on top of that, being blown up twice didn't seem to affect him much...if anything, it just made him really pissed. Let's see how that works out.
- Zaries, Zerec, Drazen, Bekom, Remorse, Slayr, Krios
Pale Lights in a Lovecraftian Renaisance
As pragmatic and successful as Black is, he’s nowhere near prepared enough to escape from a clash with the Wandering Bard unscathed.
For all her grand plans, Malicia’s constant antagonization of the other nations eventually backfire when Catherine finally invades Praes. She has so thoroughly burned her bridges that Catherine refuses to consider any option that doesn’t end with Malicia dead, and her efforts to preserve her life only make more enemies.
Characters A Practical Guide To Evil
- Thordak, the Cinder King, is an ancient red dragon previously sealed away in the Elemental Plane of Fire after a destructive rampage across the land that saw Vax and Vex's mother killed when he wiped out the entire village of Byroden. Upon his release, Thordak establishes the Chroma Conclave, a faction of chromatic dragons with the goal of conquering cities across the continent. Launching an attack on Emon that results in a cacophony of mass slaughter from countless innocents being incinerated, frozen, melted, or gassed to death, Thordak establishes his rule over the city and demands all survivors offer him treasure, incinerating a group of civilians when he deems their valuables of no further use. Sending Umbrasyl to repeat the vicious process by extracting tributes from Westruun, Thordak frequently rages against and threatens his servant with a burning death should he delay in collecting the Conclave's gold. Thordak is ultimately revealed to be raising a horde of dragon eggs, all for the purpose of unleashing them for a destructive conquest upon all of Tal'Dorei to secure his reign for all time.
- Neshamah "Trismegistus" Be-Iakim, the Dead King, is the ultimate pinnacle of villainy and the legendary "Hidden Horror" that has haunted Calernia for millennia. Once the lowliest prince of Sephirah, Neshamah spread plagues and orchestrated wars to fuel his ascension to godhood, causing the complete genocide of his own people as he sacrificed them to undeath. Neshamah, in the centuries since, has swelled his hordes with raids into the living world; any abducted alive are brought to his personal Hell, where civilization has been warped into gladly allowing itself to be farmed for undead soldiers. Though pragmatically preferring to avoid ravaging Calernia, Neshamah responds to invasions by unleashing utter ruin upon his opponents—utilizing undead abominations that blight the land, the enslaved souls of his enemies, and demons that damage reality merely by existing—and even served as Dread Empress Triumphant's most trusted ally in her monstrous conquest of the continent, with the Dread Empire's own horrific magics built upon his revolutionary knowledge. After possessing Masego—during which he uses him to nearly destroy his friends and several armies, keep thousands of souls in agonizing half-death, and finally stealing his magic—Neshamah declares total war on all life to deprive the Intercessor of her pawns against him, plunging Procer into starvation and aiding Kurosiv in attempting to annihilate the drow throughout the conflict before unleashing a sadistic elder dragon to devour everything as revenge for his death. Despite his genuine respect for Worthy Opponents and understandable motivation, Neshamah is a selfish reaper of lives who "broke nations and swallowed whole cities" in pursuit of freedom from the Gods, enshrining him as the embodiment of the black madness that defined the Age of Wonders.
- This version of Neshamah "Trismegistus" Be-Iakim, the Dead King, lacks the sole redeeming quality of his literary counterpart, enshrining him as a genocidal monster who would murder the entire world without hesitation if it meant living a second longer.
- Lord Ras is a vicious, arrogant warrior from the realm of the Wyldness, seeking to unearth the dark powers of Shatterspin on behalf of his dread master. It was Ras' promises of ultimate power and conquest of all the realms that enticed the megalomaniacal Beatrix into enacting a coup that saw her own father murdered so she could take power, and Ras shares full responsibility for establishing Beatrix's totalitarian rule over Imperium that sees all dragons framed as mindless, evil beasts that deserve to be hunted down and tortured for their life force. Ras personally leads Beatrix's Claws in capturing as many dragons as possible to subject to this suffering, with not even children safe from his wrath. After Beatrix's defeat, Ras opens the Shadow Dojo and has his students nearly destroy a chunk of the Cloud Kingdom in his plans to release the Forbidden Five, intent on subjugating the Source Dragons for ultimate power.
- The Skull Sorcerer is truthfully King Vangelis of the Ivory City of Shintaro. Desiring to satisfy his greed no matter the cost, Vangelis hired an adventuring party to retrieve the skull of the ancient necromancer Hazza D'ur, betraying them upon their success to make a bargain with the sorcerer's soul. Vangelis uses his power to raise an undead army and relentlessly hunt down the Geckle and Munce tribes living beneath Shintaro Mountain, enslaving and abusing them to mine Vengestone for the Overlord while casting any interlopers into the death traps and deadly dungeons built by Hazza D'ur. When the two tribes begin to unite against Vangelis, he threatens to have the undead dragon Grief-Bringer slaughter them all unless the Ninja surrender, only to re-enslave the tribes even after they accept the offer. Rejecting even his own daughter when she attempts to stop his cruel reign, Vangelis goes on to join the Council of the Crystal King after losing power from Hazza D'ur's destruction. The Skull Sorcerer helps summon the Overlord and directly aids him in ravaging the realm with the army created from his Vengestone, content to facilitate the total destruction of Ninjago so long as he can forever sate his greed and vengeance.
- Season 13 (Master of the Mountain): Hazza D'ur, the ancient sorcerer who built sprawling dungeons and death traps beneath Shintaro to claim countless lives over the centuries, has preserved his soul into the modern day by binding it to his own skull. When brought before King Vangelis, Hazza D'ur empowers him to become the Skull Sorcerer and enslave the Geckles and Munce to mine Vengestone, enabling Vangelis' vile abuse of the tribes while encouraging him to commit to his greed over attachment to his loved ones—even responding to the potential death of Vangelis' own daughter that "nothing comes without sacrifice." Hazza D'ur, upon learning of the Geckles and Munce meeting for a truce, inspires Vangelis to attempt a massacre of both tribes by way of resurrecting the vicious dragon Grief-Bringer, cackling all the while over the prospect of his undead servant bringing about horrific carnage. When the Ninja instead surrender themselves so the tribes will be spared, Vangelis and Hazza D'ur re-enslave them anyway and begin planning for Grief-Bringer to tear the Ninja to shreds in front of the tribes to crush their hope forever, happily torturing Cole when he interferes.
