Complete Monster Quiz

Something of an Affectionate Parody of the Mary Sue Quiz, perhaps. Inspired by the "Complete Monster or not?" and "Subpages Cleanup" threads.

Do you want to know if your character is a Complete Monster?

Let me know if you have comments or ideas for improvements.

1. Is the character ever involved in anything horrible, nasty, evil, or cruel?
   • YES: +1 point.
   • NO: you can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
2. Did they do the deed personally?
   • Yes +2 points.
3. Did they have someone else to do it, knowing exactly what would happen if it was carried out, and expecting to be obeyed to the letter?
   • Yes +1 point.
   • If the answer to BOTH (2) AND (3) is NO, you can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
   • If the answer to (3) is NO, skip questions 4 - 5
4. If the minions who carried out the evil deeds did it in a way that was particularly nasty, shocking, etc., or harmed many relatively innocent people, was the character pleased?
   • Yes +1 point.
5. If the minions who carried out the evil deeds went out of their way to avoid unnecessary cruelty, was the character notably displeased?
   • Yes +1 point.
6. Did the act stand out as particularly or unusually horriffic, compared to the evil deeds of other villains in the story?
   • In other words, does the character stand out as going "above and beyond" what might be considered "typical villany" in that setting.
   • For example, while other villains are murderers and thieves, this character has killed hundreds of people.
   • Yes +2 points.
7. Does the evil deed stand out as being particularly unnecessary?
   • For example, while most other villains in the story had obvious motives, such as escaping justice, this character did it just for fun.
   • Yes +2 points.
8. Did the character specifically and clearly go out of their way to be cruel to the victim(s) of their actions?
   • Yes +2 points.
   • If the answer to (6), (7), and (8) is NO, you can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
9. Are the character's evil deeds shown in graphic detail?
   • Yes: +2 points.
   • No: +0 points.
10. Are the evil deeds shown in such a way as to maximize their negative emotional impact?
    • Yes, and it is done effectively: +2 points
    • Yes, but it is done badly or Played for Laughs: -2 points.
    • No. -2 points.
11. Does the story tend to hide or gloss over the details of their crimes, discreetly downplay them, or conveniently not discuss them?
    • Yes: -4 points
    • NO: +0 points.
12. Does the story hide the action, but make the details or effects of their actions on others clear nonetheless?
    • For example, the audience hears screaming from behind a door, but the inuendo still makes it fairly clear exactly what happened.
    • NO: +0 points.
    • Yes: +4 points
13. Do other characters fear the character? (check all that apply)
    • A. No, because the other characters don't know the whole truth. (Villain with Good Publicity: +0 points)
    • B. No, because they know the truth and still regard the character as too harmless to be a serious danger. (Harmless Villain: -4 points)
    • C. Yes, because you wouldn't want them as enemies. (Ordinary villainy: +0 points)
    • D. Yes, because they might deliberately send others into harm for good reason. (for example, they order mooks to delay the heroes while they escape with the MacGuffin) (Ordinary villainy: +0 points)
    • E. Yes, because the character might harm them or those they care about, or send them into danger, unintentionally. (Obliviously Evil: -1 point)
    • F. Yes, because they might deliberately seriously harm their own underlings or allies out of displeasure, for fun, etc. (+2 points)
    • G. Yes, because they might deliberately seriously harm an innocent person for no obvious reason. (+2 points)
14. Do other characters regard the character with disgust? (check all that apply)
    • A. No, because they don't know the whole truth. (Villain with Good Publicity: +0 points)
    • B. No, they know the truth and respect the character for it. (-2 points)
    • C. Yes, because the character is fat, ugly, has bad manners, etc. (+0 points)
    • D. Yes, because the character is cowardly, pathetic, etc. (-2 points)
    • E. Yes, because the character enjoys harming others, unnecessarily cruelty, or committing other acts portrayed as evil. (+3 points)
    • F. Yes, because the character shows an utter lack of concern about cruelty, evil deeds, unfortunate events, etc. (+2 points)
15. . What is the character's psychological background? (check all that apply)
    • A. It's completely unknown. (+0 points)
    • B. Their past was rather ordinary or pleasant. (+2 points)
