Which type of villain is more threatening?

There have been many villains in the media over the years, but which is more threatening: the type that would not hesitate to kill the hero without delay, actually view themselves as superior and command their forces (if they have any) with fear and intimidation or the type who actually go out of their way to try and turn the hero to their side, not with fear or threats, but by actually trying to make them see things their way, the type that actually have loyal followers who obey their every command without question, even though they are smart enough to do that?

Just something that came to mind is all

What type is most threatening? Grings Kodai. It Makes Sense in Context.

edited 4th May '15 3:04:06 PM by machop

"Threatening"? Well, I'm pretty sure both types could do a number on the world. Within a given series, however, the latter is more likely to end up being a properly "serious" villain. The former is just too Saturday Morning, so to speak.

The ones who don't hesitate to kill the hero may lean into Complete Monster territory if portrayed in the manner.

edited 5th May '15 7:10:38 AM by MsCC93

I don't think that you can answer that question. Every kind of villain is different and you can do every variant good or bad. It is always a matter of execution.

Cold and calculating.

Depends on the situation, and even then, both types of villains you list can be embodied in the same character. Look at Darth Vader. He has a loyal cadre at his command, and he actively tries to seduce Luke Skywalker over to the Dark Side. At the same time, he is not at all hesitant to kill (or start to kill) dissenters in his ranks, blow up entire planets as an intimidation tactic or to wipe out forces working against the Empire, and he pretty clearly is willing to use deadly force against Luke before his change of heart aND actually does kill Obi-Wan, his own former mentor and battle mate.

In other words, writing a good villain is complex, yo.

For a less...classic example, and an example that probably doesn't work as well in context of the whole work, 1:03-1:11 in this clip:

The likable kind, the one you want to win.

I raise you this. When the villain loses it and goes deadly serious.

0:00 - 0:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HQD90xN-P0&t=0m00s

edited 29th May '15 6:32:36 PM by qtjinla15

I love that scene. That and the scene from Lost World when Eggman gets pissed off at the Zeti and has the lines "'ll burn your worlds you rebellious scum! I'll destroy everything you love and make you watch" and "As long as I can still strangle a Zeti, my hands are fine".

Executives, bureaucrats, politicians and lawyers.

Wow what an unfunny and cliche choice.

It's real, so it isn't supposed to be funny.

Yeah, just blanket cast everyone in those professions as villains. because that never happens all the time and is totally justified.

Any villain can be a threat given the right context of a narrative. The least threatening villains are the ones that can never offer a challenge to the protagonists.

So glad we agree!