- The Overlord, also known as the Dark Lord, the Golden Master, and the Crystal King, is the Big Bad of the series and the greatest primordial evil to haunt Ninjago, awoken with the realm's very creation to relentlessly war upon his benevolent opposite: the First Spinjitzu Master and his Golden Power. Desiring revenge after his banishment, the Overlord possessed a small snake and had it bite the young son of his nemesis; both became corrupted by his Darkness and grew to immense power, making the Overlord responsible for years of misery, death, and devastation from the omnicidal hunger of the Great Devourer and Lord Garmadon's undying thirst for conquest. The Overlord's evil proliferates from there, whether it be indirectly providing the Hands of Time with an army in their destructive quest to alter history, funding the Skull Sorcerer's secret industry of slavery, or engendering Harumi's fall to villainy that sees Ninjago City almost leveled as he watches with interest. Though defeated time and time again, the Overlord endlessly desires to return so he may upset the Balance and overrun the realm with his nightmarish rule, using and exploiting whoever he can in order to fulfill his vicious purpose of reducing existence to black nothing.
- Masters of Spinjitzu: The Overlord's machinations come to fruition many centuries after his exile when the Great Devourer kills countless innocents and nearly razes Ninjago, all while the Dark Lord reaps the rewards of the carnage wrought through the serpent by manipulating Lord Garmadon into commanding his Stone Army. Under the Overlord's influence, Garmadon bombards the world with Dark Matter missiles, stealing away the minds and spirits of everyone in Ninjago to corrupt them into servants of evil. The Overlord proceeds to painfully possess Garmadon as the Balance between good and evil is tipped in his favor, reveling in the creation of the perfect host through which he can kill the Green Ninja—Garmadon's own son, Lloyd—and blanket the realm in shadow. Surviving his subsequent fall at the hands of Lloyd and the Golden Power, the Overlord is left trapped in the form of a Computer Virus that takes over Borg Industries. The Digital Overlord makes his grand return by attempting to incinerate a group of schoolchildren and releasing his Nindroids to wreak havoc, intent on stealing the Golden Power so he can become the Golden Master—an all-mighty conqueror prophesied to "usher in the last of the setting suns" and enslave "every man, woman, and Serpentine" to his apocalyptic will. The Overlord goes on to try to drown Garmadon in front of Lloyd, leaves remnants of his virus within Zane to Mind Rape him, and spitefully attacks swathes of civilians when he's unable to harm the Ninja, proving himself to be a vile monster even with the embodiment of good itself absorbed into his essence.
- WildBrain era: The Overlord returns to resurrect Harumi as his herald, tasking her with constructing a Vengestone army to begin his conquest anew. Just as much of a sadistic megalomaniac as always, the Overlord has Harumi assemble the Ninjas' greatest enemies to form the Crystal Council, instructing them to summon his physical form so he can raise his army and lead them to crystallize all life in Ninjago into his zombified slaves. Intent on eventually corrupting the powers of Creation itself so that he can finally destroy the Balance and bring about a twisted "peace in the dark", the Overlord proves himself a horrendous master when he nearly kills the Crystal Council for their failure to capture the Ninja, then sends them to crush the survivors of his assault on Ninjago City. The Crystal King proceeds to face off against Lloyd and Garmadon in a clash for the fate of existence, gleefully revealing himself as the creator of the Great Devourer, the true murderer of Harumi's parents, and the architect of all their misfortunes as he prepares to annihilate everything.
- Season 1 (Rise of the Snakes) & Season 2 (Legacy of the Green Ninja): Many centuries after his exile, the Overlord's machinations lead to the Great Devourer killing countless innocents and nearly razing Ninjago, all while the Dark Lord reaps the rewards of the carnage wrought through the serpent by manipulating Lord Garmadon into commanding his Stone Army. Under his guidance, Garmadon is able to bombard the world with Dark Matter missiles, stealing away the minds and spirits of everyone in Ninjago to corrupt them into the Overlord's wicked servants. The Dark Lord proceeds to painfully possess Garmadon as the Balance between good and evil is tipped in his favor, reveling in the creation of the perfect host through which he can kill the Green Ninja—Garmadon's own son, Lloyd—and blanket the realm in shadow.
- Season 3 (Rebooted): The Overlord, surviving his fall at the hands of Lloyd and the Golden Power, is left trapped in the form of a Computer Virus that takes over Borg Industries and Ninjago City. Making his grand return by attempting to incinerate a group of schoolchildren; converting Cyrus Borg into a robotic puppet; and releasing his Nindroids to wreak havoc in pursuit of his foes, the Digital Overlord plans to steal the Golden Power so he can become the Golden Master—an all-mighty conqueror prophesied to "usher in the last of the setting suns" and enslave every man, woman, and Serpentine to his apocalyptic will. The Overlord goes on to try to drown Garmadon in front of Lloyd; employs Pythor to maintain his power supply, heedless to those endangered in the process; leaves remnants of his virus within Zane to Mind Rape him in the ambiguously canon Decoded web series; and spitefully attacks swathes of civilians when he's unable to harm the Ninja, proving himself to be a vile monster even with the embodiment of good itself absorbed into his essence.