    • C. Something bad happened to them, but it really doesn't explain their behavior by any stretch of the imagination. (+1 point)
    • D. They are from an alien culture where ideas about good and evil are radically different. (-4 points)
    • E. The character was not raised properly, brainwashed, or taught to believe propoganda as if it were truth. (-4 points)
    • F. The character survived something that clearly could have left their sanity deeply compromised. (-4 points)
    • G. The character obviously has serious mental problems beside their depravity - obsessed with revenge, for example. (-4 points)
    • H. The character was placed in a situation where they didn't know what to do, and snapped. It's like they were a different person after that. (-2 points)
    • I. The character is clearly criminally insane or under control of an outside force - unable to fully comprehend what they're doing is wrong, or if they can comprehend it, they are unable to stop. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
16. . How do their own evil deeds compare with what happened to them? (check all that apply)
    • A. What happened to them was worse than what they did. (-10 points)
    • B. What they did was worse, but their background makes it somewhat understandable. (-5 points)
    • C. What they did was worse, but their background makes them at least somewhat sympathetic. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • D. There is no comparison. It's like killing someone's spouse and kids because they looked at you funny. (+2 points)
    • E. Nothing. NOTHING could justify their actions. If they were tortured every day their entire lives, it couldn't justify that. (+4 points)
17. . Does the character ever show remorse or regret for their evil deeds? (check all that apply)
    • A. Yes, they clearly deeply, deeply regretted it, and you know for a fact they weren't just acting. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • B. Yes, and they made an attempt (pathetic or not) to redeem themselves or change their ways. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • C. No, they showed no emotional response. (+5 points)
    • D. No, they enjoyed every minute of it. (+5 points)
    • E. Maybe - the character seemed to wish things had turned out differently. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • F. Maybe - the character seemed to enjoy a good deed - and that suggests maybe they weren't all bad. (-2 points)
18. If the heroes let the character go after the character showed some remorse or did something good, how would you feel? (check all that apply)
    • A. The heroes are a bunch of idiots to let someone like that loose. (+1 point)
    • B. Talk about Karma Houdini! (+2 points)
    • C. I'd have preferred they'd have been punished a LOT more severely. (+1 point)
    • D. I'm kinda OK with that. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • E. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! (+3 points)
19. If the character was subjected to a horrific death or Fate Worse than Death, how would you feel? (check all that apply)
    • A. Thank Goodness. Anything to get rid of them! (+3 points)
    • B. I'm kinda OK with that. (+2 points)
    • C. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • D. Couldn't they have got something even worse? (+5 points)
20. If the charater did a Heel–Face Turn, tried to redeem themselves, and ends up sacrificing themselves in a Redemption Equals Death or Death Equals Redemption, how would you feel? (check all that apply)
    • A. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I'd have preferred they'd have been punished a LOT more severely. (+2 points)
    • B. I'm kinda OK with that. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • C. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • D. Wait, what? A Heel–Face Turn?!? No, no, NO! This character would never do that! Who the @#$% is writing this piece of $#%^?!? (+2 points)
21. . If the character was caught and sentanced to death, and you were a character in the story, how would you react? (check all that apply)
    • A. You would be on your knees begging the Judge to show mercy. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • B. You would volunteer to hold their hand on the way to the execution if they asked. You can stop now. Not a Complete Monster.
    • C. You would volunteer to witness their execution or push the button yourself, just to be absolutely sure they're dead. (+5 points)
    • D. Normally, you strongly oppose the death penalty, but... (+5 points)
    • E. You still wouldn't think they're gone even if you pulled the trigger yourself. (+2 points)
    • F. You still have nightmares years later. (+2 points)