- Season 15 (Crystalized): The Overlord reemerges only a few years after his most recent defeat, resurrecting Harumi as his latest follower and tasking her with constructing a Vengestone army to begin his conquest anew. Taking the guise of the Crystal King, the Overlord has Harumi assemble the Ninjas' greatest enemies to summon his physical form before setting out to crystallize the people of Ninjago into his zombified slaves. Intent on eventually corrupting the powers of Creation itself, the Overlord proves himself a horrendous Bad Boss when he nearly kills the Crystal Council for their failure to capture the Ninja, then sends them to crush the survivors of his assault on the realm. The Crystal King proceeds to face off against Lloyd and Garmadon in a final clash for the fate of existence, gleefully revealing himself as the creator of the Great Devourer, the true murderer of Harumi's parents, and the architect of all their misfortunes as he prepares to annihilate everything.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Wanda uses the Darkhold to send demons after America Chavez, intending to use her power to traverse the multiverse to reunite with alternate versions of her sons and attend to all their needs that can't be accomplished through merely dreamwalking through her own variants. The demon Chthon is the Greater-Scope Villain, as his Darkhold corrupts Wanda and numerous variants of Strange throughout the multiverse into causing destructive incursions.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Wanda is corrupted by the power of the Darkhold (revealed to have been written by the demon Chthon) and sends demons to hunt America Chavez, intending to use her power to traverse the multiverse. While she can technically do this already through the book's spell for dreamwalking (possessing her alternate selves), she needs America's power so she can not only physically be with her sons from another universe, but in case she feels they need something and she can quickly go to another reality to get it. The Mordo of the Illuminati's universe is a Hero Antagonist who distrusts Strange's variants for the chaos they tend to cause whenever they acquire the Darkhold—notably Sinister Strange, who assassinates various alternate versions of himself out of a belief that he's ending their suffering.
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: The Intelligencia, an online community of misogynistic trolls, is founded by the "HulkKing", Todd Phelps, to manipulate events against Jennifer and acquire her blood so he can turn himself into a Hulk. Acting as a secondary threat is Titania, an influencer who seeks to get even with She-Hulk after the hero beats her up, but the pettiness of her retaliations make her little more than an irrelevant nuisance than a true threat compared to the more organized and depraved (if equally pathetic) Intelligencia.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15255322860A44444400&page=2414#comment-60339
Magnificent Bastard Skulduggery Pleasant
Magnificent Bastard A Practical Guide To Evil
six lines long on a fullscreen desktop display
Sony's Spider-Man Universe
- Venom: Carlton Drake is the head of the Life Foundation, responsible for the discovery of the alien symbiotes and the unlawful experiments conducted on them. The Riot symbiote escapes their custody and bonds to Drake in the climax, intending to use his resources to lead a symbiote invasion of Earth.
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage: Cletus Kasady is a Serial Killer who escapes his execution after accidentally bonding to the Carnage symbiote. The two proceed to break out Kasady's super-powered girlfriend, Shriek, before going on a murderous rampage throughout San Francisco.
- Morbius: Milo, Michael Morbius' surrogate brother who suffers from the same rare blood disease, steals his experimental cure and embraces his newfound status as a vampire with bloodthirsty glee.
Amadeus, Kairos, Larat, King of Winter, Traitorous, Irritant, Juniper, Scribe, Tariq, Herald, Rumena, Ivah, Ishaq, Iseul, Basilia, Robber, the Fourfold, Ime, Cordelia, Indrani, Masego, Vivienne, Hakram, Akua, Cat, Dead King (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16706336400A42573900&page=376#comment-9377 mother)
Skulduggery, China, Vile, Wreath, Dusk, Scarab, Tesseract, Cadaver, Deathless, Moribund, Quoneel, (Tanith, Mevolent, Sanguine cut)
Enoch, Faustus, Dottie, Melina Vostokoff, Arishem, Kro, Typhoid Mary, Malachi, Darius, Mayhem, LMDs
Shocker, Mysterio, Beetle, Black Cat, Gambit, Doom 2099
Cheshire, Cassandra Wayne, Riddler, Joker, Icicle, Shade, Sportsmaster, Tigress, Mister Freeze, Holiday, Harvey, Lex Luthor, Catwoman, Deadshot, Lex Luthor, Batman, Riddler and Ivy, Shiva, Deathstroke, Red Hood, Henri Ducard, Sensei, Poison Ivy, Brainiac, General Zod, Cassandra Savage, Mr. Nobody, Catwoman & Riddler
Skales, Soto, Skylor, Ronin, Mr. E, Yang, Avatar Harumi, Faith, Unagami, Nadakhan (Tall Tales), Flintlocke, Razar, Harumi, Lord Garmadon, Phantom Ninja
Sett, Renata, Talon, Kayn, Twisted Fate
Captain Cutler, Professor Huh?, Alice May, Hot Dog Water
Lyrus, Rogue Knight, Sando, Trillian
Qi'ra, Kalani, Tagrin, Vonreg, Embo, Eneb, Trios
Rev-9, Cromartie, Stark, Weaver, Cameron
Elvis, Warlord, The Homeless Person That May or May Not Be Mandy Moore,Soundwave, Shockwave, Ms. Happiness, Hazel, Sun Wukong, Zam & Jango, Dinosaurus, Roger Wesley, Andrew Larrick
Bakuda, Gray Boy, Heartbreaker, Mathers, Cradle, Orchard, Teacher
Triumphantnote , Enchanter, Kurisov
Serpine, Batu, dumb morons, (Kitana, cut), Moon, other one, (L!Vile, cut), Damocles Creed, Raze, bleh, Nye, Creed again, Mr. Friendly
asshole, Master Mold, asshole, Morgan le Fay, Sarge, Sinara, Yon-Rogg, Zyklon, George Maxon
Red Volcano, assholes, USSR, Brainiac, ass, other ass, Centre, Centre, Granny Goodness, Zeta, Maksai, Ventriloquist, Joker, Hercules, Joker, Lex, Ares, Mxy, Overgirl, Veronica Cale, [[Weather Wizard, Anti-Life, Trigon, Elizabeth Arkham, Green Man, Protex
Samukai, The One, advisor, Iron Baron, Vex, Skull Sorcerers, Fenwick, Overlord, Beatrix
Robert Goulet, Traitorous, The Grey, King of Worms, Brandt, Psycho Green
Teatime, Surt & Fenris, Poynton
- Callow
- The Woe: Cat, Hakram, Masego, Archer, Thief, Akua
- Army/Fifteenth
- Juniper, Robber, Ratface, Aisha, Hune, Nauk, Killian, Pickler
- Abigail
- William, Bumbling Sorcerer
- Duchy: Kendall, Commander, William's friend, gestalt?
- Praes
- The Tower: Malicia, Ime
- Calamities: Black, Captain, Warlock, Assassin, Ranger, Scribe
- High Lords: Talsia, Sargon, Jaheem, Abreha
- Legions of Terror: Ranker, Sacker, Nim, Grem
- Orcs
- Goblins
- Procer
- Salia: Cordelia
- Rozala
- Otto
- Kingfisher
- Grand Alliance
- Tenth Crusade: Hanno, Saint of Swords, Roland
- Truce & Terms:
- Heroes: Sapan
- Villains: Ishaq, Poisoner
- League: First Hierarch, Aenia
- Helike: Kairos, Basilia, Pallas
- Stygia: Zoe, redress/retribution
- Bellerophon: Anaraxes
- Refuge: Ranger, Silver Huntress, Nightingale, Concocter, Beast master, Hunter
- Others
- Bard, Above, Below, Choirs (Mercy/Judgement/Endurance?)
- Yan Tei, Baalite, Iseul
I've covered Skulduggery Pleasant before. Magic's a thing, protagonists are the titular living skeleton and his teenage partner Valkyrie Cain. They're technically just detectives for the magic government, but more often than not end up having to fight for the fate of the human race. And punch racists.
Along the way they collect a colorful cast of supporting characters, including someone I believe I've unfairly misjudged as not counting for this trope.
Who is Tanith Low?
A London sorcerer raised as an assassin in the 1930s, Tanith acted as a "hidden blade" dealing out lethal justice against murderers the world over. However, she eventually became disillusioned with her lifestyle of death and reformed herself into a vigilante, cleverly hunting down criminals and slaying numerous monsters throughout the decades, even bringing to justice the legendary Spring-Heeled Jack and Black Annis themselves.
Introduced slaying a troll, Tanith is brought in to aid in the fight against most-definitely-not-a-villain Nefarian Serpine, leading the charge to rescue Skulduggery from his clutches when he's captured and putting up a valiant fight to delay his immortal servant, the White Cleaver, despite getting grievously injured in the process.
Returning in the next book to duel Spring-Heeled Jack on the London rooftops, Tanith lures him into attacking what he thinks to be a baby (really just a recording of a baby screaming she pre-prepared) in a cramped apartment, limiting his mobility for her to knock him out. She later helps defend Valkyrie from a giant half-spider dude named the Torment, working with Skulduggery to subdue him and turn his anger towards the current Big Bad. She pops up in the proceeding books as a major ally to the duo, always as a competent fighter (she kind of has to be, when it becomes an intentional running gag that she gets grievously injured or almost killed in every climax) but never doing anything too important.
...And then she spends the next few books possessed by an evil demon spirit called a Remnant. Now, possessed!Tanith can technically be considered a different character—so much so that I already had her up as an MB before cutting her after realizing she had too undignified a "death"/exorcism—but at the same time it's just normal Tanith with her conscience removed and a few of the Remnant's own goals/memories from previous hosts slotted in its place. This is where she really shines, but I feel iffy talking about her worst acts when they're done with removed agency, so to summarize (original EP here):
- Constantly evades capture while plotting the apocalypse.
- Organizes a Legion of Doom to steal weapons capable of killing her Apocalypse Maiden, betraying said Legion to die because she didn't actually bother finding the incentives she promised each of them and replacing the weapons with fakes designed to fool everyone into thinking her thefts had failed until it was too late.
- Fun Token Evil Teammate as she helps fight a war she sort of helped start, waiting for the aforementioned Apocalypse Maiden to arise.
- Eventually rebuilds enough of a conscience to pull a Heel–Face Turn.
Moving on to after she's freed, Tanith spends a bit of time recovering before besting her nemesis, the White Cleaver in a duel to the death. With some of her love interests dead in an unrelated conflict, she goes back to being an assassin,
That innate sense of justice, of outrage, it guided her hand to her sword and she plunged the blade through Erato's chest, He stared down at it, blinking rapidly, his face a mask of confusion.
"The Necromancers have breached the walls," Tanith told him.
Erato wheezed. Coughed. Blood speckled his shirt. "The people," he said hoarsely. "Warn the people."
"The same people who gave up their servants to be thrown over the wall because they didn't want to have to eat less? Those same people?" Tanith twisted the blade, leaned in, and sneered, "Let them die."
Any mitigating qualities?
The biggest issue is if she's enough of a bastard. Sure, she's a professional assassin, with all the dirty business that comes with, but it's mostly offscreen and her organization generally only targets horrible people. The rest of the time she's 100% on the side of good. Maybe if we saw how she operated in more detail, but as is it's too vague for her to work.
And then we get to Tahil na Sin. Racist assholes they may have been, but condemning the city to death is still a bit of a dick move, and it's explicitly clear the only reason she got away with it was because none of the other heroes were around to know what she did.
Other than that, I think she's fine. Competent fighter and, while it's not the most awe-inducing, an excellent strategist able to efficiently organize resistance when necessary. Again, where she really stands out is when she's possessed, and while I feel uncomfortable using her actions there to push her as a bastard, I do think I can safely use it to support her magnificence—removed agency or no, it's still Tanith's natural ingenuity fueling her possessed-self's schemes.
The Overlord
Voiced by: Scott McNeil
An ancient darkness and the embodiment of evil itself, who once warred with the First Spinjitzu Master when he first rose the realm out of the sea. Though he was banished when the First Spinjitzu Master split Ninjago in two, the Overlord continues to scheme his return, forever intent on annihilating the Balance and ruling over all of existence.
- Ancient Evil: He's a primordial being of darkness that has haunted Ninjago "since the beginning", serving as the First Spinjitzu Master's most powerful foe.
- Arch-Enemy: The Overlord was once the sworn nemesis of the First Spinjitzu Master, being the dark antithesis of everything his peaceful light represented. With the First Spinjitzu Master's death, this rivalry has transferred to his descendants.