Less than zero: Not a Complete Monster

• 0 to + 5: If not a CM, they've at least seen the Moral Event Horizon
• 6 to +29: Probably a Complete Monster.
• 30 or above: The author must have desdigned the character for the trope.

edited 31st Oct '10 5:56:45 PM by FrodoGoofballCoTV

I went from 19 to -1 to not a complete monster. How amusing.

My only goal in life is to ensure that Mousa dies of a stress-induced heart attack by the age of 23. READ THIS

It looks kind of annoying to check these off through text...

If people learned from their mistakes, there wouldn't be this thing called bad habits.

Also, what about showing stuff in graphic detail? I think you forgot that one.

My only goal in life is to ensure that Mousa dies of a stress-induced heart attack by the age of 23. READ THIS

Smug Snake Harry Dage got a 31, just as I had hoped. Although he wasn't truly designed to be a Complete Mosnter, he was the most revolting of the antagonists.

I must say that this is a very well-made quiz.

This is this.

True. Probably needs to be converted into a full - on javascript with checkboxes Added. Thanks ^^;

I got a 63 for a character in this thing I wrote a long time ago.

I'm feeling strangely happy now, contented and serene. Oh don't you see, finally I'll be, somewhere that's green...

My Big Bad Travis scored a 37.

Then again, his introductory act of evil is to crucify one of the main characters (an immortal) and hang a sign around their neck reading "Until death do us part".

edited 31st Oct '10 5:49:21 PM by KSPAM

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

You're missing an option from the 'character's psychological background' section - specifically, them having a normal upbringing in a (relatively) normal civilisation with no real trauma to speak of. Not every Complete Monster was raised on the corner of Dysfunction Junction.

What's precedent ever done for us?

^^Funnily enough, Harry Dage also crucifies a few innocent people for the giggles.

Then Gant defeats him, nails him upside down to a tree, and spends a few minutes kicking him repeatedly in the guts before another enemy soldier comes along.

edited 31st Oct '10 5:59:10 PM by Morgulion

This is this.

Oops. Fixed.

edited 31st Oct '10 6:00:31 PM by FrodoGoofballCoTV

56 for the main antagonist of my current novel here.

If people learned from their mistakes, there wouldn't be this thing called bad habits.

Hey, 65 with the revision!

I'm feeling strangely happy now, contented and serene. Oh don't you see, finally I'll be, somewhere that's green...

I get:

• Naraku: 54
• Xykon: 50
• Jenner: 25
• Snadhya: Not a CM, but may be over the MEH.

From my stories:

• Ambassador Azagol: 30

edited 31st Oct '10 7:35:36 PM by FrodoGoofballCoTV

... My word, my depiction of Tzeentch gets a 57. Impressive.

What's precedent ever done for us?

A character that is sitting in the back of my mind is not a Complete Monster thanks to the last three questions.  ^*

He makes for a really odd villain because he enjoys good acts as well as evil acts.  ^*

^{He is especially fond of donating to orphanages.}

In the beginning of his career he was primarily focused on revenge and gaining power, but eventually he shifted to following his own odd beliefs.  ^*

^{I haven't worked out the why, but I am leaning towards having him encounter a messiah character.}

Essentially he thinks that both good and evil are two different parts of art. Having a white painting or a black painting is not a piece of art, but a blend of the two resembling Chiaroscuro or maybe even Tenebrism is. Most of the time he is quite content with helping out both sides, but sometimes he personally gets involved when he feels it needs his personal touch.  ^*

He often tries to get the most amount of fun out of this conflict.

His pastimes are reading books, playing Grachtess,  ^*

and making artwork out of things one would not consider beautiful unless they are a Nightmare Fetishist YMMV.

He is still a Work In Progress.

edited 31st Oct '10 9:48:29 PM by EldritchBlueRose

Has ADD, plays World of Tanks, thinks up crazy ideas like children making spaceships for Hitler. Occasionally writes them down.

Going by this, is Frollo a complete monster?

I did that test for the Herald, the Big Bad in my setting, and got a total of 37. He is indeed supposed to be a complete monster with no redeeming qualities (being Affably Evil is not really a redeeming quality).

YES! My Reaper Zombies scored 34! Sure they may be zombies created by an unknown source, but once a person dies and becomes a Reaper, they have essentially become a whole other character. Kinda like a body snatcher.

edited 1st Nov '10 8:21:19 PM by SandJosieph

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Liang Chi passes just from episode 10.

Dunno how I feel about this one. Take Satan from The Mysterious Stranger. He explicitly says that angels can "do no wrong" because they have no concept of wrong, but he does some pretty messed up things. Screwing around with children's mental well-being, mostly.

Not to say that Satan is or isn't a Complete Monster, but what you're pretty much saying here is that a character who would otherwise be a Complete Monster turns out to be crazy, then they actually aren't one, just like that?

edited 2nd Nov '10 1:53:21 AM by melloncollie

I think the important thing is 'functionally incapable of comprehending that what they're doing is wrong'. That robs them of a certain amount of agency.

What's precedent ever done for us?

My second and third books' villain Atrexis scored somewhere between 6-29.

He has many of the trappings of a Complete Monster especially with what his side does to the other factions, but ultimately he's got far more depth and motivation than that.

"Allah may guide their bullets, but Jesus helps those who aim down the sights."

My Big Bad? Definitevely not a monster. The Dragon? Perhaps... The Psychopathic Manchild? was on its way to be one, but its sympathetic background said otherwise.

edited 2nd Nov '10 8:58:14 AM by heartlessmushroom

I did this one for the antagonist of my unpublished yaoi novel Crushed. She got a 51. And she accomplishes this trope through bullying. How's that for an accomplishment? (I'm not bragging, I'm just surprised).

I'm already convinced that Pride, Lust, Sue, and Empress Talon would already get higher, plus my head is spinning from all that math so I'll try with them later.