- As Long as There Is Evil: The ever-present Balance between good and evil means that the Overlord, as the embodiment of evil, can never be destroyed. Sure enough, neither Lloyd detonating an explosion of light within his physical form nor Zane freezing him to the point of being shattered are enough to keep him down.Overlord: "As long as there is light, there must always be shadow!"
- Big Bad: The Overlord is the overarching main antagonist of the entire series. Though seldom seen and only appearing in three of the fifteen seasons, it was his corruption of the Great Devourer that instigated Lord Garmadon's fall to evil and laid the groundwork for practically every villain that would emerge in the future.
- Eldritch Abomination: He's a formless evil who has been around since before time had a name, can bend beings to its will using Dark Matter, and is impossible to kill due to effectively being the very concept of evil itself.
- Made of Evil: Described by Wu as the embodiment of Darkness itself, who can never be destroyed for good due to his integral role in the Balance between Good and Evil. However, this does little to prevent the Overlord from absorbing the Golden Power, granting him the full might of the embodiment of Light as well.
The champion of evil whom the Green Ninja is destined to defeat. Initially believed to be Lord Garmadon, this prophecy takes a drastic turn when the Overlord reemerges to seemingly aid Garmadon in his rise to power, only to betray the son of his nemesis and use him to facilitate his true return.
- Arc Villain: His prophesized battle with the Green Ninja is the central source of conflict in Season 2.
- The Antichrist: The Golden Master is a prophesied figure in Serpentine lore said to possess power equal to that of the First Spinjitzu Master. The Overlord seeks to become this powerful being in order to conquer the world and enslave every man, woman, and Serpentine for all eternity.
- Arc Villain: It is the Digital Overlord's quest to evolve into the Golden Master that drives the plot of Season 3, culminating in the Overlord's grand return to physical form as he sets out to conquer existence.
- Arc Villain: Crystalized centers around the Overlord's impending return, with Harumi assembling the Crystal Council and an army of Vengestone warriors to facilitate his new conquest.
- Back for the Finale: After 8 years and 12 seasons of absence, he would finally return in the 15th and final season under this new identity.
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: He claims to Harumi that his efforts to destroy the Balance are done in order to end the constant conflict between good and evil. It's blatantly obvious that this is just a ruse to convince her to side with him, as his ultimate goal remains the total rule of everything to sate his egomania.
Voiced by: Scott McNeil
An ancient evil from Ninjago's past that fought with the first Spinjitzu master in the past. He helps Lord Garmadon turn Ninjago into his own image, but later betrayed him and took over his body. His body was ultimately destroyed by Lloyd in their Final Battle, but he survived as an evil AI, and, alongside Pythor, was the instigator of the Nindroid Conflict.
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: He becomes an AI in Season 3.
- Clipped-Wing Angel: When the Ninja botched his attempt to regain his physical form by siphoning Lloyd's golden power, he returns in the form of a purple blob. Once he's stable enough, however...
- Complete Immortality: As a primordial being of darkness, he can never be killed for good, even destroying his physical form twice only makes his spirit lay dormant temporarily.
- The Corrupter: His dark matter has the ability to turn whatever it touches evil. He also makes Garmadon worse and worse through his manipulations. He's also the being responsible for creating the Great Devourer and thus turning Garmadon evil in the first place.
- Dark Is Evil: Obviously, with his element being Darkness and his desire to throw the Balance Between Good and Evil out of whack.
- Deadpan Snarker: Despite his largely humorless personality, when Garmadon complains that the Overlord could have warned him that the Garmatron's cannon had to warm up, the Overlord responds with "How could I? You were monologuing."
- Devour the Dragon: The Overlord eventually betrays Lord Garmadon and possesses his body.
- According to Tommy Andreasen, he would've likely done the same to Pythor.
- Digital Abomination: In Season 3, the Overlord manages to resurrect inside Borg Industries' computer systems as a virus dubbed the Digital Overlord, allowing him to corrupt nearly any electronic device as well as create new ones to suit his own needs. Within the digiverse, he appears as a gigantic mass of shadowy pixels with tentacles and is capable of warping the entire surrounding. After the Overlord regains his physical form and becomes the Golden Master, he's able to use the same powers he had in the digiverse in reality.
- Eviler than Thou: To Lord Garmadon when he hijacks his body.
- Evil Sounds Deep: He has an incredibly deep voice.
- Greater-Scope Villain: While the Big Bad of Seasons 2 and 3 as well as 15, he's indirectly responsible for the following:
- Long before the events of the series, he had corrupted the Great Devourer, which would end up leading into Garmadon's corruption and the events of the pilot episodes and Seasons 8 and 9. Through the Devourer's offspring (the Vermilion), he's also indirectly responsible for Season 7. Garmadon's corruption also influenced young Lloyd to follow in his footsteps, leading to him awakening the Serpentine and causing the events of Season 1. Pythor being out and about also leads to Season 4's final two episodes.
- The ninja getting involved with the Tournament of Elements was caused by Zane's Heroic Sacrifice in Season 3, Morro's escape from the Cursed Realm was caused by Garmadon's banishment in Season 4, and Clouse escaping the Cursed Realm (and awakening Nadakhan) was caused by the ending of Season 5, meaning the Overlord's attack on New Ninjago City was indirectly responsible for kickstarting the chain of events that includes Seasons 4, 5, and 6. This also results in the Mechanic getting sent to Kryptarium Prison thanks to his involvement in Chen's plans, which would end up somewhat leading to him becoming The Dragon for Unagami in Season 12.
- As the Crystal King, he commanded Harumi to build an army for him, which she did by purchasing vengestone from Vangelis, meaning he indirectly played a part in Season 13.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Happens to him three times in "The Titanium Ninja" after becoming the Golden Master. The Ninja hide in the Temple of Fortification and wear Stone Warrior armor over their clothes, both having been designed by the Overlord to withstand the golden power which he now wields. Then later, Zane absorbs the aforementioned golden power from the Overlord and uses it in tandem with his ice powers to defeat him.
- Knight of Cerebus: The first villain in the series (at least the first one with a mind of its own) to have absolutely no comical traits at all, and the leader of an army of Nigh Invulnerable soldiers at his command.
- Idiot Ball: Seems to have grasp this during Season 3. Except not really. After being defeated by Lloyd and he became a computer virus, he could potentially have whatever body or even bodies he wants yet insists on reclaiming his original, it appears to be this trope. But there are three reasons why reclaiming his original body is the smarter thing to do: 1) Since he requires electricity to function in his digital state, and the Ninja have the Technoblades, which are capable of stopping, and perhaps even destroying, him while he remains in the system, he has a very valid point for regaining corporeal form. 2) He wants to skip finding a host so that they won't fight him from the inside this time. And 3) The process would also have the benefit of making him even more powerful.
- Immortality: As per word from the series' creator, he's flat-out unkillable as he is a primordial being that balances Ninjago's light, all you can try to do is seal him and/or destroy his physical forms to temporarily put him out of commission.
- It Only Works Once: Don't expect a tactic that defeated him once to work twice in a row.
- In the far past, the First Spinjitzu Master defeated him with the help of mechanical golden armor. He has the transformed Garmatron (piloted by a corrupted Nya) shoot it down before it can reach him.
- In Rebooted, he turns Lloyd's golden power (which was the reason for his second defeat) against him by absorbing it with special robots he had Cyrus Borg develop.
- Light Is Not Good: His Golden Master incarnation is clad in bright golden armor, both times, yet is no less evil for it.
- Literally Shattered Lives: Zane defeats him the second time by absorbing his power and freezing him until this happens.
- Manipulative Bastard: Manipulated Garmadon into thinking he was the Big Bad, so he'd complete his ultimate weapon and disrupt the Balance between good and evil, freeing the Overlord from his prison and allowing him to recover his original form.
- Non-Standard Character Design: The form he takes when possessing Garmadon has a very un-Minifigure-like design to it, including fingers, toes, and several insectoid features. Averted with all later designs, which depict him as a Minifigure.
- One-Winged Angel:
- After taking over Garmadon's body, he takes the form of a gigantic black dragon, though this is stated to be his true form, as opposed to a genuine transformation.
- When the Ninja confront him in the digital world, he becomes a giant vaguely humanoid entity made of darkness with numerous tentacles where his legs would be.
- Once he returns to full power as the Golden Master, his power takes on the level that he had in the digital world... in reality, with a robotic body attached to his lower half to go with it.
- Our Dragons Are Different: His true form is a giant black dragon.
- Purple Is Powerful: Purple is incredibly common in his color scheme (with all of his forms having the color in some way), and he is by far one of the most dangerous enemies the Ninja have faced.
- Pyrrhic Victory: He manages to escape the digital realm, but is unable to drain all of Lloyd's power and can barely keep his new body together until Pythor and his minions help him get the means to better control it.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Gains red eyes as the Golden Master and the Digital Overlord.
- Replacement Flat Character: By the time he made his debut, Lord Garmadon has shown a kinder side that loves his son and a tragic backstory revealing his evilness was basically a poison corrupting his mind. The Overlord takes up the original role of a person who is evil for the sake of it and an enemy to all of Ninjago.
- Satanic Archetype: Pretty much the closest Ninjago has to one anyway. Is it any wonder he turns into a dragon for the final battle of Season 2?
- Sealed Evil in a Can:
- The Overlord and the evil side of Ninjago which he inhabited were supposed to remain disappeared for as long as the Balance between good and evil remained in check. However, Lord Garmadon's ambition to remake Ninjago in his image upsets that balance.
- In Season 3, the Overlord's soul becomes trapped in cyberspace after losing his body in the final battle with Lloyd. While it gives him a lot of stuff to control, he still wants a new body instead of remaining inside a computer. He eventually gets it.
- Spider Tank: Rides a three-legged one in Season 3 after becoming the Golden Master.
- This Cannot Be!:
- Is left in disbelief when Lloyd begins to fight back against him, unable to believe a mere human could manage to match him.
- Happens again when Zane pulls off his Heroic Sacrifice, absorbing the Golden Master power to ultimately defeat him.
- Unseen Evil: Spends most of his screen time as a disembodied voice but is considered to be the most evil entity in the entire series. When he finally appears in person, he's as frightening and powerful as he was made out to be. All three times.
- Worf Had the Flu: The only reason Lloyd managed to stand any chance at all in their first fight was because Garmadon was Fighting from the Inside, and even then, the Overlord beat him and left him with an injured leg. Even after Lloyd obtains his Golden Super Mode in their ultimate rematch, the Overlord is able to fight him fairly evenly before finally being defeated.
The leader of the Vengestone Army. He is the mysterious villain collecting Vengestones to create an army of monsters and recruiting old foes of the ninjas to act as his generals. However, no one, aside from his number two Kabuki Mask, knows why he does all of this. He turns out to be the latest incarnation of the Overlord.
- Arc Villain: He is the main villain of Ninjago Crystalized. Though he also is not only the villain in this season, he's already had two stints as that...
- Canon Character All Along: He's the Overlord.
- Conflict Killer: After his threat becomes apparent, Ronin is willing to drop his current grudge with the Ninja to help them, and Killow and Ultra Violet, who still hate the Ninja, also decide to assist them with some prompting. Even Harumi eventually turns against him once he inadvertently makes it clear that he's effectively responsible for all of her suffering.
- Costume Evolution: This form of the Overlord has elements of all of his prior designs, having all three prior color schemes (gold, black, purple, and gunmetal gray), the four arms from when he possessed Garmadon, the symbol of the Golden Master, and his draconic face based on his dragon form. He also has horns, similar to the Oni, which he may be connected to.
- Dragons Are Demonic: He looks like a hellish dragon.
- Evil Overlord: Literally.
- Evil Wears Black: He's the Big Bad wearing black armor. His body is black too.
- Foreshadowing: The Crystal King looks like a mix of the various forms of Overlord and it's revealed that they're the same person
- His emblem belongs to the Golden Master.
- He has a Mouth of Sauron: Kabuki Mask. This was Pythor's job in the Overlord's Nindroid army.
- Speaking of Pythor, he is among his generals again.
- The Crystal King remains in the shadows so far. Overlord's modus operandi is to remain hidden or act as an Orcus on His Throne.
- He has purple eyes. The same eyes as Overlord.
- He leads a Legion of Doom made of past villains and was the overarching villain from Season 13 to Season 15. Coming from the Overarching Villain of the whole show, this is not surprising.
- The Crystal King has a stone army like the Overlord, this time made of Vengestone.
- Final Boss: The very last villain faced in the entire series, fitting for the Greater-Scope Villain.
- Gemstone Assault: Can use his crystals as a weapon (such as firing crystal shards at his enemies) or as a means to control people. His crystals are also used to give power to the Vengestone Army.
- Hidden Agenda Villain: Aside from Kabuki Mask, nobody knows his plan so far. Not even his generals! His goal is to destroy the Balance between good and evil by corrupting the Elements of Creation, so he could trap the world in eternal darkness.
- Knight of Cerebus: One of the most powerful villains of the show, up to the point where Ronin and the Sons of Garmadon are ready to help the Ninja against him, according to the season's second trailer. He's also a villain with no comedic moments so far who is 100% serious and despicable and drives the plot in the show's Darkest Hour.
- Near-Villain Victory: Comes dangerously close to his ultimate goal of destroying the Balance, as he easily defeats Garmadon (the only one around who was able to properly use his Oni Form), and after Lloyd backs out from using his Oni Form, the Overlord knocks him off the Oni Temple to leave him to fall to his death. He even manages to corrupt the original four Ninja (which would have also corrupted their elements which make up Creation, thus giving the Overlord the power he needed to destroy the Balance) along with likely everyone else remaining in Ninjago City. Fortunately for the heroes and unfortunately for the Overlord, the Ninja sacrificed their elements and the Golden Weapons before they were crystallized, which not only prevented the elements from being corrupted in the first place but also summoned the Golden Ultra Dragon, saving Lloyd's life and giving him the power and opportunity to finally defeat the Overlord once again, this time for good.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: He takes the time to brag about just how much effect he's had on the setting to Lloyd and Garmadon as he's killing them, specifically mentioning his part in corrupting the snake that would become the Great Devourer while Harumi is in ear-shot. This results in Harumi deciding to help Lloyd and Garmadon defeat him.
- Omnicidal Maniac: His ultimate goal is to corrupt the Powers of Creation, which would bathe all 16 realms in darkness.
- Purple Is Powerful: He's the Overlord, purple being in his color scheme is kind of a given, and he's now arguably become the second most dangerous villain in the series just behind the Oni.
- Returning Big Bad: The Overlord was the main villain of Seasons 2 and 3. He returns as the main villain of Season 15.
- This Cannot Be!: Is left in disbelief when Lloyd returns to fight again, this time with the help from the Golden Ultra Dragon.
- Took a Level in Badass: While he was always powerful, the Overlord often had to rely upon a host, a second-in-command, or technology to make himself a threat to the Ninja. In Crystallized, his new body appears to be much more powerful, managing to defeat Wu in single combat, and gives Lloyd and Garmadon a hard time in the final battle to the point of almost killing them, even after Harumi changes sides to assist them.
- Vocal Evolution: His voice is much deeper and more guttural rather than shrill and high-pitched. His voice modulation also emphasizes this aspect.
- Walking Spoiler: While it's kinda obvious that the guy is The Overlord by simply looking at him, the return of the show's Overarching Villain is still an huge spoiler.
- You Are Too Late: An example where the villain is the victim of this. Once the Crystal King crystalizes the four original ninja have put their Four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu together. Thus, unleashing the Golden Ultra Dragon on him.
- You Have Failed Me:
- Doesn't take kindly toward his fellow council members (mostly Pythor, Aspheera, Vangelis, and the Mechanic) when they failed to capture the Ninja, he almost tried to kill them until Harumi and Mr. F informed about the Ninja's actual location. Even when the council members are defeated by the Ninja during the final battle, the Overlord showed no concern for this as he is more focused on petrifying all life in Ninjago.
- Upon succeeding in his plot to petrify all life in Ninjago (including the Ninja and all of their allies), the Overlord attempts to tie up one loose end by murdering Harumi as punishment for defying him, not caring of the fact that he's responsible for her family's demise.Overlord: (attempting to kill Harumi after petrifying all life in Ninjago) You chose the WRONG SIDE, Harumi!!
The Stone Army
An army of indestructible stone warriors who serve as Garmadon's (but moreso the Overlord's) soldiers in the second half of Season 2.
- Badass Army: An army of Nigh Invulnerable soldiers.
- Boring, but Practical: While they don't have much going for them other than extreme durability, it's more than enough to make them some of the most formidable opponents the Ninja have ever faced.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: They effortlessly defeat the Serpentine in "The Day Ninjago Stood Still", trapping them underground for the rest of the season.
- Doom Troops: Nearly invulnerable and incredibly formidable, they stand out as being some of the fiercest Mooks in the series.
- Implacable Man: Nothing the Ninja hit them with can do more than slow them down until the Ninja get their upgraded elemental powers.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Aren't called the "indestructible Stone Army" for nothing. Turns out they have one weakness: the Ninja's pure elemental powers obtained at the temple of light.
- And going by most of them being dead by the time of "Day of the Departed", they are clearly vulnerable to the Light powers of the Spinjitzu Masters.
- No-Sell: They're completely immune to the Serpentine's respective powers.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Were sealed underground with the defeat of the Overlord, but unleashed by the Serpentine accidentally unearthing them.
Voiced by: Paul Dobson
The General of the Stone Army created by the Overlord, and Lord Garmadon's personal translator.
- Back from the Dead: Temporarily in "Day of the Departed", but returned to the Departed Realm upon being defeated by Dareth wielding the Helmet of Shadows.
- Disney Villain Death: A slight case, Garmatron shoots him down along with the rest of the Stone Army when Dareth tries to have them clear the way for the Ninja to confront the Overlord, but isn't shown to be killed and is ultimately destroyed by Lloyd's golden power's World-Healing Wave.
- The Dragon: To Garmadon, at first, however his true loyalty lays with the Overlord.
- Elite Mook: The General of the Stone Army who resembles the usual soldiers (who are already extremely tough) but is even stronger.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Gets destroyed by his own Stone Army soldiers due to Dareth controlling them with the Helmet of Shadows in "Day of the Departed".
- It's Personal: Apparently holds enough of a grudge against Dareth that he chooses to go after him instead of one of the Ninja in "Day of the Departed".
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: Has multiple arms and is the general of the already dangerous Stone Army.
- Translator Buddy: Acts as this for Lord Garmadon, being the only member of the Stone Army that can speak the Ninjago language.
- Uncertain Doom: Until "Day of the Departed", his actual fate was unknown as he and the rest of the Army vanishes after the Overlord is defeated.
- Verbal Tic: "GLUTAVU?"
The Nindroids
The Overlord's new soldiers in Season 3, created using a modified version of Zane's schematics.
- Back from the Dead: Some of them were resurrected in "Day of the Departed", but returned to the Departed Realm alongside Cryptor after being defeated by Zane.
- Contrasting Sequel Antagonist: The Stone Army was a force of ancient stone soldiers given life through supernatural means who used brute strength and durability to overwhelm their opponents. The Nindroids are ultra-hi-tech robotic warriors manufactured from the most state of the art technology who utilize martial arts and various other abilities like Eye Beams and a built-in Invisibility Cloak to give them an edge in combat.
- Evil Knockoff: All of the Nindroids are essentially this to Zane, their schematics having been based on his.
- Eye Beams: They can fire lasers from their eyes.
- Eyepatch of Power: All of them have one eye covered up.
- Good Costume Switch: The Nindroids controlled by Cyrus Borg from Season 6 onward wear white robes instead of black.
- Heel–Face Brainwashing: Reprogrammed/rebuilt by Cyrus Borg to serve the good sometimes between the third and fourth Seasons.
- Invisibility Cloak: They have a built-in one that allows them to move around hidden.
- Literally Shattered Lives: General Cryptor, Min-Droid and most of them after Zane's Heroic Sacrifice.
- Mecha-Mooks: They are all robots and the Overlord's new set of minions.
- Mini Mook: One Nindroid is much smaller than the rest (apparently due to a lack of material). He is appropriately nicknamed Min-Droid.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: All of them have red eyes, and they're the Replacement army for the Overlord.
- Replacement Mooks: They replace the Stone Army as the Overlord's foot soldiers in Season 3.
- Superior Successor: Upon their debut they were much stronger and faster than their predecessor Zane was. Gets turned back on them in Season 4 after Zane acquires his new body.
- Too Dumb to Live: When the Nindroids find the mass that was once the Golden Weapons, Cryptor refrains his subordinates from touching it directly as only the Overlord can handle the massive power emanating from it. One of them decides to anyway and gets vaporized.
- The Worf Effect: The remaining Nindroids locked up in Kryptarium Prison in Season 4 are effortlessly defeated by Zane to show off how much stronger his new body is compared to his old one. The Nindroids controlled by Cyrus Borg were also unable to do much against Nadakhan or the Mechanic and his army of Kryptarium inmates either.
Voiced by: Richard Newman
The general of the Nindroid Army created by the Overlord in Season 3.
- Back from the Dead: Was resurrected in "Day of the Departed", but returned to the Departed Realm after being defeated by Zane.
- Bad Boss: Doesn't treat his subordinates with much respect, especially Min-Droid. A lot of instances has Cryptor throwing them out of the vehicles they're driving so he can drive them instead.
- The Dragon: To the Overlord, until Pythor enters the picture.
- Elite Mook: The general of the Nindroid Army.
- Smug Snake: Cryptor believes himself to be the greatest warrior of all time and never misses an opportunity to mock his minions or enemies. His arrogance was ultimately the reason of his downfall, twice.
Voiced by: Michael Adamthwaite
A Nindroid who was made smaller than the others due to the factory he was made in running out of metal.
- Berserk Button: Hates having his size being made fun of.
- Butt-Monkey: Is constantly made fun of for his appearance, and suffers a lot of abuse from Cryptor.
- The Dog Bites Back: Finally stands up to Cryptor in "The Titanium Ninja" after overhearing the general belittling him and starts beating him up.
- Mini Mook: Is much smaller than all the other Nindroids, and is often made fun of for it.
The Council of the Crystal King
- Demoted to Dragon: With the exception of the Mechanic and Mr. F, all the members of the Crystal Council are former Arc Villains who now serve the Overlord.
- Legion of Doom: A gathering of the Ninja's old enemies: Pythor, the Mechanic, a rebuilt Mr. E, Aspheera, and King Vangelis, led by Harumi and the Overlord.
An upgraded model of Mr. E, and a general in the Crystal King's army.
- Ambiguous Situation: Pythor describes Mr. F as the model of Mr. E. However, it's unclear if this meant that he's Mr. E rebuilt, an entirely new nindroid but with Mr. E's memories, or if he is a new nindroid made from completely separate ties from Mr. E.
- Back from the Dead: He's a new model based on the original Mr. E.
- Katanas Are Just Better: It's not Mr. E. - or rather Mr. F. - if he doesn't have one of his iconic katanas.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: He still has red eyes and he's even more dangerous than before.
- Silent Antagonist: As usual, which Pythor complains about.
Also called the Crystal Army, they are an army created by Kabuki Mask, specifically designed to overpower Ninjago's populace and counteract the Ninja's powers.
- Man of Kryptonite: They're made of Vengestone, which negate the Ninja's Elemental Powers. PIXAL has to upgrade the Ninja's vehicles for them to be able to destroy them.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Barring their ability to convert people into more of them, they're an implacable army made of a type of mineral that the Ninja struggle to fight against, similar to the Stone Army. Given that the Overlord created both, it's likely not a coincidence.
- Technically-Living Zombie: They can add more to their ranks by simply touching the denizens of Ninjago, whose bodies turn purple and have crystal shards jutting out of them.
